6. 1st Jan 2006 .............. MAE SAI - Overview......................... Thomas (of whorist.com)

UPDATED : This original FR is NOT updated anymore.

SEX with HOOKERSMAE SAI : In my opinion , this town is no longer a sex destination. Of curiosity value only. Governments crackdown has seem to have made taking ladies back to your hotel for sex mandatory and 'difficult'. Didnt find any 'lady house' (massage) that allowed 'nookie' on the premises (didnt try too hard either : )IMPORTANT : See above Joni Shy report on Mae Sai Jan 2010. He likes Mae Sai etc. I do not. Different horses for different courses : ) ---------------A one street town that is worth visiting every 3/5 years for one night. That’s Mae Sai : ) The main street of Mae Sai is the same name as the main street of Chiangrai - Phaholyothin Road. How’s that for being original. Wouldn't be surprised if Phaholyothin means 'Main' in Thai language : )TRANSPORT : Catch a bus at the Chiangrai Bus Terminal (No.4 on Chiangrai Map above). Costs next to nothing (40 Baht , Air Con ?) and takes about one and a half hours to get there. Alternatively zoom up on your hired Honda Dream motorbike. I have done both , but because of punctures and other problems along the way I go by bus nowadays.Within Mae Sai - Songthaews will take you from the Bus Terminal to the Myanmar Bridge/Border area in the main street. Cost me Baht20. 10 min trip 20 Baht, 90 min trip on air con Bus (ex Chiangrai ) 40 Baht !Once you have settled in , use the motorbike taxis. They can take you to the limited number of nightspots. Ask them how much per hour (Baht50 ?) , and do a tour of the nightspots with them. "Bahn pooying sow" (house with young lady) works everytime. Otherwise just say : 'Lady House' : )ACCOMMODATION :MAP : Neither B&B or Periplus have an inset map of Mae Sai. But you really do not need a map of this place , as it is a 'one horse' town. See our simple map below : No.2 on the Map below : Wang Thong Hotel - 299 Phaholyothin Road. Phone 053.640387-92. Fax : 053. 732233/733399. Finding it : Coming from the south and walking along the main road/street of this town (Phaholyothin Rd) north , towards Burmese Border/River. The last road/street off Phaholyothin Rd on the right (coming from the south) runs along the river . Well just before that last road/street there is a laneway leading to Wang Thong Hotel , Mae Sai’s biggest hotel. It looks like a pedestrian laneway , but on Lonely Planet it is presented as a regular Soi/Street. Vendors line the laneway before the Hotel itself. This hotel is of special interest because of its Buffet’s and very pretty waitresses. I ate and perved here, but slept in sub standard Daw Guest House on one occasion and Taitong Hotel on another. Wang Thong is not cheap for Mae Sai. Rooms Baht750/1000/1500. Not sure how you would go if you brought a Baht500/1000 LON into the foyer : ) No.9 on the Map below : Tai Tong Hotel - 6 Paholyothin Rd (right side heading north towards bridge) Phone 053.731975-6 Fax : 640988. Baht 250 Fan ; Baht 300 Air for basic rooms , then better Air Con rooms for - 500/700/900. Much more convenient location. I have stayed there , ok place , but no hotwater for 'fan' prices. No.10 on the Map on the map below : Tip Sukon House - Walking up the main street (Phaholyothin Road) you turn left under the bridge to Myanmar (Burma). Walking 200mtrs along this river road known as Sailomjoi Road , you will find Tip Sukon located on the first corner on your left. You will not see the river because of the buildings built on its banks. Tip Sukon is a little upmarket by comparison to Daw Guest House , listed below. Baht 2/3/400 rooms. O/N Guests - It would pay to ask beforehand. There is no 0/N Guest problem with tiny little Daw Guest House : No.11 on the Map below : Daw Guest House - 9 Moo 1 T. Wingpangkum. Located on the opposite side of the same corner as Tip Sukon House. My room had no window and was Baht160. No extra charge for overnight ladies. Very rudimentary budget accom for a short stay. Think I would try "Tip Sukon" next time. Although the Manager (Owner ?) at Daw had a very good grip on the English language , including expressions, and falangs/foreigners needs (sex with Thai Ladies : ) All of this info belongs to : www.whorist.comRESTAURANTS :Map below , in Nightlife section. You will be hard pressed to get a decent feed in this town. Personal opinion only of course. You might be easier to please than me and thus have no problems with Mae Sai's Restaurants. No.2 on the Map below : Wang Thong Hotel - see above where its also mentioned in the accommodation notes. I found this place the best bet for a feed. Try their Buffets. Plus they have pretty waitresses , and a nice ambience , and my favourite - Klosters Beer : ) Other beer brands available too , of course. Alternative is "Johns Restaurant" on the river road , right hand side , before Tip Sukon House (see accom , No.10 on Map). Adequate menu , falangs meet here. Worth a try. NIGHTLIFE What there is of it : )Venues for SEX with HOOKERS MAE SAI : No Go-Go , about a dozen non sex Massage places and no typical Lady House as in days of yore. If you want sex you have to take a massage babe (very ordinary , the ones I saw) back to your Hotel , but getting a Hotel to accept your babe might be 'difficult'. They were asking Baht1000 all night (take home) , and thats all they would be worth. Amongst about a dozen 'b grade' (some c and d grade) massage joints the best one was "01 Thai Massage" 394/1 Moo 3 Wiangpankam Mae Sai , Phone 053-732600 or 09-5554910. They showed me their album of girls , I wasnt all that impressed , but saw a couple in the flesh walking past who were better than the other ten or more places I visited. From memory I think it might have been possible to bang on the premises , not sure , but hey forget Mae Sai. There is also a little bit of a Garland singalong scene , and a fair sized disco called BM. Called at disco during week , it was pretty empty , might rock on weekends. Suggest you hire a motorbike taxi on an hourly basis , minimum 3 hours @ Baht50 per hour (otherwise not attractive to him) and go to every single sex spot. Tell the driver - "Barn Pooying Sow" , which translates to : House with Young Ladies. You could also use expressions like : "Lady Sing" (= Garland shows where ladies are not cheap but possibly can be had after hours next day) ; "Lady Dancing" (No GoGo) ; "Massage" ; "Beer Bar" (Nil Pattaya style beer bars to my knowledge). If the motorbike taxi boys cant find the girls, then there are none. Do not shout him beers along the way , too dangerous. They get carried away on small amounts of alcohol : ) Maybe at last stop , ok. All of this info belongs to : www.whorist.com

Lady Houses - See above notes , now called Massage and no sex on the premises (govts clean up drive).Location : See No's 5 , 6 & 8 on the Map above. Actually a bit misleading see instructions below. Quickest simplest way to find them is hop on the back of a motorbike taxi and tell driver - "Lady House" or "Barn pooying sow". Translated = House with young ladies. But if you take ladies after alighting the motorbike 'taxi' you will most probably pay an inflated price , which includes a tip to the motorbike driver. If you walk to these houses you will find they are not far from the main street/drag (5 mins from Wiang Thong Hotel). Here are the directions to them. Didn't come across street names , so the instructions are a bit vague.The best way of locating the former Lady Houses (sex on premises) now called , Massage (no sex on premises) is as follows : Walking from a southerly direction (eg from Chiangrai ) along the main drag/street of Mae Sai , Phaholyothin Road , (No.1 on the Map above) , towards bridge and Burmese border , you enter the laneway before the 'river' road. This same laneway houses Wang Thong Hotel (No.2 on the Map above). It is on the same side but before the cement 'Myanmar Border' sign. You have gone too far , if you are at that spot. So back to the laneway. Continue on down this laneway/soi until you come to a T intersection , that is you can not go any further , and turn left until you come to another T intersection , turn right and there should be a place (No.5) on your left , further up at the crossroads (see Map) you'll find No's 6 , 7 and 8 on Map above. There is an enchaged Buddhist Shrine in this area (See Feb 1st 2005 (No.16) link on 'NEW' page for pics). There are at least six other similar places , here there and everywhere. Motorbike taxis are required. Garland Nightclub - On one occasion I took a motorbike taxi who delivered me to a large barn of a nightclub. Singers and dancers get on stage, you buy garlands if you want to impress. Lady you buy garlands for sits at your table and you buy ladies drinks etc. Some pretty singers here. It’s something like a Cabaret. To cut costs you could arrange to meet one of the garland girls the next day, otherwise its going to be awfully expensive to take one of their star performers away from the other customers who want to hear her sing , buy her ladies drinks/garlands etc . Management sometimes makes more via drinks and garlands than 'bar fine' (if that is feasible , dont know). To get home I had to hire the Managers private car for Baht 100 to Daw Guest House. Do a deal with a motorbike taxi, eg fifty baht per hour, mininum of three hours. He sits and waits for you outside, then off to the next one. Good way of getting an overview. Mae Sai never was a good whoring town , as of my December 2005 tour , it is even less so.

5. 1st Jan 2006 ............... KOH SAMUI - Overview......................... Thomas (of whorist.com)

The following info is a culmination of years of collecting info up to and including 1st Jan 2006. As we do not travel to Koh Samui anymore , doubt if we will post another Field Report about the place. Its up to others that follow our footsteps , to keep readers up to date on Koh Samui matters.UPDATES : This original FR is NOT updated anymore.

KOH SAMUINOTE : Originally I personally collected the info on Koh Samui , but then updated from reliable second hand sources. Nowadays cant be bothered going to Samui just for a 'minnow' (mini) sex scene : )Ko Samui has a relaxed laid back atmosphere. Girls consequently come across as less commercial/money orientated and with more personality. But the number of pretty girls is limited . As a rule , pretty girls gravitate towards the big cities like Bangkok. Pattaya , Patong/Phuket and Chiangmai , offer a lot more opportunities than Samui. European younguns wanting to hang around tropical beaches , and return to cold Europe boasting "I've got a tan" visit this place. An older person might feel a little out of place (Young Europeans disapproving of oldies going with youngies : ) Whereas a place like Pattaya is a straight forward 'animal farm' where everyone feels comfortable. Personal opinion only.High Season - December to Feb ; July - August. Accom. can be difficult then. Prices Dec to August - high. Sept to Nov prices more reasonable , with some not waiting for Dec to increase their prices. It's a touristy beach scene, not a genuine whoring scene like say Pattaya. Even so , there are enough Ladies to keep you busy for a few days at least. Maps : Possibly try www.samui.org/map .......Place cursor over area of interest , eg Chaweng and it enlarges into broad detail. I hope to find a better internet map source one day : )TRANSPORT : ex Bangkok -Train : by Train/Bus/Ferry - Thai Overland and Tour - 407 Sukhumvit Road, between Soi’s 21 & 23, and therefore a long walk from Soi.4. area, so catch Skytrain to AsokE4 Station (Soi 21). Phone (02) 2584778-80. 2589246-7 Fax (02) 259-6558. Email : todbul@a-net.net.th or todbul@ksc.th.com As you enter the front door of TOT - Straight ahead = Overseas Air ; to your right - Domestic Air . Upstairs - Train Tickets. No train ticket sales during lunch hour. Call 9a - 11a or 2p -5pm.Round trip Ko Samui, Phuket, Hatyai - Train/short Bus tripsIf you want to go to Ko Samui, Phuket and Hatyai the cheap way. Here is one suggestion utilising trains to the max. I do not have much confidence with long haul bus trips . Possibility of accident or your valuables being interfered with are greater with the long haul buses. You should discuss the feasibility of buying all tickets in Bangkok with the TOT people. Bangkok to Ko Samui - TOT Travel Agents, 2nd class special express train to Surat Thani Baht 6/700 ?...and 10/11 ? hours. Bus/Ferry/Bus to Nathon Pier Ko Samui Baht ...170 ?....and ..3 ? hours..., then Songthaew (shared) to Chaweng Central , Baht 50, 45 mins.Ko Samui to Phuket - Consider Songserm Travel Agents, opposite the Nathon Pier (Ko Samui) in amongst the line of shops for tickets. Songthaew, shared. Chaweng central to Nathon = Baht 50 and 45mins. Bus/Ferry/Bus Air con to Phuket Baht 300, 7 hrs. Phuket to Surat Thani - Buy ticket in advance at Songserm Travel, Nathon Pier , alternatively, all tickets at TOT Bangkok. Surat Thani to Hatyai by Train - Air con, 2nd class, sit up .Baht 360 Songserm at Nathon can sell. Hatyai to Bangkok - Air con Sleeper, Special Express train. Buy tickets in Bangkok or from Songserm Travel or in Hatyai. All of this info belongs to : www.whorist.com
Bus : Not recommended. Air : Note - cause of 'terrorism' and consequent hike in Insurance rates for Airlines , prices quoted hereafter might have sneaked up a bit.Ex Phuket to Samui by Air : Bangkok Airways, small plane, 35/45 mins (Baht 1800 + !) Samui Airport - They make you wait until all bags are off the plane before you can take yours = Ten to fifteen minute delay. even if your bag is one of the first to be offloaded. ATM’s - didnt see any, doubt it , thatched roof, no walls. Info Desk - didn’t see any. Booking Hotels - yes, some info available. Map - take free one from Bangkok Airways Limo Desk. Bangkok Airways Limo Service - Mini Van, not sure if they had Limo on offer ? Mini Van Baht 100, not far to accom. area but some dropping off of other passengers along the way..........mins ? Ex Samui to Phuket by Air : 1800 plus ! Bt 35/45 mins , hard to get a seat ! Note - 100 baht Dep.Tax. (These figs could have inflated). Air from Bgk : Bangkok Airways , Baht 3500 one way ? , double for return. 1hr & 15mins. At Samui Airp. Air con Van 120bt to Chaweng, 100 bt to Lamai. If/when Thai airways gain rights to fly to Samui , air fares should drop. All of this info belongs to : www.whorist.comTransport on the Island :Songthaew pick ups - everywhere and usual fare 20 Baht (share).50 Baht at night if Chaweng-Lamai. They put up fares at night. Regular taxis also fairly common, but no need for them when Songs’ are everywhere. Motorbike Taxis abound. Seemed to be charging same as Songthaews. Motorcycle Hire - Honda Dream 100c = Baht 150 per day. ACCOMMODATION :All of the accommodation I have listed is in Chaweng and on the beach side of the main road. It’s about 100/150 metres from the main road to the beach . Some rooms at these places are only 20 mtrs from the beach itself. Note - High Season is December - Feb and July to August. Clarify re overnight guests (extra overnight charge ? ) before paying for a room.
Montien House - Phone 077.422169/230093. Fax 77.422145. Email: montien@samart.co.thAbout 125 mtrs North of Pizza Hut, on same side, laneway with sign at entrance ‘Montien House’. Walk 125 mtrs down that lane, Shops/Restaurant on left, wall to right . Pass through archway and down a tiled pathway past good quality bungalows and a nice ‘light’ tropical garden , 100 mtrs to the Reception Office on the left. Neat Restaurant and adequate swimming pool nearby. Low Season - Baht Air , hot water, 1200/1400 incl’s Fridge etc. High Season (15th Dec. on’) - 1600/1800. Compared to others, overpriced. Nice place if you do not mind paying those prices. Got the impression it had a signif. number of vacancies (no takers at that price).Coconut Grove - 159/6 M.2. Chaweng Beach. Phone 077.422269. No email/fax . South of Montien House, opposite Islander Restaurant , or alternatively, next to Pizza Hut , is a laneway. CG Reception Office is about 75 metres down that lane, on the right. Baht 300 but only suitable for backpackers on a very tight budget. Good location and cheap for Chaweng and November of the year , when I was there. Listed by Lonely Planet , but unfriendly, slovenly/lazy lot running this place. About 150 mtrs to beach itself. Honda dream via them Baht 150 per day. This place (which I briefly stayed at) is not reco. unless your on a very tight budget and there is no other accommodation available in Chaweng.All of this info belongs to : www.whorist.comChaweng Gardens Beach Hotel - 162/8 Chaweng Beach. Ph. 077.422265 Fax 77.422265 Email : chawenggarden@yahoo.com. Location - from Islander Restaurant heading in a Southerly direction, 100 mtrs up on opposite (Beach ) side of the road you will see a sign : Chaweng Gardens Beach Hotel, enter that laneway and 100 mtrs down there is another similar sign and rickety fence.Walk through the property and past rooms 150 mtrs to beachside Restaurant and Reception Desk. No high/low season prices. Price same all year round. Fan 350 cold water. Air Con, with Hot Water, about five different categories from 750 to 1000 Baht. It looked very good, including beachside Restaurant. Nice Garden, shady trees, buildings in good condition. Recommended for a try. Baan Chaweng Resort - Phone 077. 422403-4 Fax 66.77. 422404 Heading further south along the tourist drag/main beach road, 100 mtrs up and on Pizza Hut (beach) side you will come across another lane with a Baan Chaweng Resort sign. Dbl Fan 500 Baht cold water; Air 800 Baht hot water. o/n no extra (throughout Samui I think). This place is not competitive price wise with Chaweng Gardens. Also entrance to beach obstructed by old buildings and rubbish laying about. Restaurant empty, not so ‘Gardens’. Nice tropical garden and accom. buildings in good condition. ‘Gardens’ is a better option.--------Note : Lamai cottage accom can be had for less than Baht500 per night. You might glean more accommodation info via : www.samuiaccom.com ; www.samuiguide.com ; www.sawadee.com/samui/resotel/All of this info belongs to : www.whorist.com
RESTAURANTS : Islander Restaurant & Pub - Main Chaweng Beach Road, opposite Pizza Hut/Coconut Grove. Fish and Chips is not good value but other meals are ok. Popular with Falangs . Two large Sports/News TV screens. Great variety of beers (except my favourite - Klosters !). This is where I ate most of the time.'Will Wait' Restaurant - Heading South - 25 mtrs up from Pizza Hut on same side. Popular , but for me, nothing special.PS: There are plenty of other Restaurants to try. Cant' miss them. NIGHTLIFE Venues for SEX with HOOKERS KOH SAMUI : Quality of the girls is so-so, most good lookers go for the young European travellers. It's not a genuine unabashed whoring destination. Too many foreign women around - 'observing'. Less so in Lamai which is quiet by comparison. Sex Massage has just started to develope in Koh Samui. But I do not have any details as yet. Possibly "behind Starbucks" (?) There are basically two areas .1. Lamai Beach: Bauhaus Pub/Disco is worth a try , midnight on'. More laid back and less commercial than Chaweng. Bauhaus is the Freelancer haunt at Bt500 Long Time (pay more if you wish : ) . There is also the possibility of picking up a freebie at Bauhaus , but don't bet on it : ) There are a few Beer Bars where your drink will cost around Baht 60. "No Problem" Bar ; Beer Bars near the Boxing Ring and Central Lamai Plaza are popular. For a Lady there is a Bar Fine of 200 plus 'tip' to the Lady - Long Time is Baht500 , but they will ask for Bt1000. Some , after first night will even drop their price below these figs. To date there is little ST mentality in Lamai. Whereas in Chaweng , its starting to creep in. Overall - cheaper and less commercial than the Chaweng 'touristy' area..2. Chaweng Beach has everything Lamai has, plus a little more and therefore is a little more 'commercial'. The Reggae Pub and Green Mango Disco and surrounding Beer Bars is where the action is. Prices a little more than Lamai's. If your youngish, ladies can be as cheap as Baht 500, otherwise 1000 is the correct rate. Naturally some ask for more. Suggest you hold out for 750/1000. Talking about Chaweng now : ) 1. Chaweng Beach :Green Mango -In the heart of the Chaweng tourist area and a short walk South from Islander Rest. and on same side , ie not beach side of road. Beer Bars - are the first ones you come across , both sides of the alleyway x 20/30 bars, 2/3 have disco dancing with 75 or so people in attendance , including a sprinkling of foreign women. 33% of the Beer Bars were well catered for on my survey , others were suffering/empty and it was November ! , maybe I was too early as usual : )Green Mango Disco is at the end of alleyway and to the right , about 200 people in attendance on the couple of occasions I called. Didn't see a great number of pick up possibilities. Signif No. of falang/foreign women around there too. Thais def. in the minority when I was there. Thai girls in Green Mango area are a little more sophisticated than the beer bar girls of Reggae Pub area. Nowadays there are two Go-Go Bars in the Green Mango area. Enter main Green Mango soi/entrance and you will find Dream Girls on the left. Continue on around the horsehoe soi , turning left all the time and then you will find G B Lounge Go-Go on your right. Bar Fine Bt500 , Short Time Baht1000 and up , depending on demand. Note - if busy , gal might only stay with you for one hour. Long Time 1500/2500 depending if high/low season/demand. Not cheap , and just as good looking gals elsewhere in Samui for a lot less , eg Baht 500 all night at Lamai. These Chaweng Go-Go's are aimed at first time tourist suckers : )Reggae Pub - Beer Bars : From Islander Restaurant catch a Songthaew Taxi heading in a Southerly direction. At night, 20/30 Baht if left on the main beach road , where you have to walk half a kilometre or more to the Beer Bars and Reggae Pub itself. 50 Baht and the driver will drop you right in the heart of the Beer Bar area , or at Reggae Pubs doorstep. Reggae Pub itself is only 40/50 metres further on from the Beer Bars. 20 Baht return trip if you use the motorcylce taxi’s which are parked alongside the Beer Bar strip. 5/10 girls in each Bar. Average looking and youngish. Casual , relaxed , friendly atmosphere. Bar Fine Bt200 , Short Time Bt500 , Long Time Baht1000. You can get them for less , if your in no hurry. Fairly dormant on the couple occasions I was there and therefore not inspiring.
Reggae Pub itself - This is only forty/fifty metres past the Beer Bars, on the right hand side. As you enter , the Bar on the left is the biggest and most popular. Smaller bar to right. Band and singers good. Signif. number of falang women. When I was there , about 30/50 relaxed Hookers, ( will not normally approach you) representing about 20% of crowd in attendance. Not many really good lookers amongst them. 12 m/n on it starts to rev up with the nearby Beer Bar girls drifting in. Signif. number of patrons come with partners. Beer was not cold ( 1 off prob ?) and 90 Baht.........No entrance fee. LT anything from Baht 500 - 1000. Not a short time venue.Nothing like other pick up dance halls/disco's in other parts of Thailand. Not the numbers or quality. Drink plenty of beer and you will have no problems in selecting someone. The more beers you drink , the prettier they look : )All of this info belongs to : www.whorist.comO'Neils Sports Bar - This place has the reputation of a Freelancer (FL) pick up place. Located at the northern end of the strip on right hand (beach) side , 50 mtrs from Green Mango area.Utopia Club - UPDATE : Closed , see Field Reports for further info , incl. 'replacement'/alternative to Utopia. Written before closure : This is a relatively new player , something along the lines of Eden Club in Bangkok (See Bangkok Other Nightlife notes). That is , a 'fantasy house' of sorts , uniforms , alternative sex etc available. Check : www.geocities.com/utopiasamui ...for more info. It's not far from Mango St and the action , ie convenient.Massage - Apparently there are Massage Parlours close to "Starbucks". Sex available. Originally dormant , the sex massage scene seems to be gradually growing and Starbucks area seems to be where its happening. Pink Lady Massage : I am a bit hazy on its location , but it is supposed to be at the Southern end of Beach Rd and housing better looking ladies than those employed at the Massage places near Reggae Club. This is not saying a lot , as Samui Massage joints employ 'dragons' (hence no sex : ) Pink Lady opens 12noon to 12 midnight Baht2000 for 1 hour of Massage and sex. For Samui , this is expensive. Obviously aimed at the first time sucker tourist. Service is reportedly mediocre at best. So you've done the beat , it's 1/2am and your still empty handed , then try :Entrance to Green Mango -Hang around there , anytime from 11pm onwards. LON 'predators' abound : ) Also near the 7-11 Store (opposite Chaweng Gardens Beach Hotel) and Burger King , 1am on , apparently. Short Time 3/500 , Long Time 500/1000. Islander Restaurant - Early hours of morning not many punters. Take a Beach Road seat, sip a beer and see the goings on lam - 2am. Katoeys trawling up and down on their Honda Dreams/on foot, looking for a sucker, chatting to each other, swapping notes. Fun to watch. It was amusing to see one novice falang motorcyclist , both feet skidding along the ground trying to maintain stability . Whilst in this state he was propositioned by a Katoey who trolled up alongside him on another motorbike. Consequently the falang nearly fell off his bike. There are more lady boys/katoeys hanging around Chaweng preying on gullible first time tourists/whorists than at Lamai. Be on guard : )Occasional chicks were heading home empty handed. You can call them in to join you at your table. Good rates 1am - 2am : ) I scored a respectable Baht500 LON that way. All of this info belongs to : www.whorist.com
2. Lamai : further South (from Chaweng)See above , just at beginning of 'NIGHTLIFE' info. Better Lamai nightlife info there. I am too lazy to retype all this stuff again , so read above and below together : )---------
Lamai does not have as much to offer as Chaweng. But its more laid back , less commercial and cheaper. Some distance from Chaweng Central. If you have a Songthaew (communal pick up taxi) to yourself it will cost Baht 100 to Lamai at night (half that during the day). Unfortunately it was 'Full Moon' night (see below for explanation) and Lamai and Chaweng were relatively ‘deserted’. Bau Haus Pub was empty. Too early in the night, would have contributed to that. Typical of me, I just have to strike out early every night. Disco Music ; Drag Shows; Muay Thai Boxing (Bau Haus) . In same area about 40/50 Beer Bars, 5/7 girls in each and even less customers. ‘Full Moon’ and the fact it was only 9/10pm , may have affected 'attendances' .Near the Thai Boxing Stadium there is "Super Sub" Disco with fully clothed gals dancing. You can buy these attractive girls LD's @ Baht200 and take them out after closing time for around Baht3/5000 , if they are interested. But they get paid so much for dancing and earn well ex LD's that they are not fussed about going with Falang customers. Massage either Area : In both Chaweng and Lamai areas , a sex massage with average or below average looking women is not Thai cheap : Baht2000.
Beach Parties :I am not over confident that the following info is precisely correct. Lot of misinformation floating around about the Full Moon ; Half Moon and Black Moon Parties. Use the following as a reasonable guide only. Check : www.thaisite/com/fullmoonparty/ for possibly more specific details. Or www.almanac.com/details/moondays might be a help re full moon dates. All of this info belongs to : www.whorist.comFull Moon Beach Party :Check www.thaisite.com/fullmoonparty/ for specific details. Punters have told me the following - The beach party takes place on Ko Phan Gnan Island at Haad Rin Beach. They do not necessarily wait for a full moon : ) If there happens to be a full moon , the party is held the night AFTER for religious reasons. You might see Notices pinned up around town. Transport : Speed Boat. A return ticket of Baht550 can be purchased at Hotels or Travel Agents. Departs Big Buddha Pier and takes about 20 mins. Latest info : www.thaisite.com/fullmoonparty/ Beach party for the young at heart , very few if any hookers, lots of foreigners incl. foreign women. There are thousands at the N.Years Eve 'Full Moon' Party , which usually starts on the 29th going right through to a.m. 1st Jan. Accommodation is understandably tight around this time and one should arrive at least a week beforehand. Finishes sun-up the next day and thus ignores governments 2am closing requirement. However, you can return early if you like. Speed boats leave regularly for Chaweng. There is a Police presence , but beware of thieving. Don't leave anything unnattended . For the younguns, including foreign women , who might outnumber the Thai gals. Check it out , and let's know : ) #Black Moon Beach Party :Info via the grapevine - Held on Ko Samui itself at "Secret Beach" in Maenam. Black Moon meaning , no full moon , presumably. Held every second week. You catch the local communal Songthaew taxi to it. Two hundred and fifty (250) to 1000 people attend this one. Some Freelancers. Kicks off around 1am and finishes at sun up. Your Drink Bt100. Not many go if it rains , cause the township floods. -------

Na Thon Pier Area - A long distance from the abovementioned areas. It's where you arrive and depart Koh Samui by Ferry. This is the exception to usual Koh Samui massage prices. At the Na Thon Pier area and next to Palace Hotel you will see girls sitting out the front 6pm onwards. Inside , there is 1hr Massage and sex for as low as Baht500.

4. 1st Jan 2006 ............... HATYAI - Overview......................... Thomas (of whorist.com)

The following info is a culmination of years of collecting info up to and including 1st Jan 2006. As we do not travel to Hatyai anymore , doubt if we will post another Field Report about the place. Its up to others that follow our footsteps , to keep readers up to date on Hatyai matters.UPDATED : This original FR is NOT updated anymore.

HAT YAI

Is it worth travelling to ? Accommodation is satisfactory , but the Restaurants for me were lacking (others disagree). Nightlife is quite ok but would rank number four behind Bangkok , Pattaya and Patong (Phuket) for ‘opportunities’ and liveliness. The city itself is flat and uninteresting , lacking any charm or uniqueness. Personal opinion only , of course.Even so , this town could be for you. You'll never know , until you go , and check it out for yourself. TERRORISTS : March 2005 Hatyai .... Muslim insurgents let off two bombs , one at the Airport , the other at a Department Store. Two people killed others injured. Beware , they might be heading from their camps deep in the South in a Northerly direction (to eg Hatyai) , to gain more publicity for their 'cause'. If they ever get as far as say Phuket , then that will be it , tourism/whorism will plummet.
TRANSPORT :
Travel Agent Bangkok - Thai Overland and Tour , 407 Sukhumvit Road, between Soi’s 21 & 23, and therefore a long walk from Soi.4. area, so catch Skytrain to Asok E4 Station (Soi 21). Phone (02) 2584778-80. 2589246-7 Fax (02) 259-6558. Email : todbul@a-net.net.th or todbul@ksc.th.comAs you enter the front door of TOT - Straight ahead = Overseas Air ; to your right - Domestic Air . Upstairs - Train Tickets. I do not have much confidence with long haul bus trips . Possibility of accident or your valuables being interfered with are greater with the long haul buses. Think it's Baht 500 from the Southern Bus Terminal. Air travel is expensive for the budget traveller (Baht 2400+ one way ?) but only takes about 1 hour. Give the money to the ladies, not the airlines : ) Trains are safe and a bit of 'old world charm'. Try them. Train ticket to Hatyai - No train ticket sales at TOT during lunch hour. Call 9a - 11a or 2p -5pm.

First class, Special Express, air con , sleeper, no share = Baht 1690 one way . If share Baht 1390. Share not reco. cause locked in to a small space with a stranger and freeze to death. Can’t adjust air con. Alternatively walk up to the 2nd class cabins and recruit a lady to keep you warm : ). Note - don’t get a cabin at either end of rail car as you will be sitting right on top of the wheels and springs , bouncing up and down all the way. Second class , Special Express, air , sleeper = Baht 795 and recommended. (Sim. to the Chiangmai/Bangkok train trip). Other Cabins, are ‘sit up’ all the way. Not easy on your back. TOT has a photo album with good illustrations of the various classes of cabins, including Restaurant etc. Restaurant itself was inadequate. Suggest you eat up big ( at Nana Buffet ? ) before the trip and/or bring some food with you. Some say the trip takes 12 hours , think my trip was longer than that (trains always late : ). Don’t be surprised if your train (a) departs punctually to the minute and (b) arrives an hour or more late.
All of this info belongs to : www.whorist.comACCOMMODATION :There seems to be an oversupply of Hotel accommodation in Hat Yai, hence prices are reasonable and service/rooms are good, including no objection to overnight ladies and no extra charge. Prices quoted below , can float up or down according to demand and supply , for example , when there is a Public Holiday in neighbouring Singapore/Malaysia and tourists/mongers stream across the border , prices can rise.
Pink Hotel - 24/12 Sanehanusorn Road. Phone 230960-4 239831-3 Fax 235218 Email: www.pinkladyhotel.com There are two buildings shoulder to shoulder. One is the Pink Hotel for accommodation. The other is the Pink Lady Complex which houses ladies of the night (Massage; Hospitality Lounges etc). See further on under Nightlife Notes for information on this Complex. You enter the Hotel itself from Saeng Chan Road. Make sure the taxi (Songthaew) driver understands it is the Hotel you want and not the Complex. If he drops you at 24/12 Sanehanusorn Road , Pink Lady Complex entrance you will have to carry your bags along a laneway (street stalls on both sides of you) up a steep flight of stairs through the door, into the Pink Lady Complex, turn left passing a Garland Coffee Shop on your right and a Pool Room on your left to the elevator and the ........................floor to the Hotel Reception Desk . Forget the floor number, its where the Reception Desk is located. Much more convenient if the driver drops you and your bags at the Saeng Chan Road Hotel entrance. Rooms at Baht 620 Double are good. Restaurant ? didn’t try it. Location for nightlife activities - very good to excellent. Louise Guest House - Address : 21-23 Thamanoon Vithi Road. Phone 220966. Dbl Fan Baht 300; Double Air Baht 320 ? (yes I think so) . Generous sized room and bed. Clean tiled floor, plenty of windows and thus ventilation, central location and satisfactory management. Typical with Hatyai , no overnight lady charge.Take one of the freebie town Maps at the Reception Desk. They are easy to read and helpful. A fresh change from the scrambled Bangkok Maps. There would be, no doubt , better accommodation for the same money or a little more, but I intended to only stay about three nights and once I have unpacked my bags I usually stay put , and that's what I did at Louise Guest House. No regrets, it's ok for a budget traveller/banger. Kosit Hotel - 199 (?) Niphat Uthit .2. Road . Coming from Thamanoon Vithee Street , its on the right hand side just after Niyom Rat St. Phone (074) 234366 Fax (074) 232365. No Email. Double Air Baht 590. Looked a good place. Karaoke sign to the side of the building , but I did not enter. Kings Hotel - 126 Niphat Uthit .1. Road on left hand side around the corner from Thamanoon Vithee St. Phone (074) 261700-7. Fax (074) 236103. (ie 66.74.236103) No Email. Single room , double size bed Baht 390. ( Make sure room has x 1 double bed and not two by one and a half sized beds). Double room , Double bed Baht 490 includes breakfast (590 if two persons, both get breakfast). It was an ok hotel (I inspected the rooms). All of this info belongs to : www.whorist.com------Did not personally check the following : Lee Garden Plaza Hotel - 29 Prachathipat Road. Ph. 66-74-261111. Fax 66.74.353555. Email:reservation@leeplaza.com (www.leeplaza.com). Baht500 and up. Not far from Pink Hotel. No Ladies for sale/rent on premises though, as is the case with Pink Hotel/Complex.
Hatyai Palace Hotel - 10/7 Chaiyakul - Uthit Road. In the heart of a Karaoke (sex) area. Phone (074) 357576-83 Fax (074) 235750. Dbl Air 750. Nice looking place but I still think overpriced compared to others. Restaurant absolutely empty and Menu not encouraging for a foreigner. Did not check the rooms themselves. River Inn Hotel - It's more than a walking distance from the centre of town. Ph. (074) 356621 Fax 074. 231871. No Email. Has Cabaret ; Sexy Dancers etc. Did not personally check. RESTAURANTS : In respect of food, I am almost what you would call a vegetarian, although I do partake of fish on occasions. Hatyai was a disaster for me in respect of Vegetarian style Restaurants. Everything seem to be fried in Hatyai. Not for me. I tried to fill up on vegetable soup with rice, most of the time. There was one spot where I was able to scrounge some vegetables, beans etc and make up a meal. This place was not very salubrious , but I managed to survive , eating at it. Name : T.S. Vegetarian (real backpacker joint : ) T.S. Vegetarian - small, local style vegetarian eatery. Very cheap. 16 Prachatipat Rd. Opposite Central Sukhontha Hotel. Not far from the corner of Prachathipat and Niphat Uthit .3. Streets. Get your bearings by first locating Lee Gardens Hotel, nearby. See free handout Tourist Map for specific location of the Streets. Don’t expect too much, but if your a vegetarian this place could help fill your stomach. Other Restaurants - For budget style Restaurants you could try Thamanoon Vithi Street. Coming from the Railway Station direction, most of them are on the right hand side of the street as you head East. On the corner of Thamanoon Vithi and Niphat Uthit .3. Streets there is an elevated , and open to the elements , Restaurant that looked interesting ,and was popular with meat eating budget foreigners. The Pubb - 79/4-5 Thamnoonvithi Street. between Niphat Uthit .3.St and Sanehanusorn Streets, on the right hand side. Cheery , English fluent and helpful Hostess , who usually stands at the entrance. Ask her for assistance in finding places etc., she will oblige. Live and competent Band. Beer Baht 140 when they are playing. Attractive waitresses and good atmosphere. Restaurant - perhaps for you. McDonalds in Lee Gardens Shopping Plaza, might do, in desperation. See tourist map for location. Otherwise I suggest you head for upmarket tourist hotels and check out their Restaurants. Ask around for a good Falang Restaurant. Sorry, but in this town , I really found it difficult , to find a budget place to confidently recommend. Strange , cause others rave about the 'great food' in this town.All of this info belongs to : www.whorist.com

NIGHTLIFE

Venues for SEX with HOOKERS HATYAI : There is quite a lot on offer in Hatyai. Whether it is worth travelling all that way to experience it though , is another matter. There are better spots further North - Pattaya and Bangkok for example. ‘Book Lady’ and not ‘Bar Fine’ is the local expression for taking out a lady. It’s not uncommon for the Lady to stay with you for up to 24 hrs. You can select a gal before lunch time and keep her until the next morning. From sun down onwards (6pm) choice/numbers of girls reduce. Baht1500 is average for one of these girls.Beer Bars - There is no beer bar scene in Hatyai. If there is, it must be well hidden. I didn’t come across a typical Pattaya/Bier Garten beer garden scene in Hatyai during my short , but fairly thorough stay. Go-Go Bars - Likewise , I did not come across a single Go-Go Bar during my stay. They seem to prefer ‘sexy dancing’ on stage. Revues/Cabarets yes , .............. Go-Go ? , no-no. Hatyai's monger clientele are mostly Asian , hence no Go-Go's. Pick up Disco’s - Paragon Disco at Hansa Plaza is the go right now , freelancers abound etc. Taxi drivers know it , 5/7 mins from centre of town. Another more established one is Hollywood Disco , located in a lane off Sanehanusorn Street. Coming from the corner of Thamanoonvithee Street and on your right , it is just before the Pink Lady Complex (see further on re Pink Lady). But its seen better days. Its at the end of a lane with some street vendors stalls. No entrance fee when I was there. Beer Baht 150. Ladies prefer a very large rum and coke jug chock full of ice at Baht 175. Two or three drinks or more in each jug. FL (Freelancer) Ladies here are : ST 500 LT 1/1500. Beware of Katoeys at this , and other Disco's. Discovery Disco - Is supposed to be another pick up Disco, but I didn't locate it during my stay. Hollywood was more than adequate for my needs then , but Paragon is the go nowadays. Another you might like to try : Emperor Disco. Freelancers - Apparently there is a chance outside the Grand Plaza Hotel , in the evenings. Just look for positive eye contact : ) Cabaret’s - Best info on location etc of these can be had from the free Tourist Handout Maps available at most Hotels front desks.
KTV‘s/Hair Salons KTV = whore houses. Areas - 1. See Kim Yong Area/Hatyai Palace Hotel area. 711 Store best focal point (not Hatyai Palace). There are about two dozen places in this area , mostly in the side streets. Bt 1200-1500, top chicks 2000Bt . Soi.3. has some good looking girls (subjective : ). They go with you or follow after, to your hotel room. Take ktv calling card just in case probs with girl. 2. Channivate (pron. jan-ni-wait) area : Daichi Hotel , nearby street c/r = Angel whorehouse 30/40 girls, can drink there, other smaller casas/lady houses in this area. Baht 1/1500. 3. Thongsao area ,ie, Vichai Snake Shop area. Bt2500 and up ? Did not personally check this area out. 4. Kiss Karaoke/Lounge , 2nd Flr Hatyai Garden Home Hotel , 7/8pm on' for better quality gals , apparently. BF (Barfine) Bt600 then ST1500 LT3000 (guide only , precise fig depends). Hearing good reports about the place , never been there myself. Get to the Hotel , go upstairs to 2nd floor and start asking for Kiss Karaoke , apparently there are a bundle of good looking gals waiting for you at Kiss : )
Also in the Karaoke Central area (Area .1. above) and around the corner is:
Chinoise Karaoke: 41 Kimpradit Road, just before Grand Hotel. I arrived 8/9pm, too early. Arrive 12 m/n and see whats on offer. The small number I saw were good lookers , at a price no doubt : )
Grand Tower Hotel KTV (and Cocktail Lounge) : On the corner with Kimpradit Road and Sanehanusorn Street. 3rd Floor (uk) is "Your Place" Cocktail Lounge and Karaoke. About a dozen girls, some very pretty. YD (Your Drink) ... Kloster Beer was Baht 120 .
OK Karaoke KTV (formerly called 'Wonderful') at 203 Tammanoon Vithi Road (there’s that Road again) , opposite Chaoprya Turkish Massage Parlour (but not opposite Chao Prhya No.4. Massage Parlour. That‘s much further on.) Best selection : 12n to say 4pm. You need a (20Baht ?) communal Songthaew or ( .... Baht ?) M'bike taxi to this place. Girls - LT : Baht 1500/2000 ; ST Baht 800/1000. Songthaew/M'bike taxi driver will try and get commission for taking you there. Quite a lot of girls to choose from. Worth a visit. Check it out !Sakura Hotel - has a Karaoke. Girls Bt2/2500 LT. Can be expensive if you get involved in 'garlands' at Bt2/500 each. Taxi drivers know Sakura. Massage Parlours - Chao Phraya.4. Massage Parlour , aka , "New Chao Phraya". It’s a taxi ride to 520 Thamanoonvithee Road . Located in Klongrien .2. Street, off Thamanoonvithee. If you turn left on entering the main door you get the bigger 'display centre' @ Baht1500/1800 for the girls (90mins). If you turn right you get a smaller display of younger girls @ Baht2500 (90mins). Mama-san said 1pm best for full selection. Check other NL venues opposite too. If there is one called 'Hollywood' , check it out , friend reports fresh girls at Hollywood for around Bt1500/2000. Fact or fiction ? : ) There is another MP before CP4 (listed above) at 216 Thamanoonvithee Road , opposite OK Karaoke , and its called Chao Phraya Bath and Massage. Bt1500 the girls. Not in the same league as CP4. For Budget Bangers there is Chintana Bath , 70 Tanratanakorn Road , where the girls are 5/600Baht and the service is good. As usual the early bird catches the worm (early evening). All of this info belongs to : www.whorist.com
PINK LADY COMPLEX - 24/12 Sanehanusorn St. Walking down this street from Phamanoonvithee St corner, on the right hand side you will come across a laneway (Soi Prasancha.4.) . There is an archway sign overhead "Pink Lady - Johnny Walker". Walk down this short laneway with vendors stalls on either side , right to the end and then straight up the steep steps and the mecca of Hatyai’s nightspots - Pink Lady. Hatyai's one stop shop for sex. If you can’t get a naughty in this building , you should go back to your Hotel and get some sleep : ) . The following delights are on offer : Garland Coffee Shop : Firstly , entering from Sanehanusorn Street , and at the top of the steps , as you enter , you will come across the Garland Coffee Shop with sixty or more girls there at any one time. Some very pretty. It’s a fun place where girls get up on stage and sing. Customers buy garlands for the girls they like. The girls get a commission for each garland purchased for them. One guy had five girls sitting with him. Last of the big spenders ? : ). Visiting these 'garland' places is normally not a cheap experience. 'Action Central' : Walking past the garland Coffee Shop on your right you will notice the wall of Fame/Shame straight ahead of you. Photo’s of ladies employed in Pink Lady. Some of them , no doubt have moved on since the photo’s were taken. Also you can’t miss noticing a big "No Aids Here" sign near the elevator. Either walk up one flight of stairs or hop into the elevator to the next floor, 2nd floor (uk). That is , second floor if you choose to ignore the fact that the first floor is actually elevated above street level , up the stairs. First floor (in uk) is the ground level. But first floor of this building happens to be elevated above ground level. I still call it (Coffee Shop) the first floor , cause it is the first floor of the building , don't know what is underneath the building stairway. Confused ? You should be , especially if you come from America : ) . Now up the stairs/elevator one level to Action Central (my expression only) , where you will find:(a) Massage Parlour . 2nd flr uk. Fair sized Pond, lots of girls , some very pretty. Usual glum faces on some (lambs to the slaughter : ). Or is it cause they seeing 'ageing' Thomas ? : ) Cost - Baht 1200/1500/1800 categories. Open 11am - 11pm . To the right of the Pond is a trad. massage (no sex) parlour with girls in unsexy uniforms. Girls here are all smiles and ready to go. They are 'without sin' , in that they do not offer sex , and thus have a full beamy 'come in' smile on their dial. Baht 200 for no sex massage.(b) 'Snake Bar'. On the same floor and directly opposite the Massage Pond and a little to the right is a long snake shaped two sided simple wooden bar about half a metre wide. On one side are girls , the other customers , almost touching nose to nose : ) If you like a girl you prop opposite to where she is sitting and buy her a drink and negotiate terms. 'Snake Bar' is the name I have given to it, not Pink Lady management.(c) Lounge/Cabaret. On the same floor and to the left of the Snake Bar is the entrance to a Lounge where they have a live band and stage show/s of sorts. Customers lounge about chatting ladies whilst singers perform. At set times, 10.30pm for example, they have a strip show. Not totally nude, when I was there. Mature women with great legs but not necessarily great faces ...... showing signs of wear/age , just like me , only I do not have great legs : ) They call this Lounge : 'Relax Club'. Drinks not cheap , YD 165 . After checking out this floor, you catch the elevator to the Sky Lounge. Sky Lounge - Press the last floor, and when you get out of the elevator walk up another flight to their tenth (?) floor and across the rooftop to the corner diagonally opposite and the Sky Lounge entrance. Titillation stage shows and ladies to sit with you at Baht 150 per hour plus drinks. Fridays and Saturdays , best nights. Short time in the vicinity of Baht 1500/1800. Long Time : Baht 3000. Better value can be had elsewhere in Pink Lady Complex or Hatyai Generally . If you can't find something in the entire complex your not in the mood for it : ) End of Pink Lady Complex .All of this info belongs to : www.whorist.comOTHER - S.C.Heritage Hotel , 36/43 Saengsri , Soi.5 . Motorcyle taxi's know this place. Ten min walk from Lee Gardens Hotel area. Heritage is listed on the free tourist handout map. I went there to follow up a tip-off that Room 511 of the SC Heritage Hotel , houses Centrefold Models, but it only housed mama-san Piss , at the time I called. Yes her name is Piss.With Piss there was only one 'model' , but I believe normally there are a lot more in attendance. Apparently early afternoon (2/2.30pm) is the time to call for a full selection. Anyway 'Piss' showed me some photo's of gals , supposedly pages out of a Magazine. The girl in attendance and the photo's did not impress me. They'd all seen too many penises , rum and cokes and late nights for my mind. I valued the girls at Baht1000 all night , yet 'Piss' was asking Baht5000. Ridiculous. This place is for suckers only. Dont waste valuable time on this one.

3. 14th November 2004 ............... Koh Samui - Overview......................... ANONKoh Samui (Chaweng)DRAGONS (WOMEN)
Chaweng. The first bad news I had was that Utopia club (similar to Eden in Bkk) no longer
exists. The island is a place for young tourists but also families, with some
beer bar near green mango area, where you can find few good loking girls, among
a lot of "dragons", at 1000 baht short time, bar fee 300-500. But at two o'clock
in the morning everything close up, bar discos, go go bars, and you can find
girls on the streeets, saving a few money.
Green mango and Reggeae pub are full of young europeans (girls and boys), but you
can find also free lance girls, some of them asking for 2000 baht short time.
The same price you'll find at Pink Lady, the only one massage parlor in Chaweng,
but you can choose only among a dozen of girls.
Go go Bar Girls, quality level above the average you can find on the streeets,
ask 1000 baht for a short time inside the bar, in a private room, or 3500 for
long time, bar fee included.BETTER PLACES TO VISIT
Samui is a nice place to go, if you are in thailand in july-august, but if you
can come form january to march and go to puket, is definitely better. but
Bangkok and Pattaya, anyway, are the places for us!
I hope to write about thailand again very soon....bye.Anon

2. 31st July 2004 ...............Koh Samui .........................Goldorack Hello,First I like to thanks you very much for your website,
It help me very much to make a good trip in thailand.I been at Koh Samui, and I have a update for you, its
about the Utopia Club, the place closed six months ago
and the space is still for sale.But in the same Soi, I have been in a bar name KING
EL, and the place is really good.After i ask the owner about Utopia, he tell me than
his place can provide the same kind of services.
I seem to be true, except the club/parlor side of
utopia, the KING EL have everything, bar, massage
place and nice and young BG. The ambiance is friendly
and casual.U can extra a review of KING EL from a forum tread I
write about it."Its a very cute place, its very clean, the display is
like a cossy livingroom. There is a sofa, a table and
a little bar at the back. Really if you are going to
Koh Samui its a place to visit. esp because its not a
regular bar, there is a room upstairs, still very
clean and with aircon where you can get a gooood
massage, and then I think anything u can ask and pay
for. Its really a wonderfull place.Its located in Soi the club, also named soi Starbucks
because there is a long Starbucks in the middle of the
soi. to go to KING EL u can enter at the left side of
the starbucks and its at 50 meters."Again Thanks you for your website,
Goldorack

Thomas , I have spent some time in Mai Sai buying gems and I guess I could add a little to what you wrote.1) By far the best place I have stayed is Tip Sukon House. No problem with girls. Super neat and clean rooms with AC and TV. I paid 400 baht per day. I think there are two buildings - the good rooms are in the front one. I ALWAYS look at the room before agreeing to it no matter where I am in the world. Be sure to do the same here as the rooms may vary.2) The big Wang Tong (sp?) hotel is not so great to stay in if you need the AC and like to nap in the middle of the day. The AC is shut off in the daytime.3) The Wang Tong hotel did, however, have a fabulous all-you-can-eat lunch buffet for 100 baht. Included coffee or tea, but a soda was extra. This was a good deal and you did not have to be a hotel guest to participate. They had a dessert table that had bowls of these little things that looked like artificial plastic fish bait. I tried one and it was awful (I wonder how they can eat that - but I guess it’s better than the fried bugs I’ve seen elsewhere).4) I could have sworn there were a lot more than three brothels in the shrine area. I guess I would have to check that again if I go back. I’ve done Mai Sai so it’s not in the plans. However, I did not know about the Burmese girls having hairless pussies. Now you have me intrigued. When I was taking a tour of Titchlek (sp?) the guy peddling the bicycle offered me some “Pooying.” I did not take him up on it as I was rather uncomfortable with Burma, but now I may be regretting the decision.

Rick