Chapter Five: An Overview of Go-Go Bars

In Thailand today, go-go bars are mainly concentrated in Bangkok's three red-light districts—Nana Plaza, Soi Cowboy and Patpong—and in Walking Street and LK Metro in Pattaya. Phuket, another popular tourist destination, has them too, but neither their scale nor their quality compares with Bangkok or Pattaya.

Most go-go bars have broadly similar interiors, with a large stage where scantily dressed women dance to music. Buy a beer or another drink and you can sit down to watch. If someone catches your eye, you can buy her a lady drink and she'll come down from the stage to keep you company and chat. If things go well, you can also arrange to leave together: back to your hotel for the night, which we call LT, or Long Time, or to an hourly room near the bar for a shorter encounter, ST, or Short Time.

A Detailed Look at the Cost of Leaving With a Woman

There are two parts to the cost. First, because the woman works for the venue, it loses someone who can attract customers while she's out with you, so you pay the bar a bar fine. The current going rate in Bangkok is generally 700 to 1000 baht. Pattaya's rules are more complicated, with rates generally around 1000 to 2000 baht, and different charges before 12 and after 12. A venue might charge 1500 baht before 12, then 1000 baht after 12. The other part is the woman's payment for her time with you: generally 2500 to 3000 baht for ST, or 5000 to 8000 baht for LT.

The biggest change I've noticed in go-go bars over recent years is unquestionably the overall rise in prices. When I first visited Thailand, bar fines were generally only 600 baht, sometimes 500 baht after 12 midnight, while women typically quoted 2000 baht for ST and 4000 baht for LT. Session lengths have changed too: LT getting shorter seems to be another trend.

Some things are essential to having a good time, language among them. I believe a good intimate connection comes from interaction on both sides. Without a shared language, how do you interact? Another is flirting. A Thai woman once told me I was an unusual Chinese customer because most Chinese men she'd met didn't flirt. There was hardly any flirting or interaction; they'd take her back to the hotel and get straight to business, continuing for as many rounds as possible as though missing one would mean losing money. Her view is inevitably somewhat one-sided, but it does reflect something: compatriots accustomed to the simple, direct approach of erotic massage can struggle to relax in places such as go-go bars and clubs where interaction matters. Even from a purely practical perspective, a good rapport and her liking you ultimately benefit you. Besides, Thailand genuinely offers many other kinds of nightlife worth experiencing. There's nothing wrong with taking a woman along to enjoy the evening. Approaching it as travel is better than treating it purely as an outlet for sexual urges.

Finally, people need to show each other some respect. Circumstances differ between countries, and for these Thai women, sex work is also a job. Even when we're working ourselves to the bone back home, there are times we can't take it and want to walk away. A little mutual understanding helps.

Go-Go Bar Tips for Exploring Thai Nightlife

1. First, go-go bars aren't particularly beginner-friendly. There are many types: venues using drink-sales tricks, mixed venues and transgender venues, among others. Some people easily recognize a transgender venue because the lighting is conspicuously bright: the point is to show how attractive everyone looks from every angle, a 360-degree view. Mixed venues, however, remain dimly lit, and inside you may not be able to distinguish women from transgender women. Visitors regularly leave with someone without realizing she's transgender. That's why beginners are generally directed to Rainbow Four and Five. But it also means women there can be uncooperative. LT lasting only 4 or 5 hours started with those venues: they aren't short of customers, so you get high prices, short sessions and little in the way of a good experience. Personally, I now tend to recommend Castle1 in Patpong. I don't know whether the shareholders or mamasan changed, but there are many new women around these venues, sometimes more than 100 when it's busy. The drawback is fewer women I find as attractive as those at Rainbow Four and Five, but many are young. I'll publish detailed guides to individual venues later.

2. If you see someone you like in a go-go bar, act quickly rather than hesitating. This isn't marriage: you can keep one option while looking at others. It's something I repeatedly tell people. Dim lighting makes it hard to see, and newcomers may feel overwhelmed by the choice, or want to try another venue before deciding. At Rainbow Four and Five, though, demand often exceeds supply. If someone else chooses the woman you like, she'll probably leave with him, and you may regret settling for someone less appealing and spoil your evening. To avoid that, decide beforehand whether you want to leave with someone tonight. If you definitely do, don't begrudge the 440-baht lady drink: choose someone who looks reasonably appealing at first glance to sit beside you, then take a closer look at the others. That gives you a fallback you like.

3. If you don't want a bad experience, don't bargain, don't bargain, don't bargain. It's important enough to repeat. If her LT price exceeds your budget, either accept it or choose someone else. Why? Bargaining essentially tells her you think she isn't worth that amount. If she believes she is, she may respond by being uncooperative. If it's within the normal LT range, accept it rather than thinking you've won by negotiating down. Save 1000 baht and, in my view, the chance of an unpleasant experience goes up by 20%. We've had women leave customers at the hotel after only 2 hours. Put yourself in her position: in your own business, how would you feel about a customer who pays immediately compared with one who keeps pestering you for a discount, only to save 1000 baht? A grown man arguing endlessly over a modest amount isn't worth it.

4. If you have a clear goal of finding someone you like that night, time is limited. The number of women usually peaks around 10. Each group stays on stage for about 15 minutes, and a venue has at least 2 groups, so seeing everyone can take half an hour. You won't get through many venues in one evening. To save time, don't sit down immediately on entering. Walk around the stage first and look carefully for anyone you like. If you find someone, sit down and order; if not, leave. That saves time and a considerable amount on drinks, because visiting bar after bar adds up.

5. Thai people mostly use LINE, but for them it's simply a messaging tool to stay in contact. Instagram is more likely to be where they spend their social-media time. If a Thai woman has WeChat, it's generally because she's met many Chinese customers; some even speak Chinese. I've asked women why so many now speak it. They've noticed Chinese customers have greater spending power, while many mainland visitors don't speak English well either, so they're learning Chinese to attract them.

6. In Bangkok, go-go bars are confined to Nana Plaza, Soi Cowboy and a few venues around Patpong Night Market. There aren't as many as on Pattaya's Walking Street, and those three Bangkok areas are spread apart. Pattaya's venues sit together along a single main street, and I find the women slightly more attractive there too. Pattaya also has a livelier nightlife atmosphere and lower living costs, making it easier for the women to save. For go-go bars, that means more choice in Pattaya. If you enjoy a lively seaside holiday, I'd really suggest visiting Pattaya, although some venues charge bar fines a few hundred baht higher than Bangkok's.

7. Once a woman sits beside you, she'll usually ask where you're from, how old you are and how long you're staying. Many people think these are casual questions, but they're much more than that: they're a way to assess you quickly as a customer. Where you're from helps her judge your finances and whether you live in a major or international city. Your age suggests whether you're a youngster or already established in your career. Thai people often find it difficult to judge our ages from our appearance, just as we struggle to judge theirs. It's rather interesting that, although we're all Asian, we often can't tell. Asking how long you're staying helps establish whether you're a tourist or based in Thailand longer-term, and whether you might become a regular customer.

How to Recognize a Good Go-Go Bar

How do you choose a good venue? Start with the people attracting customers outside. There are two types. In the first, a venue hires women specifically to encourage people to enter. They generally wear dedicated uniforms rather than the underwear worn by performers inside. Taking a look inside such a place is usually fine. Some of these promoters are particularly attractive, but may not leave with customers; ask at the entrance if you want to know. In the second type, women from inside come out in their underwear and aggressively solicit customers. I wouldn't bother entering: these generally aren't good venues. If business were strong, the women would be busy with customers rather than pulling you in. Inside is probably quiet because everyone has gone outside to attract business.

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