Has Soi Cowboy Gone Downhill?

[FruitPudding]

When visiting a while back, I was in Soi Cowboy.

I used to remember it being a relatively fun place.

But it seems the ladies have a much worse attitude and they are getting rougher.

I was in one small bar. Just me. The girls there were really REALLY annoying. Constantly hassling me for drinks. I bought one a drink, but they thought I should buy them all drinks. There was about 6 of them.

They were mostly ill-tempered and moody. One hostile. She joked they would lock the door a bop me over the head if I didn't ring the bell and buy them all a round.

I can't believe people actually come here. And I always though Cowboy was more pleasant than the Plaza or Patpong. Maybe the nicer girls have gone to Nana Plaza after its new makeover.

Anyway, what's your thoughts on it?

[brewsterbudgen]

"One small bar" with no customers? I'm not surprised you were miserable!

[FruitPudding]

It was them who were miserable and yes I was by the end of it. haha

[ExpatOilWorker]

Back in my days, I came to the conclusion that the difference between a great bar and a dump is ONE girl.

Cowboy is still packed, especially Friday/Saturday, so the magic match is still possible, unless of course people flock to the place for the 160 baht beers.

[kelboy]

Went there 2 months ago, never again to much money for everything and yes the girls are hard and want drinks all the time, I don't mind 1 or 2 but not every 5 minutes.

[FruitPudding]

Went there 2 months ago, never again to much money for everything and yes the girls are hard and want drinks all the time, I don't mind 1 or 2 but not every 5 minutes.

Yeah, I agree.

Much better places. I think around Soi 22 is probably the best part of Sukhumvit these days. In fact, I am sure it has been for years. Plenty of bars. Hassle free staff, much more reasonably priced beer. Quite chilled atmosphere up there. Tonnes of massage.

Don't think I will be going anywhere else.

Edited February 9, 2016 by FruitPudding

[samsensam]

I can't believe people actually come here.

well you went there didnt you..?

[aussiandrew]

Ha​vent most of us also gone down hill if you think about it hahaha...

[eldragon]

I think the entire scene has gone downhill. But you just got a taste of Thai economics: raising the prices or asking for more when demand is lowest.

[thrilled]

I believe bars like this all over Thailand.If your the only farang in the bar and there are 2,3 or more ladies,they all want you to buy

Them multiple drinks.Many time I will be bar hoping.If all the bars are empty,when I go in most likely they'll stay that way.

Now if I go in one and it's A slow night and maybe only 1 or 2 girls in there I might stay there for awhile.

[ezzra]

The lasses in Soi cowboy went fro a sweet, innocent farm girls to a hard core ho's...

unlike 20-30 years ago where you could have a fun filled night for well under a 1,000

baht, with genuine friendly cute and young girls.... not so much now, where show me the

money and let's get ti over with quickly now....

[bridge2bridge]

Yes Soi Cowboy has really gone DOWN HILL.

And no wonder with the cost of a beer as much as Baht 300.

And the Bar Fines as much as Baht 3000.

And the girls are getting restless and aggressive due to the lack of customers.

[charmonman]

I used to love the place 20 or more years ago. It has been on a slow decline ever since but the last few years it has become completely intolerable in my opinion for a number of reasons. I almost never go there now but when I do I mostly sit outside the bars to watch the passing parade which is now mostly tourists snapping photos everywhere. I have something to eat at Sams 2000 which has reasonably decent food, and that's about it for me. I'll either head somewhere else or go home.

The women who work there now are now completely mercenary, the mood is devoid of any spirit of fun, and it is ridiculously expensive. Those who have not seen it in better days may think it has always been this way, but trust me, it has changed.

My visits to the other two areas are ever rarer. Patpong is just sad and I never really did like Nana that much after Woodstock closed.

[brewsterbudgen]

Where are you paying 300 baht for a beer?? Cowboy is still popular with expats as most places have a happy hour until 9.30 and after that beers are still only around 150 baht in most bars.

[houlicha]

Bring back Washington Square.

[brewsterbudgen]

I used to love the place 20 or more years ago. It has been on a slow decline ever since but the last few years it has become completely intolerable in my opinion for a number of reasons. I almost never go there now but when I do I mostly sit outside the bars to watch the passing parade which is now mostly tourists snapping photos everywhere. I have something to eat at Sams 2000 which has reasonably decent food, and that's about it for me. I'll either head somewhere else or go home.

The women who work there now are now completely mercenary, the mood is devoid of any spirit of fun, and it is ridiculously expensive. Those who have not seen it in better days may think it has always been this way, but trust me, it has changed.

My visits to the other two areas are ever rarer. Patpong is just sad and I never really did like Nana that much after Woodstock closed.

You've been going there for 20 years and you expect it to stay the same? Maybe it's your expectations that need to change!

[wombat]

I think the entire scene has gone downhill. But you just got a taste of Thai economics: raising the prices or asking for more when demand is lowest.

The impact of social media is being felt......the wheel has turned......bars need the hotties more than the hotties need the bar ?

[eldragon]

I think the entire scene has gone downhill. But you just got a taste of Thai economics: raising the prices or asking for more when demand is lowest.

The impact of social media is being felt......the wheel has turned......bars need the hotties more than the hotties need the bar ?

The industry needs to evolve a bit.

[brewsterbudgen]

I think the entire scene has gone downhill. But you just got a taste of Thai economics: raising the prices or asking for more when demand is lowest.

The impact of social media is being felt......the wheel has turned......bars need the hotties more than the hotties need the bar ?

The industry needs to evolve a bit.

I think Wombat is right. The industry and the girls have evolved; it's the longtime customers who need to!

[spidermike007]

I will go a step further. All of Thailand is losing something, when it comes to the lady scene. The authorities are cracking down, in an attempt to appeal to their new brand of tourist, namely the Chinese, who do not support the industry, and prefer a family atmosphere. The gals have so many more options, these days. With the proliferation of the internet, the super fine ones have too many options. Marriage proposals from wealthy men they have never even met, super high priced escort work, hostess work, etc, etc. Those super fine gals are no longer working in the bars, nor the go-gos. In addition, many Thai women are plumping up, due to a 7/11 diet of junk food. So, the choices are getting much thinner, and these days one has to be like a prospector in the Klondike to find a real gem. And many of the good ones have more attitude these days, are unwilling to spend the time, nor make the effort, and charge alot more than they used to.

So, of course the quality is declining on Soi Cowboy, as it is nationwide. Has been for some time now.

Edited February 10, 2016 by spidermike007

[eldragon]

I think the entire scene has gone downhill. But you just got a taste of Thai economics: raising the prices or asking for more when demand is lowest.

The impact of social media is being felt......the wheel has turned......bars need the hotties more than the hotties need the bar ?

The industry needs to evolve a bit.

I think Wombat is right. The industry and the girls have evolved; it's the longtime customers who need to!

I will never understand the appeal of shopping for hookers on the Internet.

[Tanlic]

Whats really ruined cowboy is the introduction of bars full of extremely cute coyote girls and some pretty ordinary go go girls. 5 minutes and 2 drinks later with a coyote and you are 1000 baht out of pocket.In an hour you will be 5000 baht or more out of pocket and when popping the question the chances are you get a sorry can not pay the bar...changed days at cowboy. It used to be the fav with long term farang now its a bigger tourist trap than Patpong. It will take time but eventually word will get around and like soi 33 did cowboy will price itself out the market

Edited February 10, 2016 by Tanlic

[Straight8]

Whats really ruined cowboy is the introduction of bars full of extremely cute coyote girls and some pretty ordinary go go girls. 5 minutes and 2 drinks later with a coyote and you are 1000 baht out of pocket.In an hour you will be 5000 baht or more out of pocket and when popping the question the chances are you get a sorry can not pay the bar...changed days at cowboy. It used to be the fav with long term farang now its a bigger tourist trap than Patpong. It will take time but eventually word will get around and like soi 33 did cowboy will price itself out the market

If it already hasn't.

Definitely does not hold the same appeal as it did even 5 years ago. Back then it was still a fun place.

[elgenon]

Yes, there are no longer ignorant farm girls. Everyone is on social media and knows what's going on. The internet is good and bad.

But I guess, as long as young Thais impregnate then leave, uneducated girls will need to earn chunks of money somehow.

[eskatonia]

If you're getting treated worse than you were 20 years ago its partly because you're 20 years older. I'm early 40s but look younger. I never pay full price and just laugh and walk out if any bar is more than 700 for a bar fine. The bars with coyotes with ridiculous drink prices , again I just walk out and don't go back to those ones. Baccara still has no coyotes every girl the same price, theres a few other good places still there.

A friend of mine who's in his early 20s and a looker often gets offers to go with him for free at bar closing time. Yes there's plenty of mercenary ones but they're easy to spot and I can always find ones that are up for extra fun and happy to stick around for a while. And yes if you are silly enough to be the only customer in a bar with six girls you deserve what you get, walk out find somewhere with 80 baht drinks at happy hour and come back later.

[mihalis]

The lasses in Soi cowboy went fro a sweet, innocent farm girls to a hard core ho's...

unlike 20-30 years ago where you could have a fun filled night for well under a 1,000

baht, with genuine friendly cute and young girls.... not so much now, where show me the

money and let's get ti over with quickly now....

Have you ever heard of inflation.. 20 to 30 years ago the whole world was cheaper...

[ozyjon]

I've never been to any of those places nor do i ever want to,

but reading these posts makes it an interesting night out,

but (as a non drinker) for me a sip of champagne at a wedding

makes my head spin and gives me a headache so i'm trying

to imagine the bar girls who i perceived came from poor

rural villages from Issan, they don't come from a drinking

environment, now thrust into the heavy duty bar scene,,,

Quoting,,,thrilled

they all want you to buy them multiple drinks

I wonder if these young girls end up full on alcoholics and what

happens to their health in the years to come, who will pay the

medical bills,, and guys want to marry them,,, very sad indeed.

[Hansit]

Cowboy absolutely gone downhill, in freefall in my opinion the past 2-3 years. Never been a big fan of the plaza and no way to patpong, but cowboy used to be a place where you could have some relaxed drinks before heading out and fairly high standard on the stages in at least 3-4 of the bars there.

The standard has dropped remarkable allover, and the girls and staff gone really aggressive with begging drinks to the point that some oldtime used-to-be-good places are unbearable to sit in today, and its not only 1 odd girl that begs for drinks they have no problems going in as a whole bunch of beggars, i dont mind paying a few drinks but not to a whole pack that even has the nerve to down the drinks too.

When you turn them down they go sourface on you and in general for the whole street it just doesnt seem like the fairly friendly place it used to be, and you can really feel they are struggling hard with not that many customers anymore.

Last time i dropped by was in December with a few customers, and it was horrible, besides the issues above in one single evening there, we saw several fights on the street and even one on stage too, and saw way too many totally drugged or boozed out girls for my liking.

Its gone totally cold for me and its abit sad as i actually like to go there from time to time because it was exactly the opposite than it has become today.

If you're getting treated worse than you were 20 years ago its partly because you're 20 years older. I'm early 40s but look younger. I never pay full price and just laugh and walk out if any bar is more than 700 for a bar fine. The bars with coyotes with ridiculous drink prices , again I just walk out and don't go back to those ones. Baccara still has no coyotes every girl the same price, theres a few other good places still there.

A friend of mine who's in his early 20s and a looker often gets offers to go with him for free at bar closing time. Yes there's plenty of mercenary ones but they're easy to spot and I can always find ones that are up for extra fun and happy to stick around for a while. And yes if you are silly enough to be the only customer in a bar with six girls you deserve what you get, walk out find somewhere with 80 baht drinks at happy hour and come back later.

The girls told you that you look younger right i dont want to ruin you and your goodlooking friend's ego, but those girls couldnt care less about lookers or whatever after a week in this business, they need to drink or drug up to just get by through the night, and they would take a 90 year old fat guy with money any time over any lookers that want it for free.

Btw im 36 but the girls tell me i look 25.

[thehelmsman]

I've never been to any of those places nor do i ever want to,

but reading these posts makes it an interesting night out,

but (as a non drinker) for me a sip of champagne at a wedding

makes my head spin and gives me a headache so i'm trying

to imagine the bar girls who i perceived came from poor

rural villages from Issan, they don't come from a drinking

environment, now thrust into the heavy duty bar scene,,,

Quoting,,,thrilled

they all want you to buy them multiple drinks

I wonder if these young girls end up full on alcoholics and what

happens to their health in the years to come, who will pay the

medical bills,, and guys want to marry them,,, very sad indeed.

You've obviously never spent time in a rural Issan village. These sweet young girls can drink like a sailor.

[eldragon]

The lasses in Soi cowboy went fro a sweet, innocent farm girls to a hard core ho's...

unlike 20-30 years ago where you could have a fun filled night for well under a 1,000

baht, with genuine friendly cute and young girls.... not so much now, where show me the

money and let's get ti over with quickly now....

Have you ever heard of inflation.. 20 to 30 years ago the whole world was cheaper...

Yet the pensions stay the same.