Gay Romeo vs. the Bar Scene

[Gaybutton]

Gay Romeo has become the most popular "farang hunt" personals site for the bar boys, and Camfrog seems to be quite attractive to a great many as well. I know a few boys who have given up working in the go-go bars at all in favor of spending their time working Gay Romeo.

 

The other night I was chatting with Mike, the owner of the La Cage bar at Sunee Plaza. He is just about convinced that Gay Romeo will eventually kill Pattaya's bar scene altogether. I'm not as pessimistic as all that, but I do think Gay Romeo will at least put a good sized dent in it.

 

I think the most serious problem the bars are facing at present is not competition from gay personals sites, but a major lack of customers. If nothing else, at least the Red-Shirt protest was kind enough to occur during the lowest part of the low season, but all the turmoil in Thailand hasn't exactly helped the tourist industry. For several years in succession the Pattaya bar scene has attracted fewer and fewer customers. Hell, it's actually been quite awhile already since the last pedophile arrest. Even their numbers seem to have declined.

 

I see more bars that have either closed or have been put up for sale than I remember ever seeing around here. The bars can't survive forever without enough customers to at least break even.

 

Many more boys seem to be turning to sites such as Gay Romeo not to replace the money they make working in the bars, but to supplement it. I believe for the present time we will see more and more boys working Gay Romeo than ever before, but I think most will choose to do that in addition to working in the bars rather than instead of working in the bars.

 

I believe in order for Gay Romeo to be truly beneficial for the boys, then the bar scene has to survive. It's the bar and beach scene that attracts most gay holiday makers to Pattaya, not Gay Romeo, isn't it? If it wasn't for the bar scene and the boys, how many of you would come to Thailand solely on the basis of Gay Romeo?

 

Also, the boys know that a great many farang who use Gay Romeo are not even present in Thailand.

 

For years I have been saying that the bars need to do things to make themselves more attractive to customers and continue to be able attract the gay crowd to Thailand. However, as far as I can tell, the only change many of the bars have made in recent years has been to raise their prices.

 

That's my opinion, anyway. What's yours?

[firecat69]

Well I am visiting Pattaya for a few days and I think one of the biggest advantages Gayromeo has is it is open 24 hours per day.

 

I arrived at 2pm and at 4pm I had a boy come to my room . He works at a Jomtien Hotel and I am sure nicely supplements his income with meetings from Gayromeo.

 

He looked like his photos and cam show and did everything he promised and did it well. I didn't have to deal with lying mamasans, $5 bottle of water and music so loud you can't think.

 

Now I do support the Bars because I do think they are needed, but managed stupidly. Later that night I was bar hopping in Sunee with a friend. I saw a boy I liked in My Mic, I think its called. Asked mamasan age of boy and what he does. She said 18 with ID and does everything. I bought boy a drink and he confirmed does everything. Ok so I paid the off fee, bar bill and small tip for staff and headed home with the boy.

 

I bet you can guess the ending?? Boy did nothing and didn't even make a good attempt. I sent him away with more money then he deserved.

 

So let's see mamasan, lied ,boy lied and fair amount of baht spent for nothing. Does that push me more towards Gayromeo. Of Course!!!

 

Now thats not to say I have not had good boys from the bars because I have but it seems more and more I can count on the boy from Gayromeo to do what he promised over the boy from the Bar and less money spent.

 

The answer for the bars is easy. Mamasans have to really know what boys will do and make sure boys know if they don't do as promised there job is in jeapordy. Of course it would help if bar was clean, bathroom clean, music ar a good level and a good mic of boys,

 

It is possible, just visit Funnyboys on most nights.

[Guest fountainhall]

For years I have been saying that the bars need to do things to make themselves more attractive to customers and continue to be able attract the gay crowd to Thailand. However, as far as I can tell, the only change many of the bars have made in recent years has been to raise their prices.

I absolutely agree about the need for the bars to change. The only one that I find is changing with the times is Happy Boys in Pattaya which I have enthused about before. Here in Bangkok the bar scene remains dreadfully predictable, far too expensive and usually boring.

 

On the other hand, having spent some considerable time on both gayromeo and camfrog, I have come across two little problems. The first is the inevitably repetitive chat and the time taken to get down to business, as it were. I just find that can get increasingly boring (but maybe that is my fault for not coming to the point more quickly). The second is, whilst I have met some charming guys, I find more often now that I am meeting quite a number who either look nothing like their photos on gayromeo or have different preferences to those they say they have on camfrog.

 

I am always reluctant to invite someone I do not know to my home, and insist on meeting for coffee first. So cost-wise - taxis to/from Starbucks, coffee and often something to eat - it works out about the same as buying someone a drink and offing him from a bar - and a good deal more time-consuming. So if only the bars would make themselves more appealing content- and cost-wise, I for one would probably visit more often. There is, after all, nothing nicer than seeing a large group of 'Happy' boys in the flesh than small photos on a computer screen

[ChristianPFC]

(The subsject of this post is pretty much the same as "Gay Romeo, Camfrog, and the bars" from 22 March 2010.)

 

I'm now preparing my next holiday by logging in on gayromeo daily and waiting for messages or browsing through "online-area". The 6h time shift from Europe to Thailand is very convenient. I try to find out what a boy does ("Do you work or study in Bangkok/Pattaya?") and where he works. If it's in a bar, I can go to that bar and see him in real life (if he is working when I'm there).

 

The lack of body language makes conversation (either on gayromeo or on MSN) sometimes quite montonous and boring (yes, no, up to you), anyway I prefer to talk to people face to face, but while I'm in Europe the only thing I can do is to make contact online.

 

For people living in Thailand it's easy to have a computer running and checking messages on gayromeo from time to time, but when I'm there for holiday I go to internet cafe once a day to check emails and log in shortly on gayromeo.

 

In a bar, what you see is what you get and you can get it now. With meeting boys from gayromeo, there is always the problem: does he look like expected and does he show up at the agreed time?

 

I think the boys haven't yet recognized the potential that gayromeo presents, it can't be that hard to post some decent photos (small photos are my pet peeve, I can't be bothered to look at profiles without photos and hardly look at profiles without facepic).

[kokopelli]

For me it is the go go bar scene is of prime importance. Well, there is the massage houses which are an attractive alternate and there are the host beer bars. Without the go go bar it would be a lot more boring in Thailand.

[Gaybutton]

Those of you responding are talking about Gay Romeo. Have any of you tried Camfrog?

 

I'm also interested in your opinions as to whether Gay Romeo, Camfrog, Gboysiam, etc. are going to seriously hurt the bar scene. My opinion is those sites are not going to be much of a problem for the bars because if it wasn't for the bars, I don't think very many gay farang would come to Thailand in the first place.

 

I also think the boys are well aware that most farang who come here want to go to the bars no matter how high on their priority list Gay Romeo et al might be.

 

Without the bars, the farang won't come. I think most of the boys realize if the farang won't come, then sites such as Gay Romeo won't do them much good. Obviously they're going to go after farang who are present in Thailand as their first priority. Their second priority is trying to get things set up with farang they know will soon be coming to Thailand.

 

I think as long as there are enough farang customers to support them, the bar scene will last as long as customers come to Thailand. I think most of the bar boys will continue to be bar boys, but many will also try the personals sites as a secondary source of income. I think most will do both.

 

I also disagree with the message board "experts" who insist it is always about money and that the boys really don't want us old farang. They don't want us old farang? It's all about money all the time? My experience has been a little different. Whenever I see those kinds of "expert" posts it usually takes me a few minutes to finish having my little laugh. While it is true that the majority of them are after money, and I don't blame them, I guarantee it isn't always that way. You don't believe me? See for yourself. Go to Babylon Sauna in Bangkok. Go to Sansuk Sauna in Pattaya. Then tell me all about how it's only about money.

 

As for them not wanting old farang, then may I ask what alternative they have? Who else do you see partaking of the gay scene here? I don't know about others, but I don't see a great many handsome young farang in their early twenties going to the gay bars and taking boys off.

[Guest fountainhall]

I also disagree with the message board "experts" who insist it is always about money and that the boys really don't want us old farang. They don't want us old farang? It's all about money all the time? My experience has been a little different.

My experience on camfrog is the same. There are a lot of guys out there who do want to meet older guys like us, and money does not enter into the discussion, apart perhaps - and understandably - for a small contribution for transport.

 

I was enthusiastic about camfrog when I first discovered it. The more I use it, the less interesting I find it. One reason is that there seems to be far more guys outside Bangkok using it and I am tired of discussions about "you pay my bus fare and I'll come to see you." It's not so much about cash. As I said in my earlier post, I do like to meet and have a chat with a guy before we take things further. And if the chemistry just does not work, what a waste of the guy's time.

[Guest lvdkeyes]

I can't begin to count the number of guys I met on various websites (before I had a bf) that were NOT looking for money. There are many young guys who genuinely like old overweight farangs.

[Guest Patexpat]

I can't begin to count the number of guys I met on various websites (before I had a bf) that were NOT looking for money. There are many young guys who genuinely like old overweight farangs.

 

 

Yup, my experience too!

[Gaybutton]

Yup, my experience too!

And definitely mine. I've been fighting the "battle of the bulge" all my life. I've tried just about every diet there is and I invariably end up fatter than I was in the first place. Meanwhile, it is quite clear to me that there are plenty of gorgeous young Thai guys who just love us "ample framed" older gents. Where I come from, we call it "chubby chasers."

 

I have also experienced, many times, Thai money boys with whom I started as a "customer," but later the same boys told me they want to see me because they like me and only want money for taxi fare if I don't go to pick them up myself. I also know some boys who are out for money, so they look for "customers" first, but often give me a call on their "day off."

 

Just earlier this week I was on Gay Romeo when a Thai guy chimed in on me, not the other way around, and wanted to meet me. I asked him to please tell me what he is looking for - fun, a boyfriend, money, or what. He wrote back that he is a professional, has his own successful business, and is definitely not looking for money. We exchanged telephone numbers and chatted on the phone. Next thing I knew he asked for my address and told me he has a couple hours and would like to come over to meet me. I asked where he is so I could go and pick him up. He told me that won't be necessary. He has his own car.

 

A half hour later, here he was, really arriving in his own car. He is all of 27 years old, very good looking, speaks some of the best English I've heard in Thailand and, to put it mildly, a good time was had by all.

 

That kind of experience doesn't happen to me every day, but it does happen often enough. I can't imagine what they see in me or what the attraction could possibly be, but I'm sure not going to argue about it.

 

As I said, those who insist it's all about money and only about money, go right ahead and tell me all about it.

[Guest luvthai]

I have moved my trip up to October form my usual Jan/Feb trip mainly because of the problems associated with flying in winter times (last trip was stranded in Newark for four days).

I am also one that does not travel with computer due to customs hassels and while I go to the internet cafe everyday I find dealing with the romeo guys a hassel. I usually end up sending them my phone number and then receiving phone calls all hours of the night with them not knowing the words not now. Ive met guys from romeo that did not live up to what they promised as did many of the bar boys. My choice of meeting places now are the beer bars. Namely the green chair bar which always has a stream of boys passing by or circulating thru the bar. I still check the bars and enjoy when the bars have a good supply of guys that seem to enjoy each other and are active. I miss JimJimmyJames and the many other bars that have gone.

With all the troubles now in thailand I hope that all visitors are a little more generous and understanding as to how hard life has ecome for the boys.

[firecat69]

Ive met guys from romeo that did not live up to what they promised as did many of the bar boys.

I must have been really lucky the last 6 months. I cannot think of single boy I got from Gayromeo that did not do what he promised.

 

I certainly can't say that for the bars where easily 1/2 lie or their mamasans lie for them. However I am very specific on Gayromeo about what I expect and they are told not even get taxi fare if they fail to do what they promised. Although the actual level of English is not better then bar boys , they almost all use translators and I think have a better understanding of the concept "No Honey No Money".

 

The one thing I don't always get is a boy that looks like the picture. Sometimes the photo is 3 or 4 years old and sometimes although rare not even the Boy. It probably happens 15-20% of the time and I send them away sometimes with taxi fare and sometimes with nothing. Again I have warned them about not being Boy in pictures.

 

As far as spending a lot of time there are 2 types of boys on Gayromeo. Strictly moneyboys and boys who are looking for a relationship. I find I can spend a lot of time back and forth with a boy when I am quite sure it will not be a money transaction.. I enjoy it and have met some great boys who really don't want anything.

 

But the boys you can recognize as being motivated by money, I cut to the chase with the 2nd message. Tell them what I want, how I want it and what I am willing to pay. Once in awhile I guess wrong and insult a boy who is really not a moneyboy but it is rare.

 

I never give a Boy my phone number until the meeting has been set. I don't tag the number with a name until I have been with the boy. That way a call with no name attached to it is not answered and at bedtime the phone is off. That eliminates for me dealing with boys I don"t want to see.

 

Don't get me wrong, I still like going to the bars and believe they are important. But bars would not be going out of business if the operators had any idea how to run a business. The customer is #1.. why is it the Lady Bars get that and the Gay Bars don't, for the most part anyways.

[Guest]

The bars are probably Pattaya's no 1 USP.

 

OK it has the advantages of being the nearest main beach destination to Bangkok and having all the restaurants & other facilities a large resort brings.

 

However, take away the bars and if the customer is left with Gay Romeo, he might as well go elsewhere. Maybe to a resort with a nicer beach, or any other destination with things to do and guys on Gay Romeo -Siem Reap, Phnom Penh, Ko Samui....etc

[kokopelli]

n

As far as spending a lot of time there are 2 types of boys on Gayromeo. Strictly moneyboys and boys who are looking for a relationship.

 

Although I agree that most of the boys are looking for either money or a relationship, in the long run, a relationship does mean money and security. Not that I disagree with that. And I do know of one professional Thai who is just looking for a good time.

[Guest]

I have yet to meet the stunners on GayRomeo that I do in the bars. However, I will go to 20 bars with 20-60 in each to find the one guy I am looking for. On GR, if I actually were to search hard core through 600 profiles, I might find the same numbers there.

[Gaybutton]

I have yet to meet the stunners on GayRomeo that I do in the bars.

To each his own. Many of the boys I consider to be "stunners" are boys others won't even glance at, and vice versa. It's a question of taste.

 

It's also a question of what you enjoy doing. I don't particularly love the bars, but every so often I like to go. I believe the majority of gay holiday makers who come to Thailand will prefer to go to the bars. Whether the bars survive, in my opinion, depends on customer numbers. I don't think Gay Romeo or any other personals sites are going to put a serious dent in the numbers of people who patronize the bars. I think the real problem is the major decline of the numbers of gay holiday makers even coming to Thailand at all.

 

It is, and for years has been, my opinion that if the bars are to survive these difficult times, then they're going to have to do something to make themselves more attractive to customers. Much more. Again, I really haven't seen any of the bars do a damned thing other than to raise their prices.

 

Some are saying they like what Happy Bar is doing, by charging 99 baht for drinks and no fee for going upstairs as long as you buy a drink for the boy too. It wasn't very long ago that drink prices there were 100 to 120 baht and there was no fee at all for going upstairs whether you bought the boy a drink or even took a boy upstairs with you at all.

 

To my mind, as long as the bars continue with the overly loud music, pushy mama-sans, high drink prices, high off fees, the same kinds of tired old shows in just about every one of the bars that put on shows, and boys standing on the stage like zombies doing the "one-knee shuffle," then that simply will not be attractive enough to get the numbers of gay holiday makers to travel to Thailand despite all the current problems and bring in the customer numbers the bars enjoyed in years past.

[Guest]

I have yet to meet the stunners on GayRomeo that I do in the bars. However, I will go to 20 bars with 20-60 in each to find the one guy I am looking for. On GR, if I actually were to search hard core through 600 profiles, I might find the same numbers there.

 

Bars are a much more efficient way of filtering out the stunners. For a start, it doesn't take much experience to find the best bars in town. Then once you are in the bar, there may be 20~30 guys in sight at once, so it's very easy to pick the best within seconds.

 

The other possibility is anyone who is too rough looking to generate much business will soon give up working in a gogo bar. Such people might as well leave their profiles on GayRomeo though, as there is little time invested in that.

[ChristianPFC]

What's the composition of the bars' customers regarding tourists and expats? For me as a tourist the prices are fine and having boys in under- or swimmwear on stage is enough. Ok, if they are really dancing it looks better than just standing around, but I don't like to dance, so I assume that there are others that don't either. Within the same bar it ranged from real dancing and having a good time to looking bored and I even saw one boy picking his teeth with a toothpick on the stage, at least covering his mouth with the other hand.

 

Music is bearable in my opinion. Temperature is a problem. I felt slightly cold in some bars, for the boys it must be worse. Something else we take for granted in Germany, the United Kingdom and Thailand is the smoking ban. When I was in Malaysia I was shocked to find out that smoking is allowed in discos (it was a horrible experience) and even in a gay sauna people were smoking!

[Guest globalwanderer]

the internet killed the bar scene in Amsterdam... Why not Thailand

[Guest]

the internet killed the bar scene in Amsterdam... Why not Thailand

 

Interesting theory.

 

The bar scene in Thailand is largely supported by tourists, as far as I can see.

I'm not sure about Amsterdam, but the proportion of offs to local residents must have been higher.

 

Now the local residents may have the time to use Gay Romeo & may value the privacy aspects of not having to visit a rent boy bar. Tourists to Thailand would value the convenience, atmosphere & sheer novelty of go go bars. I figure at least some of them may survive. I certainly hope so.

 

Just had another attempt at a Gay Romeo appointment in Europe. Spent about an hour chatting,using the useful Google translation service & made an appointment. The result? A no show. This system would be useful in countries without gogo bars, if the guys could be relied upon to turn up.

[Guest lvdkeyes]

Yesterday I received an e mail saying I had a message on GR. When I signed in to read it within 2 minutes I received 7 messages from guys wanting to meet me. If I were interested in meeting guys GR would be my choice of sites to search.

[macaroni21]

I agree with most of what's been said here. The bar scene is better placed to serve the tourist industry. Internet dating is time-consuming, language-dependent, and just as prone to lying and deceit as mamasans and bar boys. For a local resident with time on his hands and with the experience to sieve out lies, the internet may work. For a tourist, especially one from China, Korea, etc (the future of tourism), lack of English or Thai, lack of experience and lack of time, will work in favour of bars.

 

I cannot see tourists planning ahead and making internet dates weeks before they travel. The nature of a holiday for most involves flexibility and impulse. And most have other agenda besides sex, so they'd hardly want to fill up a diary like a working day at home.

 

The sad thing about Thailand's gay bar scene is how, despite this advantage, they are throwing it all away through poor quality and ever-increasing prices.

[Guest]

No matter how poorly run a gogo bar is, if they have spectacular boys, they will be successful. The most horrible mamasans, the high price of drinks, etc. etc. etc. Nothing will deter a customer IF the bar has consistent, top notch spectacular boys that no other bar has.

[Guest painai]

Two of the three times I've used GayRomeo, I thought I never would have chosen this guy if I had seen him in the flesh first. There's just something about seeing and talking with the guy in person first that works out better for me. However, you do save money. No off fees, expensive drinks, tips, etc.

[Guest lvdkeyes]

When I was single and traveled I would set up dates via the internet and very rarely was disappointed.