-- Today, (09th.), I looked-in and entered the a/m. sauna - the front door being OPEN - but I saw no-one of whom I might enquire.
- It's still in builders'/decorators' hands and smells strongly of wet concrete.

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The place had 2 minor problems, which management probably never figured out, but would turn off many patrons: (1) although the rooms were big and nice, the windows on the doors could not be adequately covered (the inside hooks were wrongly placed, or something like that) (who wants people looking inside?), and (2) the shower floor was a perpetual puddle of standing water (gross) (the concrete people or architect neglected to put slope to the drains).

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-- Today, (20th.), I looked-in to see the state of progress - still v. much in decorators' & electricians' hands; still smelling strongly of wet concrete.
- Obviously plenty of work remains to be done before RE-OPENING.

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What is Style Sauna going to be re-opened as? I sure hope someone creates an alternative to DJ Station.

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How's the going at Chakran nowadays? From the website, can I assume that membership is necessary even for single entry?. Any translator can advise? My last visit is about a decade ago.

Thanks.

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No membership required, just pay at the door as usual.

It is very changed from ten years ago. The building has been basically cut in half, with the back have of the top floors given over to V Club massage, which has a separate entrance.

Additionally, the place has not been kept up very well.

I think you will be disappointed if you are remembering the place of a decade ago.

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I went to Chakran one time in my recent trip--I think it was Christmas Eve. It was crowded with attractive Thai (the most attractive of attractive you will see in Bangkok) and some basically younger farangs. I just paid at the door--I think over 300 baht. They had a nude foam party going on, where you had to check your underwear, etc. outside of the hot-tub area being used for the foam bath (they gave you a number) (the whole area had curtains around it so you could not look inside). I did not go in, and I think it had a 5 or 10 minute limit. As usual with Chakran, it ended up being a big parade, with some very picky hot Thai going in with other hot Thai, and also hot Thai who just sat around talking with other hot Thai. I was fortunate to go in a room with a hot young Cambodian who seemed to feel out of place and decided he wanted me instead of a Thai. I thought it was well-maintained and clean. I don't remember seeing any access to V Club--which might be a totally different building and entrance from the outside.

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Same building, separate entrance. You cannot go between one and the other without exiting and reentering.

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Last week, as a kind of intended check-up of this palce, as someone asked a long time ago: yes, it is still alive and kicking. In the short soi sticking into the bow-shaped giant Centran shopping centre halfway along Ram2, across from a BigC.
It is a normal Thai shophouse, 4 floors, a bit well-used and worn now. When I went into the soi, 2 guys clad in all-black also enetred and adressed me-telling me this was not the entry to the Central. Apparently the gaydar was working, as they then asked if i wanted something else? Well yes, though the goal was easy to see. They even invited me in and gave me a free entry-this was nr 11 on their card (as often: pay 10-11 is free). The older was about 40 and spoke english well, later on he told was working in a bank. They often went on the prowl for 3somes, but that was not always easy. But this only came out later. Anyway, I got a royal treatment, in the shower with soaping in, a grand tour of the premises and I was poured a free drink. Clearly they were well known guests to others and got admiring looks. Told me farang were quite rare there. They soon also found the most enclosed cubicle and then the towels dropped again. The younger one could also give a very sensual massage.
Cannot garantee anything if you try to repeat this, but Thailand always has good surprises.

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[quote=pong;681714]
Last week, as a kind of intended check-up of this palce, as someone asked a long time ago: yes, it is still alive and kicking. In the short soi sticking into the bow-shaped giant Central shopping centre halfway along Ram2, across from a BigC.
... .
-- I was at CENTRAL - Rama II. recently, (Cruising spots #524.), but didn't do my homework to see what else might be in the neighborhood:
- I have it in mind to revisit sometime soon and may well have a look-in at MALE BOX SAUNA.,
- Addr.: Rama II., soi 52.,
Khet Bank Khun Thain;
- Tel.: (02)-848 1190..

-- I might venture to suggest, and in no way being critical, that: '... halfway along Ram2, ... .' might be misleading as - looking-at my BKK. City Atlas.* - Rama II. rd. goes on and on for many a mile - to as far as, and maybe beyond, MAHA CHAI BAY, wch. is some 18M. away from CENTRAL - RamaII.!
--5th. edn.; ISBN.: 9-789749-440780.; price 250.Bh..

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Warning: this place is strictly il ne vaut pas le detour, in my opinion. It is small, quiet, and very local. The times I have been there, there have been no more than 10-20 others present -- and nothing I'd call exciting.

Visit by all means if you happen to be in this remote neighborhood, but I would not recommend making a special trip out there, as it is nothing special.

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I always found the owners ( 2 guys in their 20s) to be very welcoming. Yes, it is local but if you attend a couple of times then you become more accepted. Probably more appropriate for those living in BKK. We often went there when we lived in BKK on "the other side of the river" up to 3 yrs ago. I yearn to go back to discover places where there aren't so many farang. So nice to meet up with locals with money not the object.

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Agree that it is a friendly place. Just trying to manage people's expectations. After of all, it is a heck of a distance from downtown.

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-- Approx. 45.mins. by 'bus. from BKK. XTN. HOSP'L., if I mistake not?
- Not too far, surely, for the dedicated cruiser in search of something new?

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Depends on the time of day.

If you're talking late afternoon, I wouldn't expect to get there in under 1.5 hours.

As for the question of "too far or not", I'll leave that "up to you". At least now, though, everyone has full disclosure to guide their decisions.

(For me personally, the answer is "way too far and not nearly interesting enough to make a special trip").

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