Perhaps had they had a bit of “sleaze” they might still be in business as everything else they tried failed.TomUK wrote: ↑Tue Dec 24, 2019 4:11 pm My bar of choice would be a reincarnation of All of Me in Sunee Plaza as it was in 2013. Here not all the boys were my type, but they were all fun to be with in the bar because they all interacted with the customers and with each other. I bought quite a few bottles of whiskey to share with the boys and I never had so much fun in any other bar, and that's without the sleaze some people seem to be craving so much.
Eros to reopen soon in Boystown
- Undaunted
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Re: Eros to reopen soon in Boystown
"In the land of the blind the one eyed man is king"
- Gaybutton
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Re: Eros to reopen soon in Boystown
That's part of the problem and it is a problem faced by all the bars. Not long ago we were talking about what we think bars ought to do to attract more customers.
Now, due to many factors, and I think the main factor is the strong baht, there aren't so many customers left anymore to attract.
The existing bars, and any future bars, need to figure out what their customers really want and they better make sure they're giving it to them. Otherwise we'll be lucky if any of the go go bars survive for much longer at all.
5 years, 10 years, 15 years from now - what will Pattaya's gay scene be like? Will there even still be a gay scene? Will there be a comeback and more bars will open? Will the current situation remain status quo?
Personally, I've lost my optimism about it. What do you folks think?
Re: Eros to reopen soon in Boystown
After the swimming pool in Boyztown, why not add a monorail and an 18 hole golf course ?
Re: Eros to reopen soon in Boystown
There are many factors besides the strong baht to the decline of the bars :
The prices were raised sharply on the last years. Thailand is more expensive then the neighborhood countries.
The visa restrictions on expats and tourists.
Less boys are available and willing to work in bars due the strength of the economy and the decline in birth.
The apps and internet dating sites are cheap and easy alternative to bars for finding boys
The prices were raised sharply on the last years. Thailand is more expensive then the neighborhood countries.
The visa restrictions on expats and tourists.
Less boys are available and willing to work in bars due the strength of the economy and the decline in birth.
The apps and internet dating sites are cheap and easy alternative to bars for finding boys
Re: Eros to reopen soon in Boystown
As you ask Mr Gaybutton, for me it is something like this....
It all started to go wrong a long time ago. Since I started coming to Thailand in 2004 practically every year there has been a crisis, each year there has always something to deter us returning. In no particular order;
Red Shirts and Yellow riots.
Shootings in Bangkok.
Bombs at Erawan Shrine
Flooding affecting large areas of Thailand.
Airport Closed. No flights
Coup. Martial Law
Closing hours of bars and entertainment more strictly enforced.
Beach closures.
Strong Baht.
Ridiculous Visa requirements invented.
Hoardes of Chinese Tour Groups
And finally...for us Brits..Brexit and the fall of the GBP.
So there you have it. I wonder what will await us next season.
- Gaybutton
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Re: Eros to reopen soon in Boystown
No need to worry. Everything will be perfect. Can't have anything spoiling the "good image" of Thailand and Pattaya, you know . . .
That part definitely applies to me. Speaking only for myself, I will truly be sorry if all the Pattaya go-go bars become a thing of the past, but if that happens there would be no direct effect on me. I just don't enjoy the go-go bars anymore. I easily find plenty of boys that interest me on the apps.
For me, just some of the advantages of the apps are:
1. I'm not a drinker. I see no reason to go to bars and have to pay for drinks I don't even want along with paying for "drink for boy." I might go on occasion just to do something different, but I rarely really enjoy it.
2. No paying to have a boy sit with me.
3. Many boys on the apps are not money boys at all and really are attracted to aging farang. I don't have a clue as to why, but they're there.
4. I don't even have to leave my home. I find the boys on the apps and they come to me where I am. Along with their tip, I also pay their motorbike taxi fare.
5. No excessively loud music.
6. If the boy of interest is also interested in my preferences, great! See you soon. If not, the chat quickly moves on to the next lad.
7. No pushy waiters or mama-sans.
8. I couldn't care less about cock size. Cock size is of no interest to me whatsoever, so I have no need to inspect the "goods."
9. I can find boys whenever I wish, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
10. If bars are closed for holidays or can open, but serve only non-alcoholic beverages, that changes nothing for me.
11. When I've taken boys off from bars, if I return to that bar the boy I took off usually assumes I want him again. That makes it awkward if this time I'd rather take a different boy. Such situations are easily avoided on the apps.
12. I don't have to see any customers doing things publicly with boys that should be done only privately.
13. I don't have to worry about having to use filthy restrooms.
14. I don't have to waste my time watching boys on the stage paying no attention to me, staring into mobile phones, staring at themselves in mirrors, or doing nothing but the "one knee shuffle."
15. Wherever I am in Thailand, even in rural areas, cities, towns, and villages that don't have any gay bars, I can easily find willing young gents.
Again, I'm speaking only for myself here. I certainly understand why many prefer the bars to the apps, but for me, I prefer the apps.
Re: Eros to reopen soon in Boystown
Don Mueang was packed a couple of days ago (international terminal). That's an airport which briefly closed after Suvarnabhumi opened and when it did reopen, the place was mostly deserted.
Lots of visitors going somewhere. There seems to be plenty of tourism, just not much of it going to gay bars.
Even I am increasingly using apps. If I visit a gogo bar, OK the drink gets me to see lots of handsome lads on stage, but with the apps it's much easier to set expectations for an off. In the bar, the lad is already sat next to me when we have that conversation, so there is more bias towards taking him, even when there are warning signs.
To just get a boy out of the bar can cost between 700 and 1400 in Bangkok (£35). Apparently more in certain bars. Then the boy might start trying to say "minimum tip for Toy Boys 1500", but if you offer the same lad "minimum 1000" on Grindr, his response is usually "can I come now ?". (I normally give more than 1000)
Having carefully defined expectations on the phone app, on average, the performance in the hotel room is better than from the bar boys. Also, no phone call from the mamasan 45 minutes later (admittedly I only ever got that from Classic Boys).
Lots of visitors going somewhere. There seems to be plenty of tourism, just not much of it going to gay bars.
Even I am increasingly using apps. If I visit a gogo bar, OK the drink gets me to see lots of handsome lads on stage, but with the apps it's much easier to set expectations for an off. In the bar, the lad is already sat next to me when we have that conversation, so there is more bias towards taking him, even when there are warning signs.
To just get a boy out of the bar can cost between 700 and 1400 in Bangkok (£35). Apparently more in certain bars. Then the boy might start trying to say "minimum tip for Toy Boys 1500", but if you offer the same lad "minimum 1000" on Grindr, his response is usually "can I come now ?". (I normally give more than 1000)
Having carefully defined expectations on the phone app, on average, the performance in the hotel room is better than from the bar boys. Also, no phone call from the mamasan 45 minutes later (admittedly I only ever got that from Classic Boys).
Re: Eros to reopen soon in Boystown
Just to get a boy out of the bar can cost between 700 and 1400 in Bangkok and with his off fee total of 2200 to 4000 Bht just for one ST! For this amount you can take from the apps 2 to 4 boys.
I go to bars for fun but don't off boys from there anymore only through the apps.
I go to bars for fun but don't off boys from there anymore only through the apps.
Re: Eros to reopen soon in Boystown
If cost were the only factor, I wouldn't off from gogo bars either.
However with 700 to get the boy out of the bar in Pattaya and a 1300 tip appreciated, the 2000 total is acceptable. Although, as stated, I now use apps more than bars.
In Bangkok, the figure is more like 1300 & 1600, so a total near 3000. Following that, the lad is almost certain to ask for 2000, instead of 1600. However, after getting his 1600, the same lad will still be hitting on me next time I go to the bar, implying the tip was sufficient. Meanwhile, if a lad invites me to his Bangkok bar via Grindr, he's happy to pre-agree 1500.
Going to gogo bars for fun is not quite the same as the past.
For example, the time I went to Eros and a hot naked lad was very quickly bouncing up and down on my lap.
Or the Vasu towel nights, where the boys used to try and steal each other's towels.
Watching them stood there can be slightly erotic and is a great way of picking an attractive lad, but it needs some action to be fun.
However with 700 to get the boy out of the bar in Pattaya and a 1300 tip appreciated, the 2000 total is acceptable. Although, as stated, I now use apps more than bars.
In Bangkok, the figure is more like 1300 & 1600, so a total near 3000. Following that, the lad is almost certain to ask for 2000, instead of 1600. However, after getting his 1600, the same lad will still be hitting on me next time I go to the bar, implying the tip was sufficient. Meanwhile, if a lad invites me to his Bangkok bar via Grindr, he's happy to pre-agree 1500.
Going to gogo bars for fun is not quite the same as the past.
For example, the time I went to Eros and a hot naked lad was very quickly bouncing up and down on my lap.
Or the Vasu towel nights, where the boys used to try and steal each other's towels.
Watching them stood there can be slightly erotic and is a great way of picking an attractive lad, but it needs some action to be fun.
Re: Eros to reopen soon in Boystown
I decided Bangkok was not for me anymore a few years ago and don't visit anymore. I think the prices in the gogobars there are insane. Probably most farang expats in Bkk do as you, take boys from the apps instead.ISAC69 wrote: ↑Thu Dec 26, 2019 1:20 pm Just to get a boy out of the bar can cost between 700 and 1400 in Bangkok and with his off fee total of 2200 to 4000 Bht just for one ST! For this amount you can take from the apps 2 to 4 boys.
I go to bars for fun but don't off boys from there anymore only through the apps.
That is what was good about Eros. They had reasonably priced drinks and offered fun entertainment with un-shy boys. That is why they got money from me as a regular customer. Paying 350-500 baht/drink to see ladyboy cabaret shows as in the bars of Bangkok I can be without.
Now when Eros is supposedly (I believe it when I see it) moving to Boystown and also will have a swimming pool I would guess the drink prices will have to go up to pay for the expensive rent in that area. They will probably also have to attract the chinese crowd to survive in Boystown.