Likely in response to all the scams, some karaoke places are now advertising with a clear pricing structure, and no other charges. For example Hi-Class Karaoke on the other side of the river, where the old Gigi Club used to be decades ago. (It's a bit down from Rimping supermarket, before you get to the Kawila barracks.

I'd like to go try it to test the waters, for research purposes, but if anyone has already visited recently then that saves me some time.

Prices look very reasonable; pretty much the same spend as (or less than) you'd have on Loy Kroh when buying a drink or two for someone.

Link: https://www.facebook.com/hiclasskaraoke.cm

Sawasdee Khrup, Khun Winnie,

I'd like to go with you to check this out, but I worry that if you hear me sing "Unchained Melody" you might cry, and I would be crying already, and in that vulnerable state, we might be taken advantage of by opportunists performing financial liposuction.

cheers, ~o:37;

your assuming the con was a misunderstanding, and not a scam.

Don't know if they even exist these days but the best value used to be the Thai joints where the girls were singing on stage.

Beer was cheap and you could even order a decent meal. If the mood struck you could even adorn the songstress in baht bills. Usually no English spoken.

The one time I went to a karaoke was as the guest of a Korean so don't know what it cost, nice set up and treated like kings. If the karaokes are scamming then guess it is just another old 'institution' that's lost its lustre.

your assuming the con was a misunderstanding, and not a scam.

Not at all; clearly there are several scam karaokes.

Which would trigger a need on the part of the more legitimate ones to find a way to convey that they're not scammers.

The con/scam places haven't exactly done the industry a favor.

i have my fun every now and then at Tur karaoke.

Delicious food and some of the girls just drink your beer without extra charge.

3 branches in Chiang Mai and all honest.

1 Chiang Mai land (my favorite )

2 Arak Rd

3 New : Pracha Samphan Rd. ( Haiya )

Having passed many of these venues, I do wonder how they can make an honest living.

I rarely see any customers, but generally a full lineup of girls sitting at the entrance, and sometimes a few guys out front to lure in customers, yet many of these locations see very little food traffic, as they are not in the tourist hotspots.

I assume the girls are all on commission, so can they even get minimum wage from working in such a place (without going with customers or inflating the bills)? And are there enough customers to support the dozen or so girls working there?

To answer the OP's question - two friends of mine were in the place he mentions last week and spent 12,000 baht. These are two highly experienced expats.

They both report that they were not ripped off for a single coin, and they enjoyed a very unique Karaoke experience that required, ahem, additional funding, hence the price tag. Being a gentleman I won't report the goings-on, except to say some parts were hilarious. They loved it.

Your mileage may vary.

Thank you! That's very helpful.

Having passed many of these venues, I do wonder how they can make an honest living.

I rarely see any customers, but generally a full lineup of girls sitting at the entrance, and sometimes a few guys out front to lure in customers, yet many of these locations see very little food traffic, as they are not in the tourist hotspots.

I assume the girls are all on commission, so can they even get minimum wage from working in such a place (without going with customers or inflating the bills)? And are there enough customers to support the dozen or so girls working there?

You drive up in your car, wave to the girls, one gets in and you drive off.

That's the way it works, no entering the building.

Having passed many of these venues, I do wonder how they can make an honest living.

I rarely see any customers, but generally a full lineup of girls sitting at the entrance, and sometimes a few guys out front to lure in customers, yet many of these locations see very little food traffic, as they are not in the tourist hotspots.

I assume the girls are all on commission, so can they even get minimum wage from working in such a place (without going with customers or inflating the bills)? And are there enough customers to support the dozen or so girls working there?

You drive up in your car, wave to the girls, one gets in and you drive off.

That's the way it works, no entering the building.

You must be an expert.

To answer the OP's question - two friends of mine were in the place he mentions last week and spent 12,000 baht. These are two highly experienced expats.

They both report that they were not ripped off for a single coin, and they enjoyed a very unique Karaoke experience that required, ahem, additional funding, hence the price tag. Being a gentleman I won't report the goings-on, except to say some parts were hilarious. They loved it.

Your mileage may vary.

For 6k baht each I assume your friends received very attentive service.

Is it possible for a man to go in, have a couple beers, look around and ask about prices and services, and leave for much less, say under a 1000? Would I get skinned if I went in for a reconnaissance mission?