Scams Up and Tourists Down – but the Chicks remain constant

Posted by sideshowBOB | Blog, Reader Submissions | Posted on July 1st, 2009

Hit Resort last night. New girls, new faces but for sure the Thais are feeling the pinch now. The parking lot was not full, the inside was not full and the girls were not as drunk as usual by closing time. Things are slow but hey – such is life. Met a new one though, digits are logged, number confirmed and dinner plans are in the works.

Stay tuned for the July 4th post – should be tonight. After we clear that hurdle will start talking July 11th. If you want a shirt and have yet to email please do so soon. We are about 75% sold at this point. I wore the prototype yesterday and I think they look cool.

I happened to hit Rayong the other day and will write it up soon. There is a promising coyote club trend there.

Managed to swing by the ghost town that is Nana plaza but passed it up for Cowboy. Cowboy seems to be getting going earlier than normal and the happy hour deals are decent. Stopped into Tilac which was kicking as usual and then popped over to Long Gun. Dead as doornail.

I love all this hype over the demise of live Muay Thai – like they can’t figure out why people aren’t going. Hmmm. Let me see – another venue where Farangs, locals or not, are overcharged some 10 times what the Thais pay to see mediocre fights from time to time. I am actually a fan but the idea of paying 1000 baht a go is just ludicrous. Even if I whipped out my work permit they still treat me like a FOB with money to burn. Go figure. So here they are promoting a huge event, wasting a ton of money on marketing, when all they would have to announce is they will stop taking the piss out of Farangs. Doubt it will happen.

Catch the article on the suddenly found 10 mil baht? Kills me. The police seize a vehicle from a non convicted drug dealer and 4 years later someone finds 10mil baht in it. My guess is that the figure is more like 20mil but what kills me is if the police had this car all this time why did they not search it? Also why is it seized vehicles go straight to the vehicle pool? Shouldn’t they be auctioned and the money put into the general fund or something. Nothing fishy going on here.

All quiet on the political front.



30 Responses to “Scams Up and Tourists Down – but the Chicks remain constant”

  1. bkk22 says:

    To be honest I am shocked they reported it at all. Now that is fishy.

    View all comments by bkk22

  2. bkk22 says:

    Reported the money that is, not the story.

    View all comments by bkk22

  3. sideshowBOB says:

    bkk – yeah. totally. or maybe they did report it but only some of it. whole thing is funky.

    View all comments by sideshowBOB

  4. Salty says:

    But they only reported what was found in the back doors. What about the rest of the car? And such a strange amount, 998,000. It seems all too odd to be completely true.

    View all comments by Salty

  5. Young Penfold says:

    Where the Members clubs are feeling the pinch, the Moo Krataa 100baht all you can eat joints are booming. Went by for 1 last night on Petchaburi and it was jammed to the rafters with greedy, pennypinching cunts such as myself, eating till they felt physically sick.
    A budget busting tip from me is dont use the cold towels provided, and if you dont use them, make sure they are removed from your bill.

    I regularly walk past the members Clubs on Ekkamai and the carparks are virtually always packed. I usually see a gunmetal Bentley Continental outside The Piano, 2-3 times a week.

    Anyone been to ‘Faberge Club’ next to it? It has loads of tacky gold plating outside

    Never been to live MuayThai out here, even when I used to come as a 2week tourist, paying 1500baht odd to watch ‘rigged’ fights in a 3rd world country was a silly price. Any idea what the locals ACTUALLY pay?

    View all comments by Young Penfold

  6. Companyman says:

    Which member-club should i go to with a friend who is also a total-newbie like myself on the member-club scene ?

    one where we would have a great time yet be allowed in without buying a year membership directly….. any tips from you veterans?

    View all comments by Companyman

  7. sideshowBOB says:

    cman – that is tough to answer. look through reviews on wickedtraveler.com for reviews on some. I think it depends on what u r looking for, how much thai you speak and how much money you want to drop.

    they are all roughly the same and they are all geared towards membership so keep in mind u wont get a good deal rolling in for one night but if you are careful about what you order and ladydrinks then it wont be out of hand.

    I think caribbean is not a bad starter g club. it is big, plenty of girls, good service and not known for bill padding. open a bottle – dont order drinks. be clear to the mamasan that you are checking it out for purposes of buying a membership. Make sure u are not charged for anything extra like mamasan fees but know u will get charged for ice, mixers and so on. Ladydrinks and ladytime wil be charged full fare.

    View all comments by sideshowBOB

  8. John Brown says:

    So, will the party still be going on at around 1AM on the 5th? I have a late flight in, but touch down in the Swamp around midnight.

    View all comments by John Brown

  9. Louk says:

    This won’t be a cheap night, be prepared to drop 6-8000thb…
    a bottle without membership is around 5500, if you drink it you can add 100-150 per mixer + ice +… which get you easily to 1000, 1500… then have to add some ladydrinks if you want some fun, about 400 each…
    The choice they give you is 8k for one night, or 20k for much more (plus the odd 1-2k every time as you still want some girls ^^)
    I ended up getting a membership on my first night at the Pent… That was more than year ago, i just renewed it last month as it’s really a great place to take my customers.

    Similar story at my first try of the Bank, four guys no mermbership, 15k in 3hours…
    4/5 girls, plenty of fun in a party room and a pretty hands-on experience… I also forked the missing 5k to get the card and have some bottles there now.

    I’m going to france for 2 weeks on sunday, but if you’re still there when i come back i can take you, it will be much cheaper ^^’

    View all comments by Louk

  10. JJ says:

    It’s a shame the Thai Boxing is just another scam on foreigners.
    I lived here for 15 years and would enjoy going but…fuck them.

    View all comments by JJ

  11. doctorbond says:

    ssb – a suggested title for the thread – “Scams Up and Tourists Down – but the Chicks remain constant”
    :)

    View all comments by doctorbond

  12. sideshowBOB says:

    jb – we close at 2. sometimes 1 – really nothing to do with the party.

    louk – agreed but the bottles are not 5 k. they are usually 500 baht or more over standard bottle prices.

    jj – agreed

    db – okay

    View all comments by sideshowBOB

  13. JJ says:

    ” but the Chicks remain constant”

    Or how about this.
    We get older but our girlfriends don’t.

    View all comments by JJ

  14. JJ says:

    By the way, I hear a Thai Boxing match is forthcoming at Siam Paragon.
    My neighbor is a promoter from Europe and says this will be good.
    I think later this month.

    View all comments by JJ

  15. ao nang says:

    Seperate windows for the farangs with the four figure prices and prices written in thai numerals for the three figure prices at the thai windows shows just how much we are wanted at the muay thai place.

    They could change it to equal pricing like a shot but could it be that the farangs are subsidising the whole operation?

    Leave the place to the locals and see what improvements their 150 or 200 baht tickets make a difference to the place.

    Of course if the place is in trouble then prices will increase to compensate for less customers now that the news of double pricing is well out in the open.

    View all comments by ao nang

  16. Companyman says:

    Louk

    That would be great… we are both here after two weeks….
    and from what i understand from all your reports its more fun going more people….

    Anybody up for some indoor-karting at RCA ? can give some free lessons on that anyway, instead of the girlscene which im a rookie at… but enjoy it a lot. Bkk is a great town and you who live here are fortunate.

    View all comments by Companyman

  17. geoff says:

    they will learn one day that the farang can not be taken for a mug over charging too much for services

    View all comments by geoff

  18. Bose says:

    Bangkok Stadiums

    Lumpini Stadium
    Rama IV Road, Bangkok
    Tel: (662) 252-8765, 251-4303, 253-7702, 253-7940
    Fight Nights: Tuesdays and Fridays from 6.30 p.m, Saturday afternoons 5-8 p.m., Saturday nights from 8.30 p.m.
    Ticket prices: 500, 1,000, 1,500 Baht (ringside)

    Ratchadamnoen Stadium
    Ratchadamnoen Nok Avenue
    Tel: (662) 281-4205, 280-1684-6
    Fight Nights: Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, Sundays, starting at 6.30 p.m.
    Ticket Prices: 500, 1,000, 1,500 Baht (ringside); special discount on Sunday nights

    Channel 7 Stadium
    Behind the old Northern Bus Terminal (Morchit), opp. Chatuchak Park, Bangkok
    Tel: (662) 272-0201
    Fight Schedule: Sundays, from 1.45 p.m., third Wednesday of each month starting at 12.00 noon.
    Ticket prices: Free admission

    Rangsit Stadium
    336/932 Prachathipat Road, Rangsit, Pathumthani
    Tel: (662) 992-0099
    Fight Nights: Wednesdays & Thursdays from 8.30 p.m.
    Ticket Prices: 110 (women only), 220 Baht
    Rangsit is famous for holding international girl fights.

    View all comments by Bose

  19. bobonzo says:

    JJ..
    ‘We get older but our girlfriends don’t.’

    Shit…my kids are older than my girlfriends.

    View all comments by bobonzo

  20. ao nang says:

    Bose cheers for info,

    International girl fights, think I would even pay farang price to see that!!!

    The girls tend not to let up in the ring.

    View all comments by ao nang

  21. Louk says:

    Yep, definitely better in groups! :)

    SSB, can you give Companyman my email adress?

    Thanks!

    View all comments by Louk

  22. fender says:

    Lessons (re)learned in the last 8 hours:

    -Don’t say “fuck you ladyboy” within earshot of a ladyboy, even one who just gave you the finger, and expect to stay dry.

    -If you’ve been out drinking after hours all night, it’s easier to work in an air conditioned office than golf in the Bangkok heat. In fact, it’s not even close. Also, don’t bother trying to say, much less remember, the names of your Japanese playing partners.

    -Freelancers will draw the line at 50 year old fat Arab men in hair-nets.

    -A baggy sweat suit and a wigger hat worn sideways doesn’t look good on anyone.

    -Every drunk ESL guy in the world seems to want to tell me where they’re from. “I’m from Iran!” “I’m from Austria!” “I’m from Israel!” That’s great. I’m from Ifyoudon’thaveapussyidon’tgiveashit-istan.

    -When I’m not in BKK, I miss going to the after hours clubs as much if not more than any other BKK activity (other than maybe sideliner sessions).

    View all comments by fender

  23. Prufrock says:

    After more than ten years of bullshit paddy-princess nonsense, we’re now back to an eager-to-please p4p environment with the added benefit that all these blogs have had a real effect on the manners and the comportment.

    Selection is splendid.
    Once again the girls will save this place.

    They should be eligible for civil service pensions :-)

    View all comments by Prufrock

  24. JJ says:

    Speaking os scams.
    Ocean World has the Thai price in Thai script only.
    If a farang goes in, they hand you the special farang price list. 850 Adults.

    I wrote the CEO and was actually surprised to get a reply.

    “What we practice at Siam Ocean World is the accepted norm and totally legal and as such a business decision that we choose to make.”

    He does say that his staff is supposed to identify ex pats and get the non scam price.

    “We have however already taken steps to strengthen the processes we can and should use to identify expatriates
    from tourist.
    We do advertise the availability of local resident rates in Japanese and
    English expat publications on the basis that many expats are not exposed
    to our extensive advertising of this price in the Thai media or
    understand the Thai offers in our entry area.”

    View all comments by JJ

  25. sideshowBOB says:

    jj – it shows u how they think

    personally I get the dual pricing to some extent. they do it all over india and indomesia but what I don’t like is how big the gap and how if I flash my work permit they still wont give me the thai price. that is BS

    View all comments by sideshowBOB

  26. JJ says:

    They can charge what ever they want.
    Just don’t hide things in Thai Script or if you are offering ex pats a discount, put up a damn sign.
    Don’t expect me to get clued up by reading some advertising in a Japanese or Ex Pat magazine.
    Put up the prices and let the customer decide.
    Gives Siam Paragon a bad name too. Makes me wonder what other stores in there are giving me the farang price-list.

    You can make money without being evil.

    View all comments by JJ

  27. ao nang says:

    Dual pricing shows ignorance and contempt for the customer, thats why its thinly hidden.

    Contempt from them gets contempt from me, I quite like an aqaurium and support many around the world but they can go and whistle now I know about the dual pricing. Glad it wasnt so bad when I visited siam ocean world regularly in 2006/7 before the dopey price increases making the foreigners price even more expensive that the aquariums which are often larger and better in most peoples home countries.

    If the place is in trouble this is a stupid business move to put things right (ripping foreigners off) and it makes me angry that the fish and sea life will suffer, die and become collateral damage if the place is closed down.

    If pricing were fair then regular foreign visitors to a good value attraction would make more sense to the owners than scamming people who will visit once and never again because of dual pricing and tell their friends.

    View all comments by ao nang

  28. JJ says:

    Gives Siam Paragon a bad name too.
    Makes me wonder what other stores in there are giving me the farang price-list?
    If there are other stores in Siam Paragon doing this, I want to know about it.

    Stupid greedy and typical.

    View all comments by JJ

  29. Jimmy Cricket says:

    I remember reading a white (parents were western) Thai born man with full ID and spoke fluent Thia with no accent (as he was brought up in Thailand) went to Lumpini and they refused to charge him the Thai rate.
    He argued he was Thai and proved it with his ID, but in their eyes he was a foreigner. He refused to enter.
    Ironically he is more Thai than the Prime Minister who was born in the UK.
    But for Thais it’s what you look like that dictates if you are Thai or not.

    View all comments by Jimmy Cricket

  30. Louk says:

    Ssb – Sorry to insist, but did you give companyman my email adress?

    Thanks!

    View all comments by Louk

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