Money in bars

[scottish-guy]

Yes I get that - but given that one of the main reasons punters are boycotting the bars is the drink prices, how will the increased prices (which you say will happen) tempt them back?

I just think the whole boy bar scene is on its last legs - which is a great pity - and it's beyond saving

[DoubleDutch]

Yes I get that - but given that one of the main reasons punters are boycotting the bars is the drink prices, how will the increased prices (which you say will happen) tempt them back?

I just think the whole boy bar scene is on its last legs - which is a great pity - and it's beyond saving

You asked interesting question about drink prices, would customers return to bars, if bars decided to lower their drink prices. My guess is no. Even if a 600 baht drink would cost 300 tomorrow, I would not go back, it isn't about cost, it's that apps offer many times the number of guys, why would I go to gogo bar?

It is different for Asians, Chinese girls LOVE to giggle as they look at guys in underwear. Chinese don't mind paying 650 baht for such entertainment, and you probably agree that for them it is great fun for very little money. Westerners go to gogos for different reason, and if current trend continues there will soon be almost no Western gay customers in gogo bars.
Some bars will survive, thanks to Asian customers. For a successful bar the location is what kills, or helps them survive. Boyztown will remain fairly busy, it is next to busy tourist areas, Sunee will be history, Chinese have simply never heard of Sunee.

I think 2 things changed hook up scene here, and it happened 3-4 years ago, dating apps started to become popular in Asia, and especially Thailand, guys could afford to buy smart phones, and they quickly learned about Grindr, Hornet. GayRomeo was on the scene before these apps, and started to chip away business from gogo and host bars. Why would a guy spend a night on stage in his underwear, if he can stay home, watch soaps, or go outside and hang with friends, and make few thousand when he feels like? Many do both, day time apps, 8pm work in a bar.

At the same time, 4-5 years ago Chinese started mass travel, small groups at first, before the Chinese invasion you'd only see Japanese, HK, Korean customers at soi Twilight. Prices started to increase, but drinks in most Bangkok gogo bars were still in 300 baht range. Remember, only 3-5 years ago. That was the time bar owners noticed that for many, probably most Asian customers price of a drink made no diffrence, and they started to increase drink prices, and then off fees. Bar owner is not interested in a 600 baht off fee, and lose most handsome guy in his bar, he rather have this guy on a stage.
As Chinese middle class started to grow quickly, Chinese groups started to dominate Pattaya and Bangkok. Massive change in tourist demo in only 5 years.

While Westerners visit gogos to off guys, Chinese go for shows, or just look at handsome gogo guys. Chinese buy drinks, but they do not off. Chinese do not leave 600-800 baht off fees to bar, so bars get their money from 600 baht drinks.

As the drink prices sky rocketed, around same time Westerners started using apps, Thai and other guys were also happy to use apps, everybody satisfied. For sex, there is no longer any need for gogo bars, doesn't matter what the drinks cost. For some reason older gay generation still visit gogo, but you won't see people under 40, instead Hornet is packed with handsome Russians, granted, only during hi season. They have no need for gogo bars, but they do visit Boyztown, as a night out.

Gogo bars in good, busy tourist location will stay and make money, but they are now becoming show bars, not a place to off a guy, but to see a show, look at handsome, fit guys on stage.

Some Westerners will always prefer gogo, it is good to see merchandise before deciding to buy, apps can be tricky. To those Westerners drink prices are important factor.

For me it's Chinese, and I now hardly ever hook up with Thais. Chinese on apps are hungry for sex, many have never been with white guy, sex with Chinese guy is real sex.
Thai guys often are not eager, while very polite and patient, they are waiting for the whole thing to end, get paid, and fuck off. They are working, and sometimes they do their job very well. Chinese guys want to have sex, the guy comes, but instead of getting dressed and leave, he keeps laying on bed, waiting to be ready for round 2. I tell you, Chinese are a manna from heaven for bottom like me. They are naturally rude and pushy, all great traits for an aggressive top!

For guy like me there is no use for gogo bars, zero! I suspect there are many others.

[Old git]

" I just think the whole boy bar scene is on its last legs - which is a great pity - and it's beyond saving "

There is a mentality problem when it comes to letting property in Thailand. When landlords see a tenant doing well, they want a bigger slice of the action, but when they are doing worse, reducing rents seems to involve loss of face and they will often leave property empty instead of dropping the rent.

Outside of BKK (which IS beyond salvation for nightlife I suspect) there is a dramatic drop in rents when you go just a couple of sois away from a nightlife area, and the owners of the property in those sois are only too aware of that, and are keen to get a share of the action.

The answer is for new bars to migrate a little, if the local burghers will allow it..

[Smiles]

Really good analysis DD. I agree with your thinking regarding the beginnings of the internet apps sensation coinciding very closely with the slow devastation of places like Sunee (arguably the most obvious example), Twilight/Surawong (nearly as dramatic), Boyztown, Chiang Mai market area, and Patong. One cannot fail to see it happening over time.
One exception seems to be Jomtien Plaza where things are hopping instead of stagnating. Why I don't know, but their particular business model seems to be quite successful in cheating the heading wind.

A question: regarding Chinese guys using the internet. Are you talking about using the apps from Thailand and still attracting Chinese, or do you live in China?

[dinagam]

I believe Jomtian Complex is where things are hopping, whereas Jomtian Plaza is the place across the Thappraya road from Tinnies pie shop. Jomtian complex is very accessible and surrounded by niche hotels within a 200M radius, when compared to Sunee.

[Smiles]

Oops ... "Complex" not "Plaza". Quite right.
I'm a naughty boy.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=BKaQLYPf5hM

[a447]

The Cambodian guys working in Jomtien Complex certainly know their target audience.

Nom, who worked in one of the bars off and on for over a year told me that when the guys first start working there, they are usually manly, straight types.

Once they see what the punters are after they suddenly turn up to work wearing bit of make-up and acting fem.

[DoubleDutch]

A question: regarding Chinese guys using the internet. Are you talking about using the apps from Thailand and still attracting Chinese, or do you live in China?

Nope, never even been to China.
Apps in Pattaya and Bangkok. Last peak season, Dec and Jan 20-30 messages every day.
I say on app profiles I like really Chinese, and aggressive tops especially. And they send messages, during very high season it's almost impossible to reply to all, and no point, really, since I couldn't meet most anyways. So I get to be picky
In Pattaya they usually stay at hotels very central, they message pic of hotel card. Often they stay in condos, air BnB, by now I'm super familiar with The Base, Centric Sea etc lol. It's funny, very often they are in town for 3 days only, often there is someone else from their group sleeping in same room, but they always ask if it's ok, friend sleeping lol

[Surfcrest]

There are people who "genuinely" believe in a God. Perhaps you could entertain the membership by pointing out who these other handles are and your proof that they are also mine? The Forum software is supposedly deliberately designed (by Matt for Surfcrest, as I recall) to identify such duplicates and ban them - or at least that's what you and scotty agreed recently when your other handle "argosy" or whatever it was got ban tned

No, that was ElephantSpike and some extra tools we had hooked up to the old phpBB software. You recall we hacked into the old BitcthBoard around then after they started publishing personal information.

Then it was the extra add on's that I first employed here to protect this Board from the BitchBoard kids, that also brought to light some other nonsense...that was dealt with at the time.

I believe I addressed most other irregularities at the time....including yours.

Surfcrest

[latintopxxx]

doubledutch....really...chinese....tops....really. ..what do they do...tap u on the shoulder to let u know when they r in???