Upcoming vacation in Pattaya. Have stayed only @ LCR for last 14 trips and the closest I can be at home is at the Copa. Would the noise from their new neighbor be intolerable? Wish to help out Boystown but not at the expense of my sleep too many nights.

I stayed at copa top floor, rather big room with living and bed separated and i slept pretty well on the day i had no longtime off. This was in between christmas and newyear, peak season. 

never had sleep disruption in BT due to soi noise and I stay in all 3 hotels there in various rooms, only caution is that it was before that new Music bar opened.

It looks that LCR is back in business on Agoda

The new venue at LCR is a major problem. I could feel as well as the thumping of the loudspeakers in my bed at 0300 the night before my return home in June. I've cancelled my next stay with great disappointment after twenty-five years and seventy visits. I'm too old to lose a night's sleep and my boyfriend and I prefer to retire before midnight.

Of course, noise isn't a problem for everyone; if you go to bed at 0400 or aren't sensitive to noise, you won't be affected. Ambiance is replacing its penthouse doors, by the way. That may help.

LCR may make money for the owners; unfortunately it runs the risk of  ensuring that other businesses don't.   Boyztown has declined year by year with old favourites like Oscars, Funny Boys and Panorama closed. I fear that  it will soon be darkened, boarded-up soi only coming to a very limited life between 1200 and 0300. 

And, by the way, not for gays; we are not LCR's target group.   

 

7 hours ago, spoon said:

I stayed at copa top floor, rather big room with living and bed separated and i slept pretty well on the day i had no longtime off. This was in between christmas and newyear, peak season. 

Pardon my poor memory, i stayed at ambiance penthouse, not copa lol. Copa is where i got my longtime off haha.

I've never had any trouble sleeping in boyztown.  But then I never have trouble sleeping on the plane or in a taxi or on a bus.

1 hour ago, bucknaway said:

 But then I never have trouble sleeping on the plane ......

lucky you 

It's not so great, I hate waking up define people eating snacks I missed out on while I was sleep. Sometimes it can be a curse like that.

23 hours ago, vinapu said:

never had sleep disruption in BT due to soi noise and I stay in all 3 hotels there in various rooms, only caution is that it was before that new Music bar opened.

It looks that LCR is back in business on Agoda 

Found it and booked thanks

https://www.agoda.com/le-cafe-royale-hotel-pattaya/hotel/pattaya-th.html?checkin=2019-07-30&los=12&adults=2&rooms=1&cid=1744603&tag=948fa426-9b1b-7d50-bc56-4a4be86624a5&searchrequestid=82602306-6360-4a44-b2ff-0cc752f85c4b&travellerType=1&tabbed=true

The. Link to Agoda had reviews of Cafe Royal one of which posted in May 2019 mentioned noise, but said that he was given a room which did not face the bars so the nuisance was minimised. The contributor also said that he hadn't realised that this hotel is situated in a gay area but did not say this was a negative. Generally gays and strs co-exist in hotels in BT, Complex and Sunee. Generally however I only seem to interact with other gays whilst on holiday in Pattaya.

 

Glad to know that LCR is back to business.

But, I emphasise, not "gay" business. My suspicion is that, if it thrives, and  the successfully-expanding Ambiance becomes even more reliant on the Chinese/Asian market,  the "Boyztown" sign will soon be taken -down as an embarrassment. Perhaps it doesn't matter; it makes commercial sense.

Nevertheless, it is sad for my generation. Back in 1995  I recall the sheer joy of sitting in Panorama surrounded by guys just like me, watching the go go dancers saunter past on the way to work. I'd never felt so much at home. 

8 hours ago, Londoner said:

Back in 1995  I recall the sheer joy of sitting in Panorama surrounded by guys just like me, watching the go go dancers saunter past on the way to work. I'd never felt so much at home. 

I'm pretty sure that then there were guys who were complaining how good it was in 1985.

I'm not trying to be sarcastic but nostalgia for good  times past seems to be recurring  theme on gay forums and can't help but wonder if we really missed those good old days or rather our good younger years and more disposable income.

No doubt scene changed and shrunk   but for one's need  we still have plenty of entertainment on our disposal . perhaps more than we can digest during 2-3 weeks vacations

The Chinese are keeping the BOY bars in business.  The older gay farangs are few and far between.  Panorama was in death 

throes for a long time before closing as their customer base dried up.  Many nights Panorama had no customers.  The

day of the older gay farang has passed.  As an older gay farang, I’m thrilled that the Chinese Women and men are keeping

the boy bars busy and staying open.  I’m seeing more gay Chinese men as well this year.

11 hours ago, vinapu said:

I'm pretty sure that then there were guys who were complaining how good it was in 1985.

I'm not trying to be sarcastic but nostalgia for good  times past seems to be recurring  theme on gay forums and can't help but wonder if we really missed those good old days or rather our good younger years and more disposable income.

No doubt scene changed and shrunk   but for one's need  we still have plenty of entertainment on our disposal . perhaps more than we can digest during 2-3 weeks vacations

vinapu makes a valid point.  Reminiscing about the good old days is fine, but what matters to me is now and the near future.

There’s  still plenty to enjoy and one can always have memories.  I prefer to make new memories and enjoy the present.

There is no doubt that the gay scene has shrunk in the last few years - that is quite plain from the closed bars in BT and Sunee and the trend for OUR beach to become less gay. The obvious reason is that Thailand is no longer inexpensive with the large increase in the value of the baht. When I discovered Pattaya 20 years ago I got 70 baht for £1.00 and usually paid boys 1000 for a night in my bed ie around £13 - the same boy would cost maybe 2000 at 40 ie £50 today. Thailand has changed and there are far more opportunities for young guys than working in the rice fields. 

But I very much agree with Vinapu that Thailand and Pattaya in particular is still a great place for a gay tourist, like myself, on a two/three week holiday who is attracted to Asian boys.  Of course many gays come to Thailand with partners or are not sex tourists and do not frequent the bars. 

 

16 hours ago, vinapu said:

I'm pretty sure that then there were guys who were complaining how good it was in 1985.

I'm not trying to be sarcastic but nostalgia for good  times past seems to be recurring  theme on gay forums and can't help but wonder if we really missed those good old days or rather our good younger years and more disposable income.

No doubt scene changed and shrunk   but for one's need  we still have plenty of entertainment on our disposal . perhaps more than we can digest during 2-3 weeks vacations

I wish I can agree with you but I don't. Years ago Pattaya have had 4 gay complexes Day Night coplex vanished,Sunee Plaza is bleeding( I doubt it can survive if the business will not improve soon),Boyz Town is very quiet only Jomtien complex is doing well at the moment.

Dongtan beach was almost exclusively gay oriented with many young Thai boys seeking for clients and male masseurs doing massage on the beach and keeping you company but not anymore.

Years ago quality and quantity of the boys was much bigger and their services were much cheaper. In the past Pattaya was gay heaven I could easily stay there weeks but sadly the gay scene shrinked badly and at my last trip last year after one week became bored this is why in my next trip planning to visit nearby places like Ko Samet , Kanchanaburi and Hua Hin. However Thailand is still my favourite destination in the world the low leaving costs,the gay friendly atmosphere and the kindness of the Thai people make it wonderful experience for me every time I come.

That's all true. I love my three visits a year to Pattaya but I'm not certain I'd be quite so excited by the prospect if I wasn't in a ltr. Observing the bar-scene from outside, I'm not impressed.

Nevertheless, there have been improvements since my first visit.

1) Apps ensure that  sanuk is available twenty-four hours a day

2) The range of restaurants is astonishing. The new Terminus 21 alone could keep a tourist sated for three weeks

3) The malls can provide a respite to the heat during the daytime.

4) Issues relating to underage sex seem to have disappeared.

5) More flights are available to and from Bangkok, both international and domestic.

And perhaps surprisingly, those flights are not  much more expensive than when I first came in 1995  while the cost of hotels and restaurants , not to mention company, has remained pretty stable.  

On 7/11/2019 at 3:23 PM, Londoner said:

The new venue at LCR is a major problem. I could feel as well as hear the thumping of the loudspeakers in my bed at 0300 the night before my return home in June. 

 

Did you also feel the pea underneath the heap of mattresses?

29 minutes ago, sglad said:

Did you also feel the pea underneath the heap of mattresses?

be nice !

5 hours ago, Boy69 said:

I wish I can agree with you but I don't.........

....... However Thailand is still my favourite destination in the world the low leaving costs,the gay friendly atmosphere and the kindness of the Thai people make it wonderful experience for me every time I come.

where's disagreement ?

by the way whole point of discussion is to see where people agree and where they differ, otherwise we will have just 'yes, yes , yes ' festival.

My point was 2 headed:

first - while memories are precious , dwelling on them may make one bitter and disappointed that's is over instead of focusing how we can have fun  now and in future.

For me best venue I ever set foot in Thailand was now defunct Aqua Spa, yet it' s gone and even my best memories will not resurrect it so i found Arena , Senso, Tawan , Moonlight , BBB and list goes and and on.

 

Second - while scene is changed and shrunken there's still more than I can absorb during my pilgrimage, there are 15 boy  bars in BKK , at one  a night during 2 weeks foray it will be still one neglected. And just along Suriwong there's more places that we need for 1 massage a day during the same period. 

So instead looking for half empty part of glass why not enjoy well filled full half ? That IS my point

4 hours ago, Londoner said:

That's all true. I love my three visits a year to Pattaya but I'm not certain I'd be quite so excited by the prospect if I wasn't in a ltr. Observing the bar-scene from outside, I'm not impressed.

Nevertheless, there have been improvements since my first visit.

1) Apps ensure that  sanuk is available twenty-four hours a day

2) The range of restaurants is astonishing. The new Terminus 21 alone could keep a tourist sated for three weeks

3) The malls can provide a respite to the heat during the daytime.

4) Issues relating to underage sex seem to have disappeared.

5) More flights are available to and from Bangkok, both international and domestic.

And perhaps surprisingly, those flights are not  much more expensive than when I first came in 1995  while the cost of hotels and restaurants , not to mention company, has remained pretty stable.  

I like that way of thinking, where's " I like it very much button ?"

5 hours ago, Londoner said:

4) Issues relating to underage sex seem to have disappeared.

This point is definitely a very positive change, and i hope itll continue to be. Wish the same can be said for the rest of the world too.

10 hours ago, Travellerdave said:

Thailand has changed and there are far more opportunities for young guys than working in the rice fields. 

I don't see these opportunities. If you have only highschool in Thailand (which many boys from Isan have; their families can't afford further education) you can forget about getting a descently paid job. Being moneyboy gives you maybe 4 times as much income than any of the other jobs you can choose from.

6 hours ago, Boy69 said:

 

Dongtan beach was almost exclusively gay oriented with many young Thai boys seeking for clients and male masseurs doing massage on the beach and keeping you company but not anymore.

How did it become a gay beach? Was it a local government planning decision: "This section will be the gay beach, we give licenses for gay businesses there and another section we do for families with children"? 

Or is it just naturual segregation? Gays group together and non-gays group together and that is how this gay beach came into being? Like we see in many cities where you have China towns and neighboorhouds were for example many Turks live. Not because of government policy (you are not forbidden to buy a house in China town) but because of that is just how human beings naturally group themselves.

So how was it with this beach? How it became the gay beach? Deliberate policy? Or natural segregation?