What do YOU CURRENTLY tip in Pattaya for short time ?

[American Teacher]

Greetings everyone! I will be returning to Thailand for a visit this summer. It’s been a moment since I’ve been in the LOS and I’m wondering if we could talk about tipping expectations and rates of pay. I am interested in knowing what the “norms” are now for restaurants, boy bars, gogo bars - really everything!

Anything you can offer is greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
AT

[Jun]

Well, in Pattaya, based on 2024 experience:
Toy Boys still have their price list, which specifies a 1500 tip for short time.
Via the apps, short time tips in the range 1000 to 1500 work. I suspect 1000 would be below average these days, but apparently some still pay that.

Sitting with a boy in a bar for a reasonable length of time would be perhaps 200 or 300. They also get a cut from boy drinks.
[Although if I invited a lad to sit with me & decided to send him away almost immediately, I wouldn't tip more than 100. I've not had to test this for several years.]

Bangkok gogos are more expensive. I no longer have recent experience there, but even if you give a short time gogo boy 2000 there, he's likely to ask for more. Yet if you were to land a boy from the same gogo bar via an app, he would probably accept 1500.
I look for twinks. I gather expectations at certain gogos with big muscular boys can be higher, but fortunately I'm not interested.

In Bangkok, app boys can be found from 1500. I'm told you can still get 1000 there, but you might spend a lot of time looking.

Beware of replies from people who no longer off boys.
It's easy for them to quote high, without recent experience & when advising others how to spend their money.

[Gaybutton]

Beware of replies from people who no longer off boys.

Since I don't expect for anyone to say "I no longer off boys, but . . ." how is American Teacher, or anyone else for that matter, supposed to know who those people might be, especially since he is new to the board? I have no idea who does, and no longer does, off boys.

I, for one, no longer off boys from bars, but that doesn't mean I don't know the prices. The prices Jun quotes seem quite accurate.

I do, however, meet my share of boys on the apps. Most I've met are fine with 1000 baht for short time plus their taxi fare - I live just outside of the city on "The Dark Side" so they need to use a taxi to get here. For overnight, I have no idea. I don't take boys overnight and never have. I prefer afternoon meets rather than night.

What I do know is no matter how much the bar boys get, boys I meet on the apps are usually satisfied with several hundred baht less than bar boys get - even if the app boy is also a bar boy. If a boy I meet from the apps is especially good, I usually give him at least 500 baht more than a standard tip, sometimes more than that. But that is not engraved in stone. That is more of an "up to you".

[Jun]

What I do know is no matter how much the bar boys get, boys I meet on the apps are usually satisfied with several hundred baht less than bar boys get - even if the app boy is also a bar boy.

I've had that too. Boys who work in gogo bars asking about 500 less on the apps than they would if in their gogo bars.

[Dodger]

....... I’m wondering if we could talk about tipping expectations and rates of pay.

Tip amounts in Pattaya are the same as they were the last time you were here - regardless of how long ago that was. Avg. = 1,500 THB.

Bangkok is said to be more expensive these days but that's off my radar.

Welcome back, and enjoy your visit.

[Jun]

Tip amounts in Pattaya are the same as they were the last time you were here - regardless of how long ago that was. Avg. = 1,500 THB.

This effectively says tips have always been 1500 in Pattaya, which not many Pattaya regulars would accept.

Where do you get that from ?
How many boys have you offed in the last 2 years & tipped 1500 ?


When I first arrived in Pattaya ~18 years ago, 1500 was fine as a Long Time tip. It was 1000 Short Time then.
Now long time is more like 2000.

Short time, a few boys still ask for 1000. Some customers still pay 1000 & from what I hear, the boys seem content to repeat.
I suspect more like 1200~1300 would be an average. Tip that and they're almost certain to ask to see you again.
There's no harm in paying 1400~1500, particularly if the boy is very good.

[Dodger]

When I first arrived in Pattaya ~18 years ago, 1500 was fine as a Long Time tip. It was 1000 Short Time then.
Now long time is more like 2000.

When I first arrived in Pattaya 26 years ago 1,500 was the normal (average) tip amount. Remarkably the same holds true today.

Yes, some punters tipped 1,000 (or less), and still do today, but fortunately for the boys that's not the norm.

Longstays, even back in the old days averaged 2,000 THB and usually involve having sex multiple times during the stay.

If you're paying more that's fine...the boys need the cash and I would imagine you're getting your money's worth.

For the record, I probably have more Thai friends over here who are working the scene than I have farang friends. It's just always been that way.

Maybe we should start a poll: "What's the average tip amount in Pattaya?

[Jun]

For the record, I probably have more Thai friends over here who are working the scene than I have farang friends. It's just always been that way.

Maybe we should start a poll: "What's the average tip amount in Pattaya?

Well, if you're solely relying on Thai friends for guidance, they're likely to suggest something on the high side.

If a board member wants to tip 500, 1000, 1250, 1500, 2000 or 3000, I'm not going to criticize. However, when we're discussing the going rate, debating it is fair.

Are you by any chance considering just the gogo bars ? Toy Boys have been recommending a 1500 tip for about 10 years.

But via all modes of meeting, to claim the tipping rate in Pattaya has always been 1500 would be way out of line with what I've seen over the last 18 years. That's talking to numerous farang & talking to boys.

A poll is definitely best. It needs to specify whether it's for short or long time, as the answer is different.

[Dodger]

Are you by any chance considering just the gogo bars ?

No. The longtime average of 1,500 for S/T sex has been in play in Pattaya for gogo bars, host bars, local freelancers, etc.

What's changed over the years has been the "range" not the "average". I think you can thank the freelancers working the apps for a lot of that.

[Gaybutton]

Before this debate gets too heated, American Teacher is merely trying to get an idea of how much to tip. Obviously what the "norm" is for one is not necessarily the "norm" for others.

I'm not going to start a poll because there are too many variables. What I would like to see is responses from board members saying how much they tip now, regardless of how much it used to be. I think how much it used to be is irrelevant to what American Teacher is trying to find out. I think he is just looking for a guideline to get an idea of how much to tip when he comes on his next trip.

In restaurants, in Thailand you don't go by percentage of the bill. That might be the way it works back home, but has nothing to do with it in Thailand. I always tip 20 baht, regardless of the bill amount. That's it - 20 baht. If I am eating with 3 or more people, then I'll tip 20 baht per person if I'm the one paying the bill. If you're eating with Thais, you will be the one paying the bill.

The only time I tip more than that is if I'm eating in a high end restaurant and getting really good service. For that I'll tip anywhere from 40 baht to 100 baht. I never tip more than 100 baht.