Dick's Cafe Bangkok Closed?

[sglad]

I'm not happy either with soi alleged demise...

 

Ironically, Soi Twilight is living up to its name.

[a447a]

I'm not happy either with soi alleged demise but also very curious how whole moving  thing will develop and  if we will have new gay area somewhere or be forced to visit various places scattered  around the city

Having the bars all clustered together is good for business, as it forms a clearly defined "gay zone." Everyone can find it.

 

If bars are scattered among the various sois, casual visitors will have difficulty finding them.

 

I'm surprised by the number of farang who visit Soi Twilight but do not know about Moonlight or Screwboys.

[reader]

Dick's Cafe is among the longest-running establishments on the soi and its proprietor, Lucas, is one of Bangkok's gay community oldest hands. After decades managing Tarntawan Place, he continues to run the nearby Tarntawan Apartments and he knows the local commercial real estate situation well. But relocating the Cafe will prove a challenge.

 

Patrons were drawn to the Twlight location because it's a great perch to observe the comings and goings, particularly of Dream Boy. But as overall foot traffic declined, so did Dick's business which largely depended on older farangs and their guests. Maxi's was quick to pick up the slack and is the go-to place for food, drink and observation point.

 

Soi 4 has no vacancies I'm aware of and already offers ample places to eat. If a few more gay venues appear on Patpong 2, Dick's would fit in so long as it had outdoor seating with a view of the action.

 

Meanwhile, Lucas continues to operate the Jomtien location that has also enjoyed a long run.

[bkkguy]

I am truly sad to see Soi Twilight evaporates before my eyes ... So much for the good old days..

 

when I first came to Thailand more than 25 years ago the regulars of the day where dewy-eyed about the lost halcyon days for gay visitors of 10, even 20 years before, so this is a lament that has been doing the rounds of the Thailand gay scene many times over the years -  including ironically when the (in)famous and eponymous Twilight Bar itself closed its doors!

 

bkkguy

[fedssocr]

I agree that a new location may be a challenge. I used to enjoy grabbing a bite to eat inside and then sitting out on the patio to watch the dinner theater go by. But it really was location, location, location that was the draw. Maxis has better food but the view isn't quite as good

[Guest Promsak]

Soi 4 has no vacancies I'm aware of and already offers ample places to eat. If a few more gay venues appear on Pat pong 2, Dick's would fit in so long as it had outdoor seating with a view of the action.

Meanwhile, Lucas continues to operate the Jomtien location that has also enjoyed a long run.

 

True, no vacancies on Soi 4 except the derelict Bobby's Arms and Noriega properties at the end of the soi.

I don't see any ground floor properties on Patpong 2 either. So unlikely Dick's would find somewhere with outdoor seating there.

A light-box advertising Fresh Boys has appeared above Screw boys in Patpong 2.

 

Lukas still seems to have his Pattaya Dick's and the apartments in Suriwong. He lives and works now in Switzerland for many months of the year.

[Guest rrhawaii]

when I first came to Thailand more than 25 years ago the regulars of the day where dewy-eyed about the lost halcyon days for gay visitors of 10, even 20 years before, so this is a lament that has been doing the rounds of the Thailand gay scene many times over the years -  including ironically when the (in)famous and eponymous Twilight Bar itself closed its doors!

 

bkkguy

Hi bkkguy I'm curious as to what the regulars from 25 years ago would have been missing about Thailand from when they first started visiting. This would have been the 70's and 80's for them. Do you remember what they said was so great about that time?

[Guest Promsak]

Lukas was in Dick's last night for it's closing night.

[bkkguy]

Hi bkkguy I'm curious as to what the regulars from 25 years ago would have been missing about Thailand from when they first started visiting. This would have been the 70's and 80's for them. Do you remember what they said was so great about that time?

 

it was as much about the experience and the attitude as it was about the venues - the scene was much more subtle, the guys much more friendly and relaxed and less crudely commercial

 

while I am sure rose-coloured glasses where just as prevalent back then and the dewey-eyed punters where younger on their first trips etc, and many probably picked up more than a friend in those wild and more reckless days but I sometimes wonder how far we have really "progressed" since then

 

even compared to my early days here I don't know that the explicit live sex shows in the bars, the ready availability of sex on demand with the apps, the circuit parties, etc available now are an improvement - the forums are full of comments about how explicit you need to be these days in negotiating exactly what acts are to be performed for exactly how much money, and how common it is for the straight guy that you have picked up (who is probably not Thai) to need to watch porn on his mobile phone to even get it up!

 

bkkguy

[sglad]

Hi bkkguy I'm curious as to what the regulars from 25 years ago would have been missing about Thailand from when they first started visiting. This would have been the 70's and 80's for them. Do you remember what they said was so great about that time?

 

Erm, 25 years ago would have been the early 90s?

[bkkguy]

Erm, 25 years ago would have been the early 90s?

 

 Erm in English there is the concept of a reference in the past to an even earlier past and the original post was about people 25 years ago that were referring to their experiences 10 to 20 years before that which would be the 70's or 80's

 

bkkguy