Hello everyone

I am looking forward to my next visit to Bangkok and KL again for the first half of May. When not "cinemagoing" (to check out the latest, er, releases) I hope to do a bit of proper swimming. I'm not that good, but do want to do lengths rather than just splash around - the hotels I stay at usually only have a pool good enough for the latter.

I shall be staying in Silom / Surawong but I have a decent map and I am prepared and not afraid to travel if it's worth it for the swimming and/or cruising!

Sorry if this post is not "CFS enough"?... please help in this regard by adding plenty of racy anecdotes, even if only of places you think might have potential that I could check out and report back on?

Cheers!

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Probably not quite what you want - but always thought the Ambassador Hotel had the best pool of any hotel I have been to in BKK - large enough to do proper swimming. Also has many male masseurs at the Gym that will come to your room.

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-- I have been told - 2nd. hand info. - that the smallish swimming pool in Lumpini Park, (MRT.: Silom.), has potential for meeting, rather than action.
- To join you will need to bring two p'port. sized. photos. with you, PLUS pay THB.40.oo. for an annual m'ship..
- Thereafter you'll pay just 15Bh. for each 90mins. session in the pool.

-- I believe that there is a proper and Olympic sized pool out in the Ramkahaeng Uni. area, (I think that they held the SEA. Games there some yrs. ago?), but I have no further info., apart from the fact that R'haeng. is rather far out - say 90mins. in a 'bus.!

-- bibi.. --

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Sextile seems to think that everyone lives in the Silom area, and that everyone rides the bus!

The pool at the the Hua Mark Sports Complex at Ramkhamhaeng (the changing room, in particular, where fun goes on in the showers) is indeed very cruisy, but I have not been there in many years. You can get there by klong boat from Pratunam for about 15 baht if you're enterprising. Or by taxi if you're willing to spend $3.

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-- The only reason - here - that I quoted from Silom and by 'bus. is that I have some slight experience of that route.
- Of course there are taxis., but I have no idea of the time they take nor of their fares. Equally I know that there are klong boats - but again I plead ignorance of their routes, fares etc..

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It would seem he was responding to the question posed by the original poster.

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Yes, I see that now. I apologize.

From the Silom area, you could probably get to the Hua Mark pool in 30 minutes by taxi, on the expressway. The fare would likely run around 150 baht, with tolls.

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Thanks for the prompt and thorough responses chaps!

The Hua Mark pool sounds like a worthwhile adventure, I do occasionally enjoy anything a bit nearer to real life (whatever that might be?) when visiting anywhere on holiday!

I have found it on my map(!) and on the bangkoktourist.com website it says it is only open Thurs to Sat 10am to 7pm which I assume must be the public swimming times?

I don't think you would have mentioned it if it isn't open to the general public like me, but just want to make sure it is and whether I will be required to supply any photos there also?

Many thanks again.

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-- Icon.,
- your apology accepted as readily as you offered it.
-- bibi.. --

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There are two swimming pools at the back of the Hua Mak stadium...one is used for events only and has covered stands. But next door is the public one that is open 6:30am til 8:30pm (they start to kick you out at 8pm though). There is a 1-2 hour closure at lunch time. This latter pool is 50 meters long and 8 lanes wide. But mostly in the evenings, it is divided laterally into three sections and instructors give groups training across the pool's center section. But I am sure in the day-time it is easy enough to do uninterupted longitudinal lengths. I am not a swimmer but pass there several times a month to play football with the shirtless, sweating, glistening lads after dark. They are not gay...but sure there are many gay guys in/around the pool. The toilet under the trees next to the swimming pool, but outside, is quite renowned for gazers/wankers.
Under the main stadium used to always be a good place to cruise and grope and smoke but there are a lot more lights there now and I have never tried recently as too many of the straight football players know me and are often in and out of the under-stadium car park retrieving their balls and seemingly oblivious to the very few remaining cruisers. But I sense the area hots up after the footballers finish around 9pm and before the area is closed at 10pm. There is a very tasty BKK Grill steak restaurant, Thai-style in soi 24 at the back of the stadium. Both the cooks are cute and pleasant and maybe innocent...I am tipping them up to encourage their taste buds to try something new.

The swimming pool is certainly always open to the public. (It MAY be closed on Mondays as is the SAT-owned (Sports Authority of Thailand) gym under the stadium...I have never been on a Monday as no gym crowd to mingle with!)...there is a registration office for the pool, but now during school holidays, there are hoards of kids there that certainly don't look the types to endure a long and arduous registration process. So should be easy for anyone to go there.

These pools were not used for SEA games as they were in Korat (2007) and Chiang Mai (1995). This entire sports complex (except for the pools) was built for the 1998 Asian Games and the main stadium was used for the football events and the opening and closing ceremonies..(Manchester United and Real Madrid (including Beckham) have played there recently). But the swimming events for the 1998 Asian Games were all held at the more prestigious pools at Thammasat Rangsit.

I think it's time that adventurous, helpful and discoverous Sectile got used to the klong boat....there is a whole new world just waiting for you to discover. Today there were at least three student-types with smashing faces you just cannot stop looking at and it's very common to see such types on the boats every trip. The conductors/fare collectors are also sometimes cute. The routes are simple...there is only one! For all practical purposes, it starts at Pratunam pier...just walking distance from your favorite Big C (catch the waiting boat on the Big C side of the klong) and sit in the middle of a seat near the back (less congested). Have Bht20 note ready and give to conductor when he comes to you and mouth the word Bankapi, or The Mall Bangkapi, or just hold your hand palm down and just flick the fingers up with the arm stretched out indicating "all the way" (It's too noisy to talk easily). When you get to The Mall Bangkapi about 30 minutes later, it is huge and on the left and 70% of the passengers will get off there. The jetty leads directly into the back of the Mall into the magnificent food court and supermarket...one the very best in Thailand. The toilets at the front next to KFC and Pizza Hut (the end farthest from the klong but adjacent to Lhad Prao Road) are nearly always full with pissers and watchers and nearly all are cute and inquisitive. Never had an encounter there. But on the pool floor, I have had several encounters and been smoked by young lads in the toilet and shower...but to my mind, unnecessarily risky and foolish. To get there, wander up to the top floor by the cinemas and go to the swimming pool/water park area. If you have a Bht100 Mall card, entry is free for 2 people. Many LLTOL's (Lads Looking To Ogle Lads) hang around here...especially in the evening. They mostly go as pairs and change and sit around the pool and then nip back and fourth to the changing room one by one. This time of year there are too many families early on. The shower rooms are active but not as much as Hua Mak pool is likely to be. The swimming pools are more for recreation than serious lengths though. But you can spend a very happy time there in the evenings when nearly always some guy will come and chat.

Now if you just want to go to Hua Mak stadium on the klong boat, then the fair is Bht18, but you have to get off at Ta(pier) Mahard Thai...it is on the right and two stops before The Mall Bangkapi, but 4 stops after The Mall Ramkhamhaeng. I often go there to visit FBT (Football Thailand's) main store to buy anything imagineable in sports wear and equipment.

If you want to go by bus from Silom(Sectile need not listen to this!), then 115 goes door to door for Bht8.5 or if you use one of the very new bright yellow aircon 115's it will be about Bht15. If you take a taxi and use express way you will still end up stuck in the Ramkhamhaeng traffic snarl so the best way is to continue along Rama 9 Rd and turn left into soi 41 which brings you out at the back of the stadium on Ramkhamhaeng soi 24 and walking distance from Torpedo Sauna.

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-- Yannawa,
- Many thanks for your most useful and informative posting - appreciated, and not only by me, I'm sure!
- I've used the klong boats before and with no bad results; but more recently my Ramkhahaeng Uni. student friend has disuaded me saying that they're not for farangs; although w/o. obtaining any really valid reason from him for his statement.
- I see that my calendar is empty for a couple of days this week and thus on one of them I shall sally forth.
-- bibi.. -

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Klong boats and buses and such are "not for farangs" when they don't take the trouble to learn the system. River boats on the Chao Phya used not to be for farangs before Lonely Planet Guide book discovered they stop near Khao San Road...now they use the same boats specifically for tourists on the same route during non rush hours.

What I have observed with klong boats and non-aircon buses is you need get on and off very quickly, have the right change ready as far as possible and know the name of your destination(get someone to write it down in Thai if necessary) and you will be very welcome. Delays are what pisses off the operators and other passengers...they don't mind sacrificing some sedateness by a little jumping and skating as long as the boat gets them home quickly. Watch the other passengers and do as they do. By the way, avoid the klong boats going east during evening rush hour and going west during morning rush hour unless you board and alight at Pratunam or The Mall. Stand ready to board at the back..it is always the last zone to fill. Last boats depart just after 7pm...the most thrilling ride is at 7pm going to Pratunam from The Mall or Hua Mak (Ta[pier] Mahard Thai) when the boat is almost empty and hardly stops at all and is plowing through the wake of the loaded boats coming in the opposite direction at high speed.

You may also use bus 93 (aircon, yellow) from Surawongse to Hua Mak stadium via Petchaburi. It is quicker than 115 via Prakanong. Also 537 from Victory Monument takes you directly to the swimming pools via Ramkhamhaeng soi 24 just after passing Torpedo sauna on the right. Just ask for Hua Mak when buying your ticket.

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-- I think that my solicitous and uni. friend was more concerned lest I meet pick-pockets and other such unsavory types on the klong boats?
- Thanks for mentioning other choices of 'buses. in getting to Bang Kapi and to other points in that gen'l. area.
-- bibi.. --

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I'm not sure what your friend was on about, but klong boats are no more dangerous than buses. Perhaps he was concerned about your being exposed to black water and stray odors?

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Probably Sextile's friend was more concerned that Sextile would meet too many cute boys on the boats...especialy those who alight/board at Tha Soi 29 stop..it is a soi that only has student accomodation/boarding houses and is opposite Ram uni. It is the first stop going east after The Mall, Ramkhamhaeng (NOT The Mall, Bangkapi). As Icon mentions, the water is dirty but after hundreds of trips on the boats, I have never seen an accident....or had my pockets picked.

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