Bangkok Reports

[Evianist]

I'm considering cutting it off with a regular girl and looking for some advice

I've seen her about 7 or 8 times maybe, and she's only 6 years younger than me

Girl is amazing, sex is amazing, etc.

I pay her less than the going rate when she spends overnights with me, and she usually asks to stay more nights

I'd like to be able to just keep her as a regular and have a good time and leave it at that, but I'm finding myself falling for her and thinking about her constantly every day, and trying to read into her actions that she's really into me too

When I try to sleep with other girls I can't enjoy it as much b/c she pops into my mind

Obviously getting emotionally involved with a bargirl, who's almost assuredly playing 4 other guys the same way, will only lead to unpleasantness

I'm really not interested in being taken for a ride (had enough drama when I was younger), and would rather play it conservatively

Is this the time when you need to cut it off to keep yourself from getting into any kind of bad situations?

[Traveler1234]

Anyway - I had not the impression to be on a demonstration that was anyhow important (Democracy, House Dissolution etc.). It was more a folk festival, lots of food, lots of street shops, music etc. etc. .

Good job Giotto.

This is what it normally looks like during a regular weekend day:

1 fruit market set up in front of Zen Central, opp IC.
2 two shots near MBK, just down the street

[11Bravo]

TP: Is your head in the sand today?

That is a nice looking bird there...

I do find that the girls will pay more attention to you on a weekday

I have several targets on that same schedule. Basic economics: less potential clients, more personalized attention...

======================================
Giotto: thanks for the updates. As usual, YOUR posts are informative and useful.

[Pita123]

Many of the people (RED) I talk to say they will not go home, they can't.
They did that last year and the situation did not improve.
They will not make the same mistake this year (their words, not mine)

Also no reason to go home. It is a big party at Rajprasong. I was there on Sunday taking pictures. Pretty much the same route as Giotto other than Starbucks. They had guys guarding the stairs to the bridge between Gaysorn and Central but were happy enough to let me go up with my camera. Drought in Isaan. Party at Rajprasong. I don't expect them to go home unless the security forces get involved.

[NicFrenchy]

Wondering if the Red Shirts will be there next week during Songkran. Don't the Thais go home to their villages/towns during that week?

Many of the people (RED) I talk to say they will not go home, they can't.
They did that last year and the situation did not improve.
They will not make the same mistake this year (their words, not mine)

[NicFrenchy]

Today - I took my red shirt and went to the demonstrations, Rajprasong intersection.

Thank you for "taking one for the team"
Very good report and good to keep people informed about what happens.

Nice to see you actually do leave LL from time to time.. did you take your passport with you?

I have heard that many people from neighboring provinces will start to come down "en masse" tomorrow night. The Weekend might be a lot more crowded.

[Duniawala]

Wondering if the Red Shirts will be there next week during Songkran. Don't the Thais go home to their villages/towns during that week?

[Duniawala]

Today - I took my red shirt and went to the demonstrations, Rajprasong intersection........................

Giotto

PS:

Pictures:
=======
703: Skytrain Exit Chidlom, Amarin Plaza
705: Red Shirt Equipment
707: Logistical Problems
708: View from the Bridge towards Pratuman
709: On the Bridge
710: View from the bridge towards Grand Hyatt, the Stage
711: The Stage
712: The Stage (closer)
713: The Stage (very close)
714: Resting Red Shirts

U forgot to attach pics

[Giotto]

Today - I took my red shirt and went to the demonstrations, Rajprasong intersection.

First - I was the only red shirt in the Skytrain - the red shirts obviously prefer transport via pick-up truck. Obviously no environmentalists amongst them.

I left the Skytrain and expected chaos ... what a disappointment! Business as usual in the Skytrain station, a small number of red shirts, a normal busy Skytrain station. Went directly to Amarin Plaza, Starbucks - to recover from the stressful journey (3 Skytrain stations ).

After recovering I walked to the intersection. More people, but still not that quantity that I had expected. Busy agitation on the stage, and applauding demonstrants. Then breaks, and Thai music in between.

I checked out all directions: I came from Chidlom, walked down the road passing Hyatt Eriwan, the next to Siam Paragon and finally down to Pratunam. 100 to 200 m from the stage (the center of all activities) there were only a few groups of red shirts - very few people.

I positioned myself on the bridge from Gaysorn to Centralworld and counted a group of red shirts, trying to estimate the total number of demonstrants. In my POV there were not more than 5,000 (fivethousand) red shirts in that area. Let's triple the number to 15,000 - that's really the maximum. But a friend had told me before, that the number is not that big during the daytime, but in the evenings, when some Bangkokians come after work, the number is higher.

Anyway - I had not the impression to be on a demonstration that was anyhow important (Democracy, House Dissolution etc.). It was more a folk festival, lots of food, lots of street shops, music etc. etc. .

I did see a few guys from the police, I did not see a single soldier.

Now - that was not what I had expected. I have participated in much bigger demonstrations in my hometown.


Giotto

PS:

Pictures:
=======
703: Skytrain Exit Chidlom, Amarin Plaza
705: Red Shirt Equipment
707: Logistical Problems
708: View from the Bridge towards Pratunam
709: On the Bridge
710: View from the bridge towards Grand Hyatt, the Stage
711: The Stage
712: The Stage (closer)
713: The Stage (very close)
714: Resting Red Shirts

[Fon Tok]

That's not entirely true. Yes, granted that from a tourist's POV not much has changed. Temples are still there, prostitutes all around and even MBK is open so you can buy your fake clothes, watches, movies & Software....However, I disagree that Farangs will not get caught up. Some of us have businesses here and as peaceful as the Reds demonstrations are, many businesses are affected. Add to that what happened last year during songkran, the Airport incident and the economy crisis, wel, that's a lot to have to swallow and one has to have a very thick skin to cope....Anyway, it sadly isn't business as usual for a lot of us here, times are tough and sometimes, I wonder if it would not be better to be in LOS just as a tourist... with no worries and a budget to be only spent on Condoms & Lube....If this continues like this, many businesses will be closed and small business owners on their asses....Ratchpasong area is still very busy with Red shirts but today, Amarin Plaza's Starbucks and Mc Donald are open... the mall is still closed, but you can come there, sit at starbucks and watch the Reds Go By....I was talking with the owner of a small shop in Amarin Plaza and he pointed out that as his shop was closed since Saturday, that will be almost a week with no income and still a high rent to pay... if this continues on for another week, he might have to close for good. Sad.

Nic, thanks for the ex-pat businessman's perspective. I was responding to the Phuquer's post saying "postponing my trip for a couple of months to let things settle down."

I know the overall tourist business climate sucks. But, realistically, Thailand's tourism industry been sliding downhill since the 2004 Tsunami, the 2006 coup, the 2008 PAD airport takeover, the 2008-09 global economic downturn, and more recently by strength of the baht. What has the government done to protect this sector of the economy? Not much, except for a weak set of end user incentives and a lot of breaks for well-connected Thais.

There's an old, well known adage here for farang, "don't invest anything in Thailand that you cannot afford to lose." This applies to money, time and emotion. The place is a rat hole for money. Thais like it that way. Nic, I know you have a good deal here, (you've written about it many times), but you know this, too!

I don't like what's going on as much as the next guy. My neighborhood is a fcuking police state right now. It's crawling with the boys in brown. But, I still can go out and have a good time. That is the point I wanted to make to ISGers who may want to come here to visit and play. If mongers stay home because they are afraid of a bunch of Isaan yahoos waving flags, then the fun will end for all of us!

[Dazednconfused]

Be careful.

Fon Tok is right. Life is full of dangers.

The slippery bathroom floor has got me a couple of times, and boy did I get some paper cuts the last time I was in the stationery shop.

Got slapped by a WG in the street last year. Case of mistaken identity. She ended up giving me a freebie by way of apology.

The reality is that you gotta be really unlucky or just plain stupid to come to grief in Bangkok right now, or at any other time, come to think of it.

We are not targets in this political stand-off and the chances of it turning indiscriminately violent are just about nil. This sort of stuff happens here every few years for as long as I can remember. If you got any kind of street smarts, you're ok.

Put off your Bangkok plans if you don't want to take the risk, but if you are from a big North American, European or Australian city, you got much more chance getting beaten up right where you are.

[NicFrenchy]

My point of this boring post is it is still easy for a monger to come here and go out, find a nice woman (or three), and have a good time. Sure, there is a lot of political stuff happening at the moment, but it is highly unlikely that a farang would get caught up in it unless he went looking for something in the wrong place. If you come here on holiday and stick to the established play areas it is highly unlikely there will be a problem for you. Just don't book a hotel in Ratchaprasong or plan on shopping at Siam Paragon!

That's not entirely true. Yes, granted that from a tourist's POV not much has changed. Temples are still there, prostitutes all around and even MBK is open so you can buy your fake clothes, watches, movies & Software.

However, I disagree that Farangs will not get caught up. Some of us have businesses here and as peaceful as the Reds demonstrations are, many businesses are affected. Add to that what happened last year during songkran, the Airport incident and the economy crisis, wel, that's a lot to have to swallow and one has to have a very thick skin to cope.

Anyway, it sadly isn't business as usual for a lot of us here, times are tough and sometimes, I wonder if it would not be better to be in LOS just as a tourist... with no worries and a budget to be only spent on Condoms & Lube.

If this continues like this, many businesses will be closed and small business owners on their asses.

Ratchpasong area is still very busy with Red shirts but today, Amarin Plaza's Starbucks and Mc Donald are open... the mall is still closed, but you can come there, sit at starbucks and watch the Reds Go By.

I was talking with the owner of a small shop in Amarin Plaza and he pointed out that as his shop was closed since Saturday, that will be almost a week with no income and still a high rent to pay... if this continues on for another week, he might have to close for good. Sad.

[Rick Hunter]

Hello Gentlemen,

I was hoping that someone would be able to answer a few basic questions for me. I'm currently planning my very first trip to Asia in September... The first week and a half, ... in Hong Kong. ... I will then have seven days to visit a second destination. I would like to visit either Thailand or the Phillipines. I've also heard great things about both. Given my limited time, the fact that I will be travelling alone, and that have never been to Asia, which one would you recommend? I've been digging through the material on the forum for both countries, but there are hundreds of pages and it is hard to get an concise version.

I've been looking at airfares from Hong Kong to either Manilla or Bangkok and both are very cheap. However, it appears that Bangkok hotels are cheaper. Which country is the best value for girls? I prefer overnight long term dates to short sessions. I also prefer more of a girlfriend experience to quickies. If I visit Thailand, would you recommend a few days in Bangkok and then the rest at Pattaya? The Penthouse Hotel which is advertised on the banner of the ISG looks like it would be a good option for a newbie and they offer airport pickup. Do you recommend it? Is there a inexpensive hotel (around $50-$75) in Bangkok which is girl friendly that you would recommend?

If I visit the Philippines instead, should I stick to Manilla or try to make it to Angeles City? It seems from the posts that I've read, it is difficult to get to Angeles City. Is there a recommended cheaper hotel for the stay in Manilla.

Thank you for any assistance that anyone can provide. One final question would be which country has more touristy things to do during the day. Thanks again.

Steve

Steve being based in Hong Kong and enjoy traveling to both places and playing around so I think I can answer your question objectively.

In terms of cities/countries there is more to see and do in Thailand than the Phil. Thailand is a country on the way up while the phil is a country where the top 5% of graduates each year go off to become overseas workers.

Manila is a cheaper city than Bangkok. Equivalent hotels, food and drink are significantly cheaper. In fact a lot of us expats in Hong Kong complain about how expensive Thailand is getting. Part of the reason has to do with the economy getting better, part with repegging tourist prices to Euro's not dollars and part just because it is a great place to go.

Manila is a dump other than a few areas. If you go there you will pretty much want to stay somewhere in Makati and will hang out around the Greenbelt/Glorietta mall most of the time. The main place for girls is P. Burgos which is in Makati and Edsa Entertainment complex.

In terms of girls there are FAR more girls in Bangkok than Manila. I find Thai girls to be much more short time orientated and less gfe than phil girls. I attibute this both to fact phil culture is more similar to western culture and english being the language of education in the country. Phil girls tend to be more long time orientated and gfe like especially if you are not too old and have a couple of nickels to rub together.

In terms of prices for girls the "tip" to the girls are slightly lower in Manila than Bangkok but bar fines can be really steep. Of the 25 or so bars on Burgos the normal bar fine is P3,900, yes you read that right over US$85. In Nana/Cowboy you are looking at B600 or just under US$20. Edsa bar fines are P1,500 or US$35. Of course if you know what you are doing and get numbers you can get around paying bar fines in Manila.

If you want long time stays where you can play and joke around with the girl and have the girl talk in good english (and not be a hardened pro) than Manila (Makati) is better.

If you want to have multiple short times and for there to be some tourist things worth doing go to Thailand.

If minimizing cost is important to you than go to Pattaya instead of Bangkok, heck with the political issues going on I'd go to Pattaya anyways, in fact I just got back from spending a nice Easter bread there where I was fucked every which way.

Personally I prefer phil girls to thai for reasons I have mentioned so I tend to go there to play around but if I want a more rounded holiday I go to Thailand.

As a first timer in Asia I would recommend Thailand over the Phil as outside the Makati area (and a couple others) Manila is a tough city and a bit of a dump while being not nearly as tourist friendly as Thailand.

Forget about going to Angeles on your first trip to Asia. You should get your feet wet in this part of the world first.

Do not forget to have some fun in the fair city of Hong Kong while you are here. Skip Wan Chai as you'll be seeing thai or phil girls later in your trip but there are lots of places for chinese girls and most 141's are only HK$400 (US$50).

[Fon Tok]

Guys, be very careful out there. The political situation in Bangkok is very tense right now and what appears to be a quiet street can erupt into a full scale riot in a matter of seconds. ...I know there are some of you (Nic and Giotto to name a few) who have to be there right now. I am postponing my trip for a couple of months to let things settle down. ...If you do decide to go, make sure to keep your wits about you. Don't over-drink. Definitely don't do drugs. Avoid places with large groups of protesters. If your senses tell you that something just doesn't seem quite right, trust them and move on. Go to another bar, nightclub, massage place, or whatever. Head back to your hotel room if you must. ...This is definitely not the right time to take chances. Be careful.

It always is smart to be careful in Thailand, and especially Bangkok. At any given unlucky moment, if you are not paying attention, you can easily be run over by some form of wheeled contraption, slip on a wet bathroom floor, or fall in a hole in the sidewalk. Honestly, I say this because I think this is actually more dangerous than the current UDD 'red shirt' rally and the now moving demonstration.

Last night, at about 9 pm, I took the BTS Skytrain from Silom over to Sukhumvit to meet a buddy at the Biergarten on Soi 7. Other than a very loud cheering noises coming from the Ratchaprasong intersection, (where the rally is centered), there was no excitement to report. The BG was fairly busy and there were a number of good looking and semi-good looking ladies looking for company.

After a couple of beers we walked over to the Check Inn on Sukhumvit Rd. for another beer and to listen to the Filipina trio that sings there. We were politely offered company by the mamasan, but I'd made earlier plans to meet my GF for dinner back in Silom, so at about 11:40 pm we caught a taxi on Sukhumvit.

As we moved down Sukhumvit Rd. there were a lot of 'red shirts' out and about waving flags, cruising in pickup trucks and motorbikes. The taxi had to reroute at Lumpini Park because the red shirts had closed off access around two sides of the park. There was no animosity or intimidation in any way when we had to turn around, just a bit of inconvenience, and a few more baht on the meter.

My GF met us at the Safari Bar in Patpong. I like the retro atmosphere in the Safari, and there are a few nice young girls, (and some nasty older ones), working there right now. We had a drink, my buddy BF'd a girl he knows, and then we all went and had dinner. From the Patpong restaurant I could see girls dancing in doorways at several of the go-go bars. At about 1:30am, we said goodbye to our friends and walked home along Silom Rd.

I live here and go out almost every night, and other than a detour in our taxi ride and a few more police than usual, last night was just like a normal night out in Bangkok. My point of this boring post is it is still easy for a monger to come here and go out, find a nice woman (or three), and have a good time. Sure, there is a lot of political stuff happening at the moment, but it is highly unlikely that a farang would get caught up in it unless he went looking for something in the wrong place. If you come here on holiday and stick to the established play areas it is highly unlikely there will be a problem for you. Just don't book a hotel in Ratchaprasong or plan on shopping at Siam Paragon!

Myself? I'm heading over to Tulip this afternoon for a massage...

[Phuquer]

Guys, be very careful out there. The political situation in Bangkok is very tense right now and what appears to be a quiet street can erupt into a full scale riot in a matter of seconds.

I know there are some of you (Nic and Giotto to name a few) who have to be there right now. I am postponing my trip for a couple of months to let things settle down.

If you do decide to go, make sure to keep your wits about you. Don't over-drink. Definitely don't do drugs. Avoid places with large groups of protesters. If your senses tell you that something just doesn't seem quite right, trust them and move on. Go to another bar, nightclub, massage place, or whatever. Head back to your hotel room if you must.

This is definitely not the right time to take chances. Be careful.