Day 1 in Bangkok

[Sidewinder]

I'm typically in Bangkok, solo or for a seminar, twice a year. When I'm there for a seminar, I'm usually with friends at the seminar during the day and at dinner, solo afterwards.

[Lucwitz]

Originally Posted by XxSaviorxX

Wow, this post is exactly what ive been looking for! Thanx Klutz. Wish I had more "hobby" buddies to make this trip out with, a lot of the CC TX brothers cant get away from the SO's. Any of yall venture to Thailand alone? Any info pm me.

Ditto! I will be making a diversion through Bangkok for 4 days after a business trip in the Spring. This post will make venturing out MUCH easier.

[dickcheney]

You are a saint sir for posting all this, i will be making a trip out there early December and this will help me out tons! If anyone has good hotel suggestions (3-5 star..you know...not ghetto lol , near good areas for girls) please let me know.

[Lucwitz]

This is still my go-to thread for Bangkok info. I also found this site which has some useful info on some of the bars:

http://www.bangkokbargirls.info

Anyone else have tips for a first-time Bangkok visitor?

[klutz]

I posted the info for the hotel I stayed at in my review... Fraser Suites

Not sure what else to recommend.... like I said, I never made it down to Pattaya.... apparently that's the place to be.

[Sidewinder]

I've stayed at Royal President several times now, and have no complaints.

They are a couple of blocks walk from everything, but taxis are cheap.

[herbieho]

They call it mongering here.

[tonybond]

I unfortunately am a Hobbyist on a budget..... Any information on flights and hotels...best time of year to get better rates, etc... or best airlines to get better rates?

Love this post by the way... VERY informative. Thanks for posting

[Sidewinder]

You'll have to talk with your travel agent about flights. A quick search suggests that you're looking at typically $1700-2000 round trip in coach, for a two-week stay. That's a little over $140/night, worst case.

Hotels are NOT A PROBLEM. You have to be careful to pick a "guest-friendly" hotel (NOT difficult), but that's about it. I routinely stay at Royal President, on Sukhumvit Soi 15, for about the equivalent of US$60/night. For that, I get a room that will cost me EASILY $200-300/night in New York City or Chicago, about $150-250/night in Los Angeles. You won't touch that room for $80-100/night in any of those places (or Austin or Dallas), never mind $60/night.

Putting the two together, figure your base cost (airfare+hotel) at about $200/night.

The hotel rate includes their breakfast buffet, which is quite adequate. You can spend as much or as little as you want on food. If you like Thai food (which I do), you can live CHEAP and still eat well. If you insist on eating Western food, you can still do all right. McDonalds does exist in Bangkok, and is not all that expensive, if you're desperate for a Mickey D fix. There is at least one Burger King, and they surprised the hell out of me, with a REALLY good burger, a few years ago. There's a Tex-Mex place on Suk Soi 11 that is, for my money, the best Tex-Mex I've ever found, ANYWHERE. (Caution: Their margaritas are good, and LETHALLY effective! Pace yourself!) Seafood places are everywhere, Japanese restaurants (with sushi bars!) are everywhere. Even the mall food courts are good food, and quite inexpensive.

Rates for the ladies seem to be going up. I routinely hear 2000 baht short time (one round, typically 60-90 minutes, maybe as much as 2 hours), 4000 baht long time (overnight). To put it in perspective, the baht is currently a little below 30 to the dollar, so you're talking less than $70/hr and less than $140 overnight, for girls that will EASILY run you $300/hr Stateside.

As far as I can tell, "BBW" is for all practical purposes nonexistent in Thailand. If this is what you want, stay home. I have NEVER seen such a creature in any gogo bar I have ever entered, or in any beer bar, or in any freelancer hangout. (Exception: I remember one (1) who qualified, barely: she was working as a club manager.)

You do have to keep your eyes open for ladyboys (pre- and post-op transsexuals). Usually, they are easy to spot, but not always. If your selection criteria are gorgeous, in shape, wonderful smile, fun to be around, good people by any criteria, and you don't select RUTHLESSLY for XX chromosomes, you are once in a while going to find yourself talking with a ladyboy. If you get careless on the fun to be around/good people screen, your odds go up, and some of them can be bad news. Some of the gogo bars have "no ladyboy" hiring policies, but not all of them. (I know of at least one bar that claims such a rule, and they have at least one fairly obvious exception working there.)

[alc87proof]

Thailand is a most wonderful place.