Patong

[Brad the Impala]

Patong is currently the Windy City, never known it before to be so breezy or cool, which is quite pleasant. Most of the Thai guys are wearing jackets in the evening. The Paradise complex is busy, but not as busy as it should be for peak season.

My Way continues to focus on lack lustre lipsync shows, and seems to think it is Las Vegas. Khun Bon still makes it an arena from the Theatre of Embarrassment. On the night that I was there they had only 11 gogo guys reporting for work, mostly on the beefier side. However it was pretty full of customers.

Passport has a reasonable selection of guys, but the ownerтАЩs girlfriend seems to specialise in screaming louder than the katoys, and that drove me out!

Kiss was busy every night, and seems a serious competitor to the Boat Bar, in the disco/drag show category. It may be helped in this by itтАЩs coyote dancers. The Boat Bar still remains a classier venue in my opinion.

Mamasan has a selection of sissy boys, however there was a report of a farang believing his pocket had been picked while there.

James Dean Bar is under new ownership, with a new name that doesnтАЩt seem to be displayed. The original owner, Khun Paitoon, will be opening a new bar in March, a couple of sois away, and retaining the name James Dean Bar.

James Dean and Friends continues to be a good place from which to people watch, with friendly staff.

A new small outdoor venue worth dropping in on is Blue Angel, situated in the main walkway in the middle of the complex. It is run by Khun Sa-oh, and Khun Kaew, ex captains from My Way, who ran the successful Visa bar, until they were priced out by their landlord, Khun Tangmo.

Generally the bars are open until at least 0200, with many continuing to stay open until 0400.

Thanks for the report brad.

[Patexpat]

Just wonder how many remember James Dean bar when it was an open air bar on the other side of main road outside the Paradise complex? There was a cluster of open air gay bars there ... my guess would possibly late 80's - early 90's? But happy to be corrected .. it was all so much simpler then ... either the buffalo was sick, or mama was sick ... none of the elaborate tales I sometimes hear today . :joker:

Oh yes .. and The Boat Bar was actually a boat 'docked' in the soi immediately behind where it is located now. Ah, my first serious Thai bf was a dancer there .. lasted about 4 year so not bad for a first attempt!!

oops - feel me slipping into nostalgia mode ... :colors:

The bar across from Kiss is definitely called Sundowners.

Accommodation available too, which is well located for anyone staying up late.

[krobbie]

When I was in Patong over New Year and for a week after, there seemed to be plenty of the usual straight tourists. Aussies, Scandinavians and Germans mostly but there was a distinct lack of gay tourists in the Paradise Complex. How do you view it Brad?

At the last soi in the complex going south down the central walkway is Kai Bar. I have known Kai for a few years. He also has a guest house (J&B guesthouse), which is mostly for the working boys. Next to Kai Bar is J&B Bar which is owned by Sid. There seemed to be a lack of customers here. I think mainly because of one new partner who is a frantic German guy. He seems to be playing at bar co-ownership. The bar itself is quite nice. On a corner and decent seating. View the soi foot traffic.

I had to stay in Nanai Road, which I detest, as my usual K&N Guesthouse was chokka with Germanic/Nordic straight types and Club One Seven also fully booked for New Year. I stayed at Amirana but won't bother again. It's Nani Road I don't like. It's busy and interesting but too far away from the main drags and the beach.

I had to be early to the beach in the a.m. to get a beach chair and brolly. The place was dense with folk from 11am and there was waiting for chairs at lunch time and early-mid afternoon.

Cheers
Krobbie

[Sen Yai]

When I was in Patong over New Year and for a week after, there seemed to be plenty of the usual straight tourists. Aussies, Scandinavians and Germans mostly but there was a distinct lack of gay tourists in the Paradise Complex. How do you view it Brad?
Are you sure you were at the Paradise Complex at New Year, krobbie? I was there on 31/12 and the whole 'out' soi was packed with PLU's - more than I've ever seen there before. The party atmosphere was fantastic - bordering on anarchy with fire works and Chinese fire crackers being let off all night. Several floating lanterns were set of to join the dozens in the sky across Patong bay. All the bars seemed busy to me on each night I was there. Connect and Sundowners were always busy and My Way was playing to a full house each night. I was in BB Studio on 30/12 and they didn't bother with the second show as the boys had got most of the audience up in their feet and on the stage and place just carried on in party mode.

I spent most evenings at Kiss Club which is a great bar/disco with a really good show that features the best lip-sync katoey shows I've seen in Thailand (I'm not usually a fan) mixed with high energy dance numbers with coyotes rivalling those at Jupiter. Kiss is a welcome addition to the Phuket scene, owned and run by a couple of ex beach boys, and brings a new dimension to the soi.


I had to be early to the beach in the a.m. to get a beach chair and brolly. The place was dense with folk from 11am and there was waiting for chairs at lunch time and early-mid afternoon.
Again, are you sure you were on Patong beach? Whilst it was certainly busy (as usual at peak season New Year) there were always plenty of spare chairs available at any time, especially just North of the watch tower.

[krobbie]

Sen Yai,
I know I'm getting on (55) but I could swear I was in Patong, Phuket over New Year. To qualify ... I agree New Years night was spectacular but by Januray 4 there were many bars in the complex with fairly few patrons. Maybe I should have walked around more.

It was January secomd when we were on the beach. I didn't go right down the north end of the beach (don't walk much on sand ... 1 leg missing, so I don't need the trouble).[attachment=1:3qs02g8l]Mid_Patong_a.m.jpg[/attachment:3qs02g8l]

[Brad the Impala]

I didn't notice a higher proportion of straight people in the gay area of Paradise Complex than previously. Those that are there are usually walking through on their way to/from The Royal Paradise hotel.

After touring round the island i was amazed at the amount of construction of condo and villas and hotels still going on, despite the expected downturn in the number of visitors.

[Brad the Impala]

Hi

Why is there an expected downturn in the number of visitors? Just wondering. Thanks!


Errr, I believe that there is some sort of worldwide financial crisis, meaning people have less money to spend generally and especially on their leisure activities, like holidays. News of this crisis obviously hasn't reached your fantasy world!

I believe that there is some sort of worldwide financial crisis, meaning people have less money to spend generally and especially on their leisure activities, like holidays. News of this crisis obviously hasn't reached your fantasy world!

2008 and 2009 the best years ever if you have cash money !!! You can buy it all for all most nothing.

Some US bankers made the crisis because they where living in a fantasy wold whit fantasy money !

Meaning i not have less money to spend generally and especially on my leisure activities, like holidays ! :clown:


Are the boys lowering their prices to adjust to people's reduced financial states?

I hope they not have too.