Thailand/Pattaya visit.....great! disappointing! fun! sad! surprising! wierd!

[newalaan2]

Just returned from latest Thailand trip, and a real mixed bag it was too. Sure it was low season I visit every June/July and it's the same every year, low season, quiet and mostly wet, but I was met with very very low season, exceptionally quiet and for the most part...not (that) wet!

Pattaya is still the "great" "fun" city central especially for a holiday visit like ours where 10 days is as long as I can enjoy it without repetition, but the level of quietness around Pattaya was a bit of a surprise.. Around other areas of Thailand it was the usual welcoming folk, and only the lack of rain in the rural areas a problem. This was the 'wierd' aspect of the trip, especially in Pattaya where June/July normally expects a downpour per day, yet most days there was no rain whatsoever, plenty of threats like dark skies, cloud but only a couple of real downpours in the time I was there. Many In Bagkok too were complaining of lowest of low seasons, Soi Twilight, Soi 4 were much quieter than usual, with the Tarntawan hotel at 40% capacity offering extra promotion until September.

There's no doubt Sunee was quietest I have experienced in 16 years and multiple visits over that time. Even at this low season time of year I can always find positives out of the situation. Only positive is that there are still loads of available boys all over town, less in Beer bars and agogos than normal, but tons on social media especially Hornet and Gay Romeo new app, as well as around town and the clubs.

First night in Pattaya was a bit "disappointing", heading from Mosaik near Tukcom along soi VC normally first stop would have been Colonial. Very sad to see it closed, and already being renovated by the middle eastern owners of Appolo round the corner, that along with Ramadan and shisha pipe ban saw none of the usual middle eastern/arab atmosphere, even few 650cc bikes around.

I didn't seek out info on what happened with Warwick the former owner of Cononial but was offered a few slightly differing perspectives from Thais/Farangs alike, but as none of them seemed to be back up with definitive facts I still felt in the dark about what really happened. I'll remember my very enjoyable times at Baan Dok Mai and Colonial bar when owned by Warwick and leave it at that.

Forest Bar open as usual with a few customers here and there as was Ouds Café with mine host and staff fun and welcoming as usual, Tin Tong Red is now established with regulars even the red sofas opposite the bar with some customers. But on that first night the upper part of the soi which is usually the busy part was eerily quiet. AllOfme was open with staff and but few customers, Diamond next door a 2-unit bar was shuttered, it opened later in trip, Eden next to it was open but very quiet with only 2 staff and boss, Euro Boys was closed for low season, as was next bar up and of course Sunny Boys, with Queens and Eros open. Rainbow and Green Chairs were open but very quiet.

Thankfully Double Shot was open every night due to the Euro Football being screened as Belgium, country of the owner, doing well. That gave at least decent light around thte corner. Duks was quieter than usual, but up beat the nights customers did open a bottle, Sky Bar was ok too, Good Boys very quiet, hardly saw a customer go in. All Of Me massage had one very busy night when birthday party for Ton? was in progress and livened up the soi from 9pm to 2am-ish with Karaoke, lights etc, birthday boy did well as he had a very long trail of Bt100 notes around his neck.

Low season, Ramadan, sisha ban and rain combined this trip to affect Sunee, I say rain, but even the threat of rain seems to deter local farang and visitors, many nights it did look threatening but rarely came to anything, also many of the sunee beer bars have umbrealls they will lend if there is a prolonged downpour.

For first time in years I visited all agogos in Sunee, all 3 of'em, rarely visit Eros but one of the old Happy Boys staff was outside when I passed so went in for a drink with him and to check out the place, good dozen lads there and couple of customers one had opened a bottle so all the lads round him, not really my scene but at least it was open. Power Boys had a dozen lads with 1/3rd gay/ femme lads and 2/3rs manboys, but only 2-3 customers, still the lads tried to engage from stage, as did the guys in Nice Boys 15 or so on stage and some decent lookers, with small contingent of femme types, but lively and a few customers.

It was here the owner/manager told me that long haired mamasan/waiter named Go/Goh had been killed on a trip back to Issan, everybody who spoke to me there was shocked so that was a very 'sad' visit as I've known him for years and he always gave me the heads up with many things including concerts in the area, busy clubs etc..he was about 33 but looked younger.

These impressions come from an occasional visitor like myself and maybe local expats see a different picture as they are there every night but even BT seemed more subdued than usual. Toyboys had as usual a good line up of lads, but the usual many Chinese customers usually there were absent, but papasan doing his best to entice customers in and keep them arbiet with some like myself the second drink being on the house. The outside show bars were hit and miss as usual depending on the particular night. Oscars seemed to do well most nights with Serene jumping at weekends and quiet most nights, Panorama usually is busy most of the evening but plenty of vacant tables thte nights we were in Boystown.

Even BzBzBz was much quitter than usual. The first night we visited it was buzzing, we parked ourselves on the terrace as it was bfs birthday so we opened Red and the management offered second Red for Bt500 inc mixers, so we took up 3 tables and a succession of waiters/friends and the gogo boys when show time was on to have a bit of birthday cake/sponge/icecream. But on subsequent nights not so buzzy around the place in or out. Many of the gogo lads have changed from being salaried to what is closer to freelance as the management have increased hours but not pay, so many find it better to come and go at times which suit them for drink commission/off fee commission and tips. There was a little underlying disgruntlement around but probably due to the new circumstances and lack of customers combined.

Over on the other Pattayland sois Cupidol was a pleasant "surprise", for ONCE in about a decade and a half the garb from manager/mamasan 'M' outside, was actually TRUE! we have many new boys inside! and there was! some good looking lads amongst them. Well worth a visit nowadays. Kawaii Boys had 2-3 attractive lads, but there is little atmosphere in the bar when not many customers, still managed to have a good laugh with the lads on stage. Popped in by Vassa known usually for more twinky boys, but more manly guys this visit, but again difficult to enjoy comfortably when the only customer, 6 pairs of eyes as well as waiters and mamansan staring at you, while it doesn't really phase me after all these years.....they would be better 'getting on' with something and let the customer relax. In fact the small beer bar next door is more interesting.

More on Cupidol..... was that they completed their move to opposite BzBzBz rear doors on 1st July, we were outside that evening but it was very busy on their terrace as there was some hiccup inside with agogo, but lots of very cute/attractive lads pushing for trade outside, not sure if they were staff, friends of staff there for the opening but lots of cute guys. Never made it back there to check out inside later in trip.

Didn't make it to Funny boys, Dream Boys or Xboys. I know there is a limit on the amount of characters one can use per post and not sure what it is so will make separate post about rest of trip.....Jomtien, Clubs, Bkk etc...

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