Pattaya vs Bangkok

[DownLoLarry]

On the Anaconda thread there was some interesting posts about the relative merits go Bangkok vs Pattaya so I figured why not start a thead about this issue.

Cost: the edge here clearly goes to Pattaya. Hotels, bar fines, tips for girls are defo quite a bit less than in Bangkok. But for many guys, cost is not a major issue since everything is so much cheaper than London, Sydney, or Singapore.

Ambiance: I view that as a personal preference. If you like a bustle cosmopolitan city, then Bangkok is the choice. If you like a beac town that revolves around 24/7 sex then Patta is the ticket. Though if one really likes the beach then Phuket or Samui would be even better alternatives.

Accessibility: a toss up as Pattaya is only an hour and a half away from The Bangkok airport.

Ladyboy venues: it depends. Bangkok has fewer but bigger ladyboy bars. For a first timer on a very short holiday, Bangkok is the choice. With Guess Bar and the NEP venues you never have to leave Soi 4.

But inevitably one often wants to avoid certain ladyboys and with Bangkok you run out of bars quite quickly. Pattaya with it's 8000 hostess bars (just guessing here) and ladyboys everywhere certainly has more variety. Having sais that, there's nothing like walking into Obsessions or Cascade in Bangkok and having dozens of ladyboys to choose from.

[rxpharm]

The numbers in the NEP and Guess Bar are underestimated in the previous post.

Obsessions has about 90 lbs on staff

Cascade has about 100 lbs on staff

Temptation has about 20 lbs on staff

Casanova has about 30 lbs on staff

Plus there are a number of postops working the gg bars in NEP (not many FM interested in this - estimated number is around 30)

Guess Bar has about 30 lbs on staff.

So in just the area of 2 blocks there are around 300 lbs available p4p. This isn't counting the number of freelancers around (not recommended for a newbie).

In Patpong a 20 min taxi ride away or 15 min by Skytrain and walk there is KC3 that has around 60-70 lbs on staff, plus KC which has around 40 postop lbs and 30 ggs.

For someone on a short visit, say around a week or so, whose main goal is to shag as many lbs as possible, BKK wins hand down. No need to take Baht buses going from bar to bar looking for that special someone - just a few minutes walk from bar to bar in NEP and Guess to chose from around 300 lbs.

[duke007]

I do love the "hustle and bustle" of Bangkok but for myself and a lot of others has become too expensive due to the exchange rates.

I have "never" paid for sex in the UK (it may surprise you, I can still get my "end away" for FREE :D ) so comparing prices to London is wrong IMHO, I "dont" holiday in London and nor would I, I holiday in Thailand and as mardhi said..........

"Most of the bars customers actually live & work in Asia - they get salaries that have not been hammered by the pound/euro/dollar weakness and compared to other places like Singapore or Hong Kong - Bangkok is still cheap"

Its a good point and I respect that, but having myself seeing the baht rate come down from 72 baht-£1 to 66 baht-£1, and now to 48 baht-£1

Add on the Airfares and accomodation its a hell of a killer to the pocket , if only the 66 baht days would come back.

Im not a big fan of gogo bars anyway so even though there maybe 200 very cute ladyboys in the NEP its confined to 4 venues and 1 spot so I would bore of it very easily.

The Guess Bar is good but I wouldnt want to spend two weeks drinking in there.

Patpong is OK for 1 night but thats it.

Pattaya has a lot more choices and variety and at half the price, again thats IMHO

A Baht bus can take you from Naklau to Jomtien for 10 or 20 baht and as Anthony70 quoted on the LB-69 forum "Pattaya is the best bar crawl in the World", I totally agree with him.

You also have BEACHES :D

I spent a night in Bangkok in October and it cost me over 7000 baht.

For example...Say on an average night (this doesnt include monies during the day)

Bangkok

Royal Ivory Hotel.. 1100 baht (which I thought was superb value for what you get)

Bar Bill...1700 Baht (including 800 b/fine)

NEP tour...1000+

Girl.......3000 baht L/T

Girl Food..400 baht

Dont forget Im a "Tourist" and on "Holiday" and here to enjoy myself, Im "not" working here.

Compare that to Pattaya

Room ....600 baht per night

Bar Crawl.......1500 (including 300 b/fine)

Girl............1500 L/T

Girl Food.......200 baht

So if it came to a choice of being a "two week millionaire" in Bangkok or a "four week millionaire" in Pattaya I have a fair idea of what I'd choose.

So Im afraid "Bangers" will stay on the back burner for me for the time being

Just my two pennies worth

[mardhi]

Cost: the edge here clearly goes to Pattaya. Hotels, bar fines, tips for girls are defo quite a bit less than in Bangkok. But for many guys, cost is not a major issue since everything is so much cheaper than London, Sydney, or Singapore.

I personally do not believe the costs are as far apart as many people perceive them to be. I do live here and I do earn my salary in Thai baht - however I am also very observant of different pricing.

IMHO, Pattaya has over the last 5 years especially surged in price upwards. Bangkok has to all intent, stayed the same 'IN BAHT TERMS". So 5 years ago, Pattaya was much better value for money than it is now. In real terms, with inflation (not that many will care about that), Bangkok is cheaper than it has ever been.

For example, In Pattaya a barfine typically was 200-300b in a bar. Now its often 500b. In Bangkok it was 500/600b and today its 500/600b

A beer in a bar/gogo in Bangkok is typically between 110-145b at full price. These prices have been pretty constant for 5 years. In Pattaya, as has recently been reported, some bars are now asking 115b for a beer in a non aircon bar beer. 5 years ago they would have been 50-60b. Huge inflation in Pattaya, nothing in Bangkok (however tax on beer has risen about 20% in that time).

However the beer is the not the thing to be looking at. lots of movement has taken place on spirits and now in many bars, even ones people talk fondly off, they are at 145b. Take that as a ladydrink and its 30b higher, so you are at 175b. It all starts to add up.

The analogy I use, is to view 300 LB's in Nana, you can get away with buying 5 beers. i.e. one beer per bar - so say at most 750b. To do the same thing in Pattaya, you need to buy probably 20 beers up (as each bar has much fewer LB's) - so your looking at about 2000b not including the 10b's for each baht bus you need and 5b to have a leak.

If you like pub crawling - then sure, Pattaya will win hands down, but make no mistake there are way more working LB's in one street in Bangkok than almost the entire city of Pattaya working in dedicated LB bars.

But the cost differential is much less than people assume - I often will spend 2,000b in a bar no matter where I am. It never seems to make much difference if its Pattaya or Bangkok - the overall cost of the night is very similar.

[mardhi]

Actually Matchman who many of you know from LB69 made a very good point over there. He was commenting that the rising costs everywhere are playing on his decision making. He often goes into GG bars and there the increases are massive compared to LB bars. Just to barfine a decent looker can set you back 1500b in Pattaya now, such are the huge level of salaries they are needing to pay to get people.

People assume, Thai's work for 200b day. Yeah right - I can guarantee that is not the case as I employ over 50 of them in businesses nothing to do with the p4p sector. The minimum wage coming in is 300b day - however you actually try and hire someone with common sense for less than that and see what you get. Typically for a waitress, we are paying 12000 + food (they eat for free), uniforms, tips, bonuses etc and typically it adds up to be about 19,000b per member of staff (these are waitresses don't forget, not managers). Even then, the liklihood of getting some half decent is hit & miss. Unfortunately Thailand has a very very low rate of unemployment. The guys are too lazy for the most part to get of their arse, so it falls to women.

Many businesses pay a very low taxable wage - however make it up with lots of cash bonuses/tips - someone working at an Issan nightclub will be earning about 300b day purely in tips. that is 9,000b on top of their base salary.

[duke007]

I dont need 5 baht for a "leak" in both the Pooks Bars, Stringfellows, La Bamba, Linda Bar, Famous Bar, Obsessions, So what Bar, Hi-Boss, Horny Bar and Sally's to name a few, and nor do I did a Baht Bus to travel from bar to bar.

And I have "never" got away with buying "only" 5 beers in the NEP :lol:

I also barfined 3 "very" decent looker's on my last trip at a cost of 300 baht each, two of them quoted me 1000 baht for L/T ( I did "tip" them generously )

There is many a "gem" to be found in Pattaya as I found out myself last month :angel

Its not about prices to me if they have changed or not, but unless the baht exchange rate improves dramatically (which I doubt) or I win the Lottery then its going to be Pattaya "hands down" for me because you get a lot more for the :money: like it or not, and Im a Bangkok fan btw

This is courtesy of Streetwalker from the LPF

[rxpharm]

Recent reports that Koyo 7 has increased their beer prices to 115 Baht. Also duke007 you may not be using the Baht bus, but you're renting a motorcycle which still needs to be factored into your holiday costs.

I don't think the Pattaya prices as reported by Streetwalker will be accurate for long.

Each place has its attractions, and I think for a longer vacation 10-14 days, Pattaya would have the advantage.

[mardhi]

All I am trying to point out is that the cost differential between Pattaya and Bangkok is now the smallest its ever been.

As you will well know Dave, whenever I see you we never seem to get away with less than 10 beers each and are still in the bar we started in.

However Streetwalkers pricing chart has many prices that are wrong and he freely admitted he had not visited many places to update them. Anaconda is correct and shows what great value it is, especially on spirits and lady drinks. However I know for a fact that almost every LB bar is now at 85-90b for things like Singha.

However, what I am eluding to is that most places will continue to increase prices. Costs in Thailand are going up continually, the economy is not in recession and we are about to see a 50% increase in minimum wage coming in. Is it all a balloon about to burst? Who knows but at the moment, costs are rising.

Cheers

Mardhi

[duke007]

Recent reports that Koyo 7 has increased their beer prices to 115 Baht. Also duke007 you may not be using the Baht bus, but you're renting a motorcycle which still needs to be factored into your holiday costs.

OK rxp, add on 1000 baht per week for my motorbike + 120 for the Petrol but thats for getting about during the day (Jomtien, Naklau, Soi 6 ;) , Pattaya Beer Garden and Big C for e.g.).

I would use a Baht bus if necessary at night because I wouldnt use the bike while drinking.

I would spend just as much money on the BTS and Taxi's getting about in BKK, that is of course unless I "confined" myself to Soi 4

I didnt go in Koyo 7 or Pook Swan Bar last month so cant comment, nor did I miss them :)

[beijo]

I have to agree with Duke and think that the difference of opinion is due in part to Mardi and RXPharm looking at it from the local expat point of view and Duke and myself are looking at it from a tourist point of view. Without counting and comparing each of the various price categories I do know that I pay substantial more in BKK than in Pattaya. BKK offers more options when it comes to sightseeing and shopping but as far as the ladyboyscene is concerned it has serious short comings when compared to Pats. Even after a few years visiting Thailand I find the "places" in NEP intimidating and after I have made my round than what. Yes, I can relax in Guess Bar but that is only one vs many relaxing bars in Pats. In Jomtien I can go to a reasonable beach in the morning and after lunch can start going bar hopping, in BKK I have to wait until later in the evening to go out and all day long stare at the TV in the hotel room. No, I am with Duke. For me its 2 day BKK do what I need to do, forget about NEP and Guess and spend the rest of my 3 weeks in Pats. By the way, during my various visits I never encountered 30 LB's in Guess. I do find that BKK gets boring after a couple of days but never had that problem in Pats. I do realize that not everybody feels that way and quite a few are happy spending all their time in bkk and hang out at Dog watching the NEP traffic but that just is not for me.

[farangbah]

This is a subject that I am very much wrestling with right now, as most of you guys know.

For simple, brief, mongering pleasure, I have come to prefer Pattaya. I have never felt comfortable in the atmosphere of the NEP bars.

And though, generally speaking, Pattaya's prices are lower, I always end up spending more, as in BKK there is more variety to the city and options and I find it easier to stay home, whereas Pattaya the temptation is too strong not to go out on exploration.

But Pattaya can also cause burnout if I'm not careful (which I'm usually not), and somehow the "hustle and bustle" of BKK seems a retreat. BKK is also simply a more viable place for long-term living and working.

Maybe I'll continue to update my thoughts and observations here as I forge onward, trying to make a go of it...

[TEXASMAC]

Bhat bus?? I am 51 years old and those of you have met me know that I am not a tiny fellow. Unless I am taking an LB, I walk 95% of the time. Its good excercise and the show we call " Pattaya" is better than Reality T.V. Just my 2 cents.

[Tomcat]

With BKK you get new arrivals most weeks in the bars ..

e.g .. this sweety just arrived a week ago and im still clearing the old to do list

[SiamSam]

Very good point TC. However I am sure many fresh sweeties arrive in Pattaya every week also. Admittedly harder to locate there than with NEP central.

[rxpharm]

Nana area update, for those newbies contemplating where to visit first.

There are now 150 lbs working in Cascade, 70 working in Obsessions, about 30 working in Temptations, about 25 working in Casanova and about 20 working in Guess Bar. That's almost 300 lbs working in radius of 2 city blocks. There's nothing else like that on the planet earth.

The range of selection in Cascade alone is probably more than the major lbs bars in Pattaya - Stingfellows, Famous, Anaconda, Obsessions and La Bamba.

[duke007]

Nana area update, for those newbies contemplating where to visit first.

There are now 150 lbs working in Cascade, 70 working in Obsessions, about 30 working in Temptations, about 25 working in Casanova and about 20 working in Guess Bar. That's almost 300 lbs working in radius of 2 city blocks. There's nothing else like that on the planet earth.

The range of selection in Cascade alone is probably more than the major lbs bars in Pattaya - Stingfellows, Famous, Anaconda, Obsessions and La Bamba.

I would agree with you rxp the the NEP would be a good start for "newbies" because of the numbers of ladyboys in that very small space, even if they would get "ripped off" left, right and centre without a helping hand :lol: .

A couple of nights in the NEP and surrounding bars is OK for me, any more I would become "claustrophobic" and "bored", Im not a fan of "gogo" bars anyway but thats me :unknw:

I wasnt a big fan of Pattaya either in the past but its grown on me greatly now Ive got to know it better, from Naklau to Jomtien (the best bar crawl in the world)with lovely ladyboys a plenty everywhere and available :angel:

So its Sodom by the Sea over BKK everytime for me now for the foreseeable future at least, plus its working out a lot cheaper for me, ask my pocket :money:

Plus I agree with Sam, there will be many "new ducks on the pond" coming to Pattaya from the Isaan farms too, I found one last trip and its good trying to find them :)

[domo]

Hi duke

Thank you for helpful list.

[deepthroat]

I didn't read all the great arguments here, as most of it's not really applicable to me. The relative cost differences aren't really important to me - I'm there once a year, and the additional cost for BKK is just part of my budget.

A trip to LOS for me is incomplete without a few nights in BKK at the end before my return home. I think I began by doing 2 weeks in Pattaya and 2 nights in BKK, and then I've been steadily increasing the number of BKK nights as I get more accustomed to the charms of the Big Mango (or whatever silly term we're supposed to use today to describe it). In fact, this year I'm spending 18 nights in Pattaya and 4 nights in Bangkok, and I'm sure I'll wish I'd made it 5 or 6 nights in BKK. The quality of the hotels I usually get in BKK are about double that of the nicest I've found in Pattaya, and the hustle and bustle of the big city are invigorating.

A trip to LOS is incomplete without an evening spent at my first LB bar - Guess Bar - and a few nights spent at Nana Plaza and the other entertainments of Patpong and Soi Cowboy.

With that said, I will always love Pattaya and it will probably remain #1 in my heart, especially now that we have our own "Guess Bar North" in Anaconda.

[email]

http://ladyboyreview.com/forum/uploads/monthly_11_2011/post-136-036855200%201322332855.jpg

Sorry to go slightly off topic but is this chart up to date?

I payed 600bath barfine in Koyo 7 on november 14th 2011. The chart says 300.

I'll be carrying a print of the chart with me when in Pattaya next week.

[DownLoLarry]

http://ladyboyreview.com/forum/uploads/monthly_11_2011/post-136-036855200%201322332855.jpg

Sorry to go slightly off topic but is this chart up to date?

I payed 600bath barfine in Koyo 7 on november 14th 2011. The chart says 300.

I'll be carrying a print of the chart with me when in Pattaya next week.

Hi Email, It does not appear to be up to date. Not sure about Koyo's barfine but think beers are now 115 baht.

I really like when a bar's pricing is transparent and both listed on a printed menu and also posted on the forum. Bar Anaconda does a great job in this regard.

The way I see it a bar's pricing is up to them and customers will vote with their feet if not getting good value. But customers don't like surprises; they want to know what the deal is.

As far as drink prices, I think it's a good idea to look in the bin after the first drink is ordered. Where the real surprise can come is with ladydrinks as some bars have regular ladydrinks and premium ladydrinks.

[duke007]

I just love the city life.

I know OTS and you got the shirts to prove it :D

[glasswax]

I didn't read all the great arguments here, as most of it's not really applicable to me. The relative cost differences aren't really important to me - I'm there once a year, and the additional cost for BKK is just part of my budget.

A trip to LOS for me is incomplete without a few nights in BKK at the end before my return home. I think I began by doing 2 weeks in Pattaya and 2 nights in BKK, and then I've been steadily increasing the number of BKK nights as I get more accustomed to the charms of the Big Mango (or whatever silly term we're supposed to use today to describe it). In fact, this year I'm spending 18 nights in Pattaya and 4 nights in Bangkok, and I'm sure I'll wish I'd made it 5 or 6 nights in BKK. The quality of the hotels I usually get in BKK are about double that of the nicest I've found in Pattaya, and the hustle and bustle of the big city are invigorating.

A trip to LOS is incomplete without an evening spent at my first LB bar - Guess Bar - and a few nights spent at Nana Plaza and the other entertainments of Patpong and Soi Cowboy.

With that said, I will always love Pattaya and it will probably remain #1 in my heart, especially now that we have our own "Guess Bar North" in Anaconda. That's Guess Bar East or Guess Bar South, as a matter of fact.