Sunee Plaza Nostalgia

[Gaybutton]

I took these pictures in December of 2004. I spotted them on my computer accidentally. I had forgotten I even had them.

There's 46 of them. Bring back any memories, gents? I have a feeling that, like me, some of you old timers forgot some of these places ever existed.
______________________________________________________________________________

[Undaunted]

Those pics bring back some wonderful memories, on the other hand it is also somewhat depressing to compare it to what it is now, I have written before that Sunee Plaza encompassed the good, the bad, and the ugly and it was wonderful and it is impossible to describe it to anyone that wasn't there in its prime. I spent most of my time between Sunee and yes, a very different Boystown....Jomtien had a couple of bars some would go to after a day at the beach but other than that it wasn't really anything.

[readerc54]

Thanks for posting pics. They present a Sunee that predates other photos I've seen. Seeing the names rekindles memories of bars now long extinct.

Guess they can be considered the material of the virtual Pattaya memory that will outlive us all. When guys view them three or four decades from now, what will they think? Regret that weren't around then? Awe that such physical venues existed because their only reality is the apps--or what came after the apps?

[thaifarang]

Hmm. Looks in some places quite different. In the first photograph what is that large blue-ish thing in the background? Looks like a mountain, a wall of rock. Never seen that before in Sunee.

For my understanding: Sunee is only two parallel streets, yes? One street with for example the pool of the hotel and Ting Tong Red bar. And there is a smaller parallel street? Or are other streets also seen as 'Sunee' and I have missed that completely in 2 years of travelling?

[Gaybutton]

I have missed that completely in 2 years of travelling?

Two years? Things have changed since 2004. Probably most places in the world have changed since 2004.

The gay bar area is mostly the two parallel streets. Power Boys (formerly Mic My) and Nice Boys are not on those parallel streets. Happy Boys and the short lived All Boys were both just outside of Sunee Plaza. Also, many bars and venues came and went before 2004 and after 2004, some of which were just outside of Sunee Plaza.

There were also several bars on and just off of Soi Day-Night. I don't have photos of those. Some did not yet even exist in 2004.

In other words, if your first trip to Pattaya was 2 years ago, then yes - you've missed a hell of a lot, including the days when literally dozens of boys, all hoping for a hookup with a farang, were on the beach every day. Back then we had all those bars and we had the beach, plus Boystown, Pattayaland, and Jomtien Complex. Also, back then, Pattaya's gay scene was much more "anything goes" than it is now. Most of that is history now.

Many of us are hoping the success of Winner Boys might be the infancy of a comeback for Sunee Plaza. I don't expect the Sunee Plaza gay bar scene to ever again be what it once was, especially since there are nowhere near the numbers of gay farang holiday makers coming to Pattaya these days, meaning there is not enough of a customer base to support a large number of bars. Also, the influence of the hookup sites, such as Planet Romeo, have taken their toll on the gay bar scene. To the best of my recollection most hookup sites either did not yet exist or had not yet gained the kind of popularity in 2004 that exists today. I never expected that to happen, but it did. Many boys would rather look for farang customers on the hookup sites rather than work as go-go boys or beach boys.

"I don't understand why prostitution is illegal. Selling is legal. Fucking is legal. Why isn't selling fucking legal?"
- George Carlin

[Dodger]

Great photos...great memories...thanks for sharing.

In the first photograph what is that large blueish thing in the background? Looks like a mountain, a wall of rock. Never seen that before in Sunee.

That big blue thing was Hollywood Disco and the source of some of the greatest times in my life. Just impossible to describe to someone who didn't experience it.

[Undaunted]

It is what you see in the photos that was a big part of the reason I bought a place here, frankly if I came here as a newbie today I would not have made the same decission.

[thaifarang]

In other words, if your first trip to Pattaya was 2 years ago, then yes - you've missed a hell of a lot, including the days when literally dozens of boys, all hoping for a hookup with a farang, were on the beach every day. Back then we had all those bars and we had the beach, plus Boystown, Pattayaland, and Jomtien Complex. Also, back then, Pattaya's gay scene was much more "anything goes" than it is now. Most of that is history now.

I missed indeed a lot. But then it is also an age thing. Most sex tourists start that part of their live in their 40s I imagine. But you can judge better. Now I only see on average 50 and older in the bars. How was that 10 years ago? European men in their 20s and 30s were also in Sunee and Boyztown? Now they are very rare. Ten years ago it was a common sight?

So my bad luck is that I got the age for sex tourism during the period of decline. If I had gotten the age in 2000, I would have started in 2000.

These boys who in the past were on the beach etc, they are now to be found in the apps. Some say the economy has in 10 years grown so much that most don't need to seek that life anymore, but I don't buy it. But you can judge that better. Is the average Thai a lot better off than 10 years ago? The average monthly income is still around 10.000 baht. Then being a prostitute is so much more easy money.

These boys are now in the apps instead of the beach. So you can also look at it from the bright side. It is today better: same amount of boys and cheaper for us (no drinks to pay, no off fee to pay). In other words I became a sex tourist in the best age possible!

[Jun]

Firstly, thank you for posting the photos. Some of those places were still there when I belatedly made the first visit 10 years ago. Euro boys remains a favourite.

It is what you see in the photos that was a big part of the reason I bought a place here, frankly if I came here as a newbie today I would not have made the same decission.

But where else would you go ? The Pattaya gogo bar scene is not what it was, but as far as I know, it's still the best in the world.

I'll qualify that by saying there's a lot of the world I haven't seen, but if there is a better destination, we would have heard about it on one of the forums.

The decline in Sunee is sad. Of course we have Jomtien thriving, but that's inferior on 2 counts - host bars are much less fun than a good gogo bar & getting from Boyztown to Sunee is much easier than getting to Jomtien.

[Dodger]

It is what you see in the photos that was a big part of the reason I bought a place here, frankly if I came here as a newbie today I would not have made the same decision.

I can't say the same.

Experiencing Pattaya and Sunee in its hay day has certainly left its mark, but if I were to imagine being there right now on my very first trip I could expect to experience the following:

Plenty of Gogo Bars between Boyztown and Sunee with HOT guys who want nothing more than to please me.

Dozens of beer bars with host boys who would go off to enjoy sex for less than a spaghetti dinner in Chicago.

A variety of boy massage parlors where I can choose any guy I want for an hour or two of pure heaven.

A cozy gay beach to feast on coconut shrimp and get my toe nails manicured simultaneously.

The opportunity to meet someone special for a little romance and adventure on a nearby island.

A great margarita at Panorama followed by a dazzling boy show at BoyzBoysBoyz and a hike around the sois for some spontaneity.

An endless supply of hot and spicy food just the way I like it.

And the list would go on and on.


I'm fairly certain that if this were my very first trip I would find it difficult to image finding a better place to live than HERE.