Travellerdave

Pleased that the Complex Bars are adopting a “flexible” policy towards closing time. Pre-Covid I stayed in hotels there and usually started my evening in one of the bars prior to taking a baht bus to visit the Boystown or Sunee gogos in a search for a bed companion. Around midnight usually with boy I would return by motorbike to finish with a nightcap taking in the vibrant atmosphere.

Z909’s first picture has cropped up on gay sites for a number of years, for good reason,- don’t we just love that line up of handsome Gogo boys !. I think it is at least 10 years since it was taken.

Yes I have had boys voice the “vacation proof” a good number of times since my first visit to Thailand more than 20 years ago, very often when I was reluctant to fund an excessive demand for cash or presents. Although I would say that the affluence gap between “the West” and SE Asia has closed somewhat over those years, manifesting itself in a much reduced supply of young Thai recruits from Isaan to the sex industry in the tourist resorts.

When in Pattaya I used to visit the Coco gym which is situated on Beach Road. It’s large and well equipped and pre Covid it was busy with tourists, expats and local Thais. The dress code was not at all orientated towards Lycra, although when I went there, working out was my objective not hooking up with other guys. I never took boyfriends to gyms, but Occasionally I bought them speedos when I thought they would look good in them on the beach.

Well Londoner, Pattaya is not most people’s idea of a tropical beach. But it does have sand and palm trees and water. I don’t sit on the section in Pattaya city, but I always found Jomtien pleasant, particularly the gay portion, at least when that was in full swing.

Thanks but I’m not 80 yet ~ several years to go yet.

I retired from my long term employment in 2002 with a good pension and health plus available money. I planned to travel and take numerous holidays, which not possible in full time employment. Being gay I had visited European resorts (playa del ingles. Benidorm etc) and had heard rumours and stories about Thailand, and of course I ended up,there, commencing with 3 weeks in Pattaya. I took full advantage of the thriving gay scene, particularly whilst the exchange rate was 73 baht = £1. No advice was available from websites then, like that Pandaman has just been given, -,you just learnt by experience and making mistakes.

Nice to hear that Zing is open and that you found it confortable. Before the pandemic it had become my favourite hotel in Pattaya. I used to like the useful size pool where I often relaxed with my boyfriends du jour. Interesting that you took the airport bus to Jomtien where the terminus is close to the Complex and the Zing hotel. I remember pulling my bag along the uneven pavement from the bus after the long 24 hour journey from home but happy to have arrived. For me the bus is good and a lot safer than in the high speed taxis weaving about in the traffic.

Good to see that Boyztown business’ have not given up trying to keep things alive. COVID has gone on a lot longer than anyone envisaged in early 2020 when I made my last trip to Pattaya. I’m just hoping that the situation will improve in 2022 allowing making a visit by me and other gay tourists feasible, when their efforts will be rewarded by the resumption of buoyant trade.

I’ve just viewed a video on YouTube showing nightlife at Tree Town on Soi Buakhow going strong. All tables at the so called restaurants seemed taken with patrons enjoying themselves, many drinking with no food in evidence. Some single girls walking about which I took to be freelancers. possible / probable discrimination against gay bars ?.

The idea of another trip to Thailand, particularly Pattaya is very active in my mind just now. Over the years I have visited Thailand (mainly Pattaya) for the tropical weather, excellent value hotels and restaurants, some sight-seeing and the exotic atmosphere very different to Northern Europe. But most of all I have travelled to meet and have sex with attractive Asian guys. Drinking alcohol in bars is not a priority for me. So I think a couple of weeks in late January would be a good decision.

The Venue is the only major hotel in the Complex that I have not stayed in. After a few year I finally settled on the Zing where I liked their larger rooms and also the pool. It’s at a sufficient distance not to be in range of noise from the bars. Unlike the Poseidon it’s not 100% gay. I anticipate checking availability in a month or so for a visit early in 2022.

Im with you there Londoner - some boys are more affluent than one might suppose. During my last contribution I mentioned a very attractive 18 year old I first met on the beach in year 2003 and subsequently offed him from Euro Boys. I like to think he had a prosperous career in the gay Pattaya sex industry. He will be about 36 now and probably retired some time ago from the bars, but after a good remunerative period in the beds of gay farangs like myself, and having probably a number of longer term relationships. The family in Isaan would have benefited from improvements to their property, purchase of farm equipment and perhaps a pickup truck and generally from freedom from uncertainty and poverty. On the other had I hope he has not been crippled by drugs or alcohol, a motor bike accident or contracted a STD from bare back sex.

Over 20 years of visiting Pattaya I have experienced the floods but the ones this year seem to be more severe than previously. Whether this is to do with global warming and climate change I would not like to say. I suppose nature is trying to reclaim the land and turn it back to a flat swampy terrain covered with trees and scrub which you see in areas which have not been developed or farmed. 80 years ago the small fishing village of Pattaya consisted of wooden houses built on the slightly higher land near Walking Street and raised above flood levels with piles. Man has concreted over the natural terrain which used to allow the rain water to soak away gradually. All this has happened also in more developed countries but there it’s emiellorated by a higher standard of infrastructure not like that present inadequate engineering in Pattaya for the described by z909. Thais are capable of erecting impressive structures but they are spoiled by greed, lack of planning and general bribery and corruption.

Vessey’s account of the economics of being a rent boy in Pattaya is an excellent presentation of the realities of their lives. It caused me to reflect on my own experience of rent boys in Pattaya over the last 20 years concluding with my last trip in February last year. One boy I remember going back to my second trip years ago stands out in my memory. I was sat talking to a pal in one of the concessions on the gay beach during the late afternoon when two boys appeared and after some hesitation seated themselves close by. One was a really nice looking twink in the 18 to 20 range whereas the other was rather older maybe 26 to 29. We very quickly invited them over and bought them drinks. The older one could speak some English but the younger none. He said that they both worked nights at a laundry but the younger had only been there a week having arrived from Korat. He (the older)had come to the beach to try and find a farang to help him with his rent, whereas the twink was just sightseeing. After perhaps half an hour my pal went off with the older to his hotel whereas I took the younger to a short time room. I returned to the beach the next day hoping to meet him again but he didn’t appear and the day after I went back home. Returning a couple of months later I visited Sunee and spotted him dancing in the Euro Boys Gogo. I offed him and discovered that after our first meeting that he had transitioned over a week or so into full time work in gogos which he found much to his liking than the laundry.

As I initiated this thread in the photos section I had better join in. i have visiting Thailand mostly Pattaya. now for 20 years but unfortunately not in the last 18 months. Mostly my visits have been relatively short (3 to 4 weeks) but about. 15 years ago I did stay for several periods of 3 months. I have not maintained a record but I must have engaged the sexual services of over 150 Asian rent boys. On first contact my first concern has been the attractiveness of the boy and then I would want to know what he would permit in bed. In a bar with the noise and limited English it is sometimes difficult to pin this down even with the help of a mamasan and on the telephone occasionally impossible. In the past I liked a period of kissing and of late I have become more bottom so important to ascertain that he would top. The question of whether he was gay was not in the forefront of my mind, although I do remember it coming up occasionally when the reply was often vague. During my longer stays after a couple of weeks of bar hopping and beer drinking I calmed down and took boys for extended periods during which I got to know them fairly well even to the extent of meeting their family. With one very attractive boy I became his classic daddy, giving significant money and presents. I regarded him as bisexual, with him admitting to enjoying sex with girls, even having a bar girl as his girlfriend whilst living with me. But he had had a lot of gay sex with other farangs, and told me that he often enjoyed it and especially liked being desired by gay men.

I hope it will reopen when the pandemic has run its course and gay tourists return in numbers.

Perhaps tourists could arrive by parachute via Suvanaphuni. ? I have a few happy memories of taking boys to Koh Larn for the day - usually to the beach where the monkeys live.

Pleased to hear from you Biguyby - like you it’s now over a year since I’ve visited our favourite town and for me perhaps over two years since I was last at the Sansuck. I spent quite a few happy evenings round the pool sometimes on my own and sometimes with my latest boyfriend. It was a memorable gay venue.

My experience with the theft of the $100 bill I describe above together with a very small number of other negative experiences represents a tiny % of my interactions with Asian rent boys as a gay visitor to Thailand over the last 20 years. I wonder what the percentage would be for the majority of str sex tourists taking girls to their rooms or those who seek ladyboys. I would guess it would be higher for the latter. I’m sure their will be no official statistics !.

Of course you have to be careful when taking boys back to your hotel or apartment. Once I was robbed because of my carelessness whilst I was staying at the Ambiance some years ago. The room safe was situated near the entrance door from the corridor and there was a further door before the bedroom. I had contacted a very attractive boy from an app for an overnight stay and by the morning everything seemed fine. I had enjoyed sex several times during the night and before he left I went to the safe, unlocked it and took out some baht from which I gave him his tip. Later as I was leaving the room I noticed I had left the safe door open and on checking the contents found that a $100 bill, left over from a trip to Vietnam was gone. I enquired at the desk and told what had happened and asked whether they knew the boy, but they said he was new to them and gave me quite rightly a lecture about being careful about boys and safes. I checked the app a few times - I think Romeo, but he did not appear.

Even better accompanied by a cute boy ?

Over the last four years I’ve settled on staying in the Complex. I’ve used the Agate, Poseidon and Zing and have been happy with all three, although for the last three trips I’ve stayed at Zing choosing one of their larger upper floor rooms. I like the pool which is large enough for swimming although I’ve spent more time laying by it with boyfriends. It’s gay friendly rather than being a gay hotel as is the case with the Poseidon where I never saw a female guest. it’s now more than a year since I was there which is the longest period without visiting Pattaya and I miss it a lot - particularly for Asian boys and having sex with them. Maybe later this year ? Hope so !

Songcran - I avoid it like the plague. When booking a trip I check carefully the dates.

Yes I have had couple of great meals at the Poseidon. I have stayed there also - the hotel is 100% gay.