Remember your first time in Thailand?

[travelerjim]

Remember your first time in Thailand?

a great question which has many replies on GayTingTong...

http://www.gaytingtong.com/topic468.htm ... 251da4466b (http://www.gaytingtong.com/topic468.html?sid=f40b64148700af4c81ff32251da4466b )

Oogleman first posted the question...

"What are your fond memories of your very first trip to Thailand?"

I can recall mine vividly. even after 30 plus more visits lol

1) When i came out the door at Dom Muang i got hit by a wall of heat and thought " i cant take this - Im going to hate thailand"

2) My first venture out of the montien hotel in bangkok i was sweat soaked within a minute and then the heavens opened - never seen rain like it - thought to myself " i cant do this - im really gonna hate Thailand"

3) Walked into my first ever go go bar and sat eyes popping- jaw dropping watching a plethora of amazing boys in just briefs jig jogging about the stage with nice bulges - then a hardcore fuck show - thought to myself " maybe Thailand is not so bad"

4) went to pattaya and on the way got stuck in a traffic jam for 3 hours - swore out loud i hate .... Thailand.

5) First night out in Boyztown and even more gorgeous handsome Thai guys everywhere in the backstreets - me and chinese bf offed one and had fun but not full sex - thought to myself - "Thailand is good fun..

and more and more...
http://www.gaytingtong.com/topic468.htm ... 251da4466b (http://www.gaytingtong.com/topic468.html?sid=f40b64148700af4c81ff32251da4466b )

Thanks Oogie and posters for your variety of first time in Thailand replies...

[dave_tf-old]

I arrived exhausted from work and very much disoriented by the time difference and the--well, difference. It took me at least two days to venture farther up and down Thanon Phetburi than was easily navigable by foot back to the Hotel (the Opera, Soi 11).

Did the organized day trip things for a few days, then went up to Chiang Mai on a package tour and just started falling into things before returning to Bangkok refreshed, 'educated' and adventurous. Total trip, 10 Days/11 nights. Baht was about 26 to the dollar.

[Marsilius]

Late October 1993: baht was 39 to ┬г1.

Four particular memories:

1. the utter surprise on arriving in Bangkok (Manohra Hotel, Surawong Rd.) to find it was a very modern city. Believe it or not, I'd spoken in advance to someone who said she'd been to Bangkok before and that all the streets were basically mud tracks and that the whole city was very primitive!

2. surprise at the rainfall - both the quantity and its regularity. I'd never been to a place before where you knew that the rain started every day at 5pm and ended every day at 7pm!

3. arriving in Pattaya in late October to find the transfer coach crawling through 12-18 inches of floodwater as we appreoached the still-not-quite-finished new Royal Garden Hotel. I actually thought "what the hell have I let myself in for?" - only to find that it all drained away within 30 minutes and that the place was then bone dry...

4. the smells - especially (a) the sewers as one crossed over them, (b) that sudden and incredibly strong bite at the back of your throat as you pass a stall where chillis are being cooked.

[adman5000]

I remember waking up in the middle of the night in my totally dark room at the Shangrila Hotel and having no idea where I was.

I remember the street stall smells and chickens hanging openly on the carts.

I remember all the great smiles that made me want to come back again.

[Brad the Impala]

1972, Pattaya, rented a wooden bungalow right on the pristine beach. Stayed two months, with never a gay bar nor an off boy. It was heaven and I loved the Thai's joy in life, and I determined to visit as often as I could.

[TrongpaiExpat]

I was young............................. no, not so young
I was 30.................................. no, you were 32
Ah, yes I remember it well

There were many bars............... No, just a few
There were many saunas.............No, only one
Ah, yes I remember it well

There was a train in the sky......... No, only a tuk tuk on the ground
There were trains underground..... No, not even a taxi with a meter
Ah, yes I remember it well

[bing]

It has been a while since I first ventured to Thailand. A military friend used to tell me of his Viet Nam days when leave in Thailand was not just good, but super good. I was 52 years old when I first ventured to LOS. Sparticus was just about the only resource for places to go. I stayed at the Rose Hotel and as recall it had the worst shower system in the world. The water was super hot or totally cold, no way to make it just warm. The rain came down in buckets as I recall and I was drenched even with rain Pancho making my way to the various bars. My Way, Super A, Leks, Golden Cock and Barberi were all functioning. After making it through the weather to the first bar, I never gave the wet weather another thought. The dollar was worth 25 baht at that time. After the first visit to the first bar, I knew I had found the place of my dreams. After a week of taking the tours in the day and running the streets at night and enjoying the company of several Thai guys, I went to Pattaya with a sense of, "Why Am I Leaving Bangkok, I Am Having The Time Of My Life?" But after checking into the Ambiance and meeting Gordon and Jim in the breakfast room on the first morning, I knew this was going to be good. (Note, I am not interested in any negative statements about Gordon or Jim) After all these years I still consider them friends. Heck they had to tell me how to get to Jomtien Beach. I really was a newbie.
The server at breakfast worked at Amor in the evening, so I was introduced to Richard early on. That was the time I met my Long Haired motorbike guy. He whisked me to Jomtien and picked me up when the day was done. Hmmm, yes, I guess I like to be pampered. I still remember all the shampoo he used on his hair. He loved my shampoo, as I recall, I still thank the stars for packing a good size tube of shampoo. At Jomtien Beach I have a pleasant memory of a humerus scenario with a cute dough-nut guy who came by and I chatted with him and got a dough-nut, he came by later and I got another one and probably another one. I gave the dough-nuts away to other Thai guys. Finally I just told, dough-nut boy, to go sell dough-nuts and come back and sit down and I'll spring for a coke. It got to be a routine for the days at the beach. After the first night or two in Boys Town I found Nautilus and Memory Bar. Memory Bar became my favorite. This was a Memory Bar off North Pattaya Road. All in all the two weeks shot by in a heartbeat, and the conclusion was that I would return, at least till I found a better place to spend a vacation. Really guys, I'm still looking, and am open to finding a more congenial spot, but alas, up to the present time I have not found that spot. So shortly after returning from a visit to LOS, I find myself planning the next trip. If you have suggestions for vacationing spots, I'll love to hear of it. I am a bit longer in the tooth now, and may not be as open to new spots as in days of yore, but am willing to consider new things.

[bing]

Ah, Gigi, rings a bell with me as well. No doubt we all use the same rose tinted glasses.

[Shuee]

the sewer smells of bkk thats for sure as you walked passed all the drains with grates on them,

the seediness & the thais trying to sell you anything, one thing thats still sticks in my mind is the locals trying to pull bits of their brains out through their noses

[Brad the Impala]

the sewer smells of bkk thats for sure as you walked passed all the drains with grates on them,

the seediness & the thais trying to sell you anything, one thing thats still sticks in my mind is the locals trying to pull bits of their brains out through their noses

And you came back?!!

[DamienZ]

Oh yeah!
So freakin' funny lookng back ( I was such a yutz!) Funny though, how you can get so familiar with LOS in a few trips-seems like a second home now which I miss terribly when I'm not there. I like to travel alone, get myself lost in places, then find my way around (much like my life I guess hahaha!).
OMG! My hotel was a disaster area tucked way in back of some side soi-(literally-I mean it looked so different on the internet!!). And so i'm walking around the Bang Rak jewelry district thinking-how far to the gay bars and how do you say which way is north in Thai?( I thought I did my research). How far to the cute young gay boys? But in truth I was still recovering from a broken LTR earlier in the year-but what better place to mend and heal than in Thailand I thought?
I was crossing the street looking quite lost (I had yet to purchase my "look-I have gone Thai outfit" from the street vendors) seems you can always tell a first timer because we go through the native clothing phase. So, i'm going from drug store to drug store asking for viagra-so I could be well prepared for any occasion( "...no buy this testorone instead-do same thing! Better for you-cheaper!) Ooookaay. Sigh, I did not fortunately purchase or consume testostorone-I knew better. My original destination was Pattaya and Koh Samui for Songkran. I was hijacked by this friendly old timer who worked for TAT. Gave me the once over and suggested I would have a better time in Chiang Mai..the rest is history as they say and I never looked back. I had a great time in CM to say the least, but not too happy with my accomodations tucked away somewhere off the moat. It was walking distance to Anusarin and the peak so that was ok. I was fortunte to meet a good friend in BKK first time (funny thing-had no problem finding Babylon hehe :sex: ). And of course for the record I am not a sex tourist...but a tourist that has sex!
Anyway, so much better after a few trips-got my sea legs, settled into a routine of where I like to stay now, where I like to eat, found out what cons to look out for (willingly got taken somewhat by a cute tuk-tuk driver and the infamous "you like sea-food?" scam LOL ) All said and done, like many "first times", it became archived and romanticised in memory.
One thing I do not want to repeat was how sick I was the first couple of days! Lawd ha' mercy!!! :pottytrain5: I met this boy and we ate a late night dinner at Suan Luam-one of those hot pot buffets. Geez, i'm starting to cramp up now just thinking about it. It felt like I ate a live parrana fish, or maybe the alien was getting ready to pop out of my guts. So grateful Flagyl is OTC in Thailand!

One of a few things true for me and my relationship with LOS-it keeps getting better and better every time I go back, I even look forward to the plane ride now. I will be spending my first Christmas (turning a ripe old 51) and New Years in Thailand, and I'm looking forward to it!

So...how about you jaded travelers? Did you ever have a first time?

DZ :laughing3:

gay-thailand-f9/remember-your-first-time-thailand-t14919.html?hilit=first%20time.#p144185 (http://www.sawatdee-gay-thailand.com/forum/gay-thailand-f9/remember-your-first-time-thailand-t14919.html?hilit=first%20time.#p144185)

Remember your first time in Thailand?

a great question which has many replies on GayTingTong...

http://www.gaytingtong.com/topic468.htm ... 251da4466b (http://www.gaytingtong.com/topic468.html?sid=f40b64148700af4c81ff32251da4466b )

Oogleman first posted the question...

"What are your fond memories of your very first trip to Thailand?"

I can recall mine vividly. even after 30 plus more visits lol

1) When i came out the door at Dom Muang i got hit by a wall of heat and thought " i cant take this - Im going to hate thailand"

2) My first venture out of the montien hotel in bangkok i was sweat soaked within a minute and then the heavens opened - never seen rain like it - thought to myself " i cant do this - im really gonna hate Thailand"

3) Walked into my first ever go go bar and sat eyes popping- jaw dropping watching a plethora of amazing boys in just briefs jig jogging about the stage with nice bulges - then a hardcore fuck show - thought to myself " maybe Thailand is not so bad"

4) went to pattaya and on the way got stuck in a traffic jam for 3 hours - swore out loud i hate .... Thailand.

5) First night out in Boyztown and even more gorgeous handsome Thai guys everywhere in the backstreets - me and chinese bf offed one and had fun but not full sex - thought to myself - "Thailand is good fun..

and more and more...
http://www.gaytingtong.com/topic468.htm ... 251da4466b (http://www.gaytingtong.com/topic468.html?sid=f40b64148700af4c81ff32251da4466b )

Thanks Oogie and posters for your variety of first time in Thailand replies...

Looks like GTT are try to hijack SGT

Sparticus was just about the only resource for places to go..

I bet you were pissed off when the Romans Crucifies him.

[blueboy]

It was 18 or 20 years ago, it took 3 hours from Don Muang to the Malaysia hotel, remember walking down silom and being taken by a tout to a massage place - it was a gogo bar during daytime of course closed but we walked in, there were boys sleeping all over the place and they were all woken up so I could choose one to go to a room - it was horrible and dirty, I had never seen anything like this, or been with a boy who had been kicked out of bed to go have sex with a stranger.

Next day I found Babylon (the old one) and paradise was discovered!

My first trip to Pattaya was a few years later, stayed at Sunshine hotel and loved Adam & Eve. Next time it was at Mr Mac's where there was a gogo bar on the roof.

My first time in Thailand was 10 years ago... I was invited to stay on an island South of Phuket which was (or still is, I dunno) owned by either a son or a daughter of HM The King so while my expectations for beauty were high (and met) my expectations for adventures were very very low.. luckily I did find a nice beach boy and a waiter..

I was definitely not worried about the humidity or anything like that and I immediately fell in love with the lush vegetation of Thai islands and the stunning colours of the Andaman sea, which are difficult to find elsewhere and that is why I keep returning!

In a month, ten years later I will find out about those "other" aspects that make some people love Thailand so much.. for now I'm a simple tourist and beach bum..

[camperboy]

I can still remember quite clearly when I first stepped into Thailand. I had researched much(thanks to SGT too) about they gay scenes and the bars that has smitten me. :blackeye:

My first trip down was for an international conference. As usual, the conference is work related, and in no way, I considered myself a tourist. The conference hours was long. From morning till night. There was no chance to escape. And since we were in "foreign" land, whenever we go out of the hotel, it is best we do it in twos.

Thai boys and men are soooo beautiful. PERIOD.

So, finally after 3 days of conferencing, we had the entire afternoon and night to ourselves. My group went on to a shopping spree, to MBK, Paragon etc. While out and taking the train, I was looking at the stops like Silom and checking the internet where on earth could the bar Tawan be. My friend wanted some muay thai boxer shorts. So we were at around the stadium area looking for one. Somehow, I knew Tawan is close by. So on a pretext of making a phone call to my cousin who surprisingly works in BKK, i told my group that i am meeting my cousin in Silom area and they can make a move back to the hotel first.

Thats where, with Silom Soi 4 in my head, i took the train to Silom. Asked how to get to soi 4. After a few touts and wrong turns, I managed to see Tawan.

i did posted about my first visit to tawan here before. So continuation is there hahah

[lonelywombat]

Camperboy, you could have included a link to your original post. It was obviously a fun night
gay-thailand-f9/finally-visited-tawan-t16252.html#p162362 (http://www.sawatdee-gay-thailand.com/forum/gay-thailand-f9/finally-visited-tawan-t16252.html#p162362)

[joba]

Aaahh yes, it was 1987, I think. I anticipated the trip for weeks and weeks.

My reservation was at the Rose. It was a very open environment then. The first night, first place was Super A....was amazing. I sat down in a comfy chair and a boy sat on my lamp and went to sleep. Gradually, I understood and let my eyes and hands explore....boys sat down on both sides....holding my hand and looking up at me with their beautiful brown eyes. I melted. I was there every night...always ended up there. There were countless boys hanging around outside. They all had LOS smiles. I went back each afternoon for afternoon recreation...they all hung out - and when someone walked up they all magically showed up. I did all the tourist things...but the nite life was simply amazing. I have been back many times, generally to new venues and Pattaya.

[danny99]

Remember your first time in Thailand?

..

It was 1975, back when you arrived at the original Bangkok airport [current one is no. 3], and you booked your taxi inside the terminal as there were hundreds waiting to grab you just outside the main doors.

I had made the mistake of using then very new Spartacus [still operated by its founder, John Stamford of Brighton] as a guide and had selected Suwriwongse Hotel as a place to stay for 3 days not knowing that back then it was purely a 'by the hour' place [as were Rose and Malaysia], a follow on from the U.S. GI R&R holidays in Bangkok. The bed just had a covering sheet, when I opened the cupboard to store my clothes the door fell off. still it did not stop me from enjoying the stay. In those days sitting in the Suriwongse restaurant was an entertainment by itself, day or night!

Although I did discover the small Lonely Boy bar from the Spartacus guide and it became my favourite bar in many further visits [I think it was where the Salsa Bar, Noriega, now is at the bottom of Silom Soi IV], owned by an elderly American ex-Korea GI and his Thai boyfriend who was also ex kick boxing champ. Very friendly and attentive owners who really looked after their customers. The boys there were very special and carefully selected. For special customers they used to hold occasional sunday afternoon kick boxing exhibitions in the rear garden behind the bar, with the bar boys naked. More fun and games than serious!

Next door to Lonely Boy was a gay massage place with very straight acting young guys who really performed. NO doubt they were Isan boys?

How ironic that the whole of Soi IV is owned by the Muslim family who live at the end of it and continously drive up and down scattering all the customers of their tennants from their streetside chairs and tables!

[Shuee]

i remember stupidly asking the motosy men where soi twilight was, i then got handed over like a relay race batton, from one of their friends to another as we turned into each soi, having finally reached my destination, they noted what bar i went into, then one at a time about 5 of these motosy men came in for a 'TIP TIP'
now looking back i wouldnt be surprised if they all said it was their birthdays & i had to host a party for all of them!! Thats was a real nice impression of thialand on my 1st day/time there

[Rush, Yet Again]

My first trip to Bangkok was with a good buddy of mine, Dave, a straight guy. WeтАЩd been in Hong Kong on business for a week and decided to see what Thailand was all about so flew off for an additional week of partying. Stayed at the Manhattan off Sukhumvit (not sure how we picked that place other than it was cheap, but what a dump!). The baht was trading at 25 to the dollar, so life seemed incredibly cheap in Bangkok.

Wats? Museums? Shopping Malls? Nope, we spent the week in Patpong except for one night at Soi Cowboy. Our nightly base was a open air kick boxing bar that used to be on the corner of Suriwong where the bank is now (where Boots once was after it was a McDonalds). Knowing nothing about the commercial sex aspect of Bangkok, we were amazed at how friendly all the girls working the bar were. By the first night weтАЩd become fast friends with one of the bartenders, Somesong. She poured our drinks, challenged us to games of Connect Four, and kept the ladyboys working the corner from accosting us too much. WeтАЩd down a few drinks then head off to any one of the numerous clubs in the area to play some pool and drink some more before heading back for another round or two with Somesong.

Long about our third night, as the bar was closing, Somesong suggested we all head off to a disco for some dancing. The whole bar fine system was quite perplexing to us, but in any case cheap, so we offed her and another girl then went parting into the early hours. By the end of the trip we were offing all the girls still left at the bar at closing and showing up at the disco with a full harem.

Ahh, innocents abroad. We never did figure out there was more on offer than dancing. We picked up the tab at the disco nightly and the only tips we ever paid were for drinks at the bar. Though thinking back now, tipping above U.S. standards for each round of drinks, we were undoubtedly paying more than a night between the sheetsтАЩ tip would have cost.

So I fell in love with Thailand on my first trip, even though that was a totally different version of the country than I now enjoy. Dave and I went back a few times over the next few years. It wasnтАЩt until the fifth trip I even knew about the gay gogo bars. Now there was an eye opener!

We found Dreamboys, which was known as Barbiery then, quite by accident. Dave had no problem going with me but hated that heтАЩd spend the evening fighting off the advances of the staff (the boy was totally hot in those days). I was content to watch the show and drool over the guys and quickly discovered the best place to sit was at the counter just to the right of the door . . . nudity was not the norm back then and the best youтАЩd often get was a guy shucking his shorts just before he came off the stage. The counter stools, however, were in line with the stage exit and changing room so youтАЩd often get a peak at what wasnтАЩt revealed on stage. Ha! Nowadays IтАЩm surprised tthe barkers out in front of the bars arenтАЩt naked.

[Beachlover]

And since we were in "foreign" land, whenever we go out of the hotel, it is best we do it in twos.

Hehe... You Singaporeans are much too careful and worried about everything. It's perfectly safe to wonder around alone in Bangkok. If you really do get lost, just hail a taxi.


And since we were in "foreign" land, whenever we go out of the hotel, it is best we do it in twos.

Thai boys and men are soooo beautiful. PERIOD.

Yes... they certainly are. Handsome.

[Beachlover]

selected Suwriwongse Hotel as a place to stay for 3 days not knowing that back then it was purely a 'by the hour' place...The bed just had a covering sheet, when I opened the cupboard to store my clothes the door fell off.

LOL... I remember staying in one cheap very place... the staff who showed me the room was a cute Thai boy. When he went to unlock and open the door it sort of half fell off its hinges. He just stood there with this classic half sheepish half alarmed smile while I collapsed laughing.

[camperboy]

Hehe... You Singaporeans are much too careful and worried about everything. It's perfectly safe to wonder around alone in Bangkok. If you really do get lost, just hail a taxi.


Well, that advice was from the organisers of the conference!

Can still remember, while eating on the side walk, saw this hunky man with a girl eating as well. But the way he looks at me, gosh, i immediately wanked off while fantasizing about him when i reached my room! :blackeye: :blackeye: sorry. :nud:

Oh yah, second visit was funny. Went to a massage parlour, and this masseur was doing a body to body thingy, and he fell asleep...gosh. they must be super tired...

[Brad the Impala]

Although I did discover the small Lonely Boy bar from the Spartacus guide and it became my favourite bar in many further visits [I think it was where the Salsa Bar, Noriega, now is at the bottom of Silom Soi IV], owned by an elderly American ex-Korea GI and his Thai boyfriend who was also ex kick boxing champ. Very friendly and attentive owners who really looked after their customers. The boys there were very special and carefully selected. For special customers they used to hold occasional sunday afternoon kick boxing exhibitions in the rear garden behind the bar, with the bar boys naked. More fun and games than serious!


The boxer Chaan, was the original owner of the bar, which Howard visited, became his partner in every sense and they lived there above the bar until Chaan died some twenty years years later.

My birthday party there in 1972.


http://img.photobucket.com/albums/1003/alcibiades/My22ndBirthday.jpg

[danny99]

The boxer Chaan, was the original owner of the bar, which Howard visited, became his partner in every sense and they lived there above the bar until Chaan died some twenty years years later.

My birthday party there in 1972.

Memories...your birthday party pic reminds me of the boys who used to work there. I wonder if any of them are still alive?

I remember hearing some horror stories from Howard about boys being held as virtual prisoners at certain place at Silom end of Patpong [now there is bar same name elsewhere but as maybe not the same owners will not name]

I remember one special boy at Lonely Boy from mid 70's, I fell for big time, asked for him next trip a few months later only to be told that Chaan had 'got rid of him' never again in Bangkok...had stolen from customer during an overnight stay. He had been perfect with me maybe customer was a creep!

[Beachlover]

Well, that advice was from the organisers of the conference!

I bet the organisers were Singaporean LOL.