Is Vassa Bar Closed? Whose Next?

[Neal]

Well it appears that the economy may have claimed it's next victim. Vassa Bar a very small bar in between sois 1 & 2 has been dark for almost a week with no sign. Will it reopen? Only time will tell.

According to talk all around Pattaya it appears that the bars are suffering a lower than low season and after a pathetic high season, it appears that Vassa will not be the last to close.

"It seems to be a matter of who has the money to hang on and/or who is willing to continue to sink their savings into their bar to hold on" said one person in the know. Because the economy has been hard hit all around the world, vacation spots are being hit and hit hard. Many of the boys have returned home to the rice fields because it seems that the customers are just dribbling in. For those who do get to Pattaya for holiday, there re bargains galore and boys waiting to pay their rent. It's a buyers market. A few bars seem to be worried or effected by the slow economy.

[markie1]

This does not surprice me ,i went in there on there opening night, music was way too load,Drink priceswere too high,when will these bars stop charging stupid prices,I for one always travel with my boy friend and every time you go in to a bar its anything up to 400 baht plus tip, my calculation thats over 8.50 pounds for two beers, we dont pay those prices in London, and if you are bar hopping like most people want to do it works out too expencive
,Will these bars around this soi not realise that every body is in hard times .I am still surpriced half of them are still open,how they survive i will never know ,A handful of customers per night is not going to pay the bills.charge reasonable prices and thes bars will get a lot more customers.

[Thai Dyed]

Many of my friends who now visit Thailand say they are unlikely to come again. The economy is only a small issue of the much larger picture. Prior to 1995 Thailand was a lot more diverse and exotic in the eyes of a traveler. Today I hear guys say "why go half way around the world to see what I already have in any big city in the Western world?"

I remember when Pattaya was a beehive of activity as was Silom and Suriwong in Bangkok. Today its diversity is all but lost and yet so many are calling for even more "clean-ups" to further sanitize an already barren landscape. As if our huge and wide-ranging interests could possibly be satisfied by an ersatz puce or "rainbow" Siam Paragon. To a large extent we have brought this upon ourselves. Zizek has warned us that a dream come true is a nightmare.

Worse yet, many feel our desires will be satisfied with "marriage" and the right to adopt and raise families. Confidence tricksters are trying to lead me to believe that this is our glorious future, and represent the great avenues that are being prepared for us. They tell me that our "liberation" consists of this! Any of the quirky byways will be forever cut off and made illegal for trespassing. Most have already disappeared.

Turning and turning in the widening gyre
The falcon cannot hear the falconer;
Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold;
Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world,
The blood-dimmed tide is loosed, and everywhere
The ceremony of innocence is drowned;
The best lack all conviction, while the worst
Are full of passionate intensity.
W. B. Yeats

[jolyjacktar]

When i was there a couple of weeks ago Vassa bar had 3 boys one night and the next time i passed it the person outside drinking told me two boys were off so only one boy in bar, this was early too about 10pm

I'm coming to the view now that the time for bars such as Vassa setting "reasonable prices" has gone - a couple/few years ago it might have helped (maybe) but now it's too late. You can't turn the clock back!

I simply don't believe that there are hordes of queens sitting in their Pattaya hotel room or condo drinking gin from a bottle because they refuse to pay 180B for a drink in a gogo bar. I believe many of the tourist queens are going elsewhere - outside Thailand - or just staying at home. At the same time, many of the ex-pat queens are making other arrangements which don't involve gogo bars at all

I think that the market is just not there any more (or is, al least, radically reduced) - we have already discussed Ambience/Copa hotels having to advertise to the str8 market to fill their rooms (at cut-price rates), and we have already discussed the increasing number of people using Gay Romeo. The gay market generally (and the gogo bar punters in particular) diminishes year on year.
The "High" season is now basically about two months, and the rest of the time it must be an enormous struggle for these bars to pay their bills.
Now, someone is bound to post that on Saturday night, BBB or Copa was bursting at the seams @ 11pm - but my response is that if they aren't busy on a Sat night @ 11pm I'd be surprised, and I have been in both bars when there has been only a handful of customers.

What you are seing now is the number of bars steadily declining and the number of customers doing likewise. Frankly, I cannot see anything other than a continuation of this no matter if the drinks are 180B or 120B.

Markie - you say ┬г8.50 for two beers in Vassa - but come on, that includes a sizeable tip which you wouldn't give in London!
In any case I can pay ┬г9.80 for 2 Peroni beers (wi' nae tip!) in the city centre of Glasgow and presumably neither of us gets a grope included in those prices!!

:party

[joe552]

you're drinking in the wrong bars, scottie :occasion9:

but, seriously, I have to agree with your analysis. still, I'm willing to do my bit from next week to keep Neal in the lifestyle to which he's become accustomed.

[Neal]

"The manner in which I am accustomed to" .....hmmmmm. I would hate to show you pictures and tell you what I am accustomed to. I love where I am and am very comfortable living here but it is a huge step down to what I am accustomed to, but I am not complaining! :happy7:

[anonone]

I am sorry to hear about Vassa being dark for a week. I always had a good time there and they really had some beautiful staff at one point. I will not count them out yet as they have been "closed" before and managed to re-open. That was also the time that they were involved briefly with Splash, so maybe some other type of change in the works. I always thought the owner was a bit unhappy with how small Vassa is.....

I will not pretend to have the answer for energizing the gay tourist economy in Thailand. It seems plausible that world economic conditions are limiting some travel for those from the West. Are there still a ton of Russians running around? Still other Asians visiting in bus loads? Are the straight bars having the same "lowest of the low season"?

Yes, you are quite right on the opening and closings of Vassa. A few more weeks and we will see.

I have been out a few nights and have to say that the streets are just baron of customers. Rumour has it that Walking Street is still busy. The customers I have seen appear to me that the Russians have headed home and the Asians are here in some numbers.

[markie1]

I Said up to 400 baht for two beers ,i never said vassa bar, there beers were 180 baht , 360 for 2,still over priced , the other bar not far from vassa was charging 400 for two beers,add the off fees ,visiting 5/6 bars it works out expencive,and yes i think people have more a choice these days ,they can order there boys from gayromeo,or others,they can drink in beer bars which are more reasonable for drink prices.I for one spend a lot more time in walking street,you can still have the fun there , i would be happy to visit 5/6 go go bars a night if the drinks were around 120 baht ,but i hate to pay 180 to walk in to these bars with a handful of guys on stage ,i have been coming to thailand now for about 9 years ,and every time i come which is 2/3 times per year ,the bars have steadely declined to the point that i wonder how they stay open.some bars will make it because they are more customer focused, and are in the real world,the others unfortunately just live in the land of cookoo's.
People are not taking long vacations has they used to ,also there is people out there trying new places out ,
I just returned from a 5 day stay in Rome on the coast OSTIA ,fabulous nudest beech must be 2/3 miles long with ,dunes at the back for you know what ,lots of fun to be had ,half straight half gay,and a bottle peroni cost me 80 Baht

I Said up to 400 baht for two beers ,i never said vassa bar, there beers were 180 baht , 360 for 2,....


I don't know why you're getting worked up dear - surely you gave at least 40B tip and then we are back to the 400B? Or maybe you gave 20B tip an you got off "lightly" at 380B - in any event can we agree that it costs roughly 400B in Vassa for 2 beers plus tip? I agree it's expensive but it's not extortionate as I have tried to illustrate. Not that you ever could "off" a boy in London but I shudder to think what it would cost if you did - plus he'd want at least ┬г100 for a wank.

And since we are being pedantic: the Peroni I mentioned - I never said it was a bottle! It is ┬г4.90 a pint in the city Centre of Glasgow.

Joe - it's a cellar bar full of old, fat, hairy, "bears" and equally old, fat and hairy lezzies - nowhere special or even good (in my opinion)! I just go there occassionally because my m8 likes it for some unfathomable reason.

Actually - we are the perfect illustration of the current malaise - almost certainly we will be re-visiting the old stomping grounds in Europe this summer rather than Thailand.

:party

[markie1]

I am not getting worked up .why would I get worked up .just stating that beer prices in these bars are way to high in my opinion .and has for offs never had a problem with off fees .or treating guys we may take for a bit fun .i always pay them well and take good care of them .
Looking forward to our next trip in a couple weeks .hopefully will be able to report something back .

[puckered_penguin]

Every low season some bars close , some are sold, some make money, some lose money but there sure will be posts on fora with every theory known to man about why why why... boring!!

[christianpfc]

Vassa was temporarily closed not long ago (maybe half a year), I don't rember if for legal or economical reasons. Actually, I didn't even witness it myself, I just read it here and thought "Bummer, I liked that bar on my previous visit".

[joe552]

I have a theory which I'm looking forward to testing next week, and that is that well-run bars with reasonable prices (such as mine host, DaBoss, apparently) still have a place, but bars still running on the old basis that there isn't an alternative will close.

With so many alternative ways of meeting guys in Pattaya, unless a bar is seen to be offering value for money (and that doesn't necessarily mean just cheap), but a quality experience, then it won't survive. Gone are the days when lazy bar owners could just employ a few cute boys and leave it at that. Personally, I don't just want a bar with overpriced drinks and bored boys - I want to feel my custom is valued by the owner.

[markie1]

I have a theory which I'm looking forward to testing next week, and that is that well-run bars with reasonable prices (such as mine host, DaBoss, apparently) still have a place, but bars still running on the old basis that there isn't an alternative will close.

With so many alternative ways of meeting guys in Pattaya, unless a bar is seen to be offering value for money (and that doesn't necessarily mean just cheap), but a quality experience, then it won't survive. Gone are the days when lazy bar owners could just employ a few cute boys and leave it at that. Personally, I don't just want a bar with overpriced drinks and bored boys - I want to feel my custom is valued by the owner.
You hit it on the head

I want to feel my custom is valued by the owner.

Now, when I said exactly that a few months ago I was roundly attacked :sign5:

[joe552]

ah come on, scottish-guy, who can remember a few months ago? you need to repeat your post - look at NIrish Guy resurrecting posts from Lunchtime O'Booze (how long did it take him to find that post, I wonder?). but glad we're agreeing again.

lol - how long did it take.......about 3 seconds ! As it was already posted by someone else I guess......I hadn't even realised it was an old post - and trust me I've better things to do than trawl the board looking for old posts to comment on ! - - well actually no I haven't actually but I'll say it to make it sound as if I've half a life anyway ! lol

[joe552]

nobody likes a smartarse, NIrish Guy

i wouldn't disagree with you there.......and I most certainly wasn't being one as my post was just stating the fact that I didn't trawl anywhere looking for the post and simply replied to an existing post two above mine as normal, I'm not sure that qualifies as being a smartass........a cute ass I may have, but smart ....no :-)

[joe552]

cuteass, you have to prove. :bootyshake:

Ok Joe, just for you, but this is the LAST time I'm sending you any more of my private pics like this no matter HOW many times you PM me asking for them as you tell me they get you off so much - so stop asking OK !!!!!

Oh my god I can't believe I posted that to the group and not to the PM like you asked me Joe........shit and now I can't delete it !! :-( Oh god my modelling days will be SO over if the agency find out I'm sending out my pics without getting paid for them again ! :(

[kittyboy]

Ok Joe, just for you, but this is the LAST time I'm sending you any more of my private pics like this no matter HOW many times you PM me asking for them as you tell me they get you off so much - so stop asking OK !!!!!

You sir have a disturbingly ugly but somehow alluring man cunt.
I am repulsed and facinated.

thank you Kittyboy, I get that a lot ! :-)

[bucknaway]

Speaking for myself... When I go to an overpriced bar when on holiday, I remember to avoid that bar on my next holiday. Even if that bar was to lower its prices without a major advertisement, I would avoid them not knowing that they have actively changed their business model.

I also found that I can have just as much fun at the 89 baht beer bars laughing and joking with the guys on walking street and the like and when I am ready for 100% gay fun there are the options of the sauna, beer bars, host bars, gay beach chairs and if I feel like dropping the baht, I can go to a gogo bar for a guy and if I get there at the right time I may get to see a show. (I won't even talk about the gay internet options and the options that smart phone apps offer).

Thanks to the internet and Google providing us with the ability to pull up traveler reviews and read ripoff reports and bar suggestions, we travelers are armed with some powerful information that can help us make the most of our short vacation time and get the best bang for our money.

Even here on this board there is a wealth of knowledge on which bars charge crazy prices and offer little return value for the money. It stands to reason that people do a search on gay bars in Pattaya or Bangkok and some of our posts come up and they then have first hand knowledge that a mentioned bar will have high prices. Once they arrive in Thailand and visit just one ripoff bar they will remember the posts here and recognize a bar name and will avoid it fearing they will be ripped off.

[martin911]

Slightly off topic i know but i noticed tonite that one pretty well established restaurant looks like it has closed

The place im referring to is L'Oiliver in Jomtien complex --It has been there for 6 years or more i reckon -- and many the fine meals ive enjoyed there over the years !!
Is it a victim of the economic times we live in or is there another reason it has closed does anybody know ??

[Neal]

Not slightly off topic. Please open a new thread. This is for a particular bar or bars and yours is restaurant and wanting info on the closure of a restaurant. :occasion9:

[martin911]

Oh dear somebody is a little ratty tonite !!

Fine il open another thread on restaurant closures if you insist -- So closures of bars/restaurants are not perceived by you to be similar then ???

But you allow (apart from bucky) the previous 10 posts which seemed to be about man cunts/ and contained a lovely pic of NI's ass i believe !!!

Tell Gaybutton to stop visiting you --then mabye you will go back to normal :occasion9: :occasion9: :occasion9:

[Neal]

I believe the difference is that they are joking around and playing with each other on a thread. I find nothing wrong with that. It's just life. When it seperates into a different topic, it should be under it's own thread. This says Vassa Bar and you brought it in to a restaurant. Totally different topic.
As far a GB, well he has nothing to do with this board except he visits and posts, just like you do.
I also sometimes visit and post on his. What I find VERY enjoyable is that for the last coupke of months neither Butterflap or I have had to do ANY moderating and I am sure I speak for us both when I say, that is wonderful because we don't want to!
and yes, I was on the rag earlier! :3some:

[martin911]

On the rag ??? --where i come from it means the time of the month when lovely ladies have a box of Kleenex shoved up their twat :laughing3:

This you now ??? :bounce:

Ok Ok ive opened the new thread as you have commanded

the original topic was on a(gay) business closing -i mistakenly included my 2pence worth about a previous v popular gay (very ) friendly restaurant which is situated in one of the gay areas in Pattaya also looking like it had closed !! -- OOPS :notworthy:

I feel for you Martin - perhaps you would like me to post a picture of my lovely ass on your other new thread just to help balance things out a bit. lol

[joe552]

have the grown-ups finished fighting? can we go back out to play now? :occasion9:

please, NIrish Guy, no more photos :pukeleft:

[martin911]

No tks NI -one photo is plenty for the board methinks -- :dontknow:

And back to Play Joe and mind NI doesnt sit on you at lunchtime ---- :laughing3: :laughing3:

i'll have you know that the subtle shapely curves of my well rounded ass considerably raised the overall tone of this thread I thought and you're obviously all just jealous of my shapely figure so there ! :-)

[francois]

I do feel sorrow for you poor chaps who pay 150-200 Baht for a drink at a go-go bar in Pattaya. Here at home I pay equivalent of 270 Baht for a drink and tip at my fav gay bar, Le Corbeau. A good glass of wine and, in summer, pretty young gay guys lounging around the pool. And that is all; I go home alone and cry myself to sleep with visions of nude Thai boys dancing in my head.