gay scene in Phuket

[Mateo_37]

Hi

Anybody has any news how gay scene in Phiket looks like now?

Anything alive? any bars opened? Did the boys moved to Phuket as some of You expected?

Thanks for any update.

[Boy69]

Even before the Covid 19 the gay scene in Phuket faded away .I assume nowadays nothing much is going on there.

[vinapu]

2 hours ago, Boy69 said:

Even before the Covid 19 the gay scene in Phuket faded away .I assume nowadays nothing much is going on there.

Scene my be fading away but for sure there must be still gays in Phuket

[TMax]

I think at the moment the apps would be the best bet for some fun times in Phuket, it's been a fair time since I was there last but back then there appeared to be a bit of a downturn in the gay scene (bars etc). One of my happy memories happened in Phuket, my very first m2m sexual experience and how it opened the door for me, so it's a little sad to see the scene there in decline (if it indeed is).

[Londoner]

To be blunt, the gay scene in Patong wasn't much cop on my first visit in 1997. Pre-app , of course. In the far-off days of a vibrant Boyztown, it offered a  preview (on reflection) of what the future held for our beloved Pattaya.

[Guest]

2 hours ago, Londoner said:

To be blunt, the gay scene in Patong wasn't much cop on my first visit in 1997.

I had similar views when visiting in 2008 & have not yet been back.    Admittedly it would have been good compared with what's on offer in many other countries, but within Thailand, the gay scene in Bangkok and Pattaya is far better.

We are probably not alone, as how often do we read reports of people on this board visiting Phuket ?    Hardly ever.

 

[reader]

The gay scene has not left Thailand.

While the physical manifestations of it have temporarily retreated, the gay scene certainly continues to exist in the consciousness of Thais and foreigners alike.

Gays certainly do not suddenly become non-gay because their favorite venues are not available at the moment. Their inclinations and desires persist.

Our identities exist in our minds, and for a while longer we'll have to be content to live off those memories. And for those still in the country, the gay scene--as mentioned above--is accessible electronically.

Even if the hi-so proponents may wish to sweep "sex capital of the world" from the narrative of guide books, the gay scene will continue because it's an irrepressible force of nature: the nature of men who have sex with men.

One of the pleasures of international travel is that gay men still understand how to find like-minded individuals, even if there's a lack of venues. And beyond looking on line, there's always the eyes. Isn't that how we spotted other gays before any of the electronics existed? If you walk down Silom, or just about any crowded road, and can't find a local guy who may be interested in sex--or at least getting to know you, you're probably not paying attention.

Despite the naysayers' claims, Thailand is not suddenly about to reverse form. Bangkok is not going to become London; Pattaya not St. Kitts.  Even the Tourism Authority (TAT) acknowledged Thursday that getting tourists back to Bangkok is job one:

"The worsening Covid-19 situation in Thailand has led the Tourism and Sports Ministry to reconsider the country's reopening strategy, admitting some target destinations are still marred by soaring infections. However, the ministry insists on reopening Bangkok by this year as the capital is the heart of the tourism industry in Thailand."

There are gloomy days ahead. Opening plans will be delayed. But the government is all too well aware that it must get the doors reopened. The transportation infrastructure and hospitality sector haven't gone away. More important, tourists from across the globe have not forgotten why they want to return.

When the great cities of the world get back into the tourism business, they, too, know that what made them so damn successful in the first place is something that should not be tampered with. Whether it's Rio, Paris, New York, London, Tokyo or Bangkok, tourists will want more of the same. Count on it.

 

[vinapu]

2 hours ago, reader said:

 

Gays certainly do not suddenly become non-gay because their favorite venues are not available at the moment.

 

that would be dream-come-true for all those homophobes believing in conversion therapies.

Your post above reminds us that however gloomy days we have  right now, one day all will be over.

I'd even risk  to claim that we see a bit of light already. Even in Thailand where situation worsens quite rapidly if one is looking at raw numbers  with cool eye it's not that bad. Five months ago there were countries in Europe much less populous than Thailand with much more daily cases and deaths than Thailand has now. 

[anddy]

1 hour ago, vinapu said:

I'd even risk  to claim that we see a bit of light already. Even in Thailand where situation worsens quite rapidly if one is looking at raw numbers  with cool eye it's not that bad. Five months ago there were countries in Europe much less populous than Thailand with much more daily cases and deaths than Thailand has now. 

The difference is, that in Europe testing was and is EVERYWHERE. Here, testing is (almost) NOWHERE. It only happens at select places that the authorities pick and chose, and from the few that go to get themselves tested voluntarily IF they can find a place that will do it. Don't look at the raw numbers, which indeed look not TOO bad. But the real numbers are guaranteed to be vastly higher than that, not just somewhat higher like in Europe.

Things will not improve here in any meaningful way anytime soon. One reason is vaccination is progressing at a snails pace and is in complete shambles with no procurement strategy that would deserve the label "strategy". Another reason is protests flaring up again, driving the urge to impose more restrictions. 

[a-447]

12 hours ago, anddy said:

Things will not improve here in any meaningful way anytime soon. One reason is vaccination is progressing at a snails pace and is in complete shambles with no procurement strategy that would deserve the label "strategy". 

This comment does not only apply to Thailand.

You could be talking about Australia here, too!

[PeterRS]

19 hours ago, reader said:

Gays certainly do not suddenly become non-gay because their favorite venues are not available at the moment. Their inclinations and desires persist

When the great cities of the world get back into the tourism business, they, too, know that what made them so damn successful in the first place is something that should not be tampered with. Whether it's Rio, Paris, New York, London, Tokyo or Bangkok, tourists will want more of the same. Count on it.

I am sure that is correct. And your overview is excellent. However, whilst there will always be gay men and the apps (and whatever succeeds them) will be there perhaps even in more abundance, I can not agree that change will not happen. It always does. Cities constantly change. But whereas the cities of the world know what made them successful in the past and will want to revert to something like that model, it absolutely does not follow that the commercial gay scene will remain as it was. The foreigner commercial gay scene is just a minuscule speck in the overall economy of Thailand. It's disappearance - or reappearance in an even more reduced form - will do virtually nothing for the overall economy. 

We know from other posters in this new Gay Guides forum that the commercial gay scenes in some European cities like Prague, Amsterdam and London are nothing like what they used to be some years ago. We know that here in Thailand Chiang Mai was once a gay haven. It certainly was in the mid-1980s and 1990s. But it has been dying for years with more than 50 gay venues of all kinds closed. I remember when Phuket was fun for gay men with lots of great times with the boys from Young Sharks, My Way and other gogo and beer bars. Now Phuket's gay scene is on life support. I remember having good times at gay saunas in Ubon Ratchanthani and Khon Kaen in the early 2000s. Are they still there? Even if they are, how many gay tourists primarily seeking sex venture out that far? As we know from past posts in other threads, there is an entire  world of gay bars and places of gay entertainment for Thai gays of which western expats and tourists know nothing. And even if we did know about it, we would not be permitted to enter. So as far as gays not suddenly becoming non-gays, @readeris certainly correct. But this thread is primarily about western tourists. That is a very different kettle of tom yum goong!

The fact is that almost all gay tourists will continue to seek happiness in Bangkok and Pattaya. So many of the gay venues have closed over the years and there are fewer and fewer in Bangkok's central tourist area. As mentioned in other threads, land in Bangkok's central area is becoming too expensive. In both cities many bars have closed. Some will hope to reopen eventually, perhaps a new one or two may appear, but others will be closed for good. In my thinking, the essential question that needs to be addressed is less how many will reopen and much more will a flood of new western visitors anxious to visit gay gogo bars, saunas, discos etc. arrive in time to make those who do actually reopen commercially viable? The gay tourist trade will certainly not return overnight. It may take some years before it returns even to 2019 levels. Can it ever return to 2000 levels? No!

We know that the supply of western gay tourists has been drying up over the last dozen and more years. We know that the new breed of Asian gay tourist has more or less different ideas of fun compared to the westerners of old (many of whom are indeed now older) for whom gogo bars were vital to enjoyment. I know I will continue to be called a glass half empty type of guy. But I have witnessed the gay scene for four decades. In that time I have seen its steady and continuing decline.

The decline is not merely limited to Thailand. Something is happening to change the commercial gay scene in other cities. Quite probably it is due to the rise in the popularity of the apps. In Tokyo we know that the area for gay bars in the Shinjuku-ni-chome area has been significantly reduced and something like a quarter of the bars (mostly those only for Japanese customers) have died. Bars in the next most popular district of Ueno are for Japanese only and so I have no information on that. Within Asia the one gay market that continues to expand is Taipei. Again, though, this is fed almost exclusively by locals and other Asians because westerners rarely consider Taiwan a vacation destination.

When @readersays "Count on it", I believe he is correct in one respect. The commercial straight scene with the girlie bars, ping pong shows (do they still have these?) and nearly nude young ladies will still be around and is unlikely to change much. Sadly the commercial gay scene as we all used to know it will continue to decline. What remains will be geared very much to local Thais and Asian tourists.

[reader]

You're right about the gay scene changes in the other major cities you cite. It's agreed that much of the activity has moved on line. But I'm making the case that Thailand--Bangkok, in particular--is different.

I don't think that there's any debating that increasing wealth is a main factor in the rising numbers of gay Asians arriving in Bangkok over the past decade. But we've witnessed the positive effect this has had on the sustainability of venues in the Silom/Surawong area. They make it possible for the places that we all attend to thrive. It was the virus that curtailed not only westerners but Asians alike (and when I say westerners, I included those from Australia and New Zealand).

The return of gay visitors will be slow and unpredictable because no one can chart the future of the virus. That, I maintain, is the biggest factor in how this all plays out. If Thailand can get its act together and muster an effective response, sometime next year gays worldwide will be more comfortable in returning in numbers. But they won't be coming to enjoy a "new" Thailand. They will be returning to the same conditions that attracted them in 2019: a lot of sanuk and an ample helping of sleaze.

When it comes to gay men, the sleaze factor should never be underestimated. Too much sleaze has been drained out of western cities over the past 40 years. That has helped propel Thailand into the go-to destination for those who craze it. We relish the rough edges that places like Bangkok and Pattaya provide.

We've heard many posters describe the experience of arriving in bkk with feelings of euphoria even before they make it to the arrivals hall.  You don't get that arriving in London or New York. Bangkok is unique in this respect. It's that enchantment, mixed with a generous amount of passion, I'm counting on to make all the difference.

[vinapu]

4 hours ago, PeterRS said:

Sadly the commercial gay scene as we all used to know it will continue to decline. What remains will be geared very much to local Thais and Asian tourists.

thanks  God, finally I will be able to force myself to go visit  Sukhotai, long dream of mine

[Guest]

23 minutes ago, vinapu said:

thanks  God, finally I will be able to force myself to go visit  Sukhotai, long dream of mine

If you can take a holiday of (say) 4 weeks or more, it's perfectly feasible to enjoy the gay scene in the big cities for a week or 2, then head out around Thailand for a different type of culture and then finish off in the big cities.

Also, the cost of a longer holiday tends not to increase in proportion to the time spent.   Outside of the main cities, there are numerous clean & comfortable budget hotels for around 600 baht per night.  The Hop Inn is a favourite chain of mine. 

When I stayed in Sukhothai, if I remember correctly, the family run hotel was somewhere near 500 baht, clean, brand new with a comfortable bed, nice bathroom good wifi etc.  I took a Songthaew out to Old Sukothai & rented a bicycle for looking around the park.  

So for members who don't have to rush back to a job, holidays can be extended for some traveling around Thailand with no worries about budget.

 

[vinapu]

3 hours ago, z909 said:

If you can take a holiday of (say) 4 weeks or more, it's perfectly feasible to enjoy the gay scene in the big cities for a week or 2, then head out around Thailand for a different type of culture and then finish off in the big cities.

 

 

sounds like  a plan but for the moment quite distant one although  not as distant as some doomsayers may think.

All boils down to ample  supply of vaccines and then gates will open pretty soon

[PeterRS]

10 minutes ago, vinapu said:

All boils down to ample  supply of vaccines and then gates will open pretty soon

And that is surely a big, big problem for Thailand, especially with the local Astra Zeneca manufacturer having once again reduced the supply it was contracted to provide. Instead of 61 million doses by the end of this year, the company needs another 5 months until May before it fulfils its contractual commitment. But even at 61 million doses, that still only vaccinates 30.5 million people - less than half the country. Now the government is panicking and buying up as much Sinovac as it can while a charity is buying Sinopharm. Yet we know from the last few days that some people having had two Sinovac vaccinations now have tested positive for the virus again, including one medical professional who has died. With calls for those given Sinovac to be given a booster shot, the government is yet again in total disarray. Private hospitals are also waiting for approval for the numbers of Moderna vaccine they can purchase with planned commencement of vaccinations in October. 

i wish that everyone could be vaccinated by the end of the year. With less than 5% presently having been given the required two doses, my gut tells me getting anywhere near 50% by year end will be a massive exercise. Will the gates open in time for the main tourist season in the first six months of next year? My guess is as good as anyone's.

[Guest]

I have replied in the vaccine thread, just in case anyone wants to discuss the Gay Scene in Phuket here, or anything related to that.

 

 

 

[anddy]

5 minutes ago, z909 said:

of the 61 million doses, 35 million DOSES WERE ONLY ORDERED IN MAY 2021. 

really? Unbelievable, and proves PetrRS's point that

35 minutes ago, PeterRS said:

the government is yet again in total disarray.

actually, it was never out of disarray at all  

[anddy]

5 hours ago, reader said:

When it comes to gay men, the sleaze factor should never be underestimated.

That is a very good point, hardly ever acknowledged or admitted. I loved NYC back in the 90s precisely because of that factor. Which in turn did lead to that feeling of anticipation and euphoria prior to arrival:

5 hours ago, reader said:

We've heard many posters describe the experience of arriving in bkk with feelings of euphoria even before they make it to the arrivals hall.  You don't get that arriving in London or New York.

Not anymore in NYC, but in the 90s for sure (see above)!!

[Boy69]

9 hours ago, reader said:

We've heard many posters describe the experience of arriving in bkk with feelings of euphoria even before they make it to the arrivals hall.  You don't get that arriving in London or New York. Bangkok is unique in this respect. It's that enchantment, mixed with a generous amount of passion, I'm counting on to make all the difference.

Yes this is exactly what I feel like arriving to the gates of heaven 

On 7/17/2021 at 2:30 PM, reader said:

There are gloomy days ahead. Opening plans will be delayed. But the government is all too well aware that it must get the doors reopened

The problem is not only with Thailand restrictions on opening their borders but with our countries limiting us of traveling abroad .even it Thailand will eventually open the borders there is no guarantee that our native land will allow us to travel there or applying serious restrictions for traveling . 

[a-447]

7 hours ago, vinapu said:

All boils down to ample  supply of vaccines and then gates will open pretty soon

Unfortunately, those gates will slam shut as soon as another variant emerges.

I think it's a case of a dog chasing its tail.

[spoon]

3 hours ago, a-447 said:

Unfortunately, those gates will slam shut as soon as another variant emerges.

I think it's a case of a dog chasing its tail.

Luckily so far, most variants while more contagious, are not directly more lethal. Of course if more people contracted the diseases, the death count increases. But i think the lambda variant in peru is raising a concern as peru were seeing increase in case and death. As long as people keep getting infected, mutations will carry on. We might need yearly shots of vaccine because of this.