Unlikely short trip to Salaya and some other places

An enjoyable meal with Christian PFC put a nice end to my first three days in Thailand. On the next morning I was in Bang Sue, facing the huge future railway station, and waiting for the ordinary train bound to Ratchaburi, Petchaburi and Hua Hin. Not that I really like traveling by train which in Thailand are always slow, late and not convenient at all but this had to be better than one of these small minivans and their reckless drivers.

Ratchaburi was my destination, not at all for a date as one could imagine but only to collect another province in my lifetime quest to spend one night in each one of the thai provinces. The train was full, many thais going to their place or to the beaches for their Sunday ; during the first part of this two-hours journey I could not sit except on the floor, slight annoyance that frequent glimpses towards a group of five local teenagers greatly counterbalanced. 

Passing through Photharam station station, I could not help thinking of the resort which specialized in providing young local males to interested travelers ; I had read about it in some thai forum and the news had already made its way to farang forums when the thai police closed the place for good mostly due to drugs problems. This was about fifteen years ago … another era !

Khao Ngu near Ratchaburi town

I do not have a lot of time when visiting new places but did not miss the trip to Khao Ngu (Snake Mountain), 8 km from town ; this park is like an island set in the middle of limestone mountains that rise out of then flat area. One of these low-profile places that I like to discover. Nothing else to tell about Ratchaburi town except that finding a decent eating place at night is difficult if you do not like Japanese food.

On the following day, the same train brought me to Hua Hin where Sirin Hotel has in the same time a fantastic location, low prices and welcoming staff. I had scheduled this short visit just to see how the Hua Hin scene was going, and no one will be surprised that it is very quiet. The historic Red Indian Bar is still open near the beach entrance ; no boy at 20.30 and two hours later still no boy and a sleeping waiter. New Guys is doing better with a nice setting and four or five very welcoming boys, but not a lot of customers.

Coming back to Bangkok, I had planned a stop in Salaya, one of the populous farang-free districts between Nakhon Pathom and Bangkok. In fact, the whole three days program had been scheduled around this visit as I had a date with a lao boy working in the area. I had been friend with him on Facebook for more than one year, and it appeared quickly that he was willing to meet, including when he was still in his town in Lao. I discovered that he had just turned 18 one week before, though he had long claimed to be older. 

Appointment was in the huge Central Plaza where he of course arrived late, but he has some justifications : he gets only one day off a week, with outrageously long working days in an old people’s home. He quickly and smartly made the deed, including kissing on the mouth which is nice from a newbie, and departed with a nice reward and a broad smile ; this did not prevent him to call me on the next day asking for more money …  I guess some older sister had briefed him about it after our meeting.

Now back in Saphan Khwai where I intend to pay more detailed visits to the local bars … the first one yesterday was promising !