Okay, buddy, sit down, grab a beer, here comes some unabridged, uncensored knowledge about Short-Time (ST) and Long-Time (LT) in Thailand’s nightlife.
First, let’s clear up some terms. ST means you’ve hired a girl’s company for a limited time—two hours at most. LT means you’ve booked the girl for the whole night. In the Thai sex industry, these time frames are flexible by negotiation.
Let’s break it down by area.
**Bangkok**
The city that never sleeps has plenty of ST and LT options. Areas like Nana Plaza or Soi Cowboy are crawling with working girls. Nana is more ST friendly while Soi leans more LT. For ST, expect to drop around 3,000-4,000฿. LT can kick up to 5,000-7,000฿.
**Pattaya**
This is the mecca. Walking Street and the small adjacent Soi’s are rife with hundreds of bars. The rates are friendlier here – ST hangs around 1,000-2,000฿ and LT costs from 3,000-5,000฿. Pattaya also has Beer Bars with cheaper girls around 500-1,000฿ for ST and 2,000-3,000฿ for LT.
**Phuket**
Bit pricier than Pattaya. Most of the action is on Bangla Road, where you have a mix of gogo bars and beer bars. For ST, expect to shell out from 2,000-3,000฿. LT will demand around 4,000-6,000฿
Also, don’t forget your girl will expect a tip if she exceeded your expectations.
Alright, let’s delve into some other aspects and nuances, especially about massages, bar girls, freelancers and the infamous “lady drinks”.
**Happy Ending Massage**
All over Thailand, in big cities or small towns, you’ll find massage parlors. A “happy ending” massage typically runs you around 500-1,000฿, depending on the venue and the tip you give to the masseuse.
Some notorious areas in Bangkok for this are Soi 4, Sukhumvit Soi 22 and Ratchadaphisek Road. Pattaya has Soi 6 and Jomtien, while Phuket cones with Patong. If you’re looking for more than just a happy ending, like a full-service massage, you could have to shell out 2,000-3,000฿.
**Bar Girls**
These are the ladies gyrating on the bar stages. A bar girl earns her keep through “lady drinks”. When a customer buys one, she gets a cut of the price plus it allows you to chat her up. Lady drinks cost more than regular drinks, expect to pay from 150-250฿. If you’re not interested, politely refuse when she requests one. Now, if you are, indulge her, but also tread carefully, you might end up paying for drinks you didn’t even know you bought.
**Freelancers**
These girls operate independently, mainly found along Beach Road in Pattaya or Sukhumvit Road in Bangkok. Price range is pretty wide, starting from 500฿ for a quick encounter to 1,500฿ for the whole night. The catch is, they can be risky, as they don’t need to answer to a bar boss if things go wrong. So, take necessary precautions.
Now, hitting you with some other handy **tips**:
1. Timing Matters: Prices can increase as the night progresses, especially after midnight when bar fines are usually waived. Early birds can come across better deals.
2. Beware the “Buffaloes”: Scammers might claim they need money for a sick relative or a baby at home. They usually don’t.
3. Local Accommodation: Have a girl-friendly hotel. Some places charge you extra for bringing in a guest.
4. The “Sick Buffalo” syndrome: It’s a classic tale of a girl telling you about her family’s suffering buffalo. Don’t fall for it, no matter how convincing it is. It’s a common trick to extract more money from you.
Here’s the meat of it, the **negotiation**. This is important because you don’t want to leave yourself short nor insult the girl. If you’re in a gogo bar, a ‘bar fine’ (compensation to the bar for taking their dancer) will be thrown in, usually ranging from 500-1,000฿. You pay this first, then negotiate with the girl.
Professional ladies can spot newbies, my man, so be confident. Start with a lower offer, 1,000฿ lower than the average of rates I’ve given. Align your wish with her expectation. If she doesn’t meet your budget, bow out respectfully. There’s plenty of fish in the sea.
Last note, **tips and suggestions**:
1. Use your charm first, before your wallet. If a girl likes you, she might charge less. I know it’s a transaction, but being a gentleman never hurts.
2. Agree on what is expected before leaving. Nothing’s worse than ending up in a room with different expectations.
3. Watch out for ‘Ping Pong Shows’. They’re notorious for scamming tourists. Don’t let touts convince you otherwise.
4. Remember these girls work for a living. Treat them with respect and the night will go a whole lot smoother.
5. Lastly, always gear up. No matter how clean she looks, better safe than sorry.
Well, there it is. The unrefined truth about ST and LT in Thailand. Keep your wits about you, have fun and stay safe!