Bangkok Reports

[Big Daddy 1906]

I'll be in Bangkok late next week. I'll be traveling a lot in the city and the hotel I'm staying at (for work) is not near the metro and I don't feel that thrilled about taking the bus. Which car service is better, Grab or Bolt? Thanks in advance.

[11Bravo]

You don't actually have to take the routes they give you. You can book a round trip to London say and a round trip from London to Bangkok separately. This often comes out cheaper than doing a single booking and you have a lot more flexibility.

This works, BUT... Depending on how heavy you travel, you can get bitten. Coming back from a home leave, I booked 2 tickets, home to BKK and BKK to a sand box. Leaving the US, you get 2 bags, 50 lbs each (I was coming back from home leave so bags were full). But because I had a separate ticket for the next leg, the baggage allowance was a LOT less, and I had a choice: trash or pay the excess fees. And excess fees are not cheap. Probably wouldn't apply for a short vacation trip, but just something to be aware of.

[GDreams]

I tried this concept a few times times, it was always much more expensive to book 2 shorter round trips than 1 longer round trip. I tried to get 2+ days layovers in Vienna, Istanbul, and Seoul. Sometimes the airlines let you select your layover that might be 24-hours later than I would normally select (e.g. , 4-hour or 28-hour layover), that can be an OK deal but only 24 hours to visit a place isn't very much time. Whenever I've called the airline for flexible scheduling the price goes up for telephone assisted reservations, my best deals for several years have always been booked online.

Ever tried multi city function for your search?

[Goatscrot]

This is a mistaken stereotype people have of the current Japan. When I was in Tokyo in the early 1990's I agree everything seemed really expensive to me. The Yen was very strong back then. Now the Yen is worth less than half the amount it was in the early 90's. You can go to decent restaurants and have a bowl of udon, gyoza, and a katsu don for $7 US. Yes, $7 US! If you only want beef and rice there are many places for only 170 yen ($1. 20 US) to $2. 50 US. Japan is dirt cheap (if you don't need Western restaurants like Denny's) unless you want AYCE Kobe or wagyu beef for about $60 US. Stay a block or two off the packed tourist areas. Japan salaries are very low and there is no pay equality for women. Why you are starting to see more and more young girls working the streets and many red light districts.

I put Wendy's as my example so Americans would know what I'm referring to. $15 US for a combo but Wendy's is branded quite differently in Japan. It wants to be a high end Artisan style fast food chain. I never go to Wendy's here because they have outpriced themselves. Carl's Jr is less than half the price as Wendy's Japan.



Yes, I think all of us who have lived in Thailand play that game saying it's our first night in Thailand. Usually quickly ruined by another girl in the bar who recognizes you. My favorite when I'm doing this is when the victim says to another girl in Thai this guy is new. Then the other girl says he can speak Thai!

Japan is one of my favorite destinations. Never engage in P4 P there, just eat, travel, and enjoy the sites and weather. It's really an amazing value now. Hotels are not expensive in food as you have stated is downright cheap for the amazing quality that you get. Once you eat ramen in Japan you really can't enjoy it anywhere else.

[Belvaros]

I'd be ok with 3500 for MSOG and PSE performance with a gal like that.

I'll report back when I can.

[Belvaros]

This is a mistaken stereotype people have of the current Japan. When I was in Tokyo in the early 1990's I agree everything seemed really expensive to me. The Yen was very strong back then. Now the Yen is worth less than half the amount it was in the early 90's. You can go to decent restaurants and have a bowl of udon, gyoza, and a katsu don for $7 US. Yes, $7 US! If you only want beef and rice there are many places for only 170 yen ($1. 20 US) to $2. 50 US. Japan is dirt cheap (if you don't need Western restaurants like Denny's) unless you want AYCE Kobe or wagyu beef for about $60 US. Stay a block or two off the packed tourist areas. Japan salaries are very low and there is no pay equality for women. Why you are starting to see more and more young girls working the streets and many red light districts.

I put Wendy's as my example so Americans would know what I'm referring to. $15 US for a combo but Wendy's is branded quite differently in Japan. It wants to be a high end Artisan style fast food chain. I never go to Wendy's here because they have outpriced themselves. Carl's Jr is less than half the price as Wendy's Japan.



Yes, I think all of us who have lived in Thailand play that game saying it's our first night in Thailand. Usually quickly ruined by another girl in the bar who recognizes you. My favorite when I'm doing this is when the victim says to another girl in Thai this guy is new. Then the other girl says he can speak Thai!

I was talking about QUALITY restaurants. I like food. Actually love a triple Baconator (lived across the road from a Wendys in NYC in the day). Anyway, TOKYO.

I lived at San San Niju Minami Azabu. Insanely expensive PH that my idiot inv bank for at mega US $ a month. I was a mid level trader. , my boss had a 3 story house in Hiroo. Those were the days my friend.

So, I used to lunch in Roppongi (daily) at Brasserie Bernhard (Belgian French) and drop $120 on lunch a day. Places like JOEL (magical French at $250 a head). Some fancy Italian in Hiroo where they tell you the menu. Mega $300/ head. But I hear you. Loved my hole in the wall sushi and local RAMEN shops etc. But my wife (EX) was a hootie tottie and she loved Spago in Roppongi (is it still there) and the Okura Hotel teppanyaki. I was a member at the American Club and could drink 1st growth Bordeaux on my inv bank's credit by the bottle. Whatever we wanted we would get (82 Margaux, 85 Cheval Blanc etc). Oh those DAYS. Just obscene wastes of $$.

My fave places were the drinking bars = Yakitori behind curtains where I was the ONLY Gaijin they would see.

Thaniya is the same and its a lottery for us Gaijin at the best of times.

[Belvaros]

I just do not know how you reach that opinion.

Whilst I don't fit into any of those categories, I've had better nights in Thaniya than I've ever had in Therme, Nana or Cowboy. Why do inexperienced punters therefore fare worse? No reason. Provided a guy has the balls to approach he will do very well in Thaniya.

Amen. I've had great times. Woeful times and all in between. My last venture over Christmas was a disaster. But I'm back next week and am bringing Hihongo avec moi.

[Nyezhov]

Well hopefully the mods will put this one right next to the one I just posted, because I accidentally hit the upload button and of course we don't get a chance to edit God knows why, but regardless, I haven't seen the original worm Dude since before COVID, however, he has been replaced by a new and improved generation z worm dude, who, typically of modern youth, doesn't put his face on the ground and crawl up and down the sidewalk, rather, he lays on top of a skateboard. Life is complete we have a worm dude again.

Termae was dead last night. I spied one I wanted, but she refused me because she said I'm " too big". Well that's not exactly true, she was very small, and there's a perfect illustration of how the Thermae girls talk about.

I was chatting with the boss at Thermae about the old days. Think about it, it's been almost 30 years since Thermae moved to its present location.

Two girls started throwing knuckles at each other on the steps of the Ramchit last night, plenty of finger pointing, slapping, pushing and screams of Eeeee Hia!.

For those of you who seek the ultimate love, I will dash your dreams and say that school girl wasn't around last night.

[Nyezhov]

I just do not know how you reach that opinion.

Whilst I don't fit into any of those categories, I've had better nights in Thaniya than I've ever had in Therme, Nana or Cowboy. Why do inexperienced punters therefore fare worse? No reason. Provided a guy has the balls to approach he will do very well in Thaniya.

How do I reach that opinion? Well after 40 years in Thailand I can tell you, even just based on the questions asked on this board, that people should learn how to crawl before they walk. If you don't know the pricing structure in various venues, if you if you need to ask how to approach a Thai girl, if you don't understand the difference between a Korean and a Japanese style venue, if you have to ask whether a hotel is a girlfriend friendly or not, if you don't even know how to act in Nana or Thermae, if you're constant cheap Charliing over $20, then you shouldn't be in a venue which is designed for Japanese people. If you can't figure out where you are, you shouldn't be somewhere else.

You think these newbies are able to run a marathon before they can stand on their own two feet?

Up to you kids but I've been doing this for 40 years and I will tell you that if you are inexperienced in Thailand, don't bother with Thaniya. If that upsets a fanboy, well nothing I can do about it. Personally, I enjoy Thaniya myself. I also speak pidgen Japanese.

News flash news flash news flash: Read back years and years boys and girls and you'll see reports of the famous Sukhumvit worm dude.

[Davey1965]

It's not Healthy to remember when McDonald's Hamburger 🍔 was 20 cents.

Remember the McD T. V. Commercials that stated you could get a hamburger, fries and a coke and still get change back from your dollar. I remember trying to sneak in a cheeseburger and getting scolded, just be happy I was getting the hamburger. LOL.

[PayForIt]

First timers or even second or third timers are wasting their time in Thaniya.

I just do not know how you reach that opinion.

Whilst I don't fit into any of those categories, I've had better nights in Thaniya than I've ever had in Therme, Nana or Cowboy. Why do inexperienced punters therefore fare worse? No reason. Provided a guy has the balls to approach he will do very well in Thaniya.

[HorseTrader]

You don't actually have to take the routes they give you. You can book a round trip to London say and a round trip from London to Bangkok separately. This often comes out cheaper than doing a single booking and you have a lot more flexibility.

I tried this concept a few times times, it was always much more expensive to book 2 shorter round trips than 1 longer round trip. I tried to get 2+ days layovers in Vienna, Istanbul, and Seoul. Sometimes the airlines let you select your layover that might be 24-hours later than I would normally select (e.g. , 4-hour or 28-hour layover), that can be an OK deal but only 24 hours to visit a place isn't very much time. Whenever I've called the airline for flexible scheduling the price goes up for telephone assisted reservations, my best deals for several years have always been booked online.

[Banana Boi]

I hear you. I lived in Tokyo in the early 90's at the end of the BOOM, couldn't have dinner for 2 at a decent place with wine for under US $300..

This is a mistaken stereotype people have of the current Japan. When I was in Tokyo in the early 1990's I agree everything seemed really expensive to me. The Yen was very strong back then. Now the Yen is worth less than half the amount it was in the early 90's. You can go to decent restaurants and have a bowl of udon, gyoza, and a katsu don for $7 US. Yes, $7 US! If you only want beef and rice there are many places for only 170 yen ($1. 20 US) to $2. 50 US. Japan is dirt cheap (if you don't need Western restaurants like Denny's) unless you want AYCE Kobe or wagyu beef for about $60 US. Stay a block or two off the packed tourist areas. Japan salaries are very low and there is no pay equality for women. Why you are starting to see more and more young girls working the streets and many red light districts.

I put Wendy's as my example so Americans would know what I'm referring to. $15 US for a combo but Wendy's is branded quite differently in Japan. It wants to be a high end Artisan style fast food chain. I never go to Wendy's here because they have outpriced themselves. Carl's Jr is less than half the price as Wendy's Japan.

Everywhere I've gone, girls always ask where you're from. Like I've said, the translation is: which price does she quote, tourist or resident. I'd find it entertaining to say I was wherever for the first time, and this was my first night out... Then watch her eyes spin around like a slot machine as she contemplated her good fortune. Then, in the ensuing conversation, I'd drop remarks, either local language or mentions that a first time wouldn't know, and see how long it took her to catch on. So I'm easily amused... and just about all take it in good nature...

Yes, I think all of us who have lived in Thailand play that game saying it's our first night in Thailand. Usually quickly ruined by another girl in the bar who recognizes you. My favorite when I'm doing this is when the victim says to another girl in Thai this guy is new. Then the other girl says he can speak Thai!

[Steve 9696]

Thanks, Steve. I appreciate the tips. As for Brazil, my mongering has been in Rio. I visited SP but as a true tourist. Regret not stopping at Scandallo now. But in Rio, I visited 1 clinica per day for b2 be and a termas each night. (That worked well and why I think 1 nuru + 1 bar in Thailand would be the way to go.) At $10/ HR, I might add in a legit massage to the plan each day. LOL.

And I like the flight tips. Most flights from here to BKK take me through Istanbul, Doha or UAE. Some have up to a 24-hour layover so it breaks it up nice, I suppose. But you can bet I'm researching Heidi after I submit this response. LOL It's most likely I'll go back to Colombia, which is my favorite destination. But BKK sticks in my head because, if this is my last trip, I want no regrets. Haha Thanks again.

You don't actually have to take the routes they give you. You can book a round trip to London say and a round trip from London to Bangkok separately. This often comes out cheaper than doing a single booking and you have a lot more flexibility.

[Dcrist0527]

Your budget is plenty strong for Bangkok. You say you have done Brasil. Like Scandallo or Bomboa? Or elsewhere. Bangkok is great fun and generally cheap. Having a legit thai massage (no sex) for $10/ HR every day does not suck.

My main advice to you is don't try to do the 30 hours all at once. Stop overnight in London and you can be in Heidi's bed (Diva escort) within an hour of landing. You won't get a better B2 B FBSM anywhere worldwide. Or stop overnight in Frankfurt and do Sharks or Oase FKK. Do one coming and one on way back. This is the way to fly to Thailand. .

Thanks, Steve. I appreciate the tips. As for Brazil, my mongering has been in Rio. I visited SP but as a true tourist. Regret not stopping at Scandallo now. But in Rio, I visited 1 clinica per day for b2 be and a termas each night. (That worked well and why I think 1 nuru + 1 bar in Thailand would be the way to go.) At $10/ HR, I might add in a legit massage to the plan each day. LOL.

And I like the flight tips. Most flights from here to BKK take me through Istanbul, Doha or UAE. Some have up to a 24-hour layover so it breaks it up nice, I suppose. But you can bet I'm researching Heidi after I submit this response. LOL It's most likely I'll go back to Colombia, which is my favorite destination. But BKK sticks in my head because, if this is my last trip, I want no regrets. Haha Thanks again.