Discrimination in massage places?

[panther]

Hi guys!

Just new here I've been backreading on your posts, and a lot of them are very helpful.

Planning to visit Bangkok very soon.

 

I'm just wondering how the mamasans treat fellow Asians (like me).

I'm young-ish and presentable and well-prepared to pay for any tips. I'm willing to give more than the usual if the experience is good. (Thanks for your posts, I know how much to give now).

 

I'm just wondering if any of you have experienced discrimination of any sort. Like if the mamasans or the boys look at fellow Asians like at a lower standing? I kind of see that caucasians are like the ones looking really rich and powerful, and maybe they prefer those kinds of customers?

 

Any fellow SE asians here?

 

Thanks!

 

Panther (rawr)

[vinapu]

Welcome to the forum

 

I wouldn't worry at all and never saw any hint of discrimination related to ethnicity.

 

Sometimes you see clients not given any attention but this is always because they are known to be lousy tippers.

 

What may work against you is rather age as young people may be considered  less affluent.

 

In places like Jupiter where Asians  clearly dominate among clients  I'd say farangs may expect to be discriminated but never saw or heard anything to support such fear.

 

In short , just go , have fun and don't worry about discrimination, just make sure you have money with you.

 

If you Chinese or looking Chinese just be aware that in bars they have opinion of just looking but rarely offing and at times you can see an exodus when show ends  . In massage places though . no such a problem.

 

You will have a fun , that's sure thing.

[baobao]

I'm just wondering if any of you have experienced discrimination of any sort. Like if the mamasans or the boys look at fellow Asians like at a lower standing? 

 

My guess is that your money will spend just as easily as anybody else's    Welcome to the forum.

[DivineMadman]

I think you will find absolutely no discrimination in the massage shops whatsoever.  I have often noticed that most of the other customers are Asian/SE Asian and younger - so actually you will be more in line with the typical customer.  (Possible exceptions - the Soi Twilight shops, which seem to get heavy farang foot traffic.)

[neddy]

Yes, just go and enjoy yourself.

 

From my limited observations, massage places such as the Prince and the old hero have a lot more Asian customers than Westerners.

And these Asian customers can be younger than others.

[ggobkk]

Reading Numazu's adventures, he mentions that he is often asked if he is Chinese, Thai, etc and surprises the questioner when he tells them he is from the US.  If Numazu is a victim of discrimination, we should all have his "troubles".

 

I'm a farang who ventures into Jupiter and have not sensed / noticed discrimination.  I agree with Vinapu that being known as a bad tipper might be discriminated against but that is based on a pragmatic monetary motivation.  When there is money about the boys are highly discriminating (in the best sense).

[Guest ronnie4you]

I'll ask my hubby, who is Chinese by heritage...

No, he says in the time we have been here he yet to feel the slightest discrimination. Hope that helps.

[anddy]

since you ask "Any fellow SE asians here?" you're apparently not Chinese, Singaporean-Chinese at most. But either way, like everyone else here said, it is no issue whatsoever. I know several guys from Singapore (not sure about their ethnicity as I don't care, might be sg-chn or sg-mly or mixed, or....) who come to BKK frequently and have massages often, never heard the slightest hint from them. Money talks, end of the story.

 

Only from browsing this forum might you get the impression that the commercial sex scene is dominated by and revolves around the farang. Couldn't be further from the truth these days. The whole world is represented.

[rollingstone]

I am ethnic Chinese and have been visiting Thailand for the last fifteen years or so and also have some work relationship with Thais.

 

From those work relationships I do find the Thais generally consider Caucasians superior (which is a minor annoyance to me) and suspect that Thai working boys would perhaps have the same tendency.

 

I could not remember instances the working boys discriminate against me. But they do remember your behaviors in their bars if you are a repeat customer.

 

If you behave just like any other falang and importantly pay the going rates, you will do fine. And being youngish could actually help.

 

Enjoy. 

[Guest]

I remember going into Toy Boys Pattaya & inviting an exceptionally cute lad to sit with me. After he insisted on 3000 short time, I decided I wasn't going to off him. On the next visit, a Chinese guy arrived & offed the cutie, presumably for a threesome, since he already had another one in tow.

 

The wealthy people in Asia have more than enough money to splash around on entertainment & as far as I can see, Thai entertainment venues recognise this. Well, that's the caucasian view.

 

 

Looking at other parts of Asia, I have seen case of Indian people in Thai gogo bars trying to enjoy the sights without buying a drink. They correctly get moved on. I don't know how common that behaviour is, but suspect gogo bars will happily take their money as well, if they play the game according to the rules..

[vinapu]

 After he insisted on 3000 short time, I decided I wasn't going to off him. On the next visit, a Chinese guy arrived & offed the cutie, presumably for a threesome, since he already had another one in tow.

 

.......... I have seen case of Indian people in Thai gogo bars trying to enjoy the sights without buying a drink. They correctly get moved on. I don't know how common that behaviour is, but suspect gogo bars will happily take their money as well, if they play the game according to the rules..

boy could be fishing you for a best price seeing spark in your eyes , lost this time but they know their game. Not necessarily went with Chinese for the same price.

 

I did not see Indians sitting in bar without ordering but often they just peek and go but I recall post on one of forums of Indian guy complaining that some bar in Sunee wanted him to pay boy's tip up front so it may be something in that reputation.

[Guest]

I did not see Indians sitting in bar without ordering but often they just peek and go but I recall post on one of forums of Indian guy complaining that some bar in Sunee wanted him to pay boy's tip up front so it may be something in that reputation.

I recall taking a summer job in another European country at a much younger age, along with mostly Irish students. Whilst it is normal practice to pay for the beer at the end of the evening there, our overseas group were often asked to pay for each drink in advance. Since a few Irish students had been running off without paying, the system was spoiled for everyone else.

As the bars have to protect their interests, I always regarded their actions as perfectly fair.  Justifiable discrimination.

 

If Thai gogo bars have had a few bad experiences with any specific nationality, I think it is fair to adapt their policies to protect their business and their employees.

[orson]

i had experienced discrimination from hotel restaurant buffet. it was a Sunday brunch thing. so there was a queue, albeit a disorganized one for some ala minute entrees. i had queued for some time and have asked the chef, but he repeatedly ignored me in favor of some farang. needless to say i kicked up a fuss and had my lunch free with apologies from the manager.

 

i do not take discrimination lightly.

[Guest abang1961]

It is just 2 weeks before Chinese new year 2017.

The Chinese will be rushing home for the spring festival within China..just think of thanksgiving day maddress in the states.

 

Discrimination unfortunately is always present in Asia.

As an educated person, I was once asked by an older Australian lady whether I understand and speak English.

 

Even when I walked with a white man in the streets, I have been mistook as as sex worker. I remember in 1989 in Bangkok when it took the waiter some 20 minutes to print my check. He must have double checked the authenticity of my credit card. My American date was so flabbergasted.

[spoon]

Sadly, malaysian are also discriminated against other malaysians when it comes to high end places, like boutique retails and hotel, where they immediately assumed we dont have enough money to buy stuff there and just there to have a look see, when actually some of us can easily afford things, but doesnt mean we will spend like there's no tomorrow. I guess that would also happen in other SEA countries as well.

[a447a]

As an educated person, I was once asked by an older Australian lady whether I understand and speak English.

A perfectly reasonable question, I would have thought. Hardly discrimination.

[Guest]

Discrimination unfortunately is always present in Asia.

As an educated person, I was once asked by an older Australian lady whether I understand and speak English.

 

As an educated person, I have also been asked if I speak English.  Which is my first language.     That's not discrimination.   

[Guest abang1961]

As an educated person, I have also been asked if I speak English.  Which is my first language.     That's not discrimination.   

I was there in Melbourne for a short Christmas/New Year break.

I had been seeing this older gentleman (yes he is about 15 years my senior) and how can it be possible that his sister assumed that I don't speak a word of English.  Can it be possible to travel at my own expenses to meet my beau if communication through English is a problem.  She must have thought that I'm fresh off the boat!

[panther]

Hi vinapu/All,

 

Thanks for your comments I'm actually from the Philippines, and I just look Malay.

And I dunno, in my country we do have that perception that the caucasians are like VIP (when they visit us here).

 

But yes I will take your words for it, and will give it a go. So many hot stories from this site, lol.

This dispels some anxiety for me and now am more excited , hehehe 

[spoon]

Anyway, discriminations are from individuals and it comes in all sizes, ages, races, nationality. So if it happens, pleas dont let that ruin your vacation and also ruined your perception of the whole nation. Just dont let what other people think about what you are affected you as they really have no idea at all what you are made of.

[traveller123]

When I am speaking to someone for the first time I say "May I speak English?" I just think it sounds better, although I had never considered "Do you speak English?" as likely to cause offence.

Abangs situation is different as it should have been obvious he spoke English,but being charitable the lady could have been nervous meeting him for the first time and spoke without really realising that what she said may have upset him.

[steveboy]

I was there in Melbourne for a short Christmas/New Year break.

I had been seeing this older gentleman (yes he is about 15 years my senior) and how can it be possible that his sister assumed that I don't speak a word of English.  Can it be possible to travel at my own expenses to meet my beau if communication through English is a problem.  She must have thought that I'm fresh off the boat!

 

LOL,  you seem to have a big chip on your shoulder.

Look at it from a different angle:  if people think that you don't speak English, you have a big advantage in that you can understand all what they say about you in English while thinking that you don't understand  

[spoon]

In malaysia, we refer to chinese from china mainland chinese, but yeah there are quite a community of chinese in almost every country lol. I myself half chinese, though i have no chinese relatives.

[GWMinUS]

Hi vinapu/All,

 

Thanks for your comments I'm actually from the Philippines, and I just look Malay.

And I dunno, in my country we do have that perception that the caucasians are like VIP (when they visit us here).

 

Hey just be a proud Pinoy!! I take my guy from Cebu City to Bangkok and he has no problems...

Hope you enjoy!!

[bucknaway]

Being a black American, I have not faced much discrimination in Thailand. I could say that I experience the opposite of discrimination getting more attention than I deserve.

 

The only time I have experienced anything close to racial discrimination was in Sunee Plaza at a gogo bar where they blocked my entry and demanded I pay an entry fee. It was revealed to me that I was mistaken for Indian and was told that if the situation happens again to let them know I am American.