Arrival in Boyztown

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Oliver

Arrival in Boyztown

Post by Oliver »

My boyfriend and I arrived on Tuesday (Valentine's Day) to find a busy- vibrant, even- Boyztown. The host bars were particularly lively, with customers filling the soi in front of them.

Admittedly, the soi has been less busy since but, overall, the number of visitors appears to me to be rather better than recently at this time of year. Two hotel managers I spoke to confirmed this. My hotel is busier than I've seen for a long time.

I expected last night (Saturday) to be busier still; but no, Castro had other ideas. Someone's birthday was being celebrated and so a stage was erected directly beneath Ambiance and huge loud speakers arrived. As the music started at deafening volume, the bars and terraces around lost many customers. I have no idea what happened inside all the bars but the music made any sort of enjoyment, or conversation with friends outside impossible.

And, of course, it had to last through to 0300 just to ensure that, having had our evenings disrupted, we had to endure a level of noise that made sleep impossible.

And how many people actually participated in this? At one stage, there were about ten in the "audience" (intentional audience, that is). At another, higher than that....thirty?

The cost to the other bars must have been enormous. Why don't Boyztown owners support each other? We already endure the attempts by Cafe Royale to drown out the Castro show; now this. It affects the viability of hotels and bars alike.

Puerile behaviour and, in business terms, short-sighted.
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Re: Arrival in Boyztown

Post by Alex »

That report started nice, but you lost me when it turned into yet another "it's too loud" rant. Yes, entertainment zones are occasionally loud, thanks for sharing. :roll:
thaiworthy

Re: Arrival in Boyztown

Post by thaiworthy »

Oliver wrote: . . . Castro had other ideas. Someone's birthday was being celebrated and so a stage was erected directly beneath Ambiance and huge loud speakers arrived. As the music started at deafening volume, the bars and terraces around lost many customers. I have no idea what happened inside all the bars but the music made any sort of enjoyment, or conversation with friends outside impossible.
Actually, the same thing happened to me on Christmas Eve. We arrived at the Ambiance and they got my reservation messed up, so I could not get my usual room, but they gave us a penthouse. I have been staying at the Ambiance since 1998. Later that afternoon, a bar was doing a sound check of their audio system. It was deafening. You cannot imagine the volume. This was not just loud noise. I began to have regrets about coming at all. What a spoiler, I thought. I went down to the desk to investigate, and indeed it was a birthday party at Castro.

I am surprised by your report, I would have thought the same as you, that other businesses-- if not the Ambiance itself would have had a word with them by now. But as it turned out, later that night there was no deafening racket, just the usual soi noise by the time I got home around midnight. I cannot believe my complaint had anything to do with this, but I was thankful it did not last till 3 am. The Ambiance had told us that was exactly the time it was supposed to end. You are not alone in your observation.

Why the other bars don't support each other, as you said, is a mystery to me. Both Castro and Cafe Royale are normally loud. But the Birthday Party noise was unlike any of that.

Good luck with the remainder of your stay. Please keep us further informed, if eventful. Excellent, helpful report.
Oliver

Re: Arrival in Boyztown

Post by Oliver »

Thanks....some posters may be unaware that the street -party issue is a new phenomenon, relatively. It started with Copa and Castro (in its previous position) no more than four years ago. And I've been a regular for twenty years, including the years when Boyztown was packed.
I can tell you that the hotel managements have indeed complained, pointing out that the 0100 to 0300 (sometimes 04.00) extreme noise was affecting bookings and takings in other bars. The entire soi is taken over for the amusement of a relative handful....not tourists, mind you, but bar-staff.
The noise from the show-bars has been better this visit. Castro has been particularly restrained.But the level of amplified street party music is beyond anything that people who have not experienced it can imagine.
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Re: Arrival in Boyztown

Post by Gaybutton »

Oliver wrote:the level of amplified street party music is beyond anything that people who have not experienced it can imagine.
Though it's never enforced, the rule about music volume must not exceed 90 decibels is still in place. The hotels and other bars could have called the police. They probably pay enough to the police, so get them to do what they're supposed to do - as a change of pace . . .

Alex wrote:Yes, entertainment zones are occasionally loud
Of course they are, but there is a difference when the entertainment zone is also a hotel zone. Why does the music volume have to be that loud? And why is the music still being blasted at that level long after the bar is supposed to be closed for the night?

Seems to me some sort of a compromise is not unreasonable. I don't see why zero consideration for others should be a justification for music so loud that it hurts other local businesses and goes beyond mere occasional annoyance for people who actually would like to be able to get some sleep in their hotel rooms.
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Re: Arrival in Boyztown

Post by Alex »

Look, I really don't care. One of the reasons why it's fun for me to live in Thailand is that there's no "old fart next door" calling the police when a party happens to get a bit louder. The price to pay for that, obviously, is that occasionally others are too noisy for my liking, too. Big deal, I just don't make a fuss either.

One thing is clear though - if what I want most is a good night's sleep during my romantic Valentine's Day Pattaya holiday with my boyfriend, I wouldn't stay smack in the middle of Boyztown or any other entertainment zone. If that's what you do and then whine about sleepless nights, I actually take delight in reading the tale of your well deserved suffering. ;)
Up2u

Re: Arrival in Boyztown

Post by Up2u »

I agree with Alex in that if you stay in the heart of an entertainment zone (like the Ambiance) then you must be realistic about the noise. For that reason, I no longer stayed in BT, and chose a quieter alternative.
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Re: Arrival in Boyztown

Post by Gaybutton »

Alex wrote:I actually take delight in reading the tale of your well deserved suffering.
That's an interesting attitude you've got there. I'd like you to address my questions. Why does the music have to be that loud, especially since it's against the law for it to be that loud in the first place? Why does the bar get to stay open, apparently with impunity, beyond the legal closing hours (and I don't agree that there should be mandatory closing hours)?
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Re: Arrival in Boyztown

Post by gerefan »

Gaybutton wrote: Why does the music have to be that loud, especially since it's against the law for it to be that loud in the first place? Why does the bar get to stay open, apparently with impunity, beyond the legal closing hours (and I don't agree that there should be mandatory closing hours)?
I thought you had lived in Thailand for years? It's called TIT.
Just put it on your long list of things I don't get!!
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Re: Arrival in Boyztown

Post by Gaybutton »

gerefan wrote:It's called TIT.
No, it's called being totally inconsiderate of others. It's called breaking the law. It's called hurting other nearby businesses for no valid reason.

If there is a valid reason for music volume to be that loud at all, much less at 3:00am, tell me what it is. Calling it TIT isn't it.
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