Shamelessmack in Thailand and around

Words and terms used in this blog that are unique to the countries visited, or have a special meaning in relation to the gay trade.

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AYOR – At your own risk. When I append this warning, it means you should be careful, better yet, avoid it.

Bar fine – see “Off fee”.

Bed – when used in the context of massage, this word means a bed, usually set no more than knee high. In this blog, this words excludes “massage tables”.

Body-to-body – a variable set of massage movements where the masseur (naked) uses large parts of his body as a massaging instrument. Typically, he uses his torso on the customer’s, lying on top of the latter. The masseur pushes himself up and down in a rubbing/gliding manner. The chin, pelvis, knees, etc, may also be called into use.

Boys – as used in this blog and commonly used in the gay scene, means young male adults, roughly between 18 and 30, who either regularly, or irregularly, are available to provide sexual services. This general term therefore includes subcategories such as “gogo boys”, “hosts”, “masseurs”, even “waiters”. In any post where I intend to mean a juvenile male, I will say “underaged” or some similarly specific description.

Captain – In larger bars, this person is the one in charge of operations, e.g. seating the guests, overseeing drinks service and payment. It is to be distinguished from the person (see “mamasan”/”papasan”) who manages and recommends the “boys”. However, in smaller bars and massage places, the two jobs can be combined, thus in some posts I will speak of the “captain” recommending the “boys” or the “masseurs” for the customers’ selection. Typically, captains do not adopt the feminine mannerisms that “mamasans” do.

Chuckwow – a Thai term for “masturbate”.

Coyote dancer – Either a pole dancer, or one who dances quite energetically even without a pole. Generally used to distinguish them from “gogo boys”, who seldom do any dancing even when poles are at hand; they merely stand on stage looking bored.

Face well – a hole in a “massage table” for the placement of the face when the customer is lying face-down.

Farang – a colloquial Thai term that means people of Caucasian, or similar light-complexioned, race.

Floors and levels – there is considerable variation in Thailand and the region as to how floors are numbered, with the result that is is never clear how many flights of steps one has to go up to reach the “second floor”, for example. In this blog, I try to adopt a standardised convention thus:

In any post where I say “second level” or “third level”, the use of the word “level” indicates that I am using my standardised system.

There will be times when I follow a shop’s address and use the word “floor” whatever it may mean. Typically, this would be in situations where you need to use an elevator to reach their level. If , for example, you need to press the button “6″ , it would be easier if I simply said “press the button for the 6th floor” regardless of whether that might actually be the seventh or eighth level per my own convention. To stick to my system in such situations would cause even more confusion.

Freelancer – a masseur or sex worker who is not exclusively attached to any establishment. He could be cruising the streets for customers, or he could be in a bar or sauna, but since he is independent, using his services does not entail any “bar fine” or “off fee”.

Gatoey – a Thai word for male-to-female transgender. Elsewhere, you may see the word spelt as ‘katoey’.

Gay – most of the time, this word is used in this blog in the modern Western sense, i.e. as someone who identifies as a person with homosexual desires. However, when this word is used in quoted speech, attributed to a Thai speaker, it usually comes with a narrower meaning that is contextual to Thai culture, and that is different from the Western meaning: a male person who adopts some degree of feminine mannerisms. In addition to that, (depending on the situation), it can also carry the additional meaning of someone who is prepared to be the penetrated partner in sex. See “man”.

Gogo bar – in this blog, it is used to mean a bar where young men wearing shorts or underwear, pose on stage in the hope of being taken “off” (see definition) for sexual services. Originally, these bars would have the sex workers dance around poles (a-go-go), but very few bother nowadays. See also “coyote”.

Gogo boys – young men who are sex workers and who are attached to a gogo bar. They appear on stage in shorts or underwear, and many also appear in the bar’s shows.

Host – a “boy” who is available in a bar for companionship and for sexual services (usually off-site). Typically, hosts would not be found in “gogo bars”, but in karaoke, open-air or similar bars. Unlike gogo boys, hosts typically remain in street clothes while circulating in the bar – in fact I would rely on this distinction (dressed/undressed) for my choice of terminology. Occasionally however, one may come across a bar that puts on shows, in which case the hosts could also turn performers, with high degrees of undress. When a customer leaves a bar with a host, the expression is that the customer is “offing” the “boy” (similar to in gogo bars), and the customer has to pay the bar an “off fee” or “bar fine”.

Host bar – a bar that has “hosts” available. The term excludes “gogo bars”.

Jalan – in Malay it has two main meanings: the verb ‘to walk’, or the noun ‘road’. In this blog you will see it in the form of a road name, e.g. Jalan Sultan Ismail, which means Sultan Ismail Road.

Juvenile – see “underaged”.

Khlong – a Thai word for “canal”.

Level – see “Floors and levels” above.

Mamasan – a senior person in a bar or massage business who, in theory, has knowledge of the attributes and skills of the “boys” working in that establishment, and whose job (besides hiring them) is to assist customers in selecting whom to “off”. In gay establishments, the “mamasan” is never female, but male, but the feminised term is used because quite often, this person is either transgendered or adopts feminine mannerisms, mimicking the mamasans of geisha establishments. Occasionally, if I wish to convey a sense of that person as being typically masculine in appearance and demeanour, I would use the term “papasan”. See also “captain”.

Man – most of the time, this word is used in this blog in the modern Western sense, i.e. an adult male. However, when this word is used in quoted speech, attributed to a Thai speaker, in the context of sex, it usually comes with a meaning that is much more specific: an adult male person who is the penetrator in sex, regardless of whether that person has homosexual, bisexual or heterosexual leanings. It speaks of the role that one plays in a sexual relationship, not of internal desires. It therefore is used as an antonym of “gay” (see definition), in the latter word’s Thai usage.

Massage fee or massage price -the price of a massage as stated by the establishment. This is payable to the establishment, but does not include the obligatory “tip” to be paid to the masseur at the conclusion of the session. See ” tip”.

Massage table – a narrow bed (typically 700 – 800 mm wide) that is about waist-high, used for massage. It may or may not include a “face-well”.

Masseur – a male person who provides massage. By itself the word does not automatically imply that he would also provide sexual services. Where I need to be specific that he does, I will say “sex masseur” or “erotic masseur”, or something similar.

Mook – tiny beads that a few Thai males implant under the skin of their penis shaft, supposedly to give their female sex partners greater pleasure.

Off – the act of taking a bar “boy” (see definition) away from the bar where he works, in order to avail of his sexual services. In this blog, the word is used in a variety of ways, e.g. “he was intending to off someone”, “he left the bar without an off”, “that customer offed the boy a second time”. Taking a boy off typically involves paying a fee to the bar; see “off fee” and “bar fine”. It also comes with the obligation of a “tip” for the boy for services to be rendered. See “tip”.

Off fee – the amount payable to the bar for taking a “gogo boy”, “host” or “waiter” (they mean different things, see respective definitions) out of the bar. The same bar may have different rates for different classes of “boys”/”waiters”. Also known as “bar fine”. The off fee does not include subsequent payment that is obligatory for the sexual services of the “boy”, “host” or “waiter”. See “tip”.

Overnight – in certain contexts, this is used to mean having the “boy” that one has “offed” spend the night with the customer. Breakfast is expected to be provided. Opposite of “short-time”.

Pace – in this blog I sometimes describe distance by the number of paces. A pace is the distance from left foot to left foot (or right to right) as you walk normally. Doubtless, it varies from person to person but for an adult male of average height, it is 1.4 metres – if walking on a spacious flat surface. In practical terms, however, it may be 1.3 or 1.35 metres because we may need to sidestep obstructions or other pedestrians now and then.

Papasan – See “mamasan” and “captain”.

Phuchai – Thai for “man”.

Phuying – Thai for “woman”.

Short-time – this means the boy is “offed” for one or two hours, for sexual services. Opposite of “overnight”.

Soi – Thai for ‘lane’, or small road. Of course, some sois have over time, become fairly busy roads in their own right.

Songtaew (or Songthaew) – a Thai word for a pick-up truck that has been converted into a passenger vehicle, used for public transport. Similar to “Jeepney” in the Philippines.

Thanon – a Thai word for road. Usually in this blog I will use the English word ‘road’ instead, thus ‘Silom Road’ when in Thai it would be rendered as Thanon Silom.

Tip – in this blog, this word is used in three ways. Firstly, it can be used in the normal sense of a small gratuity for somebody doing a good job. Secondly, it can refer to a gratuity given to a “boy” for either spending some time sitting with a customer in a bar, or giving the customer special attention in the course of a stage show. Thirdly, it is also used as a euphemism to refer to a fee payable for sexual (or even non-sexual massage) services rendered. This fee may be negotiated in advance, or may be discretionary (though customary norms apply). The context should indicate which meaning applies.

Tuktuk – a 3-wheeled public transport vehicle powered by a motorbike engine. The small passenger cab is open to the elements.

Underaged – in this blog “underaged” refers to anyone not yet past his 18th birthday. The term “juvenile” is occasionally used to mean the same thing.

Urut Batin – a Malay word. I’m not quite sure what it means precisely but I hear it used (in massage) in a way that suggests massaging of the male appendage. How that is different from “masturbate”, I don’t know, except that it is never used in a reflexive way, that is, you do not urut batin yourself, but someone performs urut batin on you. Other than that, perhaps there is no difference save coyness?

Wai – a Thai way of greeting. Two hands are placed together as in prayer and the head is bowed slightly.

Waiter – someone (male person implied) who serves food and drink. In some (not all) “gogo bars” and “host bars”, waiters are also available for “offing”, should the customer so desire. A different rate of bar fines may apply, though.

Wat – a Buddhist temple.

Yeak – a Thai word that is mostly used to refer to a lane (or subsoi) off a soi. See “soi”. Thus, you may encounter an address that looks like this: House no. 123/4, Yeak 3, Soi 57, Thanon Nawamin.