finally made it to babylon. stayed from around 4 until around 7.
first, the positives: a decent selection of cardio machines in the gym and really good trance music in the gym area.
the negatives: very few guys. although my key number was something around 160 , i don't think there were more than 20-30 people inside. the emptiness is reinforced by the absence of music. there is some quiet jazz music played around the bar area. elsewhere it's dead silent. the large cruise area is closed. the only cruise area opened is the one next to the changing rooms. both steam and sauna rooms are opened. the swimming pool is functioning as well.
when compared to sauna mania, the asians in babylon are unattractive, unless u're into young skinny boys or older chubby men. there was roughly the same number of caucasians and asians. there were two caucasians with very nice body, no asian was genuinely gymfit. there were a few familiar faces from the first floor of dj station. the working boys didn't cruise in the sauna, they weren't there to have fun!
in sum, the sticky rice moved to other saunas. the tiny potato queen segment of the bkk gay scene is getting smaller. maybe weekends are busier. i won't go there to check it though.

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-- The above confirms a verbal report rec'd.from a visiting acquaintance from Australia; one who likes to visit B'LON. SAUNA.
- Despite the temp'y. CLOSURE of a largish part of the premise he told me that the adm'n. charge is still kept at its original level of 230.Bh. for the usual week-days.
- He suggested that it might be better to wait until after the refurbishments of the block at the Inner Courtyard will have been completed, possibly in time for the new Tourist Season?

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Babylon has a strange concept of goodwill.During the June political clash and closure of pool and various areas the price was reduced to reflect attendance and use of amenity.

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I think there might be a trend going on -- where saunas are in decline. It's clearly happening in the U.S. There are two saunas in my city--one is almost totally empty almost all the time (it was sold a few months ago but amazingly still operates) and the other (which is newer, HUGE, and luxurious) has more attendance than the first sauna (but a lot less than before) drastically cut its prices for weekdays (lockers for $1 on Mondays, $2 on Tuesdays, etc.). I stopped going to the first one a long time ago. There is almost nobody under 40 in the second one--and it seems to be all repeat crowd of weird queens that I've seen for years and years in the local sauna scene.

I think Babylon needs to start discounting. But as someone posted earlier, maybe they give out a lot of discounts to young Thai.

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-- So, where are all of these young Thais?
- Vide supra Khun Gweilo's posting #106..

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i think saunas have been in decline in the West for quite some time. the younger guys (mostly in their early 20s) don't need to go there to hook up and they consider saunas as places for desperate, older people.

in bkk, however, the sauna business is booming, but only in the sticky rice market. sauna mania on the 'naked day' has been very busy and the guys are young (up to the early 30s) and very good looking (way better looking than prostitutes in go go bars).

the problem with babylon is that it's stuck in the past. if the place doesn't recover the sticky rice market (which will be difficult due to the pricing and sticky rice guys' habits of going to less 'international' places), it'll need to rely on tourists who go there to tan and drink beer at the open-air bar. but how many of us travel to bkk to suntan or drink beer in the sauna?

the continued presence of prostitutes in babylon is a testimony to the fact that our choices among locals are very limited. and more often than not, the guys we hook up with are 'working boys', whether we know it or not. yesterday, at g.o.d., all 3 farangs hooked up with prostitutes simply because non-prostitutes are simply not interested in white guys.

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The problem with sauanas in the West is not only that they have too many old queens walking around, but also the WEIRD, loser queen types. A straight-acting, normal, younger gay would be repulsed by the queen mentality, and want to vomit after a short time.

Yes I totally agree that prostitutes in go-go bars mostly are not very attractive (I don't see how farangs can sit there and drool over these guys).

Unfortunately, too many foreigners "travel to bkk to suntan and drink beer in the sauna."

I don't understand why you think Babylon should try to get young sticky-rice in there. That's not what I want--I want young Asians who are looking for farangs. I want the sticky rice to go to other saunas (I don't want to get rejected by them in Babylon).

I've only seen a few prostitutes in Babylon--they don't bother me at all. There is one I connected with in DJ (and he also goes to Telephone Pub)--and he also frequents Babylon. I don't want to give his name here.

What is g.o.d.?

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Agreed. The business is booming. Don't agree its only for stick rice though...

Spot on! This issue of 'sticky rice' is flexible. Trust me, there is one thing a guy can't resist is availablity!!

Do you mean the sex workers charge (& you probably don't know this anyway but may be you do...) or they are doing freebies on their day off? The stuff about non-p's not being interested in white guys again is may be too broad a statement.

Thanks for the post.

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From a personal viewpoint: (I'm a fit Asian in my mid 40's)

Babylon: The pits for me. Too old for the farangs (not my taste either but complete lack of interest from them) and too Asian for most Thais there.

Mania: Love it .. dont often get the "A" boys .. they are major picky and it's a complete waste of time for me to try to chase them .. unless they get a feel of my dick .. .. but the rest are great .. and really good sex .. I think it is sticky rice there up to a point; if you are in good shape, it's no problem ..

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I don't understand what you mean when you say that if there's anything a guy can't resist, it's availability. This makes no sense. Nobody is going to have sex with someone they don't feel is attractive unless they've been locked up in solitary confinement for a month and released into a cell where they have one cell mate.

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i'm no expert on thai prostitutes, but i suspect that those in dj, babylon and god operate on a different business model. most don't charge per session, but try to establish a 'bf' relationship and seek long-term profits from sponsorship. some prostitutes might have sex for free if they're gay and like the guy. some will have sex, won't openly charge, but steal your money from the pocket (or drug u and steal whatever they can sell).

95% of guys on the first floor of dj are prostitutes. most guys around the exit area on the ground floor are sticky rice. funny enough, just next to the door, there are a few sticky rice prostitutes too. they won't bother u though, if u're white.

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Yesterday I went to Babylon, it was from last February ago I was there, and what a difference.... I have never visited such an empty and boring place.

Gym: closed
Swimming pool: closed
Cruising area next to the lockers: closed untill 16:30
Jacuzzi next to the steam room: closed

Maybe 10 or 20 guests were there, half of them farang.

It was a total waste of time and the 230 Baht entrance fee.

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I've never been to Babylon, but always see it included on the short list of best baths in the world. And yet I keep seeing negative reports here. What gives?

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-- Tomorrow, (30th.), will be my 'Pink Tkt.' day.
- Having rec'd. a not unfavorable report from a visiting snow-bird from Pittsburg, who, to my query about just how OPEN BABYLON SAUNA. is nowadays, gave me to u'stand. that as far as he could see it was completely OPEN, I would have visited.
- Thanks for saving me both time & money.

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It has the most spectacular facilities of any gay sauna in the world, supposedly. And, it is populated with enough professional potato queens to insure that even the oldest and most decrepit farang will get some attention.

That's about it, though.

Since I don't find either the foreigners or the locals who hang out there interesting or attractive, I rarely visit any more often than once every two or three years or so.

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