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Deleted Member
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After a sleepless flight from Australia and 2 nights wandering the entertainment areas of Bangkok we were ready for the more relaxed pace of Patong.
What follows is perhaps more a summary than a field report as we packed plenty into both our days and nights and the recounting of the whole tale is both beyond my memory (though I do have contemporaneous notes to refer to), and my typing skills. And also, I suspect, beyond you, the readers’ patience.
We chose, via our travel agent, the Horizon Beach Hotel. In all ways a good choice bar the 1500 baht joiner fee. They had quoted 3000 baht via email but that was reduced, without prompting, to 1500 at check-in. Great location (back entrance onto Beach road), 10 minute leisurely walk to Bangla and an abundance of massage, internet, eating, laundry and shopping right at the door. Reasonable buffet breakfast, clean pools and friendly staff. A few (deserved) tips go a long way.
The joiner fee was no more than a minor hassle and part of our “newbie” learning curve. Plenty of short time rooms on Soi Sansabai (600 at Cadillac for not bad room but quoted as low as 300 in nearby Soi’s). We also found that some bar owners kept a room available for short time and that some BG’s were happy to take us back to their own lodgings.
Before anyone jumps on us with the inevitable “I got an ST room for 200” or “ You payed too much for LT” let me add that apart from haggling with the street sellers we didn’t quibble over prices. Whilst neither of us will ever be rich the prices we payed in Patong for the majority of services and goods were anything between one third and one sixth of what a similar thing would cost us in Aus and for the most part we were happy to pay the quoted rates.
Nightlife
We visited several entertainment areas including OTOP, Irish bar complex, Sukhumvit rd and of course Bangla Rd. It was low season and everywhere but Bangla was quiet. Plenty of girls but not many guys to go round (not so bad).
In Bangla itself Soi Crocodile was the busiest but this was mostly due to the Japanese tourists that were bused in each night and flocked to Crocodile to sit and watch the antics. The bars adjacent to Crocodile did a fairly steady trade too…with other nationalities watching the Japanese watching the lady boys. Tiger complex was next on the pecking order with bars closer to Bangla getting most of the trade and Skarkey’s always reliable for fun, frivolity, dancing on the bar (yeah, it was me !) and someone ringing the bell.
All other Soi’s were fairly quiet especially the bars toward the rear.
The only gogo we visited (apart from the seedy ping pong show on Sea Dragon with some Aussie chicks that weren’t game to go it alone) was Dragon above Soi gonzo. Not a patch on anything we had seen in BKK so we spent most of our time at Beer bars.
The only Disco I visited was Taipan. I was with a BG at the time but from what I could see plenty of freelancers in here and also along Bangla. Via word of mouth Tiger, Banana and Safari disco’s all going well.
Other
Massage opportunities abound with the quality of massage itself and availabiltiy of extras varied. Salons in busier locations less likely to offer extras or charge more for them.
Phuket Zoo is a waste of space as far as Zoo’s go but worth a visit for the elephant, monkey and crocodile shows. Also picture with Tiger if that’s what you want. Perhaps it’s the result of the lean season’s since tsunami and I’m not sure to what degree they were affected but there isn’t a lot of money being put into maintenance nor enhancement down there. In fact I would say that for a lot of the tourist attractions on Phuket as a whole.
We ate at places recommended on this or other forums and in places that had a fair farang crowd in them already. Sweet, Sabai Sabai, No 6 and several others. A special mention to Song Pee Nong on Soi Kepsup who supplied us with most lunches and “We” who runs a tour kiosk from the restaurant who was very helpful in organising our daytrips. Most times a meal for 2 including a couple beers came to around 250 baht. Cheap eats indeed. We also ate freshly cooked from carts and partook of fruit from same.
Get an International driving permit if you are going to ride or drive. Every couple of days there was a blitz on farangs. No license on the spot fine. Not sure if they were enforcing helmet or not.
On the whole we felt safe in Patong regardless of the time of day or night. One Aussie girl from our hotel got fined for shoplifting (fabricated of course) by a fake cop but she was the same girl who got pissed and decided to sleep on the beach one night. If you do stupid stuff you are going to get targeted. I’d feel less safe in downtown Melbourne given the same circumstance (pissed and staggering home at 4 am)
What did we learn ? If you are a single guy and you think you are going to look but not P4P you are deluded. We are going back in November (Pattaya and Patong) and this time to a no joiner hotel.
Pricing (what we payed or were quoted)
Barfines between 300 and 600.
ST room near Bangla starting 300.
ST freelancer 1000.
ST BG 1000 up.
LT BG 1500 up.
Our drink, beers from 35 (Heineken) on bangla 50 to 120.
Ping pong cover inc beer 150 (they will quote 300).
Lady drink 120 up.
A variety of medications available over the counter at most pharmacies. Blue ones @ 1800/4
Massage 200 oil, 300 Thai for 1 hour.
Massage extras 500 up. If you get to know some of the massage girls you might end up paying nothing 
Jeep for day 1000.
Jet Ski 30 minutes 1000.
Bringing a stomach bug home with you…priceless.
Wokka.
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Thai Girls : Meet Sexy Thai Girls
Posted on: 7:23 pm on June 3, 2006
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farang9
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Wokka1 commented:
Perhaps it’s the result of the lean season’s since tsunami and I’m not sure to what degree they were affected but there isn’t a lot of money being put into maintenance nor enhancement down there. In fact I would say that for a lot of the tourist attractions on Phuket as a whole.
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Nothing to do with tsunami or low season - THIS IS THAILAND.
"Maintenance? Why? Not broken (or only a little bit) no need to fix. Much better wait till all fall down and build new one."
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Bangkok Women : Meet Sensual Bangkok Women
Posted on: 7:59 pm on June 3, 2006
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Deleted Member
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I thought as much. All over Phuket it seemed things had stopped halfway. Either halfway falling apart or halfway being built. It was hard to tell which.
I guess here in Aus we get used to a fairly "neat" version of life. Fairly litter free streets, glossy tourism destinations and though we might not think so a fair bit of tax payer's money and private revenue being put back into infrastructure and maintenance.
We saw a few signs at temples etc explaining the Thai governments push to improve tourism but saw little actual evidence other than entrance fee's and 100 baht photo opps. Being largely ignorant of Thai culture, politics and thinking I'm kinda hesitant to make the following statement...but I suspect a select few are making a killing from the tourist dollars, putting little back in, and aren't thinking ahead to the time when the tourists (other than mongers) go elsewhere and the dollars cease to flow.
Perhaps it's indicative of the arrogance of the english speaking world to expect more but for a country so rich in culture and natural beauty the lack of effort in regards to signage, safety and maintenance stands out a mile.
But then again perhaps the majority of travellers rarely leave their resorts and if they do it's on organised tours.
I must say that one of ours best days was when we hired a jeep, grabbed a map and hit the road. We didn't always find what we were looking for but we made it back alive and had a culturally rich experience along the way. However it would have been nice to know where the hell we were 80 % of the time rather than 20 %
wokka
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Thai Girls : Meet Sexy Thai Girls
Posted on: 8:31 pm on June 3, 2006
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S05
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Great FR mate, very refreshing report on Phuket from a Newbie`s eyes,Hope you popped into a couple of Aussie bars whilst you where there.
I enjoy the place, maybe if you go next time and dont need a pool, book yourself and your mate into C+N HOTEL, great deals from them and also free pick up from Airport, no Joiner fees ! and only a drop punt from Bangla. 
S05.
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Bangkok Girls : Meet Sexy Bangkok Girls
Posted on: 11:20 pm on June 3, 2006
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Deleted Member
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Thanks SO5,
We did indeed pop into a few Aussie bars. The "Aussie bar" over two levels at entrance to soi gonzo (I think) where I got warned off an Aussie chick that was staying at our hotel by "Nong" one of the female bar staff. Nong made me make a pinky promise to bring her a picture of the girl in question in her bikini (huge fake tits).
We also had a drink with "PJ" who owns a bar down the end of the irish complex. Pretty quiet down there but he's a nice guy and I went back next day to watch a bit of the state of origin rugby with him.
We are looking into room options at the moment for November and will be travelling on a fairly tight budget this time around. Green mansion is looking ok as are the lamai inn and hotels. Wouldn't mind a pool but not willing to pay high season prices for one.
wokka
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Thai Women : Meet Matured Thai Women
Posted on: 11:29 pm on June 3, 2006
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S05
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Wokka, glad you did, once again mate give the C+N hotel a look at, you cant go wrong, try the Aussie bar called the Sailor Bar on beach rd, great bunch of guys, but dont talk to Jockey Dave if you get there late and he is working / drinking, total pisshead but a great trooper when off the piss, make yourself known to Big Dave and Gareth.
Any info you kneed theas are the guys to talk too !
S05.
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Bangkok Women : Meet Beautiful Thai Girls
Posted on: 12:08 am on June 4, 2006
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mk
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hi wokka that was a nice posting.
i'm visiting phuket june 20th. can you tell me something more about pingpong shows or alike.
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Bangkok Girls : Meet Attractive Thai Girls
Posted on: 2:46 am on June 4, 2006
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Deleted Member
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Hi MK,
Soi Sea dragon which runs off bangla road about half way along seems to have most of the shows and as you approach along bangla the spruikers will shove a laminated sheet in your face with pictures of the various shows and cover charge costs.
Many of them appear to be working for the same place and they will take you to one of the "gogo's" along the soi and show you to your seat.
BEFORE you go in settle on the cover charge which is basically the cost of your first drink. They will tell you 300 baht initially but pay no more than 150. If they won't do that price go to the next spruiker. Maybe tell em you got 150 last time. They remember a face though.
Don't expect a stunner to be doing the show.
If you come in while a show is in progress hang around till you've seen the whole show...which will include maybe 5 to 8 different things either coming out of or going into the ladies nether regions.
Don't cover your crotch with your hands while holding the balloon between your legs...the girl will whack you on the end of your tackle with her dart blow gun.
Believe me when I say this will hurt.
Do expect to tip...anywhere from 20 baht (each person) up depending on how you like the show.
A buzzer will probably sound sometime during the show, they will open the curtains, hide the props and pretend it's a normal gogo. Once the coast is clear (cops are gone from area) the show will go on.
Should you be impressed with their pelvic floor control you can always barfine them for a private show
And no, I did not.
wokka.
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Thai Girls : Meet Active Thai Girls
Posted on: 3:50 am on June 4, 2006
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poskat
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"We are looking into room options at the moment for November and will be travelling on a fairly tight budget this time around. Green mansion is looking ok as are the lamai inn and hotels."
I stayed at the Green mnasion last Feb for a week. The rooms were very big, anmd clean, in-room safe, big shower, balcony etc.... the aC was so good I didn't run it very high or long to keep the room very cool.
the guys who run it are fun guys. I give it a thumbs up. I paid 1000B per night.
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Bangkok Girls : Meet Attractive Thai Girls
Posted on: 4:22 pm on June 7, 2006
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