Next week I'm going with my boyfriend to Phuket and began to wonder if I had a good idea about spending holidays in Thailand. "cheapest girls.. girls rates.. viagra.." etc - is Phuket nightlife all about sex with prostitutes? Are prostitutes on every busy street, in every club / bar or just in those go-goes? Are there places where I can sit at the bar without worrying of half naked ass dancing above my head and drinks? I read that they are pushy and assertive with single guys, what about those with foreign girls? For guys undrestandably is an Eden, but what about you - girlfriends / whives? I'm worrying about my boyfriend's neck, it could get broken after turning head around all the time..

Nope - you will find that for couples you are pretty much ignored. You are welcome anywhere and girls will treat you both really well if you go to such venues. Beer Bars, GoGo(s), Disco(s) - there will be ladies plying their trade which is fair enough because this is how they make their dosh. Typical western pubs - you will find for the most part lady free.

I wouldnt worry too much if I were you - just go and have some fun.

yes, they are everywhere in the nightlife streets! But there are some places without prostitutes, or where they are less visible.

Like higher class clubs for example.

About half-naked people, please bear in mind that it is a hot country, most female tourists are half naked too.

You will be happy to learn that couples are usually left alone.

My wife and I think that the spectacle is entertaining to see.

She loves to speak with ladyboys, somehow.

Nope - you will find that for couples you are pretty much ignored. You are welcome anywhere and girls will treat you both really well if you go to such venues. Beer Bars, GoGo(s), Disco(s) - there will be ladies plying their trade which is fair enough because this is how they make their dosh. Typical western pubs - you will find for the most part lady free.

I wouldnt worry too much if I were you - just go and have some fun.

thanks a lot Britmaveric , you might be right, maybe I'm making too much of an issue

yes, they are everywhere in the nightlife streets! But there are some places without prostitutes, or where they are less visible.

Like higher class clubs for example.

About half-naked people, please bear in mind that it is a hot country, most female tourists are half naked too.

You will be happy to learn that couples are usually left alone.

My wife and I think that the spectacle is entertaining to see.

She loves to speak with ladyboys, somehow.

Good to know! thanks again

Its tame up here in Chiang Mai, and never been to Phuket, so cant really compare. However, there are some girls around and with my bf I would sometimes make a joke (in his earshot only) along the lines of "aww sorry girls, this handsome man is taken", as we went past, which would make him laugh. Or if rubbernecking he might get a little jab in the ribs (playful, not hard) to remind him to keep his eyes in his sockets. But they have never been so disrespectful as to call out to him when im with him or anything. I have no idea what its like when hes alone if hes ever in those areas, and if there is a different tactic/response for solo Thai guys, than western guys.

Anyway, Its normal for guys to look a bit. Best to make a joke of it or give a playful reminder if its bugging you or hes doing it to much. Of course, if it makes you very uncomfortable, have a quiet word with him. Just dont let it get under your skin. If he is staring its probably out of disbelief sometimes, especially when it comes to the Ladyboys. You could even turn it into a game, which one is LB which one is 100% female.

So long as you trust him, thats all that matters. Anyway, its likely you will get your fair share of Thai male attention yourself!

Hope you both have a great holiday!

Edited for spelling..geez..its nearly 3am..i should sleep...

Edited January 31, 201016 yr by eek

yes, they are everywhere in the nightlife streets! But there are some places without prostitutes, or where they are less visible.

Like higher class clubs for example.

About half-naked people, please bear in mind that it is a hot country, most female tourists are half naked too.

You will be happy to learn that couples are usually left alone.

My wife and I think that the spectacle is entertaining to see.

She loves to speak with ladyboys, somehow.

I was hoping for the OPs sake that no-one would mention kathoeys

she seemed blissfully unaware and seemed to have enough to worry about already

Seriously though as the above posts have mentioned you will be suprised when you see the realities for yourself...LOS doesnt always live up to the demonistic and hedonistic reputation it get IMO..depends where you go actually..

just one small thing, if your posting again (hope you do) you might want to drop the h in whives...putting a wh in the whord wives is just a tad reminiscent of another word which i wont mention

yes, they are everywhere in the nightlife streets! But there are some places without prostitutes, or where they are less visible.

Like higher class clubs for example.

About half-naked people, please bear in mind that it is a hot country, most female tourists are half naked too.

You will be happy to learn that couples are usually left alone.

My wife and I think that the spectacle is entertaining to see.

She loves to speak with ladyboys, somehow.

I was hoping for the OPs sake that no-one would mention kathoeys

she seemed blissfully unaware and seemed to have enough to worry about already

Seriously though as the above posts have mentioned you will be suprised when you see the realities for yourself...LOS doesnt always live up to the demonistic and hedonistic reputation it get IMO..depends where you go actually..

just one small thing, if your posting again (hope you do) you might want to drop the h in whives...putting a wh in the whord wives is just a tad reminiscent of another word which i wont mention

Sorry for my spelling & non academic English. Usually I'm not asking silly questions like this. Thanks for your few words.

If you have a good relationship with your boyfriend then you have nothing to worry about. If not, then it wouldn't matter where you went on vacation. A man will see more bare skin on a Portugese beach than he ever will in Thailand. The stripper bars have closed doors in Thailand and nobody but foreigners goes topless on the beaches of Thailand.

And, even if you are a woman, the crazyness of the Pattaya bar scene is worth seeing from a visual standpoint. The women who work the open bars in any of the noted "sex" venues of Thailand are mostly average looking. But, they DO have great legs. And, they are friendly to everyone... not just men. It's never been my experience that any of them get in your face. The only ones that are pushy and overly sensual are the Katoies (ladyboys). If that lovely creature looks too sexy to be real then it's 99% certain it's a ladyboy. I've never run into a pushy, annoying bar girl... and I'm a man. They will leave you alone if you don't want their company. But, if you want their company then all it takes is a smile and an offer of a drink. That goes for women customers as well as men. I have lots of farang lady friends who accompany their husbands or boyfriends to bars, and their men are never hassled.

There is so much to see and do in Thailand for a woman that you certainly will run out of time before a month holiday is up.

100% agree with all of the above, Ian makes the good point that they will happily sit & have a chat with you as a couple without trying to hit on your man. If he has a wandering eye though then coming to Thailand will be a nightmare for you cause he will only have to have some money in his pocket & can find a woman prepared to accommodate him.

Here in Samui I see plenty of farang couples, of all ages & none of the women seem unhappy or threatened by the bar girl or any other thai woman either

There is so much more to Thailand than sleazy, annoyingly rip-off, crowded Phuket. I am always amazed that people still go there on holidays.

But maybe better, the really nice places are left for the rest of us.

Seeing as the OP has already made the decision to visit one of the sex-for-sale meccas of the world, then maybe it would be a good opportunity to live out some of the sexual fantasies that you or your boyfriend may have. They could only be a barfine away For sure it could make an unforgettable holiday for the both of you.

Seeing as the OP has already made the decision to visit one of the sex-for-sale meccas of the world, then maybe it would be a good opportunity to live out some of the sexual fantasies that you or your boyfriend may have. They could only be a barfine away For sure it could make an unforgettable holiday for the both of you.

Good one mate!

just what this post needs

they are annoying yes, but if you go as a couple u will be fine.

Phuket is beautiful but i hate it there, Me and my Husband had the bad experience with the ppl there beofore(not the bar girl issue)

yes, they are everywhere in the nightlife streets!

But well, there are very few nightlife streets catering to foreigners, so chances are you won't be there and hence won't be bothered.

And actually, even if you go there, you won't be bothered unless you want to be ...

There is so much more to Thailand than sleazy, annoyingly rip-off, crowded Phuket. I am always amazed that people still go there on holidays.

But maybe better, the really nice places are left for the rest of us.

There is more to Phuket Island than Patong beach...

Laem Sing beach is less than an hour's walk away and it gets great sunsets. NO sunsets at Patong beach!

There is far more to explore than the Patong beach strip. That is Patong beach in the background with the big white hotel.

And Rawai beach is relatively deserted with cheaper hotels.

You will probably end up getting more upset by the tuk tuk drivers than by the bar girls.

Plenty to do in Phuket without having to worry about women chasing after your boy friend.

As for no sunsets in Patong, well that just isn't true. One of my favorite sunset photos was taken my first time in Phuket at Patong beach.

You will probably end up getting more upset by the tuk tuk drivers than by the bar girls.

Agreed!

If you and your boyfriend walk one-by-one down a crowded sidewalk in tourist beer-bar territory, your boyfriend may get some attention by any number of people--bar girls, male touts, ka-toeys, aspiring tailors, etc etc--but so will you.

If you sit down in a bar, you'll likely find that after your drink order is taken, you're left alone. Or--a friendly or perhaps bored bar girl may talk briefly to you, along the lines of -- (To both of you): Where you come from? Do you like Thailand? Do you like Thai food? and (To your boyfriend) : Your girlfriend is pretty.

Of course you can interpret their attempts at conversation any way you want--either that bar girls are merely humans after all (my take), or more cynically, that they've worked out the chances of an economic transaction are slim and they might have a better time just getting you to buy another drink...

Cheers, Misty

Back in the day when Mr Boo was a lowly working muso, I spent a considerable amount of time in ladybars whilst his band played for the punters. More often than not the women would be sat with me ignoring the blokes making moo eyes at them for some attention & only a stern word from mamasan would send them off to do their job IME bg's like mot women prefer to hang out with the girls but also like the couples as there is a chance of a free drink & no need to make the usual "hansom man" script that they are forced to read from night after night.

Come here and see for yourself, there are not only sex workers in Thailand, this poses not only a massive misconception, but a big insult towards the majority of the female citizenry!

Plenty of advise so far, but there is nothing to ones very own experience!

How about you, yourself, maybe you are attracted and swayed away by one of the crisp young males down here....?

big deal , let the guy have some fun , theres no harm in a little gooky now and again, chill out or stay at home. and no the bar girls arent annoying , ive allways found them to be mostly polite and fun to be around, obviously its your first trip, take a breather.

Edited February 2, 201016 yr by dmax

The solution is to avoid bars.....

I remember when I used to holiday here (but we never went to bars), and we found the old farangs with young Thai women revolting, but managed to put it out of our mind (s?).

Your best bet is to stay in the restaurant - you can still drink, but won't have the women dancing around trying to attract farangs.

They're everywhere on Phuket - not just Patong.

This is a Singaporean joke.

Why would you go to Thailand bars with your wife?

Do you go to restaurant with your meal?

A bad one, I know, but don't kill the messenger

Edited February 3, 201016 yr by Farangrakthai

I remember when I used to holiday here (but we never went to bars), and we found the old farangs with young Thai women revolting, but managed to put it out of our mind (s?).

We always found that couples who find old farangs with thai women revolting were revolting themselves.

This is a Singaporean joke.

Why would you go to Thailand bars with your wife?

Do you go to restaurant with your meal?

A bad one, I know, but don't kill the messenger

*Eek proceeds to draw a big round red target on Farangrakthais forehead and takes aim.....*

I remember when I used to holiday here (but we never went to bars), and we found the old farangs with young Thai women revolting, but managed to put it out of our mind (s?).

We always found that couples who find old farangs with thai women revolting were revolting themselves.

The quote was "the old farangs with young Thai women".

I suspect you're in a minority amongst the tourists.

^not really, I think most people could care less what other people are up to. If an old lad is having a bit of fun who I am I to look down on it? Sure beats the miserable old geezers back in the UK whinging and wasting their retirement years away slowly dying.

I remember when I used to holiday here (but we never went to bars), and we found the old farangs with young Thai women revolting, but managed to put it out of our mind (s?).

We always found that couples who find old farangs with thai women revolting were revolting themselves.

Aww cmon brit...there is some truth in F1s comment. Granted pretty harsh, but true none the less. I can see how some older guys who look good can easily attract younger women (and vice versa of course!)..in any country. Purely because they are fun and interesting, know how to treat a woman, and takes care of himself. But the image F1's comment (for me) kind of conjures up, is some big bellied old guy with hair coming out of every orifice, smelling like a brewery and old socks, wearing a singlet with man boobs poking out the side..slobbering over and patting the ass of a girl a third of his age. Sure many may say "Good on him!", but if that doesnt give you a bit of a "Ughh" factor (like the majority of folks who see something akin to that), then you are better man than most!

*Eek proceeds to draw a big round red target on Farangrakthais forehead and takes aim.....*

Well, the reason I do not go to girlie bars in Thailand

Eek- Guess I am immune. Your description is certainly true, but I don't look down at people based on physical traits. I judge a person from the inside after I get to know them. Remember these are people who just want a bit of happiness. Sure its fantasy and most likely short term, but who am I to begrudge them?