khaolakguy Posted June 19 Posted June 19 1 hour ago, bkkmfj2648 said: Yesterday, SWING Pattaya announced a collaboration with the Hard Rock Cafe (Pattaya Beach) that when you order their gay-licious yummy: Beyond The Clouds Rainbow Cheesecake 30% of the price will be donated by the Hard Rock Cafe to SWING Pattaya. The Rainbow Cheesecake is presumably a new product, and the pricing @280 Baht ++? probably already takes account of the deduction of 84 baht payable to Swing, a very worthy cause. Forgive me but I am cynical about multinational corporations promoting their presence/products on the back of the rainbow flag. If they really want to help why don't they sponsor Swing itself instead of artificially inflating the price of their products so that their customers are the ones making the contribution, while they claim brownie points as "benefactors"? daydreamer, floridarob and Kiwi306 3 Quote
Members daydreamer Posted June 20 Members Posted June 20 6 hours ago, khaolakguy said: I am cynical about multinational corporations promoting their presence/products on the back of the rainbow flag. If they really want to help why don't they sponsor Swing itself instead of artificially inflating the price of their products so that their customers are the ones making the contribution, while they claim brownie points as "benefactors"? I totally agree. It's another page from the same playbook that some stores in the US use. It is frustrating with cashiers in the US constantly asking if you would like to donate to one cause or other while you are paying for your purchases. After I told a store cashier "no" to her request the other day, she then went on to beg for a donation to a second cause. Come on, enough already!!. These businesses pester their customers, collect all the donations, and then present a six foot-long giant sized check for the total amount to the charity or organization during a publicity session, as if the funds were coming from them, instead of the actual donors. Is this done so the business can claim the large "donation" as a tax deduction?........ Quote
PeterRS Posted June 20 Posted June 20 9 hours ago, khaolakguy said: Forgive me but I am cynical about multinational corporations promoting their presence/products on the back of the rainbow flag. If they really want to help why don't they sponsor Swing itself instead of artificially inflating the price of their products so that their customers are the ones making the contribution, while they claim brownie points as "benefactors"? In principle I agree with the sentiment. But I think it is important to remind ourselves that businesses like this are in fact a business - and as such part of that business is to attract customers. If supporting a charity or a cause helps and the charity/cause also benefits, then some will say that is close to a win-win. Obviously some will disagree but I imagine quite a number of charities are perfectly happy with the extra cash. 3 hours ago, daydreamer said: It is frustrating with cashiers in the US constantly asking if you would like to donate to one cause or other while you are paying for your purchases. After I told a store cashier "no" to her request the other day, she then went on to beg for a donation to a second cause. I do think there is a major difference. I would hate it if any cashier asked me for a donation at the desk when paying for a product I wanted to buy. The point about @khaolakguy's post is that the addition of the donation is advertised well in advance before purchase. In my view that is hardly the same. bkkmfj2648 and Ruthrieston 2 Quote
Popular Post bkkmfj2648 Posted June 20 Author Popular Post Posted June 20 16 minutes ago, PeterRS said: I imagine quite a number of charities are perfectly happy with the extra cash. In late May 2026, I reached out to both SWING Pattaya and The Venue (Hotel and Cabaret) and both entities confirmed to me that they were saddened to report that the tradition to have a Gay Parade and Pride Night in the Jomtien Complex, aka Supertown was cancelled for this year 2026 due to a lack of funding. Then miraculously, SWING Pattaya announced on 17 June 2026 that there would in fact be a Jomtien Complex Pride Night to be held on 18 July 2026. https://www.facebook.com/groups/1288225178002849/user/100001737403507 So, in the intervening 3 weeks, funding was found to continue this important grass roots tradition for Jomtien. Let us remember that the Pattaya City Gay Pride (27 June 2026) is much more commercial (financially backed by the large Thai entity = PATTANA) than the folksy grass root Gay Pride events that are hosted in Jomtien - which is financially backed by the non-profit NGO SWING Pattaya and some of the bars that are in the complex (The Palace, The Venue, etc.). I agree that the Hard Rock Cafe is a large multinational corporation with deep pockets but it is the first time that I see them working with SWING Pattaya to support this worthwhile cause - as Jomtien's events tend to be backed by more smaller homegrown local entities. Since many of us readers in this forum like to off some of the local guys - NGO entities like SWING keep our guys healthy and safe. A win-win for all of us. jimmie50, kram987, vinapu and 6 others 9 Quote
Members daydreamer Posted June 20 Members Posted June 20 9 hours ago, PeterRS said: The point about @khaolakguy's post is that the addition of the donation is advertised well in advance before purchase. In my view that is hardly the same. Thank you for your critique of my post, however nowhere did I say the two were the same. I said "another page from the same playbook". I was merely pointing to the similarities of companies soliciting customer donations, and then turning around and presenting the accumulated donations to the organizations in their own name. I think most readers were able to distinguish the difference. khaolakguy 1 Quote
khaolakguy Posted June 20 Posted June 20 7 hours ago, daydreamer said: Thank you for your critique of my post, however nowhere did I say the two were the same. I said "another page from the same playbook". Peter is a straw man specialist. daydreamer, Keithambrose and floridarob 2 1 Quote
Members daydreamer Posted June 20 Members Posted June 20 33 minutes ago, khaolakguy said: Peter is a straw man specialist. Thanks, that explains it. I had suspected it might have been a comprehension deficit issue. Keithambrose and khaolakguy 2 Quote
PeterRS Posted June 21 Posted June 21 4 hours ago, khaolakguy said: Peter is a straw man specialist. And @khaolakguy continues to try and be funny! He has a thing against my posting and so it's not unusual for him to say so! Quote
Popular Post bkkmfj2648 Posted June 21 Author Popular Post Posted June 21 On 5/16/2026 at 1:45 PM, bkkmfj2648 said: Schatzi's - still no new updates since the previous posting in this forum Schatzi's is now open in the Jomtien Complex, aka Supertown. https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61590577088216 Web page is still being worked on: https://schatzis-eatsipstay.com/ First review has been posted: I will try to go there and check it out within the next week. PeterRS, jimmie50, BjornAgain and 2 others 5 Quote
vinapu Posted June 21 Posted June 21 6 hours ago, bkkmfj2648 said: Schatzi's is now open in the Jomtien Complex, aka Supertown. I will try to go there and check it out within the next week. Great to know as after disappearance of Alt Heidelberg on Bitch Road ( or is it Beach ) I found it hard to find place in Pattaya with decent schnitzel bkkmfj2648 1 Quote
bkkmfj2648 Posted June 21 Author Posted June 21 32 minutes ago, vinapu said: I found it hard to find place in Pattaya with decent schnitzel And soon G's (BKK Guido) Pattaya (Phratamnak soi 6) branch will also have schnitzel? In addition to Guido's already famous "sausage" 🤪 vinapu, kram987, jimmie50 and 1 other 4 Quote
vinapu Posted June 22 Posted June 22 12 hours ago, bkkmfj2648 said: And soon G's (BKK Guido) Pattaya (Phratamnak soi 6) branch will also have schnitzel? In addition to Guido's already famous "sausage" 🤪 so we are looking at healthy competition of who has better schnitzel and a firmer sausage tm_nyc, jimmie50, Ruthrieston and 1 other 1 3 Quote
kram987 Posted June 22 Posted June 22 Loving this thread! Has me dreaming of a return, when ever that happens. bkkmfj2648 and vinapu 2 Quote
Popular Post vinapu Posted June 23 Popular Post Posted June 23 21 hours ago, kram987 said: Loving this thread! Has me dreaming of a return, when ever that happens. dreaming doesn't bring you back but buying ticket will Keithambrose, Olddaddy, bkkmfj2648 and 5 others 6 2 Quote
kram987 Posted June 24 Posted June 24 On 6/22/2026 at 7:45 PM, vinapu said: dreaming doesn't bring you back but buying ticket will True but I’m American so I don’t get much vacation time🥲🥲🥲 vinapu and Mavica 1 1 Quote
Mavica Posted June 24 Posted June 24 41 minutes ago, kram987 said: True but I’m American so I don’t get much vacation time🥲🥲🥲 Even though I'm retired now, I have some community management responsibilities and can't stay away for very long. So, I'm in the same boat as you. Travel time from my USA departure point is l o n g, and the airfare now is approx. $1,500 all-in. For less than a several week visit it just doesn't make practical sense to me. I can travel to Mexico in less than 4 hours for under US$500 all in, non-stop. I've been continually checking on fares to BKK, but the Trump War impacts are disrupting travel planning and pricing. Quote
Popular Post bkkmfj2648 Posted June 26 Author Popular Post Posted June 26 Went to visit and eat dinner at the fabulous new Schatzi's German restaurant in the Jomtien Complex, aka Supertown. https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61590577088216 Firstly, the interior decorations and design are beautiful, and as soon as I sat on the couch seat - I said to Johan - wow this seat is so comfortable and it reminds me of the comfortable seats over in the Candy Bar. Johan replied - yes, we spoke to the Candy Bar and we also bought our lovely sofas from the same place. For now during the "soft opening", there is a 1 page menu, which consisted of: Seductive Schnitzel, Cheeky Pork Bangers & Mash, Lust-Layered Lasagne, Bratwurst, Currywurst, Frikkadel, listed were also 2 Thai dishes, in case you are in the company of a Thai person; Massaman Chicken or Pad Kra Pau. I chose the Seductive Schnitzel and it was truly delicious. You can choose a mushroom sauce or paprika sauce - I chose the mushroom sauce. It also comes with a savory potato salad that included pickles and eggs and a side salad. As you can see, the schnitzels were served in the shape of a heart - as that is the symbol of the restaurant. Underneath the schnitzels was a sultry sauerkraut - which truly complimented the meal. I told them that Guido from G's new to-be restaurant over in Phratamnak (Pattaya) will have some stiff competition in the best schnitzel category. Next time I will need to order the German sausages to see how they compare to Guido's. By the way, they know Guido and are aware that Guido is to soon open his Pattaya restaurant. Instead of being accompanied by Guido's cat I was in the company of Tom of Finland After the meal I had the Bread & Butter Pudding dessert - which they referred to as the "Sweet Finale" and it was indeed very yummy - especially if you like cinnamon on crunchy bread with vanilla ice cream. Pricing was reasonable - I paid 580 baht for my meal, cola, and dessert. Additional notes: Restaurant is owned by Johan (South African) and his partner of 42 years, Ziggy from Germany. Ziggy is the chef and he is definitely talented. Previously, Ziggy was a ballet dancer and there are some of his very sexy ballet photos on the wall. They offer both white and red wines from South Africa - I did not try them - but I will on a future visit. The Thai staff are wonderful and pleasant and are all dressed in their purple Schatzi polo shirts. The stairs that you see in the first picture lead up to 4 rooms that they will rent out - 1 room is large and faces the Supertown street with a big balcony and the other 3 rooms are standard sized rooms. The hotel portion of their business will open later this year. Web page https://www.schatzis-eatsipstay.com/ is still being worked on and will come on-line later this year. For now use the above Facebook page. During the "soft opening" they are only open for dinner after 5pm. Future plans may include a lunch menu, and also a breakfast menu for the hotel guests. Notice Ziggy's ballet photos Outdoor bar area with the lovely rainbow heart on display In conclusion, Schatzi's is a welcome addition to the Jomtien Complex, aka Supertown dining scene and I wish them a successful business venture. daydreamer, Olddaddy, Vessey and 4 others 6 1 Quote
Olddaddy Posted June 26 Posted June 26 On 6/24/2026 at 1:13 PM, kram987 said: True but I’m American so I don’t get much vacation time🥲🥲🥲 2 weeks a year right in America 😭 I feel for you darling Quote
Olddaddy Posted June 26 Posted June 26 4 hours ago, bkkmfj2648 said: - I paid 580 baht for Geez , you wouldn't even get the entree for that in Sydney 😲 It's on my bucket list , I will be there with my Filipino boyfriend 🇵🇭in early August see you then bkkmfj2648 and vinapu 2 Quote
bkkmfj2648 Posted June 26 Author Posted June 26 1 hour ago, Olddaddy said: 2 weeks a year right in America 😭 I feel for you darling After I left the USA in 1999 and I got my first job in Italy in 2002 - I was shocked when they told me that I had 30 days of paid leave (holiday / vacation) time from day one. That is 6 weeks. In the USA I worked in the finance industry and I only had 2 weeks off each year and to get 3 weeks off required 15 years of loyal service. You Europeans are so lucky!!! vinapu and jimmie50 2 Quote
Olddaddy Posted June 26 Posted June 26 6 minutes ago, bkkmfj2648 said: After I left the USA in 1999 and I got my first job in Italy in 2002 - I was shocked when they told me that I had 30 days of paid leave (holiday / vacation) time from day one. That is 6 weeks. In the USA I worked in the finance industry and I only had 2 weeks off each year and to get 3 weeks off required 15 years of loyal service. You Europeans are so lucky!!! I never been to Europe 🌍 in my life , and I won't be going !!! Thanks for the offer ... But no thanks ,I will stick with Asia vinapu 1 Quote
gerefan Posted June 27 Posted June 27 Can someone please tell us the exact location of Schatzi's Jomtien Complex. Quote
Londoner Posted June 28 Posted June 28 .....and the pricing? And what about the Pets' Hotel ( is that the correct name?) next door. Any information? It's reassuring to see the vacant sites being filled. The new Indian restaurant in the same location apparently has yet to open. Many changes. The launderette that was next to Agate has gone and a massage joint has returned. How many launderettes are now located within two hundred meters? six? Why the sudden increase? Olddaddy 1 Quote
Popular Post vinapu Posted June 28 Popular Post Posted June 28 1 hour ago, Londoner said: How many launderettes are now located within two hundred meters? six? Why the sudden increase? dirty old farangs ? Olddaddy, Londoner, bkkmfj2648 and 2 others 5 Quote
Popular Post bkkmfj2648 Posted June 28 Author Popular Post Posted June 28 6 hours ago, gerefan said: Can someone please tell us the exact location of Schatzi's Jomtien Complex. The official Supertown Complex map has not yet been updated for the many changes that are occurring in the Jomtien Complex at the moment. The last update was in May. From time-to-time the FB administrator of the https://www.facebook.com/groups/supertowngay group makes these updates. I just now crudely (my MS Paint skills are not good) inserted the new Schatzi's restaurant into the May edition of the map. It is physically next to the Boy GaGa bar as shown below. 2 hours ago, Londoner said: .....and the pricing? I posted in my above Schatzi review that I paid 580 baht for my meal, cola, and dessert. 2 hours ago, Londoner said: And what about the Pets' Hotel ( is that the correct name?) next door. Any information? I can only share with you their public Instagram / Tiktok information as this business entity does not seem to have a web page and/or FB presence: https://www.tiktok.com/@narak.pets.cafe https://www.instagram.com/narakpetscafe/ 2 hours ago, Londoner said: The new Indian restaurant in the same location apparently has yet to open Regarding the new Indian restaurant there is ZERO visibility about it in any of the social media platforms. The next time that I am walking through that area of Supertown I will ask them if they have any information about their business. daydreamer, vinapu, Vessey and 2 others 4 1 Quote