Why So Much Chatter About Pattaya?

[Neal]

Since I have taken over the board I see that the talk is basically centered around Pattaya. I don't hear too much of Chaing Mei, Koh Samui, Phuket, Bangkok and all the other beautiful cities that encompass Thailand. Why is that? Does everyone basically only live in Pattaya? Do you not go anywhere except the bars and beaches of Pattaya? Why is it that there is only conversation of Pattaya? Surely there has to be a hell of a lot of gay people in all sorts of thailand destinations and yet we don't hear too much about them. Why is that? I will tell you now, it's not because the board is headquartered here because when E/S had it and he lived in Florida it was still Pattaya. when Jinks had it and ran it, it was from the UK and yet it was still Pattaya.

I would love to know why this is you think and I would love to hear about other places in thailand other than Pattaya. What do you do? Where do you go?
What type of fun do you have outside of Pattaya? I want to know, I want to go. Let's experience The wonderful country of Thailand!

Yes i agree ....i've said many times on here about other places in Thai..i'm happy a post has been open'd to cover this
When i first came to Thailand....i went to BKK ...Phuket and Pattaya .....i met my bf in Pattaya on that first trip....now every time i go back , we go to diffrent places..but allways include Pattaya, we want to see many places Thai as to offer
2nd time we went Pattaya .....Chaing Mai...
3rd time..Pattaya....Koh Samui and his home in Nong bua lampoo isaan..which i've since fallen in love with
4th time...Bkk.....Isaan for my birthday in his village....30 of his family and friends came to my party.....and Pattaya
Next dec..We will be going back to his village for his birthday, so party again ha ha... also cause were near, going over border into Laos.....Krabi for christmas....and Pattaya for new year and jan. :party

[Neal]

That sounds great! how about you tell us about some of those places we don't get to her about Chris? I certainly would like to know and try and get to some of them at least if there were a major hospital nearby for my dialysis. I know Chiang Mei from a few visits and I loved it. The palace with the gardens was magnificent, lay back lifestyle and things more spread out and open air. Boys were much different than Pattaya. We also went trekking and cross country vehicles, paint ball and Bungy jumping in one of the parks. The zoo was there. gee I haven't been in so long that I may go back soon. Well I don't do those activities but I get real pleasure seeing the boys I have helping me around have fun. :party

Instead of a single "Gay Thailand" forum you could consider separate fora for Pattaya, Bangkok, Phuket, CM, and "other places"

It might encourage members to post to those new fora and make it easier for the casual visitor to find what they are looking for.

From memory, I believe Ting Tong have this kind of set-up - but the Pattaya forum far outnumbers the rest.

:dontknow: :dontknow:

[Neal]

Very interesting suggestion. How do other feel about that? :dontknow:

Also, and I don't know how technically possible this is, if you had these additional fora it might encourage potental advertisers within that "forum area" to place a banner or something within that specific forum - whereas they might at present feel that their Ad would be "lost" amongst the Pattaya ads?

:hello2:

[Oliver]

The forum should encourage posters to explore Thailand- and not just those areas which have a gay scene.

And so I now give a plug for Chiang Rai. No nightlife , except for a magnificent night market which is far better than Chiang Mai's and sells reasonably priced hill-tribe crafts I've not seen elsewhere.
And its surroundings? Chiang Saen on the Mekong; a wonderfully serene ruined Lanna temple. More spiritual and much quieter than Bangkok's noisy tourist traps.
Then just two hours drive away, Mae Salong with a unique history (still ethnic-Chinese) and amazing mountain scenery on the way.

We dragged ourselves back to Pattaya with a sense of loss. Though there were compensations.

I suspect the volume of chat about Pattaya is fairly simple to explain - the large number of expats living there, the large number of regular visitors to the town, combined with the big scene. Of course there is life (and gay life) everywhere else, but many choose an easy option, and why not? Its not my favourite place in Thailand but it is also very easy to get to from Bangkok.

As for splitting the forums, personally I prefer the existing set up, where its easy to see what ever is being said about LOS, Pattaya or otherwise.

[joe552]

For my annual holiday, I now only visit Pattaya (mainly due to lack of time and money). But in the past I've visited other parts of the country, and still enjoy reading trip reports about places I've been to as well as places I haven't. I don't know that a separate forum is required for other destinations besides Pattaya. Trip reports tend to cover a few destinations at the same time.

[PeterUK]

Very interesting suggestion. How do other feel about that? :dontknow:

It might seem like a good idea but I don't think it would work out well in practice. Most people only want to look at one forum or at the most two IMHO. Once you have lots of them, people will simply not bother with any but the main one and useful info about places other than Pattaya will not be seen. How many people bother to click through all the Ting Tong forums? Not me. The fewer the better. Keep it simple.

[Neal]

we have just received a report back from Tech Support and the book calls for this amount of forums and suggests no more than this as it will get too complicated and users will drop off.

[francois]

Very interesting suggestion. How do other feel about that? :dontknow:

Bad idea. Just view Tingtong and you can see that it does not work.

[Neal]

Already said the idea was dead in the water.

Very interesting suggestion. How do other feel about that? :dontknow:

Bad idea. Just view Tingtong and you can see that it does not work.

Hmmm I don't think you could judge the idea by looking at Ting Tong - the posters there seem very lethargic.
They (allegedly) have around 15% more members than SGF yet they generate only 1/3 of the topics and only 1/4 of the posts of SGF. At this point in time SGF has 28x as many members online and SGF's highest ever online is 5x that of Ting Tong.
Anyhoo, apparently it can't be done anyway, so that's that.

:kap:

[christianpfc]

We also went trekking and cross country vehicles, paint ball and Bungy jumping in one of the parks.

You, bungee jumping? Are there no weight limits?

(Oh I see, the answer is here:)


Well I don't do those activities but I get real pleasure seeing the boys I have helping me around have fun.

I think the forum is fine as it is now.

I want to go further than Bangkok and Pattaya, but I succeed only partially. It's so convenient to spend time there where you already know how to get around. And after catching up in Bangkok and Pattaya, there is not much time left to go elsewhere.

Not interested in Pattaya its full of sex tourists and foreigners I just skip over all thos posts about which Pattaya bar has the skinniest boys.

I agree with some of what you say ....i think its a nice to have the conbination of Pattaya and trying to enjoy the rest of Thailand...when you travel around the rest of the country you realise pattaya is only a tiny part of it
Some of Pattaya reminds me of a thai version of blackpool without the sex ha ha
if your travelling all the way round the world you might as see the rest of Thailand ..where's the adventure in just going to one place.....its like what packege holliday tourists do when they go to Spain :hello2:

Getting around to other places is very easy these days with all those cheap flights and buses. You might really enjoy a visit to Isaan (which is not at all remote or out of the way), or Chiangmai, or even Luang Prabang in Laos. For me half the fun is exploring... and not just the towns :blackeye:

Yes me and my bf have travelled on both bus and plane to Isaan......only 400 baht by bus.....and we flew return by Nok Air... Bkk to Udon thani..for 2 ...only 4,00 baht!

[thrillbill]

I think it is obvious that most ? of the members on Sawatdee forum are from Pattaya since Pattaya attracts the retired GWM here. Most of the farangs that come to Pattaya seem to be attracted to the skinny, fem type or the young Thai boy - not the25 -35 yr. masculine looking type that is found in the city. Pattaya's Dongtan gay beach, the numerous gay venues of Sunee Plaza, Boystown, and Jomtien complex, the variety of restaurants and shopping complexes, Western style hospitals, inexpensive lodging, and easy access to the airport makes Pattaya an easy place to settle in. The retired visitor in Pattaya has more time on their hands to go on websites such as Sawatdee and give their comments than someone who is visiting Thailand just for a couple weeks. True, there are retirees in Bangkok, Phuket, and other cities, but not as many as in Pattaya. Phuket is more expensive and gay life on a smaller scale; Bangkok does have more to offer in Gay saunas, massage parlors, dance clubs, bars (soi 4), and the unforgettable go-go boy clubs on soi Twilight - but its cliental is mostly the short term visitor (and who would want to live in this polluted city when you can relax on the beach in Pattaya and not fight the traffic going back to your condo?).

(and who would want to live in this polluted city when you can relax on the beach in Pattaya and not fight the traffic going back to your condo?).Someone who wants to spend time with interesting expats who know how to hold a conversation about something else than Arabs Russkies and how much off prices have increased.

[pong]

Bangkok does have more to offer in Gay saunas, massage parlors, dance clubs, bars (soi 4), and the unforgettable go-go boy clubs on soi Twilight - but its cliental is mostly the short term visitor (and who would want to live in this polluted city when you can relax on the beach in Pattaya and not fight the traffic going back to your condo?).
NOT true at all- in fact in BKK Thai make out most of the clientele-except at a few of those over-touristy places. of its 40/50 or so gay sauna's and dedicated massage(+more)shops maybe less as 10 are touristy-the rest as Thai as you can think of. Long staying/working/expat farang (and Japanese etc.) form out a large portion of the western customers. Plus that ChMai-in the right (wrong?) time of year is much more polluted as BKK is. Its main drag is of course traffic-but then only ignorant people seem to think you have always to travel half over town to find a place. Even the more popular local bars are not in soi4 or soi2.
But it seems to me:
1.that even on this forum, yes, alas, indeed, there is a shift toward pattayacenteredness, more as it used to be (the other well-known boards are much more so). Maybe perhaps a bit as the (youre very well doing, BTW)board CEO is settled there and thus invariously is more prone to Pattaya-topics.
2.that life -daytime-must be pretty boring overthere, as people seem so much time in hand to quarrel about any possible topic-same as USAers always can make enormous discussions about how much to tip-be it boys or waiters or taxidrivers or whomever.?? Or is this my distorted view?

[francois]

Or is this my distorted view?

Yes, in my opinion.

[adman5000]

To get this back on topic to answer DaBoss's question:

In the past I have written trip reports on various places and try not to center exclusively on Pattaya. When I visit Thailand, I spend a small percentage of my time in Pattaya as I do not view it as the real Thailand. But I do enjoy Pattaya in small doses as I find it an appropriately sized place with easy transportation and decent variety of things to do,

BUT, if there are threads on specific bar situations in Pattaya and specific restaurants in Pattaya and specific hotels in Pattaya and stories about personal meetings and interactions in Pattaya, and friendly/unfriendly bantering back and forth between residents in Pattaya, I think it collectively implies and promotes that the forum is Pattaya centric.

I also think the flavor of the board has changed somewhat over time. When I first joined there were a lot of questions about various areas or places and more people shared their KNOWLEDGE. Now I feel it has moved much more towards an OPINION board.

On each of my trips, I always go to at least one area I have not visited before. I don't go there looking for boybars but rather to see a different view of how the Thai people live outside PTY and BKK. My favorite method is to rent a car and have someone(many times who I know) take me with a lot of stopping along the way. As they say, many times it is the journey that is the experience, rather than the destination.

If DaBoss wants to try something different, I would suggest a trip to Hat Mae Lampung Beach near Rayong, including a side trip to Ban Phe market, a visit to the fruitmarket or even a fruit farm, the aquarium, and a trip into the old city area of Rayong. There are many resorts around that area and it is totally different IMO than the beach scene at PTY with many fewer people (unless a tour bus pulls up) and small seafood restaurants right on the beach. The difference in beach/water cleanliness is debatable as you can read on Thaivisa. I think any of the guys from the bar would really enjoy it, especially if one of them has a guitar or karaoke setup to take along.

Yes i agree with a lot of what you say and feel the same about my visits to Thai
I think some people get in a rut and just stay in the same place cause they like it that way
but some of us get board being in one place and make the effort to search out the rest of Thialand and its people
cause even when i was a kid...i was facinated by this country and it history and i used to read stories about Siam as it was once called.
i think sometimes, how many visitors to Thailand would be interested in this country if you took away the sexual angle ?

[latintopxxx]

We are all different, I have no interest in gallavanting all over the country side looking at temples + palaces...BKk and Pattaya have enough to last me a life time.
My only interests are having a comfortable place near water to while the day away (Babylon+Dongtan beach) and an abundance of boys willing to grab their ankles for me.
Good food, relatively safe enviornment and low cost of living (not many places where you rent a gogo boy for under тВм30) are additional positives.
Realise this places me firmly in the sex tourist bracket..but this is what draws me to Thailand on a regular basis.

[joe552]

Who'd have thunk it? I find myself agreeing with much of what latintop has to say. I've been to a few places in Thailand, but now just go for the boys, to be honest.

[lexusgs]

I think that thought applies to 100% of the members on this board Joe right? :bounce:

[TravellerDave]

I've been to several nice places in Thailand but I can't find anywhere that meets my requirements as much as Pattaya.
I admit I,m a 100% gay sex tourist. Pats has good inexpensive accommodation, a gay beach, bars and Gogo,s and most importantly a supply of attractive boys that Touch their toes for me.

[gaymandenmark]

I must be a minority on this board, but when I am getting older, I find Pattaya lesser and lesser attractive.
I still get a lot of sex for free or for a "gift", so that is not a problem. Maybe I has just got tired of the openly meat market.
If I now go to Pattaya, I run away after 2 days.
Even if you only go to Thailand for the boys, they are available all over the country.

[joe552]

I still get a lot of sex for free or for a "gift", so that is not a problem.

I think that's the main difference here - you're getting free sex, the rest of us have to pay - so the heart of the commercial scene is Pattaya - that's why we go.

When I visit other countries, I don't need to see another cathedral or castle, I've done all that - I want to relax, have some good food and drink, and enjoy my limited time away. We all have different objectives for our holidays and that's a good thing. It would be a boring world if we all liked the same things.

[anonone]

Let's face it...Pattaya is easy.

A quick trip from Bangkok airport. Great values on lodging at every comfort level. English language can get you by without too much trouble. Gogo and host bars to cater to thirst and sexual urges. Vast array of restaurants from inexpensive, delicious Thai food to most conceivable ethnic choices. 3 distinct enclaves of gay life, within 10 minutes of each other.
The list can go on.

For those of us planning short term visits, it is tough to match the convenience of Pattaya. There is just about zero planning needed for my trips now. I buy the airplane ticket, book my hotel with a taxi pickup, and I am done. I know where everything is and I know how to get around. There is comfort in that. Easy.

I am trying to break the routine and it is invigorating. As mentioned in another thread, I am taking BF to Hong Kong next month. I am reminded how much planning needs to happen when you venture someplace new. How to get around, where to go, what to see, where to eat....not easy...but that is not always a bad thing.

I think in the future, a mixture of Pattaya and other Thai destinations would be best. Have to see....

[adman5000]

I often get restless doing the same thing. Rather than "seeing" things, I enjoy "doing" different things especially if they help me learn a little more about Thai culture from the boy's POV. I will probably never see things the same way they do and I don't mind that.

A few years ago, I hired a Thai friend and a friend of his who was an experienced driver, to take me to Issan. It was great. They brought their fishing poles, a few clothes, and me in a small van I rented. We had no reservations and just decided on our own schedule. Whether it was listening to a live band playing Issan music, snacking on fried grasshoppers, visiting the family farm, walking around a night market together, or seeing one of the national parks they wanted to stop at, it was a fun time. But to me, seeing them happy and joking together in the van as we listened to my EAGLES CD or theirTAI ORATHAI CD made the trip enough for me.

When I had tried of Issan (which did not take long), we went to Hua Hin which they have never visited and stopped at several other nearby beach areas where I bought them their foam surfboards. We had a lot of laughs, seafood, and fun.

So now I try to do something similar each trip. I know everyone enjoys different things. But when I get restless in Thailand, I find a trip like this is fun. It also helps me understand whether I could live with the Thai people everyday and enjoy it.

Pattaya is a big attraction for those in need of a sex fix! But as adman mentions, there is a completely different world outside Pattaya, and fascinating too. As a resident, rather than a regular visitor, I really enjoy getting out into the sticks and exploring. I do understand the different point of view and needs of a tourist vs a resident, but it seems to me to be a bit of a shame to make regular visits to just one place, and there is gay life of sorts everywhere, and in some unlikely places.

[danny99]

Very interesting suggestion. How do other feel about that? :dontknow:

Personally speaking I have virtually no interest in Pattaya, agree that these sites all seem too be 80% Pattaya and therefore boring for me and as a result only rarely visit the web site. I have been to Pattaya [twice] and even though I have local friends living there I have no real wish to return. Bangkok is my main attraction, where there is something for everyone, and at VERY reasonabe prices, much cheaper than the provinces [Pinnacle $30 p.n. incl breakfast, wi-fii, swimming pool and that naughty sauna and steam room], whisky sodas at The Balcony at only $2.50 for two! etc....other than that I enjoy Chiang Mai [but only for 2-3 days] and have spent a few interesting days in Kohn Koen, but for me Bangkok is Thailand, an exciting city. Plus and very important for me the quality and variety of restaurants in Bangkok is far better [I have had some awful meals in Pattaya, Thai and foreign, only the old original Bruno's escaped with credit].

Sunday Brumch at The Shangri-La, fun evenings at the Swiss Chesa, sitting in Le Bouchon at front table watching the 'boys' and girls buying female underwear in Patpong II, interesting food at Eat Me, and good Thai at Bo-Lan and Ruen Arai plus the wonderful Nahm one of the world's great eating experiences for those without food hangups....and much more.

Perhaps the lack of Bangkok items is due to the fact that expats who live there are leading a busy, exciting life whereas in Pattaya it seems that many just sit at home and try to take points off each other?

So YES put Pattaya on a separate section and leave the rest of Thailand for us.

As i said before...ever since my first visit to Thai.....i include Pattaya every time but allso a couple of different places each time i visit and allso my bf's village on my last 2 trips....next time ..i'm in Isan....Laos....Krabi....Pattaya..eventually i want to see most of Thailand then move onto other countries in south east Asia..that way i think i get the best of both worlds

[bruce_nyc]

So YES put Pattaya on a separate section and leave the rest of Thailand for us.

Maybe that's not a bad idea. There should be a separate section for Bangkok too. In fact, on GayTouri.com they have separate sections for every city in Thailand. It seems like it would help a lot to have info organized by location.

[fountainhall]

on GayTouri.com they have separate sections for every city in Thailand. It seems like it would help a lot to have info organized by location.
It's all very well to organise by location. It's far more difficult to get any posts. Certainly gaytouri has not succeeded - yet. Apart from Pattaya and to a lesser extent Bangkok, the only posts are almost exclusively the same question asked by the administrator! It seems few of the gay Thailand sites are able to attract much information from outside these cities, with Chiang Mai an occasional exception. Phuket, Samui, Hua Hin and Chiang Rai get rare posts, whilst Udon Thani, Ubon Ratchathani, Khon Kaen, Korat, Kanchanaburi and other cities are virtually off the gay radar.

[marcwolf]

Very interesting suggestion. How do other feel about that? :dontknow:

Personally speaking I have virtually no interest in Pattaya,.

I agree. That area does not interest me at all. I went over to BangKock for a months work, and while I was there a Thai work collegue took me out into the countryside to his parent's farm (which I considered a great honor).

It was a wonderful experience being there and in the local village, trying my limited Thai and where that did not work using a smile.

True I want to see more of Thailand but I want to see it's people, and the real Thailand away from the tourist places.

Fortunately my parents taught me that all people are equal, every culture has value, and kindness is a universal currency. And it has stood me well in my travels

Marc

[gregvc]

today we we river by river taxi to Nonthaburi for a very late lunch. Always a pleasant ride and when you start to doze off, you are there. However, we did not know that today was the trials for the dragon boat races. We had a great meal at our favourite riverside restaurant, watching the boats and their crews (very nice). A wonderful day out of the blue. One of the reasons I love Thailand.
On the disappointing side, a visit to Bangkok10 sauna was a big let down-dirty, few customers.