How Much Is Enough?

[Guest A Rose By Any Other Name]

Though I am fairly old hat with the bar scene, I am curious how others view this type of arrangement. Let's say that I ask a boy to come sit and talk with me and I buy him a drink. We talk and play and I buy him another drink and he is very touchy/feely and I have a good time. Let's say about 1 hour's time passes by. Now I am ready to leave, but I don't want to off the boy. What is considered a "normal tip"? I know the whole "up to you thing" and that there really is no "normal," but I'd like to know what others do...? Generally, I would give the boy between 100 and 300 baht tip. Is this right? Too much? Too little? I'd love to hear other people's experiences...

 

The Rose

[Guest TOQ2]

Let's say Generally, I would give the boy between 100 and 300 baht tip. Is this right? Too much? Too little? I'd love to hear other people's experiences...

 

The Rose

 

We seem to think along the same lines. If less than an hour I will give 100B.. If for some reason he sits longer and I dont off him then I give 200B.

 

john

[Guest PapaDavid]

 

......Generally, I would give the boy between 100 and 300 baht tip. Is this right? Too much? Too little? I'd love to hear other people's experiences...

 

The Rose

 

 

That's about right. Work on the principle of up to 1 hr = 100 Baht, 100 Baht per hour after that. If you haven't made up your mind after 3 hours perhaps it is time to leave or cast your net further.

Besides most of the people I know who frequent go-go bars would probably be too p****d to care after 3 hrs.

There are however those who go and sit in a go-go bar and nurse one or two drinks all evening, buying a boy who comes and sits with them one beer or other drink and in the meantime enjoying the touchy/feely attentions of the boy on the strength of that one drink (not that I am accusing you of such disreputable behaviour !!).

 

 

[Guest A Rose By Any Other Name]

There are however those who go and sit in a go-go bar and nurse one or two drinks all evening, buying a boy who comes and sits with them one beer or other drink and in the meantime enjoying the touchy/feely attentions of the boy on the strength of that one drink (not that I am accusing you of such disreputable behaviour !!).

 

Oh, if only I could stop at just one!

 

The Rose

[Guest wowpow]

So many imponderables - how much touchy feely? Did you invite him or did he push to join you? How much below the waist? How likely is the boy to be missing out on another off? How many drinks did you buy him? Did he have a good time? Are you fun to be with?

 

I do tend to be overgenerous. I would feel a bit mean to only tip a boy 100 bt for an hours heavy molesting. I feel 200+ is the region. There again a beach masseur boy told me that a very keenyow farang took him to his room for long massage and sex and only tipped him 200bt. When he objected the farang told him "I never tip more that 200 baht".

 

I react with distaste to the growing habit of bars to charge an extra price for a 'boy drink'. Places where you pay 120 baht for a drink charge 160 baht for a boy's weak drink. Asked why the answer is "because we have to give boy tip" Now if this is 30 or 40 baht I guess it's irrelevant but in Bangkok's Boy Plaza (nee Soi Twighlight) bars where drinks are 220+ the boys get 100 baht.

 

Nothing is ever simple in Thailand.

[Guest A Rose By Any Other Name]

I react with distaste to the growing habit of bars to charge an extra price for a 'boy drink'. Places where you pay 120 baht for a drink charge 160 baht for a boy's weak drink. Asked why the answer is "because we have to give boy tip" Now if this is 30 or 40 baht I guess it's irrelevant but in Bangkok's Boy Plaza (nee Soi Twighlight) bars where drinks are 220+ the boys get 100 baht.

 

Actually, I personally don't have a problem with this practice at all. I think that a boy's drink should cost more (provided the extra charge goes to the boy). I understand that the venue must turn a profit on alcohol sales, pay the salary of the boys, and cover all overhead expenditures. This also protects the boys from "under-tippers" who buy a drink for the boy, molest him for an hour or so, and slip him a 20 on the way out. In addition, I presume that it also motivates the boys to be friendlier to the customers in the hopes that they buy him a drink. I like a good bargain as much as the next tourist, but each coin has two sides.

 

The Rose

[Guest wowpow]

Rose what an odd response.

 

I am very happy to play the game and be generous. But when they serve a boy a glass of watered down tonic water and charge me 270 baht for a G&T, I find it devious and so I mostly don't buy boys a drink but tip them generously.

 

I am happy to pay for their time with me and pay my drink price even if I don't see to want to see the show.

 

Sure bars need to make a profit but there is no reason for them not to so do in a clear and transparent way - Oh, sorry, I forgot I'm in Thailand.

[Gaybutton]

In most cases the boy will order a soft drink. In most bars they pay the boy 20 baht when he orders a soft drink, but nothing at all when he orders a beer or hard drink.

 

In most cases the boy expects at least a 100 baht tip when he is called to sit with you. I agree with the above postings as to how much more ought to be given to the boy, depending on how long and depending on how far the touching and feeling goes.

 

Remember, most of the bar boys are paid little or nothing by the bar and they depend solely on tips and "offs" to make a living. I don't think it is a good idea to over-tip, but it is definitely a bad idea to under-tip.

[Guest A Rose By Any Other Name]

Rose what an odd response.

 

I am very happy to play the game and be generous. But when they serve a boy a glass of watered down tonic water and charge me 270 baht for a G&T, I find it devious and so I mostly don't buy boys a drink but tip them generously.

 

I am happy to pay for their time with me and pay my drink price even if I don't see to want to see the show.

 

Sure bars need to make a profit but there is no reason for them not to so do in a clear and transparent way - Oh, sorry, I forgot I'm in Thailand.

 

Of course it is your decision whether or not you buy a boy a drink. In terms of your pricing, you must be talking Bangkok, I don't know I live in Pattaya. However, the common practice here is that the boy's drink is about 30-40 baht more than the falang (this is about 1 dollar for those keeping score). From the places I have been, this means 100-130 for a G&T for you and me and 130-160 for a drink for a boy. Again, I don't find this unreasonable. Do I like cheaper drink rates? Sure, but again let's see it from both sides. These prices too are gogo prices, they are much cheaper in host bar establishments and some don't charge any extra at all for boy's drinks. If unsure, just ask the waiter, they don't seem to be hiding anything to me. Bottom line, if you don't like the prices, just don't go!

 

The Rose

[Gaybutton]

this means 100-130 for a G&T for you and me and 130-160 for a drink for a boy. Again, I don't find this unreasonable.

 

The Rose

 

I agree with The Rose. It is reasonable, in my opinion, because that's where the bar's tip for the boy is coming from. Anything else he gets is up to the person with whom he is sitting.

 

I do have one exception. If a boy is sitting with me, then it's because I called him over. I do not ever buy a drink for or tip a boy who sits with me uninvited or has been foisted on me by a mama-san. I usually shoo them away, but sometimes they are so aggressive they sit down next to me anyhow and start trying to high pressure me into buying them a drink. If that occurs I simply totally ignore him, call over the boy I really wanted if there is one, tell him to go away, leave, tell him no, or whatever, but when they force themselves upon me, that's where I draw the line.

[Guest A Rose By Any Other Name]

I agree with The Rose. It is reasonable, in my opinion, because that's where the bar's tip for the boy is coming from. Anything else he gets is up to the person with whom he is sitting.

 

I do have one exception. If a boy is sitting with me, then it's because I called him over. I do not ever buy a drink for or tip a boy who sits with me uninvited or has been foisted on me by a mama-san. I usually shoo them away, but sometimes they are so aggressive they sit down next to me anyhow and start trying to high pressure me into buying them a drink. If that occurs I simply totally ignore him, call over the boy I really wanted if there is one, tell him to go away, leave, tell him no, or whatever, but when they force themselves upon me, that's where I draw the line.

 

Absolutely in agreement. I hate the pushy, hard sell. If I want you, you'll know it!

 

The Rose

[Guest catawampuscat]

If you call a boy over from a go go or beer bar, then the boy loses an opportunity to meet another farang , especially if you keep him for longer than a few minutes..Sometimes, one knows in a minute or two that the boy will not work out and a small tip is appropriate to save face.. The other nite I called over a boy who looked good but up close I saw long tapered fingernails and a soft voice which meant to me that he was much more fem than I like..We shook hands and a minute after he came over he left with 40B.

If a boy stays longer than a minute or two, I always give a minimum of 100B. and if there is

hanky panky, I tip at least 200B. I hope the boy gets some of the price of his drink and I know

the boys live on tips and offs.. One boy I know got a 500B. to 1,000B. tip from a farang regular for just sitting with him and his bf..It happened every day for a couple of weeks and even when I offed the boy, he asked if he could go back to the bar to have the drink with the farang and make the 1000B. tip.. It was fine with me and everyone was happy..

Of course, the other side of the coin, is the cheap farang..You can see them some nites at

Krazy Dragon in Pattaya..Their hands roam all over the table dancers and when the time comes for a minimal tip of at least 20B. , they stiff the boy and move on to the next free feel.. It is difficult to watch and on occassion, some farangs will overtip the boy to compensate for the cheapskate..

The boys catch on who is the cheapie and he can only get away with it for a short while.. I do congradulate the management at Krazy Dragon as the boys show no attitude with the cheapies and take it in stride..The worst of all farangs are the cheapies who brag about how much they got off the boy and how they didn't tip him..I cringe when this happens and move away as fast as possible..These creeps rarely have friends and don't know why...

[Guest wowpow]

I find it quite astonishing that several people find it perfectly acceptible to pay a drink supplement when they buy a drink for a member of staff in a go-go or host bar. Most of them serve a watered soft drink and charge full price - some bars even have smaller boy drink glasses.

 

This surcharge is not the 'norm' but only done in a few Pattaya bars that I know about. Would it be acceptible in hotel bars? No it's ludicrous, devious and dishonest and yet some think it's OK!!!! At the very very least, any bar wishing to operate such a system should advise their customers beforehand.

 

Where I have found it happening I have told them that I don't like it and I will not buy boys drinks in their bar

 

Bangkok bars do have higher prices and they do tip the boys a lot more. Most of the top bars give the boys 100 baht when a 'supposed drink' is bought for them. Drink prices being 200 - 270 baht depending on the bar and midweek or Friday/Saturday.

 

 

[Guest allieb]

I would say 100 baht for the first 30 mins. If you have him sitting with you for an hour then 200 Baht. This is the time to decide if you are going to off him or not. If not the let him go as you are spoiling his chance to earn a full off payment of what I think should be 1000 baht plus taxi for a couple of hours on the bed or 1500 for all night.

 

You could always have him sit in the bar with for 3 hours and pay him 1,000 I see nothing wrong with that. Wether he is sitting wiith you or f*****g you in the hotel room its all the same.Fiddling with you in the bar is tacky and hard work for him, his expectation for this act is that you off him.

[Guest A Rose By Any Other Name]

I find it quite astonishing that several people find it perfectly acceptible to pay a drink supplement when they buy a drink for a member of staff in a go-go or host bar. Most of them serve a watered soft drink and charge full price - some bars even have smaller boy drink glasses.

 

Where I have found it happening I have told them that I don't like it and I will not buy boys drinks in their bar

 

I suppose this all comes down to disposable income, and it seems like posters might have very different budget allotments. Honestly, if 75 cents (that's USA currency for those of you wondering) is too much money to spend extra to grope a boy's crotch, slobber in his mouth, and do whatever else it is that so many crass, cheap tourists seem to do, than rethink coming here, dear.

 

The Rose

 

PS - If you go to McDonalds, I can guarantee you that they will not charge extra to buy one of their wait staff a cola. Perhaps this is a better route for you.