Stickman Weekly, June 29, 2025

 

 

 

Mystery Photo

Last week’s photo was taken outside the EmSphere shopping mall on Sukhumvit Road, in the space that used to be Washington Square. Only a handful of you got it right.

After what proved to be a difficult photo last week, this week’s is – I think – much easier.

 

 

Stick’s Inbox – The Best Emails From The Past Week

Privacy and vlogger nuisance issue.

I have visited Pattaya several times a year since the mid 70’s, missing only 2 years over Covid. I have witnessed repeated demographic tourism shifts. What has surprised me is the explosion of vloggers, YouTubers, influencers and others trumpeting the demise of Pattaya tourism akin to a shark-feeding frenzy. Like Thailand, the Philippines (particularly Angeles City) is flooded with vloggers and influencers who heretofore have operated freely without hindrance. Following the arrest earlier this month of an outrageous Russian (holding US residency) prankster vlogger, the Government is acting decisively to address privacy and vlogger nuisance issues. The National Privacy Commission has issued new guidelines including civil and criminal penalties for infringement of privacy. The directive particularly protects the “vulnerable” i.e. women and children but anyone can complain about being filmed if they did not give advance permission. Furthermore, vloggers who solicit money now must register with the Government. What does this have to do with Pattaya? Little unless the Thai Government decides to take similar action. Should the Thai Government decide to address privacy issues, change in how Pattaya is shown to the world is coming.

Indians and Pakistanis in the bar areas.

I don’t see many Indians in the bars. It’s definitely exaggerated and even if there were plenty around the bar areas, so what? I don’t really understand the hate. I work with Indians and Pakistanis and some join us bar-hopping. Great guys and nothing like the stereotypes. One funny thing though is that when you ask them why they left India to work in Thailand, most answer that they wanted to be away from their own people which is kind of ironic! One of my better friends at work is Pakistani. If he is out alone, some bars don’t let him inside and make some stupid excuse. A few weeks ago he was denied entry into Geisha under the excuse of a private party. On the other hand, every time he is with me (European white male), he has no problem entering any bar. I can only say that it’s a big loss for the bar because he is not afraid to spend big.

It’s still there, but you’ve got to hunt for it.

Your paragraph on the girlfriend experience hit me. I never really knew what that meant. Either a session is mutual or it’s not, but I never really associated it with a girlfriend. Another thing that hit home was your mention of Starbucks. That summed up a lot about my current feelings about Thailand. It is not exotic anymore.  Gone are many of the cultural aspects that hit you in the face as soon as you arrived at the airport. There was the traditional Thai dancing at Ruen Thai restaurant. The snake shows between the Thai boxing bouts below Marine Disco. Thainess was everywhere. Things were different in the culture and ambience of the nightlife. Today, much of the culture has been erased by the worldly exchange created by smartphones and the internet. Thai culture and heritage is still there, but you have to go looking for it. I guess it’s the same with the girlfriend experience.

The girlfriend experience.

The girlfriend experience is remembered fondly by your readers. I remember visiting Phuket in 2002, meeting a girl in a nightclub and spending 3 days bar-hopping at night, and going to beaches during the day. I was a young, fit 33-year old. My ‘girlfriend’ was probably 6 – 8 years younger. I was probably fun to hang out with. And we looked like a believable couple. These days, I doubt many girls want to wander around holding the hand of a pensioner. There’s no disguising what’s going on when the age gap is 30 or 40 years. It’s not a good look for either party.

Plump and pretty.

Back in December I spoke to a couple of the Soi 4 ladies clad in head to toe robes and hijabs. They were from Azerbaijan. They were friendly and pretty, but too plump for my tastes.

Hooray for food courts!

I’ve been retired in Thailand for 2 years and have walked past hundreds of bars in Bangkok, Pattaya and Hua Hin. I have not been tempted to set foot in any because of what I see, hear and smell from the street. Thai bars are no longer appealing to me and I now prefer to spend time in the food court at Tops.

No barfines, lady drinks, lies or fake smiles.

I would like to suggest an option for lonely males looking for companionship that might become permanent. This option is less expensive and genuine. This is what happened to me when I first arrived in 2001. I was shopping in The Mall, Bangkhae. Looking in the economy racks at shirts, a youngish lady approached me to offer help. She was pleasant. Not a model, not with the perfect figure, but she was nice. We exchanged some pleasantries and I commended her on her English. I bought a few shirts, paid and went home. I lived about 15 minutes away. I couldn’t stop thinking about how nice she was. As soon as the taxi arrived at my place I confused the driver by requesting to go straight back to The Mall. I soon found her. She was pleased to see me. She had that genuine look. I asked if we could meet after work, maybe have supper together. She told me she finished work at 10 PM. I agreed to wai for her outside at 10 PM. I was there early. At 10 PM hundreds of sales assistants swamped the street and I realized I didn’t remember her well enough to know which one was her! Fortunately, she found me. We had a congenial chat at a local cafe, after which without a word spoken we gravitated to my home. She stayed the night. She was fun, warm and loving. She had her own apartment near The Mall which she had acquired in a divorce settlement. To cut a longish story short, our friendship developed over a few weeks. She never asked for money for a new phone, sick relative or sick buffalo. She invited me to move in with her. Things started to go a bit too fast for me. I was just getting over a horrible divorce myself, so it was too soon for commitment. We talked amicably and decided to part. It was a sad parting. Tears well up even now as I write this. Here’s my point. After that chance encounter in The Mall I became aware of the many lovely ladies working in stores, many of whom would be receptive to a relationship. So consider that as an optional route for a genuine lady. I am sure that had I agreed to move in with her, I would still be with her 24 years later. We simply jelled together. And there were no barfines, lady drinks, lies or fake smiles. Take a walk around The Mall or Robinson’s, wear a smile and see if one is returned. You could be on the cusp of something beautiful.

 

 

This Week’s News, Views & Gossip

Low season is dragging, an expat bar owner who has lived in Bangkok for 44 years tells me he has never known rainy weather like this, and plenty of bars continue to feel the pinch. This year’s low season has been a shocker. Many places are quiet but with that said, quiet does not mean dead.

Nana Plaza – and the top of Soi Nana, generally – are the exception. The bar scene in Bangkok is starting to feel like Nana Plaza and the rest. The top of Soi Nana isn’t booming, but it’s ticking along just fine with many bars doing perfectly reasonable low season trade. There are busy nights and there are some quiet nights. Elsewhere, it’s a different story with many bars quiet – or even dead – long before midnight. Nana Plaza is where the naughty boys go and they are proving to be as resilient as ever.

On Soi Cowboy, it’s the same old story – the bars with the most punters are the live music spots at the Asoke end of the soi.

Rumour has it that tomorrow is the last day of Stumble Inn Soi Cowboy. The owners refuse to comment and I’m not there on the ground to stop by and ask the staff myself, so this isn’t confirmed 100%. The rumour mill has it that a group with a presence in Nana Plaza will take over the space and convert it into a gogo bar. I had assumed that Stumble Inn Group would run the gogo bar themselves but am told that’s not certain.

Everyone agrees that this year’s low season is nothing like the low seasons of 2023 and 2024. Covid gets a mention but I think it’s a bit of a stretch to be blaming the pandemic on what’s happening now. The main change is demographics. Yes, there are more Asian visitors, but that’s the only change. There also seems to be the non-appearance of wealthier visitors. Many folks these days tend to complain about prices in the bars. My observation is that’s typically what those who don’t have a lot of money do. What happened to people with money? It’s like they’re staying away, and not visiting in the same sort of numbers that they once did.

 

 

On a more positive note, which gogo bar has the cheapest drinks in Nana Plaza? I can’t answer that question with certainty, but Angelwitch has Singha at just 99 baht, all night long. That’s a pretty good deal and it’s hard to imagine a chrome pole bar with a better deal.

Speaking of big-name bars with cheap drinks, out the front of Nana Plaza, Stumble Inn has priced local beers and house pour spirits at just 90 baht before 8:00 PM. Another great deal. And just to be clear, while it is believed the Cowboy outlet is about to close, Stumble Inn at the top of Soi Nana is not closing. It’s the Soi Cowboy branch which is expected to close tomorrow (Monday, June 30th).

Reader Wayne sent the photo below which he took on Tuesday night. Note the yellow sign on the right-hand side just below the sign for Shark which says Money Exchange. How long has that been there? Is a bar offering currency exchange, or has one of the private money changers set up right on Soi Cowboy? Bank of Ayudhya is the one Thai bank which comes to mind with yellow signage but I can’t imagine a major bank would set up an exchange outlet there. A private money exchange operator, perhaps? As a reminder, if you’re changing cash, I’ve long recommended Vasu Exchange at the start of Sukhumvit soi 7/1. It has the best rates.

 

 

In the years before the pandemic, bars struggled to recruit girls. It was an issue when the bars opened up in 2022 too. Recruiting girls doesn’t seem to be a problem these days but the question has to be asked: where have all the pretty girls gone? There might not be a shortage of ladies in the bars at this time, but in many bars there is a shortage of genuinely attractive ladies. Again, I’d put it down to demographics. Turn back the clock a couple of decades and Western men spent much more than Thai men. Women from difficult backgrounds hunted for their white knight. The Thai middle class has exploded over the last 15 years or so, and there are plenty of local men earning good money – and some are very generous with the ladies. Today, ladies working in bars where Thai men venture can do very well – and they don’t have to strip off, dance topless, or accompany a man to a hotel room most nights. And today there are many high-end bars exclusive for the Chinese. It wasn’t long ago that they didn’t exist. And I bet there are more nightspots for Korean men these days too. There’s so much more competition for the most attractive ladies and as the other half loves to remind me, Western men are not the big spenders that Asian men are.

Back when I was really in to the bar scene, I very much preferred Nana and especially Cowboy. Back then, it felt to me like Patpong was largely transactional whereas the Sukhumvit bar areas were more laid-back. It sounds weird, I know, but it was like many of the ladies in Patpong were almost in some sort of a trance. Some would say it was like they were on autopilot, like they were reading from a script – but I think there was more to it than that. I found the ladies in Patpong so very much less engaging. By chance, does anyone feel that way today? I’m winding back the clock back here so probably it’s an observation that no longer holds true.

 

 

I mentioned Octopus in Patpong soi 2 in last week’s column. I have to apologise because I got the name of the bar totally wrong. Octopus was the new name given to Bar Bar when it reopened following the owner being incarcerated. For a year or so it was known as Octopus. What I didn’t know (forgot?) is that several months ago it reverted back to its original name of Bar Bar. If you’re unfamiliar with it, Bar Bar is the fetish bar on Patpong soi 2, right next to Kinky Girls (previously known as The Strip). Just like Demonia in Sukhumvit soi 33, it’s very much an acquired taste. If you’re looking for something different, stop by and give it a go. As Lucky, the doorman used to say to passersby, “Never try, never know!”

These days bars put lots of effort into the venue’s exterior. There’s a whole new generation of bar signs and bar frontages featuring LED screens which are fully programmable. The entire look of the bar can be changed by uploading new graphics. Bar owners can make changes to include details about promotions, parties, special events etc. I guess in theory they could even change the bar’s name without the need to change the sign. Amongst the new generation of bars, Bad Beach on Soi Cowboy in particular gets its share of plaudits. Most bars in Nana Plaza have updated their signage in recent years. Soi Cowboy has a mix of new and old, as is the case on Walking Street. Patpong? Seems to be trailing – but I am not sure that is such a bad thing. The great thing about Patpong is the area’s history and perhaps modern neon signs wouldn’t be such a good fit.

 

 

Last week I recommended Thermae as an inexpensive alternative to the chrome pole bars. A couple of you disagreed. One fellow mentioned that he was quoted 3,000 baht / 8,000 baht for short-time / long-time. Another fellow was quoted 4,000 baht / 10,000 baht. I guess the first fellow was slightly more handsome than the second. At those prices you’d be better off giving the Thermae a miss altogether and heading to one of the massage shops where you’ll get full service with a genuinely attractive lady for much less.

There’s no shortage of massage shops keen to advertise on this site but we haven’t accepted such ads for several years. I’d like to give a shout out to one massage shop, however, whose website I was impressed with. To be clear, the website is not flash and neither is the photography of the ladies – but what I like is that it’s clear and perfectly functional. All of the info you need is provided. Despite featuring photos of ladies that may have been taken with an iPhone, it’s clear that they are so much more attractive than those found in most gogo bars today. And the descriptions of the ladies are detailed, including their height, weight, bust size, whether or not they have a tattoo (yes, brilliant!) etc. One piece of info I had never seen before – although, in fairness, I don’t make a habit of looking at such sites – stated whether her lady’s bust was real. Just like tattoos, I find implants a massive turn-off. The venue is Hakumi Massage on Sukhumvit soi 33.

Sukhumvit soi 11 is another area to try if you’re after a change of scenery from the gogo bars. Soi 11 doesn’t get much coverage in this column – but to use a cliche, there really is something there for everyone. There’s all manner of bars from live music bars, freelancer bars, ladyboy bars, British pubs, discos as well as massage shops, restaurants, cafes etc. The soi feels less seedy than Nana or Patpong and has a fun, upbeat vibe. Worth a look if you haven’t been by in a while.

 

 

I heard little from Pattaya this week. Every single person I spoke to who is based in Pattaya or was visiting this week used the “q word” – quiet! The one thing I thought worth mentioning is the number of vacant spaces that are appearing on Walking Street. Post-Covid, there were for sale and for rent signs all along Walking Street. But most leases were taken and for a time it felt like every available piece of street-front real estate on Walking Street was either an open business, or under development. Not now. There are various spaces available at this time. It’s not just a Walking Street thing. In the column of June 15, I mentioned there were plenty of spaces available on Soi LK Metro too. What is perhaps a little surprising is that an amazing high season like the last one (and the one before that, and the one before that, along with a couple of decent low seasons) wasn’t enough to see these venues through a slow low season.

It’s not all bad news from Sin City. On Second Road, Runway, the food court around the parked Boeing 747, is doing well with new businesses opening up around it. The area is surrounded by venues catering to Chinese visitors.

Speaking of the Chinese, word is that while there are lots of new businesses popping up in Pattaya targeting individual travellers, the Chinese tour group market is suffering. Tour busies full of Chinese cruising around Pattaya? Not that many these days, as the profile of Chinese visitors is changing.

I have little interest in politics generally and don’t keep much of an eye on Thai politics at all. Coup d’etats are not unusual and you never know what might happen. With that said, I would not let any concern of political issues put you off visiting. Political protests tend not to have much effect on tourists – with the notable exception of the yellow shirt protestors who in November 2008 closed Suvarnabhumi and Don Meuang airports for more than a week. At the end of the day, tourism is huge in Thailand and most Thais are pragmatic – they want tourists to keep visiting and spending. That airport closure was a one-off and I would not expect anything like that to happen again.

There have been some serious, but also some humorous exchanges between Cambodia and Thailand in recent weeks as the dispute over whose land the temple sits on heats up. Former Prime Minister of Cambodia Hun Sen said that Cambodia had artillery that could reach Bangkok from within their own borders. What sort of diplomatic talk is that? Not that it would ever come to it, but if it did, militarily Thailand would steamroll Cambodia in a day or two. Thais online mocked, “The only thing that Cambodia has that can successfully reach Bangkok is beggars!”

 

 

This week the government announced new regulations controlling the sale and use of cannabis. In summary, the new rules which came in to effect on Thursday mean that the sale of cannabis is not allowed for recreational purposes. Anyone who wishes to purchase cannabis products requires a prescription from a doctor. The maximum amount of cannabis that can be sold to a customer is a 30-day supply. All cannabis sold must have the “Good Agricultural and Collection Practices” certification issued by the government – which requires a lot of work by farmers to comply. Cannabis will no longer be able to be consumed in cannabis stores, some of which have set aside an area for such. That’s what was announced – but what does it all mean in practice? I think we should perhaps consider two things. The first is the enforcement of laws in Thailand generally. The second is to look at what happens in the pharmaceutical space with prescription-only drugs. In terms of the first issue, enforcement of some laws in Thailand can be lapse particularly where there’s no clear victim and no complainant. One could argue that the sale of cannabis without a prescription is a victimless crime. Regarding the sale of prescription-only pharmaceuticals in Thailand, the reality is that many are widely available over the counter without the required prescription. Some pharmacies will sell you just about anything over the counter without a prescription, while others will sell you what you want but may request a few details such as your name and date of birth which are recorded in a register. Talk is that weed shops may have to have a doctor on the premises as part of the licencing. If that became law and was actually enforced (which I think is very unlikely), the number of weed stores would fall off a cliff. What this would mean for all of the online weed stores, I have no idea. The number of weed stores in Thailand has been reported to be somewhere between 11,000 and 18,000, and it has long felt like the market is saturated. How many of these stores are profitable, who knows? I wrote this paragraph a few days ago. On Saturday – the day before this column was published – the government announced they would be postponing things by 30 – 60 days, following a backlash by the many thousands in the billion-dollar industry. So who knows what will happen, and when. It is more confusing than ever. More details on what was originally reported can be found in these articles from BBC, KhaoSod and the Bangkok Post.

 

 

Thailand-Related Links & News Articles

From The Stickman Archives comes the weekly column of August 14, 2005, Jim, And A Bad Domestic Situation.

YouTube video of the week is from Nick Dean, Top 10 Long Lost Pattaya Bars.

Thailand announces a crackdown on cyber-crime out of Cambodia, and bars travel by Thais to casinos in Cambodia.

On Ko Samui, an intoxicated Norwegian is arrested after firing a crossbow at a Norwegian woman.

Police are treating the death of a 54-year-old Dutch tourist found in an Ayutthaya hotel room as suspicious.

In Pattaya, installation of the new Walking Street sign has been delayed until August.

It is hoped that the release of Jurassic World Rebirth will see a boost to visitor numbers in Thailand, where it was filmed.

This week Thailand imposes new controls on the sale and use of cannabis.

A 25-year-old Irishman wanted by Irish authorities was arrested in Krabi after overstaying his visa by more than a year.

The Pattaya Mail discusses whether Thailand might have another coup d’etat.

The BBC looks at how your old mobile phone may be polluting Thailand.

 

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Closing Comments

There’s been a fair bit of negativity about Thailand recently. You see it every day in the mainstream press. It’s all over social media. And I get plenty of negativity in my email inbox too. Thailand doesn’t stand still. The country is constantly changing, and sometimes it changes in ways that some people may not like. No doubt some of the negativity and criticism can be justified, I can’t shake the feeling that a lot of it comes from people who haven’t got their lives sorted. Money problems, health issues and being in an unhappy relationship can put you in a negative frame of mind. It seems to me that those who have their lives sorted seem to mostly be happy living in / visiting Thailand. For me personally, I am very much looking forward to my next visit. I remain firm in my belief that Thailand is a hard place to beat for a great holiday. Don’t let what can at times feel like a relentless wave of negativity put you off. If you have a positive attitude, are happy to spend and have your own life sorted, there’s no reason why you won’t have a great time in Thailand.

Your Bangkok commentator,

Stick

Stick can be contacted at : stickmanbangkok@gmail.com