Go Go Boys in Thailand

[Pandaman89]

Hi Guys, 

I’ve been to Thailand a few times now, and frequented a few of the go go bars but never really understood how the process works, who to tip, how much to tip and often find my self just walking out overwhelmed by it. 
 

Looking for answers I can’t seem to find any post that are written after 2014 that talk about appropriate tips, or what the average “off” rate is to a bar or what the recommended/expected short time or long time rates are on average. 

There have been a few times I’ve spoken to and see guys in these bars that I would of loved to take back to my hotel and this trip would really like to. 
 

I would appreciate any advice, and reading updated informations on what it costs to off a go go boy these days. 
 

I’m spending time in both Bangkok and Phuket. 

[vaughn]

The process at a basic level is this

- Take a seat, buy a drink and survey the talent on stage, a mamasan will be hovering around and will either pester you to bring a boy down off stage or will wait for you to ask

- When you pick a boy either point him out or they will be wearing a small badge with a number on it to help pinpoint him, the mamasan will get his attention and bring him down. In some gogos, you can just wave him down, but if there is a mamasan I just use them to get him on a seat next to me

- Now you're expected to buy him a drink while you talk, I will usually get the mamasan a drink (if they help and aren't annoying me) but that's up to you. A mamasan can be a necessity if he does not speak English at all, they will help translate and even make suggestions on who might be your type based on what you like.

- You can ask the mamasan or the boy what the off fee is, it is the standard fee to take the boy from the bar

- You ask the boy what he is up for, top/bottom/both, and the cost of short time (~2 hours usually) or long time (overnight) 

- If you are interested tell him you want him to come with you, you will get a bill in your bin for the off fee and he will go get changed

- I usually tip the waiter between 50-100 baht, if I haven't bought the mamasan a drink I'll tip them the same if they are helpful

- Don't pay the boy upfront, when the deed is done and he is in the hotel room you pay him his fee.

 

My notes from 2019/2020 on prices might not be accurate right now because covid could have changed things, but in general, prices will be somewhere around this mark.

Massage shop fee: 400-500, full-service tip to the boy 1000-1500, bj/hj somewhere around 500

BKK gogo off fee: I don't have notes, but I think it is usually somewhere between 300 to 700 baht

ST and LT is up to the boy, usually something like 1000-2000 ST, 2000+ for LT

 

I'm fairly new to the Thailand scene, but happy to answer any questions that I can

[Boy69]

Due the Covid 19 I don't think any gogo bars are aloud to be open at the moment. Someone van correct me if I'm wrong.

[Guest]

Gogo bars are not allowed to open.  

The very few that flout the rules seem to have an offering that's far below normal standards.  That's 1 bar in Pattaya and 2-3 in Bangkok, although I've not been to Bangkok for nearly a month, so it may be out of date information.  Thankfully we have Grindr etc

In case you think these restrictions are bad, well the last time I looked, it was still illegal to sell alcohol in bars and restaurants in most of Thailand.  The only exceptions are the few blue "tourist" zones.

 

[Londoner]

I cannot resist noting that "go go dancing " existed in the Good Old Days but has been replaced by "go go standing" for well over a decade. Apologies for going off-thread.

 

[Guest]

2 hours ago, Londoner said:

I cannot resist noting that "go go dancing " existed in the Good Old Days but has been replaced by "go go standing" for well over a decade. Apologies for going off-thread.

This is fair comment.

If meeting a lad on an app in Bangkok, most will ask for 1500.  Some ask for as little as 1000.  The latter figure is what they ask for, not a result of haggling.

Now if I visit a Bangkok Gogo bar, even with 2 drinks and an off, it's about 1400 or more to get off the premises and the Gogo boy is likely to ask for 2000 short time.  

Since the cost of this is more than double that of phone app dating, ideally the gogo bars would make sure they provide some value in return, by offering some dancing etc.    

In practice, they do not always provide that.  Standards have dropped, just at the same time that online dating has taken off. 

I suspect many boys prefer the flexibility of online dating as well. No need to stand on stage in underwear and put up with a mamasan.

It's sad, but is no surprise that the number of gogo bars has been declining.

[thaiophilus]

The one advantage the gogo bars still have over the apps is that you can examine the goods before committing yourself and see the real thing, not an outdated photo of somebody else. Of course if they parade fully clothed it's less appealing.

In the Good Old Days it wasn't so much the gogo dancing that appealed to me, nor even the shows, so much as the whole atmosphere of the bars, with the boys spontaneously interacting with each other as well as the punters.

[spoon]

3 hours ago, Londoner said:

I cannot resist noting that "go go dancing " existed in the Good Old Days but has been replaced by "go go standing" for well over a decade. Apologies for going off-thread.

 

If just standing, i would remove the gogo title too. Maybe we should call them statues. Although, plenty of gogo bars still have choreographed shows. I think at least 3 gogobars that still open in bangkok with shows. Might be more. The two that i know still posting videos/live in social media are moonlight and jupiter.

[Guest]

6 hours ago, thaiophilus said:

The one advantage the gogo bars still have over the apps is that you can examine the goods before committing yourself and see the real thing, not an outdated photo of somebody else. Of course if they parade fully clothed it's less appealing.

You're absolutely right.  

However, after nearly 3 months here on this trip, with gogo bars closed and lots of app dating, I've had just one lad show up who didn't look as good as expected.   Most look better. 

This one looked a little worse and it was my fault as I didn't insist on good photos. So I continued with the date.

If he looks nothing like the photo, one is perfectly entitled to ask him to leave, with no payment, after meeting outside the hotel. There is no obligation to reward fraud and it is better for all if we don't.  

Most boys have worked this part out.

 

[thaiophilus]

7 hours ago, spoon said:

If just standing, i would remove the gogo title too. Maybe we should call them statues.

Such things have a long history under the name of "poses plastiques". Once popular as Lady Hamilton's  "Attitudes", they were nearly the downfall of the Earl of Euston in the Cleveland Street Scandal.

[fedssocr]

All good advice. I usually prefer the massage places, especially if you find a boy who actually knows how to do a massage. But my tastes and expectations are quite basic.

I've never really had much luck with the apps but I haven't really tried too much with them either.

[xpaulo]

I don't if this is too far off topic, but are there still hotels in Bangkok where you can bring a guest?

[vinapu]

19 minutes ago, xpaulo said:

I don't if this is too far off topic, but are there still hotels in Bangkok where you can bring a guest?

Yes, all of them.

I was in Thailand 25 days in Dec, slept in 11 different hotels and had a guest most nights and some days too and only once (Zing, Jomtien Complex ),my guest was asked to leave Id and even they only on his first visit but not next day. 

So don't worry about that part although to avoid potential embarrassment still make sure your guest has some id on him.

In almost impossible case when hotel is making a fuss remember that those days hotels are very cheap and you can easily find one for 500 baht to host you and your guest for a few hours

[PeterRS]

8 hours ago, thaiophilus said:

Such things have a long history under the name of "poses plastiques". Once popular as Lady Hamilton's  "Attitudes", they were nearly the downfall of the Earl of Euston in the Cleveland Street Scandal.

I read that in the 1940s London's Windmill Theatre was allowed to have naked ladies on stage - provided they never moved! Just like statues. Having stayed open all throughout the war, including the Blitz, it adopted the motto, "We never closed." Some wit changed that to "We never clothed!"

[TMax]

7 hours ago, fedssocr said:

I usually prefer the massage places, especially if you find a boy who actually knows how to do a massage. But my tastes and expectations are quite basic.

I am much the same, preference is for the massage places, now that I have long gotten over the entrance and selection nerves I make sure to communicate with the boy my 3 wishes for being there, a good massage is number 1, 2 and 3 follow very soon after the massage 😁

[Pandaman89]

Thank you everyone for taking the time to write such detailed and informative responses. This is all really helpful. Can not wait to be back in Thailand next week! It’s been far too long. 

[vinapu]

6 hours ago, Pandaman89 said:

Thank you everyone for taking the time to write such detailed and informative responses. This is all really helpful. Can not wait to be back in Thailand next week! It’s been far too long. 

have a nice trip, you won't be disappointed

we are waiting for report of how things went

[Londoner]

My first visit changed my life...it even resulted a couple of years later in my taking early retirement. And a pay-cut!

I hope your experiences are just as thrilling.

[Lucky]

10 hours ago, PeterRS said:

I read that in the 1940s London's Windmill Theatre was allowed to have naked ladies on stage - provided they never moved! Just like statues. Having stayed open all throughout the war, including the Blitz, it adopted the motto, "We never closed." Some wit changed that to "We never clothed!"

The novel I just read includes scenes from the Windmill Theater.

[Midguy1]

4 hours ago, Londoner said:

My first visit changed my life...it even resulted a couple of years later in my taking early retirement. And a pay-cut;

I can relate to this! Seriously planning to retire much earlier (like early to mid 50s) to allow more travel time!

[Guest]

11 hours ago, Midguy1 said:

I can relate to this! Seriously planning to retire much earlier (like early to mid 50s) to allow more travel time!

I planned to retire before 50, but after some procrastination and further topping up of the retirement funds, I retired in my early 50s.

That was followed immediately by a ~3 month holiday in Asia, a few short European breaks over the summer and another 3 month winter holiday in Asia.  I planned to do more travel the following summer, but COVID 19 arrived.

Since then, I've only been to Thailand, but again 2 X 3 months.  In 2020-21, doing 15 nights quarantine would not have been palatable for a 30 day trip, but was worthwhile for almost 3 months.  This time, test and go was easy.

Of course to retire early often requires a few compromises for those on normal "middle class" incomes.  Not everyone is prepared to optimise expenses by, for example, running old cars, even though a carefully selected one can be very reliable.   Some prefer to spend £300 or more per month on a lease car.  Over 30 years that mounts up, particularly if compared with investing it in the stock market.  

Add a few more cost optimizations and the results can be good.

 

[Londoner]

Midguy1 writes; "Seriously planning to retire much earlier (like early to mid 50s) to allow more travel time!"

I was lucky;  I received a generous pension at the age of fifty-two but even if it had been less so, my mind was made-up. And it was the best decision of my life.

That was more than twenty years ago. it improved my health, both mental and physical and it eventually resulted, nine years into retirement, in my meeting the one and only love of my life.  

Go for it!

[scott456]

On 2/17/2022 at 7:13 PM, thaiophilus said:

The one advantage the gogo bars still have over the apps is that you can examine the goods before committing yourself and see the real thing, not an outdated photo of somebody else. Of course if they parade fully clothed it's less appealing.

In the Good Old Days it wasn't so much the gogo dancing that appealed to me, nor even the shows, so much as the whole atmosphere of the bars, with the boys spontaneously interacting with each other as well as the punters.

I don't think you have to commit yourself when you connect with someone from the APPS.  You can promise to his taxi money to come meet you first.  If the guy look quite different from his photos, you can just tell him no.

[vinapu]

48 minutes ago, scott456 said:

I don't think you have to commit yourself when you connect with someone from the APPS.  You can promise to his taxi money to come meet you first.  If the guy look quite different from his photos, you can just tell him no.

Or you can take  a chance by giving him a chance. After all he comes somewhat dressed and who knows what he is hiding under that t-shirt in in those jeans not not mention energy and skills .

Unfortunately that works other way around too, handsome face may cover attitude and inside of those trousers you may find ugly cock.

In short , be adventurous from time to time and don't be too attached to your pre-conceived notions.

My worst boy ever had angelic face and Davidian body, my second worst  few years later become my best and one of best guys I ever met I engaged against strong advice one of my trusted forum friends.

[orson]

33 minutes ago, vinapu said:

 

Unfortunately that works other way around too, handsome face may cover attitude and inside of those trousers you may find ugly cock. 

Bite your tongue. There's no such thing as an ugly cock. Lol