A Diary Of Six Days In Pattaya

WEDNESDAY

Checked into my regular hotel on Soi Lenki and was pleasantly surprised to be told that the day rate had dropped from 650 to 600 baht. My last trip was in May, hardly High Season, so I guess just a reflection of the lack of customers that
you’ve been talking about in recent weeks.

Headed of to my favourite masseuse, an older lady who, whilst I’m sure gives “extras” if required, does provide an excellent massage. This visit did confirm an earlier comment in your column – oil massages are
now 200baht/hour, of which my girl gets 80 baht, although she told me that this can drop as low as 50 baht in some establishments. My girl has been averaging one massage a day for the past month and isn’t in great demand for “extras”
(admittedly, as I’ve said, not the best looker there), so, as you’ve said, tip them well!

I tend to be an early evening drinker (which is one of the reasons I rarely venture into Patong, which is only starting to liven up as I’m heading for the sack!), so 6.00 found me in Buffalo bar – as one of only 3 customers!!
Had a drink and a chat with a couple of the regular girls I know there who bemoaned the lack of business. Normally I enjoy a few beers there, but no atmosphere tonight meant I was soon on my way to Oasis a-Go-Go. Again I was struck by the lack
of people, especially as it a well known haunt for expats. Unlike previous visits, I had several of the dancers approach me (usually they leave it until later in the evening when there’s a better chance of a BF).

On to Champagne a-Go-Go, which was busier and pretty lively – perhaps because it was a bit later? Had an amusing chat with a “newbie’ dancer (though not new to Pattaya), who’d been working there for 2 days. Previously
she’d been working in a beer bar in Walking Street. I asked her for prices – 550 baht BF, and 2000 baht for long time. I then asked her for prices at the beer bar – 300 baht BF, 1000 baht for her! Mmm…. double the price
in 2 days, not bad business if you can get it! I have often had gogo girls justifying their pricing by stating “…we are different”, but this was the same girl, 2 days older!

For those who like surgical enhancements, check out #479. Given the small size of the rest of her, I think she needs the pole to stop gravity taking over!

Had a stroll down Soi Diana – “Hello sexy man”, “have a drink please”, “I want to go with you” following me everywhere. Then caught the eye of Tic, an older girl with a lovely and still natural
smile, so I stopped for a final drink of the evening. We each had a San Miguel, mine was 60 baht, hers 80 – I can live with that. (In general, I find the whole “lady drink” custom iniquitous, with the drink itself often costing twice
the price of my beer, and with the girls making such a small percentage of the price. I agree the girls need rewarding for the time they spend with a customer – I just prefer to give them a decent financial tip)

It never ceases to amaze me that many working girls see very little of life outside their bar. I’ve spoken to several in Patong who, despite being there for a number of months, hadn’t even seen the local beach, let alone the
other beautiful locations on Phuket. This proved to be the case with Tic, who has been in Pattaya for 7 months, but never visited an a-Go-Go bar. So, tomorrow, I have told her I will pay her BF and take her for an early evening stroll down Walking
Street

More than slightly worse for wear, but having had a very enjoyable evening, I retired to bed.

THURSDAY

As promised, I BF’ed Tic but it was pissing down, so we didn’t make it to Walking Street. Instead we made do with the locals, Oasis and Champagne.
Having played the same game before with BG’s who have never been to
an a-Go-Go bar, I was neither surprised nor disappointed with the response from Tic.
Her facial expression was a comical mix of emotions – I guess some jealousy (for the looks and bodies of the girls), grudging respect (for the public
display of toplessness and nudity), and, maybe, even some sexual arousal (always denied, but on previous occasions I’ve enjoyed some of my best nights following a trip with the BG to a gogo bar!)

As with many Thai girls, Tic is not used to drinking, so after a couple of hours I virtually carried her back to her bar, where one of her mates helped her home!

FRIDAY

1.00pm. The nagging hangover caused by 2 days drinking means that my normally scintillating copywriting skills are suffering, so I decide to bin work and go for a stroll. Off to the beach (as a Phuket inhabitant, I use this term loosely to
describe the Pattaya version)

Coconut Bar is quiet, (perhaps I’ve caught the girls on their lunch break) and the grey sky and equally grey waters make the Beach Road look a bit run down and depressing. Walking Street at this time of day has very little to offer.
Back up Second Road I decide I need a pee (that’s my excuse anyway), and against my original intentions, I venture into Los Vegas a-Go-Go in Soi 13/1. Six girls and me! Draft beer is on sale at 40 baht, but arrives in a beer mug not much
larger than a whisky tumbler. The plump 18 year old who asks me for a drink almost before her ass has hit the seat does her chances no good at all due to the fact that she has very obviously not long finished a chili-laden Isaan special.

Nevertheless, now that I’ve started on the evil downhill spiral that is “daylight drinking” I decide to try out the new afternoon session at Champagne.

The walk there takes a bit longer than usual as it took several minutes to cross Second Road at the zebra crossing (Brought a smile to my face recalling being stuck in a traffic jam on Rat-u-Thit Road in Patong caused by the repainting of
these important contributions to road safety in Thailand!)

Champagne had a few punters – maybe 8 or 9 by the time I left at 3.00pm. I did, though count at least 20 staff and, like you Stick, I wonder about the wisdom of these opening times during what is the quietest low season I can remember.
The music was, for me, uncomfortably loud. It was probably no higher than usual but seems more intrusive when the place is lacking numbers and atmosphere.

Got a feeling tonight is going to be “BIG”. Dave, a good friend and long time resident in Pattaya will be enjoying his last night of freedom before his “live in” of many years returns from a trip to the village……

SATURDAY

Morning Stick. God, I feel bad, “BIG” was putting it mildly. Last night’s all a bit of a blur, so I’m relying on my little notebook (bought when I decided to write this) to help me with the recollections.

Right, we started in Champagne (I am really beginning to like this place; it’s improved immensely over the last year or so). Pretty busy at 8,00pm with loads of girls due to the two shifts – the early starters finish at 9.00.
For those who like a bit of personal attention, #492 takes some beating! Dave bought her a drink and he certainly got his money’s worth. Petite with a great smile and reasonable English she’s great entertainment. Dave tells me that
she’s got a good reputation for “walking the walk” as well. He saw her last week slipping upstairs for a short time session, and when they reappeared, the happy customer proceeded to pay the full BF and take her home for the
night!

Dave then suggested Sois 7 and 8. This surprised me somewhat because my previous visits there – admittedly a while back – were not all that memorable. However, as I found out, a few a-Go-Go bars have sprung up, and we trawled
a few. Nothing recorded in my little notebook until we got to Sexy Girls a-Go-Go at the top of Soi 8. Now if you like your Robbie Williams, Freddie Mercury, Dire Straits and the like (and I’m of an age that does) then this place is great.
Large screens all round the bar showing great videos, and a very energetic and enthusiastic bunch of girls, with some real dolls amongst them. I know the style is a straight knock off from Tim’s Bar on Second Road, but this is a big improvement,
particularly on the girlie front.

I think, but can’t be too sure, that we had a few on the walk back to Soi Diana, and I remember popping in for a final one at Tic’s bar (another promise to pay the BF and take her up Walking Street), then home (alone) at around
3.00am.

So now it’s a few coffees, and maybe a quick massage before the big match…..

…. So that’s it then. Only half the fixtures played and the All Blacks have wrapped it up. I thought the defense was awesome, but the game didn’t have the same creative flow of the first three. Maybe, just maybe, the Kiwis
are peaking! Watch out for a resurgent England next year!

Something strange going on in Champagne. We arrive at 9.30 to be confronted by 9/10 ladies on the dance floor, not in uniform, who can only politely be referred to as “Experienced” (You know, the sort that when the boss says
they will be required to insert an 8 inch dildo in their backside, just respond, “how much you pay me?”!) Certainly they were a lot rougher than the usual staff, but they danced enthusiastically for an hour or so, and the regulars,
on returning to the stage, seemed more energetic than usual.
Staff recruitment? New shows? Time will tell.

SUNDAY

6.00 found us in a new (3 months old) “Gentlemen’s Club”, called Rioja, in Jomtien I say, “in Jomtien”, but that is not quite the truth. I haven’t a clue how we got there, it really is out in the
sticks. From a public transport point of view it has to be taxi or motor bike taxi.
Because of its location it tends to be frequented by expats rather than holiday makers. Nevertheless, when we got there it was buzzing.
All the girls,
of which there are many, are freelancers, and include a number of stunners. I got speaking to Noi, who had been there for one month, having previously worked in Koh Samui (where I suspect she was a pretty big fish in that entertainment pool).
She wasn’t a particularly happy bunny though, as her only source of income is drinks. The expat nature of the customer base, many with wives/live-ins make long time options limited, and although there are short time facilities there, for
some reason they are not frequently used. Noi, when asked did she like “boom boom” replied “I like money” – refreshingly honest, if a little unromantic!
And this, I believe could prove a problem for the club
in the longer term. I suspect freelancers are happy to turn up for a steady supply of drinks during the low season, but when the tourists return they may well find richer pickings elsewhere.
We will see.

A few beers watching the Charity Shield (I LOVE seeing Chelsea lose!), then home for a relatively early night.

MONDAY

Tradition has it (God knows why) that my last day in Pattaya, which today is, always includes a stroll down Soi 6. I’ve always preferred an early walk, so today 3.00 found me in the Soi of Sleaze.
I’m not too sure how much
longer this is going to remain a tradition. Either I’m getting old or cynical but it isn’t very appealing anymore. Some of the ladies I recognised from eons back and the younger ones had obviously been round the block a few times.
I did find a couple of decent girls to have a drink and a chat with, but it wasn’t that difficult to avoid the temptations coming my way.
Stick, you, I think, have written in the past that to ‘save” a girl from the bar
scene you’ve got to get her out in 3 weeks. For Soi 6, read 3 days!
(As an aside I remember, some years back, meeting a 21 year old in one of the sleazier joints. She told me that she’d been working in the bar for 2 years, and
“specialised” in BJ’s. When I later patted her stomach and suggested she was a bit “pom pooi”, she quickly retorted “I swallow”!)

Another thing that has changed is the number of lady boys around the place. It once was that there were one or two more or less exclusive bars, but now a significant number of bars have at least one or two katoeys. (I was, therefore, surprised
that there was not a single one in “Willy’s Hang Out” bar!).

Finally made it to Walking Street with Tic, Dave and his girl Nok, starting in Babydoll (primarily to give Tic an intro to the girl with girl scene!) Very few changes since it started, and the place is now looking a bit tired, in my view.
Although generally things were quiet, we couldn’t get a seat in Peppermint – absolutely packed, and we couldn’t really understand why. Found plenty of space in Champions, a place I enjoyed. Good music and friendly girls made
a nice combination.
Finally we had a beer in Secrets (never been before, Stick, but you seem to like it!). Very nice bar, and some very pleasant hostesses, but I wasn’t keen on the music, and, in my mind, it isn’t the sort of
place that a tourist would expect to find in the Walking Street area. I can understand the attraction of the place, though, for a non-player.

Home via Tic’s bar, with a promise to call her in October (my next trip), and off to bed feeling pretty happy about my 6 days. Cheers!