daydreamer

Ridership is up so much on the MRT, that I saw the ticket booth agents breaking open big new packs of shiny black tokens today when I went to Yaowarat.

I agree, if that is the case. It just seems redundant to ask for a hotel's phone number, when the immigration police surely already have hotel phone numbers in their database.

Last night was the first time I had been in Moonlight for three years. For the last few years, one cute motor bike taxi boy has occupied my time in Thailand, so for the past three years of visits to the kingdom, I didn't go to go-go bars.

The shirts worn last night were not even as revealing as a tank top. The shoulders were covered, only the sleeves were missing.

According to the report by @vinapu he was there the night before I was. No, I was there during regular hours. When I arrived, there were 6 people in front of me at the desk outside the front door buying their 500 baht drink tickets. I stayed for about 30 minutes, until about 10.30 pm, and since the shirts did not come off, I gave up on wasting more time, as I was not there to ogle the muscular models. Yup, that's me, fool me once, but not again. I was not there to admire sleeveless arms.

You are correct, the shirts do not have sleeves, but in my book, that's still fully dressed, no different than you see on the street, or the BTS.

I went to Moonlight bar in Bangkok last night, and I won't be going back again. The floor go-go boys were doing their rotation, taking turns on stage. However, they were fully clothed. It's as if they are taking a page out of Pattaya's BoyzBoyzBoyz business model. Sure, the six muscular models were shirtless, but the regular go-go boys wearing number tags wore shirts while on stage. At 500 baht for a drink to watch go-go boys with shirts on, they have lost my business. I have always supported the bars, but bars that follow this practice will not see me again. The mamasan trolled by and asked me which boy I wanted. I made it very clear that I had no interest in looking at fully clothed boys in a go-go bar. I know it has been discussed about BBB Pattaya catering to Chinese women customers as the likely reason for having go-go boys wearing shirts, and that may be true, but last night in Moonlight bar, I did not see one female customer, Chinese or otherwise.

I have visited the ancient Lanna city of Chiang Saen several times with different boys over the years. For anyone interested in Lanna history, this area is a gem, including a very good provincial museum. Only a few miles from the Golden Triangle, Chiang Saen is the oldest city in Thailand, and is one of the old fortified cities that had a wall and a moat surrounding it. Sadly, the city was ordered to be destroyed by the Thai king centuries ago, to prevent the invading Burmese forces from capturing and occupying the city. Everything except the religious sites was destroyed. Although Chiang Saen is only a shadow of its former size and glory, its strategic location on the banks of the Mekong River makes it an important trade port, with boats constantly being unloaded by hand, fascinating to sit alongside the Mekong and watch.

I'm guessing that they will accept a phone number of the hotel you're planning to stay in. If so, the phone number will be useless. Another hare-brained plan, acted upon without consideration for visitors to the country. The powers that be really put their thinking caps on when devising this form that will need to be completed prior to arrival. A large majority of visitors to Thailand buy a local SIM card on arrival, or the next day in a local store or phone service outlet.

It was cool last week, as was Bangkok. The cool weather has moved out. Currently here in Pattaya, it is warm day and night. Serving staff are wearing shorts and polo shirts at night in the open air seating areas in Boyztown.

@Londoner - You are correct, the tuk-tuks in Chiang Mai, as in most areas of Thailand charge farang excessive rates for very short distances. Next time you are there, try taking a songtaew. The red colored trucks are seemingly everywhere, as they do not follow a fixed route. They will go anywhere inside or outside the moat, Suthep Road, Night Market, Chotana Road, Airport Plaza, etc. For trips further outside the city, there are other colored songtaews departing from other locations, such as the white trucks that will take you to the Bo Sang Umbrella Market (traditional paper umbrellas). The trucks depart from next to the Flower Market, along the Ping River, close to Warorot Market. The last time I rode a red colored songtaew in Chiang Mai, the cost in the city was a flat 30 baht, more if you went further outside the urban area. Unlike in Pattaya, you have to state your destination when the red truck stops. If the driver accepts your destination, jump on - without discussing the 30 baht fare. Most of the songtaews in Chiang Mai have a more enclosed passenger cabin than the open-air ones in Pattaya. Many of them have sliding glass windows - handy during Songkran. I was in Chiang Mai two years ago, but I was driving a rental car then, so I didn't take any songtaews. The above info is from about 4 years ago. Someone else may have more updated info on Chiang Mai songtaews.

For Pattaya, I have recently paid 3,000 tip for LT, twice in the past few days. That is for real LT, lasting 12-15 hours, with none of the fake excuses BS boys sometimes make up to leave early. I just tell them I'll pay 2,000 ST, and 3,000 LT, with no further discussion. If I run into the fake excuses, I will adjust downward (again, in Pattaya). If they leave early when hired for LT, they won't get taken off by me again. I don't recall the off fee, maybe 400-500. This is in Pattaya. Bangkok prices in many cases will run a bit higher, depending on the bar and the boy. Other people may pay differently, but that's my recent experience. Somebody will likely say that is too much for Pattaya, but this is what I pay.

@vinapu - you previously reported about boy numbers 36 and 37 at Dreamboys Pattaya, then later, that they were no longer working there. You will like to know that #37 is back at work, in case you are going to Pattaya.

Another example of farang behaving badly: Today at Jomtien Beach, an obese male/female couple seated near me started complaining very loudly when they were told the total they owed was 240 baht for their sun loungers (100 baht each), and their two bottles of water (20 baht each). The man started shouting very loudly that the water was very expensive - (at only 20 baht). Sure, you can buy water in 7-Eleven for 8-12 baht a bottle, but surely the vendors are justified in charging a few baht more for keeping it cold in their cooler, and then serving it to you, when you request it. Sometimes it is just shocking the way people act in a foreign country. And if they were that short of funds, they could have rented two deck chairs at 50 baht each, instead of the more expensive loungers - (or just stayed home instead of vacationing in Thailand, and then complaining loudly about such a trivial amount).

It also comes down to this: there is no call to poke fun at other people just because they used a word in a way you are not familiar with, especially when English is not their primary language. Period.