Down to the South

The second day in Bangkok was less adventurous than the first one but quite as enjoyable. Tam and Phi Kor joind me for the evening and we could not have begun it better than by a great meal in my favourite Saphan Kwai open-air eatery - Rakhang Thong near Elisabeth Hotel for those who do not remember.

We then headed to Silom for a show ; on an advice by a boy from Maxxis Cafe we first went to Hotmale but quickly decide to change for entering X-Boys ; we had what we were looking for. Not really my cup of tea but you really have to see anything what Thailand can offer. I preferred by far our last stay in Staxx Bar in Saphan Kwai listening at thai songs and chatting again and again.

On the next morning, Tam and Khor brought me to the airport on their way back to Pattaya, as I had booked a flight to Hat Yai. I like to go to these towns where they do not see many farangs, especially if I know that there are a few bars that could interest me.

The situation has just changed a little since my last visit. The bars are still within walking distance one from another in the southern part of the town. The good news is that the overall quality of the boys has much improved and there was much more variety and numbers than before, even on a quiet Sunday evening. So for the record you have to know that Buddys Bar has opened again after a two year closure. G-Men seemed to be less interesting, but City Man (same street as G-Men) had really a good bunch of nice men from all over Thailand. They even provided a show as there were some customers (including a group of more or less true women) - very tame show by Bangkok standards though.

Drink prices were 120 THB in City Man and 150 in the other two ; and in Buddy Boys you off a boy paying 1200 THB for short time and 1700 THB for the whole night including the tip for the boy - an old Hat Yai tradition due to the fact that some customers (did I say from Malaysia ?) used to offer ridiculously low tips to the boys before this rule was introduced. Although I did not ask in the other bars, I guess that the rule and the prices are similar.

All this is probably not enough to be worth the trip but you could combine it with a trip to the south to discover an almost farang-free scene reminding the good old days in Thailand ... and also a bustling city which is a shopping paradise.

See you now in Phuket...