forrestreid

I find reading about prices in Bali confusing because of all the zero's The long-promised redenomination of the rupiah cannot come soon enough: https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/indonesia-plans-bill-redenominate-rupiah-currency-2025-11-08/

Well, as I said I never had any problems with a driver despite my practise to put my hands around their waist, but I also kept well away from the crotch area! It not that hard people, unfortunately there are obviously some out there who cannot help themselves...

Holding on to the handles at the back on a motorbike is dangerous. If the bike seriously buckles or bounces, you will be flipped off like an overloaded buckeroo (for those of you who remember the playing the thing in the 80’s). however, I noticed that’s how a lot of straight men hold on when a passenger on motorbikes. I suppose they feel it’s unmanly to do anything else. However, as a gay man, it safety first, and when I am on a bike taxi I put my two arms around the chest of the driver and cling on like a baby chimpanzee. So far I have not had any driver object. So guys, be safe, be gay, let the straights get the head injuries while you hold on tight….

I have never been to Paris, but I aware there is a famous gay bar with a shower show called Le Raidd Bar. It is situated in Rue du Temple, in the gay Marais district. It has been on my list as a place to go when an I next go to Paris, but for various reasons I haven’t been for a while. Normally, I wouldn’t comment in a place I hadn’t been, but one weakness in this board is that people seem to be very unlikely to recommend bars (particularly in Europe) with sexy shows or with strippers, so therefore I thought I would throw in my tuppence on this occasion. If you visit Paris and visit the bar, please do report back.

It was probably just that he didn;t go into that Soi. He said about the map that: Please understand that I am primarily making this map to support the blog articles here, showing where the mentioned places are. I am not trying to create an exhaustive map of all places of interest for any and all gay men out there (I don’t have the time). I also adopt the principle that if I have not visited a place, or at least seen the front of it, I won’t include it – it’s my way of verification.

I see that Shamelesmack (or Macaroni as he is known on this Forum) is back posting on his blog, and he has put up an updated set of maps of the Silom Area on his blog. Always handy to consult before you travel, he has a subtle colour coding for the massage places that is particularly useful. Map of Silom-Surawong area, October 2025 – ShamelessMack2

Not that I am aware of. The best is this article for an academic journal, which Peter linked to on the boards before, on the background to Darrell's murder and his milieu: https://muse.jhu.edu/article/12116

I think you mean Darrell Berrigan. (Daniel Berrigan was a well known Jesuit priest and anti-war protester in the US and I dont think he was gay).

Have you been at the sherry Peter? No mention of this so far on BBC, I notice....

Interesting memories from Roger threw. Trink was quite the one off. And of course Stickman interviewed him also: https://www.stickmanbangkok.com/weekly-column/2004/08/thailands-best-known-farang/ That was from the Stickman archives, it appeared 20 years ago. Hopefully the Stickman site will stay up as an archived site after the last column.

It looks like Stickman is retiring from the Stickman Bangkok website, with his final weekly update scheduled for the end of the year. It feels like the end of an era. For those unfamiliar, Stickman Bangkok has long chronicled the straight bar scene in Thailand. (If you Google “Stickman Bangkok,” you’ll find it.) He has published a weekly column every Sunday morning for the past 25 years. But with readership declining—especially among younger visitors, many of whom are, according to him, Indian or East Asian and don’t follow his column—he’s decided to retire. I’ll be sorry to see it go. While his focus was squarely on the straight nightlife scene, he occasionally touched on broader issues like transport and general pricing. Some of the discussions such as about the price of a bar fine (the straight version of an off fee) could be eye-opening. Notably, he never covered the gay scene—he seemed to avoid acknowledging it altogether. That’s understandable to a degree, as the scenes are quite separate, but it was striking that even as the gay bars shifted from Soi Twilight to Patpong, he never mentioned them—he was liable to make comments along the lines of “naughty bars seem to be dying out in Patpong Soi 2” without mentioning that this was only if one was blind to a certain type of naughty bar… For me, his departure isn’t entirely surprising. I had a sense it was coming. Stickman hasn’t lived in Thailand since 2015 (when he returned to his native New Zealand), and while he used to visit three times a year pre-COVID, he’s only been returning once annually since. However, I will regret the end of Stickman Weekly, as in an era of increasing generic and click-baity travel and nightlife websites, Stickman stood out for having a distinct voice and being fairly reliable. Another site worth mentioning—especially since it DOES include coverage of gay venues —is Bangkok Eyes. (Again, Google “Bangkok Eyes” to find it.) It’s run by some real old-timers, with the main writer apparently having memories dating back to the Vietnam War era. The site is meant to update monthly, but that’s been slowing down lately. The last update was September 1st, and the October 1st edition still hasn’t appeared as of today, 19th October. They usually include a roundup of Bangkok’s naughty nightlife zones, noting openings and closings (often with photos), but that segment has been missing recently. I understand the contributor who used to do the rounds is now in a wheelchair, at least temporarily. I suspect he is in an age-group that finds it hard to get out of being stuck in a wheelchair, once they are in it, and have a sinking feeling that Bangkok Eyes will be the next site to say farewell to its readers. If you’re interested in Thailand’s unique demi-monde, these two websites are well worth a look—while they’re still around.

I didnt like to say it, for fear that Deep Seek will think I am even more curmudgeonly in future...

Depends on the instruction you give. I asked Deepseek for a review of me in 250 words. It was trenchant enough (I have highlighted the bits that could be negative): Based on a review of his posts on the Gay Thailand forum, forrestreid's personality is that of a seasoned, cynical, and authoritative expat who embodies the "grumpy old hand" archetype. He writes with a tone of weary expertise, often expressing nostalgia for a more authentic, bygone Thailand that he believes has been eroded by modern tourism and apps like Grindr. His interactions are consistently direct and intolerant of what he perceives as naivety or foolishness. He positions himself as a dispenser of tough love and hard-won wisdom, often correcting other members with blunt, paternalistic advice. For instance, when a newcomer posted a romanticized question about finding a traditional Thai boyfriend, forrestreid sharply dismantled the fantasy, outlining the economic realities with unsentimental clarity. He shows clear disdain for repetitive questions and poorly researched posts, yet his lengthy, detailed responses on bar etiquette and cultural norms reveal a protective, almost professorial desire to guide serious travelers away from common pitfalls. Ultimately, he commands a grudging respect as a jaded sage, fiercely protective of a subculture he feels is disappearing. I would be a bit cautious of interacting with me based on the above.....I think I am much more cuddly really...

Okay. Fair enough.

For the money obsessed amongst us, could you give an indication as to the sort of range?