Sawatdee Network is For Sale

[a447]

Frankly, it has more info for the gay traveller - understandably the younger gay traveller - than any of the existing Thailand-based forums.

There's the difference. Both boards cater to a totally different demographic; this one to the...errr.....more experienced gay man and tends to focus on paid sexual encounters. Hence, we have posts here about tips and where to find money boys.

The boards catering to a younger crowd are all about where to meet sexual partners where no money changes hands.

There will always be plenty of guys who find they are at an age now where they have to pay. We all reach that stage sooner or later. And I think this board caters pretty well for them. So I don't see the demise of this board in the near future. Older members die off but there are lots of guys coming up behind them to take their place.

The board just needs to find an avenue where it can advertise to these older guys. That's the only way membership will increase.

[Tobi]

Older members die off but there are lots of guys coming up behind them to take their place.

I'm not sure there are lots of guys coming... !!

It's only an impression on my part gleaned from a small number of guys in their 50-60's but the visible sex industry in places like Thailand appears to be irrelevant to them. This also seems to be just as true for the straight girlie bars too, there are just so many alternatives nowadays for those who wish to pay-to-play, across a multitude of other countries. I'm afraid that Thailand no longer appears to be leading the pack of gay-friendly places to visit either and the sex industry certainly isn't dirt cheap for those on a tight budget as from my own limited experience the cost of offing a boy from a Bangkok bar can easily reach $100+ in total and escort services are charging 8,000-10,000 Baht for an overnight.

I also believe app and website freelancing are vastly preferred by the majority of working boys and girls instead of being enslaved to a bar, club or brothel. It leaves them fully independent and in control of their working day-or-night, able to pick-and-choose their clientele, and grants them a much higher degree of anonymity.

[Jellybean]

. . . The board just needs to find an avenue where it can advertise to these older guys. That's the only way membership will increase.

I wholeheartedly agree with your comment above a447.

What about advertising Sawatdee Network in the local Thai gay magazines? Did Neal try this? IтАЩm not entirely sure, I have a vague memory that he may have advertised in foreign gay magazines.

In my case, I had been travelling to Thailand for 4 or 5 years before I was even aware of this forumтАЩs existence. A friend sent me a link, and after about a year of being a reader, I joined what was then SGT and became a member.

When IтАЩm out and about in Bangkok, Silom Soi 4, or Soi Twilight, I always see many fa-r├аng in my age group. But, given how few Bangkok members we have, and even allowing for visitors from Pattaya, the vast majority of the English speaking westerners I see, clearly do not post here. Like me in years gone by, I wonder if they are even aware of Sawatdee Network. It is possible that there is a an untapped group of potential new members right here on our own doorstep, so to speak, waiting to be enticed to join we few, we happy few, we band of brothers.

I also believe app and website freelancing are vastly preferred by the majority of working boys and girls instead of being enslaved to a bar, club or brothel. It leaves them fully independent and in control of their working day-or-night, able to pick-and-choose their clientele, and grants them a much higher degree of anonymity.

Talking of boys тАЬfreelancingтАЭ or even moonlighting, I met a Thai guy off PlanetRomeo last night. I was surprised to learn that he worked in one of the тАШSoi TwilightтАЩ bars. Why, I asked, was he on Planet Romeo? He explained that many of the Chinese or other Asian customers who visit his bar, are more interested in watching the show than offing the boys, so heтАЩs not making a lot of money from working in the bar. Well that suited me perfectly, because IтАЩm not really interested in watching the shows any more, IтАЩve seen them a 100 times before. And, I didnтАЩt have to buy two costly drinks and pay an off fee to meet my visitor. The boy also benefited financially and, because I saw him early in the evening, he was able to go off to work in his bar and not be penalised for turning up late and still, potentially, meet another customer.

[francois]

Change the name of the Forum! Sawatdee Network is meaningless. Try Gay Network Thailand or Gay Sawatdee Thailand, or something similar with words such as Gay, Thailand, etc. Sawatdee means nothing to the first timer and Network sounds like a TV station or computer shop.

When doing a google search for gay thailand the first site that pops up is gaythailand.com. Gotta give Michael for creativity.

[a447]

Yes, i agree; the name is meaningless and doesn't suggest anything gay.

[fountainhall]

There's the difference. Both boards cater to a totally different demographic; this one to the...errr.....more experienced gay man and tends to focus on paid sexual encounters. Hence, we have posts here about tips and where to find money boys.

The boards catering to a younger crowd are all about where to meet sexual partners where no money changes hands . . .

The board just needs to find an avenue where it can advertise to these older guys. That's the only way membership will increase.

I entirely agree with the first comment. But can any one Board continue with the past policy of catering almost exclusively to those in the older age bracket seeking paid sex? Is there no way to go some way to marrying the needs of existing members with the desires of new and younger ones? I am with those who believe the nature of the market in Thailand is now changing quite rapidly, only in part due to the social networking sites. The boy Jellybean met is correct when he says the new Asian customers in the bars mostly want to watch, not off. And that I think is one reason why drink prices in such establishments have been escalating rapidly.

And although Jellybean says he agrees with A447's comments, I suggest his point about the Gay Romeo boy somewhat negates that view. Gay Romeo caters for hook-ups. This Board doesn't!

As for those already living in Thailand not being aware of this Board, my own view is they are probably not many. There are two guys around my age living in my building. I recently asked if they read any of the Boards. They told me they did before they moved here some years ago but soon after they gave up. They said they find what they want from word of mouth or other sources. So I really cannot see how the membership can be expanded from that particular source.

Lastly, I also agree wholeheartedly about the site name. Sawatdee Network doesn't even imply what it is or used to be. With all respect to Surfcrest, nothing about the name suggests it is the place to find out about things gay in Thailand.

[Tobi]

I met a Thai guy off PlanetRomeo last night. I was surprised to learn that he worked in one of the тАШSoi TwilightтАЩ bars.

I found quite a few bars had freelancers hanging about, no doubt they're also on Planet Romeo or similar. I didn't think to check at the time. I also found the escort services seemed to have a monopoly on the real stunners, both male and female, although that might have been something of a fluke.

The boy Jellybean met is correct when he says the new Asian customers in the bars mostly want to watch, not off. And that I think is one reason why drink prices in such establishments have been escalating rapidly.

It goes back to what I said earlier about red light districts becoming tourist attractions, the same is true in the Netherlands and Germany according to their local media, a visit is now just seen as a slightly risque stop on the average traveller's itinerary.

[cdnmatt]

I am sure others believe this is the root of internet Board problems.

It is. People these days are looking for a) real-time communication with those of the same interests, and b) real-time information at their fingertips, not sifting through tons of threads. That's why forums such as this are dying. It's not just SGT, but majority of forums of this format are dying a slow death, or at least are slowing down. SGT is a bit of an anonalmy though, due to the general age of its membership (ie. retired folks).

[arsenal]

This is my point in reducing the number of forums. It's likely to become a 24 hour conversation place with Thailand as the main draw but a variety of other topics all trundling along simultaneously.

[Manforallseasons]

Just go back to "Sawadtee Gay".....ever think of creating an app ?