Gays in Pattaya

Pattaya Beach is a truly welcoming, comfortable place for gay travelers. There are several reasons for this. Among these are that:

1. Thai culture is generally more accepting and tolerant of homosexuality than are many  other cultures.
2. Pattaya is a major tourist destination and, in Thailand, gay Thais tend to concentrate around these places. Thus,   the population of gay Thais relative to the general Thai population is quite large.
3. There are many businesses in Pattaya that actively seek gay customers. Many have gay owners.
4. Gay foreigners have felt comfortable in Pattaya and   have settled there.
5. Most non-gay people in Pattaya have no interest in gay people one way or the other. They are too busy making money or chasing women to be bothered or interested.
6. The Thai tourism industry is naturally hospital to all guests…with the possible exception of terrorists and so forth!!!!

Thus, Thailand is an excellent place for gay tourists, either traveling alone or with a partner, to visit and have fun.

Where in Pattaya is the best place for gay people to go? Well, most gays are comfortable on all the beaches and in all public places such as shopping malls and restaurants. There are a couple of areas in Pattaya that have many gay bars, massage parlors, A Go-Gos and  other businesses that serve gays. One area is called “Pattayaland” and is located near the walking street, east of the Royal Gardens Mall, and between the first and second beach roads. When on the second beach road, one can easily identify the area by a large “Boyztown” sign. A second area is located on and off of Soi 17, “Soi VC,” in South Pattaya, next to the VC Hotel. If one walks up Soi VC a few blocks,  beginning where it intersects with the road heading toward Jomtien Beach, one will come to a smattering of gay bars and discos. To the right are two sois which together are called “Sunee Plaza.” Unfortunately, the “Sunee” part of the welcoming signs have been removed but the area is easy to recognize.   The number of gay establishments here is very concentrated and is distinctly separated from the surrounding area. There is also a nice gay area in nearby Jomtien Beach, which also has its own gay beach, Dongtan Beach (lots of straight people go there, too). The gay area in Jomtien is located to the left of Theprasit Road between the north police station and  the sharp right turn where Theprasit Road heads due east to the beach. Dongtan Beach is to the right of the police station and a short walk from the gay bars and businesses.

So what is Dongtan Beach like? Oh, it is a very nice beach, probably the best in the area. Guests can get beach massages from a large contingent of male masseuses and meet the young muscle men that walk up and down the beach searching for new friends.  The bars and guest houses are a short walk away.

Is it easy to find somewhere to stay in Pattaya? Sure. Most guest houses and hotels don’t ask questions and don’t care. There are guest houses and hotels around Pattayaland, Soi VC, Sunee Plaza and Dongtan Beach that are very gay friendly. These might be the best bet if one wants a truly gay vacation!! Beware that many of the guest houses around Soi VC and Sunee Plaza cater to Arab guests. These are easy to identify.

So, what are the gay bars like? Most of them are nice, and are run by gay Thais. The bars in  Pattayaland are large and impressive. Some have live “entertainment.” The bars in Sunee Plaza are smaller and more intimate.  The bars in Pattayaland employ large numbers of young men to make guests feel welcome. Bars in Sunee Plaza are more likely to rely on freelancers. Guests in bars are obligated to buy a drink…and that is it. Guests will be approached by young men, but can simply say “no” if they are not interested in conversation.

What are the young men in the bars like? Most are in their early or mid twenties and most speak fairly good English.  They are nice, friendly and respectful. They will try to please guests. They are more than happy to go home with guests if guests will pay the bar a fee called a “bar fine.” These begin at around 300 baht and might be higher depending on the bar. The young men will ask for between 1,000 and 1,500 baht for their services…which usually include a wide variety of activities.  They are usually available for the duration of a guest’s visit if financial arrangements can be made…money is important to these young men. It should also be realized by guests that not all of the young men working in these bars are gay. Some are heterosexual. This, however, will not usually affect their efforts to please guests.

Do I have to worry about meeting underage young men? The young men in Pattayaland are probably “safe”…that is they are of legal age. It is rumored that a fair number of the young men in Sunee Plaza are underage. You should always ask a bartender to vouch for the young man, and ask to see the guest’s identification card. If the young man does not have a card, then just say “no” as he also might be in the country illegally…which is also a good indication he is underage. Another indication a young man is underage is his inability to speak English. It is always a good idea to be careful as the penalties for relationships with underage males are severe.

Do I have to worry about a young man I meet in a bar hurting me? Well, if the young man is an employee of the bar or known to the  bar, the answer is “no.” If you meet someone hanging around outside the bar or on the walking street or boardwalk, it is still unlikely the person would harm you but the possibilities increase. It must always be considered that a man outside of a bar might pretend to be gay to get access to your room and possessions. Therefore, it makes a lot of sense to select a partner through a bar.

What are the chances of meeting a life partner in Pattaya? Well, some people who meet in Pattaya do form long term relationships but it is at least as difficult for gays as it is for heterosexuals to arrange a relationship for life. It is probably more difficult because governments generally will not recognize these relationships as legal, thus creating all kinds of problems for the people involved. Also, one should not underestimate the problem of overcoming cultural differences and the fact that the Thai man will almost always expect the foreigner to be the “provider,” which means to make and supply the money. If one can meet a gay Thai man outside the “bar scene,” which is possible if one stays in Pattaya for more than a few weeks,  then the possibility of Western style equality increases.    

Are there places in Pattaya where gay people should not go? Basically, you should avoid a lot of the small bars off of the beach roads. This is because there are a fair number of  mentally disturbed foreigners that live in or visit Pattaya and they are apt to dislike people for any number of ridiculous reasons…how they part their hair, whether they like or dislike Manchester United, whether they are tall or short and so forth. One is most likely to come across these people – drinking themselves into unconsciousness – in small bars. They probably won’t bother you  if you just drink quietly, but it is better to avoid conversations. There is probably no good reason for a gay traveler to go into one of these bars… except, perhaps, curiosity!

What is the lesbian scene in Pattaya like? Unfortunately for gay ladies, there are no lesbian bars and there  is no organized lesbian scene in Pattaya.  It is possible for lesbians to meet young Thai ladies in heterosexual bars but everything is hit and miss. Many of the ladies in the bars will be as happy – maybe more happy - to go home with a young foreign lady as with a foreign man. Money will, however, always be involved. Some ladies working in the heterosexual bars are gay, but most are not. Many Thai ladies in heterosexual bars would not consider being entertained by a foreign woman in the woman’s hotel or guest house. A problem gay foreign women face in trying to meet a partner is that the Thai ladies often do not speak English – or any other foreign language except perhaps Lao – very well.  Lesbians traveling with partners, however,  will have very nice time together and will not be disturbed in anyway!! All doors will be open to them.