'Tahitian Queen succumbed to corona in Pattaya'
When I tell newcomers about what the nightlife in Pattaya was like during my first visits in the early XNUMXs, I invariably talk about Walking Street.
That was - at least in my memory - the only "naughty" place, where you easily came into contact with beautiful young Thai ladies. I always made an exception for the one venue outside Walking Street and that was Tahitian Queen, a few hundred yards down Beach Road.
Opened in 1978
Tahitian Queen has been called the birthplace of the world famous Thai style gogo bars, which opened in 1978. It has been the longest open bar in Pattaya, I used to go there regularly in the 80's and 90's. It was a good time. The gracious lady had all kinds of adventures with countless foreigners for 42 years, survived syphilis, gonorrhea, herpes and HIV, but has now lost the battle with Covid-19. It closed (permanently?) on December 29, 2020.
Lockdown
Last year, after four months of lockdown in Pattaya, Tahitian Queen was one of the first night spots, reopening in July. The owner of the property was kind enough to halve the rent and the entire staff also agreed to half their salary.
It seemed to be going well, but the number of visitors was insufficient to cover the costs and monthly losses were incurred. The arrival of a vaccine was envisioned as a last resort, but the recently imposed restrictions proved fatal.
Tragic end
It was a tragic event on Tuesday, December 29, 2020 when the staff visited their workplace for the last time to receive their final salary. There were many tears and hugs as the doors closed for the last time and the staff left for an uncertain future.
Finally
There are still rumors that the closure of Tahitian Queen would not be final. Let's just hope that there will be a day with another reopening. My memories of that famous a gogo bar will live on.
About this blogger
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Bert Gringhuis (1945), born and raised in Almelo in the beautiful Twente. Later lived for many years in Amsterdam and Alkmaar, working in export for various companies. I first came to Thailand in 1980 and immediately fell in love with the country. Been back many times since then and moved to Thailand after my (early) retirement as a widower. I have been living there for 22 years now with my somewhat younger Thai lady Poopae.
My first experiences in Thailand as a kind of newsletter sent to family, friends and acquaintances, which later appeared under the name Gringo on Thailandblog. Many, many articles followed those first stories and that has grown into an almost daily hobby.
In the Netherlands still an avid footballer and football referee, but the years are starting to tell and in Thailand still avid, but the pool billiards is really of inferior quality, ha ha!
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Too bad had a beautiful painting by Bill Wyman hanging
I was already there in 1979, a nice and pleasant bar….I will not forget it.
Yes , indeed I will never forget this bar , it was my very first time that I had visited a gogo bar and I also met a Thai girl with whom I have been in contact for a long time .
Eee was in 1986!!
I could write neat and tidy, but that sounds a bit harsh I must admit. No, I do feel sorry for people who are out of work because of this and have difficulty finding something else for different reasons. Let's hope another destiny will be given and memories that will always last anyway. So you can always reminisce.
Jacques, I can hardly imagine that you voluntarily went to live in the Sodom and Mogora of Thailand and that you are happy there.
Did you do a good preliminary research before settling in Pattaya.
Don't worry about me, I'm usually doing well and I'm busy with other things. To each his own anyway. Pattaya is more than a bar colony, although not everyone will agree with me. I am aware that I represent a minority group that has different values and standards and that sound may also be heard. That's why I react negatively to this in contrast to all those positive sounds. It sounds like you didn't have any problems with your preliminary research either, for what it was worth. Surely you and I know that this superficial world is not what it seems, so nothing positive from me this time and of course I will leave you your own opinion.
I haven't done any preliminary research. After 20 years together in NL, we left for TH 8 years ago. My wife asked where I wanted to live, my answer was simple: With you.
Self doubted between Hat Yai (where mother and almost the entire family lives) or BKK (where daughter sweet lives). I'm really not going to get involved in this, although I did have a slight preference.
The choice finally fell on BKK and the only thing I looked at was that the house was properly finished and that it had a garden, not too small but not too big either.
We now live in a quiet moo job on a plot of 300 m2, which is fine by me and for the rest I don't care what others say or think about it.
Yeah, too bad.
TQ was also my first GOGO bar. I met my first wife there in 2001.
We have been together for 12 years and she also came to live in the Netherlands.
A lot has happened in the meantime and we are no longer together, but the TQ was a first impression that I will never forget.
In 2009 I went there with my parents to show how I got to know her then.
Beautiful memories.
Gr Michael
I've only been in there once. Not really special. Years before , about 1 , I wanted to go in there with my ex-girlfriend. I was allowed in, but my Thai girlfriend was refused. Needless to say that it was no longer necessary for me then.
I'm afraid that the whole "low" down in the hospitality and tourism industry will last for some time. In Europe, I also see "tipping" this summer, and for further afield: in many countries a vaccination program will not be ready this year, so coming back from there may result in quarantine, vaccinated or not.
So, to put it bluntly: close the tent, keep fixed costs as low as possible and in due course we will see who can be employed again, new or “old” employees in serious financial trouble.
Unfortunately, this is not the only bar, gogo in Pattaya that will close its doors forever. Terrible for the owner, but also for the staff, both in the hetero and gay scene. They have virtually no alternative to return to home city. Pattaya will never be the same again. It had been changing for over 10 years, but corona will take a huge hit for good.
Gosh what a pity. That's probably the umpteenth.
Very annoying for the staff.
I'm concerned about the entertainment industry anyway.
I was in Pattaya when everything shut down (March). All the fun was gone.
Hope, after the vaccinations, to be able to go to Thailand again in October.
Have a lot of cafes, massage parlors, gogo bars gone upside down?
@Henk van U
Many have closed their doors and are waiting to reopen in the future. However, the farang owners have more than enough money not to go bankrupt and most of them can also manage without a bar or restaurant in Pattaya. For them it is no more than a kind of daytime activity and they might as well enjoy all the beauty that Pattaya has to offer full time.
The Gringo,
You'll be there as long as I do.
I saw Jomtien being built, I didn't understand why because it was empty for years.
Now I know better. I slept in soi 2 north Pattaya in the Cabana that still had to be finished.
Now there is a bigg C which needs renovation. The country has captured my heart.
I still have my passports and count 214 visa stamps from Thailand, of which a bit double counting.
Via Thailand to Burma, Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam and then back again.
I hardly speak the language because if I want to learn it I will go there more often.
I think Cambodia is booming but will never catch up with Thailand.
Nice of you to share your experience. I wish you a lot of fun in Thailand.
Tim Bar Beer, on the Second Road (near The Avenue) is another iconic bar that has been closed since March. Not final yet, but this could change. Started on Beach Road in 1980 as a classic beer bar, and moved to Second Road in 1997. Unique bar, with a beer bar right on the street, behind it (when you walk in) a large gogo bar and behind it a pool hall (with extra entrance at the back). Always had the same owner, the legendary Tim himself. I have wonderful memories of this bar and owner, who has become a good friend of mine over the years, but fear that Covid-19 may well mean the end for the bar here too.
That's right Johan, unfortunately much will never be the same again, but the memories will remain, that's for sure.
I was in Thailand for the first time in 1978 at the end of March and managed to open TQ, remember mid-April, also sorry for other things that have already closed or have yet to close.
Very unfortunate but I fear this is not the last case that will die this year from the corona (lockdown) consequences.
Which, in my opinion, are absolutely in proportion in both the Netherlands and Thailand!