Will Montreal Be the "New Thailand" for Gays?

[Guest 2004]

Pending new hours of business in Thailand for entertainment establishments it looks as if Montreal will be the main gay club destination.

 

Thailand's new hours are broken up by zone. It appears the majority of the adult bars will be open from 9pm - 2am while massage parlors from 6pm - 1am. This is just a thumbnail of the new hours it depends on zone and type of business.

 

I'm wondering if guys will cancel their Thailand trip in favor of Montreal now?

[Guest msclonly]

RE: Will Montreal Be the

 

You got to be kidding!

Who wants to stay out all nite and have the hormone levels reduced from the stress of trying to stay awake unless you take drugs to do so!}(

[+ Lucky]

RE: Will Montreal Be the

 

"I'm wondering if guys will cancel their Thailand trip in favor of Montreal now?"

 

You are, are you? I suggest you think about bird flu. It is much more likely to drive tourists away from Thailand than the bar closing at 2 a.m. Most of us old farts are wanting to be sleeping by then anyway!

[Guest rampo]

RE: Will Montreal Be the

 

I can't recall when Thailand was ever the "main gay club destination." I'm not even sure what that means.

 

The current official closing time for most bars and adult entertainment in Thailand has been 2am for a couple of years now. There are a few locations where the closing time is 1am or even midnight. Recently there was government proposal to force all entertainment venues to close at midnight, but that has been shelved for the moment. There is also talk that eventually there will be entertainment zones set up (in all likelihood in areas where govenment officials already own the properties) where the closing times will be 2am and venues elsewhere will close earlier. The main rationale from the government is that Thai youth are spending too much time having fun (drinking and having sex). Under the current rules, places like gogo bars and discos close down at 2am but it is very easy to find beer bars open later.

 

If the popularity of Montreal increases as a gay destination, it will because it is welcoming to gays and will offer more and more gay-oriented entertainment. But I don't think what's happening in Thailand will have much to do with it. The 24+ hours that it takes to get to Thailand already makes it a regular destination for only a handful of American gays. Most of the gay tourists in Thailand are European and Australian. Those who are concerned with events in Thailand are talking about shifting to places like Bali, Cambodia, Singapore or even Burma (if the generals ever leave). They want palm trees, beaches and warm weather along with cute Asian guys.