That's something I sometimes wonder about. I certainly don't expect all the bars to close. This is just a purely hypothetical question. But apparently many think the only way, or the best way, to find willing young gentlemen is to go to the bars. Many love going to the bars because nothing similar exists where they live. Many love the atmosphere of the bar scene. So, if all of a sudden there was no gay bar scene, would you still come to Thailand?

Not really. There are too many other places where I can enjoy the kind of things I like in the bars somewhere else. I use to frequent Amsterdam and Prague a great deal and now I seldom visit. Partly because the scene there for money boys is not great.

Do people come here for the bars or for the boys? If the bars all closed the boys would still be here.

No option for if you live here, would you stay.. Hell Yes

To my way of thinking, if there were no gay bars then homosexuality would be illegal or very discouraged. I am not really comfortable in countries like that. If that were the situation, then the boys would still be here, but they would be in the closet and somewhat screwed up in the head (see the Phillipines).

If there were no bars here, I most probably would not have come to Thailand initially. But, now that I live here, I can't think of anyplace I'd rather be - bars or no bars. For me, the ease of making friends, the food, the Thai attitude toward life, and being honored as opposed to demeaned for being old makes Thailand a very VERY special place in the world.

No option for if you live here, would you stay.. Hell Yes

True, but I really meant this for holiday makers. I should have been clear about that. Oh well, that's why I always put in an "other" option - to cover what I didn't think of.

No bars? What a tragic situation for holiday makers and long time expats alike.

In the town where I live there are no gay bars. It took me three days, with some help from a Thai employee, to find four places where gay boys gather openly. There are stores. There is the railway terminal at night. Discos seem to have more ladyboys than straight boys. It's pretty much the same scene wherever you travel. Many years ago, the first time I drove into Rome, it was 2:00 a.m. I drove around looking for the Via Veneto. As I stopped at an intersection near the railroad station, a boy of about 19 came up to my car and leaned on the window. "American?" he asked. "May I welcome you to Roma?" I looked behind him. There were about a half dozen boys soliciting at the entry to the terminal. A similar incident happened at the plaza in front of the Colosseum. In Athens they strolled around the port or Kalinaki Square; in Freibourg, Germany, the university clock tower. In Paris, Gare Austerlitz and Gare du Nord. You don't need bars to meet people. Bars just make it easier because they are defined by their clientele.

Thailand was my choice over Costa Rica, where I would have a much better command of the language, because:

1. The cost of living would allow me to live with some affluence;

2. Because I had developed some endearing online friendships with expats who I knew would help me avoid many of the pitfalls of living in an alien culture.

The boys, like the girls, are always findable because they want to be.

Before I had a bf I traveled to Hong Kong, Kl, Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Singapore among others and never set foot in a gaybar and found plenty of boys (non-rent) to keep me occupied.

I would still visit Thailand, but less frequently.

The proportion of time spent in Laos, Cambodia & possibly Vietnam would increase & the time spent in Thailand would decrease.

 

As for Pattaya, the visits would be MUCH less frequently. Without the USP, it's just another overdeveloped resort.

Without the USP

Won't anybody listen about these acronyms? Am I the only one around here who never knows what they mean? What is USP?

Won't anybody listen about these acronyms? Am I the only one around here who never knows what they mean? What is USP?

 

 

Unique Selling Proposition: Basic Advertising

Many of these acronyms are relative to certain professions. I could start to use medical acronyms and I venture to say that 90% won't know what the hell I am talking about. The same would apply to many other professions.

Many of these acronyms are relative to certain professions. I could start to use medical acronyms and I venture to say that 90% won't know what the hell I am talking about. The same would apply to many other professions.

 

 

It took me less time to Google the answer than it would have taken me to write a post complaining about it.

It took me less time to Google the answer than it would have taken me to write a post complaining about it.

I Googled it too. Several definitions came up. How do you know the one you posted is the right one?

 

What's wrong with just writing out the words in the post? Is it really that much of a chore to do? When I use these acronyms, when they first appear in my post I write the words in parentheses next to the acronym to make sure everyone knows what the words are supposed to be. Then, if I use the acronym again in the same post or even on the same thread, at least the words appeared once.

 

A common one is BoT. I don't just assume everyone knows what that means and I don't see why people who don't know should have to Google it, so the first time I write it in a post I do it like this:

 

BoT (Bank of Thailand)

 

What's the hard part?

Thinking from a western farang perspective, especially those of the older generation, I suspect many would come anyway. As lvdkeyes suggests, it's as much the boys they come for as the bars. Yet, the bar scene is virtually unique to Thailand and I know quite a few younger Asians who would consider very carefully whether Thailand without the bars would be worth the trip. These are guys who want to meet other younger Asians, and they can do that with relative ease in several other cities around the region. Mind you, these guys are probably also attracted by the saunas where they can hook up with other guys in their age group. Ban the bars and the sauna scene will probably be even more active. Ban both and gay tourism will be in a good deal of trouble.

 

A common one is BoT

Bundle of Trouble

I spend around one out of three nights of my holiday time in LOS (Land of Smiles) in bars. It's the fastest and easiest way to meet boys, if you are prepared to pay. If I wanted to meet all the guys I met on GR (gayromeo), I wouldn't have time to go to the bars.

If I wanted to meet all the guys I met on GR (gayromeo), I wouldn't have time to go to the bars.

Same thing. Half the boys on Gay Romeo are the bar boys.

I bet most of the membership knew what USP means, as it's in widespread use in businesses that sell things such as manufacturing companies, shops etc[et cetera].

Where a TLA(Three Letter Acronym) is not in common use, maybe it is reasonable to explain it. Certainly USP is widely used here, but maybe citizens of the US (United States) are less familiar with it..

 

The reality is you can find a nice climate, interesting places to visit & attractive friendly guys in Thailand's neighbours. They are just not stood on stage in white underwear.

I bet most of the membership knew what USP means

Well, there is at least one who had no idea. So, please write out the words. As much as that's a terrible thing for me to ask, I'm asking anyhow.

Well, there is at least one who had no idea.

Make that two! Maybe I've come across it at some point earlier in my career, but I hadn't a clue when I saw it in the post.

Well, there is at least one who had no idea. So, please write out the words. As much as that's a terrible thing for me to ask, I'm asking anyhow.

 

 

First there is a typing error. It is not USP but UPS and that off course stands for United Parcels Service. Simples.

 

 

To come back to the original question: During my last two visits to Thailand in 2009 and 2008 I have been to Serene Bar in Boystown once or twice on each visit, but not to any other bars. So if all the gay bars suddenly disappeared it would probably take me a couple of visits to Thailand before I would even take notice.

 

TomUK

I had no idea what USP meant.

Certainly USP is widely used here, but maybe citizens of the US (United States) are less familiar with it..

 

This citizen of the USA never heard of it, and I was in management of a food processing company for years. So I too sign on to the do not use acronyms, or if you do, explain it the first time and then use it as often as you like in the rest of the message.