SongKran6

[Guest Motel69]

So I'm strolling through ni-chome, Tokyo's homo 'hood, hoping to find some flyers for an upcoming nightclub party or two. The first shop I stop by has only one flyer. That's it. Just one flyer. Not so long ago, there'd be at least half a dozen.

 

Mental note: Tokyo's gay scene is really dwindling.

 

The flyer is touting something called SongKran6.

 

Mental note: OK, the organizers are giving it a Thai theme. I can get into that.

 

Next, I see that the event is being billed as "Asia's biggest gay circuit event."

 

Mental note: Not really sure what a circuit event is but "Asia's biggest gay event" sounds pretty goddamn promising.

 

Then I see the date -- April 2012, FRi 13 -- SUN 15.

 

Hmm, not the usual way dates are printed in Japan.

 

Then I notice the small lettering underneath Songkran6: "Bangkok"

 

Mental note: Really? They're circulating flyers in Tokyo for a gay dance party in Bangkok? This must be big.

 

Down at the bottom of the flyer, there appears to be some additional incentive for Tokyo gays to travel to Bangkok this April. "Asia's biggest gay circuit event" will feature five Japanese go-go boys: Koh, Sky, Naoki, Yoshihiro and Atsushi.

 

Mental note: "What? Did Thailand suddenly run out of go-go boys?"

 

Obviously not. Obviously the organizers are trying to get some attention in Japan and get some Japanese flying down to Thailand in April. But that's an expensive proposition.

 

Right now, air fares between Tokyo and Bangkok for those dates are in the $4,000 to $5,000 range. But as April 13 approaches, the fares will probably drop to the $900 range. So that's likely $4,500 just to fly five Japanese gogo boys to Thailand. But who knows? Maybe Koh, Sky, Naoki, Yoshihiro and Atsushi insist on flying first class, and their travel expenses will be much higher.

 

Doing a little Internet work, I find that the Songkran6 organizers have some "host hotels" lined up for gay travelers. The cheapest room at http://www.gcircuit.com/hostHotels.php goes for B2,400 (about $76). Let's say the organizers are going to put up their go-go imports in these rooms for three nights. That's another $1,140. But, who knows? Maybe they'll put up Koh, Sky, Naoki, Yoshihiro and Atsushi in the St. Regis (B6,434) or Le Meridien (B4,200).

 

And of course, Japanese go-go boys don't work cheap. I'm gonna guess that they're are gonna want at least $600 each for their three nights of dancing (I'm only guessing that they'll perform all three nights). That's another $3,000.

 

Add it all up, and we're talking at least $8,640 just to fly in some dancers.

 

And you know what? Thai male erotic dancers are a whole hell of a lot hotter than Koh, Sky, Naoki, Yoshihiro and Atsushi.

 

Well, at least the flyer got my attention.

[Guest thaiworthy]

Thank you Model69. That was a really enjoyable post, a fun read and one of your best yet.

 

$8,640. Wow! And a whopping $600 each for all that go-go dancing. That would be a lot of tips and off fees for their Thai counterparts. After 3 days, your average Thai boy would really be tired after going for that kind of money.

[Guest]

So I'm strolling through ni-chome, Tokyo's homo 'hood, hoping to find some flyers for an upcoming nightclub party or two. The first shop I stop by has only one flyer. That's it. Just one flyer. Not so long ago, there'd be at least half a dozen.

Mental note: Tokyo's gay scene is really dwindling.

Is that the case, or are they just switching to other methods of promoting events based on the internet, text messages etc?

Also, why would Tokyo's gay scene dwindle? That scene largely sustained by Japanese, rather than gaijin, so we can hardly blame dropping tourist numbers.

Are they all sat at home using Gayromeo? The Japanese gay guys must get their fun somewhere.

 

Add it all up, and we're talking at least $8,640 just to fly in some dancers.

A lot of money, but convert it into yen at current exchange rates & it might not look so expensive from the perspective of a successful Japanese businessman.

 

Would this be it?

http://www.travelgay...-61-201x300.jpg

http://www.gcircuit.com/index.php

[Guest Motel69]

z909: To say the entire gay scene is dwindling might be an overstatement. Might. The club scene, at least, is not what it used to be. There used to be several monthly parties in decent-size nightclubs. Now, not so much. Japan's two lost decades seem to have taken a toll on the generation that is now in their 20s. Nightclubs just aren't as frequented as they used to be. Too expensive.

 

There never really were any proper gay nightclubs in Tokyo. But there were once-a-month parties in big dance halls outside Ni-Chome. Those seem very raare these days.

 

From my experience, for a night out, Tokyo gays have always preferred some heavy drinking in the tiny bars that dot Ni-Chome. But that isn't even the case anymore. Last time I was out all night on a Saturday in Ni-Chhome was last summer. The sidewalks and steets were packed. It was a huge scene. Tons of people were just buying bottled beer or cocktails in the convenience stores and hanging out with their groups of friends outside. There were huge lines in the convenience stores at the cashier and to get into the toilet (in Japan, use of the toilet is one convenience these stores allow).

 

I managed to wander into a couple of Ni-Chome's small clubs (yes, only two; they were expensive and no one I was with wanted to pay to get in). Both were crowded, but that's relative considering the tiny size of each. Oh, and one was much more of a straight club than a gay club. In fact, the whole street scene seemed to be very mixed.

 

Also, there have been news reports about how the scene is changing and how younger people prefer meeting each other via Grindr and other social networks.

 

Also, there is a social trend among young Japanese men that is troubling the older generations. A lot of 20-somethings live by themselves, don't go out, don't have girlfriends and have no desire for girlfriends. There's a name for these guys: herbivores. It's mostly their socio-economic situation that is causing this introvertedness. Jobs are harder to find, have been for quite a while, and they don't pay what they used to. Plus, a lot of hires are being made through temp agencies, so there is no security.

 

There are other reasons as well but perhaps this is enough to give you the idea that the smaller gay nightclub scene is part of wider social trend.

 

As for the flyer you linked to, that's the back side. On the front, on the bottom are pictures of the five go-go boys.

[Rogie]

Also, there is a social trend among young Japanese men that is troubling the older generations. A lot of 20-somethings live by themselves, don't go out, don't have girlfriends and have no desire for girlfriends. There's a name for these guys: herbivores. It's mostly their socio-economic situation that is causing this introvertedness. Jobs are harder to find, have been for quite a while, and they don't pay what they used to. Plus, a lot of hires are being made through temp agencies, so there is no security.

 

That's a pretty depressing picture you paint Motel, I feel sorry for these 'herbivores'. Do they eschew meat too as well as girls! I wonder if the women are partly to blame, if they go dutch on a date fair enough but perhaps being Japan they still have a traditional expectation the man pays for the food and drink and entertainment on a night out. If that is the case, you could argue gay guys come out on top financially as they'll go 50:50 on expenses.

 

There was an interesting thread on a similar topic, based in modern-day China, where young heterosexual couples were having to adapt to get a leg up on the property market.

[Guest]

Now, not so much. Japan's two lost decades seem to have taken a toll on the generation that is now in their 20s. Nightclubs just aren't as frequented as they used to be. Too expensive.

 

I would hope the deflation in the economy would also involve clubs reducing their prices to a level that allows them to retain customers. After all, at the start of the 2 "lost decades", Tokyo property prices were extremely high & perhaps rents should have fallen significantly during the subsequent period.

Maybe gay people would be more open & inclined to go to gay clubs these days too.

 

Obviously not.

[Guest fountainhall]

From my experience, for a night out, Tokyo gays have always preferred some heavy drinking in the tiny bars that dot Ni-Chome. But that isn't even the case anymore.

 

Motel69, i also enjoyed your post, the more so as I have lived in Tokyo and visit regularly (maybe 80+ times apart from the years I lived there). But I am a little curious.

 

I was never one for the big rave type parties, but I have friends who went and enjoyed them. I am sure your thoughts on the reason for their demise are accurate. As for touting a party in Bangkok over Songkran, that surprises me less. Quite a number of gay Japanese like to travel in ‘packs’ and Songkran must sound an exotic time for a quick week-end visit Thailand. And despite what you say, those prices for Japanese tourists are pretty cheap, even many of the hotels.

 

I see there is a huge list of sponsors and partners, including bars and clubs in Singapore, The Philippines, China, Korea, etc. and quite a few from Japan. No doubt these were the organizations distributing the leaflets in ni-chome. And I suspect that go-go boys may be flying in from other countries as well. So it sounds like a great week-end for those of us in Bangkok

 

As to your more general point about the gay scene in Japan “dwindling”, like z909 I cannot agree. If you were walking around Ni-chome at this time of year, it’s hardly surprising there was no overflow from bars into the streets. It’s just far too cold!! That only starts around spring-time. I’ll be there at the end of March for the sakura and will let you know how it looks then.

 

I managed to wander into a couple of Ni-Chome's small clubs (yes, only two; they were expensive and no one I was with wanted to pay to get in). Both were crowded, but that's relative considering the tiny size of each.

 

Like straight clubs, the gay ones are incredibly expensive compared to normal bars. I am not sure if you live in Japan, Motel69, or are a regular visitor. Of the several hundred bars in Shinjuku Ni-chome, most, as you rightly point out, are tiny. And all but a handful do not really welcome gaijin unless accompanied by one or more Japanese. A couple of years ago I was the only gaijin in a bar in Shibuya. I was made extremely welcome – but only because I was with two Japanese who knew the owners. Wander into any gay bar that is not foreigner-friendly, and it will soon become obvious in several none-too subtle ways that you are not where you should be! And isn’t it odd that all the bars seem have their own regular clientele?

 

I suspect part of the trend you are noticing is common to many Asian countries. Thirty years ago when a gay scene was developing, younger Japanese really wanted to hook up to older westerners. They would then not need to live at home, could be more comfortable leading a gay life, and had the financial support of a more wealthy partner.

 

Now it is far more common for Japanese to hook up with other Japanese. But whenever I have been in some of the gay bars that welcome foreigners, they are usually packed at week-ends.

[Guest Motel69]

I wonder if the women are partly to blame?

 

I think that perhaps a common female aittiude can take partial blame. A lot of women won't date guys who fail to pull down ¥6 million a year. And for a guy in his 20s to be rolling in that kind of dough is really difficult these days. It's a very small percentage. So I'm sure some young guys are sensitive to this situation and just don't want to put themselves in position to be rejected.

[Guest Motel69]

I would hope the deflation in the economy would also involve clubs reducing their prices to a level that allows them to retain customers.

Man, I have been waiting a long time for prices to come down. But the last time I went to a proper nightclub event, it cost ¥12,000 just to get in. Then they immediately made me buy two ¥500 drink tickets before allowing me past the pat-down area. Once inside, I found out those drink tickets were good at only one booth, which had a line about a mile long in front of it. I never did use those tickets. But I did have a fucking blast. It was an event in a convention hall that drew 15,000 or so superfun clubbers like my boyfriend and one old man, me.

 

I also wouldn't mind prices on imported food, cosmetics and other necessities to fall and reflect the strength of the yen. But that's not happening. And no one's complaining. Perhaps that's another sign of the herbivore mentality.

 

I'm off on a tangent.

 

As far as the clubs go, the few big straight ones left seem to have plenty of customers among the early 20-somethings who have really rich parents. These venues probably don't have to lower their prices. But ironically, considering my opion that Silom clubs have gotten too old for me, Tokyo clubs are filled with way too many kiddies.

 

The girls are especially annoying. They have a really good strategy of getting to the front of the mob clustered in front of the bar trying to buy a drink. They start screaming at the top of their lungs, then lunge forward as everyone else reacts to move away from their high-pitch squealing.

 

As for the big gay parties that used to happen once a month, well, they seem to have disappeared along with the venues that hosted them.

[Guest Motel69]

Quite a number of gay Japanese like to travel in ‘packs’ and Songkran must sound an exotic time for a quick week-end visit Thailand. And despite what you say, those prices for Japanese tourists are pretty cheap, even many of the hotels.

fountainhall, I have no idea who you are but you strike me as someone who is not hurting for cash. And you sound like someone who really enjoys his wealth. Good for you (hope that doesn't sound sarcastic; I wish I was in the same boat). But I have to completely disagree with you here. Let's figure airfare of ¥75,000, ¥18,000 for three nights in the cheapest hotel listed and just under ¥10,000 for a three-night pass to Songkran6. That's a bit more than ¥100,000 ($1,275), and we haven't even bought a meal or a drink yet. Or overpaid a taxi driver. Or stopped at duty-free.

 

That's a lot of money for anyone, especially for guys in their 20s and 30s, whom I imagine to be the target audience.

 

And Thailand is not a quick weekend trip from Japan. Seoul can be a quick weekend trip. So can Taipei. But it's a seven-hour flight from Tokyo to BKK. Anyone going to this thing would have to take off from work at least that Friday and then on Monday, then take a red-eye back to Tokyo and go traight to the office from the airport Tuesday morning.

 

But it does sound like a lot of fun, and if truth be told I'm trying to puzzle out a strategy to convince my boyfriend to take off for another week so we can head right back to Thaialand and make it to this thing. We just got back at the beginning of this month.

[Guest fountainhall]

fountainhall, I have no idea who you are but you strike me as someone who is not hurting for cash.

 

Sadly, that is not at all the case. The fact is that for most of my career I have had to travel as part of various jobs, and travel is perhaps my main expense now. I am just a travel junkie. But that means very considerable economies elsewhere.

 

I agree entirely with what you say. For the average Japanese, ¥100,000 is way over the limit for a long week-end, especially with the Golden Week holiday pretty close. And even though your costings are on the high side - Cathay Pacific will fly you to Bangkok that weekend for ¥55,000 inclusive - the price is still high.

 

But there are more than enough richer gays in Japan, either from rich families or those in their 30s/early 40s in good jobs, who can afford it and might want to make the trip. And despite the long 20-year recession, Japan's rich have not totally disappeared! It's the same around Asia and probably most parts of the world. There will always be some rich guys wanting to do something different. I have met guys from Osaka who flew to Bali just for two days (plus the travel days). I have met Japanese guys who week-end in Sydney. No, they are not your average Japanese, but they are young with money to burn.

[Guest badcdn]

Mental note: Not really sure what a circuit event is but "Asia's biggest gay event" sounds pretty goddamn promising.

 

FYI...

 

http://en.wikipedia....i/Circuit_party

 

 

Circuit parties draw gay men from all over the world, which is why you'll find advertising in some form, from posters to ads on gay oriented websites. Songkran will attract mostly guys around Asia, but I wouldn't be suprised if it's mentioned on the circuit websites in NA.

 

The attendees, as you will read in the wiki page, usually have some disposable income that they don't mind dropping on events like this. Although, you will find a lot of everyday guys there too who've just saved up to have a good time.

[Guest Motel69]

FYI...

 

http://en.wikipedia....i/Circuit_party

 

 

OK. Now that sounds like fun. Thanks for the link. Everyone should follow it. In fact, the wikipedia writeup does a lot better job of firing me up for this thing than the official Songkran6 site does.

 

Of the DJs that the official site lists, Tony Moran stands out for me. I've actually been to a gig that he headlined, the G5 Taipei party this past September. He was awesome. There was so much euphoria and energy in Luxy that night/morning. It was a truly great party.

[Guest snapshot]

Interesting OP thinking out loud... hahaha.

 

Shouldn't be any surprise that they're promoting this elsewhere. The gCircuit parties draw gay guys from all over Asia! Just an awesome thing to attend if you can get a group of friends together for it.

 

As for the Japanese gogo boys... They're not just there to attract Japanese customers. I suspect they may have some pull factor for attracting other customer segments too. Thais will appreciate some "variety" instead of the usual Thai gogo boys they're used to seeing. Same with other Asian nationalities. Oh Cool... let's check out the Japanese gogo boys! I reckon Korean gogo boys would be the biggest pull for Thais LOL.

 

Asia's just a massive melting pot and one thing a lot of gay Asian guys love doing is checking out other nationalities... Might be the same race but still totally different in terms of looks, shape, character and sex!

[Guest fountainhall]

I reckon Korean gogo boys would be the biggest pull for Thais LOL.

 

I have no doubt! Korea's pop culture impact on Thailand is now huge. If I ask the Thais I meet where they would like to travel, ALL want to visit Korea!

 

Might be the same race but still totally different in terms of looks, shape, character and sex!

 

Interesting suggestion. Put a group of westerners together and I suspect most would agree they are caucasians. Put a group of Asians together and I really doubt they will consider themselves as "Asians". Japan, Korea and China, to name but three countries, all have millennia of their own cultures, and I am sure being Japanese or Korean or Chinese is far more important to them than being Asian. But how lucky for us westerners that there are so many different such different ethnic groupings in this continent.

[Guest thaiworthy]

Put a group of westerners together and I suspect most would agree they are caucasians. Put a group of Asians together and I really doubt they will consider themselves as "Asians".

 

To my way of thinking, this is probably due to the existence of the U.S., which began as a refuge for many from different cultures. This country is uniquely homogenous, compared to the rest of the world. Asians have little other cross-cultural intermingling. Religion (Buddhism, Catholicism, etc.) and language (English, Spanish, French) might be among some few things they share in common, but geography is the biggest factor.

 

So doesn't this really depend on your perspective? I wonder if you could say the same of Chinese, Korean and Japanese living in the U.S.? Wouldn't they be more inclined to admit they were Asian? If not, would it make any difference if they were born in the U.S., rather than immigrated?

 

If you asked a Westerner if he were "Caucasian," his answer might be based on the history of the country he were living in, at least in part, as compared to "Black," like if he lived in the S.E. United States. Perhaps "Caucasian" is a more relative term than "Asian?" Also, wouldn't his answer also depend on which country/countries he came from?

 

Therefore, is it not a socially-based racial classification? Is it ethnic pride that prohibits them from saying "Asian?"

[Guest Motel69]

I reckon Korean gogo boys would be the biggest pull for Thais LOL.

Nice thoughts, snapshot! I would drag my boyfriend out of his draconian office, force him to Haneda airport and make him come to Songkran6 with me if they had Korean go-go boys.

[Guest fountainhall]

If you are going to SongKran6, snapshot, I do hope you will write a long post about it.

[Guest fountainhall]

Here is the latest info on Songkran6. The 13th and 14th evenings are at the recently reopened Zen store in Central World. The 15th is at Fallabella (close to the Four Seasons Hotel on Rajadamri). There are still “Advance” tickets available until Aprll 11th. These give entry to all three events for Bt. 4,500 for a Standard ticket and Bt. 5,400 for a VIP ticket. Thereafter, only nightly tickets are available at Bt. 1,900 and Bt. 2,400 respectively. Seems there are ticket centres in SIngapore, KL, Taipei, Hong Kong and Tokyo, so I assume there will be lots of handsome in-shape out-of-town visitors. Full details in the Ticketing section of the main website –

 

http://www.gcircuit.com/

 

This will be the sixth such annual party and is billed as Asia’s biggest Gay Circuit Event. On the basis of the YouTube clip below, the place will be heaving with great bodies (the official site has more vdos of past events).

 

Here is a summary of the parties –

 

Expect another long weekend of fabulous wet and wild parties in Bangkok brought to you by gCircuit. As usual, the boys at gCircuit have pulled together an astonishing lineup of fabulous DJ’s. Here’s the full lineup:

 

WILD (Opening Party), 13th April 2012 @ The brand new Zen Center in central Bangkok!

DJ Louis T – The (musically) versatile resident DJ of 2 of the hottest dance clubs in Kuala Lumpur (Oblique & Maison) and Singapore (Taboo Bar & Club) along with DJ Alexander from the USA.

 

WOW (Main Party), 14th April 2012 @ Zen Center, Bangkok

DJ Head – widely acclaimed for his sets at G5 (LUXY), JumP and D2 and the legendary International Superstar DJ Tony Moran (USA)

 

WET (Closing Party), 15th April 2012 @ Fallabella

DJ Preeda – Thailand’s very own super sexy DJ who is rapidly becoming of the most sought after DJ’s in Asia. Preeda will be followed by Alex Acosta, the first Mexican DJ ever at at gCircuit party!

 

In addition to this amazing DJ lineup, gCircuit is flying in five hunky Japanese go-go dancers to perform at Songkran 6. The ever-popular Masaki Koh, Sky and Naoki will be joined by Yoshihiro and Atsushi.

 

Production quality has always been the hallmark of a gCircuit party – and this year’s event will be no different, with award-winning Lighting/Production.

 

Designer, Paul Marin, back to blow your minds away! gCircuit promises SK6 will be the best ever!

 

http://www.travelgay...kran-bangkok-6/

 

[Guest Motel69]

Here is the latest info on Songkran6.

 

There are some key pieces of information that are missig here. Namely, what time do these parties go until? I've actually contacted the organizers. And considering Thai law and the current government, there's a good reason, I think, thery're not posting the start and finish times. But gay clubbers will not be disappointed. These will be legitimate parties.

[Guest badcdn]

. But gay clubbers will not be disappointed. These will be legitimate parties.

 

Sorry, but what does that mean.

[Guest Motel69]

Sorry, but what does that mean.

 

They will start late and end very late.

[Guest badcdn]

They will start late and end very late.

 

One year I went to the Black & Blue party in Montreal. Doors opened at 9PM, was still going at noon the following day. I left at a respectable hour of 8am.

[Guest fountainhall]

I think Motel69 may be referring to the nighttime entertainment venue zoning regulations which Thaksin's first government brought in as part of its 'Social Order' campaign. Bangkok has only three such areas and venues must close at either 1:00 am or 2:00 am. Outside these areas, venues must close earlier. No doubt the Songran6 organisers have got some sort of special permits.

 

One example of the consequence of the zoning law is that the Khao San Road area was excluded. The reason given by the puritanical Interior Minister Purachai Puimsombun ("Mr. Clean") was there were lots of temples and cultural sites close to Khao San Road! Responding to claims that his draconian measures would hurt tourism, he went on to say, “Tourists are here because they want to see natural beauty. They don't want to see exotic dancers. The nightlife is secondary.''

 

Venues operating outside the zones suddenly found themselves faced with tenfold increases in their permits and closure for 90 days. Of course, some venues inside and outside the zones have managed to get round the law and stay open much later. But the main gay venues in tourist areas seem to obey the law.

 

Not surprisingly, Purachai himself is a highly religious man. Indeed it is tempting to suggest that he is rather similar to the sort of crusading bigots who inhabited Victorian England. (Yet, I’d have to add that his campaign did find considerable support in the country as a whole – one reason the regulations are unlikely to be changed any time soon).

 

This amusing article claims he is a man who has been pursuing the path of dharma, which forms the heart of the Buddhist thinking, with especial zeal.

 

The names of his three children all derive from the word dharma – Dharmathip (eternal taste of dharma), Thosadharma (10 commandments of dharma) and Dharmavisa (dharma on Visakhabucha Day) . . .

 

Purachai’s zeal for dharma measures his humble character in parallel with that of the more flamboyant Thaksin Shinawatra, the prime minister. They became friends while studying at the police preparatory school.

 

Thaksin is more attuned to the quest for material gain and worldly honours. Thaksin also has three children, whose names are derived from the word thong or gold – Phanthongthae (genuine bowl of gold), Phinthongtha (goldencoated lute) and Phaethongtharn (stream of golden raft). The children indeed are basking in the glory of gold.

 

http://thanong.tripo...m/090720012.htm

 

Returning to other complaints about his social order crusade hurting tourist arrivals, unbelievably he added the prime minister, the defense and foreign ministers had all showed a clear stance that quantity – the number of arrivals – was no longer important!

 

I wonder how that went down with the TAT and the Minister of Tourism!

[Guest Motel69]

One year I went to the Black & Blue party in Montreal. Doors opened at 9PM, was still going at noon the following day. I left at a respectable hour of 8am.

 

Um. In that case I misspoke. They will not be going till that late.

 

Man, there must've been a lotta good drugs in Montreal that year.