Saving Soi Twilight

[Jun]

Talking of which, I wonder what levels the tea money have reached in that soi? Chatting to the mamasan of one of the beer bars 3 or 4 years ago, I was told the monthly payments were Bt.160,000 for inside gogo bars and Bt.40,000 for the beer bars.

Corruption must inevitably be a contributing factor in the general decline. But hopeless management must surely bear the brunt of the blame.

I suspect too much greed with the collection of tea money could well be a major factor.
Looking at Pattaya, where were regular reports of raids on Sunee gogos for several years & the number of them declined markedly. I would suspect there was a substantial cost to stop further raids. Maybe the Soi Twilight bars just pay up and lump the cost onto the drink prices.

You are also right about the management. I don't spend enough time sampling the Bangkok gogo bars to form an opinion, but the new Cupidol bar in Pattaya was absolutely packed last month. Loads of cute boys in whities on stage & so many customers, boys actually had to sit on my lap . Whilst that bar was thriving, other less well managed bars are declining and closing.

[Undaunted]

My experience does not mirror yours. Whenever we went in we never were rushed for a drink, the boys were attentive and the fellow in charge (the same one with the beer bar now in Twilight) was always helpful never pushy.

I think you are virtually agreeing with me! I was clear in saying there was never any pressure to buy a drink as soon as you arrived, and the manager I referred to was the farang co-owner - not the Thai mamasan who now has the bar in Soi Twilight. In our many visits we never were given any impression that he might have been a co-owner. In fact he was not very complimentary about the farang co-owner!

As the bar has been closed now at least 3 years the point is moot, guess I was lucky never meeting the falang co-owner.

[Oliver]

Just to clarify, my post was in support of fountainhall's. When I was last in Solid, there were only twelve or so guys available when a falang (I had no idea at the the time that he was the owner) came in, removed five of them and had a private chat with them, accompanied by copious cigarette smoke.

[fountainhall]

Given the relative lack of customers every time I was there - and it must have been several dozen, I cannot understand that farang's motive in pumping money into such a bar. Perhaps it was merely a vanity project where he could have his 5 boys around him whenever he was there. To be fair, I only was aware of him that one time I mentioned earlier, but clearly he was there more regularly. I always felt Solid could have carved quite a unique niche in the gay bar scene that, had it been run more effectively, should have brought in more customers and more success.

[thaifarang]

Where else would you go where you can expect to find a similar number of gays available at similar prices?

Each time I am approached by more guys on the apps than I could possibly meet – and only once has money been requested. He was very open about it and I politely declined.

These guys were all in their twenties? What is your age?

I would visit immediately and skip my Thailand travels if every 45 plus Farang gets approached for free sex by gay guys in their early twenties in these places you visit. If it is true what you say then Asian gays really have a fetish for middle aged Farang. Too bad the young gays in my country don't have that fetish. Would save me a lot of money.

[thaifarang]

About that tea money.

What would happen if you charge the police officer? Because it is obviously illegal for the police to ask for this money. Has someone ever filed charges?

[fountainhall]

I would visit immediately and skip my Thailand travels if every 45 plus Farang gets approached for free sex by gay guys in their early twenties in these places you visit.

I was referring to my regular visits to Taipei in my earlier post. I actually get quite tired of pointing out that there is plenty of free sex available for those not only aged 45 but even a couple of decades or so older. Tired, if only because so few posters on this and other chat rooms say they find it hard to believe! There is an automatic assumption that hook-ups via the internet sites inevitably mean with money boys! Yet very few seem to bother considering even one trip there!

In Taiwan, the guys I meet all tell me they only want to meet older westerners but there are so few living there - and many already have boyfriends. So they are happy to meet up with visitors. I actually find it easier in Taiwan than I do in Thailand! On the other hand, if it's money boys you look for in the social networking sites, then Thailand is definitely the place for there appear to be very few on the internet in Taiwan.

What would happen if you charge the police officer? Because it is obviously illegal for the police to ask for this money. Has someone ever filed charges?

You HAVE to be joking! In Thailand?

[Gaybutton]

These guys were all in their twenties? What is your age?

Not all, but most, yes. As a matter of fact, I just came back from a few days in Bangkok. I chatted with a Planet Romeo boy. I had chatted with him before, but we never had met. He wanted to come to meet me at the Malaysia Hotel. He took a taxi and due to distance and traffic it took him over an hour to get there. We had a fabulous time. He refused to take any money, saying he has a good job and doesn't need my money. I insisted on at least paying for the taxi, both to and from. He reluctantly accepted it. He is as 'my type' as it gets. He is 28.

Fountainhall is right. You are far more likely to get free sex from young gents in Bangkok than in Pattaya, but it does happen, at least for me, on occasion in Pattaya.

As for my age - well, I'll put it this way: My next birthday will be an anniversary of my 39th . . .

[thaifarang]

You HAVE to be joking! In Thailand?

I am serious. I don't know Thailand inside out. I come there for a bit more than 2 years now.

But yes, what would happen? Tell me. Because it IS illegal. Yes? Then what would happen if you go to a higher authority and file charges. What would they say to you? They know that police officer broke the law, what would they say to get out of it, to not file charges? What would their line of reasoning be?

I know Thailand is not as free as Europe. I know their media is less free. But when I visit it doesn't feel that horribly unfree.

[Gaybutton]

But yes, what would happen? Tell me.

You know what would happen to the police officer? Nothing. But the consequences for whoever needed to pay the tea money would likely be disastrous. He, for sure, would at the very least be subjected to retaliation. The bar owners are well aware of what would happen if they refuse to pay.

Think about it. Why would a bar owner agree to pay tea money in the first place? Maybe the police officer is breaking the law, but if a bar owner has to pay tea money, so is he. He could refuse to pay, but probably wind up seeing his bar harassed and probably end up closed.

If it would do any good to file charges against the police officer, then the bar owners would be filing charges against the police officer.