Thaipuan magazine maps

[hanan]

I came across the June 2018 issue of free gay thai magazine Thaipuan. I have always been amazed of how inaccurate their maps of gay businesses are, and it was no different this time either.

In the past I thought the reason why they miss so many bars are because they only place bars or other businesses on their maps who pay them for adds. That is probably one reason but not all. But I think now it's more of that they simply don't want to do some research and work to visit and see what is open or not.

In Pattaya Boyztown they claim that Funny boys agogo still exists... That says alot of how many years it was since their reporters seem to have visited Boyztown. Castro is wrong location on the map. In soi 13/3 and soi 13/4 there is only one boybar according to Thaipuan - 360 degree boy (which in fact has been closed since last year)... Toyboys doesn't exist on their map.

 

I could do a long list of more examples but to summarize: don't use the maps of Thaipuan.

[vinapu]

I could do a long list of more examples but to summarize: don't use the maps of Thaipuan.

I would not be that strict and say use maps but don't expect to find what you are looking for , you may find surprises though  ( you example between Funny Boys and Toy boys ).

 

On another hand it's really shame they can't update maps at least from time to time, I guess their map of Sunee is still full of bars long closed and forgotten.

[hanan]

I guess their map of Sunee is still full of bars long closed and forgotten.

They don't even have a map of Sunee. Only Boyztown and Jomtien complex. It's like Sunee doesn't exist in the Thaipuan magazine.

[ggobkk]

Maps of Sunee when they can be found are also less than 100% accurate.

[PeterRS]

I am in two minds about maps and listings. On the one hand I get pissed off when one or other (or even both) is wrong. On the other I accept reality. Given that gay venues now open and close with greater frequency than before it must be a huge problem obtaining information and then, worse, keeping it all updated. 

 

Years ago there was a rather good gay magazine ThailandOut in English published by a farang in Chiang Mai. Its maps were pretty good but still not fully accurate or fully comprehensive. It did act on comments from readers and obviously tried to update them, but it could never get up to date.

 

I wonder how many posters realise that this site is not just a chat room. It has a great deal of information on its home pages for gay residents and visitors. Much of it is extremely useful. Even so, some listings are considerably out of date. In the Bangkok massage spa section Albury, Aqua and Fan Club are listed. Not sure of the dates but I think all closed about 3 years ago. Under Pattaya bars, Krazy Dragon, Wild West Boys and Yaya are listed. Again, all closed their doors probably at least 2 years ago.

 

I mention this only because the whole business of obtaining information, checking it and getting precise locations must take a great deal of time. This is even more true now that many gay venues in Bangkok are spread quite far from the city centre. Once the basic information has been obtained, how do you keep it up to date? Do the publications have enough cash to pay someone to do that? Unlikely IMHO. Will the venues themselves tell you when they close down? Why should they bother?

 

I havent seen Thaipuan for at least a year. From a quick look online, the basic listings seem pretty good, although oddly there is no listing for Sauna Mania in Bangkok which has been around for years. There is also no listing for the trio of bars close to the Mango Tree - Super A, Golden Cock and Nature Boys. But surely that illustrates how difficult obtaining the information for listings must be especially now when gay venues sit on constantly shining sands.

[Londoner]

Thai Puan always used to distinguish itself from  the other freebies available in BKK bars by avoiding  advertising  and even references to commercial sex establishments. Although it appears to have diverted from this policy in recent editions. I suspect that it may account for the absence of Sunee maps.

[Guest]

Maps in Pattaya are not a big deal.    The gay scene is concentrated into 3 areas.   The greater Boyztown area has bars on 3 short & adjacent streets, Sunee 2 & I believe it's 1 in Jomtien.  A 5 minute walk will confirm any new openings in adjacent streets.

 

On the other hand, last time I was in Chiang Mai, several years back, the gay bars were spread all over the place.  Good maps would have been nice, but I was using the dreadful not to scale maps that also miss out the odd street.  If there is 1 bar on a long street and I don't even know which street, that makes navigating more of a project.

 

Ultimately:

 

1  I suppose it's difficult to keep a gay publication going in Thailand, never mind also keep the mapping to a high standard.

 

2  We can all contribute something ourselves by occasionally contacting google with google map updates for gay establishments.   Pattaya has several of my corrections.   Hua Hin has a couple. 

 

When being critical of other people's mapping, ask "what can I do to improve the mapping situation ?".

 

3   Also, for really out of the way places, putting GPS co-ordinates or a google map link in your report could help others to find the place.

[bucky13]

One reason that updated gay maps are becoming a thing of the past is that Google Maps allows you to search for almost anything - even directions to Golden Cock or Nature Boy (yes, they're there) from Mango Tree!!

[hanan]

When being critical of other people's mapping, ask "what can I do to improve the mapping situation ?".

I am very sure that Thaipuan magazine is not a charity. It is a profitable business. Just like the boys in the bars I will not work for free. If Thaipuan want me to scout for them and inform them that Funny boys closed years ago and that there are bars named Toyboys and X-boys, they will have to pay.

[Guest abang1961]

Anyone with some publishing knowledge would have known that it takes about 3 to 6 months to roll out a magazine.

Granted that this sort of magazine caters for a niche market, the amount of advertisement on the pages is more than sufficient to cover the cost.

 

So if I pick up a June edition, I am probably getting 3 months-old information.  Certain pages are stable - like maps and certain "promotions" by the bars.  There is zero change.     If you ever browse through 2 different editions, you will find that the changes are so minimal.  I suspect the listings of bars and other gay establishment is a paid-advertisements.  

 

I agree that in this age of technology, google maps rule.  

[PeterRS]

I am very sure that Thaipuan magazine is not a charity. It is a profitable business. Just like the boys in the bars I will not work for free. If Thaipuan want me to scout for them and inform them that Funny boys closed years ago and that there are bars named Toyboys and X-boys, they will have to pay.

 

You are "sure", but you are not certain. Its a free magazine. Like you I have no idea how profitable or otherwise the magazine might actually be. Do you really think those ads from bars and saunas bring in much cash? I mentioned another free magazine ThailandOut. I have no idea about its finances. All I know is that it had some inaccurate listings. It also had ads. It cannot have been profitable because the print magazine ended and it became an online publication. Then that died and the publisher fled Thailand. Whether or not the two events are related I don't know. Its immaterial here. There was also another similar free magazine available in many of the gay venues. It too died.

 

I think z909s suggestion was not that anyone become a scout. That takes time and trouble. Being paid for that would be very reasonable. But it only takes a few minutes at most to contact a publisher to point out what is wrong and/or what is missing. That way you provide a service to the rest of the gay community. Not doing so but complaining about it sounds somewhat hollow IMHO.

[hanan]

Anyone with some publishing knowledge would have known that it takes about 3 to 6 months to roll out a magazine.

Granted that this sort of magazine caters for a niche market

You seem to lack publishing knowledge since this is totally different from one magazine to another. There are of course no 3-6 month rule. Concerning niche market that makes it especially important for a magazine to know about their niche.

[hanan]

You are "sure", but you are not certain. Its a free magazine. Like you I have no idea how profitable or otherwise the magazine might actually be. Do you really think those ads from bars and saunas bring in much cash? I mentioned another free magazine ThailandOut. I have no idea about its finances. All I know is that it had some inaccurate listings. It also had ads. It cannot have been profitable because the print magazine ended and it became an online publication. Then that died and the publisher fled Thailand. Whether or not the two events are related I don't know. Its immaterial here. There was also another similar free magazine available in many of the gay venues. It too died.

Yes of course Thaipuan is profitable. Or else it would close down just as those other examples you mention.

[Guest]

You cannot be sure it's profitable.

 

It's about 99% sure they INTEND to be profitable, but in practice there is the possibility it is not profitable & they think that can be rectified. Correctly or with nothing more than optimism.

 

Most of these magazines close, so by your logic, we could conclude they were unprofitable.

 

 

Another slim possibility is someone runs it for fun or as a hobby. Some people buy expensive football clubs as a hobby & run them at a loss. Many people run blogs for fun, not profit.

 

And if anyone thinks more profit can be made by doing a better magazine, thanks to the wonders of capitalism, they are free to try. I don't think its a fast way to catch up with Rupert Murdoch.

[hanan]

You cannot be sure it's profitable.

 

It's about 99% sure they INTEND to be profitable, but in practice there is the possibility it is not profitable & they think that can be rectified. Correctly or with nothing more than optimism.

 

Most of these magazines close, so by your logic, we could conclude they were unprofitable.

 

 

Another slim possibility is someone runs it for fun or as a hobby. Some people buy expensive football clubs as a hobby & run them at a loss. Many people run blogs for fun, not profit.

 

And if anyone thinks more profit can be made by doing a better magazine, thanks to the wonders of capitalism, they are free to try. I don't think its a fast way to catch up with Rupert Murdoch.

So? Your apologetic responses dont even have to do with the issue.

The facts is that the maps in Thaipuan are outdated, incomplete and for a large point simply wrong. Therefor not good to use for a newbie who want to explore thai gay businesses.

Im sure you can make up many excuses why this is the case but that doesnt change this.

[ChristianPFC]

Years ago there was a rather good gay magazine ThailandOut in English published by a farang in Chiang Mai. Its maps were pretty good but still not fully accurate or fully comprehensive. It did act on comments from readers and obviously tried to update them, but it could never get up to date.

 

The name is/was OUT in Thailand. The publisher was a member here, and asked for corrections of his maps. The thread was some years ago.

 

I mostly use google maps, and if I find mistakes, I send corrections (hundreds over the years).