Phuket Reports

[Member #4753]

Publicity the last 2 years has not been stellar Sir.

555.

This could be a new low for the already lowly current tourism reputation of the LOS.

[Chimpo Chinn]

Phuket is now the last and only sandbox program that you can apply to enter Thailand with.

If tourists entered Phuket under the sandbox scheme and then could not leave the island, the resulting publicity would be extremely bad.

Thailand has struggled for tourists since implementing very cumbersome entry requirements, if this happened it would set back Thai Tourism several more months.

Publicity the last 2 years has not been stellar Sir.

[Member #4753]

They are talking about locking down Phuket. No going to or from the mainland. International flights will not be impacted.

If you are in Phuket now, look out for your return flight to Bangkok being cancelled. I am sure there will be 24 hours warning.

Phuket is now the last and only sandbox program that you can apply to enter Thailand with.

If tourists entered Phuket under the sandbox scheme and then could not leave the island, the resulting publicity would be extremely bad.

Thailand has struggled for tourists since implementing very cumbersome entry requirements, if this happened it would set back Thai Tourism several more months.

[ThaiGoodTimes]

They are talking about locking down Phuket. No going to or from the mainland. International flights will not be impacted.

If you are in Phuket now, look out for your return flight to Bangkok being cancelled. I am sure there will be 24 hours warning.

Not hearing anything like that here in Phuket.

Doesn't mean it won't happen, but I would still see it as unlikely.

[ThaiGoodTimes]

On this subject, does Phuket have any low-end brothel hotels, like Mandarin or Kim Hua in Hat Yai or countless similar hotels down in Malaysia? The kind of place where each girls rents a room, you can walk around and pick the one you fancy?

I can speak Thai and I'm comfortable with this kind of scene.

Never heard of such a thing, so very doubtful it exists.

[Chimpo Chinn]

Bars are open to an extent, the bigger ones with hostess girls not so much, I'd say about 50:50 with them.

But these are and always have been very much Thai places, so you'd better be fluent in Thai language and culture to go there.

As to picking up there, well that is a very dangerous proposition in my opinion.

Gogo's?

Never really been any there.

They were mostly Gentlemen clubs, and whilst again Thai focused, they did cater for Asian punters (Japanese and Korean), so tolerated (polite) Western visitors.

Sadly, from my driving around, these still look to be closed, at least the higher profile larger ones..

When the good Asians start a Coming prices are going to rocket to the sky.

Yes there are Bad Asians.

[Member #4753]

They are talking about locking down Phuket. No going to or from the mainland. International flights will not be impacted.

If you are in Phuket now, look out for your return flight to Bangkok being cancelled. I am sure there will be 24 hours warning.

Where did you hear this from?

[Crocodilexp]

Hello, I was wondering if some of our more experienced campaigners have any insight as to the scene in Old Phuket Town? Bars? Gogos? Gent Clubs? Freelancers? Prices? Thanks in advance.

On this subject, does Phuket have any low-end brothel hotels, like Mandarin or Kim Hua in Hat Yai or countless similar hotels down in Malaysia? The kind of place where each girls rents a room, you can walk around and pick the one you fancy?

I can speak Thai and I'm comfortable with this kind of scene.

[Explorer8939]

They are talking about locking down Phuket. No going to or from the mainland. International flights will not be impacted.

If you are in Phuket now, look out for your return flight to Bangkok being cancelled. I am sure there will be 24 hours warning.

[MakeItOrBreak]

The massage strip around Katherines soapy, but not Katherines itself, is alive and sees to be growing over the last month.

I have never been but there should be a soapy in Pearl Hotel might be worth checking out. I think also more turned to local but for sure had westerners stumble in.

[ThaiGoodTimes]

Hello, I was wondering if some of our more experienced campaigners have any insight as to the scene in Old Phuket Town? Bars? Gogos? Gent Clubs? Freelancers? Prices? Thanks in advance.

Bars are open to an extent, the bigger ones with hostess girls not so much, I'd say about 50:50 with them.

But these are and always have been very much Thai places, so you'd better be fluent in Thai language and culture to go there.

As to picking up there, well that is a very dangerous proposition in my opinion.

Gogo's?

Never really been any there.

They were mostly Gentlemen clubs, and whilst again Thai focused, they did cater for Asian punters (Japanese and Korean), so tolerated (polite) Western visitors.

Sadly, from my driving around, these still look to be closed, at least the higher profile larger ones.

But I'm sure there are backdoor ones quietly open.

The massage strip around Katherines soapy, but not Katherines itself, is alive and sees to be growing over the last month.

Freelancers, they're everywhere.

As to prices, pretty much the same as always.

If that is something you have to ask, then I'd probably suggest waiting and not visiting.

[JohnnieBravo]

Hello, I was wondering if some of our more experienced campaigners have any insight as to the scene in Old Phuket Town? Bars? Gogos? Gent Clubs? Freelancers? Prices? Thanks in advance.

[Ragaraja]

Been to Thailand several times, lived in east asia several times. The goal of a thai women is to take care of her family. If that means they have to get married and relocate to secure the money, so be it. Ideally they would get married and stay in Thailand with a husband who is an ex-pat, but I've seen them move to Europe as well.

My ex-wife is Romanian, and I can say for a personal standpoint that marrying a foreign woman is not a good idea. As soon as they get their green card, they have zero incentive to stay with you and can now focus on sponsoring their family to the new country, finding another foreign man to spoil them, or creating her own new job / career in the new country.

Yes, foreign women are extremely beautiful and as long as you have a decent job and a western passport, will have no problem finding a woman. But as a person who has done it, is not worth it.

Going thru 2nd divorce, and dating women from a few worldly places. While western women are worse, all women are "opportunistic" no matter the culture. Its nature. Funny thing is, men are the romantics. Best experience from friends I know, Filipinas seem to do best in taking care of their mates, but still want $ to send home usually. But everything has a cost. Can't see why anyone who has something would risk marriage. I may be jaded, but its true.

Think short term rentals with no contract is best way to go LOL I agree, western passport, be a decent person, and women will line up. I know a 50's guy who speaks no Spanish with a hot Colombian girl who doesn't P2P but have to factor in he is rich by her standards and has options for her. Lesson, don't let heart or dick make decisions and fool you.

[ThaiGoodTimes]

I am fairly certain you talk about Patong. The sois off Bangla and extended to other roads would be littered with bars and restaurants. It was quite nice since you had more relaxed atmosphere around the walking street. It is long gone now it has almost turned in to the dreaded largest place and speaker competition. Which works maybe for the short time visitor. Hopefully they realise and adapt back or create more of a mix else they will lose out on a lot of travellers and not just p2 p.

Don't think western demand and supply applies to pricing in Thailand. Even before covid prices went up because less business. Sure there might be desperate times for some but I implore you to pay fairly especially with current situation. If you meet someone that is wanting to hook up or you hit it off in a sense it is not impossible to pay 1000 but I would not count on it.

It was the old OTOP.

The new one isn't as good.

But there are still pockets of small thatched bars surviving around side sois in Patong.

Supply and demand, nah.

Thais don't think like that.

They haven't dropped their prices at all in any marked sense.

[MakeItOrBreak]

My first time in Thailand nearly 20 years ago we taxied from the Hotel (in Karon Beach I think) and went to a place with tons of very small girl bars. Like just a bar and 2-4 girls. All pretty much next to each other almost like booths. And several streets of this. And only one place we found with AC and a pool table at kind of a dead end.

Anyhow returning years later I went to Patong and Bangla and this clearly was not it. Too much glitz and big clubs. And I went to Karon but this was not familiar either. It was too linear not enough little booth bars and just didn't feel the same. So I have been very confused all this time where I went on that first trip. Perhaps it was Rawaii? Does the above description sound at all right?

I am fairly certain you talk about Patong. The sois off Bangla and extended to other roads would be littered with bars and restaurants. It was quite nice since you had more relaxed atmosphere around the walking street. It is long gone now it has almost turned in to the dreaded largest place and speaker competition. Which works maybe for the short time visitor. Hopefully they realise and adapt back or create more of a mix else they will lose out on a lot of travellers and not just p2 p.

Sounds good, thanks mate, I've noted the places mentioned on this forum and will pay them a visit. ATM for patong I have bangala, the otop, is there anymore in patong? I have quite a few in rawai.

Due to the covid stuff and business being hard would you say the girls are more desperate to get a sale and thus will drive the prices slightly lower than pre covid?

Don't think western demand and supply applies to pricing in Thailand. Even before covid prices went up because less business. Sure there might be desperate times for some but I implore you to pay fairly especially with current situation. If you meet someone that is wanting to hook up or you hit it off in a sense it is not impossible to pay 1000 but I would not count on it.