Pattaya’s raunchy nightlife is still expanding

[Guest reader]

From Pattaya Mail

By Barry Kenyon

Pattaya doomsayers will tell you Sin City is all but finished. A combination of gentifrication (posh buildings replacing bars and clubs) and diversification (people now bring their kids on holiday here) has all but decimated the old Pattaya. The number of western expats, especially retirees, has dropped thanks to repatriation or liver disease. “Things are not what they used to be,” bewails a British pensioner sipping beer with his mates as they watch the traffic jams unfold on Soi Buakhao.

Yet the pessimism is by no means the whole picture. In a few days, according to Dave the Rave’s insider web page, the new Shark gogo club will be opening on Walking Street and will occupy most of Soi Diamond. It’s a three-storey facade, three shophouses long and five shophouses deep, with a downstairs floorspace of 230 sq meters. Over 100 young ladies will make sure the customers – who are just as likely to be South Koreans and Singaporeans as Americans or passport holders of the European Union – are comfortable and free of hassle. For example, if you take your time ogling the gogo dancers, you won’t be told to order another drink before you are ready.

Meanwhile, Pattaya’s leading Gentlemen’s Clubs operation is continuing its expansion. It’s a consortium of local bars and clubs offering visitors who join a retreat where they can relax in style and enjoy discounts such as cheap beer, menu choices and weekly pub crawls all announced on regular email newsletters. Gentlemen’s Clubs has recently announced that a 28-room, adult-themed resort with a club will be opening in Jomtien as early as January next year. Based 700 meters from Jomtien Beach, it will replace the current ISOL residential block and the facilities will include small kitchens in the rooms, an onsite restaurant, a coin-operated laundry and a large swimming pool.

Pattaya’s gay scene can’t compete with these macro developments. The two main venues remain the Jomtien Complex Super Town and Pattaya’s Boyztown in the center of the city. The main attractions in both districts are the very glitzy and professional cabaret shows, though the audiences remain stubbornly western and elderly in appearance. Where all the gay Russians, Chinese and Indians hang out remains a bit of a mystery according to local bar owners. But, in a break with tradition, a gay bar has opened in the staunchly heterosexual Walking Street. It’s Secrets in Soi 14, formerly a straight club. That’s certainly a first, at any rate for many years.

[spoon]

Thats promising, finally a gay bar in walking street. Would love to hear reports from forum members soon!!

[AndyUK]

3 hours ago, reader said:But, in a break with tradition, a gay bar has opened in the staunchly heterosexual Walking Street. It’s Secrets in Soi 14, formerly a straight club. That’s certainly a first, at any rate for many years.

What kind of bar is this? Gogo?

[Guest reader]

This definitely was a former straight night club/hotel complex in its earlier incarnation, as noted above.

 

 

[vinapu]

4 hours ago, reader said:

The main attractions in both districts are the very glitzy and professional cabaret shows, though the audiences remain stubbornly western and elderly in appearance. 

clearly Mr Kenyon did not visit BoyzBoyzBoyz in last few years. On my last visit about 3 weeks ago bar was packed and grand total of "western and elderly in appearance. "

were 4 (four) including distinguished and very handsome elderly westerner, later identified to be vinapu from GayThailand forum accompoanied by even more distinguished and handsome Asian looking gentleman.

Both left after short while  due to noise , smoke and scene filled with completely dressed 3 dozen guys who could be considered attractive if only they show more skin other than just faces and palms