Londoner

Book quickly. We arrived yesterday and the Complex was as busy as I've seen it since last High Season. I know that it was Jomtien's Loy Khatong but according to hotel staff, the season has started-off very well. Excellent news; it was very subdued when we were here last in July.

Quite a cast-list. Are there any histories of gay Thailand predating the Vietnam war and the rise of Patpong? Where did Somerset Maugham meet his guests? In the Oriental? i recall seeing a photo of a group of smiling Oriental lobby-boys in their traditional uniforms...and wondered.

It is understandable for those of my generation to treasure memories of the times when bars were full of visitors and the guys actually danced. I never deny the huge improvements that have come in the past fifteen years but we know that much has been lost, too. And not just tourists.

By the way, we also enjoy wandering through the bar areas even though it's years since we've entered one. It's hard to describe just how gratifying it is for a man of my age and background whose life, apart from last thirty years, has been entirely closeted, to walk hand-in hand with a partner among the other gay visitors and attractive "out" guys who work in the JC. Some may take it for granted; I never do.

I'm with Travellerdave; I enjoy being surrounded by cute guys. The fact that Agate is in a gay area is one of the reasons I like it so much. I smile, perhaps wave and walk on. No problem. Anyone uncomfortable can avoid them by the using the passageway next to the hotel.

Is it possible that the guys themselves are now a little more circumspect? The unrestrained performances I recall from BKK (more than Pattaya) were not given to audiences with mobile phone and access to SM.

The Pattaya event is much better than any we have in the UK. We've watched on one occasion from the steps outside Central, though it was a struggle due to the number of spectators. Beach Road was packed and closed to traffic. On another occasion, we were staying at Ambiance and found that we could obtain a distant view from the walkway on the fourth floor. Not very comfortable though! The corner standing area only accommodated us two. Not recommended. Last year we wanted to travel from Jomtien but transport- we'd left it late- was non-existent. My advice would be to arrive in the late afternoon or very early evening and you'll find a decent place in the Central Mall area. Then wait. if you are staying in Jomtien and want a ride back....chok dee!

The soi opposite Agate that leads to The Venue. I'm not sure that there is "an inside"....it's an open bar. I wonder what happened to the dancers (more like acrobats!) that used to perform in Boyztown? I recall them winning some sort of prize in a TV show.

Good.... we should remember that , during this Very Low Season, many Pattaya people are struggling to cope. A propos dancing guys, may I complement the group that performs in the soi outside the JC Sunee club? we always stop to watch their performance, whether they be in white shorts or- even better for a romantic like me- traditional Thai dress. I hope they make some cash. They must work hard at rehearsals and deserve an audience.

"Sparoma"....yes, that was it.

In fact, we've had two " events" there. One was when my sister died and I missed the funeral because I was in Jomtien. P arranged for the Abbot to provide a service for us, culminating in the presentation of a silken thread to put around my wrist. An ancient ritual. It serves as a reminder of a lost loved one. I gave it to my niece when I was home. P is Thai and a devout Buddhist who did his stint as a monk when he was twenty. He made the arrangements. I suspect that the Abbot would be happy to help you. He spoke good English and talked very kindly to me after the ceremony. Of course, it would be expected that you make a gift to the temple. Our blessing was to be the first stage of our wedding in Pattaya, which sadly didn't happen owing to bureaucratic complexities. And so it remains out only formal recognition. P thinks it is enough.

Twenty- plus years ago, I recall visiting, just once, a sauna- apparently newly-built- in the outskirts of Chiang Mai, situated on the banks of the river. I went only once- it was reminiscent of Obelisk in Bangkok which I sensed was less welcoming to farang visitors than Babylon. Or House of Male which afforded me a couple of unforgettable experiences. "Ah, the times that we have seen..." Can anyone recall its name? It appeared to exist for a very short period.

Interested in Buddhism? The Big Buddha temple, with its magnificent view over Pattaya, is only twenty minutes from Jomtien by taxi. It is special place for us because it is where we were given our partnership blessing by the Abbot. Further away (about an hour) is the temple and retirement home for monks called Khao Chi Chan. It has a museum with interesting Buddhist and Chinese artefacts . You can see the face of the Buddha etched into the mountain from miles away.

My partner and I started basing out trips to Thailand in the Jomtien Complex two years before Covid. We like being in an area which is obviously gay and where our presence not unusual....not that we've ever had problems anywhere in Thailand, from Chiang Rai to Krabi. We like our hotel (The Agate) where the staff treat us like old friends. The rooms are clean and simple with excellent beds and bathrooms. Two swimming-pools . We like being able to access the beach easily- about seven minutes walk- though neither of us sit or swim there, preferring to stroll along the esplanade. In the evening it can have an almost Mediterranean vibe. We like the restaurants and recommend Dick's and Sandbar. If you prefer European cuisine, there are classy establishments in or just outside the Compex. We enjoy our evening trips to the malls in Pattaya; the baht bus takes twenty or thirty minutes in the evening. We prefer a taxi back; 300/400 baht. We wouldn't change. We miss the thrill of the old Boyztown but the Complex is often lively and invariably has plenty of handsome guys around. We don't use the bars but we like to be able to walk through and chat and engage with the staff. A host of massage places. The hotel is always quiet and this is very important to us . Safe? in my twenty-five years experience, all of Thailand is safe, though I was once threatened by a pack of soi dogs in Chiang Mai. I love dogs so they allowed me to get away safely! The beach? Mmmm...if you've been to places like the Caribbean , it isn't a paradise; I habitually, pre-Thailand, stayed in Grenada and it sure ain't that! But it is clean and there is a gay area where you can order food and drink. Better, in my view, than Pattaya's but not as good as Krabi. So yes; if like us , you prefer quiet nights and are prepared to make that journey to Boyztown for the scene, and other parts of Pattaya for the malls like the impressive T20 with its one hundred and six restaurants (literally). I believe you'll be happy in the Compex. .