Hey guys... I think I have become too familiar a face to the guys on Soi Twilight (hehe...) and I am looking for a change of scene... or seting.

I have done a search for info on Saphan Kwai bars to check out and find little really good information.

Can anyone offer some personal experience/advice to a fellow cruiser on options in the area?

Much appreciates, and I am happy to report back!

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Last year I was in "Be High" several times, it is the only gogo bar in this area. I liked the place, no pushy mamasan, friendly boys and the music allowed a normal conversation. Drinks were ...roughly 120B. There were 6-12 boys on duty during my visits. I offed one guy several times and it always was a pleasure (PM me for details). He still worked there during my stay in March this year but this time I could not see him bec. I was not alone. The boys wore tiny white string t. which just hid their "best friend". I was at 2 other host bars, too but did not take out a boy bec. none spoke English. Anyway, S. K is a place worth to be explored.

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Last time I was in Saphan Kway was last November so I cannot tell how it is now. You will like it if you can do without fem boys as this is an almost unknown species in this area. – although most boys are OK for "do everything".

I can confirm what has been written above about Be High. Boys are not always to my taste so I did not "off" guys from there very often. I like to have a drink or two and a chat with a boy when I am going back to my hotel which is very close ; it seems it would be better to go early to have a wider choice. Gogo-boys double as waiters as there are no other staff except for one doorman and one cashier – I guess. The lad who brings your drink often tries to sit with you but no pressure for having a drink or for an off.

There is now only one host-bar without karaoke : Charmming – only gay bar on the northern side of Pradiphat Road. They always have a large stable of guys (best time about 10 pm) and more than often very cute ones if you like them like thai people like them : manly, clear-skinned with vey nice faces and bodies. Some English is spoken among the staff and the boys if you are lucky. This bar has been said to have closed on one of the gay farang webboards but it seems to be open and like before.

Other bars are more or less karaokes, but do not be shy and enter them even if you do not dare singing. All but one are located in the same soi as Be High – first soi on your left coming from Phahonyothin Road. All are hit-and-miss places and according to the place and the time of the evening, you could find available gems waiting for you, as well as feeling completely lost among a bunch of drunken chinese-thai well-to-do trying to badly sing-a-song. Street Boy and the next-door bar seemed to be the most farang-friendly but most will welcome you. Much further is (was ?) Talent which is also run as a karaoke with friendly people and nice boys.

English spoken in most bars at least by one of the mamasans.

Pradiphat Road is very lively at night with many foodstalls and great restaurants brimmed with thai locals, and has everything you want during the day ; this is why Saphan Kway is the place I always stay when in Bangkok.

See Dreadedned's map for location details. Short time rooms available in the area, Saphan Kway BTS station within walking distance.

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Ilz, since you mention that your hotel is very close to these bars, where do you stay?
And would you recommend it? or another?
Thanks.

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-- Thanks for yr. helpful reply.
- Any names & addresses for 'Short time.' hotels would be most welcum! Possibly better such an hotel than taking one's companion from the PHAHOL CINEMA to 39 U'GD. SAUNA?

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I read somewhere last month Charmming is gone. It had good looking youngmen but that was my last visit 4 or 5 yrs ago.

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Pradiphat Hotel has many more short time rooms than normal guest rooms.

You can enter:

- Throught the normal guest entrance on Pradiphat Road, or

- Throught the back entrance (which most short clients use) which is down the Soi where Charming bar is, about 100 -150 metres past Charming but on the left side. Either drive in or walk in.

Last time I used a short time room here was maybe 10 years ago. I think it was about 250Baht for 2 hours but it's along time ago.

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Has anyone try IMA spa massage in this area.Is it manage professionally?

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Went there several times about eighteen months ago because of one sweet young man who has since found a farang sweetheart who has since taken him Australia (lucky to get a visa, but of course best wishes to them both):

1. Nice set up, new fresh rooms not big but not too small, nice shower facility in each room.

2. Every time I visited the troup of boys (usually about 10 in total) had 90% changed, although always quite nice sellection.

3. Front desk staff / manager always changing also, but always very polite and helpful.

Beware of the very loud very direct very obvious career gatoeys who frequent the very close by hotel in the same small, dead end, soi. To me they are just obnoxious but some like this style of course. Their choice, each to his own.

I drove there several times (as mentioned above, about 18 months ago), quickly learned to be sure to insist on a parking slip, otherwise parking attendant will try for a big overcharge quickly backed up by the loud rude demanding gatoey.

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I stay at Embassy Hotel which is an old place full of charm and nice people - although it will be too basic for many (clean but you should not be able to avoid the odd cockroach ...).
There are a lot of hotels on Pradiphat Road for everyone : just google and find Mido Hotel, Karnmanee Place, Sena Place, Elizabeth Hotel - all in the 1200/1500 THB/night range but too far from the bars and from BTS for me.
Also some cheaper places like Liberty Garden (where Ima Spa is located) - Suda Palace - LKN Inn - Bangkok Palace Hotel.
And yes Pradiphat Hotel is the short-time hotel I was thinking of.

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My first report back (as promised)!

I went in search of the BE HIGH Bar this past Friday evening. Had no problem finding it at all... good signage and an interesting walk from the Saphan Kwai skytrain station. A wonderful part of Bangkok there, feels more Thai than the area I live in, and one that I will visit more often from hereon.

As for the BE HIGH itself: looks like a finished basement in someone's home, and that is part of its charm. Seems like the beer (140B) is kept chilled in a household-style refrigerator which is opened when one is ordered. There is absolutely no pressure while inside, which is exactly what I was looking for. (I did notice that it took me a short time to get rid of some of my usual Silom/Surawong defenses though, hehe. There were about 8-10 boys of various types, none overwhelmingly hot to me, but all friendly in demeanor. Two at a home ascend to a "stage" and kind of just stand there. And stare into nothingness. For what felt like an eternity. There were rather few customers, ever. But I liked the lack of polish of the place.

Being too tired on Friday night, I returned the next night (as promised) to visit with the young gentleman who sat with me on my first visit. Claims to be from Nong Khai and says he has only worked there for 3 days (oh, don't they all). I "off'd" him (300B) and we went out for some drinks and karaoke, something I really enjoy doing. Then the story crashes: he quickly drank himself into a state of incoherence leaving me with only one thing on my mind: an exit strategy. So passing him 200B I found the nearest taxi and made it home safe and unsatisfied.

It is highly unlikely that I will ever BE HIGH again.

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I also visited Be High last week. The concrete road outside was being broken up and the boss indicated the road was going to be a building of some sort. So I am wondering how to get there next time. Already the other end of Be High's road that used to run past Apache boy bar (used to be a great place for bar sex) before meeting Phahonyothin, has been replaced by a large condo building.
I was the only customer but enjoyed myself with drink and snack. Instead of buying a drink for No8, I chose to put the Bht140 down the front of his penis-covering patch after rooting around a little. A very pleasant lad.
The karaoke boy bars seemed deserted or closed...but I was a little early and it was raining.

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