Boyzboyzboyz in Pattaya Closed.

[williewillie]

The furniture was being removed and the end of Boyzboyzboyz has happened.

Cupidol and Castro will shut down in days.

Boyztown is finished.. The fat lady has sung!

[vinapu]

Sad but I still have feeling things return to something resembling normal when we will do. 

[Boy69]

I am not sure about that Boyz Town was declining for some years mainly because of shrinking numbers of gay tourists coming to Thailand the Covid situation was the last nail in the coffin. Very sad but there is nothing we can do about that. 

[Gaybutton]

This is very bad news.  With only a few expats as bar customers, to tell the truth I'm surprised some of these bars were able to last as long as they did.  And this latest round of Covid outbreak is not going to help anything.

I hope once unencumbered tourism opens up again, and it's anybody's guess when that might be or even if that might be, there will still be at least a few go-go bars left.

At least the hook-up apps work and are filled with willing young gents.  Once this is over, that very well may be the way to find boys.

There is always the hope that the go-go bars will eventually reopen or some of the bars manage to get sold and new owners will reopen them.

Hopefully, if gay farang holiday makers do start returning, there will be a gay paradise resurrection.  If that does happen, who knows - maybe the gay scene will eventually be better than it ever was.  I think many of us remember the days when the most difficult decisions of the evening were where to eat, which bars to visit, and which boy to "off".  Now, not very much to have to decide.  I hope for a gay scene comeback - and quickly.

I just hope Boystown won't eventually turn into Girlie Bars Town.

[TotallyOz]

Sad news indeed. I was there a week ago and it was dead quiet but it was the night with no alcohol.

However, I was in Bangkok's gay area last night and it looked about like Pattaya's Boystown. It was like a ghost town. I think the new Covid scare has scared off what few customers were willing to venture out. I sat in Moonlight as the only customer for an hour, same for 2 other bars.

I was  hoping that the bars in Boystown would be able to hold on.

[Gaybutton]

6 minutes ago, Michael said:

I was in Bangkok's gay area last night and it looked about like Pattaya's Boystown.

I was hoping Bangkok's go-go bars would have a better chance of surviving.  Apparently not.  Obviously a business cannot make it very long if there are few or no customers.  And with the situation now, it's going to be much longer before the bars have much of a chance of customers coming.

My guess is many of the boys are going to give it up and return home, if they haven't already.

[TotallyOz]

1 minute ago, Gaybutton said:

I was hoping Bangkok's go-go bars would have a better chance of surviving.  Apparently not.  Obviously a business cannot make it very long if there are few or no customers.  And with the situation now, it's going to be much longer before the bars have much of a chance of customers coming.

My guess is many of the boys are going to give it up and return home, if they haven't already.

Actually, my friend is good friends with the manager at Lucky Boys. It has not reopened. They went in last week to clean it top to bottom. I asked if they were going to reopen and they said there was no need as no bar in the area is currently making enough money to stay open. Hard to believe for me but I only go out on weekends. However, if their rents are high and they have a full staff they need a certain number of customers to keep it going. I have yet to see that massive influx of customers in any bar in Bangkok. A few nights are packed for a show but no customers before that or after.

[BiggusDikkus]

This is sad, though not unexpected news. As previous posters have noted, Boyztown has been in decline for years, if not decades. I think it was nine years ago that I made an unscheduled trip to Pattaya. I dragged my suitcase through Boyztown because I wanted to stay in a gay hotel. I just like staying at places that cater to a gay clientele. It was the weekend after New Year's. I first checked the hotel across from Ambience, Le Cafe Royale. They had plenty of rooms but in each the bed was sagging in the middle and the room itself smelled of mildew. No thank you. I walked across the street to the Ambience, which used to never have vacancies around New Year's, so I figured I'd be pushing my luck. But they also had plenty of rooms. And all of them also smelled strongly of mildew. Worse, the rooms were quite small and dark. Then I was showed one of the "penthouses" on the top floor. No mildew. A firm bed. A big, comfortable, wide-open space. So I stayed there, and although I was very happy with my room, when I went out that night the decline of Boyztrown was in full view. The "boys" themselves had gotten much older. I went in for a drink to every go-go bar I could find, and there was no one on stage who caught my eye. This was a Saturday night. The Saturday after New' Year's Eve. The bars with open walls that face the street were eerily quiet. The tables outside the Ambiance and Le Cafe Royale were mostly empty. These places used to be filled. But now there was no more party atmosphere; the exhilaration of being in Pattaya was gone. 

I ended up having a really great time that night -- after convincing myself, "Well, maybe things are better in Sunee Plaza." I don't know if they were, but as soon as I got off my motorbike, I was greeted by the cutest guy I had ever seen, and we ended up drinking the night away.

He called me a "hotel queen" for choosing to stay in the Ambience penthouse instead of one of the mildewy rooms below.

But this is all history. If the bars and hotels that have been hanging on for so long are finally pulling the plug, maybe that entire block that Boyztown inhabits can be remade into a truly great gay resort. Some better hotels would be nice. Maybe a couple nightclubs -- real Soi 2-style night clubs -- could supplement the go-go bars. So many gay travelers to Thailand these days are young Chinese, many of whom seem less interested in meeting go-go dancers and more interested in meeting one another. A nightclub or two might serve that desire. So might a large Boyztown swimming pool and deck

Pool party, anyone? 

[Gaybutton]

In Pattaya, the only gay venue area doing relatively well is Jomtien Complex.  No go-go bars, but most of the beer bars are open and plenty of boys.  Not that many customers, but it does seem to be enough, so far, to sustain those bars.

In my opinion, the beginning of the end for Sunee Plaza was the day Michael and Thomas left Corner bar.  It has been a steady downhill ride ever since.  For Boystown, I believe the beginning of the end was when Jim Lumsden left.  I understand now even his Baan Souy resort is up for sale.  If it sells, I have no idea what Jim's plans are after that.

Apparently between Bangkok and Pattaya, now Jomtien Complex is the last relatively thriving and surviving gay venue area.  If Jomtien Complex fails too, as Jimmy Durante once said, "Then we're all in the ter-let."

My hopes are pinned on an eventual comeback.

[spoon]

Based on this notification on fb, seems like they are optimistic about reopening when covid restriction is over? 

[JBC]

I can confirm Cupidol Bar is open every day until the 3rd January and then revert back to 3 days a week, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. 

JOHN

[JBC]

11 minutes ago, spoon said:

Based on this notification on fb, seems like they are optimistic about reopening when covid restriction is over? 

 

11 minutes ago, spoon said:

Based on this notification on fb, seems like they are optimistic about reopening when covid restriction is over? 

Yes they are not finished, but will reopen once the Borders open again and a vaccine is readerly avaiable.

[Dragonmaster]

I don’t know Weewilly, but his post is misleading and not true. Here is a reply I received from a trusted and reliable source who actually knows the facts.

We have no plans as yet, we currently open every day until the 3 Jan, then revert back to three days a week. Castro will be the same Panarama closes on Mondays. This will be reviewed in the new year
Boyz Boyz Boyz will reopen once the borders are open again.

 

[Boy69]

Deleted

[Vessey]

2 hours ago, JBC said:

I can confirm Cupidol Bar is open every day until the 3rd January and then revert back to 3 days a week, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. 

JOHN

Cupidol and Toy Boys have been my bars of choice in recent holidays and I have had so much fun in both (and with boys from both).

A large part of my mounting impatience and eagerness to get back to Pattaya focuses around returning to both bars. 

Hang-on in there! 

[firecat69]

4 hours ago, Dragonmaster said:

I don’t know Weewilly, but his post is misleading and not true. Here is a reply I received from a trusted and reliable source who actually knows the facts.

We have no plans as yet, we currently open every day until the 3 Jan, then revert back to three days a week. Castro will be the same Panarama closes on Mondays. This will be reviewed in the new year
Boyz Boyz Boyz will reopen once the borders are open again.

 

It really is hilarious when someone who has never posted wants us to believe  him over a member  who has lived in Pattaya for 20 years. Nobody here knows you and certainly nobody knows your trusted and reliable source.  For now I will think Willie may be right. You don't remove furniture unless you are finished!

[williewillie]

As has been stated many times before, the boy bar scene has been in decline for many years .  Well before covid , I was often the only customer 

at most of the boy gogo bars.  Only exception was Boyzboyzboyz which was packed with Asian Women and men and nary

an older gay farang. Toy Boys was also mostly Asians, women and men but gay older farangs were plentiful but then

the numbers boys drastically declined.  My guess was that salaries were reduced or cut off and only freelancers showed up.

If the tourists return, then it’s possible the boy bar scene will revive with the major factor being Chinese Women and men.  
As gaybutton mentioned the apps are busy with many boys and Jomtien Complex is the place to go now..

[Gaybutton]

2 hours ago, williewillie said:

Jomtien Complex is the place to go now..

At least the Chinese tourists never invaded Jomtien Complex.  If Jomtien Complex survives, I hope it stays that way.

[vinapu]

2 hours ago, firecat69 said:

You don't remove furniture unless you are finished!

 

not to dispute of what you and williewillie  said but there's possiblility  they are using that slow time to  do complete renovation.

I work on the busy street and noticed that in course of closures several shops were completely renovated and remodeled. This observation is supported by few people in trades who said that it looks people spent unused  vacation funds on renovations (see my new floor in the kitchen, LOL ) .

On another hand we were told many times about venues closed for renovations not to be opened again. We still remember big banner above soi Twilight " we will go for another 6 years" only to see complete closure few month later. 

So in short we  should  trust  what williewillie said but hope things will not turn as drastic as he reported. After all , we have him on the ground there and knowing him I'm sure he will be happy to report one day that he was wrong.

 

 

[vinapu]

34 minutes ago, Gaybutton said:

At least the Chinese tourists never invaded Jomtien Complex.  If Jomtien Complex survives, I hope it stays that way.

that's only matter of time, specially if rumors of shrinked Boyztown will confirm in the future

[Boy69]

The main advantage of Boyz Town is its central location everything is in short walking distance I believe once tourists will he allow back to the land of smiles it will revive again as a major entertainment zone but I am not sure if it will remain a gay zone as it used to be before.no one can  predict what will happen after the Covid crisis is over.

[TotallyOz]

3 hours ago, Boy69 said:

The main advantage of Boyz Town is its central location everything is in short walking distance I believe once tourists will he allow back to the land of smiles it will revive again as a major entertainment zone but I am not sure if it will remain a gay zone as it used to be before.no one can  predict what will happen after the Covid crisis is over.

I am curious if others believe this is the central location. I know of many who move to Pattaya now and move to Jomptien and Pratamak Hill area. If so, would it not seem logical that Jomtien become the center of gay life?

[firecat69]

It would be if they could have GoGo Bars!

[Gaybutton]

2 hours ago, Michael said:

I am curious if others believe this is the central location.

I think it depends on where you are and what you're looking for.  For me, the Boystown-Sunee Plaza area is not central at all.  As an expat living on "The Dark Side" I drive to get there.  Finding a place to park anywhere near Boystown is next to impossible these days, even with the Covid crisis going on.  Unless a parking space is available in the parking lot at Sunee Plaza, finding a place to park is also next to impossible.  There have been times I finally found a parking place so far from them that I had to take a motorbike taxi from where I parked to the bars.  No thanks, especially during rainy season.

Meanwhile, for me I have never had a problem finding a place to park when going to Jomtien Complex.  For me, Jomtien Complex is the central location.

Also, I lost interest in the go-go bars a long time ago.  Sunee Plaza's Winner Bar charges reasonable prices, but the Boystown bars?  Forget it.  I won't pay those prices to see boys who are of no interest to me in the first place.  The prices at every bar in Jomtien Complex are fair and reasonable.  I've never felt overcharged or ripped off in Jomtien Complex.  I can't say the same for Boystown.

As firecat69 says, it would nice if there were go-go bars in Jomtien Complex.  Over the years I've heard two stories about why no go-go bars are there.  One story is there is some sort of city ordinance against it - although I've never heard a credible explanation as to why and have never seen any documentation that shows such an ordinance actually exists.  The other story is the Jomtien Complex bar owners have an agreement about not having go-go bars there because that would generate unfair competition and draw too much business away from all the beer bars.  That story is second and third hand.  I've never heard it from any of the bar owners.

I have no idea which story is true or even if either one of them is the real story.  All I know for sure is, for whatever reason, there are no go-go bars in Jomtien Complex and none are expected.  But for all I know, maybe there is nothing at all to prevent go-go bars in Jomtien Complex and the only reason there aren't any is simply because nobody ever opened one.

So, those of you who cherish the go-go bars, let's hope the remaining Pattaya go-go bars will survive.  If they don't, the end of the era of Pattaya gay go-go bars may already be imminent.

[Guest]

As a tourist who visits Pattaya, I consider Sunee and Boystown to be central.   If I stay in the area, there is a better choice of coffee shops, restaurants and other amenities.  Also it's easy to walk from Sunee to Boystown.  

Boystown itself is not quite the attraction it once was.   Just a few years ago, we had a choice including Funny Boys & Toy Boys, with nearby streets incuding Vasa, Kawaii Boys, old Cupidol, Dream Boys plus a few other bars that weren't quite my cup of tea.

We now have the new Cupidol, which commendably charges the same for drinks as Nice Boys, but is much more to my liking.   Then there is Toy Boys, where they are quite fast to tell you what the "minimum tip for Toy Boys" is, yet tend to be slightly more reluctant to earn it.  This is not good for business, particularly if there is no such sales pitch when hiring a Toy Boy via a phone app.  Also, I think my drink was around 250 baht, so it's towards the top end of the price range in Pattaya.

Am not sure if Dreamboys is open, but on a good day it can be worth a visit.

Panorama is a nice place to sit and watch the action, if there is any.   Of course, for the same price, I can sit in Jomtien Complex and there are cute and available boys in the bar.

As for the much discussed question of gogo bars in Jomtien, well there's a cabaret bar next to the host bars.   Also one or two nearby girly gogo bars.  So I see no evidence of an outright ban in Jomtien.   If someone opened a good gay gogo bar in the complex, or nearby, I expect customers would go there.