The usual asking price in Bangkok

[Min]

Talking about freelance MBs and their asking prices, my experience is that MBs in commercial areas in Bangkok often ask for 2000 ST and quickly settle for 1500. Others, who are not MBs "by trade" but don't mind some extra income and often live outside these areas, tend to ask for 1000 ST. 

There are always exceptions though. Last night, I talked to a boy on Hornet. He quoted "1500" and I'm thinking that's reasonable, no haggling needed, he added "but no sex". Excuse me?

I hadn't had a chance to ask "then what would you do to earn that 1500", "with sex, it's 2800" and while I was still reeling from the shock, "per hour".

I asked how he came up with that number (well, 2800, not the usual round number like 2500 or 3000) while aptly slipping in some info for perspective that even the model-like well-toned guys in Jupiter only asks for 2500 for short time (up to 2 hours).

He came back with, and I quote, "USUALLY people give me 5000 per hour". That still doesn't answer my question about the specificity of 2800 and also gives rise to another head scratcher "then why you asked me for 2800 only." 

I suspect that the boy somehow ran into someone like our dear Vinapu and then that encounter became the yardstick against which all future transactions would be measured (sorry Vinapu, I know that you are not into twinks but I need a case in point everyone can relate to  ).

Anyway, I thought I must miss something because, IMHO, the boy looks cute but not THAT cute (18 yo, 1m72/50kg) and all of his Hornet pictures are photoshopped anyway. So I asked for his insta account and checked it out. Wow, pictures and videos galore. He looks more like a lady boy in those pictures and videos (heavy makeup with hairdo, dress, and whatnot). A total disillusionment for me, not for him.

[reader]

As Floridarob recently posted, you can waste a lot of time on the apps. 

Prefering to do business in person, I dabbled in Grindr and found Only one guy I met with. And he I recognized from seeing on stage in a Silom bar. 

I follow a simple practice: 2K ST is the going rate in BKK and I expect no more than two hours. If that’s unacceptable, I move on. For me personally, endless bargaining ruins the fun. I’m not, after all, acquring a Persian carpet or fake Rolex.

Edited June 3, 2022 by reader

[Guest]

2 hours ago, Min said:

Talking about freelance MBs and their asking prices, my experience is that MBs in commercial areas in Bangkok often ask for 2000 ST and quickly settle for 1500. Others, who are not MBs "by trade" but don't mind some extra income and often live outside these areas, tend to ask for 1000 ST.

This is fairly typical.    Also, some make it really easy and just ask for 1500.

 

 

2 hours ago, Min said:

I asked how he came up with that number (well, 2800, not the usual round number like 2500 or 3000) while aptly slipping in some info for perspective that even the model-like well-toned guys in Jupiter only asks for 2500 for short time (up to 2 hours).

He came back with, and I quote, "USUALLY people give me 5000 per hour".

I just don't waste my time continuing the conversation, when people get to that stage.     If someone has quoted a daft figure, he quickly needs to modify it, or there is no point in the conversation going any further. 

For example, I remember one quoting 3000.   I countered with 1000, expecting to haggle to around 1500.    However, he immediately agreed to 1000. 

If someone says he normally gets 5000, well either he's extremely selective in picking clients, or he's lying and that means I don't know what else he's lying about. 

[PeterRS]

My days in the bars and with money boys ended quite some time ago. I therefore have no interest in what going rates are. That said, I have nothing whatever against money boys. They provide a service and are making a living. Good on them, especially if the service is great. However, being based in Bangkok I notice that there are so many boys available on the apps who are not money boys and whose only interest is in a good time with some good sex. Bangkok being a large city, most will ask for transport if they are coming from reasonably far away, but few request taxis. Sometimes a nice dinner is accepted, but far from always

Having a partner, I don't take them up on offers. But my partner knows that I do meet up with guys when i travel, but again not money boys. In Tokyo, Taipei, KL, Singapore and more recently in Danang there always seem to be plenty of boys looking for an older farang. On my last trip to Singapore I was merely lying on my bed after a rather heavy lunch when a young student clicked on me.  Turned out he was virtually passing the front door of the hotel. Well, what was I supposed to do? I had a good time.

I fully realise that non commercial guys are not always available when a visiting tourist wants to hook up. Many are students or young guys with jobs. So outside of Thailand I do not expect hook ups till early evening. So far I have rarely been disappointed.

[TotallyOz]

I normally lead with what I'm willing to pay. I find this the best way to set expectations. If someone says 5000 an hour, I'll say sorry.

[pong2]

There is simply NO universal pricing-even though that is indeed often the case in TH for other normal daily commodities-you never ask about that, as anyone knows.

What probably happens is that a small club/band of guys who know one another have ever talked about it a bit and then follow that. Guys from a bar will get instructions before starting work from ´captain/ladyboy´. Or there may be some exaggerated hearsay from a guy who proudly pronounces he got x000, without anyone knowing or able to check if this was the case-or not.

Also Many Thai simply cannot calculate-or at least not very well. They are trained-also in school-to memorize things and to re-produce it when asked in the same proper context-outside of it, they only produce a blank smile.

I never even talk about it-but thats (was-not been since 2y3m now) in massageshops-they mostly set a MIN tip (which is always interpreted as The tip)

[Guest]

We're not talking about universal pricing.       It's more about what the average going rate is.    Some of us like to neither over pay nor under pay, which is why we like to have a grasp on where the middle of the market is.

Actually, as with many things in life, considering the whole market, rules of economics apply.    Pricing is a function of supply and demand (ie customer side as well). 

Also with variations according to how you meet your boy.   A gogo bar might successfully require it's staff to ask for a certain minimum tip, however the same boys often work to a different price scale on phone apps.    So they can fix prices within a bar, but not for the whole market. 

 

[jason1975]

16 hours ago, PeterRS said:

My days in the bars and with money boys ended quite some time ago. I therefore have no interest in what going rates are. That said, I have nothing whatever against money boys. They provide a service and are making a living. Good on them, especially if the service is great. However, being based in Bangkok I notice that there are so many boys available on the apps who are not money boys and whose only interest is in a good time with some good sex. Bangkok being a large city, most will ask for transport if they are coming from reasonably far away, but few request taxis. Sometimes a nice dinner is accepted, but far from always

Having a partner, I don't take them up on offers. But my partner knows that I do meet up with guys when i travel, but again not money boys. In Tokyo, Taipei, KL, Singapore and more recently in Danang there always seem to be plenty of boys looking for an older farang. On my last trip to Singapore I was merely lying on my bed after a rather heavy lunch when a young student clicked on me.  Turned out he was virtually passing the front door of the hotel. Well, what was I supposed to do? I had a good time.

I fully realise that non commercial guys are not always available when a visiting tourist wants to hook up. Many are students or young guys with jobs. So outside of Thailand I do not expect hook ups till early evening. So far I have rarely been disappointed.

You must be a very handsome farang daddy!

[PeterRS]

3 hours ago, jason1975 said:

You must be a very handsome farang daddy!

How did you guess? LOL

Seriously, though, I don't think the young guys I have been lucky enough to meet up with have been attracted only by photos - although if I had photos which made me look like the face of a camel I might have had a problem. There just seem to be some guys in some of the cities I listed whose only interest is in hooking up with older farang. For them this is certainly not so easy when living in Tokyo, Taipei and Danang, and no doubt quite a few other places.

A former bf of 5 years who lives in Taipei and with whom I get together for brunch whenever I visit is always complaining that he is unable to find a suitable older westerner. He's now in his early 40s, is still good looking, very fit and in a good job - plus he has another asset I need not describe here! 

Just as an aside, he (I'll call him Feng) told me a funny but true story. He thought he had found Mr. Right, an Englishman in his late 50s who worked in Taipei. Unfortunately Feng loved life and really enjoyed going out to concerts, movies, museums, occasionally a disco etc. but his English bf only wanted to crash when he returned from work and watch television or videos. Even so, Feng enjoyed being with him. After about 18 months together, though, Feng decided he should liven up his sex life by finding a friend with benefits. Quite unusually for him as he had only ever been with westerners, he found a slightly younger Taiwanese guy whom he'd meet roughly once a week. 

This continued for about a year after which Feng decided to break it off. Some weeks later, cuddling at home with the English guy, they heard the doorbell. The English guy answered the door. It turned out to be the Chinese guy who'd come looking for Feng. Very stupidly Feng had at one time given him his address but not told him he already had a bf. All this came out as the three of them were having drinks. Learning of the reality of the situation, the Chinese boy left. The English guy seemed to take it all in his stride and did not make any fuss.

A few weeks later Feng returned from work. He went straight to the bedroom to get out of his clothes and take a shower. As he opened the door, there in bed together were the English bf and his Taiwan FWB! He gave up his bf days later.

[reader]

If this discussion proves anything it’s that in the end, each individual will decide on price based on his own sense of measure at any given moment. For most of us, it’s not our first rodeo. We know the.parameters and the environs. But what cannot be reduced to formulation are those intangible factors that ultimately determine what we will actually pay. 

[jason1975]

1 hour ago, PeterRS said:

How did you guess? LOL

Seriously, though, I don't think the young guys I have been lucky enough to meet up with have been attracted only by photos - although if I had photos which made me look like the face of a camel I might have had a problem. There just seem to be some guys in some of the cities I listed whose only interest is in hooking up with older farang. For them this is certainly not so easy when living in Tokyo, Taipei and Danang, and no doubt quite a few other places.

A former bf of 5 years who lives in Taipei and with whom I get together for brunch whenever I visit is always complaining that he is unable to find a suitable older westerner. He's now in his early 40s, is still good looking, very fit and in a good job - plus he has another asset I need not describe here! 

Just as an aside, he (I'll call him Feng) told me a funny but true story. He thought he had found Mr. Right, an Englishman in his late 50s who worked in Taipei. Unfortunately Feng loved life and really enjoyed going out to concerts, movies, museums, occasionally a disco etc. but his English bf only wanted to crash when he returned from work and watch television or videos. Even so, Feng enjoyed being with him. After about 18 months together, though, Feng decided he should liven up his sex life by finding a friend with benefits. Quite unusually for him as he had only ever been with westerners, he found a slightly younger Taiwanese guy whom he'd meet roughly once a week. 

This continued for about a year after which Feng decided to break it off. Some weeks later, cuddling at home with the English guy, they heard the doorbell. The English guy answered the door. It turned out to be the Chinese guy who'd come looking for Feng. Very stupidly Feng had at one time given him his address but not told him he already had a bf. All this came out as the three of them were having drinks. Learning of the reality of the situation, the Chinese boy left. The English guy seemed to take it all in his stride and did not make any fuss.

A few weeks later Feng returned from work. He went straight to the bedroom to get out of his clothes and take a shower. As he opened the door, there in bed together were the English bf and his Taiwan FWB! He gave up his bf days later.

Hilarious situation! I feel happy for English bf and Taiwan FWB. But i do hope Feng found someone else.

[PeterRS]

4 hours ago, jason1975 said:

Hilarious situation! I feel happy for English bf and Taiwan FWB. But i do hope Feng found someone else.

I last chatted with him about 4 months ago. Sadly for him, he's still single, although he now has a group of close Chinese friends. He always tells me there is a dearth of foreigners in Taiwan and he is now at an age when any who might be available will be looking for someone younger. So I am certain he's just given up. It's a real pity since he is such a nice guy and could make someone really happy.

[innitalex]

14 hours ago, PeterRS said:

I last chatted with him about 4 months ago. Sadly for him, he's still single, although he now has a group of close Chinese friends. He always tells me there is a dearth of foreigners in Taiwan and he is now at an age when any who might be available will be looking for someone younger. So I am certain he's just given up. It's a real pity since he is such a nice guy and could make someone really happy.

Such a good story and I hope there’s a happy ending for Feng. 

[jason1975]

20 hours ago, reader said:

If this discussion proves anything it’s that in the end, each individual will decide on price based on his own sense of measure at any given moment. For most of us, it’s not our first rodeo. We know the.parameters and the environs. But what cannot be reduced to formulation are those intangible factors that ultimately determine what we will actually pay. 

Yes i agree fully. Sometimes we will pay more than going rate if the right guy appears. And let's not forget the bonuses that we give at the end of ST/LT when the boy perform beyond expectation!