Thailand 4/1-4/16

[Happy]

I am going to Thailand (damn the bird flu, full speed ahead!) and will be splitting my time between BKK and Chiang Mai. Been to BKK and Pattaya several times and want to explore the north part of the country. I basically enjoy three things when I travel to Thailand. I love to explore and enjoy local cultural attractions, food and people; get massages by day and visit boy bars by night. My question is, what should I concentrate on when I am in Chiang Mai?

Also, I am a long time "lurker" having used several screen names, because they expire, I forget them or new software makes them go away. My pledge is that I am taking my laptop with me an will keep a detailed diary which I promise to share with all of the great members of this board.

 

Thanks in advance!

[+ Lucky]

If you share your stories, we will all be happy too. That way I can be happy go Lucky!

[Guest rampo]

Chiang Mai is more Thai than places like Bangkok or Pattaya, although it does get its fair share of European backpackers and Chinese tourists, and many locals complain that it the traffic is becoming "more and more like Groong Tep." Around Chiang Mai are plenty of opportunities for activites like rafting and trekking, on elephants or not. The rafting may not be as exciting in April as that is late into the dry season - rafting is best around November just after the rain season ends. You may also want to take two or three days and see the Golden Triangle area. One of major sites around Chiang Mai is the mountain Doi Suthep. Up on that mountain is Wat Pra That Doi Suthep, one of the most well-known Buddhist temples in the country and definitely worth a visit.

 

Don't expect the level of gay nightlife that you find in Pattaya-Phuket-Bangkok, but there are a number of bars available. Adams Apple is the most popular gogo bar and recently reopened after being closed down by the police for a month. Other gay bars are scattered about the city, and there are a group of gay beer bars near the well-known Night Market. I haven't heard if there will be any entertainment zones in Chiang Mai, so it is possible that some of the places will be closing earlier than you are used to. If you are looking for gay massage places, there isn't much to choose from. I know of two gay saunas in CM - House of Male and Sparoma. I think they both may offer massages, but possibly only in the evenings. I think you can also get massages at Adams Apple.

 

Around Chiang Mai are scores of artifactories where you can buy jewelry, celadon pottery, teak furniture, lacquerware and all sorts of souvenirs, often at prices that you will find lower than anywhere else in Thailand. Bring along a piece of luggage or two and for a tip of 100 or 200 baht you can have artists at the umbrella factories paint dragons, Thai scenes or whatever on the luggage - it makes it easier to pick out your bags on the luggage carousel.

 

It's been two years since I was last in CM and I'm a bit out of touch on current events there. I took my Thai friend for his first visit there for Halloween 2001 - we had alot of fun, but he found the weather too cold (at the time evening temps got down around mid-50s) and he refuses to go back. To find out more about gay Chiang Mai, check out:

http://www.dreadedned.com/directory/index/2/

[+ Lucky]

I wonder what ever happened to Lulu, who ran the Coffee Boy Bar and Guesthouses several years ago. I had a lot of fun there!

[Guest rampo]

When I began visiting Thailand 5 years ago the reputation of Coffee Boy had gone into the toilet - everyone was saying avoid the place. About two or three years ago management changed and the reputation has improved quite a bit. The main disadvantage of the place is that it is not located near anything else of interest, gay or otherwise.

[+ Lucky]

Well, i am aware of that, but I don't know what happened. In the early nineties it was a great place. I always wondered if those rumors were being spread by someone who had been ejected from Coffee Boy, which is one version of the story.

Anyway, Lulu helped introduce me to a great Thailand experience.

[Guest rampo]

no message

[Guest rampo]

Sorry, I seem to be having trouble with my replies today.

 

Since Dreaded Ned's site indicates that Coffee Boy went through a period of a few different owners, it is possible that the problems occured after your friend was no longer there. The Thai bar business can be a bit cutthroat, but 5 years ago I can recall that many sources indicated that things were not good there. It isn't uncommon for new owners to take over a good business and screw it up.

[TotallyOz]

You and I will be in Thailand at the same time. I am looking forward to my trip and gots tons of great information from the M4M'ers here!

[+ Axiom2001]

Thailand...

 

>I wonder what ever happened to Lulu, who ran the Coffee Boy

>Bar and Guesthouses several years ago. I had a lot of fun

>there!

 

 

 

:-) :-) :-) Boy, do I remember Lulu and "her" digs. She threw a party for us men of 16, and it was an extremely-memorable evening for me: I flirted assdiduously with the hot men who praced around in the garden, and to cap it off, I rode off on this big beautiful Harley Davidson with the hunky and handsome guy who graced the cover of a thick gay travel book of Thailand; he and his motorcycle were just gorgeous, gorgeous-- but the "bed" experience was a total letdown for me. I shall ever remember that evening, though!

 

To the writer who wrote about CM: You recapitulated greatly what this city to the north holds. I'll forever remember the elephant ride and the arts area. Sam, our guide, had a beautiful umbrella made and painted for his mother. To date I am sorry that I did not have some made, too! To the traveler-- you're going to enjoy; you're going to see a different side that will be long remembered and appreciated.

:-) :-)

[+ Axiom2001]

Perhaps you might want to peruse the following sites if they're still in existence: http://www.siamwanderer.com, http://www.siam-society.com,www.dreadedned.com/source/venue/bkk/index.htm,

http://ethailand.com,www.utopia-asia.com/thaibang.htm. These sites appeared on an Expedia Travels form which I just relocated in my reorganizing of my office; a few gay sites were also included here.

 

Is there a gayChaingMai.com site? I haven't goggled.com to see.

[+ Axiom2001]

>Perhaps you might want to peruse the following sites if

>they're still in existence: http://www.siamwanderer.com,

>http://www.siam-society.com, http://www.dreadedned.com/source/venue/bkk/index.htm,

>http://ethailand.com http://www.utopia-asia.com/thaibang.htm. These

>sites appeared on an Expedia Travels form which I just

>relocated in my reorganizing of my office; a few gay sites

>were also included here.

>

>Is there a gayChiangMai.com site? I haven't goggled.com to

>see.

 

 

I checked most of the above sites after word processing them. The second one is not in existence; I think the others are, for I tried all but two. (ChiangMai)

[buckguy]

You're actually going during the true low season, as well as the hottest time of the year. You also will experience Songkran, the Buddhist New Year, sometimes known to tourists as the "water festival". Squirt guns will be in abundance and you will get wet.

Bangkok begins to empty out toward the end of the 1st week in April and doesn't really fill up again until about the time you leave. It's actually a pleasure to be there then---easy to get around, traffic is reasonable, etc. However, the nighlife will be much quieter--the bathhouses are less busy and the boy bars have fewer boys.

 

There are Songkran festivals everywhere but the largest and probably schlockiest is in Chiang Mai. Parades, beauty contests, etc. This will all happen April 12-15. A less tacky version of the festival occurs in Luang Prabang, the old capital of Laos around the same time (although you may not have enough time for the festivities there).

 

Chiang Mai is no more or less Thai than Bangkok. Indeed, Chiang Mai has more expats, per capita, than Bangkok. Northerners are very chauvinistic and take great pride in their local dialect and the formerly independent kingdom of Lanna that made up most of present day Northern Thailand. The old city is interesting, but most of Chiang Mai is ugly suburban sprawl. Most of the crafts in Chiang Mai tend to be mass produced and nothing special. Once the novelty wears off, you'll notice the lack of real variety. Celadon ceramics are a good pick, though (try Mengkrai Kilns on the South-Western edge of the old city). More rural provinces like Nan are better places for silver, although the old stuff in Chiang Mai is worth looking at (try the shop that's across from the entrance to the Rincome Hotel). The Burmese antiques are probably the most interesting things you'll see at the night bazaar. Much of the merchandise there now comes from China. It's been years since the night bazaar offered any real bargains. It's just a nice way to pass an evening.

 

The better craft stores in Bangkok will have better quality crafts than most of what you'll see in Chiang Mai--there are a couple good ones on the 3rd floor of Thaniya Plaza on Soi Thaniya near the Sala Daneg skytrain stop. Rami Syam on Sukhumwit Soi 23 (near the Asoke skytrain stop) is another quality place.

 

Chiang Rai is a bit of a big nothing, rather characterless, although they have a nice night bazaar (more authentic goods than Chiang Mai's, though it's a smaller venue) and you'll wind up there on the way to the Golden Triangle. The Golden Triangle is something to see for the sake of saying you've been there. Nearby Mai Sai is more interesting because you can cross over the Burmese border and see some things that are a little different. The only jungle treks worth doing are the long ones--otherwise you wind up seeing hill tribes who have seen one too many tourist and not much jungle. Doi Suthep is a nice morning trek from Chiang Mai (too hot in the afternoon) and can be done very easily, if uncomfortably, with public transportation. Doi Inthanon is a nice day trip and provides a real break from the heat; a trip there is usually paired with a visit to decent waterfalls.

[HooBoy]

Tonight is my last night in Thailand. Those who know me will be surprised to hear that I actually left my hotel once and tonight I have a beautiful 21 year old Thai English speaking tour guide to take me to the naughty places. He was my waiter at the restaurant that friends of mine dragged me to.

 

The big deal here is the closing of the clubs at midnight. The resignation of editors of newspapers because of censorship and the full-blown monitoring stations of everything on television to the internet are truly scary.

 

Frankly, I'm happy to be leaving. The hotel service was great but the room service food sucked.

 

Make sure you always have your ID with you when you come here. They card even the oldest people.

 

Ahhh! I love being carded because there is no way I look even the age I claim to be.

:+

[HooBoy]

Okay, now that I am out of Thailand I can talk more about it. The people are warm and genuine.

 

The government is more fucked up than the USA. It is a scary place. If you are a top with a big dick, you may have trouble parking the sausage. Most of the guys I ran into had pencil thin dicks. For me, that is not a problem. I just love dicks. But if size matters, spend your money going to Brazil where huge is the norm.

 

I am back in my second home now, Hong Kong. I love this city and I don't know why.

[ServeUncutUncle]

>I am going to Thailand (damn the bird flu, full speed ahead!)

>and will be splitting my time between BKK and Chiang Mai. Been

>to BKK and Pattaya several times and want to explore the north

>part of the country. I basically enjoy three things when I

>travel to Thailand. I love to explore and enjoy local

>cultural attractions, food and people; get massages by day and

>visit boy bars by night. My question is, what should I

>concentrate on when I am in Chiang Mai?

>Also, I am a long time "lurker" having used several screen

>names, because they expire, I forget them or new software

>makes them go away. My pledge is that I am taking my laptop

>with me an will keep a detailed diary which I promise to share

>with all of the great members of this board.

>

>Thanks in advance!

 

 

Circle Pub

161/7-8 Soi Erawan, Chang Phuak Rd

 

Some really Handsome Boys there.

[Guest rampo]

When I was last at the Circle Pub, the owner's buff and extremely handsome boyfriend used to perform in the cabaret show wearing a loincloth and indian headdress while doing some kind of goofy dance (think "HeeHaw") to hoedown music. It was a hoot. I also spent some quality time with a gymnastic performer from the show. (I had a great time.) Circle Pub is more of a Thai style host/cabaret bar than the very popular Adams Apple, but does indeed have some great looking hunks.