Trenton42

Been crazy busy, but wouldn't miss GOTC. Looking forward to seeing you in a couple days. Check your email for info.

Stellar thread! Haven’t been to Sensations yet as I don’t usually wander far from Beach and Second Roads, but a bar with Suzy, Tata, and Jenny *must* be in the rotation. Looking forward to visiting the bar Thursday night. Just wondering with so many guys flooding into town for GOTC III, are any parties being planned at Sensations?

Another mishap with Big Nasty, and I just might beat you to the wheelchair!

It’s not *that* silly. Soi Bangla, Walking Street, Soi Cowboy, and Patpong are already closed; Soi 4 is the last holdout. It could be that Soi 4 will be closed only to Soi 6. And access to anything beyond could be via Soi 6 or the Tobacco Monopoly. The Nana Hotel and Dynasty Inn might bitch, but they know who their customers are, and it wouldn’t take much to convince them of the trouble they would be in should NEP disappear.

A well heeled American bar owner is spearheading the effort to turn Soi 4 into Bangkok’s own Walking Street. The plan calls for closing Soi 4 from 7PM until sunrise. I understand a selling point they’re using is NEP safety concerns in light of the recent terror warnings in Bangkok. Soi 4 bar owners may be in favor of the proposal, but hotels (such as Nana Hotel and Dynasty Inn) are balking at the idea. It’s thought to take up to two years for the approval process (prolly meaning it’ll take the Thais that long to come up with the invitation list to the tea party), so if this pans out, Soi 4 should start closing before 2015. IMO, it’s not a bad idea. But if they put a night market in the middle of Soi 4, I’ll be pissed!

Gotta admit I was intrigued by that dek-serve. She told me that she doesn’t go with customers but she would go with me. Who could blame her? I guess I’m just too damned handsome for her…

While I was enjoying myself last weekend, balls-deep in my favorite LBs of Pattaya, Cockatoo quietly opened their doors. Got a chance to check out the Cockatoo on Monday night. The bar is all new inside. It’s quite nice to spend some time in a go-go with comfortable seats. It was also nice that they kept the music at a reasonable level. Arriving at the bar, there were four or five girls sitting about outside. Maybe they were welcome girls or just taking a break; either way, they were very busily conserving energy. When asked if the bar was open yet, they then got excited and welcomed me into the bar. Inside, there were two girls onstage startled to see a customer, a couple lounging in the seats, and another couple in the back admiring their reflections in the mirrors. There were about a dozen or so girls at the bar I found a seat, ordered a beer, and the girls got busy “entertaining.” The mamasan came over to introduce herself, and mentioned that the bar opened last Friday. She said usually they have more girls, but as Monday is a slow day, they were only half-staffed. The mamasan suggested coming back on Friday or Saturday to see *all* the girls. Taking a guess, when I asked the mamasan what was upstairs she said it wasn’t finished yet, which could be true considering the pace of construction; however, more than one of the girls in the bar said there was a ST room upstairs. That’s something worth a follow-up. It didn’t take long watching the girls strut their stuff onstage to notice they weren’t all packing. After making my choice, the promise of a LD got my favorite to come down from the stage. She quickly discovered the Mighty Sequoia, and moments later her bikini began to succumb to the bar’s gravity. At first, I was the only customer in the bar, but three others soon followed. Although there was a lot of eye contact, the girls really didn’t pressure the customers for drinks. My experience is that there is a lot of fun to be had in the bar, but it takes a LD to break the ice. I wouldn’t say Cockatoo hit a home-run on my first visit, but they defo got on base. I’m very happy to go back to sample the roster and also see if there are any additions. And an upstairs ST room could be very convenient for some.

Last time I was in Temptation, they had a pretty full house. Maybe they're stocking up for the new bar. I'm all for getting rid of the pickpockets, but concerned about a return of the Social Order campaign.

Happy to support the cause. But it won't be the same without your smiling face!

Hey mardhi, Your information on the owner of Cockatoo is prolly much better than what I’ve heard, and frankly, considering the sad state of the NEP LB bars, I find it a little hard to believe what I’ve heard. When I saw Cockatoo had been gutted *and* they put up that fancy sign, I wondered if the Billboard Group wasn’t behind it. I certainly don’t remember any of the NEP LB bars putting any money into the space when they took over (with the possible exception of Obsession just because I can’t remember much about the bar before it switched). And then there’s the different police district and having the word ‘Ladyboys’ on the sign. Not to mention The Arab... I agree it'll be an uphill fight for Cockatoo. But if they have an interesting roster, they may be able to carve out a slice of the pie. There are a couple doors yet to knock on, and I’ll post if anything interesting develops.

Thanks PDogg. It's good to be back. There are some political considerations that may make this venture interesting to watch. With regard to the bar's size: I got inside the other day and as it had been gutted, there wasn't much else to report. In fact, the sign only just went up. But also, considering some of the flash bars on Soi Cowboy, a small bar may have a hard time unless it has an impressive roster. Anyway, I'll keep my eye on it and report anything intersting.

I like ThaiVisa, but one must take it with a grain of salt. *I* heard some police officials were visiting from BKK, and when that happens, they do check paperwork to ensure all is in order. Usually a little tea money can sort things out, but not always.

Cockatoo is located at the far end of Soi Cowboy (as one walks from Asoke), on the right side, near Rio. Cockatoo is a little wider than Temptations NEP, but it’s considerably deeper. The bar isn’t open yet; they’re busy refurbishing the insides. My guess is some time in February. I’ll be in Patters for the GOTC, but once in Bangkok I’ll be sharking Cockatoo regularly.

Happy to help. I also responded in the other thread. The Ta Phrom is more expensive than a guesthouse, but it's a proper hotel actually located in town. Lots of hotels have sprung in the last few years, but they're located all around the outskirts of the city, and many are within walking distance of nothing. The free day does lower the cost a bit, and the Ta Phrom also offers free airport pickup. And I'm not kidding about the pumpkin soup and Khmer Kitchen. My last couple visits to Siem Reap have been because I was jonesing for the soup. Sure, I visit the temples, but I eat that soup as often as I can!

Here's a another tip about Tha Phrom: The temple is set up with an entrance and exit to the grounds. No one watches these, so it is indeed possible to enter through the exit, which is a very good idea to see things from a different perspective, and to also go against the flow if any bus tours should be in the area.

The Cambodian Angkor Wat temple guides are NOTHING like the average Thai tourguide.

I always stay at the Ta Phrom Hotel: http://www.asiahotelandtravel.com/index.php?/topic/9-cambodia-accommodation/?p=388 It's next to the old market, and a short walk (a block or two) to Pub Street. Keep an eye out for Khmer Kitchen, and stop in for the pumpkin soup! That alone is worth the trip. Beware of Happy Pizza.

First and most important piece of advice is that you can’t drink too much water. Even if you think you’re used to SEA, exploring Angkor Wat is nothing short of brutal. Please note that although the entire temple complex is referred to as Angkor Wat, that is also the name of the main temple there. It’s a good idea to get a map to have a lay of the land. If one goes to the market next to the Tha Phrom Hotel, there’s a book stall there where one can find inexpensive copies of some pretty good books on the temple complex. Also have a look here: http://www.theangkorguide.com While walking around, you’ll have many opportunities to buy things (from trinkets to t-shirts), but if you wait a while, you’ll get a better idea of prices. And, of course, you won’t have to carry it with you. Arrange your ride a day in advance so you can catch the sunrise at Angkor Wat. Your hotel should be able to help you. Options include anything from motocy to mini-van. If you can afford it, go for a car with AC; the ride between temples will be much more bearable… If your hotel offers breakfast, they may pack a boxed breakfast for you. Walk around a bit to find some good places to take photos of the sun rising behind the temple. Also pay attention to a couple reflecting pools inside the temple grounds that may offer some great shots (depending on how many flowers are floating in them…). After the sun has risen, you may notice that everyone splits. I have no idea where everyone goes, but *my* suggestion is to go deep inside Angkor Wat and have a look around. One should be able to walk around the high walls, and also climb to the top of the main spire in the center. About 90 minutes is good for one’s first visit to Angkor Wat. Next stop: Tha Phrom. I like to visit Tha Phrom at least twice; once in the morning, and again in the late afternoon. If one likes to take a lot of photo, it’s great to go both times because the light is quite different. Again, 90 minutes is enough to stick one’s toe in as you can always go back. After Tha Phrom, go to The Terrace of the Leper King. Notice you can walk inside, and do so! From there, you can visit the Elephant Terrace, and keep walking exploring other temples until you make your way to Bayon. You’ll prolly be pooped after climbing all over Bayon, and it’ll be mid-day, so it’s a good idea to go back into town, grab a bite and have a nap. Then get up, and watch the sunset. You’re driver will know where to take you. If you’re in shape, walk up the mountain. Or if you’re old like me, get there early and hire an elephant to take you to the top. After the sun sets, get the fuck off the mountain. Nothing good is going to happen to anyone carrying an expensive camera who decides to be the last one off the mountain! The hot air balloon offers an interesting view of Angkor Wat, but unless one has the right equipment, it won’t show in the photos. On day 2, think of Bantay Saray and Bantay Samre in the morning, and Tha Phrom in the afternoon. There’s another couple temples worth visiting on your third day, but I can’t recall the names and would have to do a little research (one has bas reliefs underwater in a stream, and the other is an outlaying temple). You can also revisit your favorite places as one gets a different perspective when it’s not your first time.

Any date *but* Songkran! How about having a GOTC every 6 months? That would give people on different holiday schedules to attend.

I have the bad problem of falling in lub with every other Thai girl I came across (no pun intended). Having suffered from this for over 15 years, this is my advice: Prepare yourself for the time when she *does* ask for money. It may not happen right away as the girls like to make sure the hook is set before they start reeling in their catch, but odds are it will indeed happen. So don’t be too surprised if/when it does. The girls love to talk about their boyfriends, and sooner or later their friends in the bar will start telling them about all the money sent to them by farangs (whether it’s true or not is a different matter as the girls love to exaggerate). And then the pressure will be on. Maybe not only by their friends in the bar, but also by the girl’s family, and maybe even her Thai boyfriend! It’s a sweet dream indeed to think about taking a girl back to one’s own country, but in the case of the US, it’s hella difficult for a Thai to obtain a visa. Especially a bar girl. Unless you’re a senator’s son or she comes from a wealthy family, the chances are about zero. The State Department doesn’t care that you’ll be looking after her once she’s here; in fact, that’s often looked upon as a negative thing. They care only that she’ll leave the US once her visa has expired. For the average BG that’ll be difficult to prove unless she comes from a wealthy family or owns a couple homes already. If you start to have true feelings for her, you’ll have to get used to what she does for money, or make an honest woman of her. Making an honest woman of her, won’t come cheap. Can you afford to send her 50k~60k THB per month? Can you afford to set her up in her own business? Falling in lub with every other BG forced me to deal with these difficult questions a long time ago. I figured I could take care of the girls when with them, but back in the real world my time would be better spent investing to the best of my ability so I could move to Thailand as soon as possible. Some of the girls are so sweet they can a difficult habit to give up. But if one can’t do the right thing by them, it really isn’t fair to the girls. These certainly aren’t the answers *I* wanted to hear when struggling with the problem, but for what it’s worth, it’s what I learned. Good luck with that, and if there's anything I can do to help you out, just let me know.

The Biergarten (Soi 7) and Eden Club (Soi 7/1) are indeed both still there. If one goes to the last 2 or 3 bars on the east side of Soi 7/1, each bar will have 2 or 3 LBs working there, as will the bars immediately across the street. There are also a couple of LB massage girls working at World Inn on the west side of the street; please note that Soi 7/1 has two World Inns on either side of the street. While the pickings are slim, I don’t care for Guess Bar, and Soi 7/1 is hella better than the mosquito bars on Sukhumwit. And if enough people visit the LB venues on Soi 7/1, maybe things will improve there.

There used to be a couble bible thumpers hanging out at the entrance to Nana Plaza. While it doesn't bother me (they can do what they want), I felt sorry for the poor Thais whose busincess they blocked (especially the burger cart).

IMO, it really depends on the bars and the punters. I like to keep moving, but a lot of guys are much slower and like to shoot the shit. In Bangkok (where I live), I like to hit Big Dogs around 6PM, and head off to Obsessions between 8 or 8:30. Obsessions is only worth one round (one can check out the roster rather quickly) and then it’s off to Temptations. Depending on what’s going on in the bar, one or two rounds only. Same-same with Casanova; when it’s fun, it’s fun. Because of the size of Cascade’s roster and the bar’s fun factor, it’s a good place to end the tour with a couple rounds. It might be an interesting idea to add Soi 7/1 to the list, but it’s easy to forget when one is excited about hitting the bars at Nana. I could imagine meeting up in Pattaya at Koyo 7 for a round or two, a quick walk to Obsessions for another round or two, then jumping on a baht bus on Second Road for the ride to Soi 6. Most bars there are only worth a round (except maybe Pook’s). Then hop another baht bus on Beach Road to 13/1 and hit Stringfellow’s for a round or two. From there possibilities include Pook’s on Soi Buakow and/or Sois 7 & 8; Soi Buakow is a bit out of the way, and Sois 7 & 8 don’t have a big concentration of LBs, but one never knows what they’ll find there (I have a couple places I like to hit now and again…). Some guys when they go out like to get a lay of the land and see as much as they can, but most newbies I’ve had experience with will BF the first LB they see and run right back to their room. Thus it can often be a thankless job for the locals, but having said that, it’s a thankless job that’s hella fun!

For me, it's been up since it's been up. I wonder if some are haveing cache/ISP problems.

Same-same Cambodia. Monkey see, monkey do...