Gays In Hat Yai?

[JamesBarnes]

Dear TV members,

I am very keen to learn of the gay scene in the Hat Yai area.

Any info gratefully recieved.

Thank you.

James Barnes

Editor-in-chief OUT in Thailand Magazine

Edited January 16, 2011 by JamesBarnes

[tombkk]

I was there about 8 years ago. The two bars that were mentioned in the well-known website listing gay bars in Asia were pretty dead: Nobody in the first bar, and two people in the second.

If that has changed, I'd like to know too.

[jdinasia]

There are a couple of bars, 2 discos that have a "gay section" and a sauna/bathhouse that I know of. This being Thailand there is significantly less discrimination against gay people than in many places so less need of a "scene". This however, does limit interaction with for foreigners that do not speak Thai.

(Hat Yai is a fun town, but apparently less so for people that don't speak Thai)

[tombkk]

There are a couple of bars, 2 discos that have a "gay section" and a sauna/bathhouse that I know of. This being Thailand there is significantly less discrimination against gay people than in many places so less need of a "scene". This however, does limit interaction with for foreigners that do not speak Thai.

(Hat Yai is a fun town, but apparently less so for people that don't speak Thai)

It's not the language (as I do speak Thai). The problem is whether you know someone to take you around.

I have just been to Melbourne (and I speak English too), and as in Had Yai, I had to resort to the internet to find out where to go in the single night that I had. I went to two bars, and the first one wouldn't fill up until 11pm or later, and the second is simply empty on Wednesdays.

The reason I replied to this thread was that nobody had for a week, and - as you say - there certainly must be a scene in Had Yai.

[jdinasia]

There are a couple of bars, 2 discos that have a "gay section" and a sauna/bathhouse that I know of. This being Thailand there is significantly less discrimination against gay people than in many places so less need of a "scene". This however, does limit interaction with for foreigners that do not speak Thai.

(Hat Yai is a fun town, but apparently less so for people that don't speak Thai)

It's not the language (as I do speak Thai). The problem is whether you know someone to take you around.

I have just been to Melbourne (and I speak English too), and as in Had Yai, I had to resort to the internet to find out where to go in the single night that I had. I went to two bars, and the first one wouldn't fill up until 11pm or later, and the second is simply empty on Wednesdays.

The reason I replied to this thread was that nobody had for a week, and - as you say - there certainly must be a scene in Had Yai.

In Had Yai I went to the mall (by the Lee? Hotel ... and just talked to a few obviously gay men (they cruised me .. one was a hooker and the other liked fat old (100kg/45yo) white guys. They told me what discos etc ....

I don't do the commercial scene (99.999% of the time)

edit ---- giving away the basic research to a commercial enterprise just aint in my nature.

Edited January 22, 2011 by jdinasia

[JamesBarnes]

There are a couple of bars, 2 discos that have a "gay section" and a sauna/bathhouse that I know of. This being Thailand there is significantly less discrimination against gay people than in many places so less need of a "scene". This however, does limit interaction with for foreigners that do not speak Thai.

(Hat Yai is a fun town, but apparently less so for people that don't speak Thai)

It's not the language (as I do speak Thai). The problem is whether you know someone to take you around.

I have just been to Melbourne (and I speak English too), and as in Had Yai, I had to resort to the internet to find out where to go in the single night that I had. I went to two bars, and the first one wouldn't fill up until 11pm or later, and the second is simply empty on Wednesdays.

The reason I replied to this thread was that nobody had for a week, and - as you say - there certainly must be a scene in Had Yai.

I was told that there is quite a lively scene there as so many pass through on visa runs to Malaysia and that many gay Malaysians pop over because of the restricted scene in their own country.

Edited January 23, 2011 by JamesBarnes

[tombkk]

edit ---- giving away the basic research to a commercial enterprise just aint in my nature.

That's OK. Cruising in malls is not my thing, I prefer to read up on the bar scene (I prefer ellbow-bending rather than the pole-dancing kind) before I go anywhere.

[jdinasia]

edit ---- giving away the basic research to a commercial enterprise just aint in my nature.

That's OK. Cruising in malls is not my thing, I prefer to read up on the bar scene (I prefer ellbow-bending rather than the pole-dancing kind) before I go anywhere.

I talk to people everywhere I don't "cruise" malls but seem to get cruised in them fairly often. Coffee shops, bookstores and malls are easy enough places to meet people that are gay to ask about the local scene. If you are 'reading up" on the scene then the chances are the information is already dated.

[tombkk]

Wow, you must be very good looking then! I almost never get chatted up in public places, but that may also be because people generally mistake me for straight.

Yes, I know that places have to be in business for a while before being mentioned on a website, but I don't mind that. I'd rather go to well-established places that are popular, especially when I'm new in the city.

But then, everybody is different, and that's quite OK.

[Ijustwannateach]

^I get the same thing- I look too straight... time to get my hair spiked up or something...

I'd say that outside BK the gay scene is less centralised around specifically gay locations- though they do, obviously, exist- and that social engagement with people is more critical. That makes it much less accessible to tourists who typically won't be as sensitive to the subtleties- and for that reason, frankly, genuine tourists probably shouldn't be looking for that kind of contact in those kinds of places anyway.

A general recommendation I've posted here before is that ALL nightclubs in Thailand are gay in some way or another (some more than others)- and there are many gay men out with their lady friends in groups. They won't necessarily be looking to meet anyone, and you will have to be functional in a dance setting, etc., but those places are everywhere.

[quattro19]

so it seems there are quite a few TV gays in hatyai.. Where do you guys normally hang out?

[seekingfriends]

so it seems there are quite a few TV gays in hatyai.. Where do you guys normally hang out?

hi , there must be a gay scene in hat yai its such a large city .would like to know some local guys for updates on locations ect, james

[LindsayBKK]

Hat Yai Links

[DeerMraz]

hi, i'm a local in hat yai. and yes, there're three gay bars around here and a gay sauna too. they're not far from each other. on thai-ar-kan road.<br>actually i'm living around that area but i don't know if they're good or not. i just don't go to this kind of place.<br><br>

Edited April 12, 2011 by DeerMraz