Sorry wowpow,
to complete answers to your questions:
- Pattaya was quite active, many go go boy venues, but mostly small and not all that many customers, but I guess a little more farang than Thai. The bar now called 'Soho' was already established under diferent name. There was one place quite big, since completely gone, located somewhere around where UOB Bank is now located on South Pattaya Road, just around the corner from current Dream boys etc. Many hot boys, very popular, very friendly. Obviously, many years back the land owner decided to get much better return and this place closed.
No gay venues in the Jomtien or Sunee plaza areas.
'Nautilus' was already well established maybe 20 years back. This was in North Pattaya, behind what was Brunos restaurant, which has now moved to the road going down to Jomtien. 'Nautilus' was a mock up of a submarine. Had many hot boys, mostly masculine types, dancing on small low stage very close to customer seating, plus every hour all the boys swam / did water 'aerobics' routines, in the pool, which had many large 'porthole' windows. Very sexy. This venue closed I guess 10 to 12 years back. I have fond memories of this place, where I met a sea gypsy young man from the South of Thailand, about 25 years old, total dream (for me) in every way: great body / very masculine / gentle fun personality / totally hairless / very affectionate. Many times I spend my week-ends in Pattaya with him. Typical situation of a young man with wife at home, but for him sex was sex, enjoy it in any form. Eventually he went home, great memories.
Twenty years back there was also a place called 'Homex Inn' even further down into North Pattaya. This was a small 2 star hotel, with a go go boy corner. Lots of very hot boys. Also had a swimming pool, and many of the boys hung around the pool in their speedos/underwear in the day time and did lots of short-time business in the hotel rooms. Also some good memories from here. I think hotel room was about 100Baht. Off fee was I think 50Baht, all night companion maybe 200Baht. Short time session from the swimming pool, maybe 80-100Baht.
In same era there was a 'gay' hotel already in operation where 'Cafe-Royale' is now located. Different owner to now, the old place was quite grotty, nothing like today, had a simple coffee shop, again nothing like the restaurant today. Young farang owner was eventually run out of town, so the story goes. If I recall this was because of non payment of debts incurred.
I recall one incident outside this hotel in the daytime when a farang was beaten up by a group of go go boys, who claimed they had all gone through the same non payment routine with this character:
- Boy gets offed from a bar, farang demands sex all night, next morning farang claims he has run out of cash, says he will change travellers cheque* during the day and come back to the boys venue that evening with payment. Never reappeared. Apparently this had happened every night for quite a few nights. The word spread quickly to beware of this character. Eventually boys get together and tracked him down, and Farang gets severely beaten up, police arrive, farang taken promptly to Don Muang airport after healthy payment arranged for the go go boys. (*in these days no ATM machines yet in Thailand with international withdrawal facilities, everything was done by travellers cheques.)
Jomtien beach already busy, but not the volume of today. Quite a few freelance beach boys. Back then you could see lots of very very open sex activity with very young underage boys. I can recall a couple of incidents when other gay beach goers got very angry with these people and demanded they immediately leave the beach, under threat of violence. Thrown off the beach by the other beach goers. Service Kiosks already existed, but only maybe 2 places.
Sorry I can't comment about shopping centre cruising, cinemas etc., this is just not my scene. (Not meaning to be judgemental, what others do is their business totally.)
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