reader Posted January 29 Posted January 29 From Pattaya Mail A panoramic view captures the widened and revitalized Jomtien Beach, now stretching to an average width of 50 meters and a length of 3,575 meters, providing an enhanced recreational space for locals and tourists. The Marine Department of the Ministry of Transport marked the successful completion of the Beach Nourishment Project at Jomtien Beach with an event on January 26, titled “Transportation Brings Smiles: Marine Department Creates Happiness – Beautiful Sandy Beaches for the People.” The initiative aligns with the “Transportation for the People’s Well-Being” policy of Minister of Transport, Suriya Jungrungreangkij. Highlighting the success of the beach restoration initiative from Pattaya Beach to Jomtien Beach, Taweesak Anankaphan, Advisor to the Minister of Transport emphasized its positive impact on mental well-being and economic growth. The THB 521,924,392.40 Beach Nourishment Project utilized approximately 640,000 cubic meters of sand sourced from Koh Rangkwian Island. Boy69 and BL8gPt 2 Quote
Olddaddy Posted January 30 Posted January 30 I'm glad most of those beach chairs were moved on Mavica 1 Quote
EricV Posted January 31 Posted January 31 Jomtien Beach looked like that probably for the time it took to take the photo. The beach is filled with chairs all the way to the waterline... Of course, more than half of the chairs are empty, even in high season... vinapu 1 Quote
Keithambrose Posted January 31 Posted January 31 3 hours ago, EricV said: Jomtien Beach looked like that probably for the time it took to take the photo. The beach is filled with chairs all the way to the waterline... Of course, more than half of the chairs are empty, even in high season... Perhaps they used AI to remove the chairs! vinapu 1 Quote
EricV Posted February 1 Posted February 1 Lol maybe... I think it's just the natural cycle: every few years there are complaints & a clean up is ordered, vendors are pushed back to their official concessions, big officials come to inspect, photos are taken, articles are written, how Pattaya is more family friendly and upscale... Then slowly more chairs are added, tea money is paid and the cycle repeats... Quote
Boy69 Posted February 1 Posted February 1 Pattaya beaches are suffering from erosion because of the over development at the shore line and the monsoon storms also damaging the beaches in a couple of years the beach will shrink again. Quote
Pantherz Posted February 1 Posted February 1 Is the water crystal clear and clean? Never been before. Olddaddy 1 Quote
Boy69 Posted February 1 Posted February 1 7 hours ago, Pantherz said: Is the water crystal clear and clean? Never been before. Not at all .If you want crystal clear beaches go to the nearby island Kho Larn . reader and Pantherz 1 1 Quote
vinapu Posted February 9 Posted February 9 On 2/1/2024 at 1:29 AM, Pantherz said: Is the water crystal clear and clean? Never been before. April Fools day moved to Feb 1st Marc in Calif and Pantherz 2 Quote
Olddaddy Posted February 12 Posted February 12 5 hours ago, Travellerdave said: Is there still a recognised gay section ? Last time I was there a few months ago I didn't see any "gay" section as before. I think it's great everyone is mixed in together. vinapu 1 Quote
Boy69 Posted February 12 Posted February 12 15 hours ago, Travellerdave said: Is there still a recognised gay section ? Gay clientele shrinked dramatically over the years there's not enough gays to justify gay section. Quote
Olddaddy Posted February 12 Posted February 12 1 hour ago, Boy69 said: Gay clientele shrinked dramatically over the years there's not enough gays to justify gay section. Good point Where have they gone?😳 Quote
omega Posted February 13 Posted February 13 17 hours ago, Travellerdave said: Is there still a recognised gay section ? Yes. I was there over Christmas. There is a couple of sections of beach loungers/chairs/Umbrellas with Rainbow flags flying. Just walk along towards the Rabbit Resort, and you should see them Quote
macaroni21 Posted February 13 Posted February 13 As @omega says, there are still several flying the rainbow flag and these stands have more gay clients and straight. But it's true that they're not exclusively gay. They never were but where in the old days there would be perhaps one woman in ten clients, now there are probably three. Quote
omega Posted February 13 Posted February 13 Just now, macaroni21 said: As @omega says, there are still several flying the rainbow flag and these stands have more gay clients and straight. But it's true that they're not exclusively gay. They never were but where in the old days there would be perhaps one woman in ten clients, now there are probably three. I didn't realise it was gay friendly rather than gay exclusive. When I was there, and it was only for a few hours each on a couple of days, there were only gay men there. Only women were the massage/pedicure ladies. Quote
macaroni21 Posted February 13 Posted February 13 1 hour ago, Olddaddy said: Where have they gone?😳 The gay section was predominantly farang. It was supported mainly by the winter exiles from Europe and North America, who would stay two or three months each time. Their headcount was never that many, but because they were temporarily resident, they could make frequent visits and so the gay section looked well patronised. On a typical high season day, there might have been 10-15 gay farangs per concession stand at any one time. Multiply that by about 6 concession stands, and there would have been 60-90 gay men on the beach at any one time, many with twinky companions from Sunnee as well. That was what made the scene. Of course there were also those who made shorter trips to Thailand (like me) and spent a few days on the beach, adding variety to the mix of clients. Short visitors also helped during the middle of the year when the winter exiles returned home. However, because of the rainy season, the crowd was always thin between May and Sept, perhaps 3-4 clients per concession stand at midday. So even back then, it looked half dead some months of the year. So, what happened? Well, some of those farangs have since gone over to the big beach in the sky. Others, and potential replacements of a younger generation, no longer find it affordable to stay 3 months in Thailand. Costs in Thailand have changed considerably. Thailand has, over the past 20-25 years seen the rise of the gay Asian tourist. They have different tastes from the gay farang. Asians are less into sun and beaches and they're mostly not into fem twinks either, so Pattaya and Sunnee held little interest. But most important of all, they do not stay 2-3 months. They make short trips instead, and stick mostly to Bangkok. Paralleling the decline of the numbers of long-stay winter exile farangs have been the decline of Sunnee and the Chiang Mai tourist scene (which got life from the side trips that the winter exiles used to make to break the monotony of staying in Pattaya). There are plenty of retired Asians. Japan, Taiwan, Korea, China and Singapore are aging societies. Besides the non-interest in beach and fem twinks, I have explained in previous posts additional reasons why retired Asians don't mirror the same pattern of spending winters in Pattaya. Three reasons: these countries don't have generous pension schemes like in the West; their winters are relatively mild (or like Singapore, no winter) so less need to flee; don't speak English. Boy69, Travellerdave and vinapu 3 Quote
Travellerdave Posted February 13 Posted February 13 3 hours ago, macaroni21 said: The gay section was predominantly farang. It was supported mainly by the winter exiles from Europe and North America, who would stay two or three months each time. Their headcount was never that many, but because they were temporarily resident, they could make frequent visits and so the gay section looked well patronised. On a typical high season day, there might have been 10-15 gay farangs per concession stand at any one time. Multiply that by about 6 concession stands, and there would have been 60-90 gay men on the beach at any one time, many with twinky companions from Sunnee as well. That was what made the scene. Macaroni you have nicely described the Dongtan Gay beach as I remember it in my first few years visiting Pattaya (about 2002 to 2005) when many of my afternoons were spent there, enjoying the sun, sea , the ambience and the boys, (especially the boys. ). Sometimes it was difficult to find an unoccupied chair especially when accompanied by other farangs or boyfriends. There were maybe 10 or a dozen obviously gay orientated concessions where few women or hetro couples were to be found and several nearest the toilet block always seemed to be 100% gay. Happy days ! Boy69 1 Quote
vinapu Posted February 13 Posted February 13 12 hours ago, Travellerdave said: ........several nearest the toilet block always seemed to be 100% gay. Happy days ! monodiet is never good in the long run Quote
macaroni21 Posted February 14 Posted February 14 Hang on.... I have seen from time to time over the years mention of a toilet block. I know only one (a hexagonal or octagonal one) which scent can be detected from some distance. But my memory is that the gay section isn't near it. It's at least 200m further on, almost to Rabbit Resort. Have you guys been sitting at the wrong part? The nearest toilets to the gay section are found in a white building with rooms to let, formerly known as White House (don't know what it's called now) Much cleaner facilities. Quote
vinapu Posted February 14 Posted February 14 7 hours ago, macaroni21 said: The nearest toilets to the gay section are found in a white building with rooms to let, you are telling us people no longer pee in the sea? Boy69 and Olddaddy 2 Quote
macaroni21 Posted February 14 Posted February 14 8 hours ago, vinapu said: you are telling us people no longer pee in the sea? Haha, that is an age-old tradition.🤣 Quote
