Visitors to Thailand are often intriqued as to what exactly goes on in the infamous gogo bars and how the 'system' works. Very few Thais feel inclined to explain this in great detail and many farangs (foreigners) will either plead ignorance or begin their answers with: "I've never been to one, but I believe....."Well, I have frequented gogo bars and am quite happy to explain the ins and outs of the industry. Thailand's gogo bars first gained notoriety during the Vietnam War era, when word spread of the bars where lovely girls wriggled up and down poles in order to seduce their customers. Many of the poles have disappeared from the bars, but the modus operandi remains the same.
The girls dance in shifts on the stage, usually located in the centre of the bar. They are usually dressed in skimpy bras and panties and sometimes wear high boots or high-heels to enhance their stature. They usually have numbers pinned somewhere on their skimpy outfits.
Customers sit around drinking expensive drinks, eyeing the girls on stage. If one takes their fancy, they can ask the 'mamasan' (the bar manager) or one of the waiters to ask a girl to sit with him. He usually identifies her by her number. When she is seated, the customer is obliged to buy a drink for her (she will usually end up with a watered-down Coke at the price of a glass of champagne). The cost will be added to his bill, which is usually placed in a small holder in front of him.
If, after a short discussion and a close and personal discussion, he is not interested in pursuing this relationship, he is expected to give her a small tip of 100-200 baht for sharing some time with him. She will return to the stage and he is free to select another damsel who catches his eye.However, if he and the girl hit it off, he will ask her if she would like to accompany him to his hotel or a short-time room. She will nearly always agree (unless she has another booking or really finds him objectionable). The mamasan or waiter is told of the deal, and a "bar fine" of 200-400 baht (R45-90) is added to the bill. The rationale for this is that the bar needs to recompensed for losing one of its dancers for the night!
While they were seated together, the customer may or may not have discussed his particular requirements for the evening and a price for these services with the lady, but there will be a 'going price' which regulars will know. This price remains a secret to first-timers and the ignorant and will only be brought up if the customer pays anything less. The hope, of course, is that the lusty and rich customer pays way over the regular rate (anything from 1000 baht to 2500 baht).
Many people find gogo bars very sad and unsettling. Some of them are, especially if the girls look too desperate for a customer or are just shuffling around on stage disinterestedly. However, many of the more upmarket bars can be entertaining for customers and, sometimes, for the girls as well.
Note: The gogo bars are not the same as the "ping pong" bars, in which artists perform extraordinary acts with ping pong balls, coke bottles and cigarettes. These bars are frowned upon by virutally everyone in Thailand and the few that remain are mostly rip-off joints. Avoid them - they really are depressing.
If you do visit a gogo bar, you should always remember that these girls are not always here by choice. Many are doing this line of work to support their families. They are nice, decent girls and many dream of one day being able to settle down with a husband and children. The least you can do is treat them with kindness and respect.Likewise, you need to remember that love is not for sale here. It is very easy to fall for seductive charms and tall tales that are solely aimed at easing more money out of your wallet. The "rich foreigner loses everything to Thai girl" stories abound and, although they seem insane, most of them are true.
There are also male gogo bars, and, although, far fewer than the lady bars, operate in exactly the same manner. Most of the customers are Western and Asian men, but an increasing number of Asian women are frequenting these bars.
However, the number of gogo bars overall is declining in favour of so-called "bar beers" (beer bars) throughout Thailand. Here the girls sit around the bar in ordinary clothes (usually jeans and revealing tops) and chat up customers. The atmosphere is generally more relaxed and friendly, and the girls are often very entertaining and aces at the various bar games. If you and a girl strike up a friendship, though, you will probably still have to pay the bar a "fine" or "off fee". And so the business goes on.
