Over the past year I’ve gone to / been past some of the major red light districts in Bangkok. This is either to grab a few drinks with friends or that I just happen to be walking in lower Sukhumvit late at night. I’ve nothing against the people who go to these bars to pick up a lady(boy) for the night but I just feel that these areas nowadays are more tourist spots rather than pickup joints. Perhaps there are fewer people interested in these joints or perhaps, as with many services these days, the internet is taking over.
Online Promotion
With a number of websites focusing on the naughty nightlife of Bangkok it’s interesting to see their current advertisers. Of course there are many adverts for physical bars but also the number of online escort services and apps being advertised has increased dramatically in the last year or so. It was this fact which led to me writing this article.
The internet offers a number of benefits over physical locations for many industries. It’s one of the reasons many high street stores shut down when businesses started going online.
Price
Usually online stores are cheaper than physical alternatives. I was researching the topic online and ThailandRedCat.com had an interesting articles on bar fines. Seeing that it can cost up to 1,000 baht just to get your choice of partner out of their bar it’s a seemingly expensive price.
Of course 1,000 baht is probably the extreme but when it adds around $33 to the cost of the deed then it’s easy to see why some customers might feel ripped off and head online instead. I will say though that I researched a number of online sites and prices did vary for the service offered. As I said I’m not an expert in how much sex costs here but I’m guessing that online options will work out cheaper when using internet services.
The other factor is drinks. I understand that the social side of going out to drink and chat is what many people look for. However, I noticed that drinks weren’t cheap in general. If you’re just after sex then you probably don’t want to spend 400 baht for two small beers.
It’s important to note that not all girls in the red light zones work in bars. Some are freelance and you will pay less as no bar fine is involved. However there are many online freelance sites which share reviews from clients….
Sharing Knowledge
Another key benefit of the internet is the ability to share knowledge. Most of us read reviews on hotels and restaurants before booking. With apps and online services you can do the same with escorts.
People like the comfort of knowing more about something before they buy it. Of course not all online escorts are regulated this way in the same way freelance girls on the streets aren’t either. The benefit is that if you are looking for something specific then you can find out if your partner for the night is up for it too. This might be useful for those with quite specific requirements.
Privacy
Something else the internet brings is at least an illusion of privacy. The bar scene certainly isn’t for everyone. Perhaps people either don’t like the drinking scene, can’t stand the (sometimes horrific and loud) music at these bars or just don’t want to be seen there. Whatever the reason the internet does give more privacy.
Sure people can leak your identity or con you online but for some people it’s a risk worth taking to avoid going into a red light district themselves.
That’s Not Like the Picture….
When using the internet for shopping or services you sometimes find out that what you get doesn’t look like the picture. I’m sure the same happens with online escort services. At least if there are reviews you can probably find this out. This is probably where the bars still have the upper hand over the internet.
Tourist Checklist
With the internet, Bangkok’s red light districts are world famous. They also attract tourists who have no intention of picking up a date.
These days tourism is more of a rush to tick off as many activities and sites as possible. Certainly I’m guilty of this too. Whilst grabbing a beer on Soi Cowboy I saw a load of tourists just there to take photos and head off. It seemed most people stopped for a beer and went on their way.
I haven’t actually been in Nana Plaza for a while but it seems they are building more non-girly bars outside as a way to get casual drinkers in. Again perhaps for tourists it’s a good way for those who don’t want to partake in other activities to still visit and tick it off their lists.
Either way it might be off-putting to those who are there for the action. Perhaps they are looking for new ways to enjoy the Bangkok sex scene and online options provide that for them.
Just Bangkok?
Are other adult oriented destinations in Thailand going to be affected by the internet? Perhaps Pattaya is best known for naughty nightlife and I personally feel it will be more resilient to the internet.
We hear about Pattaya the family destination and that police maintain sex isn’t for sale but countless online forums suggest people still flock there for sex. The fact it has a certain reputation means that people are perhaps less worried about privacy.
In pretty much every city in the world sex is for sale. The internet is a tool being used and it obviously isn’t going away so it will be interesting to see how the bars perform in the coming years.
The Bars Are Here To Stay
Regardless of the success of the internet in terms of providing sexual services I think the bars are pretty safe. In as much as the internet might take customers who are merely interested in sex the bars provide a service still in demand. People enjoy drinking and watching dancers on the stage. People enjoy the social aspect of talking with others and meeting new people. Tourists still flock to these venues to take photos and tell their friends back home that they ventured to the underbelly of Bangkok like in the Hangover movie.
The bars are safe but the internet is on the offensive when it comes to other services.
Featured Image : Flcikr – Lim Ashley – Link here
