Pattaya is all about sex. So say some, and while there is much more to the city, the whole Pattaya bar girls scene is one of its chief attractions. For sure the city is full of bars full of girls and Pattaya has long been the ‘naughty’ centre of Thai tourism. We prefer to promote Pattaya for its more wholesome attractions but recognise that a large number of visitors are attracted to Pattaya for the girls. By day or night the sois off Beach road are full of girls hanging out of bars waiting for customers, there’s nothing discreet about it, yet it’s all relaxed and without the sleazy atmosphere.
What are you looking at?
What are you looking at?

Bar girls in Pattaya mostly come from the poor Northeast region, and some are very sexy indeed. No matter where they are from, they are all here to make money, and help visitors to have a good time. If you can understand those two rules then you’ll both be satisfied; it’s all pretty casual and open, there are no pimps and bouncers and expensive entry fees or strict rules. But the girls do expect some respect and a safe environment. The culture of acceptance in Thailand means that prostitution thrives because many girls from poor backgrounds find that the skin trade in Thailand isn’t an entirely unpleasant way of making a lot more money than they could working in a factory. Although their parents would never know what they are up to, the family back home certainly benefits from the generous remittances, for which a Thai girl can gain that all important respect.

So what we have is a bustling coastal town brimmed with activity and most notably in the neon glare of night. Hundreds of bars line Pattaya beachfront and side streets and inside most of them will be a number of girls somewhere between a few or a hundred. The girls are generally forthcoming and apparently confident as they compete with fellow workers for the evening’s business. Many of the bars are rough, dingy affairs with girls sitting around drinking, or involved in a lame but playful conversation with a potential customer.

Other bars of the go-go variety have a number of girls dancing scantily clad to a bass line which rules out conversation, while some places go for a veneer of elegance with lesbian-style strip shows to slower, more dramatic music. Late at night, the big nightclubs in the centre of town are jammed with girls who have finished working in their bar or others who are known as ‘freelancers’.

Bars with girls can be found in most areas of Pattaya but the main concentration is around Walking Street near the beach and all the sois (smaller streets) running off the main Beach Road. Pattaya 2 Road also has its share of establishments while Soi Buakaow has a growing appeal. A little further down the coast at Jomtiem Beach, there are again an array of mainly open-air bars with smiling young girls offering compliments and a welcome to both wallet and customer.
No money, no honey - the girls mean business
No money, no honey - the girls mean business

Throughout Pattaya, the usual modus operandi is then to buy a girl a ‘lady drink’ and then engage in some kind of informal chat. If both parties appear keen to leave together, the bar is then paid a ‘fine’, usually somewhere between 200 and 700 baht, and then the girl’s fee is often open to negotiation. Girls in Pattaya provide a service for as little as 500 baht on a short time (few hours) basis and would usually accept no less than double this to stay overnight (long time). A lot of these girls are not short of business sense though and they can obtain much higher fees than this from most customers.

The Pattaya bar girls are forward, suggestive and there to empty your wallet, but in a friendly sort of way. Thailand is cheap enough that buying a few drinks (slightly more expensive for the girls and in the girlie bars) won’t break the bank, so it’s worth moving around, sharing a drink with several until you are comfortable with one particular girl’s company. They are experts at making you feel like a million bucks, and their ultimate objective is to get you to invite them back to your hotel, so don’t be decieved by the friendliness of the very first girl you meet because they are all like this. In fact the older and uglier you are the more attention you can expect, for these are the customers that they usually can negotiate easiest with for a high price. Thais are naturally friendly and fun-loving, which is all part of their charm.

Meeting horny local girls for free

Most 'bachelors' visiting Thailand opt for the easy solution of visiting go go and girlie bars, but there are also lots of regular girls who aren't prostitutes but keen on meeting foreigners for a fling. Hundreds of lonely and horny modern city girls go looking online for sex with visiting or resident westerners, no strings attached. They aren't expecting money or a boyfriend and haven't been with scores of other men. The best place to meet these girls is on Adult Friend Finder, where there are more than 10,000 registered Thai female members.

In all you can expect to end up spending about 2000 baht for a fun night (US$50), after all the drinks, the bar fine and the fee you eventually settle with the girl. Some hotels will also expect you to pay an extra charge for bringing bar girls to your room. Bearing in mind that many flush and naively generous tourists have been there before you, the more stingy and penny-pinching you try to be, the less enthusiastic the girl will become, until the whole evening ends up being a boring chore for her and you feel like you’ve been ripped off. If this is your first experience, you are likely to be taken a bit for a ride, and some girls are ruthless in demanding extra if you happen to shoot too quickly and want a second go.

Visitors often end up keeping the girl’s company for several days, which works out cheaper. She can prove to be a good companion and tour guide or a completely tiresome disinterested burden outside of the bedroom. A smart guy will try several options during his stay. Be aware that these bar girls of Pattaya will expect you to pay for everything, including shopping.
Travellers footage: Thai ‘coyote’ dancer

In Pattaya the bar girls you encounter in most bars are there of their own free will. Although prostitution is massive loss of face to any Thai, these girls are faraway from home and fairly relaxed about it, certainly in Pattaya. Fortunately the whole scene can be a mostly enjoyable lifestyle and work environment for the girls and certainly a better alternative to a factory job. However, the job is fraught with insecurities, over-supply of girls, bitchiness within the ranks, and many of the girls are cheated at some point by unscrupulous customers, so try to treat them with respect. They can be ruthlessly unpleasant if they are crossed or feel cheated. They can also really warm to you if you treat them like a regular date. Unfortunately few of them are ever suitable as long term girlfriends when sex has become their tool for earning money, so don’t waste time getting emotionally attached bar girls in Pattaya.

A word of warning. Although all girls you encounter in girlie bars will be over 18, some may be new and somewhat uneasy with the experience. Underage sex is not tolerated in Thailand and although it seems a haven for paedophiles, there are numerous undercover CIA and other agents working in the city. They have been quite successful in identifying individuals for prosecution when they return to their home countries, while offenders are often apprehended by the Thai police.