The Party Pattaya is coming to Walking Street Soi 15, merging a go-go bar with karaoke, golf and even a swimming pool.
Toto Pattaya – the former manager at Lighthouse a-Go-Go who now does the hosting duties at The Hive – on Feb. 28 announced on his Facebook page plans The Party Pattaya, which will sit on the spot that, until last month, had been Jisoo a-Go-Go, and those plans are ambitious.
The Party Pattaya’s new official Facebook page describes The Party Pattaya as an “entertainment center with go-go, karaoke rooms, golf simulator space, (and) rooftop with swimming pool”. A promotional poster published on Toto Pattaya’s own page also said The Party Pattaya would be a cocktail bar, cabaret and “disco a-go-go”.
Both in person and on Facebook, Toto – a 25% partner in The Party Pattaya as well as its future manager and social media promoter – said he anticipates The Party Pattaya will open around Songkran. However, the former professional ballet dancer whose real name is Alberto Cervantes – said he and his wife are expecting their first child around the same time, so the opening could be delayed.
Jisoo Becomes The Party Pattaya
Jisoo – named after a member of K-Pop girl group Blackpink – opened in the three-story shophouse that since 2016 had been Shark a-Go-Go, despite the fact it wasn’t Korean-owned and never aimed to attract Koreans or K-Pop fans.
With no marketing and poor branding, the bar became known only for cheap beer, which never leads to profitability. It went on the market in January with a 10-million baht asking price, which quickly dropped to 6 million baht. It sold for even less.
Cervantes and his partner, another Walking Street go-go owner, got to work quickly on The Party Pattaya, gaining access and making plans for not only the ground-floor go-go, but the upper floors.
During a Feb. 20 tour of The Party Pattaya building, Cervantes said the ground-floor go-go – which was completely renovated less than a year ago – would see few changes, other than the addition of additional bench seating. However, the upper floors – filthy, vacant and used only for storage – would seem complete refits.
The middle floor will see the construction of five KTV (karaoke) rooms, as well as installation of a golf simulator, both features aimed squarely at East Asian customers.
The upper floor – the roof – currently is covered with thin, corrugated tin sheets supported by 2×4 wooden beams – will be converted into a rooftop VIP and party lounge with a small, shallow swimming pool. The roof will be removed and structural reinforcement may be necessary to support a swimming pool, Cervantes said.
Boost for Soi 15
The multifaceted entertainment complex will bring a much-needed boost to Soi 15 which, 10 years ago, was a thriving street of naugty, hands-on go-go bars but now features Sapphire Club and the Akira nightclub.
Walking Street sub-sois – which did well a decade ago – have become “difficult locations”, which the superclubs on the main Walking Street dominating the scene. LePub on Soi Diamond continues to do well, but, other than Windmill Club, Soi Diamond continues to struggle. Other streets, such as Soi BJ, are now completely devoid of bars.
The Party Pattaya may offer the right formula to revive Soi 15, offering more than standard go-go fare to make customers turn off the main nightlife strip.
