Bangkok Reports

[RacShack]

"

Other expats and I chatted by PM about that report and could not decide if he was omitting any mention of those things and more accurate info on the Soi 7 bars down that small alley because he did not want to subject them to a possible raid or because he never actually found them. See, many of us expats living here had not mentioned or posted reports on them and I did not mention them more fully in my reply because we did not want to subject them to a possible raid, which was a risk at the time.

However, since all those bars have been rocking, packed with tons of girls and were legally permitted to be open since at least November 1, three days before your friend's recent survey of the area where he only mentioned going "towards" Soi 7 but never mentioned walking "down" Soi 7 to actually enter those bars and that he was afraid to walk down to look at Soi Nana/Soi 4 where he would have seen several bars open and hosting a lot of girls, it seemed pretty obvious it was because he had missed them.

Of course, nobody can account for what kind of girls show up in bars or what the scene is like at every hour of every night. That is true even during the best of normal times. But I assure you any good looking girl your friend saw anywhere in public in the lower Sukhumvit area over the past 40 days has passed through and planted herself in those bar areas I mentioned above on a regular basis. Maybe the fleeting few seconds he looked at those places from a distance before he walked away in disgust the only girls around were "yuck" and the scene sucked.

All I can say is any night I have gone to those places over the past several weeks a big percentage of the customers crowded in there are young, fit, fairly good looking athletic guys who don't appear to me the types who have much trouble getting well laid by attractive girls in their own country for free. They might never have even bothered looking for info on a sight like this one much less reported on it. Yet, they are THERE in those bars partying with girls I would say are at least on par with the photos you posted and walking out with them looking quite happy about it.

No hot girls there? Yes, I suppose that is a matter of opinion. Only Ladydrink hustlers? Yes, there are some girls who are only there to hustle drinks and not barfine. Ask the girl if she goes with customers before you buy a drink. Maybe the best looking among them are only drink hustlers. Again, that can be true in many bars even during the best of normal times.

However, I had to fight my way through plenty of MORE than doable girls at those Soi 7 bars last night to get to an adorable little spinner Rainbow 2 girl I took once from that Nana Plaza go-go bar just pre-Covid who at that time would not budge from 3,000 plus barfine for Short Time. Last night I paid 500 barfine and she enthusiastically agreed to 2,000 for Long Time from about 9:30pm until 10am this morning, DFK, BBBJ, beautiful hairless pussy, no baby, lovely natural tits, BBFS+CIP no problem for me and agreed to upfront before barfine, great Real GFE and attitude. And there was no weird surprise when she showed up at my room as an escort or outcall because she was right there live and in-person where I took her.

Is that what your friend is getting with his 1,500 baht outcall girls? If so, good for him. As a 68 year old I guess ok-looking farang I was rather pleased with what I paid and got for my money all night last night and this morning.

IMHO, anyone who took your friend's first report and especially his most recent one to heart and followed suit missed out on a ton of damn good pussy options at half the usual going rate or less all in.

Sure, as always, YMMV.

Corrected again.

Whoever wrote, "However, since all those bars have been rocking, packed with tons of girls and were legally permitted to be open since at least November 1."

Which is misinformation. Luckily, I don't mind setting people straight. Bars and entertainment venues HAVE NOT been allowed to open in Bangkok as of November 1st. What has been allowed is venues serving food (mainly restaurants), that have been SHA certified to be able to serve alcohol unit 9 pm. These approved establishments will have an SHA certificate proudly displayed with a certificate number that is registered in a database. So there is no "were legally permitted" thing as was written.

https://www.bangkokpost.com/business...ite-sha-clinic

Exactly like the article reads. Plus, on Sunday I was eating at Burger King next to Nana and met an inspector / cop preparing for inspection / raid. I pretended to be a newly arrived tourist and asked him about the rules. He said exactly what I wrote above. I asked him for recommendations to where to hang out and he told me to avoid places that DO NOT have the certificates and look like bars with fly by night BBQ pits outside. And he noted the ones on Soi 7. He said they know everything that goes on. So for expats in BKK who think they are some covert secret society with all this hidden information, that's funny as heck.

In order for the police to collect tea money or raid money, the owners of these shady businesses have to be able to accumulate money in the first place. This is how the war on drugs work and so does the world of corruption. So they let the sales go on until it's time to collect and pay up. And yes, the entire Sukhumvit are their eyes and ears from the viagra and sex toys vendors, beggars, fruit stands, motors taxis and much much more. It's an entire network. So please, don't think by not discussing open bars on sex forum, you are somehow one step ahead of the police here in Thailand and doing everybody a favor. What did people think happened when Lisa on the Beach Bar got raided in Pattaya? That bar was located almost next to the police station. Foreigners got arrested and fined and then the bar reopened up the next night. Mean to tell me owners didn't know and weren't involved? They create this false blanket of security as if they got some magic stick to allow them to break the rules.

So I walked into those Soi 7 beer bars last Saturday night as well. There seems to be some glorification of of what's going on the ground. The girls remind me of lower end Soi 6 girls. Really. It wasn't packed 200 plus, maybe 50 girls (for all the clusters of bars total) at the most and the customers that were "young, fit, fairly good looking athletic guys" were not there. I only saw about 20 expat customers and this was at 8:15 pm. Soi Nana was not much better. Looks that those pics. I am not sure why anybody would write that. Just think about it. It's a group of beer bars with no SHA certificates, no masks, illegally operating. So you are telling me these super hot girls that used to work in Gogo bars and Thermae are suddenly desperate enough to work out of these bar bars? The hotter ones are usually the smarter ones who know how to take care of themselves and their looks. Did they get dumb and stupid all of the sudden to risk working in illegal bars which can be raided at anytime? And outside Nana Plaza was not much better. Never once have I ever saw any talent worth getting from Stumble Inn or Morning Night in any of my trips to Thailand. Fun to me is not sitting and staring at the empty streets with scattered ladyboys, with a warm beer paid for the seat.

And if you have to pay 500 baht barfine to a girl you already know, during these low and slow times, then you have a problem. Especially, if you already had BBFS and GFE with her before. I have been in Thailand 20 months now. And as a tourist, no an expat or remote worker. I have not paid a barfine, even when everything was opened. Whether the girl was a new one or an old flame or a repeat. Who the heck pays for a barfine, when there is no alcohol sales after 9 pm? Seems like glorification at its best. Maybe it was all written in jest.

I even sat down and bought a 100 baht beer at the center bar when you walked in. The best looking thing was in that entire group of beer bars was a manager or PR girl just as you walk in. When I said best, I was am very nice. I spent about 15 minutes allowing her to grope my dick inside my shorts for a drink before I left. Funny thing is I saw her greet another customer and touches his face with the same hand. Nasty. On another night, there was a thin girl with dark hair, almost bob like haircut, wearing small shorts who tried to pull me in for drinks. She was walking on Soi 7 with another girl. We walked in together to those set of beer bars and I immediately wanted to walk out because it was dead. She was like "I go with you. " And so she did. No barfine and 1000ST. She was about the only decent thing I've seen in Soi 7, the entire 45 days I've been here. I took her to my room nearby and fucked her ass naked with her face and tits pressed against the glass of the window, in my room, overlooking the BTS skywalk. Told her my window was one way only. I left the light on when it was time to walk her back. And pointed to my room from the outside. You can see everything, She was pissed, so I tipped her 50 baht. But yeah, there is still better talent to be found with incalls and outcalls for 1500. See the pic pf what the cat dragged in a few days ago for 1500. Used the open window on her as well.

[Member #4733]

BB and others: Thanks for the tips.

About Grab. I think I used a Grab car: the guy used a medical car (ambulance for those that can still walk but need to be picked up and brought to the hospital, hence my reservations), so I guess not a grab taxi but car. In Indonesia I used Go-jek and they did a good job, using Maps and GPS well. Grab car didn't. I picked the hotel on the map while ordering but they picked it by name and drove me to a totally different hotel, that shared part of the name and was a bit more well known. But there is still the possibility that I misunderstood. So, how can I be sure to have Grab car.

If you want to be puzzled by Bangkok's transport system then take a bus to Mo Chit station (from outside Bangkok) and try to get to the MRT Mo Chit with your luggage. Taxis didn't take me. Not even when I made clear to agree with any price. Ended up in a Tuk-tuk.

Getting a taxi from Khao San to Asok in rush hour seemed impossible. Until I proposed the nearest BTS station. Driver took me to Ratcha Tewi. From there I took the BTS to Asok.

If people take a motor taxi do you wear a helmet? I had an accident with helmet when I was still young. Now I won't take a ride without helmet.

In my hometown a lot of youngsters bought scooters and motor cycles. Seems Corona related. What to do with time and money. Now I get the idea that this is not a local thing.

[NicFrenchy]

In these types of guys who import their western concepts of value from their homeland to Asia, that has created a void in members contributing actionable intel, you don't want your favourite girls / bars etc suddenly going from 1500 baht to 7000 b because he thinks its good value and can't be bothered to haggle, which is expected in Asia.

Exactly that. All it achieves is it teaches Somying and Somchai that it is ok to overcharge the Foreigner, because they don't know and they will pay.

[Flash Bkk]

10+ years ago the Eden Club was amazing, so many doable girls. Last time I went in there about 2 years ago there was not even a maybe.

Reminds me of Akane Fashion which was great fun more than 10 years ago, but year by year lost any ability to roster cute young girls.

[MutantChicken]

Who gives a damn about American value in Bangkok? Would you pay 7 K ST because that's ok with American standards?

That makes no sense whatseover.

In these types of guys who import their western concepts of value from their homeland to Asia, that has created a void in members contributing actionable intel, you don't want your favourite girls / bars etc suddenly going from 1500 baht to 7000 b because he thinks its good value and can't be bothered to haggle, which is expected in Asia.

[BionicMan]

. One thing I never understood in Bangkok and even cities with worse traffic like Jakarta, only a very few taxi drivers use Google maps to avoid traffic.

They can care the less. The meter runs also when they are at a stand still so it brings money in. Better than rushing you to destination in 10 minutes and not be able to catch a customer for the next 30'.

The meter will charge by the distance plus the stops. Win-win.

[Banana Boi]

That was for a taxi? You did well.

Yes, a metered taxi. It was at around 1 or 2 am though so traffic wasn't that bad. We were on the way to The Club on Khaosan.

Agree ET. Driving in Bangkok can be confusing with having to use totally different routes on your return trip. One thing I never understood in Bangkok and even cities with worse traffic like Jakarta, only a very few taxi drivers use Google maps to avoid traffic.

[NicFrenchy]

I have noticed more activity since November 1. The bars / resturantson on lower sukhumwit are seeing more activity of farangs and girls arriving. It is still at less than 5% normal levels, but it is nice to see the start of life. If it continues to pick up it might be at say 1/3 capacity levels by March.

One thing I am not looking forward to is all the kids going back to school, traffic in the morning will increase by a factor of at least 5 (if not more).

Sukhumvit is getting busier, especially in the evenings. Traffic is already back to 1/3 or what it usually is.

[EihTooms]

I recall paying roughly 85 baht from thermae (same area as cowboy) to khaosan. Obviously it's not about the money it's about a taxi driver wanting to take advantage of farang by charging 4 or 5 times more because he believes that you are a stupid unknowing farang who will pay 400 baht.

Hi, BB.

Not to defend Bangkok taxi drivers gouging on stated flat fares or those who will unnecessarily choose a longer, more round about route when they are on meter, especially when taking non Thais to or from red light areas. But I finally decided to buy a motorbike several months ago and have to say the bowl of spaghetti mess of to and from routes on the streets around here is weirder than I have personally experienced driving a vehicle in any other city.

It is common to be able to go from A to B on a fast and relatively direct route and not be able to return from B to A by simply retracing the same route in reverse. Even following a presumably impartial GPS Map app on my smartphone from, say, Soi Nana to Chatuchack Weekend Market in Mo Chit will result in exactly the kind of seemingly endless left, right, in and out of a maze of alleys and side street experience that used to have me scratching my head in the back seat of a taxi wondering WTF is this guy doing.

Also, the GPS route I followed was a parade of other lone Thai and farang motorbike riders so I doubt in that case there was a much better route we all should have taken instead.

Later, to return using that same GPS Map app? Forget about seeing anything familiar from the earlier ride to the Market.

And all of it can depend on the day of the week, time of day or night, what I might already know or the GPS Map app knows about current traffic jams, construction issues and so on.

After getting my bike, I discovered a leisurely ride from the corner of Sukhumvit Soi 4 to Patpong 1 took me less than 10 minutes even during high traffic times of the evening. Of course, that's on a two wheel vehicle that can split traffic lanes and I will sometimes cheat like all bike riders do by turning left or right when the coast is clear whether I've got the traffic signal go ahead to do it or not, making a U-turn on a main road where it is not permitted, driving a short while going the wrong way on a One-Way street because doing so cuts my travel time in half, etc. Things automobile taxis dare not do very often if at all.

And, as I am sure you already know but some might not, it can really matter and make a big difference in terms of travel time and fare cost to your destination if you hail and hop into a taxi on one side of Sukhumvit, Asok or wherever vs the other side to start with.

Anyway, just saying now that I know, for example, how close Patpong is to Nana Plaza if you can ride a two wheel vehicle as directly as possible but also now being more aware than before how an automobile can't possibly do it that way without getting stuck in even worse traffic and so on, I realize I was wrong about this or that taxi driver just trying to rip me off when it seemed like we circled the city for 40 minutes to make that same trip on a Friday night during normal times.

[Member #4753]

100 is about right now for Soi cowboy to khaosan. That is during covid times where traffic is very light.

When things return to normal and traffic thicker, the price will probably be 120. It is quicker getting bts or mrt to other side of town and then quick 50 baht taxi to khaosan. I prefer this as I do not like dealing with taxi drivers or spending too much time in these death traps.

I have noticed more activity since November 1. The bars / resturantson on lower sukhumwit are seeing more activity of farangs and girls arriving. It is still at less than 5% normal levels, but it is nice to see the start of life. If it continues to pick up it might be at say 1/3 capacity levels by March.

[NicFrenchy]

Then the last time I was there, I tried GRAB. First time I saw a lot of taxis passing by before my Grab taxi finally came. Not bad but not much cheaper. I tried it once again. Firts he couldn't find me. Then a kind of ambulance (small type) arrived. I was shocked. But well, I had been waiting 20 minutes, so I got in. I saw a lot of Bangkok. Went to the wrong hotel. I complained. Well, we will drive you to the right hotel but you got to pay extra. Why?? I declined. He drove me anyway but I will not forget about that. He broke all rules but just drove too fast to cause a serious accident. Never again.

First, if it's not Raining, I always use Grab Bike. It's cheap and gets you where you need to go quick.

Second, I never use Grab Taxi, you get the same rundown cabs with the smelly farmers driving and trying to pull one on you.

Use Grab Car, they're regular folks, men or women using their own clean car to get you right where you want to go for a fixed fee. You can choose to pay via credit card or cash. It's easy.

Only pickle is they follow the GPS religiously so if you have a preferred route, best to tell them, unlike the taxis, they listen and follow.

[NicFrenchy]

400 baht. Roughly $12.

Soi Cowboy to Khao San Rd roughly 6 miles - 20/25 minutes.

That actually seems about right in American value.

Who gives a damn about American value in Bangkok? Would you pay 7 K ST because that's ok with American standards?

That makes no sense whatseover.

[Aster14]

They are processing based on earliest flight date.

Thanks, makes sense. Not sure how lively things will be but couldn't pass up the rates at SGS and Hilton in Pattaya.

[HorseTrader]

I recall paying roughly 85 baht from thermae (same area as cowboy) to khaosan.

That was for a taxi? You did well. About 1.5 years ago my Thai non-P4P girl arranged a tuktuk from Khaosan to Terminal 21 during rush hour. If I recall, I paid 100 baht. That was one wild and crazy ride that I won't repeat!

[Banana Boi]

400 baht. Roughly $12.

Soi Cowboy to Khao San Rd roughly 6 miles - 20/25 minutes.

That actually seems about right in American value.

I recall paying roughly 85 baht from thermae (same area as cowboy) to khaosan. Obviously it's not about the money it's about a taxi driver wanting to take advantage of farang by charging 4 or 5 times more because he believes that you are a stupid unknowing farang who will pay 400 baht.