Travellerdave

Yes Hunan you are right, but I tend not to regard Eros as a Gogo in that the boys there don’t do much dancing, hence my figure of 3.

Reading the many posts to this forum’s various sections I form the opinion that this is a definite possibility. I have not visited Bangkok for a couple of years but I hear from the forum that Soi Twilight is to be bulldozed. I make regular trips to Pattaya and like others I am very aware of the sad decline of the Sunee Plaza, so that now there is only three active gogos, whereas when I first went there in 2002 there were perhaps about ten. Host bars seem deserted or closed up. BoysTown is not what is was with the gogos being patronised to a great extent by noisy Chinese Women. Closure of iconic bars are being reported. I used to enjoy visits to the Sansuck Sauna but I didn’t go during my last trip as I heard about lack of “action “. The Gay Beach is not now really gay, being infiltrated by st’s. The Jomtien Complex seems to be thriving and that’s where I will be based during my next trip. But that venue could be under threat with police crack-downs against the employment of Cambodian attractive boys. Perhaps we should stop spending holidays in the ghettoes and mix more on holiday with the general population. Society is far more tolerant now so why do we stay in Pattaya’s gay hotels, when the other 98% accept gay guests and their companions. I used to vacation in Plays del Ingles until I discovered Thailand and had active sex with other gay men there, but unfortunately I am not so attractive anymore and there is not a commercial sex industry. So there will be a real problem if it becomes not worth while to make the long journey to Thailand. Am I too gloomy ?

I suppose one justification for an increased off fee would be to discourage to many customers offing boys early in the evening. Looking back to my report above on my last visit to Winner I found a shortage of boys because a number of them had departed with customers earlier. In fact those left were the least attractive. I visit a gay Gogo to look and interact with boys and maybe end up with one in my bed - the drinking is the lesser attraction. Fewer Boys = fewer customers = fewer notes in the till.

Willie Willie mentioned the reward of being persistent when it comes to attracting boys you have the hots for. During my recent trip I called at a Complex bar at about 6.30 for a coffee and to unwind after returning from a visit to the Tony gym in Pattaya. The bars were just getting going but I had no designs about boys, but one arrived at a neighbouring bar, who looked really hot. I looked in his direction and smiled a couple of times but received no response, so I went back to the Zing for my customary nap, reading an online newspaper and replying to emails. I kept thinking about the boy so at about nine I went to his bar but was disappointed to see him and another sat with two farangs. I sipped a beer for some time but the group showed no sign of breaking up, so I decided to go to BT to have another drink and visit a Gogo in the hope of offing a substitute. This did not happened so I returned to the Complex by motorbike. I suddenly saw my target just sat talking to other boys, so I through caution to the wind and offered him a drink, even before sitting down. He accepted and sat with me on a settee after getting the drinks. I asked him for a long time off which to my delight he accepted and went back with me to the Zing after chatting together with the occasional kiss. My persistence was rewards by a top performance in bed which was repeated the next two nights.

Yes my favourite Complex bar. Pity I can’t be there for this party

Definitely Sunee needs support from gay visitors or it will die. Long time forum members like myself will remember the glory days of the past, before the underage and drug problems cast a shadow and contributed to business reduction. A new host bar, with attractive boys, is certainly welcome to add to the popularity of the Winner Gogo, which I enjoyed during my February trip.

I have been in Thailand during all the seasons and the only time I would avoid in Songcran in April. When it is very hot it’s certainly more pleasant in Pattaya, where you have sea breezes, than Bangkok. During the peak rainy season in September/October it’s sometimes difficult when the roads are flooded. During hot times the quality of the aircon is critical so it’s worth checking that out when you get to your hotel.

I didn’t go to the Sansuck during my February trip despite having some good experiences there in the past and having stayed in the guesthouse a couple of times. I went once during my September 2017 trip and was disappointed for the reasons mentioned by z909. There is certainly a need to attract young local boys there - that would certainly bring in the older gay farangs like myself. But not many are going to come if there is no money available and anyway the owner does not want to go down that route. I think a 20 year old money boy would not gain admittance at present. The facilities are fine: pool, jacuzzi, restaurant, sauna/steam room, but the maze & dark rooms were not dark enough for me. Having said that a common theme with the Sansuck is that it does seem to vary quite a lot - month to month and evening to evening.

I’m very impressed by Vinapu’s statistics covering his encounters with Asian boys over an extended period, which he compiled from keeping written records. I wish I had been so organised and kept notes of my visits to Thailand, mainly Pattaya, over the last 17 years. All I have is fading memories of numerous boys and places, and some of these recollections have no doubt become distorted. When I visited for about 3 months about (?) 2005 I acquired a boyfriend who stayed with me in a rented condo. I was very fond of him but now I struggle to remember his name and where the condo was located. During the first couple of visits I remember offing boys from BT and Sunee bars who I topped without protection. But again I am vague as to how many and from which bars, when I reflect on the risks I took. I was lucky. It would be interesting for me to know how many boys I have slept with over the years, but again that’s lost in the mists of time.

There is a lot to be said for making contact with a boy whom you have had experience previously. During my recent trip in February, staying in the Complex I had a good time with one that I had encountered in September. He was from Laos, 20, and spoke some English and knew how to please me in bed, during the three nights I had him with me in my room at the Zing. Unfortunately he had to go Back home to sort out his visa, and he didn’t appear again till I had to leave. I thought I had found a substitute with a nice looking boy who via google translate told me he liked to top and let me kiss him in the bar. The reality was that he was very inexperienced with gay sex and was also nervous when we went to my room. I had to terminate the liaison with a small tip and spent the night alone. This has happened to me very occasionally over the years and is disappointing when you have only limited time on holiday.

Good to hear that the Ambiance is still open. It’s an iconic institution for gay visiters to Pattaya and a closure would be an indication of changing times, as is the apparent demise of Cafe Royal. I have stayed many times at the Ambiance and intend to do so again although during my recent trip I based myself mainly in the Jomtien Complex. Perhaps there is a tendency for gays to stay “anywhere” rather than clustering in accommodation known to be gay. Like Vinapu and Biguyby I’ve always loved sitting in Oscars watching the action in the Soi. They used to have a small boutique upstairs - is that still the case ?.

My experience during a recent three week trip to Pattaya confirms the view of Vinapu above. I offed boys from a Gogo and GR, but more from the Complex gay bars, where I usually left with a boy after midnight when they are looking for long time.

I agree with Boy69 that it is often necessary to pay more than the going rate to obtain the services of “star” boys, who are attractive and perform well in bed. I did this for three consecutive nights for a Laosian Complex boy, three weeks ago, who I had the “hots” for. In addition I felt the need to visit the bar early to make sure someone else did not “steal” him !. Having mentioned an over the odds price to tempt him, and paid it for the first night, I could not then make a reduction for subsequent nights.

I stayed at the Zing 4 weeks ago and agree with you that it’s very good value gay friendly hotel and does not suffer from noise during the night. I will stay there again despite previously using the Agate and Poseidon. I didn’t find the bed too hard and I had no complaints from my offs. I liked being able to access my room from the alley leading to the road without passing via the lobby but I took overnight boys that way to hand in their cards. I wouldn’t say that effeminate boys are a feature of the Complex anymore than BT or Sunee.

During my recent three week trip to Pattaya I had boys sourced from one Gogo (Winner), host bars in the Complex and Gayromeo. I like 18-24 twinks, but find that there is an increasing shortage of this category and more demand from gay tourists like me. 18 years ago when I first visited Pattaya, most of my bed companions were from gogos in Sunee and BT, but as another contributor said, that was the golden age. The decline of Cupidol in BT over the last couple of years from busy twink heaven to nothing is striking. As has been said many times the big advantage of the Apps is that they allow boys to be sourced 24/7, although I find the process from browsing to boy in room to often be tricky (sending a message, waiting for a reply, telephone calls with non English speakers, etc etc). Entries are often short of a description of the boy and have poor photos, so very often you are not clear about the boy. My best source was the Complex bars, where I found several boys to my liking. Sitting with them, sharing a kiss and cuddle in the gay atmosphere I found very stimulating, before paying the off. I only had one failure there with a recently arrived Laos twink who was too nervous and rather ignorant of gay sex practices.

Better to avoid ED Meds if possible and this report emphasises the point. I usually take a kamagra at the beginning of my trips and I bought two cards, a total of 8 tablets this time from the pharmacy on Second Road next to the Tim Gogo. Boys are used to seeing older farangs partaking and I have had them asking for one. However later I find the need disappears and this time I ended with five rendundant tablets.

I made a second visit to Winner towards the end of my trip with the intention of offing. On entering I was surprised to find the place very busy and in fact there was a shortage of bench seats around the end of the room, but I quickly slid into a place just being vacated. In fact the shortage was not confined to seats as I looked like a number of boys had been offed already. It was about 11 after all. I ordered a SAN Miguel Lite which is now my favourite tipple in Thailand. I like to think there are fewer calories in it but am not sure if this is the case. There was only two boys vaguely moving on the stage, but I spotted one wearing a g-string just emerging into the room. Giving him a wave and a smile brought him over. He told me him was 28 and he had broken up with his German boyfriend was was very sad. My neighbour was holding the cock of his boy but under a towel, but I indulged only in a little kissing and cuddling. Winner does not seem to be the place for more extreme activity. My boy said he was bottom and didn’t like to top, so I did check bin and returned to the Complex by motor bike taxi. I am more bottom. Modest drink prices continue to foster good business for Winner and its boys.

I thought these raids were a thing of the past. I’ve not heard of one recently, not like during the years 2008 to 2010 when Sunee was raided regularly. Then the focus then was of eliminating the employment of under age boys and secondary testing for drugs. The former aim seems to have been accomplished - don’t know about the second. Now the cops seem to have a new focus which is checking boys from Laos and Cambodia, of whom there are many particularly in the Complex gay bars. It would be a pity if they were expelled as I find them attractive and eager to please.

Yes some bars are open early at about 4, but things don’t really get going till about 8, when the boys are fully in attendance and customers are drifting in from dinner and the Soi is shut for passing traffic malking it a mini Walking Street. At that time the boys are making a big effort to draw in the customers to their bar, rather than trying for offs. So the scene is customers sitting mostly in groups with the boys swarming on the Soi. Later at about 10 it changes and you see boys sat with customers sometimes being kissed and cuddled. Later still, the bars start thinning out with some boys departing with customers to the hotels, but there is still some action as late as 3 am.

Based on a whirlwind survey over the last three days I would say this is the case. It has now four good quality gay or gay friendly hotels in The Poseidon, Agate, Zing and The Venue. Opinions vary on this forum and you have to take price into account, but I would rate them better than the offerings from Boystown, certainly as far as sleep quality is concerned. Of course there are no gogo’s but this is outweighed by its bars having recruited a large number of younger boys from Cambodia and Laos. They are friendly and eager to please and are not over ambitious as far as tips are concerned (at least that’s my experience). I offed a boy from Laos last night and he told me he will shortly have to do a visa run to Cambodia to keep his immigration status in order. If gogos are your thing BT can quickly be reached by baht bus or motor bike taxis. There are a number of massage establishments and the so called gay beach is an easy walk, but I have yet to pay a visit, but with no expectation of seeing the big attraction of yesteryear ie boys in skimpy speedos looking for interaction. However it’s pleasant to sit in one of the concessions and enjoy the sea air sipping a beer, coffee or coke according to your preference. I’m afraid the Pattaya beach is much inferior. Dunno whether other members share my views ?

I visited Winner at about 10.00 pm last night passing through the almost deserted Sunee Plaza. There was about 6 boys on the stage dancing with a variable amount on enthusiasm plus perhaps the same number interacting with customers. I was stimulated by the sight of most of the boys (several twinks) dressed in abrievated speedos - the sort you used to see on the Dongtan gay beach a few years ago. All in all an exciting prospect for a gay sex tourist like me. I had about an hour on an off of kissing and fondling and when I left the cost was very modest in the shape of drinks for me, boy drinks and tips.

I’ve sent you a pm

Thinking back to my September trip I seem to remember ST at 1300 at the Complex bars, but I’m sure I paid 1500 to two boys that were very attractive. The first was a cute GR contact of which I posted a picture and the second was from a bar and he deserved it cos I cummed when I topped him, which is not usual for me and I’m usually more bottom these days.

Another question about Winner for recent visitors. How many boys would you expect to find at say 10 pm ? This would be when most boys would have appeared but before many were offed. Also what proportion could be classified as twinks.

Z909 would that be three separate boys or maybe the same boy three times?. I find it sometimes a bit difficult to “butterfly”, although I do like to off different ones in the early part of my trips. Later I often evolve into daddy mode.