Bangkok Redlight Nightlife Empty??

[Nicco]

Many judge whether the area is alive or not by their visit/s during peak hours. I think this is off. Even September October peak evening especially weekends will be generally lively. The question is how long it's sustained. I was down on 4, 8, Cowboy in past weeks and would characterize the areas as dead. There was only a trickle of staff entering Nana (probably more shady ladyboys then go go girls). Hooters was kinda full, stumble inn even rail not full, day night is so tight and narrow hard to judge. All these pubs empty now daytime. Cowboy was a ghost town and has a very scammy feel about it. I mean... It has for some time at least back to covid. Really even before. Other than Dollhouse I wouldn't go inside any gogo there. *Dollhouse upstairs long clothes and the show downstairs is marginal at best. I understand they lost their longtime manager there. That I follow those things

 

Had a few walk thru Thermae past few weeks. I've not done any negotiating, but judging by the fingers I see put up the going rate is 4k for a short time and 5k if she doesn't like you. It's hard to say what these women are actually worth. I've read some will take 2.5-3k. 2.5 would be reasonable if a room was included. I understand they're going to try and get more and probably should from the tourists. I shouldn't be so quick to judge the high prices. I'm comparing their attractiveness and the price to Ratchada. Admittedly, many of the women in there are too attractive to find in some a sketchy Sukhumvit tourist massage joint. More like Ratchada material - still too pricey at 4k especially plus room

 

They're all interested in short time which is fine. My guess is they're all show and no go. Do their best not to mess their face / makeup. 4k plus room is ridiculous for all but perhaps a few of those birds (Sat nights only). I get plenty of nods and smiles, but noticed the girls eyes also go quickly to the few Japanese old men and the Asian kids all who will overpay, not do any damage to their cervix and bust a nut in a few minutes. Most of those kids are just there to have a look. I stay for a beer, get bored and leave. Perhaps the kiddies walk in a circle 12-15 times and consume a few beers they actually get down to negotiating. Doubt. 

 

I don't like the setup new Thermae and never did. So much wasted space, ventilation. I especially don't like all the pushy, gruff old men bustling about and pushing drinks. The b20 charge to pee is a total eye roll. Sooner or later I'm going to get hassled for not paying it. Like everything else, I miss the old days. I'd visited thermae 1 a few times but then I just relocated entirely to Pattaya when blowing thru Thailand.

 

Anyway, I think you'll get better, cheaper service in a knocking shop. Thermae .. all a bit prettier than those birds, but not worth 50% plus premium.

 

Overall, I think we are at an end of an era with these bars and pubs. The women, staff going to start to get so desperate that they will begin scamming locals.

 

In general, the drinks prices outside happy hour are ridiculous. It's one thing to pay b130 in a gogo. It's quite another to pay that sort of price in some open-air pub without air conditioning. Some years back I took a quick walk through Nana and was absolutely shocked at the price of beers in the Go-Go bars.

 

Cowboy just seems like it's absolutely finished and on its last gasp. I'm expecting the whole thing to be bought out and the facades just turned into coffee, drinks and snacks cafes where tourists come and just take pictures with their kids and pose under the neon.

 

Bacara seems to still be going on. You always know a woman working at that their because they're the only pretty ones that are walking down the soi. Toy Bar is just a bunch of grannies as old as I am.

 

There are two new pubs open on Sukhumvit. They aren't doing a very good job of attracting anyone. These won't be a place for locals to drink more like sucking and tourists walking down the street. One is under the escalator near 8 and the other further up Sukhumvit.

 

To summarize as of early June 2025, early evening - in my opinion these areas are absolutely dead with the exception of a burst of business during peak hours.

 

I think many of them stay open simply because they launder cash. They have so much stuff that contribute little or nothing I don't see a future for any of it.

 

It's all dead. Upper 4, soi 7, soi 22, Cowboy on life support. Nana in ICU.

 

Seems to even be a dearth of drinks girls and barflies hovering about pestering one for b180 mocktails as well