2003 Bangkok Reports

[IrishLager]

Asiatraveler2,

There's a place one of the bar girls took me to that I never heard of that no one has seemed to mention. It's a disco called CM2 in Siam Square. It reminded me of HELP in Rio-a bunch of single guys scoping out women looking for gigs for the evening. It was smaller than HELP, but better. They have a live band and then play techno after the band stops, so the music is a bit better. I went there with the bar girl the first night, so I was taken, but I was being grabbed and stared at , so I decided to return solo the next night. I picked up a University student looking to make a few extra baht. Real cute, and quite a tomcat! Lots of super hot Thai girls and a little gang of Russian/Siberian/Eastern European girls looking for gigs, if that's your thing. Anyway, check this place out.

This was my first time to Thailand and I'm absolutely hooked. Wow! The place is total sensory overload. I'm going back in August.

irishlager

[PurpleNGold]

Originally posted by Pahllus Maximus
Also, girl friendly dive boats etc - can I pay just a nominal fee if her role is not diving but er, "other duties" ?

And where are the good diving spots, and is this a good season.

I've dove in lots of different countries, and have never found a pure dive boat that gave a non-diving member a discount. Diver or non-diver doesn't really change the boats costs because filling up air tanks is relatively free. However, that non-diver eats as much as the diver, and takes up a billet that could be used by a full fare passenger.

The place I've heard about in Thailand is the Similan Islands. As I said, I didn't get to go myself, but friends have gone and have said that it's spectacular.

Good seasons? My research turned up that November - May are good weather months, but that April-May are high tourist times.

[Pahllus Maximus]

thanks for the replies folks. can someone give an actual price for the various gyms in baht. also, girl friendly dive boats etc - can i pay just a nominal fee if her role is not diving but er, "other duties" ?

and where are the good diving spots, and is this a good season.

from dallas, texas, i sure am looking forward to saying bye to these fat white sows and having some hot & cute little thing giggling and her legs over my shoulders. i am so sick of the bible thumping and hypocrisy.

and i sooooo miss cv2, posiedon and so on. yipee. another 3 days and i am out this place. i am going to be one very badly behaved but happy boy, straight off two girls.

[AsiaTraveler2]

Anyone have some interesting places that they would recommend? Something off the beaten path .. eg. Not Nana, Patpong, Soi Cowboy or the Super Soapies. For example, I like Barons, but even that place has been brought up several times. Looking for something new. Don't want to give the impression that I'm tired of the other places .. they are still fun. Just like to add a new twist here and there.

[Member #4351]

Pahllus Maximus, here's an excellent post by Shadowym (Shadowym) from another site that should help you out:

"I checked out many of the gyms in the Sukhumvit, Siam Square and Patpong area.

My thing is mainly free weights but I also like to use EFX type crosstrainers for cardio.

My findings were as follows:

The Landmark was not too impressive. Nothing special and really too expensive for what you get.

The Meridien was ok. Probably the best in that general area. Good selection of cardio machines but lacking on the free weight stuff. Fairly typical of hotel gyms. As I recall their rates were kinda expensive but not as outrageous as California fitness

Further down the road, the Pan Pacific has a gym way up top in an attic but it was really just an after though from what I remember. Not too expensive but lousy equipment that looked poorly maintained.

Near Washington Square on Soi 20 there is a Clark Hatch fitness center in the Windsor suites hotel. This place was the best value I could find in Bangkok. Relatively cheap for what you get. They do have reasonable drop in rates and a membership gets you access to their other 2 sites around the city. Your up top so you get a not bad view. Their Patpong location was a bit nicer though. Both were kinda small.

The Olympic Club in the Pathumwan Princess hotel(attached to MBK mall) was probably the second best fitness place I could find. Ok selection of free weights and cardio. Spacious and clean with nice upper floor view. Huge Olympic size pool. Not cheap but not as expensive as California fitness.

The best place is California fitness near the Patpong skytrain station. Lots of everything and nice upper floor view of the city. They are expensive though"

[AsiaTraveler2]

Originally posted by seoulmac
No, no I did not see any katooeys but there is a bar below it on the 2nd level that caters to that if that is your cup of tea. I just had my questions about Cascade because as I said- it was empty, looked very new inside, had stunning dancers who were 5'6''- tall by Thai standards.

seoulmac;

I'm not into katooeys .. it's just that your description of the "tall" girls and the lack of customers initially made it sound like a ladyboy bar. I just did not want you to run into anything you didn't plan for. Empty bars are generally a sign of either a crappy joint or a ladyboy bar. Tall "girls" are also usually a sign of a ladyboy bar. Cascade is probably ok, based on what I read a few weeks ago. It could be empty because it's new and on the 3rd floor. I usually go to Playskook and Rainbow 1, and have not gone to the 3rd floor in quite a while. I know I saw an article that Cascade was the newest addition to the Crown Group. The scheduled opening was slated for March 1st. Sounds like they opened early. I'm sure someone will chime in with some 1st hand experience with some of the girls there.

[Seoulmac]

No, no I did not see any katooeys but there is a bar below it on the 2nd level that caters to that if that is your cup of tea. I just had my questions about Cascade because as I said- it was empty, looked very new inside, had stunning dancers who were 5'6''- tall by Thai standards. I talked with about 5 girls from there and got the feeling that finding a brand new club with fresh girls in the middle of such a high traffic place like Nana Plaza was a dream. But then again, places like these open and close all the time. My only regret was leaving BKK without trying it and thought we should keep each other posted of these new findings before we all become saturated with the scene again.

BTW, the upper level girls at Baccara are now 800 baht for bar fine and appear to only go short time. The VIP area I used to frequent now charges and one has been taken away to build another bar upstairs. This is a Japanese stronghold in Soi Cowboy so once again, thanks for japping up the price guys, this was my favorite hangout until now.

[Joe Zop]

Cascade's not all that new -- it's been around long enough to be on two versions of Nana maps that I've got. I don't know whether or not it's a katooey bar, but it might not be all that busy not for that reason but because it's on the third floor on Nana, and not a lot of people make it up that far. I know I didn't this last trip. The other bars up there aren't filled with ladyboys as far as I know, but it's been a while since I was there.

[AsiaTraveler2]

Originally posted by seoulmac
Going back to the board and questions, I tried out a new place called Cascade in NEP. Anybody have experience with the place? What drew my attention most is the TALL girls working there ...

seoulmac;

Are you sure that's not one of the ladyboy bars? Two red flags are the fact that it's empty .. most ladyboy bars don't get alot of action. The 2nd redflag is the "TALL" girls working there. Most Thai girls are not very tall. Usually 5'2" or shorter. The ladyboys, on the other hand are tall. If they had alot of makeup and big hands, that probably clinches it.

[PurpleNGold]

Originally posted by Pahllus Maximus
Secondly, anyone ever tried taking a cutie on an overnight dive boat that I dive after I am out of the water (grin) ? Any "girl friendly" boats ? What is good diving right now ? Is there any coral bleaching ?

While in Phuket, I stopped by a dive shop (don't remember the name, but it was a PADI 5 star operation). The TG I was with was more than welcome. She doesn't dive, but the shop was going to let her do a 'discover diving' trip where they do a brief course and make sure she's with a dive master the whole time. I don't think they care about the girl's history as long as they get the fee for a paying customer.

Unfortunately, my girl didn't want to go. Oh, well, next time I'm shopping in NEP, I'll make sure to tell the mamasan that the girl has to be a diver ;-)

[Seoulmac]

We are going off on a tangent here, what does a "hardened criminal" with a misdamenor have to do with mongering in BKK? If paid sex were a crime, then we would all be guilty here now as prositition is illegal in Thailand.

As for the gyms, I have visited one in Pacific Place I believe, next to Times Square. The first is more modern and better facilities including hot girls who workout there. The one in Times Square is older but has a good view of Sukhamvit Road and buildings. Cost difference between the two is only about $2 so splurge on the nice one! I get my buildings mixed up but they are about 1-3 blocks within each other.

Going back to the board and questions, I tried out a new place called Cascade in NEP. Place was dead and girls were super friendly on opening night around Feb. 10. Just got back from MP on Ratchapadisek so the milk carton was empty after 3 rounds otherwise I would have taken one of these new girls home. Anybody have experience with the place? What drew my attention most is the TALL girls working there, apart from also the mammasan talking about the girls being very very new, most their first night. Don't know how true but girls were friendly and shy. None of the "Halloo, welkum" lines and little English at all.

[Pahllus Maximus]

A few questions:

Are there any good gyms I can work in in BKK ? Good range of machines for serious weightlifting, and ideally a trainer as well ?

Secondly, anyone ever tried taking a cutie on an overnight dive boat that I dive after I am out of the water (grin) ? Any "girl friendly" boats ? What is good diving right now ? Is there any coral bleaching ?

[Joe Zop]

Npaul's got it right -- the bottom line is that if you're not wanted for a serious felony, nobody cares or notices. And often not even then. To worry about this when there are tons of folks who have run in and out of LOS despite being on terrorist watch lists is rather laughable. People aren't tracked down in their own homes in their own cities for failure to pay alimony -- why should anyone really think some other government is going to enforce this?

The bottom line is that international exchange of police information is not universal and is far from comprehensive. While there are links between, Interpol and, say, the US LEIN (Law Enforcement Information Network) system, there are definitely massive gaps in the exchange, and to think that all this is going to be delivered in full detail and in real-time to every passport booth in countries where they're lucky to electric power that's reliable is to have a belief in technology that borders on religious dudgeon.

[Dickhead]

The guy is not American.

[Ngp477]

Originally posted by Byeon Kwang Sae

Some specific questions that maybe some of you would know - -

1.)If I am wanted back home for a civil violation (failure to pay alimony) am I at any risk if I cross thru passport control points at airports using my original passport?
2.)If I am also wanted back home for some minor criminal charge, does that show up internationally and do border guards look for people like me?
3.)Is there a way that I can search, perhaps via the Internet, and stay plugged into International Wants and Warrants, so that I would know if I were really at risk?

Thanks,

There would be no crime for failure to pay alimony unless it is a crime in your state. Several states make it a crime to not support your children. I am not aware of a state making failure to pay alimony a crime.

With regard to minor criminal charges, called misdemeanors, most states will not extradite a person for a misdemeanor. It costs to much to transport the prisoner.

With regards to warrants, you might like to contact a criminal defense attorney where you previously lived. He could contact the warrants division of the sheriff and they MIGHT tell him if there is a warrant out for your arrest. The lawyer should say that you are interested in turning yourself in if there is a warrant for your arrest. That way the sheriff may tell him if there is a warrant out for your arrest or not. There is no requirement that this info be given out, but some law enforecment agencies will give it out to an attorney.

Correct me if wrong, but I believe the immigration at each country are only concerned if there is a warrant out for you in their country or if there is an extradition treaty with the US AND a felony out for your arrest. Many countries do not have extradition treaties at all with the US, like Cuba and France which harbored Roman Polanski a child molester, and for some countries it depends on if the offense is a serious crime in their country.
Best of luck.