ΑΝΤΙΓΡΑΦΩ ΑΠΟ ΒΙΚΙΠΑΙΔΕΙΑ, ΤΗΝ ΠΛΗΡΕΣΤΕΡΗ ΕΓΚΥΚΛΟΠΑΙΔΕΙΑ ΤΟΥ ΚΟΣΜΟΥ ΚΑΙ ΔΕΝ ΣΧΟΛΙΑΖΩ, ΠΙΣΤΕΥΩ ΟΤΙ ΑΥΤΟΙ ΠΟΥ ΠΑΝΕ ΤΑΙΛΑΝΔΗ ΞΕΡΟΥΝ ΚΑΛΑ ΑΓΓΛΙΚΑ
Bars catering to foreigners
A dancer at a go-go bar along Patpong, in Bangkok.The most popular form of prostitution with Westerners are the various forms of bars. In most cases, women ("bar girls", or men in the case of gay bars, or transsexual "katoys") are employed by the bar either as dancers (in the case of go-go bars) or simply as hostesses, and will encourage customers to buy them "lady drinks". The hostesses or dancers are also often looking to find customers for sexual services; in many cases, the bar will employ one or more "mamasans" who will help match interested customers up to women. In most cases, a customer will pay a bar fine in order to leave the bar with his chosen companion, and will then need to negotiate with him/her for any time and/or sexual services. This can be generally divided into "short time" (at most a few hours) or "long time" (overnight). Some bars also have "short time rooms" on site, where instead of paying a bar fine to the bar, the customer will pay for the use of the room and services will be performed on-site.
Go-go bars are distinguished by having dancing on stage similar to a strip club in Western countries, although in general as of 2004 because of the "social order" crackdown, dancers will more likely be topless or in a bikini or similar revealing costume rather than fully naked. Even toplessness is technically illegal.
"Beer bars" and hostess bars are similar; beer bars are generally outdoors, fairly small, and often clustered with other beer bars, while hostess bars are generally indoors. Beyond that, there is a very great range in size and amenities. There are also a fair number of bars which blur the line with a brothel of sorts, such as "blowjob bars" or various short-time establishments.
Beer bars and gogo bars operate similarly: the women receive a monthly salary, from about 2,000 baht in some beer bars to about 10,000 baht in better gogo bars (as of 2006). They receive a commission on any lady drink that is bought for them. The bar fine, paid by a customer who wants to take a woman out, is paid in total to the bar. The bar typically prescribes a minimum number of bar fines a woman needs to generate per month (typically about five to six); staying below that limit results in a pay cut. The women receive two to three days off per month; they are usually charged a bar fine for any additional day of work they miss. Many go go bars require the women to undergo regular health checks, enforced by financial penalties.
Private Member Clubs exist for the well heeled. These clubs usually cater to a richer clientele and are staffed by young Thai college students who are fluent in English. They entertain the client while he stays at the club. If the girl likes the client, typically she will leave the club with the client. Most clubs usually have live music and a laidback atmosphere. Some bars employ kathoey ("ladyboys") exclusively, catering to male customers. Many of these bars are owned and operated by Westerners. Technically, foreigners are not allowed to own more than 49% of a bar or nightclub, however, so these Westerners either partner with a Thai or lease the bar from a Thai owner. Some entrepreneurs also create a number of bars with the chief purpose of selling or leasing them to poorly informed Westerners.
Apart from these sorts of bar, there are a number of other venues for the sex trade; some bars, while not employing women as sex workers, will allow freelance prostitutes to solicit clients. This is also true of some coffee shops near red-light districts, and many of the foreign-oriented nightclubs.
Many Thai prostitutes have the ultimate goal of meeting a rich Westerner as husband or boyfriend.[5]