SouthOfTheBorder

recession ? not according to my broker. I just made $$$$$ stop complaining- start investing

there’s not much to discuss w a well written profile - when/where/how much ? this is what I’m looking for - that’s it anything more is like being at restaurant with someone that can never decide what they want - just wasting time

that type slang is thrown around frequently & it’s always derogatory. just makes the person using the term sound stupid & typically dated/out-of-touch obviously they don’t know any better

the OPs original question was which European city was most like Bangkok - the simple answer is no city in Europe comes close. But, if having to choose one it would be Barcelona. The one thing that makes Barcelona just a bit similar is Thermas - a venue where you can find paid sex. That’s it. Then there was another questions about Madrid vs Barcelona: if you remove Thermas from the equation - Madrid wins in almost every comparison. Madrid is vibrant, clean & relatively safe while Barcelona suffers overtourism & all the attendant problems of a very small city inundated w tourists & the after effects of Catalan independence referendum. While many may not understand why Barcelona is in decline - the actual decline is obvious if only visiting for a couple of days. Still beautiful of course, but not very pleasant; crowded, dirty & plagued by petty crime targeting tourists. btw - thousands of businesses, including big banks & corporations left Barcelona for Madrid post Catalan referendum because of political instability. That’s a fact. And it remains an unsettled question - so, they aren’t going back. The entire episode inadvertently gave Madrid an economic advantage & was really just self-inflicted harm for Barcelona. As for providers online - Madrid still wins. It is the center of Spanish speaking world and filed with recent arrivals from Cuba, DR, Colombia, Venezuela, Brasil (yes - not Spanish speaking), Argentina, etc. Spain has a relatively easy immigration policy and according tho the guys themselves, most prefer Madrid. I still visit Barcelona frequently, but it’s really for Thermas. If it wasn’t there, then probably not. Below is a Financial Times piece dated February 2023 which explains Barcelona’s lingering problems. https://www.ft.com/content/18f0ca8c-607b-4633-a83f-e99f71a046e8

@Marc in Calif do you want the receipts ? yes or no

Im in BCN every 6-weeks & know the city very well. I’m in Madrid frequently too & I’ll be there next weekend (again). You have no idea what you’re talking about. fyi - I don’t use Wikipedia as a source. you do - I’ve seen it. Want the receipts ? because when you run to the mods later, remember- you asked for it

If you want UES, then JoJo is always good. The Polo Bar nearby is fabulous & usually hard to get in - a good concierge should be able to make it happen. If you want a more authentic old New York experience, try The Benjamin Steakhouse (the original, not Prime) and/or The Oyster Bar at Grand Central Station - only for lunch and always sit at the bar (the menu is different). i agree on Russian Tea Room if only for the vodka flights & high-camp factor. The bar across the street at the Park Hyatt is well worth a visit & exquisite cocktails. The Trump Grill is not known among locals as somewhere to go for good food. It caters to tourists taking pictures.

well then - given English is the default language in Thailand for all foreigners, including Japanese, Chinese, Indians, Europeans, Russians, etc and the Thais who communicate with them - it would seem they are “pandering” to everyone who is not Thai. It’s the Thai people who have elected to use that term and put into everyday usage. And the very people who are the ladyboys are the people using that word the most - calling out to all foreigners passing by the numerous venues. Hard to fathom they would continue to use a word they find so deeply insulting & derogatory over & over & over. So, it’s not really for me - it’s for everyone who is not Thai. And that would include you & likely everyone else reading this forum. i guess you’re using “Thainglish” as a descriptor to imply the Thais don’t really know what they’re saying or some inappropriate mash-up of English & Thai. “Thainglish” is not a word in common usage & I doubt you’d hear Thai people use that themselves. That’s insulting, derogatory & condescending. But, if thats “amusing” for you - then who is really lacking the cultural sensitivities ? Hypocrites generally lack self-awareness which is on full-display here. October ? that says quite a bit. Omg - no. While Barcelona has it charms, including Thermas & many providers - it hasn’t been considered “lovely” for years. It’s one of the most over-touristed cities in the world, overrun with obnoxious loud Americans, digital nomads & cruise ship passengers. And it’s become very dirty & sketchy (in parts) post Catalonia independence movement when most major banks & business fled Barcelona to Madrid. There’s an economic malaise that’s settled in which translates to a general decline overall. It’s still worth a visit and I go frequently - but lovely is just not a word to describe Barcelona in its current state. Other than Thermas, which is the defining variable in this discussion - Madrid is superior in every way. Wikipedia might say something different, of course and as per usual - the trolls hijack a thread with comments that have nothing to do with OPs original question. the goal, it seems is to make it all about them. What’s amusing to me are the people who troll these forums but post nothing about the core subject matter, meaning providers & venues. Obviously the agenda is for something else.

you should get on a plane to Bangkok & ask the locals to change their advertising signs. and while you’re there, ask them to stop using that very common word as they try to lure customers of all ethnicities into their bars Im sure they will appreciate your very delicate sensitivities & Wikipedia expertise the ones who never get laid are always so bitter & jealous

this is a more accurate way to make the point - yes. It could also be the absence of Catholicism/Christianity since Thailand was the only country in the region that avoided European colonization

I think it’s more a matter of chemistry between two people. sometimes the chemistry is pre-determined based on one’s own ideas or agenda. If more open-minded & fluid, then very surprising what can happen.

100% true. Thai culture seems to have very little issue w gender either, thus the very visible ladyboy & trans presence in Bangkok. And the overall acceptance seems to include paid companions as well. I’ve never seen that degree of acceptance anywhere else. Once that feeling is understood by a visitor, then you are free to relax and really enjoy on a different level.

there were more Brazilians & Americans on RM in BKK than Eastern Europeans- not even close. There may be some difference depending on exact timing. There are a lot of Russians in Thailand but seemed to be more in Pattaya. doesn’t sound like you’ve been to Bangkok recently, if ever - lots of ultra luxury condo towers built & more under construction. The skyline is full of skyscrapers & really beautiful. Brand new shopping malls that make malls in the US look small & tired. Many luxury hotels & fine restaurants. Efficient & sparkling clean subway system & elevated rail lines. In many ways very sophisticated & modern - but of course this was in the core city and I didn’t see outlying areas. And it’s pretty much completely safe. Bangkok is the playground for rich Japanese, Chinese, Indians, Thais & more. It has everything anyone could want.

$300 is a very high rate in Bangkok. But, it depends on where you source providers. RM of course will have the highest rates & only a couple foreigners (Americans) there asking $300. Most on RM are $120-$200. On other apps, the average is more like $65 -$100. I typically don’t like to source from the “apps”, but in Bangkok that’s how it’s done, especially on Hornet. In the massage shops it’s even less, but then you’re dealing with a charge for a “massage” and either a minimum tip or whatever you negotiate. The most straightforward massage shop I found was Arena - Silom adjacent. The real difference in Bangkok re; rates is if you’re paying for an hour or two of sex or a massage with some sex.

anyone charging $1000/hour isn’t in it to build a base of repeat clients. It’s a one-off rate, which means he won’t expect to see you again & probably doesn’t matter about the actual service delivered. they’re banking on the idea that enough people will pay just to be in their presence - and they’re probably right.

this is 100% true in context of providers. I see providers in lots of different places at very different price points. the rate has nothing to do with performance or quality of service. the $1000 dollar question seems to be more fantasy or fetish focused than expecting excellent service from a typical provider. Probably Instagram or OnlyFans people. Hard pass - absolutely not. I don’t like to waste money.

agree there was no attitude whatsoever in Bangkok - although the sex is often not totally straightforward. In the massage shops, I think it can be very hit or miss, depending on the shop & the “therapist”. never experienced attitudes in Spain and many different experiences over the years - while they don’t have the venues as in Bangkok, it’s a very straightforward transaction w providers in that you know what you’re going to get. And then there is Thermas in BCN, which has been written about extensively in other threads.

in Bangkok, there is sex available in almost every context - massage shops (most with extras), gogo bars (where is the business model is to take guys off-site), saunas (not rentboy saunas) host bars, & dozens of providers available online through various sites. no other city has all those options - not even close imo

no city in Europe compares to Bangkok - that’s in a league of its own. If someone is looking for that type experience, they will be disappointed. the best overall European cities for providers imo are Barcelona & Madrid, lots of options & reasonable rates. London is there too, but with rates generally higher than Spain.

the scam isn’t for cash, at first. usually they are looking for information & personal details - frequently they want to move conversations offline to WhatsApp or similar. Once they have a real phone number, you’re totally fucked. This happens all the time - more common on hookup apps where there is more information exchanged. Someone presenting a harmed victim seeking sympathy is the oldest trick in the book. Conman 101 you guys are way too gullible & naive - albeit well intentioned.

agree. the trolling will always happen. even tho the scenarios are far-fetched, it can bring useful dialogue. the difference here is there are 3 or 4 them simultaneously posting - and that’s unusual. it makes me wonder what the endgame is ? a lot of online fraud occurs when people present as victims, build trust & sympathy - then start asking for things in DMs; the “victim” becomes the perpetrator.

YOU GUYS ARE GETTING TROLLED, AGAIN this is exactly the same type post as two previous threads - all from members who just joined within days of making their first posts. And the first post is their lengthy dialogue presenting unusual/emergency circumstances & then asking for comments, advice. this one even pre-emptively says “I’m not a troll…..” yes, he is the other two are @Empire_Man “Friendship With A Gay-For-Pay Pornstar” @ANotAMouse “Please Help Me, I’m Scared to Death”

FWIW - I think you guys are getting trolled. This story is similar to the other thread “Please Help, I’m Scared to Death” both stories posted by new members on this site. both with a long & detailed story about very unusual provider situations that don’t make sense. and for both, it was their first provider experience. both posted their stories within a few days of joining the site. both seeking advice, but not really seeking advice coincidence ?? may be wise to check to see how long these people have been members or what else they’ve posted before engaging them with their unique & far-fetched provider problems. the members intentions are good to help, but someone is obviously trying to take advantage of the goodwill.

this story as described by OP is highly improbable. The idea that someone brand new to this hobby (and this site) gets a death threat from a simple inquiry that didn’t result in a booked appointment ? No - that just doesn’t happen. And if by some long-shot, portions of the story are true - you just block the person from contact on various phone numbers and move on. It’s beyond belief to think an established provider is going to travel a long distance to somehow retaliate for a simple ghosting. Even more so when the provider has been positively reviewed here & would put his entire reputation/career at risk for a non-event. reviewed providers on this site frequently check it to see what people are saying about them. If any of this actually happened & the provider is unhinged - I’d say the OP has made the situation worse. The correct way to handle it would have been either say nothing & block him, or if posting the story here, name the provider & help others avoid a potential problem. As is, it’s a far-fetched story that doesn’t make sense without any real purpose or help to the community. btw - don’t text providers months in advance to set- up appointments. It’s a waste of everyone’s time & the provider should have known the OP wasn’t serious from the start.