Sunee Plaza Update

[firecat69]

Somehow this thread has changed from how much Sunee has deteriorated to whether a mismanaged bar is better then no bar. For those who like GoGo Bars, I think it is evident that we would rather have a bunch of mismanaged bars then none at all.

But for whatever reason there were managers in the past in Sunee that ran successful operations. I think because of the apps it has become both harder and less rewarding to run a GoGo Bar, especially in Sunee.

Let's face it there are only 3 left and none appear to be that well managed or successful and thus it may only be a matter of time for it to go from 3 to 2 to 1 to none.

[Dodger]

But for whatever reason there were managers in the past in Sunee that ran successful operations. I think because of the apps it has become both harder and less rewarding to run a GoGo Bar, especially in Sunee.

I think you're spot on.

I think it's easy for some people to imagine just how hard it is for a gogo boy to do his job. Let's face it, standing on a lit stage in your underwear forcing a smile all night at a bunch of drooling farang spectators...(most being old enough to be their grandfathers with about as much sex appeal as a retired water buffalo)... has to be just too much fun. The apps we're referring to opened up a whole new avenue for them to work their trade, all within the comfort of their rooms without having to contend with controlling mamasans, police raids or drooling spectators. Another key benefit is that they also have the freedom of choice regarding who they meet up with - versus being instructed to go off with any farang customer that pulls them off the stage, which I imagine is pretty significant to them

I started peeking in at Gay Romeo a few years ago myself which resulted in a major shift in my holiday agendas. In the past I would spend nearly every night spending money at the gogo and beer bars and now only spend one or two nights a week on the bar scene, all because of the apps such as Gay Romeo, e.g., no nagging mamasans, no inflated drink prices, no off fee, no police raids to be subject to, and all arranged from the comfort of my room. A win-win situation.

[Gaybutton]

no nagging mamasans, no inflated drink prices, no off fee, no police raids to be subject to, and all arranged from the comfort of my room. A win-win situation.

That's also my own reason why I rarely bother with the bars anymore. Of course, there's a big difference between living here and being here for a relatively brief holiday. If I were still a holiday maker, I'm sure I would be in the bars every night too, but I'm not. Many farang residents, however, still enjoy going to the bars every night.

You left one thing out of your list. Along with everything else, apps such as Gay Romeo also provide a far greater selection of willing young gents than bar hopping does. While many bar boys also have Gay Romeo profiles, and often work those profiles even when in the bar, many boys who have nothing to do with the bars are also on Gay Romeo.

A few years ago I disputed the idea that these online apps were hurting the bar businesses. I've changed my mind about that. Now I think these apps have a definite effect on the bar businesses. At the time of this post, it's about 11:35pm in Pattaya. A few years ago I probably would have been in a bar. Now my feeling is what for? While I realize many prefer to see the real boy and check certain body part sizes, for me those sizes don't mean a damned thing. I couldn't care less about size. Sometimes I do end up disappointed with a Gay Romeo hook-up, but for me that's rare. The times I ended up disappointed with bar boys vastly outnumbers the times I was disappointed with boys from Gay Romeo.

I'm at home right now. I can open Gay Romeo, select a willing young gent, have him here within twenty minutes, and I don't have to buy drinks I don't want in the first place, fight the traffic, look for a place to park, spend a single baht in a bar, have my eardrums blasted out by the music volume, and don't have to move a single inch from where I'm sitting at this very moment. And I pay less for the annual privilege than I would probably pay just spending one evening in a go-go bar.

I still enjoy the bars occasionally, but I don't need the bars. I have a feeling I'm not alone in that, and if that is so it could very well be a factor in why the bars are having problems.

Some bar owners better figure out that apps such as Gay Romeo have become serious competition for them and they better do something to attract back "apps people" if they want to survive. I'll say the same thing I've been saying all along - if the bars want people like me to be frequent customers, terrific. I'll start going again just as soon as they start doing things to make it fun for me to be there. Why should I go to a bar and wind up spending hundreds of baht in there if I don't even really enjoy it?

"It's a book. It's a good book. But it's not the only book."
- Spencer Tracy (Henry Drummond), 'Inherit the Wind'

[Oliver]

Absolutely. After twenty years of visiting at least three times a year, that's my position too.

[Jun]

As a tourist, I prefer the gogo bars to web dating. With GayRomeo, he might look different to expectations, or arrive ridiculously late. The bars can be more fun & the boys are right there in front of you, so you know what they look like and there is no risk of them turning up late.

I can see why longer term residents have a different view. The novelty of the bars might wear off and if your GayRomeo boy doesn't work out, there is always tomorrow.


What's the situation with the straight bars ? They have web dating as well, so is the number of those declining as well ? That's exactly what I would expect if web dating was the main reason for Sunee closures.

Of course, perhaps it could be a combination of web dating, police raids (with associated costs) & other factors, like people going elsewhere due to inept management of the bars.

[Dodger]

The times I ended up disappointed with bar boys vastly outnumbers the times I was disappointed with boys from Gay Romeo.

Same...same.

I think some of this has to do with the weeding-out process. I start by weeding out the overly-obvious money boys on Gay Romeo and get to know a bit about their personalities via chatting before making any plans to hook up. As you implied, there are a lot of non-bar boys online and your chances of meeting a genuinely nice guy are much better than on the bar scene. The last 3 darlings I spent time with didn't drink or have any interest whatsoever in visiting the bar scene.

I hooked up with a GR guy a while back who ended up living with me for two consecutive holidays spanning a 6 month period and he was (is) a wonderful guy. I've met a handful of other GR guys with similar positive traits who I've shacked up with periodically for long stays, which I wouldn't even consider with a working bar boy.

For me, there's always been a very noticeable trend when offing bar boys: The first time results in HOT sex. The second off results in...well, luke warm sex...and by the third off the sex goes flat and he starts telling me about his families money problems, This is the reason why I never off the same boy from a bar more than twice during the same holiday period. With boys I've hooked up with via GR, I've enjoyed much better sex on a much more consistent basis, without all the game playing.

I think online social networking is here to stay and it's almost impossible for gogo bars, (which will soon be outdated IMO), to compete with. Sunee Plaza is just feeling the effects of this change in dynamics sooner than the rest of the gay areas in Pattaya because it has the weakest financial footing.

All these things factor in to the decline of the gogo and beer bar businesses, as there's simply no way they can compete.

[Gaybutton]

With GayRomeo, he might look different to expectations, or arrive ridiculously late.

Those possibilities exist, but at least for me it's rarely ever happened. Sometimes the boy arrives 30 to 40 minutes late. When that happens it's usually not the boy's fault. It's been because of where I live. When it happens, it's always the first time the boy is trying to come to my place. I know the motorbike taxi driver won't find my place. Other than the taxi drivers local to me, they have no idea. After all, I live on "The Dark Side" and the city motorbike drivers are not always familiar with my area.

What I do is arrange to first-time meet at a location close to where I live, a location the motorbike taxi driver should be able to find without difficulty, and meet the boy there. Even that doesn't always work. Occasionally they have a rough time trying to find even that location. That's the reason why the boy might arrive much later than arranged. Of course, once the boy gets to my place, now he knows where to go and he's rarely late a second time.

Another factor, for me, is I prefer boys in the afternoon rather than at night. Many of the bar boys work until the wee hours and afterwards they don't necessarily go right back to their rooms and go to sleep. They might not even make it to bed until 5:00am or so. At the times I want them, many are still asleep.

Regarding looking different from expectations, I've posted this before - I've had that happen only once, a few years ago. The boy who showed up was not the boy in the profile photos. That was fine with me. I liked him far better than the boy in the photos and I still often see him. Don't look for him in working in a bar. You won't find him. He's not a bar boy.

All these things factor in to the decline of the gogo and beer bar businesses, as there's simply no way they can compete.

I agree with most of your post, but I disagree with this part. I think they can compete just fine if, and only if, they do what I constantly harp about - making their bars attractive, fun places to be. Simply presenting boys in underwear and/or presenting crappy bar shows just doesn't cut it anymore. Not for me,anyway. If they'll do it, chances are people like me will be right back to the nightly bar scene.

[firecat69]

I agree they can definitely compete for vacation visitors ( 1-2 weeks). But, and it is a Big but, they have to do things right and that means lots of boys, mamasans who bother you only when asked and controlling the boys ( no phones) and the rotation.

That is what Rose did for years at Funny Boys. I have always found Toy Boys that way but not as good as the old Funny. Boys has been rejuvenated by managers who apparently get it.

It can be done it is just harder and much harder in Sunee where a smaller % of Gay visitors ever frequent.

[Gaybutton]

they have to do things right and that means lots of boys, mamasans who bother you only when asked and controlling the boys ( no phones) and the rotation.

That is for sure. Suppose a go-go bar actually starts doing those things while the rest of them just keep things status quo. I don't think anyone needs me to predict which bar would get most of the customers.

I have no problem with mama-sans, waiters, managers, or whoever if they greet you when you enter the bar, maybe take your drink order, if they haven't seen you before chat you up just long enough to know whether you're experienced, offer help if you're not experienced, and then just get lost unless and until summoned.

[Oliver]

My memories of my first visits (in the 90s) do not include anything good or bad about mamasans. I suspect that this was because many of the bars were busy. It looks to me as
if the rise (if that's the correct term) of the problem-mamasan results from near-empty bars and bored staff.