Bar A
A farang goes into a bar, is greeted by friendly staff and orders a drink. A friendly lad starts a conversation. This goes on for a couple of minutes, in a relaxed manner. The boy doesn't ask for a drink. The farang slowly takes a liking to the lad. The farang has stopped sipping his own beer whilst this conversation is continuing.
The farang offers the lad a drink.
They have a chat, over a drink and the lad is tipped 200 baht, for about 40 minutes. (Host bar, no hanky panky)
Next day, they meet and the lad gets another well deserved 1500 baht.
Bar B
This time, our farang notes the music is loud in Bar A compared with the previous visit, so goes next door to bar B, which has no customers. He's invited to sit at a table where two bar boys are drinking, but declines and chooses to sit at the bar. One lad follows him there and asks for a beer. The farang declines. The lad keeps talking. The farang is trying to ignore him. The lad asks for a drink again and again the customer refuses. The lad carries on talking, so the customer moves to a different table. Another lad approaches, but this one at least understands when to back off.
Bar A has customers, bar B does not. There are no other gay host bars on this street.
A Tale of Two Bars
Re: A Tale of Two Bars
Or if it was in Jomtien complex...
BAR C
Elderly farangs sit and talk among themselves in small groups. Groups of cambodian boys party and drink with their ladyfriends and ladyboyfriends in small groups.
When a potential lonely customer arrives, a boy breaks free from the group and try to convince the customer to sit down and order a drink. After customer served a drink the boy returns to his party and the customer is ignored until checkbin.
BAR C
Elderly farangs sit and talk among themselves in small groups. Groups of cambodian boys party and drink with their ladyfriends and ladyboyfriends in small groups.
When a potential lonely customer arrives, a boy breaks free from the group and try to convince the customer to sit down and order a drink. After customer served a drink the boy returns to his party and the customer is ignored until checkbin.
Re: A Tale of Two Bars
The Bar C example sounds just like my first visit to Sun bar about 6-7 years ago. Given all the free time to observe other bars, I concluded that Home bar would be a far better prospect.
In a host bar, the hosts need to recognise when a customer is looking for a company and when he isn't. I'm not averse to sitting with lads. If I visit Jomtien complex alone, I usually sit with a lad somewhere, but not always. By the time I've bought the lad a couple of drinks and tipped him, he's doing OK.
If I'm visiting with farang friends, I'm far less likely to be buying boy drinks. For a start, the noise often means you can only converse with someone sat right next to you.
Bars with pushy boys tend to have no customers. Fortunately, in Jomtien, there are enough bars that get the balance right. Bangkok is not so good.
In a host bar, the hosts need to recognise when a customer is looking for a company and when he isn't. I'm not averse to sitting with lads. If I visit Jomtien complex alone, I usually sit with a lad somewhere, but not always. By the time I've bought the lad a couple of drinks and tipped him, he's doing OK.
If I'm visiting with farang friends, I'm far less likely to be buying boy drinks. For a start, the noise often means you can only converse with someone sat right next to you.
Bars with pushy boys tend to have no customers. Fortunately, in Jomtien, there are enough bars that get the balance right. Bangkok is not so good.
-
- Posts: 95
- Joined: Tue Jun 13, 2017 10:11 am
- Has thanked: 204 times
- Been thanked: 20 times
Re: A Tale of Two Bars (Bangkok)
The bars are on Patpong. I'm sure you can work out which is A and B.
To be fair, only one lad spoiled bar B.
Even then, the next customer who showed up and bought all 3 lads a drink may have been happy.
Anyone who shows up when the pushy lad is with a customer or having a day off may also get a better experience.