"Jomtien Supertown Walking Street" -- they built it, will you come?

[champers]

2 hours ago, Henryford said:

Whilst it is seen as a Gay area it will never take off. No girlie bars, no a Go Gos, no non Gay bars, well that rules out 90% of any potential customers.

Working on your assumption that gays make up 10% of the population, that equates to 150 million people in China. Let's say there is a 50/50 split by sex, so 75 million of both. That is a hell of a potential market in China alone. There are other large population centres where gays are routinely repressed to one degree or another. Russia and Iran spring to mind, both with big visitor numbers to Pattaya.

Edited January 10, 2019 by champers

[petermik]

8 hours ago, champers said:

I am sure there is a lot of money in it. You aren't likely to see such a tour advertised in China, so how could an entrepreneur in Thailand make contact with the target market?

Just take a walk round Naklua with a sandwich board strapped on

[Jingthing]

Working on your assumption that gays make up 10% of the population, that equates to 150 million people in China. Let's say there is a 50/50 split by sex, so 75 million of both. That is a hell of a potential market in China alone. There are other large population centres where gays are routinely repressed to one degree or another. Russia and Iran spring to mind, both with big visitor numbers to Pattaya.

Middle Eastern, South Asian, and Russian gay people have been coming to Pattaya for decades already. The Chinese demographic boom is more recent but likely the most consequential in the long term.

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[Jingthing]

I will add that I think the Chinese restaurant and hostel adjacent to the Supertown entrance sign is another positive sign about the future of the area. It's not a gay specific business at all, but welcoming to all including Chinese and westerners. As another member correctly pointed out, this very high visibility large restaurant is not technically "in" the nightlife area. But it anchors it and I think it signals that the neighborhood or gayborhood if you like is on the up, and offering something of interest to most everyone. I have no financial interest in any business there but I wish I did.

[Destiny1990]

How about adding some tomboy and ladyboy bars the place can use some diversity.

[Jingthing]

1 minute ago, Destiny1990 said:

How about adding some tomboy and ladyboy bars the place can use some diversity.

Well, the area does seem to cater heavily to foreigners, tourists and expats, and it's my impression that lesbian tourism isn't a big thing here, so the Tomboy bars that exist are not commercial and generally for Thai people. Ladyboy bars probably not there already because those are mostly for straight identified men as the place has been largely focused on nightlife for gay men. But yeah, that's not a bad idea at all to bring in more straight identified men. 

[pegman]

I've read reports that all the leases at the RomPho Beer Bar Complex will not be renewed this spring by the church that owns the land. There will likely be plenty of bar owners and patrons looking for a close by area to relocate. 

[Jingthing]

8 minutes ago, pegman said:

I've read reports that all the leases at the RomPho Beer Bar Complex will not be renewed this spring by the church that owns the land. There will likely be plenty of bar owners and patrons looking for a close by area to relocate. 

That's interesting. But the area continues to be considered a mostly gay zone but it's not unheard of for such districts to change. At this point it's hard to predict what will ultimately happen in that area but that changes are happening is undeniable. Who knows, the way things are going, it could even become Jomtien Chinatown. 

Edited January 10, 2019 by Jingthing

[bkk6060]

Well, one of the biggest sporting events in the world is the Super Bowl.

I like the name Supertown.

And my nick name is Superman.

So, I need to go!!

Edited January 10, 2019 by bkk6060

[Jingthing]

Just now, bkk6060 said:

Well, one of the biggest sporting events in the world is the Super Bowl.

I like the name Supertown.

Yeah it's growing on me. 

I don't really know if that branding will stick. People that already live here will continue to call it Jomtien Complex. But as there's always a turnover and busloads of tourists, newer people are likely to adopt the new name because they don't know the old name. 

[Cricky]

22 hours ago, Jingthing said:

It being Jomtien, there are no go go bars

#1 Agogo is opposite the Jomtien Complex.

 

22 hours ago, Jingthing said:

Do you buy it as the area's secondary Walking Street?

The place is full of boys, gay men only, not for me.

Possibly secondary "Boys Town".

[Jingthing]

12 minutes ago, VYCM said:

#1 Agogo is opposite the Jomtien Complex.

 

The place is full of boys, gay men only, not for me.

Possibly secondary "Boys Town".

Dude you take my post out of context and that is totally obnoxious. 

I never said there were no go go bars in Jomtien. I was only talking about the Complex/Supertown.

All locals know about the Jomtien one exception not in that zone at all. 

No, secondary Boystown is a really stupid idea. Pattaya Boystown as you put it isn't even called that. 
You're also wrong that the zone is "only" about gay oriented stuff. Largely yes but there is plenty that isn't. Some nightlife and of course restaurants are for anyone. Also there are some hotels there that are not "gay hotels" per se. Not the mention the blind massage place in there that is not a gay business and is basically world famous. 

 

Edited January 10, 2019 by Jingthing

[Cricky]

14 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

19 minutes ago, VYCM said:

#1 Agogo is opposite the Jomtien Complex.

 

The place is full of boys, gay men only, not for me.

Possibly secondary "Boys Town".

Dude you take my post out of context and that is totally obnoxious. 

I never said there were no go go bars in Jomtien. I was only talking about the Complex/Supertown.

All locals know about the Jomtien one exception not in that zone at all. 

No, secondary Boystown is a really stupid idea. Pattaya Boystown as you put it isn't even called that. 
You're also wrong that the zone is "only" about gay oriented stuff. Largely yes but there is plenty that isn't. Some nightlife and of course restaurants are for anyone. Also there are some hotels there that are not "gay hotels" per se. Not the mention the blind massage place in there that is not a gay business and is basically world famous. 

Nothing was taken out of context, just requoting what you said.

19 minutes ago, VYCM said:

23 hours ago, Jingthing said:

It being Jomtien, there are no go go bars

#1 Agogo is opposite the Jomtien Complex.

 

23 hours ago, Jingthing said:

Do you buy it as the area's secondary Walking Street?

The place is full of boys, gay men only, not for me.

Possibly secondary "Boys Town".

Go for a drive late afternoon evening, hundreds of men/boys dressed in tight clothes, wearing massage outfits, all seated facing the street, it is an eery place to be.

 

Again why did you mention a secondary "walking street", not a pretty girl in sight?

 

Truly, a Secondary "Boys Town"

 

[Searat7]

20 hours ago, champers said:

I suspect there is a huge, largely untapped market which is the Chinese gay commumity. Repressed in their home country, free to live unfettered from authoritarianism in Jomtien / Pattaya.  Just doing the math(s) tells you the potential market must be vast.

They (Chinese) are in Bangkok in droves....mostly in Silom...they are the biggest customers for some of the massage places and big on the night life scene too.

[balo]

1 hour ago, bkk6060 said:

I like the name Supertown.

They could name it Gay Supertown , that would make the Russians think twice before they enter. 

 

[Jingthing]

12 minutes ago, balo said:

They could name it Gay Supertown , that would make the Russians think twice before they enter. 

 

Why would the business owners there that again are not all running gay oriented businesses want to self segregate in that way? Answer. They wouldn't and they won't. 

[KittenKong]

2 hours ago, pegman said:

I've read reports that all the leases at the RomPho Beer Bar Complex will not be renewed this spring by the church that owns the land. There will likely be plenty of bar owners and patrons looking for a close by area to relocate. 

The style of the bars and the clientele in Rompho is very different to the style of those in that Jomtien Walking Street.

If the bars from Rompho go anywhere I would expect it to be to some other open area.

[morrobay]

Well that can change and if you want a Jomtien walking St then you need the Rompho bars ,girls and crowd. A good area for that change. 

[balo]

58 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

Why would the business owners there that again are not all running gay oriented businesses want to self segregate in that way? Answer. They wouldn't and they won't. 

I'm just joking of course. Just smile every time I see Russian families enter a place they didn't think existed.

Here they are in sin city and the tourist brochures told them it was a family paradise. 

 

 

 

 

[peterb17]

20 hours ago, digbeth said:

If only there was more decent restaurant, the Ritz Cafe was good before the 'drama' but that's about the only restaurant that would have general appeal for straight and gays clientele. 

 

Maybe the complex need an Indian restaurant, but then again there's indian by nature across the road, a regular shophouse indian might not be sophisticated enough for the crowd there? 

The Ritz Cafe was probably the worst restaurant in Thailand - unless you rather liked dining in God’s waiting room and looking forward to apple crumble and evil custard .

But of course we can agree to disagree. 

[peterb17]

2 hours ago, VYCM said:

Nothing was taken out of context, just requoting what you said.

Go for a drive late afternoon evening, hundreds of men/boys dressed in tight clothes, wearing massage outfits, all seated facing the street, it is an eery place to be.

 

Again why did you mention a secondary "walking street", not a pretty girl in sight?

 

Truly, a Secondary "Boys Town"

 

Interesting- why did you notice tight clothes - eery - strange lanquage? 

[Parsve]

I used to be there a lot before when Fantasy was a nice bar and the meeting place for Scandinavian people. But now a time never. And seriously, Jomtien is a part of Pattaya and Pattaya says it would like to be a "Family friendly place". So why another Walking street?

[peterb17]

Well

I’m not quite sure where Jingthing is going with this post. 

 

But the complex ( renamed ) has a lot to offer -some decent restaurants, show bars, the Agate is surprisingly pleasant , across the road restaurants such as La Bocca are really not bad. 

 

The young men , these days mostly from Cambodia are just the same as those women in the girlie bars trying to make a living . 

 

The difference is - you smile and say no- it’s OK - the complex offers none of the depravity of Walking Street .

 

Having lived here for many years - I have been to Walking St twice - my boyfriend’s uncle wanted to go the famous street - I ended up watching two totally naked women licking each other.

 

It was appalling - the audience- slack jawed straight men - nursing their horrendously expensive beers - what a way to treat women .

 

None of that in the Complex- though apparently some tight trousers ! 

 

There are always parties , anniversaries etc going on - you can stay till 4 in the morning - it’s a fun place .

[Jingthing]

If it's across Tappraya road it's not in the complex/town. I think there is a lot of room for improvement with the restaurants in there but I see positive signs such as the large Chinese place and the amazing French bakery which also serves some meals.

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[AlexCanada]

When a tourist asks me for directions to Walking Street now I'll direct them to the baht bus that goes to Jomtien Walking Street.  

[jesimps]

When I moved to Jomtien 12 years ago, only a couple of bars at one end of the Complex were homosexual's bars. There were also some really good girly bars. Suddenly however, a few years back when the US and European tourism dropped off, all the girly bars were taken over by homosexuals. Hence, the straights moved on to pastures new and I can't see them returning.

[Jingthing]

When a tourist asks me for directions to Walking Street now I'll direct them to the baht bus that goes to Jomtien Walking Street.  

Bad expat. Behave.

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[Jingthing]

When I moved to Jomtien 12 years ago, only a couple of bars at one end of the Complex were homosexual's bars. There were also some really good girly bars. Suddenly however, a few years back when the US and European tourism dropped off, all the girly bars were taken over by homosexuals. Hence, the straights moved on to pastures new and I can't see them returning.

I recall it being more gay than that even 12 years ago. The gay area that has declined the most dramatically is the justifiably notorious Sunnee Plaza area. That area can fairly be called eerie.

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[Jingthing]

To reply to the member that asked where I'm going with this - - nowhere in particular. Just for discussion.

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[CNXexpat]

If I would be gay I would visit Jomtien for nightlife. But in the non-gay the bars and massages are working the mothers of the Pattaya´s Soi 6 girls. So I enjoy the better beach, the food, the market and that it´s quiet in Jomtien, but for sure not the nightlife.