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…dancing with the devil in the city of angels…

~ Ramblings, Rumblings and Travel Tales: Bangkok and Beyond

…dancing with the devil in the city of angels…

Category Archives: Sex Break

Things to do in Thailand between orgasms.

Rattanakosin Exhibition Hall: A Salute To The Chakri Dynasty

18 Wednesday Feb 2015

Posted by Bangkokbois in Sex Break

≈ 6 Comments

Tags

Attractions, Bangkok

Rattanakosin 1

Having grown up watching Gilligan’s Island, the idea of a three hour tour always leaves me a bit anxious. But when Noom shows an interest in something beyond shopping, I tend to set my worries aside and just be happy my wallet gets to take a break. Such was the case after a quasi-business trip to Khaosan Road, the subsequent hassle in finding an open taxi, and Noom’s sudden realization that it was close enough to feeding time to stop off at his favorite pad thai restaurant. No problemo. It’s not exactly a short hike from the backpacker ghetto to the far side of Wat Ratchanadda where our early lunch awaited, but it is a shady walk down Ratcha Damnoen Klang Road. At least it was until Noom came to an abrupt stop and uttered that fateful cry, “Oh!”

We’d driven and walked past the Rattanakosin Exhibition Hall many times in the past without incident. This time, maybe it was the lack of store windows to shop and a stomach that wasn’t quite growling yet that combined to entice him with the thought of spending our afternoon in a museum. Then again Noom is Thai. And he loves anything and everything about his culture. Even when it’s more about propaganda than tradition. But at a mere 100 baht, who was I to argue with his choice of historical record?

The Rattanakosin Exhibition Hall isn’t just a museum, it’s an interactive museum. But also being a museum run by the Thai government, your interaction is strictly controlled. Mindless wandering from exhibit to exhibit is not allowed. Because in Thailand we take guided tours. Which is where my anxiety about taking the three hour version came into play. But it coulda been worse. There’s a six hour version too. And with scheduling, the word is taking both could make you feel just like Gilligan (or Lovey Howell for you queens) stuck on an uncharted island with no apparent means of escape.

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Officially the tour takes two hours. Or four. There are two ‘routes’ and you can choose to take one or both (for the same admission fee). But being a Thai museum run by the Thai government and billed as a Thai cultural experience, Rattanakosin Exhibition Hall runs on Thai time. So it all depends on how the tour schedule works out with your arrival time. First, there’s an introductory video that starts every fifteen minutes. Then your first two hour tour, which begin every 20 minutes. And then if you opt for the full experience, there’s the additional delay waiting for Part II to start. So not counting time spent at the coffee shop, checking out the views from the Observation Deck, or your boy du jour’s obligatory stop at the gift shop, plan on six hours for the full set of tours, or three hours for the single tour. But just remember that too was all that Gilligan thought he’d signed up for.

Now between almost a full day of sightseeing in one building and the fact that despite billing itself as an interactive learning center the Rattanakosin Exhibition Hall is still a museum, you might be thinking: pass. And I don’t blame you. But somewhere between my bitching about being forced to take a guided tour, the length of the tour(s), the 1,000 baht deposit for the English language audio guide, the sometimes juvenile displays, and having how wonderful the royals of Thailand are for the country shoved down my throat, I actually began to enjoy myself. And Noom loved it from the get-go. Even with all the bitching I was doing.

From strictly a time best spent view, I’d almost want to tell you to go with your first instincts and give it a pass if you are only in town for a few days. But the info and displays on the Grand Palace alone would make your subsequent visit to that attraction much more rewarding. And while some of the interactive technology displays appear to have been constructed by The Professor from what he could find on the island, others are pretty damn cool. One, while you are sitting down watching a 4D-multimedia video (replete with scent and sensory effects), is actually an elevator that raises you to the next floor. Whodathunk a museum could actually be fun?

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The museum is divided into nine ‘halls’ each focusing on a different aspect of Thai history/culture. The Grandeur Rattanakosin Room is mostly Chakri dynasty hype, but that segues into the Prestige of the Kingdom Room with interactive displays and scale models of the Grand Palace. You get to see the Emerald Buddha in not one but three different costumes (and all three are of a better view than you’ll get actually visiting the green guy), and the explanation of the meanings behind all the architectural details of the place is fascinating. It also provides glimpses into parts of the palace not usually accessible to the public.

In the Remarkable Entertainments Hall, a panoramic view of the olden days of Siam with traditional Thai entertainment spectacles involves you in the country’s performing arts, such as the masked Khon dance, lakhon plays, the Thai silk industry, fruit carving, and puppet shows – and yeah, you get to play with the puppets. Then it’s back to how cool it is to be royalty in the Renowned Ceremonies Room, a cinema-like hall with comfortable couch seating where you get to watch a king’s coronation ceremony. The Royal Barge Procession and the Royal Ploughing Ceremony are covered here too. Less all about the Chakri clan, the Impressive Communities Hall brings the different trade streets to life, from the monk’s bowl village of Baan Bat to the foodie lanes than run alongside the city’s canals.

I was hoping the Colorful Thai Way of Living Hall might include some interactive experience with Soi Twilight, but no such luck. Which may have had something to do with it being Noom’s favorite room. Not quite The Pirates of the Caribbean, after a brief look into to life at riverside you take a trip down the river (animated on a 3D multimedia screen) in your own boat (okay, it’s more of a cart, but go with the flow) whose movements stimulate a wild ride on the river. Then, before you get wet, the screen changes into a view of the old city and your boat becomes a tram while you ride down the first paved road in Thailand.

This was the most interactive room. You got to bop your heart out on a dance floor from the ’60s, try out some vintage costumes, and even have your photo superimposed on the cover of a magazine. It ends with a ride on the BTS, which is a good segue into the Sight – Seeing Highlights exhibit which features all the stuff you could have done in town instead of having visited the Rattanakosin Exhibition Hall.

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That too was a popular exhibit for Noom. It’s mostly done in cartoons. And they take photos of you when you enter the room so that during the presentation your face shows up in parts of the display. Thankfully, unlike in many museums photography is allowed. So Noom has lots of shots of himself enjoying his day at the Rattanakosin Exhibition Hall.

(The Rattanakosin Exhibition Hall.is open Tuesday through Friday from 11am to 8pm, and on Saturday and Sunday from 10am to 8pm. The last tour begins at 6pm, but consider going later in the day ‘cuz the views of the surrounding area – including the Loha Prasat, Wat Ratchanadda, and the Golden Mount are even more spectacular when lit at night.)

Get Half Naked

16 Monday Feb 2015

Posted by Bangkokbois in Sex Break

≈ 4 Comments

Tags

Markets & Shopping

For something a bit different, get your boy du jour Half Naked.

For something a bit different, get your boy du jour Half Naked.

You don’t have to be a rocket scientist to figure out what to do with a bar boy when you get him back to your hotel room after a night of partying on Soi Twilight. Your rocket will figure that one out for itself. But if you don’t send him packing when the fun is over, trying to figure out what to do the next day while your batteries recharge can be a chore. There’s always cultural activities like visiting a wat. But then religion may not be the type of thoughts you want running through his head. If you ask him for suggestions, there’s a good chance you’ll hear, “Up to you!” If your karma ain’t that good, instead he’ll reply, “Shopping!”

There’s a lot of street markets and shopping malls in Bangkok to choose from. And a lot of gold shops and phone stalls too. That your wallet will be heavily involved during a day’s shopping with your boy du jour is a given. That you too get some enjoyment out of the money you spend takes a bit more effort. And while he may have had his little heart set on an iPhone 6, he’ll be almost as happy if you buy him something he’d never be able to afford on his own. Especially if it carries a status-bearing name brand label. But while Armani and Prada would be nice, do yourself a favor and think Agacio, AQUX, and N2N instead.

You can buy sexy men's underwear on the streets of Bangkok, but it's cheap and the stitching won't hold up past the first erection.

You can buy sexy men’s underwear on the streets of Bangkok, but it’s cheap and the stitching won’t hold up past the first erection.

You can find lots of sexy men’s underwear at stalls around Silom Soi 4 at night, elsewhere in town during daylight hours not so much. Your wallet may be pleased with the 100 baht price tag on the night market undies, but when ya want to go a bit more high-end The Halfnaked Shop has got you covered. Or not quite covered depending on the line of underwear you prefer.

An upscale retailer of men’s fashion underwear and swim wear based in Thailand, Halfnaked Shop has two branches in Bangkok. Their flagship outlet is on the 4th floor of the Zen department store at Central World in Pratunam, and they’ve just opened a new location on the 3rd floor of the recently remodeled Emporium department store on Sukhumvit. And for fans of boys who may still be boys, they have a branch at Central Festival, on the 3rd floor, in Pattaya too.

This is not your grandfather's Fruit Of The Loom underwear.

This is not your grandfather’s Fruit Of The Loom underwear.

Purchasing clothes for your boy du jour may sound counterproductive. But the Halfnaked shop doesn’t stock your grandfather’s Fruit of the Loom briefs. In fact, the briefs they do stock give a new meaning to that style. Sourced from Japan, Europe, and the USA, the lines they carry offer everything from jocks – including the Cock Out Jockstrap (and yeah, that mental picture you just got is correct) – to thongs, to briefs, to see-through boxer briefs. Oh, and some swim wear not really meant for wearing in public too. All guaranteed to put the sex back in your sex life (or one off/two orgasms as most of us know it).

Between the brands they feature and the locations of their retail operations, you can assume the prices aren’t cheap. And you’d assume correctly for once. But regardless of how much you drop, once your latest companion puts on a private fashion show for you back in your room, you’ll undoubtedly agree whatever you spent was worth every satang. Choose wisely and you’ll probably be able to forgo the cost of one of those little blue pills too.

Sexy underwear for men in all the colors of the rainbow is featured at the Halfnaked Shop.

Sexy underwear for men in all the colors of the rainbow is featured at the Halfnaked Shop.

Halfnaked currently carries eight different brands of underwear and swim wear. Here’s a look at what you can find there:

Cover Male:
Cover Male is a men’s underwear and swim wear brand from U.S.A. The brand features classic and timeless styles for men who want to indulge their passion for underwear. The manufacturer takes pride in showcasing a great mixture of class, elegance, and masculinity in each of its collections. Offering a full line of styles from bikinis to G-strings, and swim wear, shirts, and accessories too, Cover Male is probably the most traditional line carried at Halfnaked. But they don’t ignore the desires of customers who want something a bit sexy either. They have a line of briefs with partially meshed areas, just where you’d want mesh. And their Cheeky boxers and briefs are designed to be worn either traditionally, or wit your ass cheeks hanging out

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The Good Devil:
The Good Devil brand is based out of Miami. It’s a cutting-edge brand that empowers the devil in you. Along with bikinis, briefs, boxers, and jockstraps, The Good Devil takes it a step, or three, further. Their ‘Extra Mini Thong” is basically a shoestring. And that’s just at the front. There’s also a line of C-String underwear that skimps on the underwear part of the design in favor of the cock-ring each pair sports. Pouches and socks play a major role in their lines’ designs too, from barely there to why bother?

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N2N:
N2N Bodywear is out of Los Angeles and is aimed toward the gay traveler and adventurous metro-sexual. Not your typical underwear and swim wear company; N2N truly embraces the male physique and takes it to the next level of true sex appeal. Their line includes basic briefs (with pouch) but quickly grows into the erotic with no pretense at being underwear cock rings, leather G-strings and slingshots, and briefs, bikinis, and boxers that are nothing but net. N2N also offers several collections of swim wear from board shorts to G-strings, including the Catalina Bold, a throwback to the Speedo stylings of the ’70s with a draw cord instead of an elastic waist for a low and saggy, tight, and form-fitting look that’s completely customizable. Or as the manufacturer puts it: Up to you!

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Intymen:
Enhancement seems to be the operative word behind Intymen’s line of underwear and swim wear. And according to the company, enhancement means cock rings, pouches, hammocks, see-through briefs, and butt-lifting boxer briefs. Intymen’s lines are inspired by the classics but given an edge that takes the garments to the next level; they may well do the same for your sex life.

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Agacio:
Tired of wearing underwear that either flattens your pouch or has you adjusting yourself all day because it is unbearable, the Agacio guys came up with the most comfortable underwear ever – all designed where it really matters, the pouch. Using a ” lifting technology” that allows your package to fall exactly in the right spot this brand out of Miami bills itself as underwear made for men by men. And since what separates the men from boys is the package, Agacio’s underwear won’t leave you hanging. Made of 96% modal and 4% spandex for a lightweight, soft fit, they offer bikinis, thongs, boxer briefs, briefs, and jockstraps that are more about comfort than show. But then when you’re a man of prodigious size, it’s the former that matters ‘cuz you already have the latter covered.

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Splash Bodywear:
Splash Bodywear is a local Thai brand of swim wear that combines design with vibrant colors to bring out the inner masculine form of men. It does a good job of bringing out the outer masculine form too as every piece in their line is designed to fit a man snugly. While theirs is intended for wearing on the beach or poolside, their styles mimic underwear and come in bikinis, briefs, trunks, jammers, and shorts. But with a bit of spice. Or maybe that’s just influenced by the gogo bars on Soi Twilight. Their Break Away Shorts, do just that: two clips on both side allow the trunk to be quickly removed with one good tug. Or if ya wanna get to just the goods quicker, their Detachable Front Trunk has snaps to detach the crotch area fabric with just a pull.

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AQUX:
AQUX is a men’s swim wear and underwear brand from Japan that says it’s for “groovy guys”. More to point, the brand claims its creative designs “draws out male charm boundlessly”. And ya know what’s the most charming part of a man. Based on a concept of “sexy and lovely” designer-pattern maker Masami Seki’s cool and sexy collections are all geared toward helping customers to “accentuate their male attractiveness to the max”. And unlike female designers of men’s underwear, Seki does know dick. With bikinis, super bikinis, trunks, squarecuts, jockstraps, thongs, and – if that wasn’t enough – sexy undies, AQUX is quickly becoming the brand of choice for those with a body to show off throughout Asia.

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Their best selling swim wear line is Naughty Boy, which ignores the waist in favor of an inch of pubes and then barely goes further. Their super bikini collection is even smaller. That philosophy carries into their underwear line too. Their Nano Boxer makes a regular paid of briefs look like swim wear from the 1920s, and in case you don’t know what really matters, they’ve used mesh in all of their underwear collections. Although why they bothered to do so with their Sexy Undies line is beyond me; one model has a cut out where it matters in both the front and the back to please both tops and bottoms.

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TM / TXM:
TM and TXM are both brands from the same Japanese company that feature super elastic, super soft, and super thin fabric, making their “innerwear” one of the most comfortable in the world. Not to mention one of the smallest. They offer men’s and uni-sex lines, but little fabric in either. In fact, in their swim wear collection, the trunks look more like an abbreviated brief, and their G-strings are heavy on string but not much else. When you move into their underwear collections, things get even more non-existent. I’ve seen band-aids that would cover more than TM and TXM’s underwear does. Which should be a plus in anyone’s book. On the downside, all of their products are one size fits all. And that one size is XXXXS. But if there ever was a line of men’s underwear designed for lovers of twinks, the TM and TXM brands are it.

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Considering the extremes some of these underwear brands go to, Halfnaked might be over-dressed. But then since that’s a faux pas your boy du jour should never be guilty of, drop by one of The Halfnaked Shop’s location and show your love. Your best buddy will be glad you did.

Pounding Mochi (aka What Are You Doing New Year’s Eve?)

19 Friday Dec 2014

Posted by Bangkokbois in Sex Break

≈ 4 Comments

Tags

Gay Bangkok

NY1

Who knew when you are in a mature, adult, committed relationship and your boyfriend can’t get the time off to take a trip to Thailand for Christmas that you’re not supposed to say, “Shame that,” and take off on your own to whore your way through Bangkok for the holidays? I knew there was something fishy about that whole marriage equality thingy. And I don’t just mean all the newspaper photos of lesbians getting hitched.

So instead I’ve been told we’re going to Hawaii for New Year’s, which has advantages of its own. It’s been years since I’ve rung in the new year in Honolulu, and I’ve missed New Year’s Eve parties emptying out at about a quarter to twelve so everyone can rush home to light firecrackers off to keep the bad spirits away for the year. And it’s been too long since I’ve had to pay six times the normal price for ahu to make sashimi too. Plus in California you don’t get to just drop in on complete strangers on New Years Day ‘cuz everyone is happy to have an extra hand pounding mochi. I’ve always wanted to find a cute local dude nicknamed Mochi so I could pound him on New Years. It’s on my bucket list. And while I’m not a cute nickname kinda guy, since finding out we’re doing the islands for the holidays I’ve started calling Dave Mochi. He hasn’t figured out why yet. But thinks it’s cute.

Okay, so no boyfriend is perfect.

Nonetheless, I’ve years of experience doing the big countdown in Bangkok and thought I’d share just in case you’re still trying to figure out where to party on the 31st in the Big Mango.

NY2

Soi 4:
I’ve only spent one New Year’s Eve on Soi 4. It was crowded, packed wall to wall with party goers. There just wasn’t much of a party going on. Other than being busy, the only difference from a regular Saturday night was at the strike of twelve they dropped a bunch of balloons onto the soi between Balcony and Telephone. But it still qualified as a true Thai New Year’s celebration. The strike of twelve was more like twelve o’ two. Or three. Then everyone yelled Happy New Year! And went back to drinking.

Soi Twilight:
Unlike 99.9% of visitors to Soi Twilight, I actually enjoy the barkers and the stir they cause on the soi. So one year I thought it’d be fun to get in on the hustle and bustle. We spent the later part of the night hanging out at Banana, which was then the open-air bar at the foot of the soi across from Hot Male. Like Soi 4, it too was packed with bodies. Unfortunately most of those bodies belonged to straight backpackers who’d hit Patpong for the celebration and ended up in the only spot where they could dance in the street.

I was with an ex-bar boy friend. There was a fat British fish making moo-eyes at him all night, trying to entice him to dance with her. And more. I told him he was free to shake it if he wanted to. He laughed. And said, “She fat!” By which he meant, “She fat and won’t be giving me money.” She quit mooing at him when we swapped tongue at the strike of twelve.

NY3

Go Go Bars:
The bars put on special shows for New Year’s Eve in hopes of luring customers inside. Dream Boy and Tawan usually charge an admission fee that comes with a free drink. You’d think ringing in the new year with a bunch of naked guys surrounding you would be the ultimate New Year’s Eve party. And it would be. If there were enough boys working to surround you.

Bar boys like to party on New Year’s Eve too, and do their damndest to pre-book a customer so they don’t have to show up at work. So you’re dealing with the bottom of the barrel at the clubs that night. And there ain’t many punters either; most head to one of the city’s big countdown parties. Or off a guy early and are in bed asleep by nine. On the plus side, if you do choose to spend your New Year’s Eve in a go go bar, you’ll be mucho popular with the boys. Because the pickings are slim for them too.

One year Noom decided we needed to spend the night at his bar. It sucked. But don’t ever tell him I said that. He tried to make it special. There was a table with a Reserved sign on it for us when we walked in. Which probably would have meant more if every table around it wasn’t empty too. And that bar had a special Big Banana show that night which Noom had arranged for me to be one of the judges at. Like at any Big Cock Show! the bananas that night weren’t. And I don’t do millimeters. No problemo. It had already been decided who would win, which had nothing to do with size, and Noom let me know in advance so that I wouldn’t embarrass him.

NY4

Your Hotel.
Back in the day when you booked a hotel over either Christmas or New Year’s Eve in Bangkok they’d charge a mandatory ‘dinner’ fee for a party that you had no intention of going to. Not too many hotels do that any more. And if the one you choose does, you’re better off finding a different hotel.

That having been said, one of the more enjoyable New Year’s Eves we’ve spent in Bangkok was at the party at our hotel. It just wasn’t one put on by management. We’d made friends with a few of the security guards and snuck a cooler full of beer and a few bottles of whiskey up onto the roof to watch the firework displays being shot off all over town. Great view. Wild party. And it was fun knowing you are personally responsible for all the staff being hung-over the next morning.

The Hottest Club In Town.
A few years ago the hottest club in town burned to the ground on New Year’s Eve and took a lot of its patrons with it. So I’ve avoided those. But if you do, let me know how it went. If you still can.

NY5

Sanam Luang.
Sanam Luang by the Grand Palace is one the two biggest venues for the New Year’s Eve countdown in Bangkok. It’s a more local affair. And an older crowd too. The music is traditional, and there’s usually a few dance troupes too doing non-touristy traditional Thai dancing. But it’s crowded. And you’ll be sitting on the ground. Getting back to where you are staying can be a chore too. But for a more laid back but still bustling affair, it can be a lot of fun. We went once and probably would have again but the booze and seating flows more freely at . . .

CentralWorld.
The countdown at CentralWorld is the biggest party in Bangkok and at times it seems at least half of the city is there. They get name acts, none of which you’ll recognize or probably be able to pronounce. But it’s the people that are the most fun and everyone is intent on parting their ass off. This is the site for the biggest and best fireworks display too.

The first year we went we were part of the crowd in the street, just to experience what it feels like to be a Thai sardine. The next few years we went early that day and bought tickets for one of the beer gardens. You get a reserved table, munchies, and beer for (in past years) about $75 for a table of four. If it is just you and your boy du jour, invite some of his friends ‘cuz the minimum buy-in is a full table.

NY6

If you take the BTS in and out of the area, buy your return ticket when you get off the train; later the ticket machines are swamped and you’ll add at least a half hour to your trip home. Taxis and tuk tuks are plentiful at the end of the night too, but you’ll be paying whatever the asking rate is; there’s no paucity of passengers.

The best CentralWorld countdown we attended was the year we didn’t. I booked at room at Baiyoke on one of the upper floors facing the festivities. Comfortable, air-conditioned, and the countdown’s fireworks were a nice background to those we were busy making ourselves.

Sex Break: Thai Flower Arranging For The Gay Guy

10 Thursday Jul 2014

Posted by Bangkokbois in Sex Break

≈ 6 Comments

Tags

Attractions, Bangkok

Like many things, the Thais make floral arts uniquely their own.

Like many things, the Thais make floral arts uniquely their own.

I’ll probably regret sharing this with you, but I started my working life as a florist. Okay, so I started my working life manning the front counter at McDonalds but since I got fired after two days I don’t think that counts. No matter how proud I am of that achievement. And I have an excuse for the florist thingy. At that time I had a girlfriend – yes, a real vagina – who attended a different high school than I did. Several of the area’s school districts joined together to offer vocational classes for seniors during the last three hours of the school day. She wanted to take the floral training block, and by my signing up too we got to spend part of our school day together. Awwww. Young love. The class was a success, our relationship not so much. She went on to become a mortician. And I went on to become gay.

Those classes were only a semester long. BUT, if you landed a job in that field you got credit for your employment and could go to work rather than school. So I did. I could simply say the rest is history and get on with the point of this post, but instead will tell you the florist business is one of feast or famine. On major flower giving holidays biz is blooming and demand is so great you could wrap up the weeds growing in the vacant lot across the street and desperate men would still buy them. Which I also did. You may be getting a small idea of why I lost that job at McDonalds. Outside of the holy flower giving days, bidness is dead. I don’t mean there is no business; there is. But you spend your days creating lovely works of floral art for dead people. ‘Cuz people feel obligated to send floral tributes to the dearly departed almost as much as guys do on Mother’s Day.

You wouldn’t think morticians have much of a sense of humor, but ya gotta find your laughs where you can. The first delivery I made to a funeral we were handling was one of those times. Everything was running smoothly until I got to the corsage the corpse’s family had ordered for the body and the funeral director told me it was my job to put it on the stiff. Yuk. I don’t like getting that close to old people even when they are still breathing. But I took a deep breath and then spent several minutes trying to pin the corsage to her blouse without getting dead tit. Much mirth among the funeral staff ensued. Finally one of the staff came over, lined up the corsage in perfect position, and then jabbed the corsage pin directly into her body to hold the flowers in place. Yup, that’s how they do it. So you may want to skip the corsage when your mom passes on. Or if you are not real fond of her, reserve the right of pinning on her corsage for yourself.

Bangkok's Museum of Floral Culture is one of the city's newer attractions.

Bangkok’s Museum of Floral Culture is one of the city’s newer attractions.

As much as I enjoy checking out wats in Thailand, and as often as those wats feature dead people and/or bits and pieces of the dead Buddha, even I acknowledge there are other attractions worthy of a visitor’s time. I have a long list of places I’ve heard or read about that, some day, I want to take in. That list just keeps getting longer. At the rate new shopping malls are being built in Bangkok, those alone could keep me going for decades. So I rarely get around to checking out the places that have been waiting at the bottom of my list for years. On my most recent visit I decided to force myself to take in a few of those perennial must-dos. One of which – and I’m not sure why it ever made it to my list – was Bangkok’s Museum of Floral Culture. Maybe it was my years of toiling in the industry. Maybe it was because I’m a gay man. Maybe it was because it sounded better than The Sea Shell Museum. If you are a first-time visitor to Bangkok, I wouldn’t suggest the Museum of Floral Culture as part of your itinerary. But if you are a frequent visitor and are looking for something different to do, the museum makes for a tranquil outing for an afternoon.

The brainchild of internationally known floral artist Sakul Intakul – who is also the florist to the Thai royal court – the museum is set in a 100+ year old colonial-style two-story teak house built in 1920 by one of the officers of the palace guards, who was granted the land by the king. If you go on a weekend, Sakul is available to answer questions (and autograph his book), and just in case you were thinking that all floral designers are gay, after meeting the man you’ll quickly realize that is probably not just a stereotype. Opened in 2012, the museum is dedicated to the floral arts with an emphasis on their use in Thai art and culture. So it’s a bit of surprise that the one thing the museum is lacking in is flowers. Fresh blooms are few and far between. Your hotel lobby probably has a more massive display. The museum is more a tribute to the art of floral displays than a display of floral art. But then museums are (I’m told) supposed to educate, and in that task Sakul’s creation excels. And it still beats visiting Jim Thompson’s House of Silk for Sale hands down.

Located in a quiet residential area of Dusit district, the museum sits in a beautifully landscaped Thai-meets-Zen-style garden featuring shrubbery and trees planted in auspicious locations in accordance with ancient Thai beliefs; kind of a Thai geomancy version of feng shui for the garden At one time locals paid strict attention to what vegetation was planted in their gardens and where each type of tree or plant was located, all of which (when done properly) brought good fortune and luck to the residence. Nowadays, not so much. But the museum’s guides takes great care to explain the concept and it’s not a part of Thai culture you are likely to learn about elsewhere.

Who said all floral designers are gay?

Who said all floral designers are gay?

Inside the house, each room serves as a different exhibition space. The first, the Dusit Gallery, displays photos of key members of the Thai court who helped to cultivate the Thai art of flower arranging during the reign of King Rama V. The World of Floral Culture is in the next room and features photos and plastic arrangements of floral displays used in festivals and ceremonies of Bali, India, Japan, Cambodia, Laos, and Tibet. There are two Heritage of Thai Flower Culture rooms, the first deals with the history of flower arranging in Thailand with a focus on how flowers, petals, leaves or other part of plant materials are sewn, pinned, weaved, tied, and folded to fabricate different forms of Thai floral art. Part II is all about banana leaves and how they are manipulated to create special offerings for the gods as well as Krathong floats. These two rooms were probably the most interesting of the tour as they dealt with the traditional styles of Thai floral arts.

There is another room or two on the tour (tours are mandatory, you can’t stroll through the museum on your own) and upstairs is an exhibit where Sakul shows you the drawings he makes in preparation for his creations, including his work that graced the state banquet tables at the Grand Palace for the 2006 celebration of King Bhumibol’s 60th anniversary on the throne.

None of which probably has you chomping at the bit to make the trek out to the Museum of Floral Culture. But wait! There’s more! As dull as the museum may sound, I would strongly recommend a visit for several reasons, all of which have to do with the experience rather than the attraction. And with a gay man in charge of things, you know parts of that experience are gonna be fabulous. First is getting there. It really is off the beaten path. You can take a taxi and hope for the best. But I’d instead recommend taking an orange flag river boat all the way up the Chao Phraya to Pier 18 (Payap) which will cost you a whopping 15 baht. That’s about a 45 minute ride from Central Pier and is an excursion in itself. From the pier it’s about a 15 minute hike to the museum through a mostly quaint residential section of old Bangkok, or you can catch a taxi (50 baht, 5 minutes).

How do they do that? The Museum of Floral Culture will show you.

How do they do that? The Museum of Floral Culture will show you.

One of the things that made me fall in love with Thailand when I first visited decades ago was the warmth and friendliness of the Thai people; there was a reason the country was known as the Land of Smiles. Nowadays, not so much. If you want a touch of that graciousness, a visit to the museum alone is worth the experience. The staff is wonderfully warm, welcoming, and interested in you. It’s as though along with the 100-year-old residence they’ve decided to put on a display of ancient Thai hospitality. Or maybe it’s just that several staff members are gay and recognize that quality in others. In any case, their friendliness is a major part of the experience.

The tour itself, which takes about 45 minutes – of which you’ll spend 40 minutes trying to decipher your guide’s attempt at English – is nothing to write home about. And you are not allowed to take photos inside of the house. But at the end of your tour it is suggested you stop to have tea and desserts on the open-air veranda: it will be the highlight of your visit. Whiling away another hour kicked back in colonial splendor is the perfect way to spend an afternoon at the museum; the Dok Mai Salon du Thé (finally) has fresh, beautiful flower arrangements adding to its ambiance and the salon is a perfect fit for the romantic atmosphere of this classic teak house.

The tea selections are all floral-infused and selected by Sakul. Try the Kathmandu Cinnamon Apple, a lively, fresh blend dominated by a delightfully aromatic burst of sweet and spicy cinnamon with a hint of juicy apples. A pot of tea runs 120 baht, or you could – and should – order the 240 baht set which comes with a selection of six exquisite Thai confectionary sweets. Not only do they look sumptuous, but they taste just as good, which may be a bit surprising at first if you are not familiar with Thai desserts.

It doesn't get much better than an afternoon of sipping tea at the Dok Mai Salon du Thé.

It doesn’t get much better than an afternoon of sipping tea at the Dok Mai Salon du Thé.

As an added bonus, this year on the second Saturday of each month a special flower workshop is being held. Each session is limited to 12 participants (so book in advance) and each month the session covers a different subject such as the art of lotus petal folding, making a traditional pointed dome arrangement from jasmine blossoms, and stringing traditional flower garlands. Each course runs from 10am to noon and includes tea and sweets at a cost of 1,700 baht. Which may sound a but pricey, but at least you won’t have to do a vagina to gain some flower arranging skills like I did.

The Museum of Floral Culture is open from Tuesday to Sunday, 10.00am to 6.00pm. Guided tours are conducted in English at 11am and in Thai at 2pm and 4pm (although you may be the only people in your tour and then the language will be fit to your preference). Tours last for 45 minutes, but can easily stretch into an hour or more if you have lots of questions or just want to enjoy the house and grounds at a leisurely pace. Admission is 150 baht.

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Sex Break: Lifestyles Of The Rich And Famous Now Playing At A Theater Near You

02 Wednesday Jul 2014

Posted by Bangkokbois in Sex Break

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

Bangkok, Markets & Shopping, Movies & Television

The surround sound home movie theater experience comes to Bangkok at a mere $30 per showing.

The surround sound home movie theater experience comes to Bangkok at a mere $30 per showing.

I’m picky about the movies I go to see at home. There has to be a compelling reason for me to head to the closest cineplex. In most cases, the 3D experience is more effort than its worth, even the biggest blockbusters are available on DVD within a few months, and the people who tend to arrive at show time at that same time as I do are not the kind of people I usually want to associate with. Throw in $4 boxes of a fifty cent snack and I’m better off waiting and then viewing the flick on my home theater system. Plus then if the movie turns out to be a dud, I can masturbate instead without ever leaving the comfort of my reclining chair.

When I’m in Bangkok it’s a different story. Noom doesn’t go to the movies often either. In his case it’s more about the cost of a ticket versus the 80 baht DVD version, which is often available on Bangkok’s street before the movie is officially released. So he makes up for that when I’m in town. We hit a theater several nights during each of my visits, how many movies we take in depends on how few are animated flicks – which he loves and I now refuse to see. Theaters in Bangkok are cheap, those in the malls are nicely appointed, and the Thai audience realizes there are other people in the theater too, unlike back in the U.S. There is also usually some special promotion at the snack bar where you get a ‘souvenir’ plastic cup, or straw, or magnet, or decal, or whatever. Whatever piece of crap it is puts the smile back on Noom’s face, the one that turned upside down when I refused to buy tickets for Madagascar IX.

For me it’s not the movie so much as it is the movie-going experience that counts. And Brian Hall, who just spent 120 million baht building 5 theaters that sit a maximum of 30 people each, agrees. He’s the brain-trust behind Diplomat Screens at the recently opened Central Embassy, Bangkok’s first ever ultra-luxury lifestyle shopping mall that features the inaugural flagship outlets of Ralph Lauren, Tom Ford, and Yves Saint Laurent among other high-end designer brands. Considering the success of the nearby Gaysorn Plaza mall at hitting that market I’m not sure how successful Central Embassy will be. But its Diplomat Screens has won me over and I’m a fan for life. Besides, where else can you drop $80 on seeing a Michael Bay production? (In my defense it was with Marky Mark and not that skankhead Shia LaBeouf.)

Embassy Diplomat Screen's comfy couches and daybeds that recline into full beds stirs hopes the theaters will one day screen porn.

Embassy Diplomat Screen’s comfy couches and daybeds that recline into full beds stirs hopes the theaters will one day screen porn.

At Diplomat you probably won’t be sharing your movie experience with the cheap bastards who whine about paying $12 to watch a live sex show on Soi Twilight, and at a minimum of 900 baht per ticket you won’t have a bunch of rug rats carrying on either. I guess I have to apologize to whoever that was I just poked fun at on the message boards for saying that sometimes segregation is a good thing. Because when it comes to the haves and have-nots, it is. As long as you are willing to pay for it. But as with most good things in life, it’s not the cost but the value that matters and taking in a flick at Diplomat Screens is packed with values.

Each of the five cinemas are a bit different, with seating designed for the clientele it is intended for. For larger groups there are cozy couches (coupled with a private bar if your group is large enough), for the more sedentary there are reclining daybeds that fold out into actual beds; cocoon-style individual chairs make up the bulk of the seating selection. Regardless of where you decide to plop down, you’re provided with a soft duvet blanket and pillows for comfort. And every seat comes with its own adjustable light, a call button for a butler, a bag hanger, and an electrical outlet for recharging your cellphone battery. ‘Cuz multitasking at the multiplex is what it’s all about. But Wait! There’s More!

Your ticket to a whole new world of movie-going includes your choice of a ‘welcome set’ of an alcoholic drink and almonds, munchies from Dean & DeLuca, or a selection of tempting desserts from The Oriental Shop. And that’s just to get you started. There’s also a fully-stocked mini-bar (additional drinks like cocktails or beer are available from B100 per drink) and an on-call butler. Better yet, the spacious layout guarantees there’ll be no asshat kicking the back of your chair during the movie and no matter how high that matronly Chinese woman’s hair is stacked in front of you, you’ll still have an unimpeded view of the entire screen.

Not happy with your wrap-around private seating? Ask the butler to carry you to an new one.

Not happy with your wrap-around private seating? Ask the butler to carry you to an new one.

Of course when money is no object, the very latest technological advances incorporated into the theater’s sound system and visual displays are a given. And almost an after thought for Brian Hall. He says the Diplomat Screens audio/visual components are not in competition with the other high-tech cineplexes in town, that his brand is not being built on easily met levels of technology but on the experience beyond the movie itself. Touches like its exquisite lounge (with fireplace) and a living room-style decor are meant to extend guests’ stays. “If they come for a two-hour movie, we want them to spend four hours,” says Hall. “They can maybe arrive one hour earlier and our butler can get them anything they want. They can rent one of the VIP rooms afterwards and mingle with friends for another hour.” Hall says that is why every element has been carefully designed to offer the most pleasant feeling possible; he believes the homey component of a residential environment will make people feel more comfortable. That’s assuming your ‘homey’ environment comes draped in gold and furnished with $4,000 couches. Not to mention that butler.

The mall itself is a gorgeous piece of architecture, but I’ll save my review of Central Embassy’s shopping and dining experience for another post. I doubt I will ever be reviewing the attached six-star Park Hyatt Hotel once it is completed though, as the plans are for rooms to run at least $300 a night, making it the priciest property in town. But then that seems to be the concept behind the Central Group’s latest mall: opulent luxury not intended for the masses. They’ve even considered their hi-so clientele’s aversion to eating from street carts on the actual streets by moving up-market versions inside to the basement’s food court.

Embassy Diplomat Screens is not the first VIP movie going experience offered in Bangkok, but is the first cinema to only offer VIP seating. And they do it better than anyone else in town. If you’ve thought about trying one of the exclusive cinema seating options in the past but the price scared you away, there are several special offers available around town right now to lure the unsuspecting to Central Embassy’s theater. Bangkok Bank, for example, is offering half-off admission tickets to its credit card holders. Kinda like drug dealers offer school children their first hit of crack for free.

Diplomat Screens says there is no place like home, even if your home never looked so good.

Diplomat Screens says there is no place like home, even if your home never looked so good.

Knowing the likelihood of my wallet actually making an appearance at one of Central Embassy’s retail outlets, Noom was less than impressed with the mall. But the noises he made when he saw the ticket price at Diplomat Screens were priceless. That changed once we were inside the theater; “Beee-u-tiiii-full,” and “Dis nice!” summed his opinion up nicely. And the all-you-can-drink mini bar (aka “It free!”) worked its magic on his psyche too. You don’t want to know how many times he summonsed a ‘butler’ once he learned what the call-button was for. I don’t know if he was as impressed with Transformers: Age of Extinction, but that his answer to, “What do you want to do tonight?” resulted in our taking in Million Dollar Arm and yes, even Maleficent too pretty much says it all. As well as what a major part of my Bangkok-going experience will entail in the future.

The mall, built on the former grounds of the British Embassy, is easy to reach by BTS. It’s connected to both the Ploenchit BTS station and Chitlom, although the latter is reached through the less ostentatious Central Chidlom store. But then if you are out for a $100 movie night, you really should be arriving by limo. Or at least in a taxi.

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Sex Break: You Can Travel To Cambodia Without Ever Leaving Bangkok

27 Tuesday May 2014

Posted by Bangkokbois in Sex Break

≈ 11 Comments

Tags

Attractions, Bangkok

Is it live or is it Memorex?

Is it live or is it Memorex?

Stray thoughts that enter Noom’s mind often take on the intensity of a pit bull whose jaws have just clamped down on some unsuspecting fool’s leg. And yeah, I usually get to play the part of said unsuspecting fool. Throw in his national pride, a trait that seems to be genetically implanted in every Thai, and it makes for interesting developments when we are mapping out travel plans. Way back, his family came across the border from Laos. So seeing his native land was always one of his desires. Or at least it became one once we’d hooked up and he started getting to travel. It took a few years for that desire to plant itself in my soul too, but we eventually made the trip and Noom was a happy camper. Suggestions that he accompany me on trips to Burma and Cambodia have not gone over as well.

Noom can not forgive the Burmese for what they did to Thailand back in the 1500s. I think. Or it could be their more recent transgressions. From the 1700s. Mention the Burmese today and his face gets serious and grim. His mutterings, “I keel them!” kinda sum up his basic opinion of his neighbors to the north. So Burma is off our travel plans. Not that he wouldn’t go. I’m just not sure whether or not he’d be free to get back on the plane to return home. He’s not quite as militant about Cambodia. There’s some resentment there, but it tends to come and go with the same frequency as the not infrequent skirmishes along the two countries’ shared border. And while I know there is a part of him that would love to see the temples of the Angkor Wat complex just outside of Siem Reap, there’s a much bigger part of him that needs to find disapproval with those architectural feats of wonder. That’d be the Thai part of him.

We spent several hours at an Asia Books branch one afternoon, when I’d stopped in to check out the latest best sellers and Noom became engrossed in their offerings of guidebooks. Of Thailand. When I tracked him down, he was flustered and a little bit pissed. I’d just returned from a short trip to Siem Reap and he wanted to show me in a guidebook that Thailand too had ancient Khmer temples. He just couldn’t find what he was looking for in the pile of books growing at his feet. That crisis was averted once I agreed the publishers hadn’t a clue about his country since they’d stuck the section he was looking for in the wrong part of their books. And I agreed, at some unspecified point in the future, we’d make the trek out to see Thailand’s version of Angkor Wat. Without mentioning those structures were smaller, less impressive, more run-down, and more difficult to get to. Having shown me there was no good reason to leave his country to see Khmer wats, Noom, once again, was a happy camper.

mini wat #2

But he knows me well enough that he sensed I wasn’t really thrilled with the idea of that trip. So the pit bull within him went to work. Which manifested itself early one morning a few months later when just after breakfast he announced, “Come! We go!” and pushed my camera bag into my hands to signify his plans for the day did not include shopping. Or at least shopping wasn’t the primary focus. ‘Cuz with Noom any excursion involves shopping at some point.

I’ve learned when Noom has a plan to not ask questions. If I do, and if I get an answer at all, it’s that it’s a surprise. I’d like to argue that surprise or not, he will get lost, he will get antsy at not being able to find whatever his surprise is, and that a few minutes spent on the internet could instead easily lead us directly to wherever it is we are going. Instead I suck it up, let him take the lead, and remind myself I’m on holiday and even being lost has value. This time around things when smoother than normal. Retracing steps we’d made countless times before we eventually ended up at the Grand Palace. And then got lost.

Being Thai, Noom sucks at directions. And asking other Thais for further directions only makes matters worse. Finding Wat Phra Kaew where the famous Emerald Buddha rests, for example, is not a difficult feat. Unless you are Thai. So after an hour of wandering aimlessly with much purpose, Noom finally let loose with that much of the surprise. Five minutes later the farang led him to our intended destination.

mini wat #3

As many times at I’ve visited the Grand Palace, I’ve only bothered with Wat Phra Kaew once, on the first visit. The Emerald Buddha is kinda tiny. Which would still be cool if it was actually made of emerald. But it is chiseled out of a dark green jasper, which as stones go doesn’t rate as precious and rates so far down on the semi-precious ranking that unscrupulous dealers, rather than mess with it as jasper, try to pass it off as jade instead. And not the expensive kind of jade at that. But the Emerald Buddha was not the reason we were at Wat Phra Kaew. The miniature replica of Angkor Wat was. Yup, you can visit Cambodia without ever leaving Bangkok. Which was the whole purpose behind Noom’s need to show me the mini Angkor Wat.

I’m not sure why King Rama IV decided his mock-up of Angkor Wat needed to be displayed in what is considered one of Thailand’s holiest holy spots. I do know that in the mid-1800s he sent a team of surveyors to Cambodia to map out the complex with plans on disassembling the temple, moving it to Thailand, and then reassembling it again. The move turned out to be logistically impossible. So he ordered his mini version constructed instead. Maybe he housed it at Wat Phra Kaew so it would be easy for his subjects to find. If so, he obviously didn’t know the Thai people very well.

Considering what the model makers in Hollywood do these days just so Godzilla has a town to destroy, Bangkok’s mini-Angkor Wat is a bit of a let down. Personally, I’d have been more impressed if it was of the Bayon instead, but then I prefer that temple’s ginormous leering heads to the scope and grandeur of the Angkor Wat compound anyway. It is quite detailed, and reported to be built exactly to scale. And you have to give its creators of the day props for the intricate work they did in sculpturing the sandstone to look like the real thing both in color and scope. I know Noom was quite taken with it. Or was quite taken with himself for having discovered its existence.

mini wat #4

If you are interested in seeing Thailand’s model of Angkor Wat, it’s located just outside of the Temple of the Emerald Buddha, and within the Grand Palace grounds. So it’s a better deal if you are going to see the Grand Palace and spend a few minutes checking out the mini Angkor Wat too as the admission cost is the same. For not that much more, you can fly to Siem Reap and see the real thing. I probably should also mention there is a much smaller and even less impressive version at the Royal Palace in Phnom Penh, though to be that close and not go see the real thing probably has a negative effect on your karma. As I’m sure would visiting the even smaller and even less impressive version at Mini Siam and Mini Europe in Pattaya. But then if you hit Pattaya your karma has already been bloodied, no doubt.

Outside of wanting to please your bar boy friend and current love of your life, I don’t know that I’d recommend making a special trip to the Grand Palace just to see a scaled-down version of Angkor Wat. But then I wouldn’t suggest that excursion just to see the Emerald Buddha either. If Noom hadn’t been so pleased with himself, I would have parroted back one of his favorite phrases, “Not real.” But if you are at the Grand Palace, it is worth a few minutes of your time. And if you are headed out to Siem Reap and the real deal, it’s a great introduction and gives you an even better idea of the layout, magnitude, and sheer size of Cambodia’s version of Angkor Wat.

mini wat #5

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Sex Break: Lying Down With The Dogs At Bangkok’s Talat Rot Fai Market

19 Monday May 2014

Posted by Bangkokbois in Sex Break

≈ 4 Comments

Tags

Markets & Shopping

Bangkok's Train Night Market is where the cool kids go to shop.

Bangkok’s Train Night Market is where the cool kids go to shop.

Come sundown, while most gay visitors to Bangkok either get ready for a night of camaraderie on Soi 4, or a night of companionship on Soi Twilight, the city does offer other forms of entertainment. I know. But trust me, it does. For those willing to expand their horizons, that usually means a bit of shopping at one of the city’s paeans to commercialism, the treat of an air-conditioned environment, window shopping, and the opportunity of checking out the eye candy not so brazen as to be working the bars or sitting at home waiting for someone to click on their Gay Romeo profile, a perfect trifecta of indulgence to top off your day.

Braver touri forgo the opulence of Bangkok’s leading shopping malls and hit the more colorful street market scene instead, bustling dog-eat-dog shopping extravaganzas that are hot, humid, and geared toward the tourist wallet. A few, possibly misguided souls, head further afield to small, neighborhood night markets where the locals gather to shop, only to find what the locals are shopping for is of little interest to them. And then there are the savvy touri, those in-the-know thanks to scouring guidebooks and the Internet for those hidden, off the beaten path spots, markets so cool everyone back home will be green with envy when they see their travel pix and hear of the unbelievable deals they managed to get.

The latter group is easy to spot. You’ll find them wandering around Saphan Khwai in a daze, hunting for the famous, but elusive Talat Rot Fai – or Train Market to non-Thai speakers – a cool, nighttime flea market with a Thai twist that popped onto the scene back in 2011, a popular retro-lover’s destination that hasn’t been in Saphan Khwai for almost a year now.

Great bargains, tons of vendors, and lots of eye candy make a visit to the Talat Rot Fai market a must.

Great bargains, tons of vendors, and lots of eye candy make a visit to the Talat Rot Fai market a must.

Now in its third year – and third location – Bangkok’s Train Night Market is almost a thing of urban myth. A hipster’s paradise, an ode to all things retro, the now rebranded Srinakarin Train Market is a Thai version of a flea market, where most of the goods on sale are older than you are. And considering where you spend most of your time in the city, that should be an unique and singular experience. It’s Chautuchak without the unbearable heat and filthy toilets, Patpong’s Night Market without the endless displays of fake Rolex watches and come-ons for straight sex shows, Sukhumvit at night without the porn, sex toys, and aggressive ladyboys. The Train Night Market is young, cool, hip, cheap, and far enough outside of the usual touri haunts that farang faces are few and far between. Because most of them are still stopping and asking directions to the market over in Saphan Khwai. And, surprisingly for a market geared toward locals, it’s clean too.

When the Talat Rot Fai first started up by the Kampaeng Phet Station MRT station, it was a match made in heaven. Not far from Chautuchak Market, and filled with vendors peddling all sorts of vintage goods – from clothes to records, handmade accessories to antiques, as well as spare parts of classic cars and even secondhand Vespas from Europe – with camper vans and vintage cars serving as makeshift bars, it was a beautiful mess with access initially only through a hole in the fence at one end of a car park. Set beside an old set of train tracks topped with abandoned, rusty coaches open to visitors to explore or just kick back in, it had an ambiance worthy of the vintage wares its vendors offered for sale. And for the young and hip it immediately became major competition for the better-established Ratchada weekend night market.

Squatting on land owned by the State Railway Authority of Thailand, the market was an instant hit. Until, in the summer of 2013, when it was hit by the tsunami of competing interests that seems to govern the way things are run in Thailand. The powers-that-be decided the land would be developed for an extension of Bangkok’s BTS, and while in the middle of discussions with the market’s vendors over their home did what landlords intent on removing tenants in Bangkok seem to favor as an option: they called in the bulldozers late one night.

 Because nothing says Train Market like a huge ship, Talat Rot Fai's new location is easy to spot from Seacon Square. Or you could just follow the crowds.

Because nothing says Train Market like a huge ship, Talat Rot Fai’s new location is easy to spot from Seacon Square. Or you could just follow the crowds.

The vendors, granted a reprieve of sorts, were offered the use of a near-by warehouse, the market’s second location. Kinda, sorta. When they began moving in to their new home, mysterious black-clothed figures began threatening both vendors and railway employees who were responsible for leasing vendor spaces – ‘Cuz in Bangkok, mysterious black-clothed figures are almost as popular of an option as bulldozers are when settling disputes. Vendors pulled out, market goers stayed away, and last year the Talat Rot Fai’s organizers decided to move to the other side of town, behind the Seacon Square shopping center on Srinakarin Road.

At its new location, the Train Night Market is still a growing concern; even locals are still discovering its wonders. A bit more organized than when it was in Saphan Khwai, it offers a chilled out atmosphere with some of the coolest pubs in town. Second now in size to only the Chautuchak Weekend Market, the Srinakarin Train Night Market includes an indoor area featuring rows of old warehouses and containers converted into shops, pubs, cafes, and tattoo parlors. Outside things are a bit sketchier, with huge tracks of florescent tube lit tents and less professional displays of merchandise spread on the ground; this is where the real deals are and while the focus on vintage has made way for cheap, mass-produced clothing and knick-knacks, you’ll still find plenty of cool stuff that you’ll remember from your childhood. Or at least from your late ’30s. And, fortunately, the makeshift micro-mini bus cum bars are still as much in evidence as ever.

The Train Night Market may or may not be the best place to visit with your boy du jour. He’ll probably get bored quickly with your delight in finding out-dated technology and remembrances of your past, but your wallet will be delighted with being able to buy him a T-Shirt for 60 baht or less. (Possibly less happy about him feeling that a that price you should buy him a dozen shirts or more.) The outdoor section of the market, expanding at a breakneck speed, offers tons of food options, from inexpensive street-cart treats to slightly more pricey pub grub along its edges. And paying homage to its heritage, along with knock-off replica buildings built for ambiance, the market has brought in a few decommissioned train carriages too. So for photography buffs, photo ops abound. For the rest of you, there’s a lot of local eye candy too.

Indoors you'll find permanent shops, pubs, and cafes.

Indoors you’ll find permanent shops, pubs, and cafes.

The new version of the Talat Rot Fai is as much of a party atmosphere as it is a shopping experience. Vendors are not as aggressive as at the night markets you are probably used too; the famous and now getting to be mythical Thai smile is quite evident and there’s a good chance you’ll be invited to join the seller for a beer after he made his rent off you.

Officially, the market is open from Tuesday through Sunday, starting at 3 pm, with its food stall section only open on Wednesdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays (yeah, welcome to Thailand). The outdoor section is only open on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays, beginning at 4 pm and running to midnight. Your best bet is to arrive around 7-ish, once all of the smaller, local vendors have set up shop. It’s a massive, crowded affair, so even if you don’t plan on having dinner there, you still need to schedule about three hours for your visit.

The downside (which is a plus since it keeps the tourist hordes away) is that there is no direct BTS or MRT route running to the Talat Rot Fai. A taxi from the Silom area is your best bet; that ride will run you about 150 baht (tell your driver your destination is Seacon Square – he may not be familiar with the Train Night Market’s new location). You can also take the BTS to the Udom Suk station, and then take a motocy taxi to the market (about 50 baht) or a regular taxi (70 baht). Going back, a taxi caught on the road in front of Seacon Square will run you 200 baht – they’ve seemed to have banded together for a fixed-fare return trip. Or take a 70 baht ride to the BTS On Nut station where foot massage places abound. Your feet will appreciate the attention after having spent the night walking through Bangkok’s hippest night market.

Outside, temporary vendors offer the retro and vintage merchandise that make up the market's claim to fame.

Outside, temporary vendors offer the retro and vintage merchandise that make up the market’s claim to fame.

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Sex Break: You Khon Touch This

28 Monday Apr 2014

Posted by Bangkokbois in Sex Break

≈ 3 Comments

Tags

Attractions, Bangkok

khon 1

Mention a grand ole dame and extravagantly flamboyant costumes full of sequins in Pattaya and you’re probably talking about yet another insufferably campy aging drag queen from Bristol taking to a too tiny stage when all the audience really want to see is the naked boys. And while among gay visitors said naked boys are still the perennial favorite production value on Bangkok’s stages, throw in a few soaring golden headdresses and some bare-footed dancers richly clothed in silk and brocade and then you are probably talking about the khon dance performances at the Sala Chalermkrung Theater. Or the ladyboy show at Calypso Cabaret. But let’s act like you have some sense of culture for a minute.

When your wallet says nyet to hitting yet another shopping mall, your spiritual being is watted out, and the idea of watching another Big Cock Show! leaves you limp, not far away and yet worlds away from the Silom gay ghetto, Sala Chalermkrung is one of the few remaining places khon – the traditional Thai classical masked dance – can be seen in Bangkok. This art deco Bangkok landmark, a former cinema dating to 1933, features the traditional Thai dance-drama (enhanced by laser graphics and hi-tech audio) every Thursday and Friday night at 7:30 p.m. And considering the dearth of touri in the audience it counts as being off the beaten path too.

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If you are not familiar with khon, you are with the performers and the masks they wear as they’re an iconic image of Thailand and are featured in ads and on billboards almost as much as his royal you-know-who is. Khon, originally limited to performances for the royal court – and originally only performed by men, even the female roles (so you ladyboy aficionados are covered) – is a distinct art form that brings together movement, dialogue, narration, costumes, and music to tells the story of the Thai version of the Hindu epic Ramayana (known in Thailand as the Ramakien) although Sala Chalermkrung’s is an abbreviated version since original performances lasted 6 hour or more – but still, as a remake, stays closer to the original storyline than Russell Crowe’s recent attempt at retelling the story of Noah. Though come to think of it, these days Russell could play the hero in Sala Chalermkrung’s version – Hanuman, a white immortal monkey – without having to don one of the traditional khon masks.

The performance is a colorful display of dance, acrobatics, movement, and mime with a cast of 60 whose mesmerizing control and balance is a lesson in absolute body control. The dance is a highly physical and symbolic art form requiring performers to adhere to certain movements which express various emotions, choreographed right down to the fingertips. At Sala Chalermkrung you can view all eight acts of the Thai Ramayana and its authentic movements exacted with amazing skill in a little more than an hour. Which is probably all the culture you can handle.

Your evening at Sala Chalermkrung begins with a short documentary that explains what khon is and how the performers train and prepare for the show. It also covers the significance of the performers’ stylized movements and introduces you to the main characters and the masks each wears, to help visitors from the West to better follow the tale as it is an unfamiliar one since Disney has not introduced the Ramayana to American and European audiences yet.

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During the actual performance there’s also a LED display hung high above the curtain that provides an English translation of the narration – since the actors faces are masked, narrators sing the storyline along with the live music to express the dialogue and plot. Surprisingly, you’ll soon quit bothering to read those subtitles – the actors’ movements and the masks alone quite capably tell the story. So well in fact that your senses will also quickly disregard the accompanying traditional Thai music, which can be, and usually is, quite grating to the western ear. The hot guys on stage – even if they are wearing more clothing than you are used to – ain’t bad either.

Part of the show is the theater itself. Sala Chalermkrung was built by King Rama VII in the 1930’s and was at that time considered to be the most modern building in Asia. A blend of western and Thai architecture, it was a far step above the theaters of the day, which were usually small, cramped buildings that looked like wooden houses with zinc sheets used as a roof. Opened as a royal project, the luxurious 2,000 seat Sala Chalermkrung introduced new technologies to Bangkok’s cinema world, such as sound, light, and an automatic curtain system. Undoubtedly even more importantly to moviegoers, this theater was the first in Thailand to install air-conditioners, a novelty Thais are still enthralled with today as evidenced by the near-freezing temps the SFX chain keeps their theaters at.

Sala Chalermkrung today is a charming theatre, immaculately maintained with period fittings that whisk you back in time 80 years with its mass of brass fittings, red velvet cushions, and sepia photographs. Everything looks as fresh as it did when the theater opened its doors in 1933. The theater itself offers lots of photo ops, and although you are not allowed to take photos during the performance, afterwards the main characters assemble in the lobby to pose with you. And they are not as greedy about being tipped as the ladyboys in Phuket are.

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Located at 66 Charoen Krung Road (next to Old Siam Plaza) Sala Chalermkrung is easy to find though your best bet for transpo is by taxi. Tickets for the khon performances run 800, 1,000, and 1,200 baht – dependant upon how close to the stage you want to be – and are available on-line through Thai Ticket Major, or at the door.

You can also purchase tickets at the Grand Palace if you want to make it a full day of culture, but then the Grand Palace will probably be closed the day you plan on going and your cultural outing instead will involve discount tailor shops and special one-day only government sponsored gem and jewelry sales. But hey, then you’ll have some new duds and bling to wear and you can pretend you are a Hollywood starlet walking the red carpet when you arrive at Sala Chalermkrung that evening.

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Sawatdee and welcome to the new and improved Bangkokbois Gay Thailand Blog! Okay, so it’s not necessarily improved, just hosted on a new site. And it’s not just about Thailand, though that still is the main focus. And it’s not all gay either, unless you’re not and then you’ll think it’s pretty damn gay I’m sure. All of the penis might tip you off. Which means if you are not of the required legal age to be looking at penis other than your own, you should leave. And go tell your parental units they suck at their job.

But it is a blog and one out of three ain’t bad. Besides, Bangkokbois Pretty Gay Mostly About Thailand Blog For People Of Legal Age is just too wordy. But so is Dancing With The Devil In The City Of Angels, which is really the title of this blog.

As cool of a title as that is, Google just ain’t sharp enough to figure out that means this blog is mostly about Thailand. And pretty damn gay to boot. The penis part even Google figured out. Which is a good thing. ‘Cuz Bangkokbois Pretty Gay Mostly About Thailand With Lots Of Penis Blog For People Of Legal Age, I think, was taken by someone else.

Move along, there’s nothing to see here folks; pay no attention to that man behind the curtain:

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