Go-go bars v the apps

[Marc K]

I currently rate my chances of returning to Thailand by Christmas 2021 at 80%. Returning by next summer at 60% and returning by Easter/Songkran at 30%.

If you build it they will come , more If you cum, we will build it.
When we return in numbers as part of some new normal, Pattaya will return too.
In a strange way we are Pattaya.


Kenny, I think your odds are pretty well reasoned. I would assess them similarly. It is a bit harrowing to point out however that, according to your odds, there is still a 20% we won't even be back by next Christmas. But yes I think your projections are spot on.

As for the second part of our enjoyable analysis, I also generally agree with your assessment, depending on who the "we" is. If "we" is us over-age Westerners then I would not agree. If however there is a new wave of gay 30-somethings and 40-somethings then I would be very optimistic about the future of Pattaya.

One more point, I think the "New Pattaya" in any case will be very different from our nostalgic reminisces. I think the "New Pattaya" will be even more technologically enabled (the "apps" that we know today are still very crude IMHO) and most of the visible sleaze will have been erased (for all the reasons which have been discussed on this forum). The reason I am optimistic is that Thais in general are fun loving, much more relaxed about sex than the rest of the "Victorian" world, and also strangely entrepreneurial.

Here's an idea for a new (5G-enabled?) app -- you turn it on and whenever there is another "brother of certain characteristics" within range the app alerts you. Then the next phase is to discreetly signal level of interest in each other (MB or otherwise). Well,cum to think about it, maybe this method has no better chance of yielding satisfying results than a simple smile, huh. :)

[Armando]

One more point, I think the "New Pattaya" in any case will be very different from our nostalgic reminisces. I think the "New Pattaya" will be even more technologically enabled (the "apps" that we know today are still very crude IMHO) and most of the visible sleaze will have been erased (for all the reasons which have been discussed on this forum). The reason I am optimistic is that Thais in general are fun loving, much more relaxed about sex than the rest of the "Victorian" world, and also strangely entrepreneurial.

Seriously, what is there left for Pattaya if you get rid of the sleaze? Don't most gay visitors go there for precisely that? They want to see and be titllated by the boys in the bar and get to know them a little before they decide to off them. If dependance on the apps becomes the norm, other parts of the country could become as attractive, if not more so.

Then as more and more boys take to the apps, doesn't the sex tourist run the risk of more and more boys putting up photos and profiles that make them seem wonderfully appealing. How does the sex tourist of a 7 day visit react when after that knock on the door the boy turn out to be 15 years older and several kgs heavier? Once is maybe understandable. If that happens more often a vacation in Pattaya becomes a dog.

Take technology a bit further. Will we eventually just see holograms of the boys in skimpy pants on stage, pick a number and he miraculously turns up at our hotel?

Since western sex arrived, Pattaya has always existed because it offers 'live' girls and boys and sleaze. Get rid of the 'live' element and it dies. The Mayor can then spend billions more in his quest to make it a family destination.

[Dodger]

How does the sex tourist of a 7 day visit react when after that knock on the door the boy turn out to be 15 years older and several kgs heavier? Once is maybe understandable. If that happens more often a vacation in Pattaya becomes a dog.

If a sex tourist is limited to only 7 days, he'd be better off spending them in the boy bars. Meet a guy, or two, or three, that you like, and just enjoy yourself. Fiddling around with the apps is better suited for those on longer holiday stays.

No, the boy bars will not be gone when you return, Not as many as before...but certainly enough to keep you very busy during your one week holiday. I have a few expat friends over here who have "boy fun" every night of the week, and they don't even know how to use the apps.

[arsenal]

Marc K paints a dystopian future but unlikely to come true thank goodness.

Computer and virtual reality games get more advanced every year and yet we still build huge theme parks. Take out and delivery meals are everywhere but new restaurants are opening all the time. Airports are running at capacity plus, hotels continue to get ever more luxurious. We like the real thing. In fact if one good thing comes out of this horror movie made real it might be a reminder to many just how good going out is.

No app ever sucked me in the (empty at the time) A-Bomb, no app had me sucking on stage in the old nightclub near Mosaik, no app sat naked on my lap and no app had me trying to keep it together as a boy I didn't know 5 minutes previously becomes my number one must have boy in the whole world.

We like the real thing.

[goji]

If a sex tourist is limited to only 7 days, he'd be better off spending them in the boy bars. Meet a guy, or two, or three, that you like, and just enjoy yourself. Fiddling around with the apps is better suited for those on longer holiday stays.

Flying from Europe, I can't imagine ever staying 7 days. My first ever trip was just over 2 weeks and as I thought I'd arrived in paradise, it's been at least 28 days after that.

A good boy bar can be more fun, for some of the reasons listed by Arsenal.
However, if you ask the right questions & define the terms properly, the odds of getting great service are higher with the phone apps.


How does the sex tourist of a 7 day visit react when after that knock on the door the boy turn out to be 15 years older and several kgs heavier? Once is maybe understandable. If that happens more often a vacation in Pattaya becomes a dog.
Answer:
1 Check EVERY photo and ask for more if you can't check his body shape.
2 BEFORE meeting, I hope the tourist has asked the boy for a CURRENT photo, then made it clear that the boy must look "exactly like the photo or we don't meet". Make sure he understands & agrees.
3 Meet the boy away from the hotel. If he's 15 years older and overweight, say goodbye. As he's the one responsible for the deception, give him 0 baht. Of course, this is almost certainly not going to happen, as most of the lads attempting to pull a fast one have stopped the conversation after point 2.

[Dodger]

1 Check EVERY photo and ask for more if you can't check his body shape.
2 BEFORE meeting, I hope the tourist has asked the boy for a CURRENT photo, then made it clear that the boy must look "exactly like the photo or we don't meet". Make sure he understands & agrees.
3 Meet the boy away from the hotel. If he's 15 years older and overweight, say goodbye. As he's the one responsible for the deception, give him 0 baht. Of course, this is almost certainly not going to happen, as most of the lads attempting to pull a fast one have stopped the conversation after point 2.

God...it sounds like you're buying a used car on Craig's List.

[siscu58]

God...it sounds like you're buying a used car on Craig's List.

It is not a car but it is undoubtedly used.

[goji]

God...it sounds like you're buying a used car on Craig's List.

An interesting analogy. Over a long period, I've also learnt what to check when buying a used car, so I get much better results now than 30 years ago. The retirement fund is also significantly larger as a result of not putting a new car on the drive every year.

With boys on the apps, I can either make the checks and get good results or forget the checks and get the occasional dud who's about 10kg heavier or doesn't actually do much in bed.
Admittedly it's much more fun walking into a bar, finding a boy that's invited himself to sit naked on my lap and leaving shortly afterwards.

[latintopxxx]

....and if the mb shows up and doesnt look quite like the air brushed app manipulated photo...but still quite fuckable...what do u do??

[arsenal]

One would never buy a used car on an app. One would go to the showroom. To feel the softness of the leather upholstery, the firmness of the gear stick, the responsive speed on the straight, the grip in the corners, to see the modifications; if any, to check the lights are bright, to sample the handling, to make sure no incorrect fuel has been added and to make sure it feels right.

The same with a boy.

[StevieWonders]

One would never buy a used car on an app. One would go to the showroom.A wholly specious analogy since one is renting the boy not making a long-term purchase. Hertz and Avis have built an entire business model predicated on “take what you get”.

[gerefan2]

....and if the mb shows up and doesnt look quite like the air brushed app manipulated photo...but still quite fuckable...what do u do??

Take one look ...if you fancy it...

[Marc K]

Ok guys I think you are missing the point of my OP! I am not suggesting we succumb to the inadequate "apps" of today. I agree that they are minimal at best and open to lots of disappointment (think Romeo, Grindr, Hornet...). What we have to look forward to (I hope!) is a new generation of "boy apps" -- not holograms, not used cars, not chat apps -- but rather a re-imagining of the process of meeting. (I gave one example in my OP (message #1). There are many other that one can imagine.)

I think this transformation will come about for two reasons:

1. The technology will be available and affordable to support it.

2. The "old way" (sleaze bars where the mafia makes most of the profit) will become socially unacceptable in Thailand, as it has become in most of the world as Thailand develops its economy. Fewer boys will want to work there if they have some other option. At root after all Thailand is quite a conservative society in many ways.


I would be perfectly happy to see A-Bomb close completely and forever. I never did like their practices -- overcharging if they can get away with it. A mercurial manager who is often a real PIA. Over-age boys who are indeed well-used and past their prime. Prices which seem to continually go up. Allowed smoking regardless of the law. In fact, last time I visited (October 2019?) it was quite a pitiful sight.

[gerefan2]

I do not understand how A-bomb continues to survive!
Every time I go all I see is unattractive boys and expensive drink prices.

[arsenal]

"wholly specious analogy"

Ooohhh.

[Dodger]

......What we have to look forward to (I hope!) is a new generation of "boy apps" -- not holograms, not used cars, not chat apps -- but rather a re-imagining of the process of meeting

Second-wave sexual technologies have been in development for years, where the younger techno wizards (digisexuals) are already interested in turning to advanced technologies, such as robots, virtual reality (VR) environments and feedback devices (teledildonics), to take the place of human partners. I wonder how these advancements would effect on-line dating apps in the future.

If these technologies continue forward, people would be able to enjoy sex in a virtual reality environment with a partner (or partners) to their exact preferences, e.g. gender, weight, height, body shape, hair color, age, skin color, and even penis size/shape., etc.

A 14 day quarantine could be a "Holiday" in-and-by-itself.

[goji]

One would never buy a used car on an app. One would go to the showroom. To feel the softness of the leather upholstery, the firmness of the gear stick, the responsive speed on the straight, the grip in the corners, to see the modifications; if any, to check the lights are bright, to sample the handling, to make sure no incorrect fuel has been added and to make sure it feels right.
The same with a boy.

I agree one would never buy a car without seeing it at the showroom, or better, the private seller's nicely kept house. However, to avoid driving 50 miles and finding that a "full service history" is missing 40,000 miles of servicing, it's best to ask a few questions before going. Then also check the vehicle.

The same applies with boys on apps -asking questions reduces the probability of disappointment.
The other advantage of the apps is that it's possible to have simultaneous discussions with several boys, so if some don't like what you want in bed, then it's easier to terminate the discussion.

Of course I also visit bars & if I go back about 3~4 years, there were trips where every single lad was from a bar. Obviously there's the advantage of seeing a lad in the flesh. If it's a gogo, we can check for eye contact etc.
However, if I have some doubts about his responses, I do find it a little bit more difficult to send him away and start interviewing another one. Particularly in host bars.
The brain is thinking "you're not going to be any good in bed, so could you scoot off and bring me that cute lad over there instead?". Unfortunately, I'm too diplomatic to say that.

[Oliver2]

In my first ten years in Pattaya, I'd spend an evening traveling from bar to bar (plenty of them in the1990s) trying to find the right guy. Sometimes I'd see one hundred plus before making a choice.

And still I got it wrong on occasions. What you see on the stage, you don't necessarily get in the hotel. And what you see on arrival in the room, you don't always get in bed. Caveat emptor.

As do the money-boys. I wonder how often they regret their willingness to be offed? they don't know what will happen when they are alone in a hotel room or a private residence. Will their falang have unusual sexual proclivities? will he pay fairly?

I learnt to accept that sometimes I'd get a dud. And the blessing is that a Thai dud doesn't offer much in bed; duds in other countries can be violent or dishonest. And a lot more expensive.

[latintopxxx]

i like the comparison with buying a car...new or used...when buying either I always go for a test drive...no charge obviously...bit like buy before u try...same should apply..mb should show up all bright eyed and lubed up bubble butted...ready to let me explore every orifice before i decide...BUT OH WAIT...thats exactly what I do in a gogo bar...chosen mb sits next to me...gets a drink...I proceed to explore his body...orifices included...before deciding...guess its not free as drinks have to be paid for...
.....as for turning cat fish away...I have no problem...if the photo is a total misrepresentation I laugh and tell it to keep walking...if its kinda doable...price gets quickly renegotiated...

[Marc K]

I agree one would never buy a car without seeing it at the showroom, or better, the private seller's nicely kept house.

Really now? A huge number of people are doing that right now! Think, CARVANA for example. One of the hottest stocks on Wall Street at the moment. And in 2000 we had iMOTORS which did a great job, but unfortunately was way before its time. My better-half bought a car from iMotors back then and still gushes about the deal he got.

Now I never suggested that apps (old generation or next generation) are ideal or foolproof ways to search for boys, but I do think that is where things a heading. I just hope someone out there has a new, innovative idea for the next generation app.

I gave one suggestion in my original message (see message 1). Here is another, using AR. (Similar somewhat to the Flightrader app.) You go to a gay location (bar, beach, street) and if you somehow aim your phone at the person then "AR" data becomes available (phone number, Line ID, nickname, stats, or whatever he wants to share) and you have a way of signaling interest in him... Well I will leave the rest of the process to your imagination. : )

[Nirish guy]

Think, CARVANA for example. One of the hottest stocks on Wall Street at the moment.

Shit having just gone and checked it there to see what you meant you're not joking !! From $50 in April to £238 about now ! And there I thoght Tesla and Nio where charging ahead......it seems they're not the only ones !

[Armando]

Movies have yet to perfect 3D technology. Even if app photos can be generated in 3D and a beautiful hunk appears at my doorstep, nothing for me beats that sense of anticipation when entering a gogo bar. I don't always go with the intention of offing a boy. Sometimes it is with friends to enjoy a beer watching and sometimes chatting with some pleasing eye candy. Take away that basic enjoyment allied to the feeling of the hunt for the one for me and the experience of the apps for me is a very poor substitute. Great for almost instant sex if that is what one wants. But the gradual collapse of the gogo bars and their imminent end will forever change the face of Pattaya and Thailand for me.

[Dodger]

....BUT OH WAIT...thats exactly what I do in a gogo bar...chosen mb sits next to me...gets a drink...I proceed to explore his body...orifices included...before deciding.....

When you say you explore his "orifices" in a gogo bar does that include all of his orifices, i.e., nostrils , eyes, mouth, ear canals, and anus?

I imagine examining his anus while he's in the sitting position would be a bit difficult, unless you pull his pants down and spread his legs for you right there in the bar.

[arsenal]

Go go bars verses the apps!

Elvis verses Val Doonican.
Lobster verses fish paste.
Ali verses Barry Mcguigan.
Ferrari verses Skoda.
Cartier verses Swatch.
The Ritz verses an Eastbourne b & b.
Red Rum verses a Blackpool donkey.

Need I go on.

[Armando]

Go go bars verses the apps!

Elvis verses Val Doonican.
Lobster verses fish paste.
Ali verses Barry Mcguigan.
Ferrari verses Skoda.
Cartier verses Swatch.
The Ritz verses an Eastbourne b & b.
Red Rum verses a Blackpool donkey.

Need I go on.
Who was Val Doonican? Barry McGuigan was presumably a boxer of some notoriety. Red Rum? Haven't a clue unless it's some kind of drink on a stick.

[Dodger]

Go go bars verses the apps!

Elvis verses Val Doonican.
Lobster verses fish paste.
Ali verses Barry Mcguigan.
Ferrari verses Skoda.
Cartier verses Swatch.
The Ritz verses an Eastbourne b & b.
Red Rum verses a Blackpool donkey.

Need I go on.

Biden versus Trump

[goji]

Ferrari verses Skoda.

You're actually comparing buying a Ferrari off the dealer with buying one off a website.
Once you're in the driving seat, the ride is the same.

Well, actually my experience with app boys back in the hotel is better than gogo boys recently, although the gogo bars are still more fun. Even if it would be nice to have places like Eros still open for a more spicy experience.

[Oliver2]

Isn't the fact that the apps provide company 24/7 an issue? I used to hate waiting until the bars opened. And in those days, late nights were no problem. Pattaya didn't have much to offer....I'd end-up lying on my bed watching TV. If only I'd been able to arrange a visit. Arranging the evening before in a bar had worse than variable results. Pre-mobile phone days.

And now, of course, I'm fagged-out by 2200. And P, is a farmer who keeps farmers' hours and so he shares my preferences. How boring we are.

[Jellybean]

Just missed Arsenal's comment....don't forget the wooden teeth.


Sorry Oliver, but Washington's dentures were not made of wood.

To be honest, I had not previously given any thought to President Washington's teeth, but this is what Wikipedia (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Washington%27s_teeth) had to say on the subject of his dentures:


Despite many people believing they were made of wood, they contained no wood. They were actually made of other materials such as hippopotamus ivory, brass, or gold. The dentures had metal fasteners, springs to force them open, as well as bolts to keep them together.

Washington's dentures were likely sourced from the teeth of slaves.

This forum's like an education, ain't it? ;)

But enough of teeth, I’d better get back on topic. When I'm in Pattaya my preference is meeting young men from the bars and massage parlours. I was about to say I have never met a guy from the apps while in Pattaya, then I had a vague recollection of meeting one guy and checked my diary and found that I did indeed meet one guy, a masseur, during my last trip in March 2020. My diary entry says it was a good massage, he had a nice ass, but he was a little too camp for my liking and he was in no particular rush to leave. I wanted to get ready for dinner with a few ex-pats, so I had to hurry him along.

Back in Bangkok, due to the higher bar costs, it's mainly lads from the apps, but with a mixture of lads from the massage parlours, former bar-boys whom I still keep in touch with and, on special occasions, lads I've met in Pattaya whom I pay to come up to Bangkok where I spend the majority of my three month holiday. This mixture certainly works for me, but I am in Thailand for at least three months, it used to be six months, so time is not an issue for me.

[Marc K]

Shit having just gone and checked it there to see what you meant you're not joking !! From $50 in April to £238 about now ! And there I thoght Tesla and Nio where charging ahead......it seems they're not the only ones !

Nope, I am definitely not joking. Buying used cars on the net means no more of that nonsense haggling which goes on at used-car dealers (at least those here in the US). It is a torment. And buying a new car is even more problematic. So it is time for transformation! Next to fall, IMHO, is the real estate industry which has been hoodwinking its customers for years by being less than transparent. This will also happen.


AS well the transformation of "boy apps" I am absolutely sure. And guys, for the umpteenth time I am not talking about TODAY'S apps, I am suggesting a new generation of apps. I gave two examples in posts above:

1. The "proximity alert" app (see message #1)
2. The "AR" app (see message #20)

Neither of these use "3D technology" or "holograms" or whatever. They are meant to help you meet someone (MB or otherwise) of interest. Nor are they "dystopian" IMHO. Guys we have to move with the times and not live in the past.

[Armando]

Guys we have to move with the times and not live in the past.
I really liked the past, certainly better the present and I'm concerned about the future.

[goji]

Back on topic, it's interesting to browse the apps to see who is in Pattaya at the moment.

As far as I can see, most of the Laos & Khmer lads have left town, leaving the Thais. This reduces the percentage of cute slim twinks, although I imagine there are enough left to go around.

All of the apps have some kind of travel feature, which assists you in "browsing". Beware of the Grindr app, which might show lads "Near Phnom Penh", but the change of language half way down the page shows that Saigon is considered "near".

[a447]

Following a red triangle complaint I have moved the posts re: George Washington's teeth to a new thread in the Everything Else Forum.

https://sawatdeenetwork.com/v4/showthread.php?21633-Washington-s-teeth

[Dodger]

I like the fact that we have the options.

I always preferred the Boy Bars because I could enjoy a fun night of entertainment, followed by sex which was the icing on the cake. The apps are great for guys who can do without the cake, and just want the icing. Different strokes for different folks.

As a side note: As far as the risk of a boy not satisfying you sexually goes; I think the risk level is exactly the same regardless of where you meet him. You're really not going to know until you're in bed together, and even then, it takes two to tango.

I'll never forget a story I heard from a gogo boy at the old Sundance Gogo. A customer repeatedly asked him to verbally commit to letting him fuck him before offing him, and then once back in the hotel room, the farang couldn't get it hard and ended up passing out on top of him. To make matters worse, the farang was described as being the size of a water buffalo. I imagine the farang went on to say the boy wasn't any good in bed. Happens all the time.

[arsenal]

Probably the same farang who continually presses the red triangle when a thread goes "off topic."

[Manforallseasons]

Probably the same farang who continually presses the red triangle when a thread goes "off topic."

Or the one that removes the post.

[arsenal]

"Or the one that removes the post."
If we all did it then pressing the anal button would become pointless and these petty individuals would stop.

[goji]

It's not the same farang using the read triangle every time.

I used the red triangle to get George Washington's ****ing teeth moved out of here. Probably the only time I have used it for such a purpose & I don't intend to make a habit of it.
Someone else used it to get Gogo bars v the apps moved (after some of us took another topic marginally off topic).
If I'm not mistaken, the red triangle was also used on the "Easy Rider" thread. Some suspect the thread originator :).

Fair enough in each case.


Getting back on topic, with apps & bars, one more advantage of apps is we can have a browse to see who is in Pattaya at present. Currently, I believe the apps show what the selection in Pattaya is like without most of the Khmer & Lao boys. A much weaker selection in my view.

[Zebedee]

"Or the one that removes the post."
If we all did it then pressing the anal button would become pointless and these petty individuals would stop.

Pressing the anal button will NEVER become pointless,as a matter of fact every year many men spend a lot of money travelling to Thailand to press the anal button as many times as they can!
Presently,many are upset they cannot press the anal button because of the far coughing virus! I love pressing that anal button.




LOL

[francois]

As far as I can see, most of the Laos & Khmer lads have left town, leaving the Thais. This reduces the percentage of cute slim twinks, although I imagine there are enough left to go around.

.

There are still many Laos and Khmer lads still here; they just never left!

[goji]

There are still many Laos and Khmer lads still here; they just never left!

Interesting.
Of the Khmer and Laos lads I've met in Pattaya, I only noticed one of them on the apps when browsing recently, although I noticed another one this morning. Of course, there will be many I haven't met from those countries.

The ones I have met usually have a passport full of stamps from visa runs.
Are they now remaining with visa extensions or illegally ?

[arsenal]

"If I'm not mistaken, the red triangle was also used on the "Easy Rider" thread. Some suspect the thread originator ."

Absolutely correct and when you start and maintain a thread with 49969 views, 38 pages long, 323 entries and loads and loads of photos I shall happily grant you a certain proprietorship over it.

[a447]

Gentlemen, I think the point has now been made, so can we please get back on topic?

Let me try.

I prefer to preview the guy in person before I choose someone to return to my hotel to see my etchings. In Thailand that is easy due to the number of gogo bars. But in other countries it is a different matter.

On a trip to Prague a few years ago I spent every night at the Escape Bar. There were lots of guys who spent much of the time naked, either dancing on stage or wandering around the bar. But their asking price was ridiculously high and I didn't see the value for money. The bar "star" had been pre-booked by a German couple every night and was unavailable. So for the first time ever I decided I would look for a guy on Gay Romeo.

I soon found a handsome guy in his mid-twenties and invited him to come to my hotel. I waited for him out on the street and felt truly apprehensive. What have I done? What if he doesn't look like his photo? What if I don't like him? What if he tries to mug me in the room? If a guy works in a bar you have some comeback should anything go wrong, but with a freelancer you are basically on your own.

When I saw him round the corner and start walking up the street my heart was pounding and my legs were shaking. For some reason I find Western guys a little intimidating. Suddenly I wanted to call the whole thing off.

As he approached me he flashed a gorgeous smile and then have me a little cuddle. I let out a huge sigh of relief.

Back in the room we sat and chatted on the bed for what seemed like ages. He could obviously sense that I was nervous and he was very skilled at putting guys like me at ease.

"Shall we take a shower together?" was his way of suggesting we get down to business.

The sex was amazing. And so was he. Afterwards he stayed behind and we chatted some more and had a beer. Such a lovely guy! Unfortunately, I was flying home the next day so I didn't have a chance to meet him again.

If I return to Europe -obviously highly unlikely at present - will I try the apps again?

Probably not. I consider myself lucky that things turned out so well. But now that I've seen how it can work I would have no hesitation to use an app if the need arises in Thailand. I just feel safer with Asian guys.

[goji]

If I return to Europe -obviously highly unlikely at present - will I try the apps again?

In referring to Escape (Prague), that's one of the very few places in Europe that has what can be described as a gogo bar, with boys on stage wearing not very much. However, there they are tall & muscular, which is not at all of interest to me.
I always preferred Club Temple, which sometimes had smaller lads. That was more of a host bar, as on most of my visits, there was nothing to see on stage.

The choice on the apps in Prague is much wider.

If we go to somewhere like Berlin, I'm not even sure if they still have a gogo bar. There are several freelance host bars, but these days they seem to be over run by large hairy lads, some possibly of middle Eastern origin. I don't actually care where they come from, as even if they paid me, I'd still want to keep as far away from them as possible.
On my last visit to Berlin, I just met some nice Thai and Khmer lads on Planet Romeo.

So Thailand is one of the few places where there's a choice between gogo bars & apps.

[Marc K]

The sex was amazing. And so was he... I consider myself lucky that things turned out so well. But now that I've seen how it can work I would have no hesitation to use an app if the need arises in Thailand. I just feel safer with Asian guys.

You just never know -- app, bar or chance meeting. Some work so memorably well. Some don't work. Some are outright disasters. My best recollection was a Thai chap I met at the butter counter at Foodmart. One smile and I was putty in his hands. We met only once as he was way on the low-down alas. He was amazing. So, the moral of the story is, nothing is for sure and life always sends us surprises. It is what makes life worth living.

[a447]

My experience at Escape confirmed to me the importance of seeing the guys in person rather than just a photo on an app.

Of all the guys in the bar showing off their rather large endowments, I only ever saw 1 hard-on! That was a hung Turkish guy who did a wank show and ended up coming over one of the guys who lay on the floor. The following nights also had wank shows by different guys but they were a "flop" too - none of them could get it up. So what would have happened back in the room? I think I would have wasted my money.

They were all 100% straight and unlike straight Thais, they just couldn't rise to the occasion.

[Dodger]

I remember returning from my holiday in the Fall of 2013 like it was yesterday.

Once seated on the airplane in Suvarabhumi, I found myself going through a mental list of all the boys I had coupled with during that past 3 months, challenging myself to remember their names. An impossible task. I could remember what their bodies looked like, the size and shape of their penises, and the things we did together in bed down to the smallest detail, but as far as their names were concerned, they were simply hidden from me in a thick mist of fog, e.g., Doe, Rai, Me, Fa, So, La, Tee, Doe, Aa, Ee, Eye, Oh, Yu, and sometimes Y. Who knows?

Shortly after getting back to work in the U.S., I decided to take a stab at surfing one of the gay dating sights for the first time. Not for any particular reason, (at least not that I was consciously aware of), but just to enjoy looking at the pictures. I went to Gayromeo which seemed to be the most popular sight at the time. I was pleasantly surprised to see how many boys were on-line, including many money-boys advertising their wares. I even recognized some of them.

One day I decided to adjust my "preferences" to search for boys who were just looking for "Friends", where previously my "preferences" were set at; "Sex Date" - Slim - Large Cock - Versatile...you know, the priorities. After souring the ads for a few weeks I stumbled across a boy who caught my eye. His profile described him as having the physical attributes I liked and he looked really cute in the picture, but what interested me the most (or, at least equally), was the way he described himself and his self-interests, with such a sense of honesty and maturity.

Over the next few weeks I sent him 3 messages just to say hi and introduce myself, none of which were returned...ugh! Then one afternoon after returning to my office I saw a message from him in my GR inbox. I remember feeling excited, but lost that feeling almost immediately after opening his message. It was just one line; "Hi, nice to know you. Have a nice day". I was a bit disappointed after waiting so long to hear from him, but decided to respond to him anyway: "Hi. Nice to get your message. Smile". End of message. Another week passed, and there he was in my inbox again. This time there were two sentences with similar content. These messages between us went on for the next 3 months, gaining in content each time until we were actually holding a conversation. What a concept!

I think it's fair to say that, after time, we started seeing each other as being honest and sincere about ourselves, our personal interests, aspirations, etc. We finally decided to speak to each other on the phone. He spoke fluent English (what a relief)...sounded as genuine and sincere as he did in his messages, and pierced me with his soft and gentle voice and occasional giggles. He was admittedly very shy. We decided to meet each other when I returned to Thailand to spend a weekend together. I honestly didn't want to dedicate more than a weekend, as to not detract from seeing the other boys whose names I had forgotten, which of course was always the highlight of my holidays.

He closed his sewing shop up in Buriram on a Friday afternoon and hopped the bus in Buriram that evening for the 8 hour trek down to Pattaya where we decided to rendezvous. We met as planned...liked each other from the very beginning...and decided to stretch the weekend into a week...then another week...and another...and another...until we found ourselves in a room at Tarntawan Hotel in Bangkok 3 months later enjoying our last evening together before my return flight home. We both said our goodbyes to Gayromeo, and have been together ever since. I can even remember his name.

[Smiles]

"... He closed his sewing shop up in Buriram ... "I distinctly remember that sewing shop Dodger and thought that 'Bobbin' might be a cool nickname, under the circumstances. These long-termers ~ myself included ~ are few and far apart but there are a thousand stories like yours above. Keep that up.

If interested, a longer Dodger Story regarding sequins can be found here. https://sawatdeenetwork.com/v4/showthread.php?16500-Dodgers-Trip-Report&highlight=sewing+shop

[Dodger]

......These long-termers ~ myself included ~ are few and far apart .

Yes, you're right, but I just wonder if the "New Normal" will have an impact on this.

I know a few expats who seem to be gravitating to spending more time with one "Boy Special" versus being nightly butterfly's out on the bar scene for the obvious reasons. There simply aren't as many available boys around on the bar scene. Or maybe it's just a short-term effect of this pandemic. Who knows?

[gerefan2]

Yes, you're right, but I just wonder if the "New Normal" will have an impact on this.



Slightly different matter for those of us stuck in Farang Land...

The longer this goes on the more I wonder who I will know, if and when I eventually get back to Pattaya.

Most of the boys I know have now returned to the farm and by the time they allow us back into Thailand (years?) some will be beyond their “off by” date.

Whether any of the others will bother to return is to be seen. By then they may well have settled back in Isaan and found a decent job.

The same goes for some of the more senior farang friends....will they still be around? Its all rather worrying.

[Armando]

The longer this goes on the more I wonder who I will know, if and when I eventually get back to Pattaya.
Surely a simple weekly message to each on Line or another app will provide you the answer and alleviate the angst you are presently going through.

[Oliver2]

I suspect that many of the guys now living away will return at the same time, more ore less, as we do. As long as I've been traveling to Thailand, there has been a rapid turn-over, a lesson I learnt on my second trip when I had a list of guys whose acquaintance I was looking forward to renew....with little success. "He go home now." That will be even more true now. "He stay home."

But, as Gerefan suggests, the more pertinent question is, who will "we" be? Many of us are of age when various ailments can put an end to our travels and, even if we are fortunate enough to escape them, there is still the issue of the stress of long-distance travel. At the moment, it's not enough to keep me grounded but I'm conscious that the recovery time (both ways) is increasing alarmingly as I age. Despite the assistance of Circadin.
I do not know how many returns I have in my system but am acutely aware that a missed trip is a cancellation, not a postponement.

[sglad]

Slightly different matter for those of us stuck in Farang Land...

The longer this goes on the more I wonder who I will know, if and when I eventually get back to Pattaya.

Most of the boys I know have now returned to the farm and by the time they allow us back into Thailand (years?) some will be beyond their “off by” date.

Whether any of the others will bother to return is to be seen. By then they may well have settled back in Isaan and found a decent job.

The same goes for some of the more senior farang friends....will they still be around? Its all rather worrying.

All valid concerns...and all the more reason to live in the here and now instead of dwelling in the past and what ifs. The Pattaya you knew was already changing long before Covid - this catastrophic virus will only expedite the process. Best to move on...

[dinagam]

Sometimes I have to agree with sglad... oops, frequent.

[latintopxxx]

oh lord...what depressing dross...ofcourse I'll be back...and so will the boys...do u really think they wanna be stuck in the rice paddy fields all year...all we need is a vaccine or an effective treatment plan...any day now....

[Jellybean]

We have once again drifted off the Go-go bars v the apps topic, so I thought it appropriate to separate the posts discussing a vaccine and move them to their own thread with the title, Are we near to having a vaccine and returning to Thailand?

To contribute to the new topic please click on the following link:
https://sawatdeenetwork.com/v4/showthread.php?21645-Are-we-near-to-having-a-vaccine-and-returning-to-Thailand

[StevieWonders]

There was a profile of the Chinese creator of Blued on I think Nikkei Asia last week. I meant to post a link but now can’t find it. Perhaps Trump will ban it like Tik Tok.

I know there are specific web sites for geriatric chasers such as Silver Daddies; I’m surprised that there isn’t one for size queens. That phrase from the hymn All Things Bright And Beautiful springs to mind. I’m sure you all know the one “the purple headed monster”. Not that I’m boasting you understand

[Armando]

There was a profile of the Chinese creator of Blued on I think Nikkei Asia last week. I meant to post a link but now can’t find it. Perhaps Trump will ban it like Tik Tok.
I think this is the article. BueCity the company that runs Blued had a highly successful NASDAQ listing in July, although the share price has dropped significantly since then.

It was founded by a former married policeman who was discovered to be gay and fired. The app now has 54 million users. Allegedly about half the monthly users are outside China. Having used it for a couple of years, I find it provides many more users within about 2 or 3 kms of my location in Thailand than any other dating app.

https://asia.nikkei.com/Business/Business-Spotlight/How-a-Chinese-gay-dating-app-blazed-a-trail-to-the-US-stock-market

[goji]

I've experimented with Blued, but would only really use it where I am forced to because it's the dominant app.

There's no need to go near it at all in Bangkok or Pattaya, as the boys follow the customers.

Blued seems more popular in Northern Thailand, but I still get more action via Hornet and Grindr. I had to use Blued in Myanmar, as it seemed slightly more popular than Grindr.

Blued objection #1: It has a facility to send photographs that are only visible for a fraction of a second. I like to have a good look at whoever I am meeting and also like to remind myself just before we meet. A photo that disappears would be perfect for anyone who's about 10 years older. OK, so I can insist they send a permanent picture, but it's easier to use an app without this awful feature.

Blued objection #2: Blued no longer operate in the EU + UK and have forcibly closed accounts for people in the EU + UK. I don't know why, but as I've not heard of similar moves in other democratic countries, I presume Blued are not willing to comply with GDPR. What else could it be ? So I have lost contacts on Blued.

[gerefan2]

I: Blued no longer operate in the EU + UK and have forcibly closed accounts for people in the EU + UK. .

That’s interesting.

I have a Blued account and a few months ago it told me I was blocked due to my “behaviour” . I do not recollect doing anything wrong, and have been unable to open it since.

I also think it is very annoying in many respects.

Hornet wins hands down for use in Thailand.

[Armando]

I've experimented with Blued, but would only really use it where I am forced to because it's the dominant app.

There's no need to go near it at all in Bangkok or Pattaya, as the boys follow the customers.

Blued seems more popular in Northern Thailand, but I still get more action via Hornet and Grindr. I had to use Blued in Myanmar, as it seemed slightly more popular than Grindr.

Blued objection #1: It has a facility to send photographs that are only visible for a fraction of a second. I like to have a good look at whoever I am meeting and also like to remind myself just before we meet. A photo that disappears would be perfect for anyone who's about 10 years older. OK, so I can insist they send a permanent picture, but it's easier to use an app without this awful feature.

Blued objection #2: Blued no longer operate in the EU + UK and have forcibly closed accounts for people in the EU + UK. I don't know why, but as I've not heard of similar moves in other democratic countries, I presume Blued are not willing to comply with GDPR. What else could it be ? So I have lost contacts on Blued.
Blued is great for meeting non commercial boys.

Agree about the 1 second photo flash. Bloody annoying. No doubt the reason for this is the fear many Chinese boys have of having face pics permanently on a dating app. They may not want friends to know they are gsy.

The way around this is to download the WeChat app. No restrictions on photos there and all the guys I have chatted with have either this or Line. Oddly WeChat is also Chinese owned and has a membership of over a billion. But it is used by many Chinese as a general chat and payment platform. So the Beijing mandarins pay far less attention to photos.

[arsenal]

Blued is slightly prudish and commercial activity is banned. The 5 second photo feature is brilliant because of you think he looks like a giant bug larvae * you can still be polite and return a photo without it being permanent.

* If he's Chinese and over 26 he almost certainly will do.

Wechat is the best app on this or any other planet. It's not most Chinese use it. It's all. Phone calls, video calls, payments and a load of other stuff too. It also translates into multiple languages. Definitely the best thing to come out of China since Peking Duck.

[Nirish guy]

you can still be polite and return a photo without it being permanent. .

Just in case if might matter to anyone work wise etc dont forget that that 5 second pic display thing disappearing is only as safe and as good as the speed of the phone operators fingers in them NOT being able to click their screen grab buttons before the image disappears ! One click by them ( or us) and that instantly disappearing pic is saved to his / our camera roll for ever !

So should it matter to you for some reason NOT to have your (cock!??) pics saved by them for possible forward distribution later to their friends / the internet / your employer !? then do perhaps take care before sending that instantly (perhaps none) disappearing pic !

[arsenal]

You have to keep your finger on the screen or the image disappears instantly..And in fact Nirish the screencap facility doesn't work with blued. At least I've never managed to make it.

[Nirish guy]

?? i haven't used blued in quite a while now but I seemed to recall you could access the image on your screen and either keep it there with your finger as you describe and then screen shot it as normal OR just be quick and click the screen shot buttons when the image pops up ( as it is you who controls that of course by deciding when to open the image). But you could be right, perhaps someone could test the therory just out of interest ?? Thankfully for most of us I guess it doesn't matter either way but I guess for those to whom it does matter it could be a BIG thing if uncensored pics come back to haunt them - when they're blackmailed that they're about to be sent to their wife / employer etc ! ( as seems to be happening more and more online these days ! :-( )

I''ve always told anyone that knows me if they wake up to some dodgy pic of me in their inbox to be neither superprised or offended as I'm damned if I'm paying any scammer a blackmail fee and then can "print and be damned" ! lol To be fair looking at the state of me now after lockdown I think even a normal every day fully clothed pic would be enough to put most of them off their breakfast anyway so it's little odds ! :-)

[christianpfc]

Blued no longer operate in the EU + UK and have forcibly closed accounts for people in the EU + UK.
I originally registered on blued in 2018 in Thailand or Taiwan, but I have been using it in Europe for months without problems (but density of profiles is low in Europe).


...click their screen grab buttons before the image disappears!
Firstly, some programs can disable screen shot by software.
Secondly, you have to keep one or two fingers on the screen to keep seeing the picture.

In a few cases, I circumvented both by taking a screenshot with my camera (or second mobile phone), but it's cumbersome and the picture is of lower quality.

[goji]

Another way to do things is to use apps plus the gogo bars.

I've had cases where I start chatting with a lad and it turns out he's on the stage at one of the Bangkok gogo bars. So by the time I've walked in the bar, I know what he's prepared to do and his tip expectations are reasonable.
I don't make any commitment, but visit the bar, confirm he's one of the best specimens on the stage & off him. This way I've got more confidence about what he's doing in bed.
Also, some of the boys in Bangkok gogo bars and Toyboys Pattaya seem trained to push for a larger tip, but if you've already contacted the same boys via the apps, they are perfectly happy with the local going rate.

[dab69]

What a pain in the ass with all the translation required and limits of Google Translate.
And then I always retranslate it back to see how bad the translation is.

I do like Grindr since I can "travel" and see what is online in Pattaya/Bangkok.
I see one on GayRomeo that looks almost like my departed friend.

The one good thing about the apps - we can't visit gogo bars at the moment.

Also I can "block" and it will erase all chats with that one on both ends. :)

[Nirish guy]

I originally registered on blued in 2018 in Thailand or Taiwan, but I have been using it in Europe for months without problems (but density of profiles is low in Europe).

Having just tried to log in to check that therory I see I ( like a few others here it seems) am now getting a message to say that "based on my behaviour" my account has been blocked - ha as for once I can be 100% sure that my behaviour has been beyond reproach on Blued ( and it's not often I can be so sure of that fact always) I can only assume that "some" form of general block has been implemented. I did email the support link supplied just asking them to confirm that and will await their reply. I

t's a shame really as like a few others on here it seems I did like sometimes using it for being able to see and chat to lots of cute asian guys from all over Asia on perhaps a cold wet wintery night when bored and stuck at home here in the UK :-(

* edit - on doing a quick google search re any possible EU / UK Blocking I can see no information about that AND I see that Blued recently opened an office in London which would seem strange to then block their Uk users - so ARE any other users on here who are in the EU / UK ( aside from Christian it seems) and who are still able to log on to their accounts as Im thinking that perhaps my block was more to do with the length of time betweens log ins or something perhaps just ?

[goji]

1 Back in July, I got a message from Blued saying they were temporarily suspending their service in the EU and UK. Someone else reported a similar message here: https://www.gayguides.com/forums/topic/13003-blued-suspending-service-to-eu-und-uk-users/?tab=comments#comment-144625

2 I now get the same error message as N Irish, ie "based on my behaviour" my account has been blocked. My last "behaviour" on Blued was arranging entertainment in Myanmar back in January.

[gerefan2]

2 I now get the same error message as N Irish, ie "based on my behaviour" my account has been blocked..

Me too....so I tried to sign up using a different user name and it said “ Registration not allowed in the region”.

[Dodger]

Just reading these threads, it sounds like Blued is a pretty fucked up site, e.g. pictures that disappear after a blink of an eye, erroneous messages blocking users, etc.

Why do you guys continue using them???

[Smiles]

What's Blued? 73 posts ... must be good.

[Armando]

You have to keep your finger on the screen or the image disappears instantly..And in fact Nirish the screencap facility doesn't work with blued. At least I've never managed to make it.
Same in Thailand. I note there has been talk of a 5 second screen shot. I find it is even less than that. I also find it impossible to use screensave to keep a pic. But as I suggested before, if you like someone almost certainly they will transfer to WeChat if they are in China or another app if outside. Then pics can be exchanged as normal.

[Armando]

What's Blued? 73 posts ... must be good.
Check back to post 58. It's a dating app based in China with more than 50 million users. About half, though, are based outside China. There are lots here in Thailand. It has an instant translation facility which makes communication relatively easy.

[Armando]

Just reading these threads, it sounds like Blued is a pretty fucked up site, e.g. pictures that disappear after a blink of an eye, erroneous messages blocking users, etc.

Why do you guys continue using them???
The photos do not necessarily disappear. The user elects either to have them permanently attached or just for a few seconds. If you were based in China I expect you would not want your face pic and dick permanently on line.

[goji]

Just reading these threads, it sounds like Blued is a pretty fucked up site, e.g. pictures that disappear after a blink of an eye, erroneous messages blocking users, etc.

Why do you guys continue using them???

Ultimately it depends on where the boys are.

In Pattaya there are boys on Planet Romeo, Grindr, Horned, Blued and other apps. They go where the customers are. So there's not need at all to even think about opening Blued.

Go to somewhere like Myanmar and Blued is probably the most popular app, followed by Grindr. So if things are a little slow on Grindr, one is forced to use Blued, as that's where the boys are. Some of them were exceptionally good as well.

So I use Blued when forced to by the local market and I can't think of any other reason to use it.