The truth on Jomtien complex.

Hi,

Could readers please tell me the real story on Jomtien complex as we keep getting very mixed reviews. If you listen to my pal, Monty, it is the new "Monte Carlo" others describe it as a White Elephant and a Dinosaur!!

Unfortunately, I am not sure what view is shared by many members of this board.

I would be genuinely interested, for honest and truthful comments about this area from other people.

I have seen venues open , spend large amounts on refurbishment and close in rapid succession, Little Britain being one of them! There are others, I believe.

IS THIS JUST BAD DECISIONS BY NOT SO CLEVER BUSINESS PEOPLE OR IS THE AREA CURSED????

They say initially, it was designed for all the Hong Kong chinese, who were going to flood here after the British left Hong Kong, I would have doubted that very much, even if there was an exodus, they would probably have headed for Canada, Australia or the UK.

It's a slum in the quick making, like everywhere else in Pattaya.

Unfortunately, I am not sure what view is shared by many members of this board.

I would be genuinely interested, for honest and truthful comments about this area from other people.

I did like it at Jomtiem ! And Monty is a real nice guy , sure you feel well on this place .

I would be genuinely interested, for honest and truthful comments about this area from other people.

BG wrote :


It's a slum in the quick making, like everywhere else in Pattaya.

Honest and truthful comments BG ! :flower:

To me Jomtien Complex seems like a good place to start the evening before you head off to the go-go's. Kind of like Soi 4 in Bangkok.
It doesn't have any go-go bars so it's mostly a dinner venue or a good place to meet at Cocktail Hour after a day on the beach. A "nice night out" kind of place that even Boygeenyus would be delighted with!
One thing it has going for it is that its close to the Jomtien expat crowd at View Talay and Jomtien complex. Also the hotels are close to the beach.
Without the sleezy nightlife factor it will never rival Pattayaland or Sunee, but it can make it's own niche so it won't have to.

The area I never understood was Soi Day-Night. With Pattayland and Sunee so close by what did it have to offer? (obviously not much since it's completely collapsed as a gay venue).

[Smiles]

" ... They say initially, it was designed for all the Hong Kong chinese, who were going to flood here after the British left Hong Kong, I would have doubted that very much, even if there was an exodus, they would probably have headed for Canada .... "
. . . . and they did!!
Vancouver is a rice queen's dream. The town is now almost sophisticated enough to get a thumbs up from the likes of Boygeenyus.

Cheers ...

[blazer]

Jomtien is basically quiet, yet, a nice place, with clean streets, and good restaurants.

It is not for those that want a lot of action, but you can find it if you look for it. Many times in the day it would be so quiet I would be the only person walking down the street.

It's just a short walk to the beach and beach bars so great for the beach goers. No go go bars or many other distractions but just a baht bus away from the other main areas.

Blazer,

Thank you. This was the feeling I was getting.

It also appears to be an area where ex pats and people who have condo's treat it as a sort of locals area, Yes????

DELETED

Thanks John and Blazer,

Probably just wanted reassurance for something I already knew.!!

[PeterUK]

I live close to Jomtien Complex and agree with much that has been written above. It's okay for a quiet drink or meal, but would never appeal to me as a business proposition. Like it or not, it's gogo bars that draw in large numbers of people in a place like Pattaya. As I understand it, there is little or no prospect of this happening at Jomtien Complex. There might be areas in the world where a thriving gay community can be created from classy little restaurants, bars with hosts, boutiques, handicraft shops, hair salons etc - but Pattaya ain't one of them!

Its a haven for those who hate bars filled with women and str8 russians and also for those that get terrified by kamikaze bikers and baht buses while trying to cross roads lol

I think the entire area of the complex and going up and down Thappraya is now the restaurant zone.
The trouble is the restaurants overall are kind of tired.

There also aren't enough ones that are geared to EVERDAY expat living, which is an important niche in this area. For example, Olivers with their mediocre "French" food is fun once in a while, but not too often. Too many places are obviously geared to holidaymakers.

My feeling is, do something different, and do it well, and do it at a good price, the area could bloom.

Some ideas:

an authentic Mexican taqueria/burrito joint (not yet done anywhere in town)
a casual Peruvian eatery featuring ceviche using all local fish and seafood
a better pizza place (the current one in there is not exceptional)
a Chiang Mai style khai soi soup place geared to farangs, mid price and clean
a place specializing in Penang/Singapore/Malaysian noodle fries and soups
an Ethiopian restaurant with a simple menu, two choices, veggie combo or meat combo with rotating menu for what is served that day
a campy premium tequila bar with live Latino band and Latino drag queen show, and dark Isaan Thai cholo shirtless waiters

Not the same old same old please. It could be better than Bangkok. But it probably won't be ...

[Marsilius]

Surely a "casual Peruvian eatery" would be incomplete without the national dish of roasted guinea pigs (cavies)?

Surely a "casual Peruvian eatery" would be incomplete without the national dish of roasted guinea pigs (cavies)?

Thats just IGNORANT.

In my time in Lima, its very hard to find that in a restaurant, even if you wanted it. Its a mountain dish. Peruvian is the new Thai worldwide. In 10 years or so, you will see a Peruvian restaurant explosion.

http://www.limon-sf.com/

So if Jomtien hopes ever to be "trendy" and attract a more sophisticated crowd, get with the program.

Bullshit, Jingthing. I have trouble believing you've ever been to Lima. The national dish, cuy, is very delicious!

http://www.jinks.clara.net/forum/rat.jpg

{edited and re-hosted as a smaller image- jinks}

Boy, believe what you want. I was there for two weeks and had a great time. I love the food. Cuy is associated with the Indians and mountain people. The big city of Lima is known much more for ceviche and other specialties such as beef hearts. Of course, you can get it in Lima, but even in places that offer, you hardly ever see it, because it is considered peasant food. BTW, Lima makes a great gay trip. Stay in the Miraflores district. There is lots of gay nightlife and if you play your cards right you can party with some cuties without the Thai style expectations. I had a great holiday fling there with a closeted upper class guy of 18, will never forget him. Best way to meet guys there is by the net.

Here is a great place to stay, gay OK but not a gay hotel, and I stayed there and they didn't mind my romance but they did snicker at me:

http://www.andix.com/hostalelpatio/

Guess what,

I'll be giving that culinary experience a miss , Thank you very much.

Guess what,

I'll be giving that culinary experience a miss , Thank you very much.
I agree with you on that one.

Businesses in Jomtien Complex have their ups and downs like anywhere else. Spending large amounts of money on premises and staying open for a few weeks or months happens to too many farang and Thai owned businesses all over Pattaya - it is in no way confined to Jomtien Complex. Just go through Sunee Plaza or Boystown and see the closed bars or for sale/rent signs.

On the contrary some gay owned businesses have done and are still in business in Jomtien Complex and been going for a few years ike Poseidon, Bondi, Chez Zaza, Dick's Cafe, Question Mark bar, Exxit, Two faces, Dolce Vita (ex Star Treff), Vinegar, Duo House and Derby Men's club.
Furthermore it has had recent additions like Flamboyant, Festival Bar and more. Casa Pascal recently took over the Poseidon restaurant. Bondi would not have been bought sold for a good price this week if it wasn't doing well.

Kevin, try to remember the place 4 years ago and there was nothing at all besides Derby. No one can say the place is cursed. Like anywhere it needs capable people to run businesses in Thailand which you would know yourself is not easy.

Most of the gay owned businesses have also got together and formed the Jomtien Gay Community who are organising promotions, have got a website and doing charity events throughout the year, some of which like the Jomtien Carnival last November was highly successful.

Sure there are no gogo bars in Jomtien which is not a bad thing and makes the whole place feel more relaxed, hassle free and safe. There are more massage places for men, there are more stylish and good restaurants, and there are still a number of host bars where you can off a young man. Outside the complex, there are even more gay businesses and Jomtien has also become the unrivalled place to eat good food (Bruno's, Mata Hari, Manhattan's, Gian's, Pan Pan, Poseidon, Au Bon Coin, etc etc). If you prefer, I believe there is only one restaurant in Boyztown, and one in Sunee Plaza!

Overall, Jomtien has grown as a gay venue area in the last 3 years whilst other areas have seen a decline in businesss (see threads on this board, or speak to most bar owners in other areas) or been constantly subjected to bad publicity and police raids.

So Jomtien Complex is doing very well - Thank you!

So Jomtien Complex is doing very well - Thank you!

There you have it, from a completely unbiased, financially disinterested source!

One thing I have not understood about Jomtien Complex is the lack of public facilities, that were once good.
I used to avoid going to the Bondi when it first opened because of the toilets, and then one of the waiters indicated to me that behind Bondi about 20 metres down the path were public toilets, for those who don't know, these are huge facilities like the style in huge shopping plaza's for both men and women. Then last year, about November, all the cubicles had the doors removed and the sit down pans were replaced with Asian style squat facilities, I still cannot understand both the logic of not having signs and downgrading the facility when I believe the majority of people who frequent the area are foreigners.

[TrongpaiExpat]

jomtiengayguide, gross overstatements, grandiose self-serving platitudes hype and gimmicks are not the way to promote the Jomtime Complex, it just does not work, ask Niddy.

What works is providing a good product/service and then create a reputation that is it's own best promotion. The word gets out and you get new customers as well as keep a good clientele base of repeat business, both with the expats and with the frequent visitors.

The old fashion way: you earn it, just my opinion.

[Lunchtime O'Booze]

will be the making of Jomtien Plaza- if one could hold out that long.

The action is in the center of Pattaya and always will be -for now. All Jomtien needs is a massive injection of people which will happen with time.

Until then, you will have to treat Monty as a pioneer !.

One thing I have not understood about Jomtien Complex is the lack of public facilities, that were once good.
I used to avoid going to the Bondi when it first opened because of the toilets, and then one of the waiters indicated to me that behind Bondi about 20 metres down the path were public toilets, for those who don't know, these are huge facilities like the style in huge shopping plaza's for both men and women. Then last year, about November, all the cubicles had the doors removed and the sit down pans were replaced with Asian style squat facilities, I still cannot understand both the logic of not having signs and downgrading the facility when I believe the majority of people who frequent the area are foreigners.

the bondi has 2 very clean toilets - cant see why you wouldn`t use them?
that facility as you call it was locked up when i was there in Feb /March - reminded me of a cottage lol

DELETED

Should I put my plans to buy a condo at Jomtien on hold? I was hoping to buy something in View Talay at distressed prices (foreign speculators running for the exits), and spend my afternoons scouting for boys. The news that there are not many people on the street is most discouraging. By the way if anyone is a foreign speculator selling a View Talay condo at distressed prices, please PM me. I'm missing Traveller Jim's daily update of the ads in the real estate windows.

Should I put my plans to buy a condo at Jomtien on hold? I was hoping to buy something in View Talay at distressed prices (foreign speculators running for the exits), and spend my afternoons scouting for boys. The news that there are not many people on the street is most discouraging. By the way if anyone is a foreign speculator selling a View Talay condo at distressed prices, please PM me. I'm missing Traveller Jim's daily update of the ads in the real estate windows.
Wishful thinking. The market is flat on resales. Haven't heard of much panic selling. Things should get better if they ever have elections.