8 hours ago, thaibeachlovers said:

Thanks for that.

From the web site

Go-Go Dancing became popular in Thailand during the Vietnam War era. The GP Go-Go Club in Bangkok is thought to be the first Go-Go club in Thailand, it opened in 1969 and attracted an audience of local ex-pats and American G.I’s. The trend didn’t take long to spread, Bangkok’s nightlife venues, especially Patpong were soon populated with Go-Go clubs.

It was some nine years later that Pattaya’s first Go-Go bar the Tahitian Queen opened.

 

Which makes it 1978 that Tahitian Queen opened, long after the Vietnam war ended for the American GIs.

 

 

Exactly. William A. Jones and his Thai wife opened the BJ Bar on the short dirt strip later known as WS in July of 1974 and had "no competition." It was just a standard bar. In fact, BJ didn't even realize the possible double meaning of his bar's name. Only two hotels of any size in town, the Nipa Lodge and Pattaya Palace. Funnily enough, the owner of the building advised BJ not to bother opening his bar.

 

It was slow going, overall. Business only really picked up in 1978 owing to what he termed the "oil field trash" starting to arrive from the Middle East and then the US Navy for port of call as continues today. The opportunity for development was quickly perceived by entrepreneurs, and Australians, Germans, and Brit "tourists" began arriving in droves.

 

The BJ Holiday Lodge on Soi 3 remains as a legacy. Not sure if it's open at present, however, in case there's anyone there now with historical knowledge.

Edited November 8, 20205 yr by BigStar

7 hours ago, BigStar said:

Good question. I think you're on the right track there.

 

I personally know a former bomber pilot stationed at U-Tapao during the war. Now 82, he's normally (stuck in the USA at the moment) living in BKK with his Thai wife whom he met working in a shop outside the base. Who says a marriage to a Thai can't last?

 

He's continued to visit Pattaya over the years and still does once in a while, too. We've discussed this exact subject several times and he's confirmed exactly what I've posted earlier. Nothing really to do in Pattaya then, no sex scene, a few places to stay, quite boring. He likes it much, much better now.???? Or did, pre-COVID. I sent him the recent depressing vid on Sois 7 - 8.

 

We've also had some previous threads on the subject here and a contemporary serviceman said the same thing amid the usual chorus of ignorant, simple-minded knee jerks and blusters from the clueless.???? I'm not going to bother looking those up those old threads, however. The tourist brochure histories will never be updated, so this same discussion will inevitably recur.

 

And here is a discussion  on TV some years ago that confirmes this :

 

https://forum.thaivisa.com/topic/358302-did-america-create-pattaya/