Stretch your baht, stretch your fun?

[vinapu]

 

 

I'm just coming off a 8 - 10 week bout of illness, 

that's good to hear that you finally feel better 

[Guest]

Well, to reply to previous comments, it is mildly disappointing if I enter a bar and find the boys all crowding around one other farang & a bottle of whiskey.    Ideally, I spot this and leave before even sitting down.   Then there is no need to get annoyed, as I shall be in another bar very quickly. 

This situation is much more common in host bars, so is easy to spot, whilst slowly walking up the street.  In high season, it seems maybe 30~50% of host bars can have the hosts all drinking from one table.

 

Onto money saving:

1  Arrive BKK, ALWAYS take the train into Silom.  It's cheaper, reasonably quick & I prefer it to taxis.

 

2  When the schedule conveniently allows, take public transport to the airport.  However, I will not take this to the extreme of being late for my night out or getting up early to catch a damn bus, if a taxi allows a lie in.

 

3  Walk back from Jomtien beach to South Pattaya.   I admit this is mainly for exercise purposes.

 

4  I found a laundry place that will wash and air dry a bag of my washing for 70 baht.  No ironing is required, since T-shirts hung up to dry end up crease free anyhow. Much better than paying 250+ on an itemised basis with unnecessary ironing.

 

5   The obvious one is to use phone apps instead of paying off fees to bars.  I've not been doing this much & last year in Pattaya, I think I paid an off fee every single time.

 

 

As for funny ideas, well I heard someone recommend squashing a toilet roll into a triangle shape, since it will not roll around so quickly when the kids pull on it.   

 

Although, it must be said, not having kids is an infinitely better money saving idea.

 

 

Don't over indulge on the hotel.   Something decent can usually be had below 1500 a night. 

[farangyai]

Ok, now that I have recovered from laughing at Christians blog, I will try to offer a few common sense baht stretching tips.

 

Laundry:  I find out where a regular laundry is that has pricing by the load.  I then always pack a laundry bag and take my own laundry  to the shop, hand it over, get it back clean, fresh, and folded back in my bag.  It costs a fraction of what most places will charge you by the piece.  I have even on occasion told the hotel what I do and had them match the price.

 

Tipping:  I always tip a good mammasan.  Over the years as I come to know some of them, they have repaid me in kind by fetching my desired off for me to avoid the minimum drink charge, although some will still try to add that to my bill.  But if they do not truly help me, I don't normally tip them. I normally tip them about the cost of a drink, but in baht.

 

I also tip the folks in the hotel or guesthouse once at the end of my stay.  I put the tip in an envelope and tell them it is for everyone who has taken care of me during my stay and give it to the people at the front desk.  The more workers who see me do it, the better. They then know I take care of them.

 

Taxi:  Wherever I am staying I try to find a good dependable taxi and get their number to use when possible on longer trips or have the hotel fetch one of their preferred taxi drivers.  This avoids the drivers who wait nearby to prey on tourists.

 

Smile:  I almost always find that smiling and being pleasant to the Thai people always works in my favor. Especially when negotiating or asking something or some service.  Many farangs demand or act impolitely to the Thai or look like a smile might break their face.  You stand above the rest when you smile.  But of course, you also have to let them know you will not be taken for a fool at the same time.

 

Go Thai:  I also frequently give my Thai friends the money to take care of things.  This avoids the desire of some establishments to cheat the farang. I don't have to worry most times because they know better than to try to cheat another Thai. They are less likely to do it.

[gerefan]

 

It was a Thai guy that opened my eyes to the fun that a bottle could bring without having to shell out 200 baht per guy plus tip.

 

And therein lies a problem...which most here appear to have missed.

 

 

If you buy a boy (or a gang of boys) drinks from the bar then they get a cut for every drink bought.

However, when you buy a bottle they get nothing from the bar.

 

Added to which the above statement indicates that the poster will not be giving the guys a tip.

 

So the boys end up without a cut from the bar, or a tip from the customer. Nothing.

 

I know a number of boys who do not like customers buying a bottle for these very reasons. Of course they will not show it outwardly.

 

if you do decide to buy a bottle I believe it is only right to tip them after sharing it.

[firecat69]

Me too!

 

Great article Christian. 

Actually I think we should put stealing toilet rolls from Hotel into Bucky's scam thread in reverse how farangs scam Thais.

[Guest ryanasia]

What are you baht stretching tricks? What advise can you share with fellow travelers?

 

My money saving tip? If you want to have fun in a gogo bar for a good amount of time, consider opening a bottle. In pattaya it may only cost 1200 baht and mixers may be free. If you want to share time with many guys than a bottle can be a money saver!

 

I don't know what the bottle price and policy is at boys boys boys.

 

 

Limit your time with prostitutes and use it for admission to temples. You won't be able to spend your money quickly enough.

[Guest ryanasia]

I have the opposite view of those "opening" a bottle.As a result all the boys, such  at Eros, cluster around them and their bottle and ignore the other customers.  In addition, it is questionable whether getting the staff drunk is ethical?  I remember the days when the smokers liked to pass out cigs to all the boys and turn the bars into gas chambers. Again, ethically irresponsible. 

 

There are so many things wrong about this post for so many reasons. Ethical? You are in a gogo in Pattaya and are actually bringing ethics into the conversation? I have to simply shake my head here. It is unethical to share a bottle because it might pull some guys off stage that you would want to fuck. I can only imagine the moral dilemma that might ensue as a result. 

[Guest whall]

That's hilarious! Lol. Money saving tips!

[vinapu]

Limit your time with prostitutes and use it for admission to temples. You won't be able to spend your money quickly enough.

then fun factor will be missing from an original question

[vinapu]

There are so many things wrong about this post for so many reasons. Ethical? You are in a gogo in Pattaya and are actually bringing ethics into the conversation? I have to simply shake my head here. It is unethical to share a bottle because it might pull some guys off stage that you would want to fuck. I can only imagine the moral dilemma that might ensue as a result. 

I think koko made a typo , he wanted to say ' ethnically irresponsible" but missed ' n' somewhere

[kokopelli]

There are so many things wrong about this post for so many reasons. Ethical? You are in a gogo in Pattaya and are actually bringing ethics into the conversation? 

 ryanasia, I thought you would enjoy that. 

[Guest ryanasia]

I am saving money myself.

[Travellerdave]

British members of this forum will know the saying "Penny Wise but Pound Foolish" which sums me up when I am in Pattaya.

On arrival at the airport I take the public bus at a penny wise price of 120 baht followed by the same for a motor bike to BT at 100. I also try a bit of haggling to make a small saving on accomadation.

However later in the evening Pound Foolish takes over in the gogo's when I spray boy drinks and tips around, very quickly cancelling the saving made earlier. During my stay both expenditure modes vie for superiority but there is no doubt which one always wins.

[Guest]

There are so many things wrong about this post for so many reasons. Ethical? You are in a gogo in Pattaya and are actually bringing ethics into the conversation? I have to simply shake my head here. It is unethical to share a bottle because it might pull some guys off stage that you would want to fuck. I can only imagine the moral dilemma that might ensue as a result. 

 

I'm not sure where you got your moral compass from, but visiting a gogo in Pattaya is perfectly ethical.   

The people in there choose to be on stage & I choose top be in the audience.      What goes on thereafter is between consenting adults and at no point do we damage any third party.

 

Contrast with a couple of the largest religions on the planet, which have resulted in the deaths of millions of people in the last 2000 years with their turf wars.     Visiting a gogo bar is a vastly superior proposition if ethics are your priority. 

[bucknaway]

And therein lies a problem...which most here appear to have missed.

 

 

If you buy a boy (or a gang of boys) drinks from the bar then they get a cut for every drink bought.

However, when you buy a bottle they get nothing from the bar.

 

Added to which the above statement indicates that the poster will not be giving the guys a tip.

 

So the boys end up without a cut from the bar, or a tip from the customer. Nothing.

 

I know a number of boys who do not like customers buying a bottle for these very reasons. Of course they will not show it outwardly.

 

if you do decide to buy a bottle I believe it is only right to tip them after sharing it.

 

You can open a bottle at Eros but if you don't tip the guys, they won't stick around.  They may stop by for a drink from your bottle but once they twist the cap back on the bottle they will be gone once they set the bottle down. LOL

 

The Thai guy that hipped me to the bottle deal was a gogo guy at Eros after I had purchased yet another beer for one of the guys.

[Guest whall]

There are so many things wrong about this post for so many reasons. Ethical? You are in a gogo in Pattaya and are actually bringing ethics into the conversation? I have to simply shake my head here. It is unethical to share a bottle because it might pull some guys off stage that you would want to fuck. I can only imagine the moral dilemma that might ensue as a result.

How can you not be ethical by being in a gogo bar? If everyone is an adult and no one is forced to do anything, nothing unethical about anything.

[Guest ryanasia]

I'm not sure where you got your moral compass from, but visiting a gogo in Pattaya is perfectly ethical.   

The people in there choose to be on stage & I choose top be in the audience.      What goes on thereafter is between consenting adults and at no point do we damage any third party.

 

Contrast with a couple of the largest religions on the planet, which have resulted in the deaths of millions of people in the last 2000 years with their turf wars.     Visiting a gogo bar is a vastly superior proposition if ethics are your priority. 

Holy fucking Christ you have lost the plot.

[Guest]

Every fact in my statement is correct, yet you accuse me of losing the plot without even explaining your argument?

[Alexx]

I'd agree, and comparing an honest transaction such as hiring a prostitute with the shenanigans of religious bigots also seems fair game to me. Still I'd be curious what specifically it is ryanasia disagrees with - him having been on both sides of the trade, it's hard to imagine he finds it morally wrong in general.

[firecat69]

The word ethical can have many meanings .  It can mean following the accepted norms of a profession.  It can mean adhering to principles  of morality.

 

Depending how you choose to use the word determines your view. Certainly as morality goes the argument of flying half way around the world to pay for Sex with someone 1/3 your age is questionable to some.

 

However if you choose to use it as the norm then when you are in a GoGo Bar it is acceptable to behave in a certain way when choosing a boy or girl for a night of fun is acceptable. 

 

It is certainly acceptable for someone to purchase a bottle to share and it is equally acceptable for another to feel that person is infringing on his goals. 

 

Appears to me no right answer.  Easy to leave the Bar and go to another as Z909 does .  Also perfectly acceptable for the person who buys the bottle.

[vinapu]

 

 Certainly as morality goes the argument of flying half way around the world to pay for Sex with someone 1/3 your age is questionable to some.

 

 

it's why I'm aiming at 1/2

[firecat69]

Just wait a few more years you'll be closer to the 1/3.

[Guest abang1961]

It takes 2 to tango...there is a willing buyer and a willing seller.

There is absolutely NO need to be ethically-correct.

 

If anyone is so f..kingly-moral, the subfix, .. phobic won't exist.

Just do it to those who are willing partners-in-crime.

World Peace.

[kokopelli]

The word ethical can have many meanings .  It can mean following the accepted norms of a profession.  It can mean adhering to principles  of morality.

 I agree with you firecat.  In my earlier post on "ethical" I was not referring to morals or legalities, as you pointed out, can or  may be different.

Just because one enters a go-go bar does not mean they check their ethics at the door. There are  many ethical standards that do apply in even a go-go bar such as not tipping a boy who you asked to sit with you as one example. 

Another could be "hogging" all the boys for one's self know that one is depriving other customers of the need to satisfy their lust.

Smoking is another un-ethical action knowing one is annoying others or even endangering their health.

 

And, no, I am not some sort of prude, as some others may think, otherwise I would not be here in Thailand whoring like everyone else.  Nonetheless, one man's ethics may be anathema to another.

 

“quod ali cibus est aliis fuat acre venenum”  Lucretius. 1st Century BC

[witty]

When a boy asks to sit with you, do you tip him, and how much in this case?

 

Is this an ethical issue?