Guest Boxer Posted March 30, 2007 Posted March 30, 2007 A great start to the 4 day Phuket Pride Festiva 2007. All the pictures below daily. Quote
TotallyOz Posted March 30, 2007 Posted March 30, 2007 Boxer, You are amazing! Thanks so much for all the wonderful pics and postings over the years. You make great memories appear for those of us who can't be there as often as we like and you really do a wonderful service to the gay community. Quote
Guest pete1969 Posted March 31, 2007 Posted March 31, 2007 Ahh, thank you Boxer. I saw a great number of friends and also a number of guys I've slept with! A little aside about the fact that so many of the Pride events are being held on the beach this year instead of within the Paradise Complex (which I see has some of the Paradise owners a little upset). I'm not sure I agree with Phuket's gay community trying to outgrow the ones that actually brought them to the dance in the first place. If not for Paradise Complex and the work and sponsorship of the owners of Boat Bar, Connect, My Way, Tango, James Dean Bar, and others, then Phuket Pride, and indeed Patong Beach being a mecca for gay men worldwide, would probably never have occured. The same thing is happening in many US cities where Pride parades and events are being scheduled in the most mainstream places and away from the gay bars and businesses that for so long were the main support of such events and the gay community. However, in large cities, it can be argued that the gay community has grown to be so much more than just the gay gettoes and the gay bars and that gay people ARE part of the mainstream in the community. However, if not for the Paradise Complex and its businesses, then Phuket really would not have much of a gay community. I think it is fine to have the parade on Beach Road to accomodate the crowds. However, IMO, moving so many other activities of Phuket Pride away from the Paradise Complex is not right. I noticed this year that many of the Phuket Pride organizers were new faces and also many farang. It will be interesting to see what happens with the purse strings next year. I think Phuket at the moment is a little unique in that the biggest players in the gay business community are Thai and almost all of the gay bars are Thai owned. I think the new players in Phuket's gay community need to make sure they remember who the real players are! Pete Quote
Guest xiandarkthorne Posted March 31, 2007 Posted March 31, 2007 I'm not sure I agree with Phuket's gay community trying to outgrow the ones that actually brought them to the dance in the first place. If not for Paradise Complex and the work and sponsorship of the owners of Boat Bar, Connect, My Way, Tango, James Dean Bar, and others, then Phuket Pride, and indeed Patong Beach being a mecca for gay men worldwide, would probably never have occured...I think the new players in Phuket's gay community need to make sure they remember who the real players are! Pete I couldn't agree more. It is always sad to see such events losing their history in the name of 'going mainstream for the money.' Quote
bkkguy Posted March 31, 2007 Posted March 31, 2007 I don't know, if you look at which bars have set up stalls on the beach area, which bars have been providing shows at the beach, and who was kowtowing to the mayor at the opening I don't think the Paradise venues are being sidelined by new kids on the block - just look at Boxer's pictures, it is the same tired old faces and same tired old concepts moved not very excitingly to the beach! bkkguy Quote
Guest pete1969 Posted April 1, 2007 Posted April 1, 2007 I don't know, if you look at which bars have set up stalls on the beach area, which bars have been providing shows at the beach, and who was kowtowing to the mayor at the opening I don't think the Paradise venues are being sidelined by new kids on the block - just look at Boxer's pictures, it is the same tired old faces and same tired old concepts moved not very excitingly to the beach! bkkguy Actually, I didn't see any participation by Patong's two biggest players: My Way and Tangmo. According to Boxer's pics (and comments) this year's festival may have actually hurt the business at these two bars and the many other bars they own or play landlord to on the main strip (My Way, Wow, Tangmo, Queen Bar, Ruby Slipper, Spartucus, Passport). It would be interesting if Boxer or anyone else there on the ground had any insight on this. It would also be interesting to see what reprecussions this has for next year and if Bon and/or Tangmo might forcefully place themselves back into a Chairman's role. Pete Quote
Guest Boxer Posted April 1, 2007 Posted April 1, 2007 Without knowng all the inside details I am told Tangmo and My Way withdrew support after the event was put down on the beach on this date. They even held there own parade in Paradise on Thursday night (see pictures). They were missed but even so the event has been a great success for the public, 17 venues took part in the final Parade and sponsors have announced at the closing party doubling the support for next year starting at 500000 baht which guarantees the Festival next year. We can only hope the politics can be sorted and the main bars join in again. Quote
doug7363 Posted April 1, 2007 Posted April 1, 2007 The parade today missed the participation of the big bars, it was quite small compared with other years. I can understand the feelings of the Paradise Bars; last night on the beach we were there until 11pm with quite a good crowd, money that is lost to Paradise. On the other hand we talked with a family who had never seen a gay pride and thought it was great, there were many other straight people joining in and having a great time. To some extent moving to the beach has been a success, but I missed the Paradise atmosphere. Quote
Guest pete1969 Posted April 2, 2007 Posted April 2, 2007 Thanks for the reports and the insight. This is an interesting development. As I've said before, it will be interesting to see what happens next year. Pete Quote
