So, what is happening at Soi Twilight?

[Nirish guy]

Prices are affordable for the tourist,,they have their amount figured in their trip...for the residents of Thailand....this is actually to me,,,getting out of reach to enjoy several times a week...it is in my opinion getting really pricey.

I assure you that speaking as a tourist things in some places in Thailand are gettting really pricey for us too !

Indeed I know I can spend twice as long and spend half as much and get laid three times more in other places in SE asia than I do in Thailand now and that ( for me anyway) is and was a fact.

I still go to Thailand for old time sake and yes as there are still many cute guys about etc. However you are correct that pricing in some venues now is getting prohibitive - and not because I can't afford it, just that I'm conciously choosing NOT to now pay "any price they think of" to enjoy their establishments any longer.

I think the last go go bar I walked out of in Soi twlight two weeks ago quoted me 500 or 550 baht for entry - and that was before I bought a beer - screw that - show or not - and I told them so in no uncertain terms as I turned around to leave without entering. Staff members that I'd been drinking with previously told me when I came striaght out again that they believed they could charge that figure as the rich Chinese would and DID pay it, but as I told them - "look inside your bar, the place is almost empty and that's at 10.30pm on a Friday night !"

That should really tell them all they need to know. But hey Thai logic was in full play of course, i.e "no customers ? Ok put prices up to pay for bar !" Good luck with that says I - and perhaps THAT'S just one of the reasons that Soi Twilight is dying on it's arse of late.

[paborn]

I assure you that speaking as a tourist things in some places in Thailand are gettting really pricey for us too ! Indeed I can spend twice as long and spend half as much and get laid three times more in other places in SE asia than I do in Thailand now and that ( for me anyway) is and was a fact. I still go to Thailand for old time sake and yes still many cute guys about etc, but you are correct pricing in some venues now is getting prohibitive - and not because I can't afford it, just that I'm conciously choosing NOT to pay "any price they think of" to enjoy their establishments any longer. I think the last go go bar I walked out of in Soi twlight two weeks ago quoted me 500 or 550 baht for entry - before I bought a beer ! - screw that - show or not - and I told them so as I turned around and left without entering. They told me they could charge that as the Chinese DID pay it, I told them to look inside the bar, the place was empty at 10.30pm on a Friday night ! That should tell them all they need to know. But Thai logic at platy of course, no customers, put prices up to pay bar ! Good luck with that.

I used to say that even the most costly off in Bangkok could not compare with Europe and America ( rent boys ) ; but as age brings less urgency and the rising cost of air and hotel stays tourists are paying a great deal for the "cheap" sex.

Nirish - how about a report as to where you are better served? I have been searching the boards and find no good or compelling information about other places.

[Nirish guy]

I used to say that even the most costly off in Bangkok could not compare with Europe and America ( rent boys ) ; but as age brings less urgency and the rising cost of air and hotel stays tourists are paying a great deal for the "cheap" sex.

Nirish - how about a report as to where you are better served? I have been searching the boards and find no good or compelling information about other places.

A) You're spot on re the "cheap" sex thing there - as once you get home and add up the bills a "cheap" holiday thailand aint anymore !

B) I purposefully don't / didn't bother with any formal trip reports anymore for a variety of reasons as I found you're damned if you do and damned if you dont. Also I'm aware that my BF (who is FULLY aware of who and what I am) also reads the Board sometimes for fun too ( with my full knowledge as he sits beside me when doing so as he reads in amazement - and disgust - some of the stuff farang write here) I feel it's better perhaps not to give too literal a running commentary on my (busy) pastimes in other Countries.

But in answer to your question, quite simply, one word - BALI. This trip I was also travelling with a friend who also has plently of experience right across Asia and he also concurs with me - and this is and was all for FREE I should add - for both of us so it;s not just either "me" or a one off thing it seems!. However as I said I've no wish to get into much more detail that that and risk having to listen to others posters opinions on my life and choices here so I'll leave that at that - suffice to say though that while they're busy commenting I'm just busy quietly gettting on with it - at a pace !

[paborn]

Interesting. Somehow, I never think of Bali as part of SE Asia. I believe that Bali has the highest Hindu population in Indonesia, still I have a fear of gay activities in a Muslim country. I hasten to add that I'm not a Islamaphobe; it is the horror stories coming from areas where a fundamentalist- even a local govenor - gains power and starts a reign of terror.

[scottish-guy]

Since when was anything involving gogo boys, bar boys or any form of commercial sex in Pattaya in any way related to reality - it's all a (paid for) illusion and if/when his money runs out Joe Punter is brought down to earth with an almighty bump (there's that balcony scenario again!)

[paborn]

I think Sglad is capable of defending himself. However, I wonder if anyone has read what he, actually, said? I reference to some photos of a buiness in Soi Twilight putting out signs that they plan to be there for 6 years. There was some discussions as to the accuracy of the sign and Sglad made the point that the business was combating all the rumours and innuendo which are disasterous for any business.

Given the cost and effort of farang visiting Thailand it seems a reasonable comment to me and whether one is in Thailand or not I have seen no post with creditable knowledge of the lease situation.

[Nirish guy]

...........the business was combating all the rumours and innuendo which are disasterous for any business..

Perhaps the businesses should inform their own staff of the party line they wish given out then to kill and rumours as I know I talked to several different bar guys in the Soi and got (roughly) the same answers from them all about moves and timelines for same ( all said at least a year away) - I actually doubt whether they even know any more than the rest of us as I'm guessing they too are working from the same rumour mill, but if the bars want a consistent party line put out then their own serving staff might be a good place to start perhaps.

[arsenal]

Rumours and innuendo are what we do here. Once hard and fast facts stick their unwelcome nose in we all soon lose interest.

[paborn]

Rumours and innuendo are what we do here. Once hard and fast facts stick their unwelcome nose in we all soon lose interest.

True, but his comment is, also, true.

[arsenal]

Paborn wrote.
"the rising cost of air and hotel stays tourists are paying a great deal for the "cheap" sex."

Both air fares and hotels are considerably cheaper (in.real terms) than they were 20 years ago and you can still get sex in Thailand for 1000 baht if you use the apps. Not to mention a really nice three course dinner for the price of a large bucket of cinema popcorn in New York or London. It's really only the go go bars where prices have gone up and even then I don't find 260 baht for a beer (X-Boys) particularly excessive considering they have a show and don't charge an entrance fee. A motorbike still only costs 150 baht a day, plenty of 3 star hotels for 1000 baht per night or less.

As for the Chinese well assuming they follow the European model what you'll get is package tourists first (check) then normal independent travellers (more and more) and then ex-pats owning businesses (beginning) so there is the possibility that a new tranche of foreigners will rejuvenate the gay scene in Pattaya.