Guide to Thai Bar Girls: What Tourists Need to Know
Published: September 30, 2021 - Reading time: 10 minutes
» Updated: October 14, 2024
Although we call them “girls”, Thai bar girls are adult women. A more appropriate term might be “Thai bar ladies”.
Thai bar girls are quite different from women who serve drinks in Western countries. The key distinction is that bar girls in Thailand are often involved in prostitution.
Some men may not fully grasp the nature of this profession before visiting Thailand, leading to ill-advised romantic entanglements with bar girls. In this article, we will explore some of the issues related to Thai bar girls.
What is a Thai bar girl?
A Thai bar girl is a woman who works at a bar in Thailand, often found in areas like Bangkok, Pattaya, Phuket, and other tourist destinations with vibrant nightlife. Their role is to engage with customers, often sitting and chatting with them in exchange for drinks. Bar girls earn a small commission every time a customer buys them a drink.
Most bar girls are also involved in 'leaving the bar with customers'... Customers can pay a “bar fine”, a fee paid to the bar to take one of the girls out. The customer will then have to pay an additional fee to the lady herself.
Some customers choose to spend an extended amount of time with a bar girl, often selecting a “holiday girlfriend” and spending a week or two with the same lady.
Bar girls often provide a “girlfriend experience” to their customers, leading some men to form romantic relationships with them.
Why do Thai women work in bars?
In traditional Thai culture, daughters are expected to support their parents in old age. Many of the women working in Thai bars are mothers themselves, struggling to provide for both their parents and children.
Child support is uncommon in Thailand, and when relationships break down, women often bear the financial burden of raising their children and supporting their families.
The minimum wage in Thailand is low and insufficient to support a family. Without a university degree or a good career, many women turn to working in bars as a means to earn a decent living.
Working in bars like beer bars, go-go bars, and other adult entertainment venues offers the opportunity for women to earn good money. Many also hope to meet a wealthy foreign boyfriend who will provide for them.
Stories of women finding foreign boyfriends who build them houses and buy them cars circulate in rural communities, encouraging more women to enter the adult entertainment industry, especially when they need money.
Some bar girls enjoy the lifestyle, while others may prefer a normal job but see bar work as a way to make ends meet. Everyone is different and circumstances vary from one woman to another.
Where do Thai bar girls work?
Thai bar girls work in various nightlife establishments, but their role is generally the same across different venues.
- Beer bars
Beer bars are common in tourist spots like Bangkok, Pattaya, and Phuket. These can include sports bars, girly bars, and pubs. Drinks in beer bars are typically cheaper than other venues, but prices can vary based on location.
- Go-go bars
Go-go bars feature dancers on stage who rotate with other ladies. Customers can easily identify dancers by their numbers and order drinks for them. Depending on the venue, the dancers may wear varying levels of clothing.
Go-go bars are usually more expensive than beer bars, with higher drink prices, lady drink prices, and bar fines.
- Gentleman’s clubs
These clubs are air-conditioned, enclosed bars that offer a more discreet environment than beer bars, making them popular with married men seeking privacy. Inside, the atmosphere is generally quieter.
- Ladyboy bars
These bars cater to those interested in ladyboys and operate similarly to regular bars, with both beer and go-go bar options available in most tourist areas.
- Nightclubs and discos
While not bars in the strictest sense, bar girls often work as freelancers in nightclubs and discos, looking for customers.
Thai bar girl words and phrases
Many Thai bar girls speak “bar girl English”, a form of broken English learned through working in bars. It can be difficult to understand at first, but you’ll soon pick up phrases like:
Butterfly: A customer who flits between different bar girls and doesn't stick with the same one.
Bar fine: A fee paid to the bar for taking a girl out.
No money no honey: A common phrase meaning that a bar girl’s attention is dependent on financial reward.
Lady drink: A drink bought for a bar girl, usually more expensive than a regular drink.
Cheque bin: A wooden cup that holds bills for drinks, which is settled before leaving the bar.
Mamasan: A lady (who is usually older) that is responsible for managing ladies in the bar and dealing with customer queries or complaints.
How do Thai bar girls earn money?
Thai bar girls typically have multiple sources of income:
- Salary
Bar girls can receive a basic salary from the bar that employs them (this is usually dependent on the lady working a certain number of days per month, having a certain amount of drinks bought for them per week/month, and sometimes a minimum number of bar fines).
- Tips
Tips from customers, pooled or direct, form another source of income.
- Lady drinks
Bar girls earn commission from drinks bought for them.
- Bar fines
When a customer pays a bar fine, the girl receives a portion of it.
- Short time/long time
Bar girls charge clients directly for their time, whether for a short or long period.
- Boyfriends/sponsors
Some bar girls rely on foreign boyfriends or sponsors, who often send money even after leaving Thailand. Bar girls will typically need long term financial support in order for them to stop working in the bar and change their lifestyle long term.
Thai bar girl scams
We have encountered numerous bar girl scams in our detective agency. Typically, a man will fall for a bar girl and believe she has stopped seeing other men, only to find out she is still working in the bar and entertaining other customers.
Bar girls are skilled at convincing boyfriends they are different, but the reality is that they continue working to earn money for themselves and their families.
It is risky to send money to a bar girl in the hope that she will stop working. Many will take the money and continue working, or leave only to return when more funds are needed. We can help to run a background check or confirm her story through surveillance.
Thai bar girl as your girlfriend
If you have a Thai bar girl as your girlfriend, consider her past experiences. She may have been with many men before you, and the influence of her friends and co-workers may shape her behaviour.
While some bar girls may genuinely stop working if supported by a boyfriend, others may simply be looking to earn as much money as possible through their customers.
If you need help investigating a bar girl’s activities, please get in touch with one of our experienced team members. Our service is entirely confidential.
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