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First thanks to khunlung GBT for pointing me the old-style site-I too was fairly confused as I hit the new one just after release. The prob with the old GR(its officially planetromeo) was indeed they lost a great deal of custom to the new smartfone-app styled hornet/grindr/jacked etc. In Its homebase Germany it was always strong-also for advertsing and gay places, but out of that country so maligned today by a mr. POTUS=tr (they are able export too much cars apparently to his country) , it was always 2nd rate. And yes, I too was indeed looking at 100s of possible working in Germany escort-style guys for soon to come visits. On to that: does anyone know about those other sites that do provide easy access to recognisable MBs-not in Thailand?

In BKk mostly sold at some known to insiders gay sauna's. May lead to police raids if too open/much.

Skip Khao sarn-just overloud and sky-high prices for what are said to be lethal cocktails. Good for US-teeneeweenee's who now can drink till death even <18. WE DONT CHECK ID. IF you really, really want to join those streams of hapless mainland chinese and guided farang tourists around, just leave them after the boat landing and turnleft-follow road, see Banglamphu museum, go over bridge and get lost in the local alley-s along samsen rd. Of course there are plenty of local buses-32,33 and a pale blue local style songhthaew from Nonthburi to Pak Kred. These buses start at sanam Luang-just round the corner from Khao Sarn. MALLs: BKK must have 100+ of them and most are 13 in the dozen all the same. MBK is overpriced tourist junk, most vendors are Burmese (as they are along KhaoSarn). A little different is terminal 21-Asoke BTS stop, extremely cheap foodcourt on 5th floor and aims to have individual local entrepreneurs doing their own designs. ALL have fairly chap foodcourts-pay with card-turn in card when leaving and get refund. That AS is mainly aiming Asean tourists with again mostly overpriced touristjunk and the same items you see everywhere anywhere in TH or BKK. But very few fake-labels. Looks to me you are Asean? Avoid msg at Wat Pho-just a giant fatcory with mainly trainees-but somehow it got on the list of ''to do'' for Aseans. About any of the million plus local massageshops will also do. About any mall will also have them. Around Sanam Luang is likely still fenced off with entry checks and ID needed. For massage aiming m2M with garanteed extra's-check listing at thaimassageboy or travelgayasia.

@rollingstone: quite agree. In fact the usual oldtime saying of Thai girls also comes up here: the bill will always come-and more as you expected and at an unexpected time. Or; the difference between real love and paid love is paperthin in TH.

@abdismaijlis- the quote function will not work now. NO, since maybe the last 10 yrs for many (Euro) farang students its in fact quite cheap to celebrate a month or so during summer in TH-or most of ASEAN. Plus that most (uni)students are far from the oldstyle poor devils-pa+ma want their few kids just to have a good time. Just look around that maligned Khaosarn road,see that BKK now has some 400+ hoStels for ''cheap'' lodging (most cost in fact more as a simple room in an old-style Th guesthse-without any online presence). Ive worked for many yrs in the tourist bisnis and can confirm that a trip to Th is for many teenagers now (here in EUR0 just as common and on the whole cheaper as going Interrail (train trips-cheap pass) in EUR as they used to do before 2000. Vnam is a big contender for that type of travel too. This was also quite noticeable in claims for what I worked for last: travel insurance-many are just as inexperienced and dumb as hell. I also think that all those smartfones make people even more dumb and antisocial-they assume anything is correct on the web-big surprise then for BKK/TH-as there are so many errors, mistakes and ommissions (for the usual practical info). Has nothing to do with the topic, just to update your info. Its also now much more UNcommon to see gay young people in TH-strange enough.

Thats really extra-ordinary for the effort made. But stories like this-mostly Japanese/Koreans with a few 10.000s of US$-are in the BKKpost nearly every week. Taxi's also have their own radio-station on which yiou can often hear stories about things lost and drivers arranging colleagues going the direction of holder to pass over the lost&found. Some countries have official finders fees (in germany 10%) which the finder can even legally claim. DK how that is in TH though.

GONE! The touristy places z909 mentions ahve all dried up-bar the odd in his late 40ies who may still take the occasional chance. The best known and often also mentioned here for that was SARAMROM park-or near Wat PO, in the ''old'' town. But since a large part of that area is fenced of with ID-checks etc as the remains of HM are there for all Thai to be visited in time they have all gone-or maybe chased away. Some persistent and quite nasty LADYboys (assuming the odd one might remotely be interested in that) keep on patrolling along the busstops along Ratchdamnern later in the evenings. I highly doubt \even Saranrom will ever return to its former popularity with all those apps etc. As you very well must know/see here in TH-even the poorest oif the poor have smart fones. Read christians blogs for some in-depth reports about buys found along the Klong Lowd there.

There are none. But does it really matter if its close by-you have to taxi it anyway-if thats 8 or 10 or 12 mins? You should have mentioned TIMES-if you arr, like so many big planes, by 23.xx and lve DMK next morning by 11.xx-to be there some 2 hrs before (at least plan-safety for jams etc.) then you will have a very hard time finding anything open. IMHO the best way-if the times are better fitting, to deposit lugg at BKK (both aiports of course have expensive left luggage), and rely on the ARL=train+BTS-not that comfy, but always garanteed on time. Then use free shuttle bus from Swampy=BKK to DMK later on. In fact some of the big touristy shopping malls also do free left lugg for the tourists-may have to show passp or receipt that you did shop there. You do not at all restrict to Silom places-any where close by rail/BTS or if you fancy taxi-anywhere in town without too much jams can do. As also told so many times before-the tipical suburban Thai places expect you do be able to communicate a bit in Thai and do not specialise in twinks-if at all. If you use a place from ThaiMassageBOy you can be garanteed of more as just a HJ-in fact this will be assumed you come there for. Close by to BKK-none, there were some places 8,5 named along Sri Nakarin, but closed by police due to drug-raids. Close by an ARL; City Retreat along RCA avenue-RamkamHaeng stop. many along Sukhumvit-all by BTS. Close by DMK; have closed, sadly, as one was my personal favorite for a long time-it was smack under the approach runway. There is Pumarin-sauna + massage, at ZEER- a short taxi or busride away (bus+long walk into soi), but it gets mixed lukewarm reviews at best. Use a site like travelgayasia for more places and descriptions-serach for by area. If you decide for an unknown place in suburbia, print out map for taxi-with Thai on it.

Hi, right now I sit on a RKH_soi, planning to bus it over the BgKapi later the day. Look at Thaimassageboy-they mention 3 along Lard Prao 101. There is also Ruen Koon Paen on a soi from Newamin-they advertise oin gthat.net in Thai only. For what you mention-just plain nouat boran- I think anys hop-and there are a lot along the main road,can do, RKH is quite long and too jammed up. Or at bangkapi-go into the Happyland centre, across from the MALL, 1st (2nd for USA) floor-back end-there are loads of msg-shops for 150/hr.

Aree is only really worthwhile after dusk. That ''interesting'' mix you can find about anywhere here in BKK-perhaps even more in areas not on the BTS, nor MRT, but on the normal buslines. Like where I sit now,, RamKamHaeng. But you'll often need a local insider to point you to the real interesting places. JUst buy a daypass and get off-if ther is nothing/too little, hop on again and ride the whole line to other end or the next stop and see-it may be different or not. But most you see new condo's under construction. My rec would be the Wong Wien Yai (=big traffic circle) which indeed is there, with a statue of some Mongkut king in the middle and a little on is even the Wong Wien Lek=small tr.crc, which is no circle though. Better to me is just get on a local bus-the non AC-type, if you even dare, as it has a flat fee 9in AC you have to tell how far you go for the fare) and then you can see much better as from that crowded high BTS. Batter sights too from the new MRT-purple line- they promise a new 15 bt flat fee for weekends. Nice sights, incl over the river. Ends at some giant new shopping centre-WestGate.

passed by there the other week or so. 1.NO more gogo-that was only BeHigh has closed. Sign is still there at that soi. 2.in that soi are 6 remaining all KaraOK bars-all offering beer when Thai law allows it (=not buddist days etc.) and guys to sing with+more. All 99,98% all Thai and most now struggling to keep alive. And there is still the ages old CharmMing a little beyond-and thats it. 3.Evenings SK is packed with eating options, but I DK about any specific aiming the gay market. Note that general gentrification is also strongly prevalent here. There is now a bekpek-style hoStel in that gay soi and there must be at least 5-6 money exchanges and various flashy and expensive tourist-aiming (all english in etc) places. For farang/gay new to TH and not well versed in things TH: no need to go there. For old TH hands likely more of a disappointment compared to what it was.

re pricing: in fact I do not agree that shops charge more as individuals-this depends on shop and area. Those advertising as escort on PlanetRomeo all charge more as normal non-touristy places. Of course you can also scan from the members section and try your luck, grindr/hornet etc will likely offer the same. IF this is the first time at all for you, then start with going to a shop that offersmore and see/experience how the usual routine is.

several of the .[places advertising on TMB=ThaiMassageBoy )claim to) open 24 hrs/7/365. This mostly means they have some of their staff sleep/staying inside and waking them up for the work, though by 1/2am this will be easy. The one I was in last night stated also a slightly higher min. tip. Others ask visitors to fone ahead for out-of-normal-time visits-but that may apply even also for times till around 16.00. There are some 16 shops in BKK advertising on TMB so you can scan them for 24 hrs service. None are in the direct Silom-tourist-ghetto though.

Was there once (or rather to be precise-2x, start and end) some time ago now-before Burma was ''opening up''. At that time there certainly were male masseurs, but all out open-on the street, you sit on a (normal sitting) chair. Cost quoted was said to be around 1 US$-what cost about 120/150 (for 30 mins) here in BKK-much more comfy seats though here. I got the feeling that since the last 2-3 yrs all the better talents in this type of msg have left Burma/Myanmar and gone to work in much better paying TH. Had such a gorgeous (Karyen) guy just yesterday evening. In general that TGA=travelgayaisa site seems to have the best and most uptodate listings for ASEAN-if they dont show anything, there likely wont be. Which does not mean you wont be able to get such a msg-try gayromeo, grindr or whatever-mobile use is exploding there.

A realy good (single) masseur can sometimes give you the sensation of a 4-hand, with just 2 hands busy. Its not very common and I would say about 2-3% of cases it happens and as always, one never knows when and by whom, but its worth it searching for it-and then (thats different from the lotteree-once you have the winning ticket, you can keep it and win again) stick to it. Probably only do-able for those staying longer.

Just yesterday I got a english-Thai mag-wanderlustmag.com that listed 10 spots in greater BKK to take family to (aimed at expats). These also included the muang boran=ancient city (a kind of miniature TH), the Erawan elefant museum-both out of BKK in PakNam/Samut Prakarn, the waterpark on top of the MALL (shopping cnetre) in bang Khae and a promo-advertaorial oabout a couple (US+TH) doing foodie-walks+trips (eating.not so much cooking) in various areas, as bang Rak (where Silom is in=more Chinese). The bekpek ghetto (versus the tourist ghetto) of BangLamPHu, close by to Sanam Luang and SaranRom park (with MBs on the streets late at nite), is much more aimed at low-cost ditto offers, incl the thus inevitable vegetarian (may Kaidee). Search christianpfc.blogspot.nl for more tips on uncommon places-he has been there-, or bangkok-daytrips.

My mother always went for 4-6 weeks to Spain in mid-winter-by bus, taking 12-14 hrs. For the sun. She always said: dont call, dont fear, if anything happens I take the initiative. I do the same-I fly 10-12 hrs.

1. you-most likely-also need a visa-has to be arranged in advance 2.yes, crisp, unmarked etc. US$ bills-if in need, beside the well known orange SuperRich (beside big C Ratchprasing) is also VALUE exchange-gives same rates mostly, and can assist in selecting those wanted bills for 5 stang extra per 1 $. Whereas many declaim this ''double exhange'' as money costing, the rates are so low its not true. In fact I got better rate for CNY there (changing into THB from EUR and then buying CNY) as in CHina itself with its controlled rip-off market. 3.Myanmar has gotten EXpensive! compared to what it was and due to big growth in tourism and low nr of accomodation etc-so do book before. 4.www is now in most touristy places good enough, nbr of mobiles is also exploding. For MBs I think roughly the sameholds as for Camb: all best promising talents have already left for TH and its golden moneypots.

There seems to be an other unexpected bonus (for me): in the past as soon as Loy Kratong had passed, one would hear bells jingling for a red-nosed rudolf in any of the 100s of full AC-superstores etc. Not heard that yet for now! For a big (and well needed) clean-up around the Sanam Luang mourning site this will be closed and noone admitted on 1+2/12-even the Grand Palace will be closed those days for real. (on the side: wonder a bit how SaranRom boys-right beside that area) have adapted to the situation, too much rain lately to go for a walk there.

To be held in open air cinema from jan 26-29 next year 2017. Now in its 3d year and will also show various home-made Burmese ''queer'' movies, like Channel G, Dear Mum, Sould mates. Also to be held various discussions, parties and performances. Organised by some NGO, ,no website with further details given. A previews was held in BKk last week.

No, its only 15-also 3d cl in the rot thammada=normal train, 20 is ''express/rapid''. AND its free if you-should be easy for you- to pretend to be Thai-only say the name of destination at corect window and get the ticket for 0 bt. BUS=van/minibus is 60 bt and runs ev 10/15 mins. Ends now at Mochit/BKK. Train to ayutthaya class 3 (no ac, no seat reservation) is 20 one way. Cheapest way to go there.

Not just that-that 3m also needs to be in a NON-withdrawal bank account for at least 1 yr. AND there must be a monthly income of at least 100,000 bt (=ca. 2600 eur by now). AND you need to have permanent medical insurance for at least 10kUS$ payout. Apparently the dreaded registration at immigr ev 3 month is also to stay-so what about those only staying half-year in TH-but do that every year? As always with this: much more info-and tons of very predictable comments on dedicated sites like thaivisa. Southern neighbour MY=Malaysia has introduced such a thing recently, seems mostly a copycat. About any dispute/questions are pretty worthless by now untill real fixed details have appeared.

Here BKK-arrived on 9/11. Only since yesterday I've actually heard some of that Lao/Isany look thoong music being played-not too loud, on streets. Even ads etc were in B&W only untill a few days ago. Have noted no difference however in the inside in massageshops etc.

colmx hit it right on the nail-and Q should have been: PnPn or HCMC? Having visited both -1 and 2 yrs ago, certainly I can confirm HCMC wins hands down on total and quality-for a visiting farang. However, PnPn gains a little reading the specific requests. And alas, VN scores quite high on the ''nuisance''factor (deceit, cheating, not honoring offers etc. If that friend is Thai-has he ever been out of TH? Does he also suffer from that prejudice so many Thai seem to have agianst the Khmer?

When asked about it, most Thai (boys) seem to think of Xmas as just yet another ''partee'', without any clue of what it means. The current silent atmosfere anywhere, even in big AC shopping centres, could well hold off those eternal ''Merry Klissemes'' piped sonds too. OZmouse is just spot on on what BKK looks like in that week preceding 1/1. Also expect overloaded transport out of own before and into just after.