supermichel

Hi,

last year it was on the Saturday before the actual Loy Krathong date. Looks like this year it's also on the Saturday before, according to this article: http://www.chiang-mai-hotel-link.com/event/544639667

Hi there,

yes, there is a gay community on Samui, albeit a small one. Contact Adam from Rainbow Scuba. He is a lovely and very friendly guy and always gets good reviews from his customer. http://www.rainbow-scuba.com

Also, Mana and Didier from Mana's home have a B&B there: http://www.premiumwanadoo.com/atmanasamui

My boyfriend has a massage business there (I myself live and work in Bangkok): Fah Samui http://www.fahsamui.com He and his staff are always friendly and show new people around and would introduce you to other people.

For general information on gay samui, check out http://www.gaykohsamui.net/

I hope this helps! Good luck, Michel

Sorry, couldn't figure out how to edit the previous post. If the moderators of ThaiVisa would like to create a permanent link for Community resources such as emergency phone numbers, helplines and support services for farang, please send me a message. I am happy to share the resources that I keep for my work.

Samaritans of Thailand

P.O. Box 63

Por Nor For Santisuk

10113

BANGKOK

Contact by: Face to Face - Phone - Letter - Email

Helpline 1: (02) 713-6793 (Thai service 12:00-22:00)

Helpline 2: (02) 713-6791 (English service 24 hour)

Website: www.samaritansthai.org

Email Helpline: [email protected]

Opening hours: Mon, Tues, Wed, Thurs, Fri, Sat, Sun: 12:00 - 22:00

Hi, I work as a school counselor at an international school in Thailand. I do know that there is a 24 hour Samaritan helpline in Bangkok, which I guess applies to all of Thailand and I also have contacts for English speaking (farang) counselors and psychologists in Bangkok. There are quite good services available, I guess they are just not as commmonly known as they should be amongst the farang crowd (maybe due to lack of advertising). It's weird that to this day I wouldn't know how to call for an ambulance or how to call the police and I lived here for 2 years!

If anyone would like to get information, you can send me a private message.

Hi there, I will be on Samui for the next 3 weeks. I live in Bangkok but I don't mind telling you what brought me to Thailand. Send me a private massage with your email or something.

You are most welcome. You didn't say when you want to come to Koh Samui. I might actually be there, as I go quite often. If you send me a private message with your email, I am happy to email you privately and you can stay in touch and maybe (if it turns out we are there at the same time) we can meet for a drink...

Hi, I go to Samui all the time because my boyfriend lives and works there. Overall I must say that we only had good experiences in any place we stayed and were never discriminated in any hotel or guesthouse. If you are looking for a gay owned and run hotel, check out these two, run by lovely friends of ours. I have been to Mana's home myself and can tell you that it's stunning. You do need to rent a motorbike or car though, as it's located just outside of Chaweng. Mana's Home: http://www.premiumwanadoo.com/atmanasamui/

Another option would be Wonderworld B&B http://www.wonderworldsamui.com/index3.html

or check out the Utopia website for other listings http://www.utopia-asia.com/accsamu.htm

My boyfriend has a travel and tour company on Koh Samui and could also help you with your bookings or travel arrangements. You can call his office "Fah Samui" on 077 414 419. His name is Sun.

I hope this helps.

I always go to Fah Samui on Soi "Al's Hut" near Pizza Hut in North Chaweng. They have male and female staff, who wear clean uniforms and the massage room is very tasteful and clean and they play relaxing music. They have a whole lot on offer, from Thai and Oil massage to all kinds of packages (i.e. Aloe Vera after sun treatment or body scrubs etc.).

The staff is very friendly.

Hi,

I just wondered if you know whether it is common practice to ask for key money for ratail spaces in BKK's popular tourist places such as Kao Sarn, Sukh etc. We currently rent two shops on Koh Samui and the key money there is just crazy! Now we are thinking of relocating our businesses to Bangkok and I want to do some homework on rental prices here.

Let me clarify what key money is: The landlord asks for 1 big lump sum at the time of signing the contract and you still have to pay monthly rent on top of that. Usually your contract is limited to a number of years. Once it's up for resigning and renegotiation, your landlord will ask for keymoney again. This is practically one big lump sum shop tenants have to pay on top of their rent. It does not mean that you actually bought something for it (like aircon units etc.). It's just extra money into the pockets of the landlords.

How is it here in Bangkok or other places, like Chiang Mai, Hua Hin etc?

Cheers!

As an educator working in Bangkok I can only support what has been said above about doing your homework, touring schools and asking the questions that really matter to you. While some people will tell you a certain school is the best to get into, you have to ask yourself what really matters to you and your family. Are you getting a better service or is your child getting a better education, simply because you are paying more, or simply because they attend a bigger school? While some children may benefit from a certain environment that big schools offer, other children benefit from the more personal atmosphere that is more prevelant at smaller schools. Most schools in Bangkok do offer the British system and if you already know that you are going to move your children to Singapore where they'll have to attend an either American or IB system school, I think it's wise to make these transitions as smooth as possible for them. You seem to have a good attitude about looking for "the right school" for your children. I believe the rest will come when you actually get to tour the schools of your choice. Last but not least, location should also play a big role in your decision making. Do you want you children to commute for an hour to and from school every day because they have to go all the way out to where the big and famous one is? Or do you want to live out there so you can be close to school but then you have to do the commute to work and every time you want to go into town? Bangkok traffic can make your life miserable, so it's better to factor it in.

Been to Impact several times and always took meter taxi. Can't quite remember exactly how much but it certainly doesn't break the bank. Sometimes they take express way and it's also possible to get there without express way. I would say I haven't spent more than 300 Baht. But Silom is further south to where I live.

If you are willing to fork out the money, go to Toni & Guy at Siam Discovery Center. www.toniandguy.co.th

Hi there,

as far as I know, Malaysia Hotel is very popular with gay tourists. They allow tourists to bring Thai guests, I think. I have never stayed there myself, so I can not speak from personal experience, just what I heard from other people. I once walked in to get a business card (several years ago) and saw tourists hang out with Thai boys in the lobby. I guess it's popular because it's close to Babylon and other attractions in the city.

www.malaysiahotelbkk.com

Does anyone know of any drumming groups or classes in Bangkok? Just before I moved to Thailand I saw this Taiko drumming group in Japan and I really want to join some kind of group just for fun. Any tips are most welcome. Cheers!

I will be arriving in Thailand and leaving after one week for Bali, then returning for 10 weeks. When I get the 3 month "O" visa in my passport before I leave Canada, can I just get the regular 30 day stamp on my first entry and then use the visa for my second entry after Bali?

If you want to be absolutely sure, just get the 3 months visa in Denpasar while you are in Bali. I got mine there before without any problems. Takes about 3 days.

The airline that flies Bangkok-Lampang is PBair, not one of the three low-cost airlines.

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Thank you for your help. I appreciate it!

Hi,

I want to go from Bangkok to Lampang and I know that there is a low cost airline flying to Lampang because I remember seeing it in the domestic terminal in BKK but I just can't remember. Does anyone know which airline goes from Bangkok to Lampang?

Thanks for your help!

If you stay on the North end of Chaweng you can have cheaper accomodation because the planes fly right over your roof. If you don't mind that, go for it.

If you want to be in Chaweng but a little bit away from the main party area and the plane noise, I can recommend "Charley's Hut" more towards the south.

They don't take bookings, so you just have to check if they have bungalows available when you get there. At the end of April an AC bungalow with beach views (beautiful garden!!!) should be less than 700 Bhat. Right opposte is a popular and inexpensive restaurant "Ninja Crepes" which does delicious but no-nonsense Thai and western food. They are open 24 hrs. so you can always get a midnight snack after dancing the night away.