Paagai

Unfortunately many religous groups are far less tolerant:

Gunmen attacks Gay centre in Tel aviv

(N.B. yet to be proved it was religous motivation, but that seem to be the direction the finger is being pointed)

As I mentioned in another thread, it is personal behaviour that helps spread STDs, not a physical place. To view one sauna as safer than another is displacing your own responsibility onto a place, a rather dangerous approach.

Agree 100%, but my original comment ref the local nick name for a gay sauna in Chiang Mai (PB deleted it so I won't repeat it) should be put in context of the situation in CM. Unlike BKK where there is a proliferation of saunas, here it's almost the only game in town. I can think of at least seven Thais I know who are HIV positive who were (and some still are) regular customers and several claim to have been infected there (Two also still work in bars in CM and one has sadly since died).

Before anyone starts screaming that this can't be true, how does Paagai know this etc, etc, I should say that I'm not going to go into anymore detail about the individuals concerned, or how I know their HIV status, so don;t ask! However, scientific studies have been carried out (google them if you want to know) which back this up showing alarming rates of HIV infection among gay men in Chiang Mai (also in BKK of course) and in particular sauna customers.

The above is well known in the CM gay community, it's not just me saying it, though I'm sure some are in denial about the realities. Ijustwannateach is right in that what goes on there is no different from any other form of gay sexual encounter in terms of risk. But, it's the main option for sauna visitors in CM, it's thus rather easy to tag it with a particular stereotype.

Ignorance is bliss; if you don't know someone's status you can easily convince yourself the risk is small. Whereas, if you know there is a high probability the guy you're playing with is positive it certainly focuses the mind Let me ask a question: how many here would actually have casual sex (even if it's "safe") with someone they knew to be HIV positive?

What is Nagaraj ?

Well established Sauna gym and massage, bit out of town (Chiang Mai) between the railway station and Big C - superhighway. Best to have your own transport and some patience to find it!

Its a Thai place, I believe the same owner as "Circle Pub". The gym is popular with Tai-Yai host bar boys for building that body beautiful , some also work as masseurs (including a couple of my acquaintences ). The Sauna is a haunt for gay Thais, but its mainly a Thai rak Thai thing; farangs are rare and may be disppointed, but never say never

website: nagarajsauna.com In Thai only...........

For those who don't know about Chiang Mai's night bazzar and what goes on there, Cindy Tilney wrote an interesting expose for City Life magazine a couple of years back The other Side of the coin.

I think the paragraph that ends "Some of them start working in the sex trade as young as 10 or 11." is particualrly poignant.

...and a real man's man as well

Oh, I'm not that way mate, my wife is a woman.

Dammit ! Blinky Bill is so much fun I figured he just had to be Gay

I am looking at staying at the Chiang Mai Lodge just off of Huay kaew Road across from the Shell gas station for a month or two until I find a house. I am the only person who plans to live there and I shower twice a day but I think they charge about 25 baht per unit of water usage each month (much much more than any other place). Could anyone living there or who has lived there tell me an aprox. water bill they pay monthly. I just want to make sure the monthly cost is not astronomicle for taking 2 showers per day and that they are not scamming me.

Also is it a quiet place with good internet and are there any other drawbacks to living there?

Thank you kindly

Joe

I recall someone posted about some problems with this place in a condo thread a few months back (bills and depost issues IIRC), you might want to search the forum a bit.

Don't think the place has been open much more than a year anyway.

There's a restaurant I go to quite regularly where the only staff member brave enough to talk to me, even though I speak to them in Thai, is the old woman owner and she tots up the bill by writing it down in front of me and then attempting to add it all up without a calculator.

A Thai attempting maths without their Casio?

Once I did like the OP, hand over say 1030 Baht for something costing 630 and they used the calulator to work out the change........................duh!

Paagai, you could ask at the old Chang Puak Hospital. The old Sikh doctor (its founder) may still be there.

Thanks to everyone for the feedback and the jokes

PB, Chang Puek Hospital was one I'd though of but heard it had now been acquired by the RAM group (I maybe entirely wrong about that....)

RAM is out of the question, this guy has little money, and whilst I was trying to be helpful that was about the limit of my generosity. MCormick might be possible (I heard they don't ask too many questions), another one is the hospital on the Super Highway near kuang Sing where the Dental Hospital is - anyone have any reports on that? I know they've patched up a few Tai Yai friends after fights and motorbike accidents so they they can't ask too many questions.

How big is your snake? Oops, wrong sub-forum..

I did think twice about posting this topic as I had an idea what would happen............ Also thought about posting it in that sub-forum but the posters there would likely want photographic evidence of the condition before giving advice

Looking for recomendations for a Doctor/hospital who does circumcisions, preferably Chang Puek area. Hill tribe guy without Thai ID needs to get this done for medical reasons; where is affordable/cheap and doesn't ask too many questions?

N.B. before posting about the dangers of low cost doctors etc, consider that the alternative under consideration is a more traditional solution that doesn't involve anesthetic

Thanks

The Thai police don’t seem to have the incentives or the enthusiasm to perform thorough investigations and unless a case contains some sensationalism, the press quickly lose interest and the story fades away.

Don't forget conflicts of interest

This of course being Thailand, a few bob under the counter may also help, because that’s the way things are done here. Not my way of thinking but is the facts.

Indeed

There is the Sri Tokyo Hotel (053)211100 on the corner of the Huay Keaw Road and the moat. Nice large clean rooms, not too expensive. They promised to pick me up from the airport, but never came, even when I called them from the airport

This is now the Lanna Lavender Hotel I mentioned above. According to their website lannalavender.com they changed on 1st July. However, the website outlines big plans for the place that I suspect are a very long way off.

Some of their marketing claims are rather fanciful BS too e.g. Lavender Sky will be one of Thailand’s most upscale and beautiful rooftop lounge and restaurants serving up incredible views of the entire city of Chiang Mai, the Mae Rim valley, and the mountains of Northern Thailand Presume that'll be after they've demolished Chaing Mai RAM and Kad Suan Kaew

Another reasonable place is the new Condotel in the same soi as PJs. They do hotel services starting from about 900bt per night. see thedomechiangmai.com

Anyway, the kettles whistling - must go.

How quaint, one of those old fashioned cheap charlie kettles with a whistle

You shouldn't worry your  little head about other people's image, when your's is so obviously flawed.

Another keyboard coward who resorts to personal attacks when they can't win an argument.........

Hey dude - you did say that! you called ME a cheap charlie farang for taking in a bottle...

My point was that since Paagai is using this thread just to call some farangs 'cheap charlies' for not just paying up with the farangs only cover charge,

but you have not stated your position on Thai's doing the same... withdraw your contradictory statement and just say 'TIT' but don't say I am 'CHEAP' and they are not... fair?

OK, so a Farang takes a bottle of whiskey into a Thai roadside bar/restaurant, no real problem, but doing so in a place like Fabrique, or Mandagay, where they sell the stuff is BEING CHEAP and uncool irrespective of what Thai's do.

Let me put it another way: just because we are in Thailand it doesn't mean its right for a Farang to do everything a Thai does. For example back in Farangland I'm sure you woud never:

1. Take a bottle of whiskey into a disco or nightclub
   
2. Use your hand and a bucket of water to wipe your arse
   

Not been there for four years. Stayed then at lotus hotel (boring) and opp was Adam's apple (slouchy money boys dancing)

Where shd I stay now? I go to house of Male pms. Is it Soho that is near, and has rooms? I will go out at night but the night market was meat rack. I dont pay MBs. I like to meet student types or normal guys.

Any ideas for a 4 day trip? Where to stay. Sex will be in mind. Not too many MB bars tho.

Ed

PJs Place or Soho are good places to stay close to House of male (both walking distance). Don't know if if the new boutique gay hotel, Lanna Lavendar, is doing business yet.

For meeting people Gayromeo.com is popular in CM can't promise an absence of MBs though If you didn't like the Night Bazzar four years ago you'd hate it now! Glass Onion and Warm up would be one night out. Mandagay another, though you'd really need to hook up with some Thai people first, maybe in Soho bar, not a place to go alone. There are a couple of other threads going here about new places in CM - check those out and the Website PB suggested.

I think some people lose their minds when they come here.

I assume you are speaking for yourself

My point was that since Paagai is using this thread just to call some farangs 'cheap charlies' for not just paying up with the farangs only cover charge,

Excuse me, please don't attribute things to me that I never said.

I agree with everyone here who says its discriminatory and wrong to charge people based on the colour of there skin. But TIT we ain't going to change anything. And the real point is they aren't discriminating against the colour of your skin, but against the stereotype they percieve goes with that skin colour. Show them you don't match that stereotype and you usually don't have to pay. Sweet

Here is my grievance, I ordered two small Leo in the open-air Van next to Spicy

Therein lies your problem...........................

It could have been worse, it could have been V-club

Perhaps all your Thai friends are the rich Thai's you despise so much? You certainly haven't a clue about the average Thais who drink somehwere like Mandalay on a Friday night. Most of them live four or five up in a small room with no air con where they are still behind with the rent

Those aren't cheap charlies' they are just poor folk trying to survive.

Now I'm confused. A hefty cover charge keeps out the Farang riff raff who can't/won't spend money, but in case of Thai people it's a good thing to get the paupers in? How does that work? Or do you mean to say that they go there as part of their, um, 'night job' and it's part of the Mandagay business model?

Edit: I thought I was ridiculing you there, but reading it back it actually sounds rather plausible. I hate it when that happens.

Yet spend they do, and the money Mandagay makes on a table of Thai "paupers" selling them overpriced ice and mixers to go with their bottle(s) of Benmore all night is still more than they make on a lone Farang drinking a couple of bottles of Heineken, even after paying 300 Bt to get in.

There are those "NOT of modest means", as cm96 put it, but they will have at least a bottle of JW Red on the table.

I'm still amazed by the short term thinking of the pauper people: "We have just enough money to pay the rent next week, but we'll still have our Friday night out at Mandagay, then put the "latest Nokia" in the porn shop to pay the rent". Of course half of them are high as kites when they go out; not the best state for exerting efficient control on the cost of one's entertainment.

Your ridicule is more than plausible As the saying goes "you're never more than 6 feet from a rat", or in Mandagay.........

g-head

the thais that can afford the latest nokias, hair-styles, souped up cars etc are NOT of modest means. i think you might be suprised just how

wealthy some thais are here. for paagay to call him a cheap charlie for bringing his own bottle aint right. he's right, the thais do it all the time,

the same thais that roll up in expensive cars, so who's the cheap charlie?

btw most of my friends here are thais, i have hardly any farang friends nor am i seeking any out.

Perhaps all your Thai friends are the rich Thai's you despise so much? You certainly haven't a clue about the average Thais who drink somehwere like Mandalay on a Friday night. Most of them live four or five up in a small room with no air con where they are still behind with the rent and:

Trandy haircut = 100 Bt from the mom and pop hairstylist operating out of a little box on the ground floor of their rooming house.

Latest Nokia = how the <deleted> am I going to pay the 1500 Bt per month that I stupidly signed up to pay for the next three years

Souped up car = Three up on a battered old honda wave with no brakes, one light and out of date tax.

Those aren't cheap charlies' they are just poor folk trying to survive. A cheap Charlie is someone who can afford the airfare to get to Thailand from Farangland and then lives like the above and complains about it.

cm96, you really should get out more.

I was in Spicy twice this weekend. First time in quite a while. Seems they are trying to clean up a bit. Instead of the usual stench of bodily functions, mixed with a hint of vomit, it now smelled sort of like a doctor's office. Very strong chemical smell now, bunch much improved over the previous oders. Additionally, the floor itself and the bathrooms were much, much cleaner than I previously recall them being. Overall, very welcome improvements!

-Mestizo

They are preparing for Abhisit's visit after all, he does come from Newcastle-upon-tyne, and geordies love this kinda place. It will be the centrepiece of his visit to CM and one place where he knows he'll be safe from the red shirts

Mestizo, I hope you recover from your illness soon: "in Spicy twice this weekend"

Re; Mandagay:

It sounds like I'm happy I always avoided the place. People already told me it sucked, but reading this really takes it to the next level.

I'm typically a low-class establishment kind of guy but this is just completely outrageous.. All the little student pubs in the Santitham area or near Kham Thiang remain perfectly respectful and no double pricing. Why would anyone bother with places like Mandalay or Spicy.. And 'keep out the riff-raff', please, those places ARE the riff-raff of society.

Whilst I agree with most of your post, don't put Mandagay in the same category as Spicy. Whilst I don't go every night, Mandagay can be fun on occassions if you go with a good crowd of Thais, and the cover charge is very effective at keeping out the people who go to Spicy As to Spicy, never, never , never.....

Could you please CLARIFY exactly what the rule is? Foreigners get charged 300 THB? what about if they have Thai ID (driving licence?) - and its 300 THB to bring in a bottle? that's what I was charged last night a total of 600 THB before I even had a first drink!

If you are such a cheap charlie farang that you take your own bottle to a place like this you DESERVE to be charged a lot extra! They do sell whiskey you know.......

Hmmmm don't the Thais do that too? I saw nearly ALL of them taking a bottle in? so why am I a cheap charlie farang and they are not cheap charlie Thais??? your posts are always not very well thought through...

And I bet not one of the Thais, paid 300 Bt to take a bottle in........ My friends tell me the Thai charge is 50Bt.

To the OP:

In case it was not already obvious: make sure she gets out with the UK passport, not with the Thai one just to get a departure card or a nice stamp (which would certainly avoid problems next time).

If they don't get an exit stamp on the UK pp, they are going to overstay their visa as long as they stay in the UK!

Thanks, yeah I had told my wife to use my son's Thai passport when leaving Thailand but after she had to use our son's UK passport to enter Thailand she'll have to use that now to leave.

Brigante7.

Hypothetical question, what would happen if the OP's son did leave on the Thai Passport? The overstay on the UK passport is an obvious issue and it would clearly cause issues and problems for immigration, but what are they going to do, fine a Thai citizen for staying in Thailand? It would be absurd, but this can be an absurd country

Metro bar is a great little bar. It would fit in any fun city. I just don't understand why more people are not going...

I here so many people complain about not having cool places to go then not supporting someone trying to do it right. I know times are

tough but buying a drink or two I think people can manage. Lets support moving in the right direction.

For those who wonder I am not affiliated in anyway with the bar.

I've been thinking that there are two new go-go venues:

- The re-opening of Adams Apple, and

- Cockpit

But I'm now thinking perhaps I was wrong, and in fact Cockpit is the new name for the old Adams Apple.

Can someone local please clarify.

Thanks.

Definitely two separate bars. Adam's is still in the original location, upstairs from Metro bar, even has the sign on the wall nicely restored, as well as the red apple!

Cockpit, which is the rumour as to then name, no sign to confirm it yet, is about 150M past Adam's on the other side of the street. It's across the small soi running down the side of Spirit house restaurant. The owners are the same Thai family that have Spirit house (or where Free Guy 2 AKA Bar 66 used to be a few years back).

It's a small single story building with a door facing the street and no windows, painted in a garish orange and green colours like a Mexican roadside restaurant. Maybe a straight attempt at gay style interior design gone wrong The building looks finished but no sign of it opening anytime soon.

I agree with Allynn's comments about Metro bar, the problem is at the moment, there are no tourists in town and without Adam's not so much to attract the ex-pats just to drink in Metro. Some might drop in whilst visiting Spirit House/Garden bar but that's it. Parking is an issue too, Metro does have a car park but if you don't know where its hidden you might just drive on by. Many CM ex-pats are used to outdoor drinking in most of the venues, A/C big city living style comes as a shock!