Weekly report from Pattaya, Nov. 21 1999
WEEKLY REPORT FROM PATTAYA FOR NOVEMBER 21, 1999
Summary:
- Master Carver Heads Elephant Sculptures Exhibition, Royal Garden Plaza
- My Life Go Go Bar Replaces Happyness Bar in BoyzTown
- Le Cafe Royale’s 9th Anniversary Jungle Party is Real Success
- Webmaster Changes Format of Weekly Report on www.pattayagay.com
- Pattaya Fishery Festival Planned for Dec. 3 – 5 in Honor of the King
- Star Cruises Offers Cruises from Laem Chabang Port
- Details: Le Cafe Royale’s Annual Boat Trip to Koh Larn
- “Does Your Boy Lie?” Discussion Continues on Commentary Board
- Black Ball Bar in Sunee Plaza is now “My Place”; Forest House Bar, next door, up for sale
- Loy Kratong Festivities Set for Monday Night, Nov. 22
- Crazy Pub’s new Uniforms wins Widespread Applause; Shows Expanded
- Number 1 A Go Go Boys Bar Changes Management
- Nok Nok Go Go Boys Bar now has Boys Show by Bodyguard Troupe
- Tourist Sites of the week: Ban Saen Attractions, including Wat, Beach, Science Museum, Aquarium, Monkeys, Markets, Stonemasons and Ang Sila Bronze Foundry
MASTER CARVER WITH “WORLDWIDE REPUTATION FOR ELEPHANT SCULPTURES” HEADS WOODEN ELEPHANT EXHIBITION AT ROYAL GARDEN PLAZA NOV. 27 TO DEC. 5
In an exhibition arranged by “Friends of the Asian Elephant”, which operates a free clinic for injured elephants in Lampang, a sculptor called a “master carver with a worldwide repurtation for elephant sculptures” will offer his carvings, and do actual sculptures, in the lobby of the Royal Garden Plaza from 10:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. from Nov. 27 to Dec. 5. The exhibition will also feature a special auction of a master piece with proceeds to go to the non-profit group, Friends of the Asian Elephant.” That group sponsors a clinic for ill and injured elephants in Lampang, which recently has acquired worldwide publicity for its treatment of elephants injured by land mines while the elephants are required to work across the Burmese border in Myanmar. Mr. Petch Viriya, of the Master Carver Group, “Baan Chang Nak”, whose work presents elephants in action with painstaking detail, will be the featured carver at the exhibition. The exhibition will be in the lobby of Royal Garden Plaza, with a wood carving show daily.
MY LIFE GO GO BAR REPLACES HAPPYNESS BAR IN BOYZTOWN
Last week, I detailed the breakup of the partnership which had been running Happyness Bar in the BoyzTown area of the Pattayaland 1, 2 and 3 complex in downtown Pattaya. This week, the bar has already been replaced by “My Life Boys Go Go Bar“, with extensive redecoration already completed. I have no indication yet of whether either of the former owners of Happyness is involved in this venture.
LE CAFE ROYALE’S 9TH ANNIVERSARY JUNGLE PARTY SUCESSS
Le Cafe Royale celebrated its 9th anniversary with a ” jungle party” in which the main dining area was filled with palms and other greenery, and the staff was dressed in cute “Tarzan-like” outfits of simulated tiger skin, and an all-you-can-eat meal featuring turkey and honey roasted ham headed the menu. The main dining area was jam-packed for the party, and the meal went exceptionally smoothly. The friend who went with me and I both commented on the exceptional service given by the guys who normally wear the very short white shorts and pink shirts; the service was faultless and attentive, with the customers passing through the service line as many times as they wanted.
The turkey, I must say, was unusually good–about as good as it comes!–and all the traditional “trimmings” were available, though the cranberry sauce was just the jellied sauce, no berries. The “grand dessert” was a colorful and very tasty cake decorated with extremely slim fruit slices, primarily canteloupe, apparently, and met widespread acceptance, while many in the crowd joined in singing “Happy Birthday” to the restaurant!
Le Cafe Royale’s regular early evening pianist, Khun Soontorn, played pleasing background music throughout the dinner, and played accompaniment while one of the guests from out of town performed several numbers, not all faultlessly, on a trombone he brought with him. The music added substantially to a pleasant evening for all, and nicely complemented the really sumptuous food, with the “all you can eat” motif fully complied with. All everyone could eat, and then some
WEBMASTER CHANGES FORMAT OF WEEKLY REPORT ON SITE; REPORTS NOW SEPARATELY ACCESSIBLE, DOWNLOADABLE
Effective with the Nov. 14 issue of the Weekly Report from Pattaya, the www.pattayagay.com website now has each of the weekly reports separately accessible, and separately downloadable. Our Webmaster, who established the Adobe downloadable system for much of the site a couple of months ago, has now made the Weekly Report especially easily available. I hope you enjoy the change, and take advantage of it. It really is a nice change, and he deserves our sincere thanks for putting it into effect.
PATTAYA FISHERY FESTIVAL PLANNED FOR DECEMBER 3 – 5 IN HONOR OF HIS MAJESTY THE KING’S SIXTH CYCLE BIRTHDAY
The Pattaya Mail this week reports that the City of Pattaya is busily organizing the “Pattaya Fishery Festival” honoring His Majesty the King’s Sixth Cycle Birthday, which occurs on December 5, on which date the King will attain the age of 72 years, a very auspicious birthday under Thai custom. The festival will have many displays relating to fishing throughout the four regions of Thailand, and fishing – type buildings are already under construction on the Pattaya Beach Road. The Pattaya Mail had earlier reported that this celebration would combine a planned Shrimp Festival, a planned elephant festival and parade, and the fishery festival, but the Shrimp Festival proceeded on its own this past week, Nov. 18 thru Nov. 20, and no mention is now made of any role of elephants in the Dec. 3 – 5 festivities, nor any mention of the separate Elephant Parade which had earlier been planned for November 26 thru November 28.
STAR CRUISES OFFERS CRUISES FROM LAEM CHABANG PORT
Star Cruises, one of the major cruise lines in southeast Asia, has recently won a bid to transform a terminal at Laem Chabang port, about 25 km from Pattaya, into a major seafaring tourist welcoming site, to offer all the facilities available at major airports. This will enhance the offerings available already by Star Cruises at Laem Chabang. Laem Chabang is the port at which Queen Elizabeth 2 stops when visiting Thailand, and is now the site of incoming and outgoing Star Cruises tours several times a week to Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam, and one cruise trip to Phu Quoc Island and return. Two of the cruises involving Ho Chih Minh City are fly one way and sail the other, and the third is sailing both ways, with stops at Ko Samui Island and Con Son Island, as well as at Ho Chi Minh City.
DETAILS: LE CAFE ROYALE’S ANNUAL BOAT TRIP TO KOH LARN
Le Cafe Royale Hotel, Restaurant, and Piano Bar has announced its plans for its annual boat trip to Koh Larn for friends and visitors to Pattaya. On the trip, an annual event for quite a few years now, originally scheduled for right after New Year’s Day, but moved to right after Christmas Day a couple of years ago, features a pleasant boat trip to Koh Larn and back, accompanied by the young men of its staff, serving customers on the way over and on return, with food and beverages while on the boat, and serving a meal while on the island. The boat trip this year will take place on Monday, 27th December, 1999, with the destination, as usual, being Koh Larn island.
Le Cafe Royale advises: “This is the day of our annual boat trip to the sun soaked beaches and crystal clear waters of Koh Larn Island. Staff from Le CafÈ Royale will accompany you to ensure an enjoyable day is had by all.
Price is 1,000B per person (which includes a wide range of foods, including a Thai buffet, and drinks). The day will be complemented with the 2nd year of the Le CafÈ Royale Games, hosted by a local celebrity. How are you at three-leg racing and egg or handbag throwing? Passengers meet on Le CafÈ Royale’s Terrace at 11.00 hours on Monday, December 27. Tickets are available from the Reception Desk at Le CafÈ Royale.” I have been on the trip twice, and had a great time on each occasion. Anyone in town at that time would be well advised to plan on this fabulous event, combining great company, camaraderie, young, good looking men to serve and visit with you, and the joys of short trips by sea to and from Koh Larn.
“DOES YOUR BOY LIE ?” DISCUSSION CONTINUES ON WEB SITE’S COMMENTARY BOARD; MIKE WILLIAMS “TROUBLED”
In a discussion triggered some time ago by the question, “Does Your Boy Lie?”, Lee, a frequent contributor, asked for personal experiences of guys who have had “boys” they kept in contact with from year to year. This week, Mike Williams, author of the web site “Welcome to my Thailand”, http://travel.to/chaidee , took issue with the question, indicating he was troubled by the implications, and thought it was too one-sided. Some of his comments are excerpted below.
“I am troubled by all the comments I have read. Yes, the boys lie. But perhaps we should be asking, “How many farang lie?” Over two years, I have made three trips to Thailand. On two occasions, I have had boys tell me they “love me.” When I don’t respond immediately that I love them, they said, “You don’t like me.” Love is a strong word. I can’t say that if I don’t mean it. But how many farang say it, automatically–as we did in high school to get the girl to go further than heavy petting. It doesn’t mean a strong relationship, that may include love, can’t develop, but that is probably the exception more than the rule. Remember, after you leave the boy will be back on stage the next night, looking for another farang.
“We all lie. The comments I have read seem to reflect hurt on the part of farang that boys may “use” them. My God! Get real! We go back to our fine homes and jobs, while these kids are left “behind” to fend for themselves. The couple of gentlemen who have set up “funds” in one way or another for boys are the exception. Most men who get these boys USE them for sex. And remember, most customers are locals, not farang. Naturally, a boy who is treated gently will respond and maybe develop an infatuation. When they see these emotions being reciprocated, naturally they will say what they have to in order to get what they can–because they know the nice person will probably be out of their lives in a few days. It is survival. “
“Don’t look at the boys and what they do through your eyes, try and step back and see the world from their eyes. When our attention to them is strong and we respond, “I love you,” who is really lying?”
You might be interested in checking out the site for his complete comments, and for the subsequent comments of Lee, the man who originally raised the issue. He responds to Mike’s comments. www.pattayagay.com Comments and Opinions, Commentary Board.
BLACK BALL BAR IN SUNEE PLAZA IS NOW “MY PLACE”; NEXT DOOR, “FOREST HOUSE BAR” NOW AVAILABLE FOR PURCHASE
Two of the “open air bars” located on Soi VC Hotel, also known as Soi Bamboo, are “in the news” this week. Black Ball Beer Boys Bar has changed hands, been redecorated and changed over into a karaoke style bar, and now sports the name, “My Place Karaoke Bar.” At the same time, the bar right next to it, on the corner of Soi VC Hotel and the easterly Sunee Plaza soi, Forest House Bar, is reportedly for sale. A friend advises that the owner there is seeking someone to take it over from him, as he is overloaded with too many other responsibilities at the present time. The Forest House Bar is directly across the easterly Sunee Plaza soi from Top Man Night Club. If you are interested in owning a boy bar in Pattaya, this might be your chance. Check with “Dahm” at Forest House Bar.
LOY KRATONG FESTIVITIES MONDAY NIGHT, NOV. 22
The celebration traditionally timed for the full moon in November, Loy Kratong, will be greeted with festivities at many hotels, bars and other establishments in the Pattaya area and throughout most of Thailand on Monday. In a ceremony in which a small boat traditionally made of a banana leaf with a lighted candle, incense and tokens of good will are set afloat on bodies of water, which in tradition carry them away, and with that, good luck falls upon the sender of the good wishes. In practice, where no body of water is readily available, a hotel swimming pool functions fully well instead, and most hotels in Pattaya with pools are having Loy Kratong ceremonies.
While at Icon–the Club Sunday night, a friend and I were urged by Mr. Leng, the coordinator of guest relations for the hotel, to attend the Loy Kratong celebration at the Icon Boutique Hotel’s swimming pool Monday night, with dinner and a kratong provided, with dinner fee being 590 baht, net, per person. Hopefully, I will be able to accept the invitation, and maybe one or more others will go along also.
CRAZY PUB’S NEW “UNIFORMS” WIN WIDESPREAD APPLAUSE; SHOW TIMES EXPANDED; SHOWS NOW AT 10 P.M., 11:30 P.M. AND 1 A.M.
Crazy Pub, the original gay bar in the Sunee Plaza area, recently provided new “uniforms” for its dancers and performers, in the form of “Indian-type” flaps in front and back (and, I am advised, nothing underneath). The new uniform has received widespread praise from those who have visited the bar since it switched to this type of uniform, and Crazy Pub has just now provided photos of some of its dancers in their new outfits.
With the arrival of “high season” and much larger crowds of customers, Crazy Pub has expanded its show offerings, and now offers shows at 10 p.m., 11:30 p.m. and at 1 a.m. nightly. Their flyer also indicates that from December 1 on, there will be a free lucky draw every day. They have also adopted a new slogan, “The most exciting place for men to meat men in Pattaya. And in Asia?” I don’t think the spelling is a mistake! They also advertise, “If you like MALE company you are CRAZY, if you don’t go to CRAZY. So Come Come Come here.”
NUMBER 1 A GO GO BOYS BAR CHANGES MANAGEMENT
Announcing the reopening of Number 1 A Go Go Boys Bar “under new management and with new Staff and Dancers, Number 1 A Go Go Boys’ re-opening features a spectacular SEXY SHOW. The grand reopening was held on Nov. 16; whether the “sexy show” will now be a regular part of their offerings is yet to be seen. It “appears” that Number 1 is again in the “fold” with Star Boys, Thai Boys Boys Club and City Boys bars. Number 1 A Go Go Boys Bar is located on Pattayaland Soi 1, as are Thai Boys Boys Club and City Boys bar. Star Boys Boys Bar is located across Second Road up Soi Toyota Karaoke just a few steps from Second Road. We will report later if we find that the sexy show is to be a regular part of the bar’s offerings.
NOK NOK GO GO BOYS BAR NOW HAS BOYS SHOW BY BODYGUARD TROUPE
Nok Nok Go Go Boys Bar in Sunee Plaza (the former Kaos) has just started providing nightly Boys Shows by the “Bodyguard Troupe”, at 11:30 p.m. I am advised this “troupe” includes many of the dancers who participated in the shows at the Bodyguard Cabaret Bar before it closed down. Those performances included both drag show components and manly boy shows, with a little comedy interspersed. We will have a further report sometime soon.
TOURIST SITES OF THE WEEK:
VARIOUS INTERESTING SITES IN THE BAN SAEN AREA
Ian McKnight, Assistant General Manager of Le Cafe Royale, and general partner of Guide to the East Co., Ltd., which in the past regularly published a tourist-oriented magazine twice a month for the Pattaya area, has kindly provided the following article first run in “Guide to the East”, about the Ban Saen area. This article highlights many of the special sites available in that area, all compressed into one quick day trip. Actually, several of the sites mentioned are worth far more than that, and perhaps we can “revisit” the Aquarium and Marine Museum again in the future, and perhaps provide more detail on the wat whose exhibits portray the vices and show graphically why those vices should be avoided. Anyway, this is the article provided for our use by the thoughtfulness of Ian McKnight, ianmcknight@caferoyale-pattaya.com .
“BAN SAEN ATTRACTIONS including its WAT, BEACH, SCIENCE MUSEUM, AQUARIUM, MONKEYS, MARKETS, STONEMASONS and the ANG SILA BRONZE FOUNDRY.
“A most interesting day can be spent in and around the charming seaside resort of Ban Saen just 40 km. north of Pattaya. Its beach is wide, long and clean, and on weekdays is quiet and restful. At weekends things liven up with a large influx of Bangkokians escaping from the City.
“Ban Saen is the home of the fascinating Institute of Marine Science and its huge aquarium, the unusual Wat Saen Suk, the famous Monkey Cliff with its hundreds of wild but harmless monkeys, the Nongmun food markets, the Ban Saen Stonemasons’ Yard and the Ang Sila foundry.
“The Museum and Aquarium are open from 8.30 a.m. until 4.00 p.m. daily except Monday, and some two hours can be profitably spent there viewing all sorts of fish from sea horses to sharks.
“The Monkey Cliff needs to be seen to be believed, but ensure that the removal of your trinkets is done by you and not the thieving monkeys.
“Wat Saen Suk is on 32 rai off Ang Sila Rd and was built to remind people to refrain from vices. It has very realistic, and in many cases gruesome, model figures to do just that.
“Nongmun is noted for its many food markets where just about every sort of fish caught in the fresh or salt waters of Thailand is available for sale in dried or pickled form. Or stop in Nongmun and buy a bamboo tube filled with a delicious sticky rice concoction,. To eat, the tube is cracked open with an axe to enable you to eat its delicious contents.
“Just 4 km. north of town are the Stone-masons’ Yards, where enormous lumps of granite and sandstone are hewn into figures as diverse as elephant, tiger and human head replicas, or items being made to order.
“Almost next door is the Ang Sila foundry. This is the birthplace of thousands of bronze statues, predominantly the Buddha images seen all over the country. They vary in height from one to five metres. All stages of the complicated and highly skilled process may be observed as a solid lump of bronze is turned into a beautiful and perfect statue. A completed Buddha statue is simply a piece of sculpture until it is blessed by Monks.
“When you leave the foundry, you’ll realize how close you have been to the origins of an important part of Thai life and, as you are speeding home, you will recall a most pleasant and unusual day.”
End of Article. Again, I express my appreciation to Ian McKnight, Asst. General Manager, Le Cafe Royale, and General Partner, Guide to the East Co., Ltd.
That’s it for this week, Guys!
Gay Pattayan November 21, 1999
