How Much Money Do Go-Go Dancers Earn In Thailand?
Published: September 15, 2021 - Reading time: 6 minutes
» Updated: October 15, 2024
Go-go dancers in Thailand are among the top earners in the nightlife industry. Their earnings often surpass those of women working in beer bars or massage parlours.
Depending on factors such as the dancer's popularity, the establishment where she works, and whether she has sponsors, Thai go-go dancers can earn between 40,000 – 100,000 THB per month. Some dancers may even exceed this, particularly if they have multiple foreign 'boyfriends' supporting them.
Breakdown of Go-go Dancer Earnings
Go-go dancers typically receive a base salary from the bar, in addition to earnings from customer-purchased drinks and bar fines. The income of each dancer can vary significantly, but here's an example of a typical breakdown:
Go-go dancer salary: 15,000 THB
80 lady drinks (at 80 THB): 6,400 THB
25 customers (at 2,500 THB): 62,500 THB
25 bar fines (at 1,000 THB): 25,000 THB
Grand total: 108,900 THB
Generally, the base salary represents a small fraction of the dancer’s total income. Salaries fluctuate, often based on the amount of clothing worn while dancing. Higher salaries are also offered when the bars face staffing shortages to attract dancers.
It’s important to remember that these figures are only rough estimates as earnings can vary due to numerous factors.
Lady Drinks for Thai Go-go Dancers
Go-go dancers earn a commission whenever a drink is purchased for them, commonly referred to as 'lady drinks'. These drinks are often more expensive than standard drinks, with a typical price of 350 THB, of which the dancer might earn a 50—100 THB commission.
The commission per drink can vary from 50 to 100 THB, or more if a customer buys an expensive bottle of liquor to share with the dancer. Dancers often collect slips for each drink purchased and redeem them for their commission at the end of the night.
These commissions can accumulate quickly, with popular dancers receiving as many as 30-50 drinks in one night. Dancers frequently collaborate with each other to maximise their earnings, encouraging customers to buy drinks for their friends as well.
Are lady drinks alcoholic?
One common misconception is that all lady drinks are alcoholic. While this is sometimes the case, if a 40KG (90 pound) go-go dancer has 45 drinks bought for her in one night, then you can bet that not every one was alcoholic, unless she ended up in hospital as a result. Bar girls often drink non-alcoholic fruit juice or mixers when they feel that they've had enough.
Freelance Go-go Dancers
Some go-go bars employ freelance dancers who don’t receive a fixed salary but may get a small nightly retainer. Freelancers prefer this arrangement as it grants them more freedom to work at multiple bars or spend longer periods with particular customers.
Rules regarding lady drinks and bar fines may also differ for freelancers, depending on the bar.
How Many Customers Do Go-go Dancers Have?
The number of customers a go-go dancer has depends on her popularity and where she works. Top-earning dancers may have up to two short-time sessions per day during peak season, with each session lasting as little as 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, older or less attractive dancers might struggle to find even one customer per day.
Sponsoring a Thai Go-go Dancer
Sponsors provide a significant source of income for many go-go dancers. It’s not uncommon for men to fall in love with a dancer after spending time with her at the bar, despite the potential pitfalls.
Once a dancer secures a sponsor, she will often continue working at the go-go bar, reassuring her sponsor that she no longer engages with customers. In reality, many dancers continue to work as usual but lie to their sponsors about their activities.
Some dancers even convince their sponsors that they have quit the bar scene entirely. They send photos of themselves in the countryside or doing legitimate work, but behind the scenes, they continue working in the bars. Many sponsors are deceived, believing they are the only man in the dancer's life, while the dancer maintains several sponsors to maximise her income.
In a Relationship with a Thai Go-go Dancer
If you’re in a relationship with a Thai go-go dancer and sending her money under the assumption that she’s loyal, you might want to consider investigating her activities. Checking up on her can help protect your investment and give you peace of mind.
Our investigations into go-go dancers often save clients far more money than they would spend supporting a dancer for a short period, not to mention the emotional toll that can be avoided by learning the truth sooner rather than later.
Learn more about bar girl investigations.
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