Posted By: Jau Chu <trevor@linnetsdene.freeserve.co.uk>
Date: 3/14/99
I first visited Thailand twenty years ago and have spent over 3 years there in total.
It's a great first-choice for the newcomer to south-east Asia. For on-the-spot advice
you should arrange to meet up with Bangkok-based members who post on the board but
I'll give you my personal preferences on the Thailand experience.
My first trip lasted 5 weeks and I had 4 girls. Two from the Grace Hotel coffee shop in Bkk, one massage girl in Chiangmai, and a restaurant waitress in Chiangmai (took her to Phuket). None cost more than 300 Baht ($15 in 1979) and even the top lookers in Patpong were only 500 Baht LT. Nowadays there's a wider range -- 1000-2000 Baht (a $40 average). But great value since the Baht plunged from 25 to the Greenback twenty months ago (currently US$1 = B37).
You must check out Patpong, Nana Entertainment Plaza and Soi Cowboy (plenty of posts in the archives). Unguided exploration is much of the fun. Just smile at the touts and say "Khawp khun, pom dern len na' ha' " -- Thanks, I'm just walking around at leisure. Beware the upstairs sex shows in Patpong: worth it to see but take the advice of someone who knows the scene to avoid getting a massive Japanese-style bill and heavy tactics when you attempt to leave. Places are always changing so talk to the local expatriates. I gravitated towards Soi Cowboy in my early years as it was cheaper and the girls less commercial. There's also a large seafood supermarket just across the road on the south side of Sukhumvit where you can select your supper and have it freshly cooked on site. Chili crab -- yum, yum!
On Thai massage, the TSM posts do not make it very clear that there is sex-massage and traditional massage -- usually in completely different establishments. There may be an overlap in some places, i.e. girls who do both -- but they will be the less attractive ones. If you're going for a sex massage you may as well enjoy the full body massage on a soapy airbed. But beware: sex-massage girls entertain several clients a day and if that condom breaks there's a high chance of infection (it happened to me). High-risk, high-cost, short-time ... there are better-value options.
I much prefer to enjoy Thai traditional (signs say 'Ancient') massage (nuat pen boraan) and go elsewhere for sex. There is a cluster of such parlours on the north side of New Arun Amarin Road just north-west of the Phra Pink Klao bridge, popular with Thai men. Also in a lane behind the main road. It's great value at around 200 baht an hour (take at least 2 hours). They are properly trained and literally walk all over you. Give the girl a 100 or 200 baht tip. Specify a private room and order drinks and food if you wish. No sex but some will let you give them a squeeze or a cuddle. Some are quite attractive and without the hard edge of some sex workers. I have used my ability in spoken Thai to meet them outside of work. Would make a good travel companion if you could swing it. If you do go there you can also combine with a visit to the Grand Palace/National Museum/River area.
I would guess around half the girls in the sex industry have had a baby. Thai girls often end up with horrid stretch marks and soft bellies so the bikini go-go bars give an opportunity to check out the merchandise. The girls are used to tourists and speak pidgin English but most are uneducated and largely oblivious to the greater world outside. Fun for a night or two but completely unsuitable for any sustained relationship. And as for the 'Art Bars' of Sukhumvit Soi 33, I would rather offer 5,000 baht to a girl in the street or mall than pay their fancy prices. Some will accept (it's one month's paycheck remember), be more attractive, of a higher social standing and less likely to harbour infection. Even those cute department store salesgirls will go out with a westerner if they sniff the possibility of a route to your riches!
Try to get out of Bkk if you have time (sex is available everywhere if you look for it). My favourite places are Chiangmai and Mae Hong Son in the north ... the languid Mekong River in the north-east ... Koh Samui and Koh Pa-Ngan in the south. Heading south would be climatically advantageous from March to June (lower temperatures).
Enjoy!