SAGuy

Welcome on board! The forum is a great resource for almost all aspects of our 'niche' interest. The BMs are also generally very helpful, so there is no need to ever feel reticent about anything. Enjoy! SAG

I go to MedConsult clinic on soi 49 for all my medical requirements (vaccinations, medicine, tests) as they have farang doctors, are cheap and have a great reputation. Just by coincidence, I received this email from them recently, which you may find to be of interest: View in browser The Pre-Songkran holiday sexual health series Have you heard of DOXY pep? Hey there! With the holiday season around the corner, it's time to talk about something super important: sexual health! Yep, that's right, because let's face it, holiday times can sometimes bring unexpected adventures, and it's crucial to keep your sexual health in check while you're out there having fun. First off, let's talk about safety. Whether you're with a longtime partner or meeting someone new, make sure to practice safe sex. That means using condoms or other barrier methods to protect against STIs and unintended pregnancies. It's like wearing a seatbelt for your sexual health – just a smart move all around. Doxycycline as PEP primarily focuses on its effectiveness in preventing sexually transmitted infections (STIs), particularly chlamydia and gonorrhea, rather than HIV. Studies have shown that daily or intermittent use of doxycycline can reduce the risk of acquiring these bacterial STIs among individuals at high risk. The guidelines state that a single 200mg dose of oral doxycycline taken within 72 hours after oral, anal or vaginal sex. Prevention of HIV Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP): PrEP involves taking a daily medication (usually a combination of tenofovir and emtricitabine) to reduce the risk of acquiring HIV through sexual contact. PrEP has been shown to be highly effective when taken consistently, offering an additional layer of protection for individuals at high risk of HIV infection. PrEP on Demand" is a dosing strategy for pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) that involves taking medication around the time of sexual activity, rather than on a daily basis. This approach is based on clinical research showing that PrEP can be highly effective when taken as needed, particularly for individuals who engage in infrequent or episodic sexual activity. Taking PrEP pills only when you are at risk for getting HIV is known as “on-demand” PrEP. It is also known as “intermittent,” “non-daily,” “event-driven,” or “off-label” PrEP use. The type of “on-demand” PrEP that has been studied is the “2-1-1” schedule. This means taking 2 pills 2-24 hours before sex, 1 pill 24 hours after the first dose, and 1 pill 24 hours after the second dose. MedConsult GP Clinic Floor 3, Building 2 of The Racquet Club, Sukhumvit 49/9 Alley, Khlong Tan Nuea, Watthana, Bangkok 10110, Bangkok Thailand

I was just there this morning, by the outdoor smoking section. I used that as a cut through to walk a girl back to her bar. I didn't see any dealers or 'Rolex' vendors this morning, but there were two Indian fortune tellers working over a farang. They were trying to convince him that he was going to be very rich, if only he would make a small donation to a childrens charity... SAG

Backstory My work requires meticulous planning, but when it comes to social occasions, the average Thai has better planning skills than me. So here I was at midday on Christmas Day, nursing a hangover and thinking where can I go for Christmas Lunch? I live on soi 13 and whilst having a lung torpedo on the balcony, I looked down to the soi for inspiration and saw two very easy options - The German Beer House or the Red Lion... OK that was easy, Red Lion it is. Crimbo Lunch By the time I got myself together it was around 1700, which was fine, as by my logic, most Brits eat Christmas lunch around 1500, so there should be some tables free. I crossed over the soi and walked in and luckily the theory was right. They also served until 2000 that night. There were 2 options: main course only for THB 595 or 3 courses for 895. I decided on the latter. The food options harkened back to the 1970s, which was fine by me, so I chose the prawn cocktail to start, washed down with a bottle of water as I couldn't face any more booze. For the main course they offered turkey and ham with all the trimmings. It was served on a very large plate, so what looked small,, was actually very large. You could not fault the serving size or the quality of the main course. For dessert I had the traditional Christmas pudding and another bottle of water. Service was excellent, it was busy and I was lucky to get a table, as it filled up with what seemed like a second sitting around 1730. I'd give it 8/10 for what was a last minute decision. Very good value and close(ish) to original food, as I remembered it. They also have a happy hour every day up until 2000 with cheap beer and they serve Baht Buster breakfasts, which I will give a try over Christmas, as they are served up until midday. The only 2 negatives I had (which were minor) were a. The prawn cocktail had onions in it, which I've never come across before and the raw onions overpowered the taste of the rest. b. The Christmas pudding was served as a slice. I have never seen that before either. I'd recommend the Red Lion overall and now have a go-to Christmas place for next year! SAG

Background I was at Bangkok Hospital earlier this week and the doc was a very chatty fellow, with good English. He asked if I'd had the 'flu jab yet and I advised I had it in SA in March. It seems that they are expecting a much higher prevalence of 'flu this year in the LOS and have imported extra supplies. In the northern hemisphere the 'flu season is the winter, but in the LOS it coincides with the rainy season, which will start in the next few weeks. (He advised always get the 'flu jab between Jan-May each year, as it takes up to 4 weeks to become effective). The conversation then moved on to Covid-19 and he advised there had been a spike up to 1,000 new cases a day during Songkran and so they are also expecting an increase in the rainy season. He advised if you are 60+, haven't had a jab, or haven't been infected in 6+ months, then you should also get a booster. I did some Googling and found this article: https://www.nationthailand.com/thailand/general/40027083 The Experience They are also running the same scheme at CentralWorld, but the times are 1500-2100. I decided that MBK would be a better option, as hopefully there would be less people during the day. MBK is very easy to get to from the 'Combat Zone'. Take the BTS to Siam. Change trains and take the train to National Stadium. Then follow the signs to MBK and there is a direct walkway which takes you onto the 2nd Floor. Take a lift or escalator to the 6th floor, which is spookily deserted. Walk to the far end and you will see the temporary vax centre. Present you passport. If you are a local or a resident visa holder its free. I was the only farang; but there were quite a few Asian tourists and they have to pay a nominal fee (THB 490? I'm not certain). You fill out a form, in English (that was impressive) and then walk in. You take a seat and then called to another room and get jabbed. Then on the way out you have to hand in the form and are directed to a "recovery room" for 30 minutes. Don't skip this, as I was tempted to. This is where they print and give you the certificate. I visited today and it was a 50 minutes process - 20 minutes for the actual execution and 30 minutes for the 'recovery'. I deliberately chose 10.30 to avoid crowds, and it was not busy. The vax is intended as a booster and is the Moderna version with the Omicron strain. All of my previous 3 Pfizers were for the previous strain, hence why I went. I'd recommend doing this if you believe in the vaccination route and the process was well organised and ran smoothly. They are geared up for large volumes, so it was a pleasure today. They are running this daily until Friday 12 May, 0900-1500 and then for the 2 weekends after the election. If you have a full time job, CentralWorld is doing the same days, but 1500-2100, so that may fit better for you. Cheers SAG

"I yam what I yam and dats what I yam!" Popeye. The Nana Hotel has had a refurb in parts, so I heard. The sights and sounds from staying there make it priceless! The hiso boutique hotels tend to be soulless and you could be anywhere. If staying at the Nana, then you know exactly where you are! @Eddyseybrew the Miami Hotel on soi 13 has had a total refurb, but due to its location around the corner from The Thermae and all of the streetwalkers on Sukhumvit, it is also still full of hookers! SAG

I once stayed at the Peninsula down by the river. With the floor to ceiling windows and outstanding views of the river it is very hard to beat. They have a private ferry that takes you to other side of the river. Not something i would ever pay for myself, but I was speaking at a 5 day conference, all fees paid by the organisers. I'd rate the Peninsula in the top 3 hotels worldwide I have ever stayed at. SAG

Hahahahaha There's a few I recognised and a few that had all of the telltale signs of a LB FL on a mission... SAG

The restaurant downstairs is called Kinnaree and has a wide range of Thai and farang grub, which is always consistent. Plus if you sit at the back, you can watch the guests come and go, I've spotted quite a few LBs getting into the lifts, so the hotel is used to this. Kinnaree also has an outside section which is also great for people watching, as that section of soi 11 always has a lot of foot traffic. Enjoy your stay! SAG

I used to stay at Citadines 11 pre-Covid. My top tip is when you check in, ask for a room on a higher floor and "at the back." The downside to being on soi 11 is that it is very noisy until about 0200-0300. That's OK if you plan on staying out late every night, but if you need to get up early for work etc. it can be frustrating. The higher floor rooms at the back don't have a great view, but are much less noisy! The Irish pub where you used to get breakfast has now gone and they are opening something else, but I don't believe it is open yet. SAG

The Dawin is directly opposite WN04 and so I have passed it frequently in the past few months. It has had a good refurb and looks nice and clean from the outside, although the signage is a bit daft, as the main sign is in Thai. I can confirm that its LB friendly as many of the WN04 girls have been in there and said that the rooms are nice. I also once saw Patty from CIB and ANO accompany an Indian into there. That end of Soi 4 tends to have the cheaper hotels which attract a wide range of guests. The majority of the guests that I've seen go in there have been large groups of non farangs. It does have a nice looking deck out front, so good for people watching or waving across the street to Why Not bar girls! Cheers SAG

A shindig is slang for a party. A multi shindig means more than 1 guest. Some hotels charge joiner fees for more than 1 guest. (Top tip, whenever you book a hotel room always book for 2 people, so that covers the first 'guest'). So if you rent a condo this wouldn't be an issue, but if you wanted to take 3 LBs back to your hotel, then you may get charged for 2 additional joiners. SAG

Hi ixix Assuming that its for 1 month and your main objective is mongering, but also some sightseeing, then a potential itinerary could be: Fly into BKK and 1 week there. There's lots to see and do in the day and at night. Week 2 - taxi//bus/van to Pattaya. Its mainly mongering. Lets face it, nobody goes to Las Vegas to look at artwork. Week 3 and a half - back to BKK for a few days there and then fly up to Chiang Mai for 1 week. Chiang Mai has a smaller, but active LB scene around the night market and there is a lot to see there. Its a good place for R&R in the mountains. (The LBs from the north are also very different from their Isaan 'sisters'). Last few days - fly back to BKK. Say goodbye to all the teeraks that will miss you and love you forever and buy the souvenirs, get the last massages etc. Internal flights in the LOS are (were) very good and are (were) very cheap. Thailand is a big country, so its the best way to go. Avoid driving in the LOS if you can. If you'd prefer a beach holiday instead of mountains, then substitute Phuket/Koh Samui/Koh Samed/Koh Chang etc. for the Chiang Mai week. The beach resorts have less LB options and your enjoyment will vary greatly based on what time of the year you go, whereas BKK/PAT/CNX are more all year round. Most of us have been locked out of the LOS for 18-24 months now, so all of this advice is based on the past experiences. The assumption is that by 2022 things will be back to as they were, i.e. flights are still cheap, there are still girls left in BKK, PAT etc. Somehow I think that some things will never change. LOL. SAG

Considering what's going on in the LOS at the moment, the likelihood of them removing the ASQ requirement by March 2021 is somewhere between snowfall on Sukhumvit and free drinks and BFs at NEP. I don't want to come across as a pessimist, but reality says no chance! SAG

A+ here. But I remember reading that Asians have a significantly higher incidence of blood group A than Europeans, so maybe that has impacted the stats and created a bias? Clutching at straws again! SAG

Isn't that where that infamous group of LB pickpockets used to hang out? Maybe one of them was reincarnated? But you do wonder, how did the python get there in the first place? Cheers SAG

That's really interesting Ropey. I've spent a bit of time in Isaan and often wondered that if they are so close to their Laos neighbours, speaking the same language, following the same religion etc. then why are they now separate? I guess it must be similar to the US and Canada relationship? I wonder how many Thais know that their version of Buddhism is from Sri Lanka? I never knew that, I just assumed it was from India. Interesting stuff, it is a very complex country once you start digging. Cheers and thanks for the info. SAG

Wow, I never realised it was so widespread. I cant see the attraction myself, as the feathers etc. were off-putting. However the Thai blokes i was with we were really keen on them. I think I'll take some Mopane Worms for the next time I see them! Thanks for the heads-up Ropey, I've never been to the PI. SAG

Cambodia - that brings back memories. I went on a trip with some Thai blokes and apart from the obvious, their highlight of the trip was eating a Cambodian speciality - duck eggs, with a fully formed foetus inside. It appears that you cant get these in Thailand - they only have the chicken equivalents there. I cant say I tried that 'delicacy'. SAG

The 'insect wagon' turns up outside WN and CIB on most nights. It really sobers you up when you see the femme fatales who have been the objects of your desire all evening munching on all kinds of fried insects late at night. You can get a mixed assortment for as little as THB 100 and they range from passable, to crunchy to downright gross. I guess a bit like the girls themselves? I've never seen the ant eggs in BKK, but have had them in Isaan. They're white and taste sour. I guess its an acquired taste! SAG

Hey there Mike746...so am I! I was the one with a 'chum' at early breakfast this morning, as she had to get off to college. They did forget the towels yesterday! Cheers SAG

So on my last trip in Nov-Dec 2019 I holed up for 3 nights in this hotel in Huai Khwang with a civilian LB I know who was visiting BKK from Isaan. I chose this hotel as she wanted to be in this area and the last trip we stayed at the CMYK hotel, which is a weird place, but directly across the street. I'd rate this hotel as a 4 star, with modern amenities and a very nice room. Due to its location its a lot cheaper than what you would expect to pay around Sukhumvit. It is very conveniently located near to the Huai Khwang MRT station and theres a lot of Chinese restaurants on the main road, nearby. Breakfasts were the usual buffet style, with a mix of Asian and Farang food, but no complaints. The dining room is in the basement and one wall has a very large aquarium, which is fun to sit next to. Most of the guests were Asians, but a better mix than just the mainland Chinese who dominated the CMYK across the street. I booked it on Agoda and it was about THB 1,400 per night, which was very good value in my opinion. The only drawback was that the wifi wasn't great at night and so it was very difficult to have VoIP calls from there after about 1800 each day. Otherwise I would recommend it if you want to stay in this area and the black out curtains that they have ensure an uninterrupted sleep! The LB companion also approved! Cheers SAG

1-8 December I took 3 LBs to Koh Samet for some R&R. (I had been in BKK and Isaan for 2 weeks). The rationale for Koh Samet was that I wanted a beach break and was tired of flying. Koh Samet ticks the boxes, its a quiet island, about 3 hours car ride from BKK and about 15-20 minutes by speedboat. ***Tip - don't wear shoes, as you may get dropped off on the beach, rather than at a pier, depending on where you are staying. I didn't want to stay at Sai Kaew, which is the biggest and busiest beach, as I had heard reports of hordes of Chinese tourists and non-stop noise from jet skis etc. I chose Ao Wong Duean as it seemed a good mix of some amenities, but not too busy There was a choice of 3 resorts and I chose Samed Cabana. I was happy with the choice and took 2 bungalows on the beach, which was well worth the premium over the bungalows set further back. The resort was about 85% Nordic types and 14.8% farangs with their teeraks, plus 1 farang with 3 LBs in tow! The resort was good value, a little bit tired, but I enjoyed the stay and so would recommend it. Breakfast was a bit repetitive, but the staff were very helpful and friendly. For dinners there are about 7-8 options on the beach. My favourite was a pace called 'Nice and Easy' towards the far end (300 metres away?) as it was the best value and had very good service. They had the usual fire shows on the beach and Chinese tourists were brought in just for dinner at some of the other restaurants. There were 2 mini marts in close proximity, so useful for beer and ice runs etc. ***Tip - take plenty of cash as very few places take cards. We went out a few times. The LBs liked a beach called Ao Phai which had 3 high end resorts. I preferred the laid back atmosphere at Ao Wongdeuan. One evening we went out to Naga restaurant, which is joined to Naga Bar and is very well known. The restaurant is a BBQ style joint, with all you can eat for THB 189/person, which was a great deal. The bar next door was busy with tourists painting themselves with effervescent paint. (Whatever floats your boat?) There's a number of tours you can take. I chose a 6 stops all day boat tour, which became much of a muchness, so would avoid the 9 stops version, as 1 beach becomes like all others after a few hours. The snorkelling was good fun. Getting around is by scooter (THB 100 per day) or the pick-up Songthaews. We rented one for a few hours and rode around the island. THB 1,500 for 2.5 hours. If you go into main town of Koh Samed from a beach resort you will need to pay the National Park Fee - which was THB 50 for Thais and THB 300 for farangs for 5 days. ***Tip - if you go island hopping or travel around on the land, make sure that you take your national park tickets with you. The park rangers jump out from behind bushes to inspect your tickets! If you don't have one, then you need to buy them all over again! In summary, if you want a nice relaxed break, this resort fits the bill. If you want a romantic get away, maybe Ao Phai would make more of an impression. I'd definitely go back to Koh Samet and probably this resort. ***Tip - take a few bottles of booze to drink on the verandah of your bungalow, as the prices on the island are 20-30% higher than on the mainland. ***Tip - take mosquito mats with you. The hotel provides one, but 2 in a room is more effective. ***Tip - ask the beach restaurants for mosquito coils under your table, as otherwise you will get bitten ***Tip - you can get to Ban Phae pier on the mainland by public bus, van or car. I chose the private car option and it was about THB 1,800 each way from BKK. ***Tip - you can get over to the island by public ferry, which only runs when it is full. Speedboats cost about THB 350/person ***Tip - if you don't like fish, then maybe not go! ***Tip - try and avoid weekends and public holidays - it gets noisy as that's when the Thais visit Cheers SAG

Hey Mad Max If you plan on taking one to Koh Samet and making a good impression, i.e. lots of selfie opportunities, then I'd recommend one of the 3 higher end resorts on Ao Phrae. They looked very nice, but the beach isn't so nice. However, the 3 LBs I was with all preferred these 3 to Ao Wongduean and called me a "Cheap Charlie" a few times, which made me laugh! Another suggestion for a more romantic getaway way would be Wongduean Resort at the other end of Ao Wongduean beach, which also looked very nice. Cheers SAG

Hahaha@hkaus Wrong choice of word - I should have written fluorescent, not effervescent. At the Naga Bar they have pots of this stuff lying around and the revellers come in and paint their faces and bodies. The group of Chinese seemed to really enjoy to. The 3 LBs not so much LOL. I asked about this later and they claimed it would take too long to remove at night. (You live and learn!). Mosquito mats are the small blue rectangles that you place in a plug-in receptacle that heats them up and they then dispense the Deet, which then confuses the mosquitoes and prevents you from getting bitten alive at night. I take them everywhere in the tropics and they work pretty well. The obvious draw back is that you need a power supply for them to work! Coils are more appropriate for outdoors due to the smoke. A couple of other tips I just remembered: The beach restaurants on Ao Wongduean close pretty early, so best to get there before 20.00 at the latest. All of the beach restaurants sell the fish and shellfish by uncooked weight, so you choose what you want, they weigh it and then cook it. Avoid the biggest place, where the fire show is. Its the busiest and has a double frontage, but is significantly more expensive than the others and thats also where the mainland Chinese tour parties go, so not conducive to a quiet dinner! I didnt see any LB action on the island, but the receptionist at the Samed Cabana Resort was one, so we manage to blag extra towels each day LOL. Cheers and have a Merry Christmas. SAG