Londoner

The presence of so many cute guys around the Complex is really cheering. When I was a Boyztown regular I recall wandering through the JC after an afternoon at the beach and thinking how dull it was; not now. And I agree about Soda. The guys there are always so friendly even to those of us just passing by. And there are invariably plenty there, even in the early afternoons.

Plenty of cute guys in that area. The massage places are open during the daytime too. The guys sit outside and so it's easy to choose.

Though not over-impressed, I am always happy to see my beloved Thailand on the screen.

......and the traffic? what's the latest on the roadworks? I understand Beach Road is affected.

Thank you Vessey for the photos, particularly appreciated by such as I, whose bar-going days are over. Happy memories of twink-bars.....the photos we usually see tend to be of "the other sort" of bar. Cockpit, Moonlight, City, Sawatdee and (for personal reasons) the old Dream Boys. They cheered me up on a grey London morning.

I expect I've said this before but the traditional Thai Songkran is a beautiful festival, just as Loy Kratong often is now, at least it was on Jomtien beach this year. The tender sprinkling of water on grandparents and washing of Buddha images; quiet reverence and respect. Very Thai. Songkran's degeneration into an orgy of water fights and rowdiness is sad for some of us, something I experienced once and never again. Is this the result or a bi-product of tourism? Or would it have happened without us? By the way, does anyone recall the scandal of an embassy official's wife - Norwegian?- slapping a child who squirted water in her face in Pattaya?

In EuropeI think you'll find that one hour means exactly that. I can remember some Thai guys spending time with me before and after the event, particularly those who had a good grasp of English. I kept the refrigerator well-stocked with drinks. Soft drinks, before you ask. I learnt a lot from them in my early visits; about life in the rural areas, why they came to Pattaya, what life was like for them on the scene...it was part of the Pattaya experience for me and very different to what I had experienced in Amsterdam "houses", my only previous experiences. Different and better. And cheaper.

It interests me that SE Asians have difficulty in recognising each others' backgrounds. My Thai boyfriend- mixed Thai, Chinese and Hmong - was frequently mistaken for an Indonesian when we were in Bali. Even in Thailand when he is with me, he is sometimes asked where he's from. I stand out (like a sore thumb, some would say!) as British!

Wonderful....a priceless conversation. How I miss Thailand! I always tell P that I laugh more in a day when I'm there than in a month back home.

Travellerdave's "few boys" are sitting at home meeting customers via the apps. I see their point. Come to think of it, those at Dongtan Beach are probably glued to their screens too! When was it that the chair-concessions starting advertising their wi-fi? a defining moment in the history of Gay Jomtien.

We've been in Bali, Krabi, Samui (Chaweng and Lamai) and Phuket in the last few years. All gay-friendly, none "gay" in the sense that Jomtien's beach once was. The sheer openness of Thailand's gay scene-even now- has not been replicated anywhere I've visited across four continents. But I've not been ito Brazil, sadly.

My memories are sweet....and I was thirty years younger in the Golden Age. A mere slip of a forty five year-old! But Vinapu's right; it's good growing old with someone you love. It's good that we enjoy simple things together...a walk on the beach, a nice meal....an early night. Well, to be honest they all are now! Furthermore, Pattaya may have lost some of its attractive sleaze and a lot of its former vibrancy, but it is cleaner, has better air and beaches, better restaurants, better travel from a better airport. And much else. I no longer travel Economy. We stay in better hotels. We eat well. We spend money on clothes- well, one of us does. On a more melancholy note, an added sweetness results from the fact that we know that this won't last forever and so, as I often say, carpe diem. Each moment together- and in Thailand- is priceless.

Reader and Travellerdave have said more or less everything I wanted to post and so I'll add just a couple of comments. Now in my seventies and with my eightieth (more or less) trip only a few weeks away, I can express my profound gratitude to those who led me to Thailand in 1995, provided me with the necessary information to enjoy myself, and of course those who attended to my needs with a smile and, generally, good grace. Particularly one who remains the only love of my life. Consider; some of us lived through decades of concealment, fearing exposure and-at least in my case- suppressing an essential aspect of our character for fear of arrest or public shame. And then we experienced Pattaya. How lucky we were. How fortunate I still am. And grateful, even if the vibrancy of Old Boyztown is long since gone.

The "sucky-sucky girls" - ladyboys- of Kuta in Bali were famed for their ability to steal wallets while administering oral sex. I never met any.

Retirement, unlike working, is about being rather than doing.

Yes. That's even worse!

Was he Thai? if so, I've noted before that Thai guys are averse to walking more than a few metres. On the other hand, if he was a newbie , he may not have understood that Ambiance was just round the corner. That wouldn't surprise me..... I recall a massage guy in Jomtien telling me he'd never heard of Boyztown and hadn't a clue where it was.

That's in Chaweng, fifteen minutes by taxi from Lamai. I think you'll be advised to look at the apps. We were recently in Chaweng and will shortly be in Lamai; like other resorts (such as Krabi), Koh Samui is gay-friendly but not well-served by gay venues. In other words, you may need to take your entertainment with you!

We Britons are world-champions at being embarrassed. And running away from trouble. I just covered-up and scarpered back to my hotel.

On my first visit to Phuket- circa 1997- I visited a Patong sauna in the gay area called- I think- Dolphin. It was mixed, something I didn't discover until I took my shower in the usual way. Initially, I was alone but then saw that other clients entering the room were wearing bathing costumes. I made my excuses and left, as they say.

I'm out of date....but pre-covid, 1800-2000.

I envy anyone just starting out on a journey such as this. I wish I were back at the beginning of mine! Good luck.

Yes. A nice guy....and one of those many Thais who keeps his looks into middle age! We like the restaurant there, too. Thai food, nothing fancy, but tasty and reasonably priced. Come to think of it, a meal next to the swimming pool at dusk with cute guys lounging around makes a change from bars.

The cost of sanuk in Thailand? Here's my take. I learnt all about Pattaya and the gay scene from a rent-boy in Amsterdam's Blue Boy.Yes, a brothel. Those who recall the scene will remember that clients paid for an hour and, when the time was up, the front desk would phone....and that was it, even if you were in the middle of a happy moment. On the occasion I'm recalling, we'd finished early (please avoid any sarcasm!) and my partner, a painfully-cute British Black guy, to fill up the hour talked to me about the scene in Pattaya. I booked my first visit on my return home. And so yes, the last thirty years of my life has been the consequence of that encounter. Ex-punters will also remember that, back in the late 90s, the cost of an hour at Blue Boy, and the other similar establishments, was £100 plus. Six months in Pattaya later I was paying the equivalent of £20. I've just checked a couple agencies in London on-line. The cost of an hour here? between £150 and £200.

I recall a guy I took from Toyboys when I was a player on Pattaya scene. It must have been the early 2000s. After I'd paid him, he told me that he was going to dinner because he hadn't eaten for two days....business in Boyztown had been slow. A few minutes later, I left the hotel to go to 7 11 and there he was , sitting outside Toyboys with a large plate of food and some fruit. In those days, there were a number of food vendors in the area. He waved to me and pointed at the food, as if I could miss it. Sentimental old man I may be, but I was happy for him. Two or three years later, when the" Kamphaet Three" as I call them came to Pattaya, one of whom was P., I learnt that the guys on the scene took care of each other in times of hardship. If one of the Three had enjoyed a successful liaison (financially!), it was accepted that he'd buy dinner for all.... the reason was that the guys were living and existing from day to day. As an example of this, P didn't have enough money for the bus fare to see his beloved parents at Songkran, indeed hadn't seen them for a year. I cannot say if this is still true today but I suspect that that some guys are in difficulties. When I last walked through the Jomtien Complex in November there were barely fifteen falang punters. And many guys. Of course, there are the apps , so who knows? Nevertheless, I learnt from my relationship that what we can give can make a huge difference, whether it be a much-needed meal, or a bus ride home. And yes, OK, perhaps a pair of trainers of a much-valued brand....that too. So I'm with Olddaddy.