Gaybutton

I think some will, but most won't. It is much less expensive to just stay home and, if nothing else, hire an "escort". Speaking only for myself, there is no way I would pay thousands of dollars, be quarantined for two weeks, only to end up using primarily hook-up apps in a quest to find willing young gents. In the post above PeterRS says, "While this forum focuses more on gogo bars, most did survive the Campaigns". I'd say that depends on your definition of "survive". Many might have survived initially, meaning they remained open, but it didn't take long for many of the go-go bars to start closing down. Meanwhile, the bars that did survive were forced to make a lot of changes in the way boys were presented and behavior of the boys and customers. It just wasn't the same after all this got started. For people who remember the way things were in Thailand 15 or 20 years ago, it's a different world now and became so, long before anyone ever heard of Covid-19. Now there is almost no comparison. While there are still a few go-go bars and "off", the way it used to be is now extinct and I believe it would take a miracle for there to be any kind of significant resurrection. We can all hope for that, but will anything come of it?

I think that is correct, along with pressure from religious NGOs and some foreign governments whose prudes want to tell Thailand how to run their internal affairs. The frustrating part is how Thailand so readily gave right in and began ruining things for us, as well as straights. And yes, it is difficult, perhaps impossible, to reverse it to the way things were before this nonsense began. As Thomas Wolfe said, "You can't go home again". I'm still waiting for someone to explain to me why sex is such a bad thing. Regarding sex, the ancient Romans and Greeks had it right. Sadly that way of thinking is long gone.

That is why I fail to understand why they have been trying (and failing) to change Pattaya's paradigm. Whether they like it or not, reputation or not, sex and the enjoyment of it plays a major part in attracting foreigners to Pattaya. I doubt the main reasons foreigners go to Pattaya are to shop, or spend time in water parks, or watch shows. For sun seekers there are many beaches in Thailand much better than Pattaya, especially considering Pattaya's polluted sea water. Why on earth do people in power, and not just Thailand, want to prevent people from enjoying sex - unless, of course, it's for their own enjoyment? There has been serious talk from Thailand's powers-that-be about legalizing prostitution. Why am I not surprised that so far it has been only talk, but no action? Humans, at least normal humans, want sex. Aging humans are usually attracted to younger - both gay, straight, and bi. The bars provide it and it is a perfectly natural human desire. Why do those in power always seem to want to deny it to people? Why do they act as if sex is some sort of terrible thing that cannot be allowed - unless of course it is their way? If they truly want to re-attract foreign tourists to Pattaya, you know what they should do? They should just butt out. Somehow I find it difficult to believe that many foreigners are going to take expensive, long haul flights only to find that they're going to have to use the hook-up apps to find what they want.

I agree with most of your post. I believe the best chance for a gay venue resurrection and attracting a major influx of gay farang depends on what the Thai government will do. If they will allow the bars to operate as they were doing 15 or 20 years ago, when it was mostly "anything goes" and many bars had convenient short time rooms available, then we'll all see the good times return once Thailand allows unencumbered tourism. The problem has been the prudish rules that ruined so much of it. I have never understood why. Who was being harmed? Most, if not all, the gay venues are located in areas where the general public is unlikely to go. Nobody can see inside the go-go bars unless they enter. The nonsense about the bars having to close around 1:00-2:00am doesn't help and doesn't make any sense. Is there anyone here who needs government officials to tell them what time to go to bed? And they only come up with absurd justifications. I'm not holding my breath for any serious changes. Maybe if all the gay venues get together and form some sort of lobbying program they might be able to pressure the government to relent on at least some of their rules, but if they do nothing, then I don't foresee anything changing. What is wrong with these people? Especially Pattaya - how many adults do they think go to Pattaya looking for nice, clean, G-rated, wholesome holidays? What on earth is wrong with letting adults be adults? What is so terrible about adults enjoying sex? Maybe the gay tourists don't amount to a major part of Thailand's tourism industry, but the whole thing needs to change. I have yet to meet any Thais who give a damn about how the gay venues operate, so who are all these rules protecting? I think none of these rules would have ever come into being in the first place if the powers-that-be refused to give in to outside pressure along with a few Thai prudes who managed to get powerful government positions. I wish the powers-that-be would just leave us alone, but as I said, I'm not holding my breath.

I'm not sure what year the legal age was changed, but for a long time that didn't stop several bars from employing under-age boys. That didn't change until crackdowns got serious. The worst bar of all, as some of you may remember, was the Amigo Pub in Sunee Plaza. That bar alone probably gave Sunee Plaza its bad reputation. They had boys as young as 14 and 15 on stage and boys younger than that at the bar, but out of sight. They were available and there were plenty of pedophiles to keep them busy. In those days there were no-questions-asked short time rooms. Amigo Pub had it arranged so they usually would get tipped off when a police raid was imminent and the under-age boys were all scooted off - I don't know where - until the coast was clear. I also remember the Gentlemen Club in Pattayaland. The owner of that bar actually bragged to me personally that he pays off the police 60,000 baht a month to look the other way. They finally cracked down and that was the end of the bar, but he still lived in Pattaya - on "The Dark Side" - not far from me. After a few years he ended up arrested when he was caught with under-age boys in his home. I don't know what became of him after that. There was yet another bar in the Soi Day-Night area - Playboy. I knew the Thai owner long before he ever opened that bar. Every boy there was under-age and the bar was packed every night. The boys slept upstairs. I asked him why he is doing that, knowing it is illegal. He said he can get away with it because he is Thai. He also said he is doing the boys a favor. They are making a fortune compared to how much they could make at home. He was finally forced to close. He was never arrested. After the bar closed he was a baht bus driver. He has finally vanished from the face of the earth. Then, also in the Day-Night area there was Boys Studio (or Studio Boys - I can't remember which it was called). That bar was also notorious for under-age boys. I believe the owner was Danish - maybe some of you remember - but whatever country he came from, he was forced to close when his own embassy, along with the police, finally closed him down. But again, those kinds of goings-on stopped several years ago and, so far, has stayed that way. I know of no bars now where under-age boys can be found. I don't even see under-age boys on the apps, at least not on the apps I look at.

For years no bars that I know of anywhere in Thailand, including bars in the infamous Sunee Plaza, have had under age boys for years. That is a thing of the past and it is becoming a thing of the distant past. If some of them look under age, that doesn't mean they are under age. If in doubt, check their ID card or take a different boy who you are certain is not under age. Between the bars and the hookup apps, there is no shortage of choices.

That ferry is not currently operating. No word at this time whether this is temporary or permanent. If it is temporary, I doubt it will be placed back in service until there are enough customers to make it profitable. However another ferry is expected to launch soon - no date specified yet - from Satthip (just south of Pattaya) to Prachuap Khiri Khan and Songkhla, but not Hua Hin.

Just in case there is any confusion, this "emergency decree" applied only to the unrest going on and applied only in Bangkok. It had nothing to do with the Covid-19 restrictions and regulations. All of that is still in effect and is virtually certain to be extended through November.

It seems to me tourists would have to want to go to Thailand very badly just now. Right now Thailand does have warm going for it, but at the price of a mountain of paperwork, insurance, expensive quarantine for two weeks, and all followed by very little left open to attract tourists. Along with that the possibility of a second wave Covid outbreak, meaning Thailand might forbid international flights, stranding people again and the possibility of home country's borders closed or quarantines once you arrive home. As an added bonus, you would get to walk into serious political unrest going on in Thailand now too. For me, all of that would be a thanks, but no thanks.

Aren't there any warm places to go other than Thailand?

I'm sure it will be fun filled for them - both of them . . . If I wasn't already living in Thailand, would I even want to go to Thailand under these circumstances? Not a chance.

Actually not all the time. I have been to restaurants where only farang food is served, but the farang came with a Thai. The Thai brought his own Thai food and the restaurants gave him a plate and utensils with no objections. I've never seen that to fail, although it doesn't happen often. After all, even in the best of farang restaurants the Thai staff usually goes out and gets their own food rather than eat whatever the restaurant is willing to give them, so they certainly understand.

Died: August 7, 2000 https://www.google.com/search?channel=crow2&client=firefox-b-d&q=donald+trump+mother

Off topic, I know, but here is the newspaper headline I hope to see after the election: "Biden Wins in the Biggest Landslide in American History - and the Democrats also take the House and Senate" Even if that happens, I'm expecting Trump will still try to steal the election and remain in power. I believe he would murder his mother to become a true dictator if he can. If Biden wins and Trump still tries to stay in the White House after Biden is sworn in, if nothing else now he could be arrested for trespassing and evicted. Just in case anyone hasn't figured it out yet - I don't like Trump . . .

So far I appreciate my login being saved so that it is no longer necessary to login every time. I'm anxious to see what other new changes you will be offering.

That is for sure! Even the Special Tourist Visa is no guarantee. Thailand's powers-that-be are saying if there is even one case of Covid-19 under that visa, then the entire program will be canceled. People who bought the Elite card are also being denied entry unless they manage to meet all the requirements and then find a way to even get to Thailand. Normal international passenger airline flights still are not allowed in Thailand. I haven't seen anything that forbids entry via rowboat though . . . I'm not trying to be a pessimist, but I am trying to be realistic as I see it. As it stands right now, I just don't see Thailand allowing general entry to tourists within the foreseeable future. I'm sorry, but from where I sit, that's the way it is.

I've seen people who bring their own wine if they know the restaurant doesn't have what they want. That is not particularly common, but some people do that. Other than wine, I've never seen anyone bring anything else.

The deal is for him to contact the media and send his apology. I think he will need to prove that he did so, but I don't see anything in the article that requires him to make sure the media to publish any of it. Probably for most media, this whole thing is on their "who cares?" list. Part of the article says, "On Monday the suspect's wife arrived to post 100,000 baht bail and he was released." And if they have enough money to pay a 100,000 baht bail, then why didn't just pay the fucking corkage fee in the first place? Hardly even pocket change for him. And why did he have to even bring his own liquor instead of just ordering his drink(s) from the hotel? 100,000 baht for the bail? She should have left him there.

Apparently, according to the article, he did not. That is probably because the dispute was settled amicably, although I don't believe for one second the sincerity of the apology. I believe the only reason this man agreed to this was to avoid the consequences, which could have included being heavily fined, jail, and deportation. I, for one, won't be at all surprised if his name turns up again in a future incident. All this because he didn't want to pay a 500 baht corkage fee. "You behave as if stupidity were a virtue. Why is that?" Hardy Kruger (Heinrich Dorfmann), 'The Flight of the Phoenix' - 1965

https://forum.thaivisa.com/topic/1186647-american-expat-avoids-jail-for-negative-review-reaches-settlement-with-koh-chang-hotel It ended up costing this guy a hell of a lot more than a 500 baht corkage fee.

That news makes it much more likely that this man is going to end up spending two years in a Thai jail, paying a hefty fine, and then getting deported back to the USA. And with all the gun nuts in the USA he'll fit right in . . .

I think it is not only possible, but quite likely. I think restrictions will be in place long beyond that. especially if that predicted resurgence of the virus does happen. Thailand's powers-that-be want to keep Covid-19 out of Thailand and that has so far it has been successful and has taken precedence over economic problems. I see no sign of any significant changes any time soon and nothing to indicate any change in Thailand's stance, "daft" or not.

I don't know any, but often web sites and Facebook pages show a LINE link if they have one. I hope by the time you are able to travel to Thailand, whenever that will be, your favorite places will at least still exist.

Maybe they are returning to Bangkok, but not very many returning to Pattaya. In Pattaya, right now there isn't very much for go-go boys to return to.

That's right. That's the way I would handle it. I don't think it's a good idea to try to book flights just yet without having any real idea about what to expect on arrival and what to expect going home, not to mention the risk of a second outbreak and ending up stranded in Thailand. Many foreigners who were stranded in Thailand are still stuck here, trying to find a way to go home. I suppose it's easy for me to say since I live in Thailand and am not trying to go anywhere, but in my opinion the smart move is to wait until you can have real confidence and certainty about what to expect before even thinking about booking flights. As much as many of you want to travel to Thailand, the way things currently are, to me there are just too many things that can go wrong. I don't know about your lives, but Murphy's Law applies to mine all too often . . .