Dancing with the Devil in the City of Angels

Dancing with the Devil in the City of Angels: A Fifth Anniversary Tribute to Bangkokbois

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The affection bar boys have for their farang are undoubtedly an extension of their general good will and feelings toward their buffalo back home. Like the buffalo, many of Pattaya’s sexpats have big feet and walk with slow plodding steps. And the bellowing and snorting noises a buffalo makes is not all that different from the strange sounds made by sexpats too. Both tend to have oversized bellies, enjoy spending the day wallowing in and near water, and both, to a Thai, are seen as being stupid and often stubborn. Throw in the fact that sexpats too can be trained to provide a living for the boy’s entire family and you can easily see why bar boys are so happy to add another daft animal to their extended family.

Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Water Buffalo* (But Were Afraid To Ask)
Bangkokbois, 15th January, 2013

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Today marks five years since Rush’s death put a permanent end to his popular and much-missed Bangkokbois blog. Other blogs on Thailand and its earthly pleasure there have been and are, but Bangkokbois was one of a kind, not just for its insight into the world of the Bangkok bars and the bar boys, but for the waspish wit and humour with which those tales were told.

For the newbie, there is still no better guide to Bangkok, the bar boy world and to the magic of Thailand itself. For veterans of that world, seeing your own human experience – lust, the bumbling search for love and the gradual acceptance of things as they are because “this is Thailand”- explicated with sympathy, wit and humour, sometimes of the acidic kind, almost always brought a smile to one’s face. It was that blend of sarcasm and sympathy that gave Bangkokbois its unique flavour.

At its heart though, Bangkokbois was a love story, the story of Rush’s love for Thailand, the Thai people and for Noom, known to his readers around the world as “my bar boy friend and the current love of my life”, which he chronicled in the many posts tagged “I Fell In Love With a Bar Boy”. It was that love that gave Rush the remarkable insight which made the blog what it was. A healthy dose of sarcasm runs through the blog too, but beneath it was always an appealing sympathy for his subjects.

Five years after the final post, Bangkokbois still remains the single best guide to the Bangkok bars and the world of the bar boys. His step-by-step guide on how to handle yourself on a first visit to a go-go bar was both spot-on and hilariously funny. Soi Twilight, the setting for many of these tales, is no more; but the old bars continue their neon-lit existence in the new Twilight Zone across the road in Patpong, many of them still inhabited by the same characters who provided the supporting cast to some his most memorable posts. Those hoping to lose their bar cherry or take a walk down memory lane will find that guide below.
First timers guide: https://bangkokbois.sawatdeenetwork....gay-gogo-bars/

Never one to shy away from the stuff that readers are really interested in, he also offered good advice on paying for boys, what to pay and, mostly importantly, what exactly it is that you are paying for (that post is also an interesting study in relative inflation; good luck trying to find those prices in Bangkok and Phuket today!) While the price for a night of bliss may have changed, what remains the same is the underlying dynamic. Understanding how that boy you are drooling over approaches these encounters can make the difference between a night to remember and a complete dud. His posts on the subject also offer a fond look back at the “up to you” days, or nights. Pick of the post:

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The range of tips is always going to be higher in Bangkok. With Phuket coming in close behind (Phuket for some reason doesn’t seem to know it is in Thailand and prices on everything are more in line of what you’d pay in Europe.) Then Chiang Mai, and the lowest range runs in Pattaya. For good reason. Lots of available guys, and Pattaya draws an even mix of cheap touri and even cheaper expats.

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And that remains as true today as it was in 2011.
https://bangkokbois.sawatdeenetwork....y-in-thailand/

These subtle differences in the way the boys approach these encounters is just one more reason to stick with the Thai boys, rather than moneyboys from neighbouring countries who have now colonised much of the bar scene

Tourists to Thailand, however, are not always the most subtle bunch. Rush, therefore, included a brilliant glossary of the words and phrases that every traveller to Thailand should familiarise themselves with, aptly entitled Tinglish For Sex Tourists (AKA Shit Pattaya Sexpats Say To Each Other). The new visitor to this forum is equally advised to study it if he wants to make sense of the conversations here.
https://bangkokbois.sawatdeenetwork....to-each-other/

Beyond dealing with the things that any potential sex tourist would want to know, he was often kind enough to include the things that he knew they would want to know if only they knew they didn’t know them. The blog, therefore, also contains useful information on the Thai water buffalo, the kwaai, which is not to be confused with kuai, which is vulgar slang for penis. While the majority of readers are probably here for the latter rather than the former, you will no doubt come to appreciate having a little background information on the beast that your new Thai boyfriend may soon be asking you to pay for: https://bangkokbois.sawatdeenetwork....afraid-to-ask/

The blog was about a lot more than bars and boys though, often taking us down the road less travelled, literally; for Bangkokbois included a good deal of travel writing and much of it was very good. His post on The Top Ten Bangkok Experiences: Part 5 – Doing Nothing, Accomplishing Lots, for example, lays out a wonderful alternative for a day of exploring in Bangkok that avoids all the usual tourist traps while leading you through some of its genuine highlights. You can read that here:
https://bangkokbois.sawatdeenetwork....plishing-lots/

It wasn’t just the wit, the insight and the genuinely useful information that made Bangkokbois so popular, though; it was also the eye candy - tonnes and tonnes of it – mostly Thai, but with the occasional young farang adding a bit of diversity. The best pictures on the blog, though, were not always of the naked boys or bar scenes, for the chap was an intrepid photographer and was not entirely bereft of talent. The term “monk shot” soon became familiar to his regular readers. So too was the warning against attempting to tiddle them.

Reading back through his work, one realises how much Rush grew as a writer over the course of the blog. If his earlier work was useful, interesting and humorous, his later work was often pure gold and comic genius; albeit almost always gold daubed with acid.

What made Rush’s work so compelling was its immediacy. He was at his best when writing in the first person of the things that he was up to, which went well beyond the bar scene. Unlike the jaded sexpats who start multiple threads on the fora while saying exactly the same thing over and over again in all seasons, Rush’s posts almost always had something unique and worthwhile to say.

His forays into fiction under the “The Boys in the Bar” heading on his blog however, were somewhat less amusing. The exception to this was when he was being a sarcastic git – and a sarcastic git he proudly was. We speak no ill of the dead in celebrating that which he celebrated himself. Winding people up was one of his great pleasures and he proudly proclaimed as much. His thread, A First Timer’s Visit To Gay Pattaya, imagining a first-time visit to Pattaya by a fictional, aging farang, was both savage and humorous. Re-reading it when preparing this tribute brought guffaws of laughter as hard as when I first read it years ago, but I will save that link for another time.

A great deal more could be said, of course; but for those already familiar with Bangkokbois, no more needs to be said and for those who have yet to discover it, so much greater will the pleasure be in uncovering its gems for yourself.

Sawatdee Network is to be praised for continuing to host the Bangkokbois blog, but its failure to, in any way, promote awareness of its existence, even through something as simple as a link or banner, is tragic. Not only are new readers and new visitors to Thailand being deprived of that most valuable of guides, but Sawatdee is being deprived of valuable traffic to this site, so critical for search-result rankings and the commercial prospects for the site. With memories of Bangkokbois now fading, it will be a sad day indeed if the current or future owners of this site ever decide to pull the plug on hosting it.

Part romance, part comedy, alas the final chapter of Bangkokbois was revealed to be a tragedy. With Rush’s death the tale was cut short and the quill dipped in ink and blood laid down for the last time. Indeed, the little soi of neon-lit fantasies of which he was the main chronicler has also now ceased to exist; and yet the worth and value of the blog remain, with still more than enough to keep one entertained and educated, whether one is a first time reader or an old fan returning to an old favourite.

So, on this, the fifth anniversary of Rush’s death, I offer this small tribute to “Rush”, to Bangkokbois and to its entire cast that kept us dancing along with the Devil in the City of Angels.

Thank you for your fine tribute to this wonderful blog.

I was an avid reader and not only did I learn a lot about the bar scene, I also had some great laughs along the way. And thanks for posting the links to specific articles. I've just re-read Tinglish for Sex Tourists. Hilarious!

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Sawatdee Network is to be praised for continuing to host the Bangkokbois blog, but its failure to, in any way, promote awareness of its existence, even through something as simple as a link or banner, is tragic. Not only are new readers and new visitors to Thailand being deprived of that most valuable of guides, but Sawatdee is being deprived of valuable traffic to this site, so critical for search-result rankings and the commercial prospects for the site. With memories of Bangkokbois now fading, it will be a sad day indeed if the current or future owners of this site ever decide to pull the plug on hosting it.

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I restored BangkokBois in 2016 and now BB blog is running along with SGT forum at the same server. Both will die at the same time.

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Originally Posted by Moses

Both will die at the same time.

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How sad for both institutions if that were ever to be the case :-( Lets hope for the sake of eager sex tourists of the future ( if they still exist!) that the never happen eh.

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Originally Posted by Nirish guy

How sad for both institutions if that were ever to be the case :-( Lets hope for the sake of eager sex tourists of the future ( if they still exist!) that the never happen eh.

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Sad indeed. And to Moses, if you are ever minded to let them both wither on the vine, do please give us a heads up, just in case we can find someone else willing to take it all on!

I'd prefer hard copy for bed-time reading. Amazon includes some cheaply-produced rubbish under the designation "gay"....these articles deserve a degree of permanence.

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Originally Posted by Moses

I restored BangkokBois in 2016 and now BB blog is running along with SGT forum at the same server. Both will die at the same time.

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Moses, your decision to continue hosting Bangkokbois is appreciated and is to be lauded. One can only hope that any future owner of this site will show as much dedication.

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Originally Posted by Oliver2

I'd prefer hard copy for bed-time reading. Amazon includes some cheaply-produced rubbish under the designation "gay"....these articles deserve a degree of permanence.

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A hard copy would be brilliant and I imagine that it would actually win rave reviews. If someone could actually obtain the necessary copyright permission from whomever owns it now and put in the time to edit it down, it could actually happen.

By the way: I have almost full copy of forum and site from pattayagay.com from early 2000, Long time have idea to restore it (in read only format), but still am not sure if I should do it.

Incidentally, if anyone has an idea of what became of Noom in the period after Bangkokbois, perhaps they could share? Ocean Boy, where he was working, closed not too long before Rush's final post. Given that he wasn't from a rural family, I imagine that he didn't stray too far from Bangkok.

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Originally Posted by Moses

By the way: I have almost full copy of forum and site from pattayagay.com from early 2000, Long time have idea to restore it (in read only format), but still am not sure if I should do it.

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I think that if it wasn't too much trouble to resurrect, it would be well worthwhile. For many expats and visitors it's part of gay history in Thailand.

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Originally Posted by Moses

By the way: I have almost full copy of forum and site from pattayagay.com from early 2000, Long time have idea to restore it (in read only format), but still am not sure if I should do it.

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I agree with Brad the Impala:

Restoring this part of gay history would be a great idea.

Seeing as Sawatdee Gay Thailand is one of the only remaining (active) gay forums, the task of restoring and archiving posts from the old Pattayagay forum would be very much appreciated and well-served.

It is clear that the Thai gay scene of the past is now history. It should be memorialised so that those who come after us can understand what they are missing....and to comfort us with happy memories in our declining years.

...oh do cheer up...theres good drugs for that ...

Wow ,such a treasure trove of articles ,all written so eloquently , I only discovered the khlong water taxi last month ,such fun they are ,thanks for the post

Twas The Night Before Christmas
(aka The Soi Twilight Christmas Stroll)

Twas the night before Christmas, when all down the soi,
Sex tourists were creeping, in search of a boy.
Neon lights were all strung – god only knows how,
While barkers yelled loudly their call of, “Show Now!”

The boys were all listless, but strutting their stuff,
Each a vision of youth, lined up in the buff.
Mamasan was in drag, the captain in a tux,
The boys were all wistful of making some bucks.

When out on the soi arose such a clatter,
The bar emptied out to see what was the matter.
The barkers were shouting, the soi all astir,
While at Maxi’s and Dick’s they all downed more liqueur.

The moon over Bangkok, red lights all aglow,
Brewed a promise of sex in the scene down below.
When, what to their wondering eyes should appear,
But a rare sight these days: a live customer!

Avoiding the touts, he made quite a mad dash,
And they knew right away it just might mean some cash.
Mamasan got busy, big profits her aim,
She shrilled out her orders, calling each boy by name.

“Hey Somwang! You Sompong! Little Lek boy, Aek too!
Now Tui, Wit and Mongon! Come On! All of you!
Get up on the stage now! Get out of your clothes!
Hurry up and look lively! Get into your row!”

The show wasn’t over, live sex acts still on tap,
“Tip Me!” screeched the boy fucking on the falang’s lap.
“Everyting,” was the promise of what he could do,
So the check bin was tallied, the off fee paid too.

They strolled down the sidewalk: a straight boy, an old queer,
It wasn’t a long walk, the hotel was quite near.
Suriwongse has rooms, for rent by the hour,
A quick dash upstairs, then into the shower.

With lights turned down low – this bar boy was sure modest!
It took near forever, to get him undressed.
The blue pill kicked in, the falang started to stroke,
Then pointed at his cock, and gently asked, “Sa-moke?”

The boy spoke not a word, but went straight to his work,
He blew, then he sucked, and finished off with a jerk.
Cleaning up with a tissue from head down to toes,
And giving a nod, off the bed he then rose.

His smile was heart melting, a quick kiss, just some lip,
With a sweet gracious wai he accepted his tip.
“Melly Clitmas to you,” he said at the door,
“I tink I take taxi, please 500 baht more?”

https://bangkokbois.sawatdeenetwork....tmas-stroll-2/

For all who are missing the subtle charms of Pattaya and wish to relive the excitement of that visit, here be Rush’s classic A First Timer’s Visit To Gay Pattaya
https://bangkokbois.sawatdeenetwork....state-of-mind/

And because one can never have too much of a good thing, here is Part 2
https://bangkokbois.sawatdeenetwork....-crack-of-don/

And how prescient Rush was:
:p
the newbie probably tried to find out the scoop through the internet. Which means they found one of the gay Thailand forums. What a scary introduction that must be! If they man up and post their questions . . . yikes! Doubtful they’ll get the answers they were looking for. But before the thread goes totally off the track (that’d be by responding post #5) they’ll be accused of being someone they never heard of; someone else will abusively tell them to use the search function; some old disgruntled Pattaya expat will tell them they will be ripped off, left with blue balls, and spat upon; and one of the bar owners in Pattaya will use their post as an excuse to promote his bar....

After Rush died, I came across an article along with photos of him at a street fair in California where he was selling small items from Thailand. Also read an obit that gave scant details concerning his death. Not sure if I ever posted that on Sawatdee.

I'm not aware of anyone posting links to articles with details about his life or demise.
I know only what I read on the forums, and more information would be welcome.

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Originally Posted by christianpfc

I'm not aware of anyone posting links to articles with details about his life or demise.
I know only what I read on the forums, and more information would be welcome.

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I have forgotten even where I found the article regarding Rush. If someone recalls his last name it might be worth the effort to look again.

Thanks to a tip from Jay Toff (the OP) I was able to find the obit for Rush. As I mentioned it gives scant information. I will dig further to see if I can find any more info.

Russell Hoselton, 59, died 11-23-2015.
Arrangements: Eaton Family Funeral Service.
Published by Modesto Bee on Dec. 3, 2015.

He died so young!

Although I looked further for the newspaper article of Rush and his street fair business selling Thai articles, I found nothing. Did come across a news report of his 90 yo mother who he took care of. I recall Rush was a good looking guy who had a tent at the street fair with many items he had collected while in Thailand. I did enjoy his Turtle Ass Awards which mocked many in the gay community!

A Ceres police officer bought an elderly woman groceries after her son, who took care of the 90-year-old, passed away on Monday.

FOX40 spoke to Lorraine Hoselton off-camera because she was too heartbroken over the loss of her son to speak. Despite her grief, she is grateful to the officer who showed up with a bag of groceries and kindness.

An expected friendship. Ceres Police Officer Mike Vierra and Lorraine are very grateful to have met days before Thanksgiving.

“Knowing that she needed our help and we’re out. This is what we do, this is why we become police officers,” Officer Mike Vierra with the Ceres Police Department said on Wednesday.

It all started after a 911 call this past Monday. Lorraine called for help because she couldn’t wake up her 60-year-old son Russ. Russ and Lorraine had shared a house on Tranquil Lane for the past decade.

“I knew them very little. Not a whole lot, but whenever we’d see each other we’d say ‘hi’ and stuff like that,” said neighbor Jose Delgadillo.

The Hoselton family said Russ was a selfless man who took care of his mother seven days a week and took care of all her needs.

“He had passed away so she had nobody to care for her anymore,” Vierra said.

Worry started to set in, Vierra knew there was no one to look after the 90-year-old.

“She was fine but she had nothing to eat. The last thing she had was a Tic Tac,” he said.

With some money from his co-workers and cash of his own he went to the grocery store and bought Lorraine food, including her favorite treats for at least a week,

“Said she liked blueberry muffins, so we got her a thing of blueberry muffins and pound cakes,” Vierra said.

For Vierra, reaching out to Lorraine was more than just a trip to the store. He let her know, she’s not alone this Thanksgiving.

“It made me feel good inside. You know, especially Thanksgiving coming up. She had just lost someone who is near and dear to her,” Vierra said.

Adult Protective Services has been contacted. The Hoselton family is grateful that the Ceres Police Department has stepped in.

Vierra added that some of his co-workers are planning to stop by on Thanksgiving to ensure Lorraine is in good company and, of course, well fed.