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Good report. How long does it take to travel from BKK to this place? Do you have any pictures to share in this forum. Good job

[lonelywombat]

By car from Bangkok it's little over an hour, maybe hour an a half at the most, the road is good. I have a few photos but have not yet uploaded them. I'll add a link later.

That sounds like a great place to stay, thanks for the post. I wait impatiently for the link

By car from Bangkok it's little over an hour, maybe hour an a half at the most, the road is good. I have a few photos but have not yet uploaded them. I'll add a link later.Ordinarily I ignore anything stevekoolguy writes, but his was my question also, given that you say you left on a Saturday and arrived at 5pm Sunday. I thought you must have been talking about the Mekong River!

[lonelywombat]

I tried to google Ruen Rachapruek,and ended up on Koh Samui I got a bit closer with sabai sabai but the map only shows roughly where Baan Sabai Sabai is. I am guessing that is the place

Homitern Look at the highlights arrived too late for dinner saturday, returned sunday

location
http://www.bansabaisabai.com/map.html

This map shows direction into Rachaburi but I cannot find Photoram Maybe the Sabai Sabai is coincidence and not the same one, as the river in this map is River Kwai



[quotefattman]Driving from Bangkok along Highway 4, through Nakorn Pathom, and into Rachaburi province, we found signs pointing to the small town of Phothoram, on the banks of the Maeklong River. We followed the signs off the main highway, crossed a railway line, and then a bridge over the Maeklong, and turn left into a tiny soi towards a temple. Driving through the temple grounds, we emerged to find two small riverside resorts, Sabai Sabai, and Ruen Rachapruek, side by side.

Both these resorts are gay - gay owned, gay staffed, and have hosts to entertain you over a drink, dinner, or in a private room. Unfortunately we arrived too late to eat, but spent an hour chatting with the staff, and returned the next evening for dinner at Ruen Rachapreuk.

Arriving at 5pm on the Sunday, the resort was quiet, but livened up after 6pm [quote/]


Fattman I could not find any more references, but please confirm the rough location as being correct or incorrect

[Geezer]

Do you have any contact information for Sabai Sabai, and Ruen Rachapruek?

BTW on my maps itтАЩs spelled Photharam.

[lonelywombat]

Do you have any contact information for Sabai Sabai, and Ruen Rachapruek?

BTW on my maps itтАЩs spelled Photharam.

Thanks geezer it made it much easier to find

This link is to the google earth maps

The yellow lines are for national Highway 323

Further north is the highway Fattman and his friends drove along

http://travelingluck.com/Asia/Thailand/ ... #local_map (http://travelingluck.com/Asia/Thailand/Ratchaburi/_1151340_Photharam.html#local_map)

Homitern Look at the highlights arrived too late for dinner saturday, returned sundayYeah, fucked that up - too much on the speed reading

[TrongpaiExpat]

Yea, I read it too fast too. It's Nakhon Pathom not Nakhon Phanom and the Maeklong is not to be confused with the Mekong which is also spelled in some maps as Meakong.

I also had Nakhon Phanom on the brain as I am planing a trip as soon as the rains stop.

But, did I read that the 500B is a maximum tip for short time?

[lonelywombat]

Yea, I read it too fast too. It's Nakhon Pathom not Nakhon Phanom and the Maeklong is not to be confused with the Mekong which is also spelled in some maps as Meakong.

I also had Nakhon Phanom on the brain as I am planing a trip as soon as the rains stop.

But, did I read that the 500B is a maximum tip for short time?

I know I am old,stupid and do not live in LOS

But Nakhon Pathom is not what fattman is talking about, it is only 57k west of Bangkok and half way to Ratchaburi

There is another map showing exact location, I have to figure how to downsize to upload

I know I am old,stupid and do not live in LOSBut you're here now!?

[Geezer]

Fatman, this would make a wonderful hoax for all us horney old farts.

You do realize if you lead us on a wild goose chase you are dead meat.

[Beachlover]

Fatman, this would make a wonderful hoax for all us horney old farts.

You do realize if you lead us on a wild goose chase you are dead meat.

No hoax my dear, but not easy to find.

lol... I am waiting for the expletives in a few days time

Does sound like a nice place overlooking the river

[Geezer]

тАЬNo hoax my dear, but not easy to find.тАЭ

EUREKA!

I have found it on my GPS. There is Wat Muang. I see where you drive through it, or you can bypass it on the river side.

My GPS doesnтАЩt identify brothels, but you say itтАЩs just a bit beyond the wat.

[llz]

EUREKA!
I have found it on my GPS. There is Wat Muang. I see where you drive through it, or you can bypass it on the river side.
Beware ... there is a well-known Wat Muang in Photaram District but it is located in tambon Ban Muang, west of Amphoe Bang Pong. The places that Fattie kindly informs us about are located in tambon Soi Fa, so this Wat Muang is NOT the wat close to the resorts
Tambon Soi Fa is closer to downtown Potharam and another Wat Muang - วัดม่วง lies there (source : Thinknet Thailand atlas, page 116 (Photharam map) - sorry cannot scan). So the resorts are located close to downtown Potharam, just across the river.
From the Railway Station I estimate it could be a 2 km walk / ride to the wat (turn north when leaving the station along Loet Phanit Road, then go north along Chok Chai Road which is parallel to the river ; cross the river on the 3080 Highway bridge and turn left in the small soi ... there you are !)
I could find six trains from Bangkok or Thonburi stopping in Photharam (about 2 hour trip), but oddly enough no one on the way back so I guess you should go to Ratchburi first

[Geezer]

Thanks for the valuable caution llz. It could prevent hormone driven frustration on the part of some posters. Your directions confirm the ones I have marked on the GPS.

IтАЩll ask my boyfriend to make a reservation as soon as possible. We can drive to Ruen Rachapruek. He can stay at a hotel in town, while I stay at the тАЬresortтАЭ.

Oh fattman, are the rooms air conditioned?

[Geezer]

All that poses not the slightest problem. I only require two things: aircon, and boys.

I may book two nights, and during the intervening day explore the region by car. If per chance it does not suit, I could spend only one night.

тАЬтАжthey've only been there three monthsтАжтАЭ

Oh my, some of the boys may be a bit innocent and need a gentle introduction to the art -- how titillating.

[lonelywombat]

EUREKA!

I could find six trains from Bangkok or Thonburi stopping in Photharam (about 2 hour trip), but oddly enough no one on the way back so I guess you should go to Ratchburi first

A round trip from BKK sounds delightful. Please continue your research re return trips

[Geezer]

There are problems with online railroad timetables in Thailand . The English versions frequently differ from the Thai, with the Thai being more reliable. It would be unusual to have trains stopping in one direction, but not the other. There are many trains which do not appear in the online timetables .

Before despairing I would have a native speaker phone the RR or, better yet, visit a station and inquire. Even the RR website suggests that.

If visiting Photaram from BKK I would think the train would be a wonderful way to go. Of course I am an inveterate train traveler.

[TrongpaiExpat]

EUREKA!

I could find six trains from Bangkok or Thonburi stopping in Photharam (about 2 hour trip), but oddly enough no one on the way back so I guess you should go to Ratchburi first

A round trip from BKK sounds delightful. Please continue your research re return trips

I am selfish but cannot imagine traveling by car

My God why do I have to use American English to get a post on line

What is wrong with spell check


Cars, been around a while now, internal combustion engine, quite safe.

OK, sorry the real reason I am responding is to tell you download Mozilla Firefox as your browser and it has a spell check. It spell checks as you go with red alerts when you make a misspelling/typo, right click to get spelling options---very good.

www.mozilla.com/products/firefox/central.html (http://www.mozilla.com/products/firefox/central.html)

[topjohn5]

EUREKA!

I could find six trains from Bangkok or Thonburi stopping in Photharam (about 2 hour trip), but oddly enough no one on the way back so I guess you should go to Ratchburi first

A round trip from BKK sounds delightful. Please continue your research re return trips

I am selfish but cannot imagine traveling by car

My God why do I have to use American English to get a post on line

What is wrong with spell check

Simply because it is how God himself prefers we speak.....don't argue with God.....

[llz]

There are problems with online railroad timetables in Thailand . The English versions frequently differ from the Thai, with the Thai being more reliable. It would be unusual to have trains stopping in one direction, but not the other. There are many trains which do not appear in the online timetables .
Before despairing I would have a native speaker phone the RR or, better yet, visit a station and inquire. Even the RR website suggests that.
If visiting Photaram from BKK I would think the train would be a wonderful way to go. Of course I am an inveterate train traveler.
The information I got was from the thai version of the SRT website, the English version brings no help.
Trains stopping in Photharam leave from Hualamphong at 9.20 (diesel rail car) and 15.35 (rapid) and from Thonburi at 7.25 (ord) - 13.05 (ord) - 17.40 (ord)- 19.15 (rapid) and arrive about 1 h 20 (rapids) or 1 h 50 later in Photharam.
I still get no answer for the back trip so your suggestion to phone or go to the station is a good one. Or you can go further to Ratchaburi and catch a train back to BKK, but there are not a lot of trains during daytime.
I think my time will be too limited next time I go to Thailand, unless I give up going to Hua Hin and stop in Photharam instead ... but then is Ratchaburi province not the highest one on the list of dengue-infested places in Thailand ?

Simply because it is how God himself prefers we speak.....God herself shurely?

[llz]

Of course I am an inveterate train traveler.
I am sure you will love this blog :
thaitransit.blogspot.com/ (http://thaitransit.blogspot.com/)

[topjohn5]

There truly is something for everyone online isn't there......

By car from Bangkok it's little over an hour, maybe hour an a half at the most, the road is good. I have a few photos but have not yet uploaded them. I'll add a link later.

That sounds like a great place to stay, thanks for the post. I wait impatiently for the link

I'm intrigued as well and will also patiently wait for that link. :bounce: It sounds like a nice getaway out Bangkok for a night. If I went I guess I would take a train as well.

I've tried to locate the general area, does this area look familiar? The "???" is the area I think you've described.

I was also looking at the State Railway Schedules, โพธาราม. seems to be the Thai word for Potharam. I don't read or understand Thai, but it seems, and I know someone will correct me if I'm wrong, that there is service from Potharam in both directions. The schedule is the second attachment and Potharam(โพธาราม) is the second destination from the bottom and Ratchaburi the last and on the Southbound schedule, Ratchaburi first, Potharam second from the top. I cut and paste the relevant parts of the schedules.

[llz]

Well done ! I went in another part of the SRT site, had all the answers when typing Bangkok or Thonburi as departure and Photaram as arrival, and no answer at all when typing the other way (but then no answer as well for Ratchburi to Bangkok so this was obviously a bug ...).
You will see that the more convenient times are found for Thonburi-bound trains which are said to be often late - especially if they come from far south.

[llz]

Fattie your post is very exciting as it shows there is much more in Thailand than the worn out places that we always come across reading the boards - although I am not sure that the thai regulars will love to see their little secret overcrowded by farangs...
BTW what about the boy brothel in a neighbouring village (perhaps you should tell us more about this place too so that we can send our best sleuths searching the place ... )
What I cannot help thinking is that if there is a place like this in Ratchaburi, there should be one too in Surin, Uthharadit or elswhere ...

[andrewcraig]

What an exciting thread I have never thought of doing anything like this

Maybe I am scared but this sounds so attractive I want to try it

Fattman you are an ace.

[llz]

If you look at the directions I posted for Ruen Rachapruek, then from Bangkok follow until you see the "Y' sign on the left for the Y junction ahead. Right next to the "Y" sign itself turn left into a small soi between the trees (before the junction). On the corner there's a Thai sign in green pointing to the local land registration office. Follow the soi into the village, a little way down you'll see a community center on the right with a small playing field in front of it. Turn right just past that, and follow that soi for about 100-130 meters. On your left the last two houses are the brothel, with an illuminated sign outside in Thai.
Can you imagine it ? On the Google maps there is a bloody white cloud that stops us from seeing the place ... (unless of course I'm mistaken following your very clear directions).
Thanks for sharing.

Here are some links for Photharam photos, kindly hosted by my friends at Dragoncastle. Quality is not good as they were snapped with a mobile phone in the rain.


Thanks so much for taking the time to post your pictures and the links.

I don't know why but I'm totally enthralled by this place and can't wait to visit.

[llz]

I could not go myself explore the places last time I was in Thailand so I do not have first-hand information. However I have just come across a thread on the TMM webboard about the Photharam gay places, and it confirms most of the information above about the Ratchaphruk resort (and there is a short mention of the Lilawadi place too ...)

One of the posters writes that the Ratchaphruk resort is located at the base of Photharam Bridge ; it is a restaurant with rooms. Boys are mostly on the youger side, almost all of them with a very nice face. No massage service but if a boy pleases you, you can invite him to the room, and you should give him 300 THB, or not more than 500 THB if you really like him. Room prices 300 to 900 THB : for more information : 089-2548933.

Another poster replies that he does not agree : the place is very quiet, the boys are not so nice : they are only about 17-18 y/o, they look like dek baannook (country boys) and they are dark-skinned in the style of dek waen (the thugs who compete on the Bangkok roads at night on their motorbikes).

Not the kind of boys that I would avoid if you ask me ...