Pattaya before it was Pattaya

Anything and everything about Thailand
Doug

Re: Pattaya before it was Pattaya

Post by Doug »

Alex wrote:Back in 1988, how did you learn about what Pattaya had to offer?
Wandering through the shelves of the local (only) gay bookstore, I came across a section devoted to books, magazines and travel guides on gay Thailand. "Sparticus" was one and the language book by Allen which I've forgotten. I fell in love with the boys in the pictures and thought the real thing couldn't be that beautiful. I was very wrong.
thaiworthy

Re: Pattaya before it was Pattaya

Post by thaiworthy »

Doug wrote: came across a section devoted to books, magazines and travel guides on gay Thailand. "Sparticus" was one and the language book by Allen which I've forgotten.
The other book may be "The Men of Thailand" by Eric Allyn, originally published in 1987. But not what I would call a language book. I still have my copy, 6th edition, 1997. My first trip to Thailand occurred a year later.
User avatar
Trongpai
Posts: 1438
Joined: Wed Aug 04, 2010 10:21 am
Location: Bangkok, Ram Intra
Has thanked: 6 times
Been thanked: 310 times

Re: Pattaya before it was Pattaya

Post by Trongpai »

Spartacus originated in 1970 but did not have a Thailand section until much latter, late 80's? It was published every other year and since the scene was growing and changing it was never very accurate. Still, before the internet it was better than nothing.http://www.spartacusworld.com/en

I found this an interesting book:https://books.google.co.th/books?id=4Iy ... on&f=false

Scroll up to read the whole book.

There were also some organized gay tours of Thailand. One was called 'Tours to Paradise' run by a man by the name of Sam Adams of Hollywood ,CA. I knew him years ago and was sad to learn that he had died recently. He operated tours starting in 1990 to around 2000.
thaiworthy

Re: Pattaya before it was Pattaya

Post by thaiworthy »

Trongpai wrote:Spartacus originated in 1970 but did not have a Thailand section until much latter, late 80's? It was published every other year and since the scene was growing and changing it was never very accurate.
The entry for Thailand in the 1980 edition of the influential international gay travel guide for Spartacus International Gay Guide stated:

Thailand is a gay and a tourist paradise (sic) . . . It offers the finest sightseeing in Asia, and with such warm, friendly happy people and such handsome young men, it is a Mecca for gays . . . Thais do not use the artificial Western way of putting us all into classifications like "gay" or "straight." The most heterosexual young man may readily make love with you if he likes you. (Stamford 1980: 502)

https://books.google.co.th/books?id=kGp ... &q&f=false

The Spartacus Gay Guide continued to promote Thailand as a "gay paradise" throughout the 1980s, and the 1984 edition also used this expression to describe the country. (Stamford 1984: 640). While the language used in later editions became more circumspect, homosexuality in Thailand continued to be mythicized in Spartacus. . . .
User avatar
2lz2p
Posts: 957
Joined: Sun Aug 01, 2010 8:08 am
Location: Pattaya, Thailand (Jomtien)
Has thanked: 148 times
Been thanked: 108 times

Re: Pattaya before it was Pattaya

Post by 2lz2p »

Although I had heard about Thailand when I was stationed in Japan with the US Air Force (1966-1968), it was mostly about the girlie bars - coming from fellow GIs. Later, after being discharged, finishing college, and working, I started vacationing in Mexico - mostly Acapulco. One year, my neighbor at the gay hotel where I was staying (we shared the same large balcony area) had traveled to Thailand and was mentioning his experiences. Not too long after that, Thai Airways started flying from Dallas via Seattle and Tokyo to Bangkok. So, I decided to visit.

My first trip was in 1986 - I spent time in Bangkok to start (a different boy each night) and then finished in Pattaya - Not many Gay bars here at the time (my Spartacus Guide only listed a few) - I stayed at the Royal Garden (not the one here today, back then it was 2 or 3 floors and occupied the space where the Royal Garden Shopping mall is today) for US$50 per night (booked through USA travel agent) - no problem with joiners, they just had to leave their ID at the front desk. The following year, yep, kept coming back every year after the first trip, I stayed next door at the PK Villa for US$20 per night - back then the baht was pegged to the dollar (25 baht per dollar) - an excellent meal in a good western food restaurant was about US$5 - the off fee was less than 100 baht and the boys were quite happy with 300 baht (for all night).

The gay bars listed in Spartacus was the 69 Club - south of the end of walking street (space now occupied by Siam Bayshore Hotel), which was a gogo bar and the Paris Cafe (name may have been slightly different) also south of Walking street before you got to 69 Club - it was a small bar with freelancers and drag show on the weekends. It also mentioned Adam & Eve in North Pattaya (the boys were in their street clothes sitting in front of the stage when they were not dancing).

At the 69 Club I met a beautiful Thai boy (he was a customer and was accompanying an English guy & his boyfriend) - they were sitting at the next table and I struck up a conversation - joined them at their table and the Thai boy offered to be my "guide" - we spent my entire time in Pattaya together. He introduced me to the Gay beach (Dongtan) and the other Gay bars in Pattaya - Adam & Eve previously mentioned - also in North Pattaya was the Homex Inn (gay hotel with bar & pool). There were only two bars in the Boystown area - My Way and Gentleman's Club.

I have to say, my first trip, I felt like a kid in a candy store :o - ahh, the memories! :D
Oliver

Re: Pattaya before it was Pattaya

Post by Oliver »

None of us are likely to forget our first trips to Thailand, particularly those who- like me- had very little gay experience before our arrival.
My introduction and inspiration was a Thai Guide by Michael Notcutt which included brief reports on venues in Bangkok, Chiang Mai and Pattaya. This was 1995; by the time I arrived, much of it was already out of date but I've never forgotten the cover- a handsome young Thai in front of a golden stupa. Or was it a chedi?
And that first night....based in the Royal Garden, clutching my guide, I walked along a crowded 2nd Road (yes, very crowded!) to Boyztown. There I met my first Thai in a short-time room above Cockpit. I was much too shy to take him back to the hotel. And I've never forgotten the smell of the drains outside Moonlight Club as I returned to Royal Garden. A very Proustian moment.
Alex
Posts: 1160
Joined: Fri Dec 23, 2011 5:42 pm
Has thanked: 35 times
Been thanked: 57 times

Re: Pattaya before it was Pattaya

Post by Alex »

Oliver wrote:None of us are likely to forget our first trips to Thailand, particularly those who- like me- had very little gay experience before our arrival.
Good point. I think that's becoming increasingly rare, and probably it's also one of the reasons why Thailand's magic as a gay paradise seems to be in decline.

For those with little previous gay experience or even the need to suppress their gay identity, coming to Thailand the first time often seemed to have a liberating, maybe even life-changing effect. Those of us who enjoyed a healthy gay sex life even before coming to Thailand, on the other hand, have less to marvel about. A higher chance to score a real hottie - paid for or otherwise - yes, but something of life-changing proportions, no. No matter how many hot Thai guys I meet, it can never compete with the fun I had as a college student back home. Simply because I was younger and hornier, that more than makes up for a somewhat more limited choice in sex partners.
maump
Posts: 29
Joined: Mon May 09, 2016 2:34 am
Has thanked: 6 times
Been thanked: 2 times

Re: Pattaya before it was Pattaya

Post by maump »

You regret most the things you did not do in life.... I read Men of Thailand in the late 80"s and dreamed about it until just this last year. the time and life wasted without this joy! I missed the best, but today is still incredible.

Where else is so good? where is the new thailand? how do I get rid of my current life andd start again in thailand?

sigh...
thaiworthy

Re: Pattaya before it was Pattaya

Post by thaiworthy »

maump wrote:Where else is so good?
Nowhere, in my opinion.
maump wrote:where is the new thailand
Under your nose. You just have to look a little harder than yesterday.
maump wrote:how do I get rid of my current life and start again in thailand?
Why do you want to find the end of the rainbow? Only you can answer that question. Different subject altogether. But it seems to me you are trying to burn both ends of the candle at the same time. One end in Thailand, the other every place else. You have a nice job traveling and you make the best of it already. A decision would need to be made. Where do you want to live and/or retire, here, there or everywhere?
User avatar
Gaybutton
Posts: 21459
Joined: Sat Jul 31, 2010 11:21 am
Location: Thailand
Has thanked: 2 times
Been thanked: 1306 times

Re: Pattaya before it was Pattaya

Post by Gaybutton »

maump wrote:You regret most the things you did not do in life
I agree. I believe it was George Bernard Shaw who said, "Youth is wasted on the young." When I look back on some of the things I didn't do, but could have done, I can't help but ask myself why I was such a schmuck - and in too many ways I still am.

One thing I do not regret - moving to Thailand. Best thing I've ever done for myself. Even after living here so many years, I would do the same thing tomorrow.

I also regret a plenty of things I did. And before my time comes, I'm sure I'll do plenty more . . .
Post Reply