April 2025 Bangkok Trip Report

[CallMeLee]

I’ll be landing in Bangkok on April 6th after a quick two-night side trip from Tokyo! Not the biggest fan of Songkran, but my schedule worked out this way—so here we are. If anyone else is in Bangkok and up for a meetup, let me know!

Hoping for an exciting and eventful trip so I’ll have plenty to share in my trip report. Fingers crossed!

[vinapu]

you will have fun and we will have even more reading your trip reports

[Kiwi306]

Looking forward to reading about your adventures. Are you staying at Quarter Saladaeng again?

[Olddaddy]

I love the Quarter Saladang 

Great gym ,sauna 

[CallMeLee]

1 hour ago, Kiwi306 said:

Looking forward to reading about your adventures. Are you staying at Quarter Saladaeng again?

Trying out another hotel a wee bit away from Silom this time. 

[Slut1215]

Yeah, reading your trip report will help ease some of my longing to be in BKK. I just returned from a short trip of 27-31 Mar when the earthquake tremors happened.

Maybe I ought to recount and write my experiences ...

[vinapu]

17 hours ago, Slut1215 said:

 

Maybe I ought to recount and write my experiences ...

that would be nice, believe you me

[CallMeLee]

The trip kicked off with two nights in Tokyo, and let’s just say it was planned with a certain kind of experience in mind. I decided to treat myself to a couple of high-quality overnight sessions through Saboten Escorts (https://mens-salon-saboten.com/en/staff/ ) And since I figured I’d be spending most of my nights at their location, I cheekily skipped the hotel and thought I’d rough it by using a train station locker for my stuff. It sounded practical on paper and honestly, kind of adventurous too. 

That said, reality hit when I realised I’d need to provide a local address on the arrival card. Concerned it might raise some red flags, I played it safe and booked a cheap hostel at the last minute. It worked out well—nothing fancy, but it did the job, and I still ended up saving quite a bit while keeping things simple and efficient.

Kenji:

 

And here's Taiga:

For both nights, I booked time with Kenji and Taiga, and wow—I lucked out. My sessions ended up being booked in a hotel (Hotel Queen Annex), which might’ve been because the shop itself was fully booked. Whatever the reason, I was grateful. The hotel was spacious and comfortable and both Kenji and Taiga were incredibly warm and eager to please, even with the language barrier. What made the experience even better was the casual time spent outside the room. They were game for dinner and drinks, which made everything feel more relaxed and less transactional.

Honestly, it was the perfect combo of physical fun and chill hangout vibes. I’d totally do it again, but two nights feels like the sweet spot—enough to indulge without going overboard.

After Tokyo, it was straight to Bangkok. I’ll admit—I was a bit nervous that two intense nights in Japan would burn me out before even hitting Thailand. But the moment I stepped off the plane in Bangkok, I felt this surge of energy. It’s that unexplainable buzz you get just being in this city. Immigration was a breeze—no line at all. I got processed and stamped in literally under two minutes. The baggage carousel, however, wasn’t quite as efficient—it took about 15 to 20 minutes before any bags showed up. Not a big deal though; I used the time to get a local SIM card and pull out some baht from the ATM. By the time I got back, my luggage was already waiting for me.

On the way to my hotel via a pre-booked shuttle, I took in the sights and was happy to see things feeling almost back to normal. The driver confirmed that tourism had been a bit slower than usual—probably due to the recent earthquake—but everyone’s optimistic that Songkran will bring a much-needed spike in visitors. Fingers crossed!

This time around, I chose to stay outside of Silom, in the Narathiwas area. It’s a quieter, more residential part of Bangkok—not walking distance from a train station, but it has its perks. The area has everything I need within a few minutes’ walk: a 7-11, some okay-ish restaurants, cafes, and even a laundromat. After the buzz and sensory overload of Tokyo, I actually appreciated the slightly slower pace.

Once I got to my room, I had that usual Day 3 jet lag creeping in. I was really tempted to just crash, especially after the last two nights of near-zero sleep. The bed looked way too inviting. I gave in and let myself have a proper nap, but not before setting an alarm for 9 PM. Jet lag or not, there’s no way I was going to sleep through my first night in Bangkok!

[vinapu]

On 4/6/2025 at 10:41 PM, CallMeLee said:

. But the moment I stepped off the plane in Bangkok, I felt this surge of energy. It’s that unexplainable buzz you get just being in this city.

.........................................

 Jet lag or not, there’s no way I was going to sleep through my first night in Bangkok!

I recognize that feeling of buzz and  inflow oif energy , no matter how tedious trip there was

...................

 

that's the proper attitude I like , don't waste first  and in fact none of the nights

[CallMeLee]

I woke up in a mild panic, thinking I’d slept through my alarm—but nope, it was only 8:45 p.m. Crisis averted. Still plenty of time to get ready before heading out to Surawong.

First order of business: a well-deserved foot massage. A little treat to get me in the right mood for the night.It’s one of those simple pleasures that just never gets old. Relaxing, quiet, cheap. Bangkok doing what Bangkok does best.

After that, I made my way to Dragon and Koi. It was already past ten, and from the outside, the place looked pretty dead—just a couple of customers inside. Still, I figured why not? Let’s check it out anyway.

As soon as I sat down and ordered, one of the hosts came over like clockwork. You know the drill—“Where you from?”, “How long are you in Bangkok?”—the usual icebreakers. But this guy was different. His name was Pi, and he could actually hold a conversation. I was genuinely enjoying our chat, so I offered to buy him drinks.

Turns out, Pi is from Myanmar. He used to be a science and math teacher back home and has a Physics degree (which, honestly, blew my mind a little). But because of everything going on politically, he left the country. He doesn’t want to be part of the current regime and ended up in Bangkok, trying to start over. He’s learning Thai and hoping to teach again—either here or when things get better back home. It was a heavy story, but he carried himself with such positivity. I really admired that. We ended up talking about all sorts of things—he showed me pictures from Myanmar’s version of Songkran, and I could see how proud he was. I actually had a great time, and when I left, I made a mental note: I’m coming back here for sure.

On the way back, I passed by Atlas around midnight, but it looked kind of dead. So I pulled a U-turn and headed to Hotmale instead. Few customers, which was a relief—I never love being the only one with 10 boys on stage staring you down like you're the last chicken wing at a party.

Hotmale had definitely changed since last year. New faces, new performances, and even a couple of drag lip-sync acts thrown in. The red jogging pants were gone (RIP), replaced by white shorts, and in one act, black underwear. No complaints here.

I didn’t waste time and invited someone from the stage—James. And guess what? He’s also from Myanmar. I swear I don’t plan this, but I always end up with Burmese guys without realizing it. They’re just… really good-looking, okay?

When I asked about long time, James kind of danced around the answer, giving me some vague excuse. I was this close to sending him back, but then I looked at his face again and thought—eh, maybe a short quiet night in with good company isn’t such a bad idea. I already had two consecutive long time offs during this trip so maybe time for a break.

So  a few minutes later we were in a Grab taxi heading back to my hotel.

[jason1975]

2 hours ago, CallMeLee said:

I woke up in a mild panic, thinking I’d slept through my alarm—but nope, it was only 8:45 p.m. Crisis averted. Still plenty of time to get ready before heading out to Surawong.

First order of business: a well-deserved foot massage. A little treat to get me in the right mood for the night.It’s one of those simple pleasures that just never gets old. Relaxing, quiet, cheap. Bangkok doing what Bangkok does best.

After that, I made my way to Dragon and Koi. It was already past ten, and from the outside, the place looked pretty dead—just a couple of customers inside. Still, I figured why not? Let’s check it out anyway.

As soon as I sat down and ordered, one of the hosts came over like clockwork. You know the drill—“Where you from?”, “How long are you in Bangkok?”—the usual icebreakers. But this guy was different. His name was Pi, and he could actually hold a conversation. I was genuinely enjoying our chat, so I offered to buy him drinks.

Turns out, Pi is from Myanmar. He used to be a science and math teacher back home and has a Physics degree (which, honestly, blew my mind a little). But because of everything going on politically, he left the country. He doesn’t want to be part of the current regime and ended up in Bangkok, trying to start over. He’s learning Thai and hoping to teach again—either here or when things get better back home. It was a heavy story, but he carried himself with such positivity. I really admired that. We ended up talking about all sorts of things—he showed me pictures from Myanmar’s version of Songkran, and I could see how proud he was. I actually had a great time, and when I left, I made a mental note: I’m coming back here for sure.

On the way back, I passed by Atlas around midnight, but it looked kind of dead. So I pulled a U-turn and headed to Hotmale instead. Few customers, which was a relief—I never love being the only one with 10 boys on stage staring you down like you're the last chicken wing at a party.

Hotmale had definitely changed since last year. New faces, new performances, and even a couple of drag lip-sync acts thrown in. The red jogging pants were gone (RIP), replaced by white shorts, and in one act, black underwear. No complaints here.

I didn’t waste time and invited someone from the stage—James. And guess what? He’s also from Myanmar. I swear I don’t plan this, but I always end up with Burmese guys without realizing it. They’re just… really good-looking, okay?

When I asked about long time, James kind of danced around the answer, giving me some vague excuse. I was this close to sending him back, but then I looked at his face again and thought—eh, maybe a short quiet night in with good company isn’t such a bad idea. I already had two consecutive long time offs during this trip so maybe time for a break.

So  a few minutes later we were in a Grab taxi heading back to my hotel.

I agree that Myanmar guys in general are good looking! 🥰🥰🥰

Many of the Myanmar guys working at Dragon & Koi are well-educated. Unfortunately, none knows how to play chess!

Vietnamese guys know how to play chess and there are some decent players in other bars in Patpong!

[Patanawet]

1 hour ago, jason1975 said:

Vietnamese guys know how to play chess and there are some decent players in other bars in Patpong!

Years ago I went to Chiang Mai and looked into 'sleaze alley' . There were many 'urchins there playing chess with each other or with older companions.
No euphemisms here -- really chess.

[jason1975]

9 minutes ago, Patanawet said:

Years ago I went to Chiang Mai and looked into 'sleaze alley' . There were many 'urchins there playing chess with each other or with older companions.
No euphemisms here -- really chess.

Yes. It's really sexy to say the word "checkmate!" 🤣

[vinapu]

1 hour ago, jason1975 said:

Yes. It's really sexy to say the word "checkmate!" 🤣

or ' let's check mate what you hide in your underwear" ?

[bkkmfj2648]

5 hours ago, jason1975 said:

Many of the Myanmar guys working at Dragon & Koi are well-educated. Unfortunately, none knows how to play chess!

I visited Dragon & Koi last week and I asked these well-educated Myanmar guys a political question about their country and they could not answer my question.

4 were sitting with me - there were only 2 customers - the other customer had 3 guys sitting with him and I just took the other 4 - and of course the American owner had his primary Myanmar butterfly ?partner? (the Myanmar boss of the team) mainly pampering the American owner.

so, the distribution of the 4 guys were:

   1 from Shan 

   1 from Mon - but he kept telling me that he identifies as a Karen

   1 from Karen

   1 from Myanma (Yangon)

I asked them what would it take for the 7 states of Myanmar to stop fighting with each other and to unite the country?  They could not really articulate what would be required.

So, I asked them if perhaps for Myanmar - it would be better if they went the way of the former Yugoslavia - break up into 7 distinct countries instead of one Myanmar that continues to have tribal factious battles for decades?

They sharply told me that it would be better if Myanmar remained in-tact instead of 7 distinct countries but they could not tell me how to make this civil war stop. 

They are very nice guys - but too twinky and kind of feminine for my tastes - so I did not wait until 3am to take one home - as the American owner does not let them be offed during the operating hours of the bar.

 

[Patanawet]

3 hours ago, vinapu said:

or ' let's check mate what you hide in your underwear" ?

not a lot🤑

[vinapu]

1 hour ago, bkkmfj2648 said:

 

They are very nice guys - but too twinky and kind of feminine for my tastes 

 

we may disagree about steeliness of floridarob's  balls but we fully agree on this account

[Marc in Calif]

6 hours ago, bkkmfj2648 said:

I visited Dragon & Koi last week and I asked these well-educated Myanmar guys a political question about their country and they could not answer my question.

I hope you're not trying to say that they are NOT  'well-educated' based on your discussions with them. It's very likely that they could  have answered your questions. They just didn't want  to discuss political questions with you, a foreigner whom they'd never met before.

They also didn't want to answer your political questions in front of three other guys from Myanmar at the same table. 

Would you (a white man) have asked a Thai guy what he truly thinks of the king, the government and the security forces -- in front of other Thai guys? There's your answer. ☺️

[ichigo]

15 hours ago, CallMeLee said:

and even a couple of drag lip-sync acts thrown in

That's surprising (or not surprising) - HotMale was the only bar which didn't feature drag acts, which kinda set it apart in a way. I don't mind them too much tbh.

[colmx]

7 hours ago, bkkmfj2648 said:

the American owner does not let them be offed during the operating hours of the bar.

Is the American owner the Farang guy (DJ Max?) that sits at the bar playing the music, or is he a different guy?

[floridarob]

5 hours ago, vinapu said:

we may disagree about steeliness of floridarob's  balls but we fully agree on this account

Ditto...

 

[khaolakguy]

23 minutes ago, colmx said:

Is the American owner the Farang guy (DJ Max?) that sits at the bar playing the music, or is he a different guy?

The same person, according to his account anyway. 

[Keithambrose]

2 hours ago, Marc in Calif said:

I hope you're not trying to say that they are NOT  'well-educated' based on your discussions with them. It's very likely that they could  have answered your questions. They just didn't want  to discuss political questions with you, a foreigner whom they'd never met before.

They also didn't want to answer your political questions in front of three other guys from Myanmar at the same table. 

Would you (a white man) have asked a Thai guy what he truly thinks of the king, the government and the security forces -- in front of other Thai guys? There's your answer. ☺️

A somewhat  different  point, bearing in mind the Thai lese majeste laws, and the possibility  of 10 years in prison. 

[floridarob]

1 hour ago, Keithambrose said:

3 hours ago, Marc in Calif said:

I hope you're not trying to say that they are NOT  'well-educated' based on your discussions with them. It's very likely that they could  have answered your questions. They just didn't want  to discuss political questions with you, a foreigner whom they'd never met before.

They also didn't want to answer your political questions in front of three other guys from Myanmar at the same table. 

Would you (a white man) have asked a Thai guy what he truly thinks of the king, the government and the security forces -- in front of other Thai guys? There's your answer. ☺️

And here you have why you're the only asshole I have blocked on this forum, even with as many times I disagree with @Moses, he contributes quite a bit of informative items.... you're assumptions are ridiculous, especially since you weren't present, nor do you ever add anything productive to posts.... I can accept sarcasm or opposing views,  but I've never read anything of yours worth even the "scroll".... I'm not alone in this, I've spoken to several forum members and they're in agreement 😑

[bkkmfj2648]

6 hours ago, Marc in Calif said:

I hope you're not trying to say that they are NOT  'well-educated' based on your discussions with them.

That was never my intention.

Your not so nice reply to what I wrote is condescending and not appreciated, as you were not at the table with us when we enjoyed each others company for 2 hours.

I am truely interested to hear from actual Myanmar citizens about why this internal conflict cannot end. Only those from within Myanmar would know.

I was quite surprised that I had 4 guys sitting with me from 4 different Myanmar states.  They were all jovial and getting along quite well with each other.

I asked them to describe to me why each of their states were better than the other - and it was great to hear them describe how the cuisine in one state was better or unique. We also discussed about the variations in spoken dialects, clothing, rituals and traditions, and sports.

I truly enjoyed our 2 hour cultural exchange.