Has Soi Cowboy Gone Downhill?

[elgordo38]

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

I guess they thought you would turn the water into wine and multiply the bread and the fishes to feed all. If you have long hair and a beard you obviously were mistaken for someone else. From the sounds of things if you return there next month there will be a sign up saying "closed for renovations"

[eskatonia]

you say they offer you it for free at closing, because you are so handsome. thai hookers are offering you free sex?

just think what you could o in the clubs!

Thats not me, thats my 20 something year old friend. I'm mostly over dance clubs, occasionally indulge but they don't mostly play the stuff I like. I don't get offered freebies, but I do get good deals and can find ones that like to stick around longer than agreed on.

[elgordo38]

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

Sadly your right life is becoming an uphill battle and a battle of the bulge. Doctor said I had the beginning of cataracts but they have telling me that for the last 10 years. I have given up drinking mostly still swear (I must quit as my Thai g/f is parroting me.) chasing women (she is enough for me) Jack is now a dull boy so I spend hours on TV. You guys on the other hand are an entertaining bunch. What a hooooot

[camble]

I visit Soi Cowboy about twice a week, I love the place, especially Baccara. I arrive early in the evening so I can get a seat. As a regular, the staff treat me very well. Some girls won't come home with me because I'm not Japanese, but I get over it quickly because there are many hot girls. My first visit to Soi Cowboy was in 1992. Sure, it's changed a lot over the years, no better or worse I'd say.

[MyFriend You]

I don't know, never was much of a Cowboy fan, although I knew the "Cowboy" back in the day before he succumbed to cancer, I never spent a lot f time there - it certainly has created some mercenary bar girls - I had one backed up to me once in the Tea Lak bar, asked if I wanted her, and I said "No" she started yelling I was 'wasting her time' buy me a drink now or I'll call security...........I said call them, I don't care......when they saw me, they told her to back off, I knew the owner............now like another poster, I only go there once in a blue moon and then I sit outside and watch the madness.

[fakser]

Thailand's tourism industry is self destroying itself.

Milking the tourist more and more. Rising prices continuously. A first time visitors compares prices to his

own country and feels that it is a bargain.

But a resident or recurring visitor notice the difference.

They will cry but it will be too late.

[eskatonia]

I visit Soi Cowboy about twice a week, I love the place, especially Baccara. I arrive early in the evening so I can get a seat. As a regular, the staff treat me very well. Some girls won't come home with me because I'm not Japanese, but I get over it quickly because there are many hot girls. My first visit to Soi Cowboy was in 1992. Sure, it's changed a lot over the years, no better or worse I'd say.

if you want good service in Baccara just buy a drink for Patrick sitting my the front door and have a chat to him. Good man.

[smotherb]

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.

You apparently do not understand the concept of supply and demand. A bar with several girls and only one customer can be formidable playground. Bar the doors Nelly. Turn the situation around. Offer the promise of remuneration to the girls who do the most for YOU, right there in the bar. You are the scarce commodity; the girls will compete for your favors.

You are applying that completely bizarre concept of common sense, reason, business savvy, an understanding of competition, and the application of motivation. Some of those are rather foreign and strange concepts within many of the bars and go-gos I have been to!

Perhaps you are going about it without a proper carrot on the stick. I am privy to the use of that ploy in the bars of Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, and the Philippines since 1967—and I learned it from a China-sailor who played it in Shanghai in the 1930’s. I will admit the last time in Soi Cowboy was about two years ago, but it worked last week in Koh Samui. Maybe some “hansum” men just aren’t “hansum” enough.

[brewsterbudgen]

I visit Soi Cowboy about twice a week, I love the place, especially Baccara. I arrive early in the evening so I can get a seat. As a regular, the staff treat me very well. Some girls won't come home with me because I'm not Japanese, but I get over it quickly because there are many hot girls. My first visit to Soi Cowboy was in 1992. Sure, it's changed a lot over the years, no better or worse I'd say.

I've been a Baccara regular for about 10 years. Mamasans Cherry and scary Mew are old friends. My barfining days are behind me, but for a comfortable environment, good service and sexy girls it's difficult to beat and has unsurprisingly held its place as the #1 Cowboy gogo.

[mekongsailor]

Soi Cowboy has gone downhill since "The Arab" opened his first bar.

[brewsterbudgen]

Soi Cowboy has gone downhill since "The Arab" opened his first bar.

No expat I know frequents his bars. Plenty of other choices.

[spidermike007]

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.

From what I am told, there are now a large number of very high end escort services in Bangkok, who service wealthy men from around the world. Some of the super gorgeous gals who you used to see working in the bars for 1500 baht a pop, are now getting 20,000 to 60,000 baht for an evenings work. My guess is that they keep half of that, plus any tips. These super wealthy guys must figure since they pay $2,000 in London, New York, Tokyo and Hong Kong, for a top escort, why not Bangkok? And for them, it is a bit like you or I buying a $5 sandwich. So, very few of us are in a position to compete with them. Why even try? The really gorgeous gals know what their potential is these days, anywhere in the world. Guys are lining up to court them, spend an evening with them, and buy them gifts and prizes. In LA, I know guys who are happy to give a really hot gal $10,000 a month, to hang out with them a couple of nights a week.

So, what's an average guy to do, who is not wealthy, or does not possess Brad Pitt looks? Stop looking for gorgeous. Stop seeking perfection. Look for a good solid 8.0, who has a nice body, a good attitude, and a pretty face. Be content with that. Life could be alot worse. You could be in Los Angeles.

[meom]

Soi Cowboy has gone downhill since "The Arab" opened his first bar.

No expat I know frequents his bars. Plenty of other choices.

He started the neon lights which made things a lot more attractive in the soi.

[tomacht8]

Soi Cowboy has gone downhill since "The Arab" opened his first bar.

True.

Soi Cowboy is more and more a tourist trap.

Baccara is fine with its Japanese customers and high drink prices.

Now Shark is on the same track.

Tilak has the same service staff like 15 Years ago.

Long Gun, DH and Suzi Wong are far away of their glory years.

Then you have the 6 "Arab Bars" with the not barfine coyotes and ladydrink hungry girls.

A ladyboy bar and some small waterholes in between.

Soi Cowboy has many neon, but reasons to go there sometimes, are really little.

Edited February 10, 2016 by tomacht8

[eskatonia]

you forgot Crazy House round the corner. Two floors, some nice lookers, reasonable drinks, and for some mysterious reason they seem to be free of some of the restrictions that other bars operate under.

[Shaunduhpostman]

Yeah agreed, Soi Cowboy gets a decisive thumbs down now from me as of last holdiay season, I need to not go there anymore after years of rationalizing that the place wasn't that bad. It even smells horrific down there, like dried squid and rancid grease or something.

Well, to quote Blue Oyster Cult, "This Ain't the Summer of Love," down on Soi Cowboy these days, or anywhere in the world it would seem. In fact, much worse than that, you are, or maybe I should speak for myself, semi-asking for semi-abuse to go to So Cowboy these days or any of the gogo bars in Bangkok for that matter. I need to face the music and just decide not to go there any more. I can use the coin I save from not going there to say buy some books or a nice bottle of wine I can sit and enjoy with my wife and the dogs. I am probably just now a bit too old and fat for them to want to look at me anymore anyway and I had always thought as a young man going to the bars in Cowboy etc. that I didn't want to trouble anyone when I got to looking like the iguana in Mami Poko diapers that I am getting to look like now. Though I rarely feel the need to go down there at this point and much happier to not even live in Bangkok at all any more. The whole town has become pretty charmless in general and Soi Cowboy or Nana are no exception. The heavier police presence on the soi really doesn't help either. There's that big police helmet kiosk where they sometimes sit and which is one of the first things to greet you as you walk into the soi from Asok, or you can see the cops sauntering up and down the soi or sometimes standing around in a big pack in the shadows towards the Dutch restaurant end of the soi. Welcome to Soi Police Helmet, sir! How relaxing and reassuring. At Nana they have a table where the cops call random people over for ID checks. Just what the doctor ordered, lets go out for a night on the town and good old fashioned hassle! The new Hooters, to me anyway, is nothing more than a big orange sign that screams: Game over! Isn't Hooters run by Mormons or something? Perhaps I am confusing it for the Safeway supermarket chain, both places have about just as much appeal when you are on a night out in Bangkok. So cool!

Really not a nice atmosphere at all, inside and out in either Cowboy or Nana. It just gets comedic sometimes, last time i was in Cowboy, several months ago at around Christmas, there was a huge pack of 20 or so Muslim fundamentalist men, turbaned and bearded, not particularly enjoying themselves and pointing around and discussing something. I kid you not. They looked like they were interested in redesigning one of the bar fronts. The leader of the pack looking up at one of the bar signs and tracing and diagramming various lines and rectangles and circles and most of the rest of them rapt and listening, engrossed in envisoning what he was planning. I commented to an old hostess who was standing out front of her bar and watching them, "Maybe they clear soi Cowboy with bomb!" She laughed and said, "Yeah, maybe! Haha! Good! Haha!" I told my story to some random guy who was having a beer out front as was I and he said, "Oh yeah...yeah they like to do that. They like to come down here and get a reaction, act like they are going to blow the place up or take it over or something. You and I come down here to drink and they can't do that, so that's their holiday fun and entertainment to try get a reaction from people." Hilarious.

Out of the 10 or so trips I made down to the bar areas in 2015, I was double charged at two different bars, screamed/shrieked at by a hostess because I wouldn't go back in a second time and be entertained by her doing not much more than being pushy with me about drinks, "You never buy me anything in here anyway!" She was enraged that i would cite her attitude as to why I didn't want to go back in and sit with her again and endure more of her tedious shenanigans. At Nana I was screamed at by a doorman who looked ready to kill me over nothing, over having the audacity to want to enter his bar I guess, never seen the man in my life, "You can't come in! You never buy drinks in here! You always just come in and sit and not buy a drink!" Completely untrue, I patronzed the place for years, never any problems, don't know how a person could possibly go into a gogo bar and not buy drinks anyway, that's in violation to some kind of law of physics, if I am not mistaken. Even if it were true, it would be the wait staff's fault for letting me sit there without ordering anything, would it not? No, I'm not a sucker, so no, maybe I don't buy drinks for five bar girls and three of their friends, so sue me, or kill me as it seemed they wanted to do actually. The doorman and the two other guys had that look like they were in the wind up phase to pounce and beat someone to a pulp, over nothing, which it would seem they are perfectly entitled to do. Glad I had the wherewithal to just walk away from the situation, despite feeling it was a complete outrage to be treated like I was some kind of criminal and really a scapegoat for all their problems trying to survive in an increasingly untenable business climate. Wonderfull! I'll be right down again next month when i am in Bangkok for more of the same! Another place in Nana last year sort of innocently and blamelessly assumed it would be OK to put three drinks on my tab, the girl's bargirl number and all written right next to the drink for some girl who was sitting on another customer's lap, whom I hadn't even so much as noticed until I asked whose drinks on my tab these were. The girl I had bought drinks for was incredulous, "But,she's my friend!" "Did you ask me if I would buy drinks for your friend over there?" "No." To their credit, I suppose, that was good enough and all agreed to take the drinks off the bill, but it was kind of unpleasant and I'll never go in there again, a place I used to enjoy visiting and I am sure I am completely persona non-grata anyway even if i did want to continue to shovel money into the maw of a bar that probably asks the girls to say that drinks from a padded bill were deliberately put on there to be nice to a friend, just to try and sort of take the edge off the audacity of it.

The bars clearly just need to raise their prices again. Nobody seems to be happy in Soi Cowboy or Nana with what they are getting out of it all. But I think they need to raise their prices astronomically, say another 100-200 percent, pronto. As it stands, they seem to feel that they have to resort to being dishonest or threatening to get their needs met. I'd rather all their cards just be all out on the table, as to how much money they expect to get from customers, but no that ain't gonna happen. Still I'd like it if they would just make it 300 baht for a beer for happy hour only, 800 baht for a lady cola or tequila, 5000 baht bar fine and maybe 500 baht admission charge and 50 baht to use the toilet and an automatic 10 percent service charge and 7% VAT added to each bar tab. That way people who want a reasonable night out will be warned off, and those like me who find it hard to just altogther say goodbye to old friends who have made a wrong turn and are no longer healthy or even safe to be around will be prevented from doing so by th prohibitive costs and those wealthy holdayers that do venture in to Soi Police Man will be met by cheerful well paid and prosperous bar staff making 60,000 baht per month. .

[bkk6060]

What is your goal??

I always find it interesting to see posts from people who claim to live here and swear by these places.

Sorry, but the Gogo's are the last option for someone who truly knows Thailand. For many reasons.

They are really just high priced tourist traps. The only thing worse if you want some company is maybe calling an escort service.

Again, what is your goal? There are so many better options here. Online, MP's, clubs, certain bars, etc. Places and spots you can have a conversation and make sure things are in order the way you want them.

Mostly the Asian businessman one week millionaires mostly visit the Gogo's. Not the seasoned veterans.

I always have a great time here. I never step foot in a Gogo anymore.

[brewsterbudgen]

What is your goal??

I always find it interesting to see posts from people who claim to live here and swear by these places.

Sorry, but the Gogo's are the last option for someone who truly knows Thailand. For many reasons.

They are really just high priced tourist traps. The only thing worse if you want some company is maybe calling an escort service.

Again, what is your goal? There are so many better options here. Online, MP's, clubs, certain bars, etc. Places and spots you can have a conversation and make sure things are in order the way you want them.

Mostly the Asian businessman one week millionaires mostly visit the Gogo's. Not the seasoned veterans.

I always have a great time here. I never step foot in a Gogo anymore.

I don't have a goal. It's just somewhere to drink after work with my mates, with a good happy hour, familiar faces as most of us have been here for years, with the added bonus of pretty young girls. A bit like a local pub with extras!

[eskatonia]

What is your goal??

Again, what is your goal? There are so many better options here. Online, MP's, clubs, certain bars, etc. Places and spots you can have a conversation and make sure things are in order the way you want them.

Mostly the Asian businessman one week millionaires mostly visit the Gogo's. Not the seasoned veterans.

I'm well aware there are cheaper options but its rather nice sometimes to have a range of 30+ girls in front of you and be able to pick and choose. Some of us are working here and making decent money, not on retirement visas. So a night out at cowboy every now and again is not a big deal.

[bkk6060]

Haha. You totally described your goals for being there: Drinks and yuking it up with your buddies.

A local pub? In a loud smoke filled room where 99% of the customers are tourists you don't know.

Ok, glad you like it but not the local pub atmosphere I prefer.

Adventure out more, there are a 100's places better.

[bkk6060]

What is your goal??

Again, what is your goal? There are so many better options here. Online, MP's, clubs, certain bars, etc. Places and spots you can have a conversation and make sure things are in order the way you want them.

Mostly the Asian businessman one week millionaires mostly visit the Gogo's. Not the seasoned veterans.

I'm well aware there are cheaper options but its rather nice sometimes to have a

range of 30+ girls in front of you and be able to pick and choose. Some of us are working here and making decent money, not on retirement visas. So a night out at cowboy every now and again is not a big deal.

This coming from a guy who waits until closing time to get a better deal with a girl.

Haha. Don't be a hypocrite!

[eskatonia]

This coming from a guy who waits until closing time to get a better deal with a girl.

Haha. Don't be a hypocrite!

For <deleted> sake can you even read? Check my original post I never said I get freebies at the end of the night, thats my 20 something year old friend who is on a typical english teachers salary.

And yeah its not a bad place to meet friends for a drink if you go early. 80 baht drinks at many places until 9pm, decent cover music at Country Road, nice to sit outside and watch the show go by. At 9pm you can take off somewhere else if you don't want to pay 150 baht for a drink, soi 22 or 33 as others have suggested.

[Jiggo]

Soi cowboy sucks. And a lot of farang get beaten up there, by Thai men or some angry ho. I used to go to the country western bar there with my non-Thai Asian girlfriend. She went back to farangland, and I was feeling sad, so I went there to listen to the live band, which is quite good. Two of the bargirls sat down at the table, bothering me with the same inane questions: "How you? Where you come from? My name pick. Her name yam. What your name? How long you stay Bangkok?" I explained that my wife had left that day, and I was sorry, but it just wanted to listen to the band. They kept talking and asking by me to buy them drinks. I just ended up leaving. Really thick people sometimes. I understand this is their job, but they were really persistent.

I normally come out with “my wife/girlfriend shopping will come here soon” they don’t want the confrontation and pee off…..if pee gets, delated nob off

[sanukjim]

Only during the days when ole Cowboy first opened "Loretta's" and a few years afterwords was Soi Cowboy ever rely fun.It has been going down hill for a long time.The Rawhide was the last good fun place and that has been a while.

[Johpa]

Is there any other direction for such places to go other than downhill? And is that a bad thing? I always thought the old Thermae or the Grace Coffee Shop only got more interesting as they slowly drifted in their inevitable downward spirals.

[Global Guy]

Is there any other direction for such places to go other than downhill? And is that a bad thing? I always thought the old Thermae or the Grace Coffee Shop only got more interesting as they slowly drifted in their inevitable downward spirals.

Thermae? That place was like the Star Wars bar for earthlings!

[ericthai]

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.

Wow 300B for a beer and 3000B for a bar fine! I haven't been to Soi cowboy in about 10 years cant believe it's that much. When I 1st came to Thailand bar fines were only 150B and beer 50B granted that was when the baht was 25B to 1 USD but still cant believe a bar fine is almost $100 USD, that's crazy or someone scammed you.

[ericthai]

What is your goal??

I always find it interesting to see posts from people who claim to live here and swear by these places.

Sorry, but the Gogo's are the last option for someone who truly knows Thailand. For many reasons.

They are really just high priced tourist traps. The only thing worse if you want some company is maybe calling an escort service.

Again, what is your goal? There are so many better options here. Online, MP's, clubs, certain bars, etc. Places and spots you can have a conversation and make sure things are in order the way you want them.

Mostly the Asian businessman one week millionaires mostly visit the Gogo's. Not the seasoned veterans.

I always have a great time here. I never step foot in a Gogo anymore.

I don't have a goal. It's just somewhere to drink after work with my mates, with a good happy hour, familiar faces as most of us have been here for years, with the added bonus of pretty young girls. A bit like a local pub with extras!

I agree when I was still working at our office in BKK we would stop in Cowboy for a beer or 2,3 -5 after work. Allot of long term expats do go to these bars, but not for the girls for the beer and hang out with friends. The girls get to know who the regulars are and leave you alone.

[thaiduncankk]

If you have been here any length of time, I think you will find your hometown has gone downhill too.

I believe mine has, in fact, I believe the whole country has.

[brewsterbudgen]

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.

Wow 300B for a beer and 3000B for a bar fine! I haven't been to Soi cowboy in about 10 years cant believe it's that much. When I 1st came to Thailand bar fines were only 150B and beer 50B granted that was when the baht was 25B to 1 USD but still cant believe a bar fine is almost $100 USD, that's crazy or someone scammed you.

Beers are 100 baht in happy hour. 300 for a beer is a nonsense unless it was some imported premium brand. Barfines are mostly between 700-1,000 baht.