DVD movie sellers in Bangkok – any recommendations?

[Jellybean]

For many years I bought reliably good quality copy DVD movies from a rough looking, but very sexy street vendor located outside Hooters Bar on the corner of Thaniya Road and Silom Road in Bangkok. But he is no longer there and a nearby seller of leather handbags and belts etc., told me the DVD seller moved on about six months ago.

I used to visit the unit every two weeks or so and snap up the latest movies. Does anyone know of any sellers of reliable, good quality copy DVD movies in Bangkok, especially in the Silom area?

I know from previous visits to Pantip Plaza, near BTS Ratchathewi, there used to be many sellers of DVDs. But I never bought any, so cannot vouch for their dependability and, moreover, it is a bit of a trek to get there and it is, of course, possible that they too have stopped selling DVDs.

The other day at a small group of Bangkok gay ex-pats I did ask them and, by their reaction, you’d have thought I had asked about sellers of VHS video cassettes rather than DVDs. LOL! None of them were of any help. Seemingly there are more modern ways of viewing pirated new movies these days, but the expats have the necessary technology to view the latest movies on their TVs, whereas I do not. Maybe that’s why the street vendor has moved on?

Anyway, it’s not a perfect solution, but I’m assured Pattaya can provide what I’m looking for and a friend has recommended I visit the top floor of dtùk-com, when I’m in Pattaya next month, where I believe I'm almost guaranteed to find perfectly watchable DVD movies.

[dinagam]

Nowadays you can download some movies to your tablet free of charge.
Thanks to Classic Movie Lover I had an enjoyable time recently watching a sweet Tony Curtis in Arriverderci, Baby! Swooning over those eyes and long lashes.

[pong]

Its also going the way of the internetshops, Cassette sellers (remember that?) etc. Or that of the dodo.
IF any offers remain on either that strecth of Silom OR the also renowned for that strecth along Sukhumvit (where youĺl need patience and persistance to explain them its for m2m or gay) you´ll be approached when just walking along slowly. Their sources are about the same for all, its not the particular seller that sets quality.
Next best is most likely the a bit gay sector along Pradiphat rd, Sapan Kwai. But honestly, Ive not been there since many times and so dk the actual (kamlang) situation. The well known ´IT´ stores are the places that will be cheaper as closer to the source, think Panthip or Fortune along RamIX/ratchada (MRT stop).
In the distant past I bought several (bel Ami!!) for just 20 bt (or 6/100) on the then Thai nightmarket just off Sanam LUang, near Klong Lot where the MBs parade along a bit further on (aka Saram Rom park). 9 out of 10 were aceptable to quite good (in quality of hardware). This market has moved to somewhere along the river near Sapan Phut, Thonburi side but I have no idea how it survives now. christian is again most likely the one to know.
And yes, plenty of free downloads can be done via the www. start with gaymaletube, categories and make your pick. But not the latest/newest, except for some small teasers. But Ive seen now a fair lot of older full length ones, incl. nice ones from Manś Best (boys of Praha, germans, Klassenzimmer etc.), mostly hidden under other not recognisable titles.

[Jellybean]

Nowadays you can download some movies to your tablet free of charge.
Thanks to Classic Movie Lover I had an enjoyable time recently watching a sweet Tony Curtis in Arriverderci, Baby! Swooning over those eyes and long lashes.

Thanks dinagam. Back in the UK, I have a Netflix package which allows me to look at their programmes/films on my laptop. There has however never been any need to do this until now, as I could more easily and comfortably watch those same programmes/films on a large screen TV at home. So, for the first time, while here in Thailand, I set up the system to access Netflix on my laptop.

It’s a great feature and will allow me to catch up on the many programmes which I started watching, but never finished. But sitting hunched over a computer screen for hours on end for the next three months, while sitting at the dining table, isn’t exactly my idea of being comfortable. As an alternative to watching Netflix on my laptop, I would really prefer the ability to relax on the sofa and watch recent or fairly recent mainstream movies on DVD on the apartment wall mounted large screen TV.

Over the years I collected over 500 DVD movies and first started buying them when I lived in Hua Hin, but when I sold my Bangkok apartment three years ago, I left the vast majority of them in the apartment as I had no room in my suitcase to take them back home.


. . . In the distant past I bought several (bel Ami!!) for just 20 bt (or 6/100) on the then Thai nightmarket just off Sanam LUang, near Klong Lot where the MBs parade along a bit further on (aka Saram Rom park). 9 out of 10 were aceptable to quite good (in quality of hardware). This market has moved to somewhere along the river near Sapan Phut, Thonburi side but I have no idea how it survives now. christian is again most likely the one to know . . .

Thank you for your detailed reply, pong. I should however have made it clearer in my OP that I am looking to buy copies of mainstream ‘Hollywood’ type movies. I do recall from previous visits to Pantip Plaza that they did sell porn DVDs, and young cuties tried to tempt me, but I was never tempted [to buy their DVDs]. ;)

Yes, I’ll ask ChristianPFC when I next see him. If anyone knows the answer to my question, he should.

[bkkguy]

So, for the first time, while here in Thailand, I set up the system to access Netflix on my laptop ... But sitting hunched over a computer screen for hours on end for the next three months, while sitting at the dining table, isn’t exactly my idea of being comfortable.

provided the TV in your accommodation in Thailand has an accessible HDMI port then plug in a Goggle cast device and cast Netflix from your notebook or phone or plug in a Roku streaming stick and run Netflix on that - both devices are great for Netflix watching on the couch when on the road and the Roku also has a great remote

[billyhouston]

If you have a torrent client installed, then a visit to yts.ws will provide over 10,000 movies covering the last 60 years or more.

[bkkguy]

WARNING
this is just another typical bkkguy rant so most people should just skip to the next message


If you have a torrent client installed, then a visit to yts.ws will provide over 10,000 movies covering the last 60 years or more.

you still have to get them onto the big screen TV once the torrent is downloaded, and jellybean has already indicated he has a Netflix account so shouldn't we at least try to nudge him toward legal options?

obviously torrenting pirate copies of movies is morally/legally no different to buying pirate DVDs on the beach or in stalls on the street etc as per the opening post but if jellybean already has a large library of DVDs - legal or otherwise - a good option for him may be the rip these DVDs onto a portable USB drive (and we will gloss over the legal issues with that), bring that with his laptop when traveling and run a media server on the laptop that can cast or run for example a Plex server on the laptop and use Plex on a Roku Stick to watch on the TV

unfortunately just when the legal choices started to become more reasonable the situation started to decline again. In Thailand a few years ago stores like Mangpong had an always increasing range of licensed DVDs - both new releases and older content, quality packaging, quality versions, quality extras - and a Netflix subscription in Thailand was reasonably priced and had a reasonable catalogue - though obviously not as good as the US catalogue because of international distribution issues. Now Mangpong has 2-3 shelves of tired old DVDs and 50 shelves of drones and "lifestyle electronics" and every US studio and its dog is setting up its own streaming service and pulling all its back catalogue off Netflix even if they don't have it available for streaming or on DVD or for download. Meanwhile BBC, ABC and the US studios still try to get extortionate prices for box sets and old movies and then they all bitch and moan about piracy!

I am not one of these people who think all content should be free - production costs money and I want to keep watching new good quality movies and TV series and I am happy to pay for it so I support IP protection and copyright - but I don't support the endless extension of copyright that has happened in the US and elsewhere - and I also naively don't understand why the studios and other content producers can't come up with a business model that generates sufficient revenue for them with reasonable consumer prices, particularly with digital downloads, and particularly with their back catalogue, and effectively end the need for piracy

[end of rant]

[christianpfc]

A friend of mine used to watch a lot of DVDs (Hollywood movies) from Silom, and I once even ran an errant for him. I shall ask him about the current situation.

(I have a CRT-TV in my room, it comes with the furniture. When I moved in, I tested it, but the signal was poor, so I disconnected it so none of my guests gets the idea of switching on the TV - anyway, I took the batteries out of the remote in case they leak. My live is so exciting, I don't need TV or movies on internet.)

[mr giggles]

*errand

*life

[bkkguy]

*errand

actually I think what christianpfc meant was an errand that had strayed outside the proper path

[Jellybean]

Just to update members and readers and thereby bring to a close the question I asked about DVDs, access to Netflix and to report on what I actually did after reading my fellow members’ advice.

Let me begin by thanking bkkguy for his advice, although to be perfectly frank, I will not pretend that I understood his suggestion, but I knew a man who would. I consulted our very own ChristianPFC and he immediately understood what was required. He found the necessary technical wizardry, very kindly installed it and even showed me which button on the remote I needed to use to access Netflix on the TV via my laptop. So in appreciation, I also offer a very big public thank you to Christian.

Now, with regard to the issue of DVDs, as I mentioned in my original post, when I was last in Bangkok, 21 months ago, it was an easy matter to buy DVDs in the Silom area. But it’s not so easy these days. For obvious reasons I cannot go into too much detail, but I did eventually find a supplier and I can tell you it felt very much like I was meeting an enemy agent and exchanging state secrets. It was all very hush, hush, nudge, nudge, wink, wink, say no more.

And after the deal was done, I was given very strict instructions to speak to no one on my way out. As I stepped out from the back shop, I had a terrible feeling of dread and as I quickly, but not too quickly as to draw attention to myself, left the building, I was convinced there was every likelihood that I had been spotted, either by undercover agents or a copper’s nark, and that I faced the real possibility of having my collar felt and shipped off to the Bangkok Hilton! And, one can just imagine rotting there for a few days or, heaven help me, even weeks, in their less than salubrious accommodation, while arrangements were made for my deportation. I then faced the ignominy of having my passport stamped in the same heartbreaking manner as our dear columnist, cdnmatt. At this point I imagined myself in some hell hole prison accommodation, crammed full with twenty or thirty sweaty young Thai men crying out . . . infamy (https://youtu.be/h6BJJe9JV_A), infamy they’ve all got it in for me! ;)

But getting back to reality, and to end on a positive note, members will be pleased to hear that I did obtain the latest titles I was especially looking for. I therefore see no reason to return to that frightful, speakeasy (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Speakeasy)type establishment. I do believe Pattaya has a more relaxed attitude to such things, at least for the time being, and I shall have a sneak peak at their offerings, just in case I have missed a movie that is worth watching.

Author's note:
As some members may have already guessed, some parts of the above story were embellished for dramatic effect.

[sglad]

For obvious reasons I cannot go into too much detail, but I did eventually find a supplier and I can tell you it felt very much like I was meeting an enemy agent and exchanging state secrets. It was all very hush, hush, nudge, nudge, wink, wink, say no more.



Very silly, jellybean. It could have been a set up for which they would have extorted huge sums of money to get you off.

[Jellybean]

Very silly, jellybean. It could have been a set up for which they would have extorted huge sums of money to get you off.

Thanks for your concern, sglad, but fear not, as stated in my ‘author’s note’, I spoke of the story being embellished, in fact nearly all of my account with the DVD seller was a work of fiction.

In drafting my post, I let loose my inner Billy Liar (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Billy_Liar_(film))and allowed my imagination run riot. In truth, the DVD seller was a very kindly middle aged Thai lady and the whole transaction took place in her back shop with two pleasant young Thai females serving customers in the front shop. I was even given her business card with a customer loyalty star system similar to the one issued by the British book store franchise, Waterstones. As they say, never let facts get in the way of a good story and I thought my 'author's note' made that clear.

But, as it was my first contact with the seller, my only concern, if I had any concerns at all, was that I might have been scammed and the DVDs would be of poor quality or, worse still, totally blank. So far, the quality is comparable to the DVDs purchased on Silom Road, Bangkok and at Hua Hin Night Market. Although I remain satisfied, as mentioned in my earlier post, I shall not be returning to the seller, at least not during my current trip, and shall content myself with what Netflix has to offer.

Now, talking of scams though, I am reminded of the one and only time, many years ago, when I bought a couple of porn DVDs from a seller on Dongtan Beach, Pattaya. I had resisted the temptation for several years until one day I liked the cut of the jib of the seller, called him across to chat with him and, so as not to have wasted his time, I purchased a couple of his DVDs.

Back at the hotel I was not surprised to find they were of very poor quality, but I was surprised to find that the best bits were all pixilated! I posted about my disappointing experience on Sawatdee and, if I’m remembering correctly, scottish-guy replied telling me all was not lost I could use the duff DVDs as coasters! :D

[dinagam]

Very silly, jellybean. It could have been a set up for which they would have extorted huge sums of money to get you off.

It was a set up, no doubt about it...instead of extorting money, the kindly middle age Thai lady(perhaps a lady boy for all you know) could have tied him up and rode him into the sunset...

[Jellybean]

It was a set up, no doubt about it...instead of extorting money, the kindly middle age Thai lady(perhaps a lady boy for all you know) could have tied him up and rode him into the sunset...

Not for the first time, dinagam, I suspect you of having the ability to read my thoughts. Damn it! Yet again you are right on the money ;)