Beerlao Special

Beerlao for 60 baht all night happens every Wednesday at the Big Mango inside Nana Plaza.
They will be adding Beerlao Dark to the all night special at 70 baht ALL NIGHT. Also for Happy Hour 4-8 at 70 baht. Get on it!!

The Big Mango

Baht Strongest in a Decade

The baht jumped to a 10-year high yesterday at 34.25 to the US dollar in local trade thanks to continued foreign inflows. In the offshore market, the baht was quoted as high as 31.7. Rates between the local and offshore market have been split since last December due to the Bank of Thailand's 30% reserve rule on inflows and other capital controls.
Bangkok Post

Visa Problems
Dave The Rave says its better to get your Thai visa at your country of origin. The "visa upon arrival" has become problematic. Try to go to your local Thai Consulate before you come to Thailand to obtain a visa.

Are The Good Old Days Gone ?

So while many guys come to Thailand looking for the girlfriend experience, all they often end up getting is a quick bonk, a quick fix. That's it. To make matters worse they are often paying upwards of 4,000 Thai baht for it! To put that in perspective, it's almost $US 120.

Don’t believe me? Find one of the genuinely pretty girls in Nana Plaza – and I am afraid there are fewer and fewer that meet this description these days. Typically the most attractive girls want at least 3,000 baht for short time. Of course you can get some for less, but the prettiest girls want AND command that. The barfine is 600 baht. You’ve had a drink or two yourself and she’s hand one so that’s another 350 baht. And if you take her to a short time hotel, that is going to be a few hundred baht more. All up, for what may end up being half an hour of passion (if that!), you’re paying 4,000+ baht. What a rip off!

Stickman

(Editor's note: With the prices going up and the US dollar going down (a 1,000 baht use to cost about $25.50 US dollars, now a 1,000 baht cost about $34.14).
Has anyone heard any updates from Phnom Penh in Cambodia lately?
Did the military coup mark the beginning of the end as we know it?)

Note from On Nutter about room service at the Walkabout Hotel in Phnom Penh:
A very cute Cambodian girl knocks on the door. She was about 21, dark-skinned and with an appealing look of untamed beauty. She brushed past me, checked the room and said: “You no have lady. You want short time?”

It was a VERY short time. She looked even better when she stripped off, with beautiful pert breasts. I knew this wasn’t going to be the girlfriend experience. Our union was brutal and brief, but oh so needed. She asked for 20 US dollars (about 680 baht at current, very favourable exchange rates) and I happily handed over the greenbacks.

Later, talking to the old hands in the downstairs bar, I learned the short-time rate was $10 to $15, with long time starting at $20. Even those rates are negotiable. While I had undoubtedly been ripped off, who cares at those prices? I mentally applauded the girl for taking advantage of a newbie.

Too Much To Handle

Genuine Advert from Phuket Gazette magazine June 2003

BARGIRL FOR SALE.
No key money, just take over payments. Great exterior condition. Attitude may need slight adjustment. Will cook if hungry. Will clean for jewelry. Expert in hand phone operation, sofa management and budget mishandling.
Genuine reason for sale - owner bankrupt!
Call now, this offer won't last.
(I have removed the phone number!)

from Bangkok Bob

What The Girls Make....

What the girls make in the go-go clubs by Mango Sauce

Bar girls' salaries range from 2,000 to 6,000 baht (US $55 to $164) per month.

Here are some of their work rules.
* Only two days off permitted a month, or they must pay 300 baht a day for extra leave days.
* No leave permitted on Fridays, Saturdays and national holidays. Otherwise, fines range from 500 to 1,000 baht a day.
* Must go out with the clients four to 10 times a month or pay fine of 500 baht for each missed quota.
* Must sell 80-100 drinks to clients or pay 30 baht a drink for the missed quota.
* Must have health check-up every three months. If the blood test is positive for sexually transmitted diseases, they will not get the salary for that month.
* Must wear the outfits arranged by the bars or pay the fine of 100 to 200 baht.
* Must not use the clients' restrooms.
* Must not eat during work hours.
* Must buy own drinking water.

The benefits package isn't very tempting but, on the plus side, they get to meet lots of interesting new people.

(Typical income for their takeout company is 1,500 baht (US $41) for short-time and 2,000 baht (US $55) and up for all night after the barfine is paid.)