Bangkok trip report: 10 Days of Bliss.

[spoon]

47 minutes ago, jason1975 said:

If you want to experience karaoke in Bangkok, let me know and I will arrange for you! 🥰🥰🥰

Count me in lol in my dream

[vinapu]

48 minutes ago, jason1975 said:

If you want to experience karaoke in Bangkok, let me know and I will arrange for you! 🥰🥰🥰

In January 2027

[kram987]

If January is are all like this one, I could justify an annual trip!  

[Keithambrose]

7 hours ago, vinapu said:

As older then us you remember those days better

I was there at the premiere!

[vinapu]

22 hours ago, kram987 said:

If January is are all like this one, I could justify an annual trip!  

Weather wise, yes

[spoon]

Day 9 - TIT

Woke up a bit late and we missed the hotel breakfast. So we went to a nearby casa lapin for breakfast. After my guy left went back to hotel for my nap. Woke up and walked around to find a place for massage, as prime was fully booked. Ended making a tour around soi 6, surawong and cross towards silom and decided to have foot massage at one of the parlour near olivia, probably sabai thai. Had an early dinner meet with an ex forum member at mango tree before returning to hotel to freshen up for tonights bar visit. Dinner at mango tree was great but we ordered too much for just the two of us lol

 

Tonight, I had to scratch an itch about circus muscle guys show. Ive catch a glimpse before when i was sitting outside people watching before bar visit, but ive never really sit inside and enjoy their full offering. They have 3 shows, at 9, 10 and 11, but as with other bars, exact start time can vary depending on the crowd. I arrived around 9.30ish, and miss the first one. Managed to get one of the small round table near the center, with only one row of table in front of me. Ordered myself an ice mocha while waiting. 

I saw two muscle guys moving from table to table, trying to strike conversation, getting customer to buy them drink and as well gives them tips. One in particular was exactly my type. So I try to get his attention, but he seems to be very popular and was quite occupied. After a while, he finally notice me and come to my table. We have a small chit chat and i learned that he is vietnamese. Later on, I saw another familiar face, an ex dreamboy star, who is now also part of their muscle guy show. 

The shows features few numbers by the lady boys, and ends with 5 muscles guys dancing and after, moves from table to table to join you for drinks and chat. My eyes still fixated on the previous guy, who now pay attention to me from time to time. Obvious, he knows im infatuated with him and he definitely knows how to extract tips and drinks from customers. Towards the end, there is a short celebration of a birthday of one of the muscle guy, and he receives money garlands from perhaps his regular customer. It was unexpectedly very fun time in circus, although I doubt I can off the guys there. 

Forum member told me that they are heading to hotmale, so i told him Ill move there after show ended. When i arrived there, they said the show still hasnt started so we moved to good boy instead. Full house in good boy, but we managed to get a good seat near the stage, where usually it was filled by the boys during show. Didnt see anyone to my liking, although one guy were sitting next to me and do gave me some attention, so I did tip him before we left.

I texted my guy from jupiter and asked if he has customer tonight, and he told me he is free. So i told him ill go to jupiter to off him. My plan is to just call the mamasan and pay off fee. I arrived at jupiter 11.50ish, when my guy told me show has ended. At the door, i asked one of the guy to call mamasan. When mamasan arrived, I told mamasan I want to pay off fee for my guy. Mamasan asked if i want to go in, i said no as the show already finished and im going back to hotel. 

Guess what, mamasan suddenly told me, i need to pay 200 baht more. For basically nothing. May i remind you that they already increase their entrance fee to 600 just a few day ago. And when i ask my guy, he told me there is lack of customer in the bar. While i was willing to swallow the extra 100 baht, since i can just tip 100 baht less, im not paying 200 baht more for nothing. This time, i am standing my ground as i told mamasan im not paying more for nothing, and id rather just leave. 

My reason is i could simply text my guy to come to me after and let him pay the off fee, so why would i need to pay that 200 baht for nothing... 

Or even better, i could just wait for bar to close and dont even have to pay off fee at all...

Anyway, I told mamasan, because your boss want 200 baht, you will loss 500 baht coz im leaving and not paying the off fee.

Later I told my guy what happened while im walking towards hotel. My guy told me he wanted to go drink with his friend tonight. I said ok, as my mood is spoilt anyway. He promised to meet me tomorrow night and told me I dont have to come to the bar and he will leave right after his part of the show ended.

Plus if he leave to come to me tonight, i basically paying the off fee and im so pissed off that night, i have no intention to give money to jupiter, not that night anyway. Still couldnt understand their logic but i guess Im no longer surprised with Thai logic. And ive been to jupiter perhaps 4-5 times already this trip... Needless to say, i might limit my visit there for the foreseeable future, as I only off one guy from there, which I can get without going to the bar.

At hotel, after I cool down a bit, and talked a forum member about what just happened, I open my grindr and found someone familiar. Asked if he is available, and he quoted a price and can come to me in 40 minutes. Guy is great and apparently he used to work in malaysia, but ive never taken him before because he worked in the south. But ive seen his face in the photos shared by those centers.

He left after and i continue to sleep. Essentially my first night with a short time guy of the trip. 

 

[Olddaddy]

14 hours ago, spoon said:

...

Anyway, I told mamasan, because your boss want 200 baht, you will loss 500 baht coz im leaving and not paying the off fee.

I think you did the right thing, they lost out because of their greed.

Good on you for  not backing down  👍🏿👍🏿

[macaroni21]

17 hours ago, spoon said:

My plan is to just call the mamasan and pay off fee. I arrived at jupiter 11.50ish, when my guy told me show has ended. At the door, i asked one of the guy to call mamasan. When mamasan arrived, I told mamasan I want to pay off fee for my guy. Mamasan asked if i want to go in, i said no as the show already finished and im going back to hotel. 

Guess what, mamasan suddenly told me, i need to pay 200 baht more. For basically nothing. May i remind you that they already increase their entrance fee to 600 just a few day ago. And when i ask my guy, he told me there is lack of customer in the bar. While i was willing to swallow the extra 100 baht, since i can just tip 100 baht less, im not paying 200 baht more for nothing. This time, i am standing my ground as i told mamasan im not paying more for nothing, and id rather just leave. 

@spoon I appreciate this kind of detail in your reporting. It's useful information for many others on this board, I'm sure. And I totally agree with you: pricing is getting ridiculous and customers like us should start asking about value.

[PeterRS]

On 1/22/2026 at 9:39 AM, macaroni21 said:

I totally agree with you: pricing is getting ridiculous and customers like us should start asking about value.

Are not prices rising virtually everywhere? Not for gogo bars naturally because Thailand is almost unique in this respect. But I remember in Taipei when its finest sauna Aniki - on a par with Babylon claimed some - raised its price even pre-covid to NT$1,100 (approx. US$35 now), there were many rumblings of discontent. Most others were charging around US$11. After it closed, the new 'in' sauna opened Soi13in. No doubt due to its popularity, it has now jacked up its price to NT$1,000. Techniclally this is for everyone, but there is a major reduction to NT$300 for local Taiwanese starting around 6:30pm I believe.

In Hong Kong, Hutong sauna in Kowloon recently had an entry price of around HK$238 (app. US$30.50) but again there are discounts for locals at certain times. What was Babylon's entry fee before it closed? Less than US$10 I believe.

Even the popular 24 Sauna in Shinjuku has upped its prices, at least at the week-end. Before 9:00 pm on a Saturday, it has only increaased marginally and is now ¥3,100 (US$19.30). After 9:00 pm it is upped to ¥3,900 (US$24.50). But since the Yen has depreciated very considerably in the last three years, these prices in dollar terms are now not only extremely reasonable, they have fallen quite dramatically!

Reverting to the escalation of Bangkok bar and off prices, even though they are now getting to ridiculous levels, what can anyone do about them? Stick to the spas, saunas and apps?