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#1
18-10-2005, 06:08
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Understanding Patong
It is the time of year when the thoughts of many are already heading towards Christmas. Cold turkey at home. Hot girls in Patong... A difficult choice.
The first time in Patong can be a little daunting as this really is fantasy land. It is hard to get a grip on the reality that every single stunning girl wants to go to bed with you. A far cry from standing at the bar in some crummy disco in Watford. Having said that it is also easy to come a little unstuck on a first visit. I am sure that all senior BMs will have their own check list but I thought I would share mine here. Living and learning as they say. Joiner Fees, otherwise known as companion charge. The chain hotels that you book with your travel agent in England such as the Holiday Inn, Novotel, Amari and so on will have a nasty surprise for you. When you bring the girl of your dreams back to the hotel they will want you to pay extra to bring her in. These fees range from 1000 Baht to 3000 Baht. Since the cost of a standard hotel room in Patong is really only around 1500 Baht - not including the chain hotels, this is exhorbitant and can take the edge off anyones romantic urges. Check out the guest charge before you book. Social Customs Thailand is not western Europe and it is easy to offend people without really meaning to. From losing your temper and shouting, which is very bad, to patting girls on the top of the head or sitting with your feet pointing at them which is socially frowned on, or speaking too much, the opportunity to insult people and look foolish abound. Best advice is to smile a lot and sit down whenever possible. Bar Girls vs Prostitutes By and large the girls who work in the bar and have sex for money do not fit into the stereotypical prostitute mould. Many are quite young and inexperienced and dream of marriage to a handsome foreigner. The job is a way out of a worse situation at home and they enjoy themselves a lot because they actually like you. Strange though that may seem. The quid pro quo is that it is important to treat them with respect and fall in with the girlfriend fantasy. Bar Girl Talk The community in Patong is very small and the girls gossip a lot. They also have mobile phones. Your reputation will proceed you. Boys in Brown Thailand is not a democracy. It is a sovereign state with a puppet government. The King of Thailand is deified. As with all quasi dictatorships human rights are not particularly important and the law is on the side of the Thai "victim" always. If you find yourself in trouble with the boys in brown do not argue and be prepared to pay whatever is asked. Obviously if you do something really stupid like hitting a Thai person or taking drugs then you are on your own with your god for only he can help you. But for most other misdemeanours a smile and a small gift to the police charity does the trick. It is prudent to carry a copy of your passport back page and your entry visa or 100 baht... Bar Fines and Payments The girls who work in the bars are employed by the owner of the bar. In compensation for taking the girl away form the bar during working hours a small charge of around 200 to 300 baht is imposed. This is paid to the bar owner. Go-go bars charge more as the girls are usually paid more. Around 500 Baht. Back in the room money is seldom discussed in my experience. It is as well to get this over with at the beginning. It is perfectly reasonable to ask - How much will you need to come back with me. Then discretely dropping it next to her handbag the next day keeps up the girlfriend fantasy. As a newbie you may well be asked for 2,000 Baht for an overnight stay but the real rate is about 1000 baht or 1500 baht depending on the girl. Falling in Love Everyone does. Except some hardened BM's. It is a hazard of the place. If you do not want to fall in love try not to stay with the same girl for more than two nights - otherwise you are sunk. Taxis and Tuk Tuks A taxi is a car. A TukTuk is a strange thing. Basically a very small truck with basic seating. They will attract your attention by blowing their feeble horn. Tuk Tuk.. The correct Tuk Tuk fare is 100 Baht for anywhere in Patong. Outside the city limits it is more. Taxis are metred but it is rarely turned on. 550 Baht gets you to the airport. Work it out before you get in. Bell Ringing A beer in Patong costs 100 Baht approx. A "lady drink" is about 140 baht. But all the bars advertise their prices in terms of shots and shooters. Typically around 100 baht a pop. All the bars have a bell. If you ring it it is expected that you will pay for a drink for all the staff and customers. Some bars cap this at 1000 Baht. Some don't. Ask first before you ring it... Costs The exchange rate is about 70 Baht to £1 sterling. Patong is not a cheap resort. Post Tsunami the prices have gone up. Thai logic. Fewer customers = higher prices. It is possible to exist on nothing much but as a holiday budget 5000 baht a day (£70) excluding hotel and joiner fees should see you right. Mai Thai Bar The Mai Thai Bar owner, Nicke, runs this forum. The Mai Thai Bar is one of the best bars in Patong and is well known for being so. Many BM's congregate there and Nicke is always helpful to newbies. The first beer in the Mai Thai Bar after a long flight has to be drunk to be believed. Ice Cold in Alex - eat your heart out. My advice. Leave the cold turkey and book it now. Mac Last edited by Mac : 25-01-2006 at 06:35. 
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#2
18-10-2005, 07:52
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well said Mac.....great post.......a certain newbies must read and an excellent reference point for all of those first timer posts which will be coming in during the lead up to high + peak seasons
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#3
18-10-2005, 14:06
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>>Bell Ringing
A beer in Patong costs 160 Baht approx.<<< Wow! Which bar is that!!! Most I've ever paid is 100 and that's in a disco!
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#4
18-10-2005, 16:07
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Great post and agree a must read or referral post for all newbies. Agree with LOS about beer price maybe just a typo that could be edited, I would have thought 60 to 100bht and maybe mention that bg's get percentage of drinks, just so a newbie can understand the commercial sides of their activites.
__________________
If I havn't done it already, then i'm gunna do it today.
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#5
18-10-2005, 17:28
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Great post by Mac
If I may add a few observations of my own, if you are coming to Phuket for the nightlife then IMO the following applies:
Do not be confused by Phuket Island and Phuket Town, if you ask your travel agent to book you a hotel in Phuket he will probably get it wrong. If it is nightlife you want then Patong Beach is the place to stay. The nightlife in Patong Beach is centered on Soi Bangla (Bangla Road) so make sure your hotel is within walking distance of this Road. Tuk Tuk taxis are a pain in the ass and motorcycle taxis are not recommended when you have been drinking. There are hundreds of hotels and guesthouses within a minute of Soi Bangla. Soi Bangla adjoins the beach so if your hotel is close to Soi Bangla then it will be close to the beach by default. As Mac has already mentioned make sure your hotel does not charge a joiner fee for bringing back a girl this will ruin your stay having to argue with reception every morning.
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#6
18-10-2005, 18:10
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good post only your prices are a bit upmarket.
but suppose its better to quote top end i guess !! drink prices wrong unless drinking in upmarket hotels and no BG there.
__________________
MAY THE BEER BE COLD AND ALL YOUR BETS WINNERS 
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#7
19-10-2005, 10:34
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Flash, Suzy Wong, Crazy Girl agogo's you'll pay I think 120 baht for a beer.
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#8
20-10-2005, 05:09
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Beer Prices
Sorry about this. I was looking at my hotel bill. But then I just paid £5.00 for an orange juice at a bar in London so whose counting...
Suffice to say you can get pretty well blathered for less than £20 in Patong... and the girls still like you! Mac
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#10
20-10-2005, 07:41
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Great post mac, but to say the standard room in patong is about 1500 bath.... this is tourist price. i pay 500. for velly big loom. ac. pool. guest friendly etc..... just ask and look around. As said before great post!!! Hugo
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#11
20-10-2005, 08:18
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Disagree MAC, if you have a heart of stone same me you can stay longer with her and only the bg is crying when you leave...... But of course i am an animal..... Hugo
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#12
20-10-2005, 17:48
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GREAT POST MAC............. IJ
__________________
ROLL ON OCTOBER........
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#13
20-10-2005, 17:53
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any chance in helping a noob find a place like that for 3 of us? i am planning to book at the expat hotel otherwise... cheers
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#14
21-10-2005, 04:17
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Mac
words of wisdom ,should be a guide for all newbies even if it is just to help them on their merry way.
__________________
Coffee for one sir ? The joys of sponsorship 
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#15
21-10-2005, 16:46
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You didn't read his post properly Hugos. Originally Posted by Mac Falling in Love Everyone does. Except some hardened BM's. It is a hazard of the place. If you do not want to fall in love try not to stay with the same girl for more than two nights - otherwise you are sunk.
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#16
22-10-2005, 04:57
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Hi, I just booked the "VECHHOUSE" for DEC/JAN. They charge 600Bt for a standard room, 800 for a little bit more spacious one. Om there website you can see where they are located. I think it's about 5 min walk to Bangla Rd. and maybe 7 min to the beach. Reports on this hotel are good. (guest friendly) http://www.phuketdir.com/vechguesthouse/ Hope this is helpfull for you, Cheers, Raval
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#17
22-10-2005, 19:29
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i'm a hardened BM i always have a hard on when i see those beauties 55555
__________________
 I am soon in a bar near u  lock up your daughters i have no more   
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#18
22-10-2005, 19:30
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see the tread gf friendly hotels
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#19
23-10-2005, 18:21
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ah excellent! thanks heaps mate
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#21
24-11-2005, 22:47
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thanks for the info,making my first trip last week of feb., staying at the jintana, I'll have to stop by the MTB and ring the bell. Bryan
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#22
26-11-2005, 17:04
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Good solid information
Mac:
Why don't you go back into your original post and edit in all the corrections that the other BMs have advised.This would then make a good read for prospective visitors. 
__________________
 If you can't take a joke you shouldn't have joined up!!!
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#23
26-11-2005, 20:35
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Good idea. It could maybe be pinned somewhere prominent.
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