Off fee and boy tips now that the dollor is going up

[Wesley]

In a post the other day one poster mentioned that now that the dollar was on the way up that off fees maybe even drinks as well may be changing,

So, the question is now days what is the average off fee for a bar.

The average cost for a normal beer

And the average tip for the boy.

I know that there are big tippers and cheap skates, I will adjust my tips and such according to my personality, but I guess at this point the average suggested cost for these three basics would be appreciated. Also is there a difference for Bangkok and Pattaya.

So back to old question how much for an off. I did a search but, I did not see anything recent with that kind of information. Are there some bars that I need to just stay away from? Ones that have big drink costs for no good reason? I read in some posts that some they felt were out of line with the rest. Are all bar off fees basically the same or does that vary as well now days. Use to be, you pretty much could expect the same in all bars since there was usually good competition. Would nto want to get accused of beign like Bad Boy Billy.

Wes

..but baht purchased a bit more cheaply.

Why should the dollar/baht rate have any bearing on what you tip a boy? Do you think he's going to the bank to change the baht you give him into dollars?

[jimnbkk]

In a post the other day one poster mentioned that now that the dollar was on the way up that off fees maybe even drinks as well may be changing,


Wes

I doubt that the changing dollar/baht ratio will have any effect whatsoever. The British Pound is crumbling against the Baht, and I'd bet there are more Brits in the Land of Smiles than those of us from USA. So, I agree with Chao Na that the Baht cost will likely be the same, but it's going to cost us from USA less, and those from Britain a bit more.

We've not had a poll on off fees for about a year. Might be time to do another one.

[joe552]

Luckily for me the Euro is doing so well.

Luckily for me the Euro is doing so well.

Make the most of it while it lasts.

[dab69]

if the dollar isn't doing as well in exchange, I just adjust the number of offs rather than the amount tipped. But it really doesn't factor in much if the dollar is going up.

So, the question is now days what is the average off fee for a bar.

The off fee can vary Wes where it can be slightly higher in some bars, than it is in others. That said, those bars charging the slightly higher fees in comparison to the others are ones that in Pattaya at least, are very much in the tiny majority. The norm I believe is 300 baht, which is the same amount that it has been for some time now.

There are also certain circumstances, where the off fee is one where it is the norm rather than the exception for some farang to negotiate, where it can be as little as absolutely nothing at all, not even one solitary satang. You should ask the Colonel if you have any doubt about this. I am sure that he will be only too pleased and proud to admit to you, that the no off fee at all, is the fee personally enjoyed by him the large majority of the time to those willing and brave enough of course, to accompany him to his abode in order to be afforded the pleasure of being able to sit on his face.

In fact Wes, knowing him to be the creature of habit that he is and one that is normally around at this time of the morning, I think I can be confident in saying to you, that you will not have to wait very long at all for him to confirm what I have said above as being true. Whilst here, he may even do something extremely rare and totally out of the norm for him and make some comment or the other which will be directed at me. Who knows what to expect where the colonel is concerned, he is so unpredictable. :angel9:


Choc Dee,


George.

[thrillbill]

Give me a break! The "off fee" or "tip" fluctuates with the exhange rate between the dollar and baht? (I didn't see these social services go down in price when the baht was strong.)

I bet the majority of these boys' customers are from countries that already have/had a strong currency. How about having different prices according to which country you come from? a German would pay more than an American....an American would pay more than some dude from Zimbabwe or Turkmenistan... How about senior citizen discounts on Wednesdays?

[b]How about senior citizen discounts on Wednesdays?

I am certain thrillbill, that you will have the majority of those here ready to march at the drop of an hat behind you or anyone else prepared to lead them and would have their banners at the ready, if they believed for one second that there was even only the slightest chance of them getting that concession agreed to by each and everyone of the bar owners.

In fact on thinking about the power of those words of yours and the way they will be taken by some, I don't expect it will very long before your PM box is inundated with inquiries as to the day and time the march is going to take place. :iconbiggrin:


George.

Good topic, not much of ground reality responses. However, as a frequent traveller what I have noticed is that what what we pay the boys have not gone up since 2001, though the Bar owners have hiked the rates. I would assume that when the traffic to the Bars are low, you would either keep the off fees and the dirnk charges the same or low in order to increase the volume of sales. In other words you would do things differently to increse the traffic into your bars and keep them long so they would soend more. On the contrary, the Bars (in particular BKK) have hiked the prices and as a result suffering from low turn over in customers. From the tourists point-of-view, their trips these days cost more than what it used to be 5 years ago. On top of it when they get the feeling that they are getting ripped-off by the Bar owners, they either totally boycott those particualr bars or walk-in, pick-up the boy and walk out. Some or most smart farangs are beginning to operate out of the bars sitting at the Cafes and the boys too understand the trend and playing the same game. So my point here is that the Bars have lost quality of shows and boys that they used to attract and retain 5 years ago.

Coming to the point of how these affects the way we pay the boys, in my opinion it has not changed. For the boys, still the going rate is 1000 Bhat for short time and 1500 Bhat for the long-stay. However, most generous and understanding customers pay them more than these rates. This can vary from 2000-3000 Bhat per night. The boys, why they stil stick around the Bars?. The smart ones know that there will be that one good amonst the 5 farangs who take them out in a week, who will supplement their income by paying generaously. 1% of those good customers may take them for shopping, but them gold, mobile or even they will fall in love and support them with education, family needs or monthly allowance. The boys all wait in this hope to catch that big fish and it happens everyday, every week, every month and every year. They believe in that and wait patiently for that day. The noraml customer who pays the standard market rate, for the boys it is just another one who passes by until they meet their real bait. They know who will pay them what, who comes regularly, who is the nice guy, who pays the boys well and take good care of them. As much as we discuss about them, they discuss about us.

For the bar owners it may be a concern, the cost of Bhat and the corresponding drop in the customers or tourist. They respond to situation in a selfish manner by raising the bills to balance their profits. The poor boys, still get paid the same as in 2001. They don't understand the exchange rates or the effects of that on the industry. What their hope, in the true passive cultural way who has the kind heart, who can understand their plight, understand why they are working the bars, who understands they are alos human beings and would like to be treated equally and respectfully. That's their hope and that hope still lives-on, while many of us try exploit their fate

For the bar owners it may be a concern, the cost of Bhat and the corresponding drop in the customers or tourist. They respond to situation in a selfish manner by raising the bills to balance their profits.Outrageous behaviour! Anyone would think they're in business because they're {gasp} capitalists and want a decent return on their investment

Please dont take in part and spin the whole thing. If Bar owners can have a realistic approach in challenging times, it will be happier place for all ...... the owners, employees, customers and the boys

[Wesley]

I have been one of the 1500 guyтАЩs short time or long, unless it is really early enough for him to get back to get another off. I had heard that the bars had gone up and was wondering why in a down market, it seems capitalism has not been introduced. Attract more customers with lower prices get larger volume and make more money with offтАЩs . A few stay less to not pay for drinks and loose the stick around money. If it were up to me I would be willing to cut prices and attract better boys and more of them with a full house that are willing to stay for a while. If I am going to spend time getting drunk better to take it to the dance bars and buy a bottle and have a party for what you can sit and drink beer for. I would have thought that it had gone up some since prices are up and inflation is up everywhere and the economy everywhere is suffering. But a smart guy would keep them low and go for volume. If I go to a bar with a few I assume not much happening and move on to one which may seem to be having a good time and a good night. But some like it quiet I guess.

Wes

For the bar owners it may be a concern, the cost of Bhat and the corresponding drop in the customers or tourist. They respond to situation in a selfish manner by raising the bills to balance their profits.Outrageous behaviour! Anyone would think they're in business because they're {gasp} capitalists and want a decent return on their investment

How very dare they indeed, the sheer audacity of such behaviour. http://i281.photobucket.com/albums/kk216/ThaiRakThai/2003_rolling_eyes_backwards.gif



George.

Thanks Wesley good one

Please dont take in part and spin the whole thing. If Bar owners can have a realistic approach in challenging times, it will be happier place for all ...... the owners, employees, customers and the boys

Steve with respect, it is obvious to me from your posts that you do not reside here in Thailand and have no idea whatsoever just how low the low season currently is at this time. Believe me where "challenging times" and bar owners are concerned, they couldn't be any more challenging than they are at present.

I can't talk for the bars in Bangkok although there are plenty here that can, but the large majority of bars in Pattaya are not even taking amounts at the moment to even come anywhere near matching their monthly outgoings and there just arn't enough arses in town to go onto seats, whatever they do in order to try and put them there.

Whilst not expecting you to shed any tears for their current predicament and having no desire whatsoever to be looked upon as the Patron Saint of Barkeepers, I am asking that you consider cutting them some slack and give them a break when it is one that is genuinely deserved by them. I speak as someone, certainly as far as Sunee goes, that knows first hand the amounts involved that the majority of bars there have to meet in their regular monthly expenditure for rent, utilities and payment to staff, as well as other monies that without mentioning, anyybody with even the tiniest amount of knowledge as to how things operate here, are aware of other payments that have to be made in addition to the ones mentioned above by me.

I have seen several posters on here in my time as a member here, telling bar owners how they should run their bars and what they should and shouldn't do, as well as those like you are now doing, who want them to give their drinks away for free. Ok, I will concede that wanting them to give it away for free is an exaggeration on my part, but I hope it emphasis my point when I say to you, that if you think a bar is that easy to operate and so highly profitable, than why the fuck aren't you and others that think the same way, over here and running one yourselves?

A fair question I believe on my part Steve, knowing what the true economic situation is here right now rather than being miles away and only thinking you know what it is. Should you not accept what I have said to you here as being true and wish to prove me wrong in the only way I believe you can, I look forward to your forthcoming announcement here on Sawatdee, as to what the date will be for the grand opening of Bar Steve Cool Guy a Go Go.


Cheers,



George.

I've always just used that standard even when the dollar was doo-doo.

Mind you I'm not a go-go afficionado so I don't follow "off fees".

My motto is 10% Tip or $1 per bag moved. Irregardless.

But then I'm American and not a Europeen cheapskate.

Edit: should say 10% but $1 minimum.
Jeez, it's only a fucking dollar!

... I really piss off my boyfriend by my "extravagant" ways.

But sheet. Who's paying the bills?

But then I'm American and not a Europeen cheapskate.How are American cheapskates different?

[MARK]

Off fee 300Bht has been for 3 years
Drinks 110bht 10% raise in past 3 years were 99Bht
boys drink coupon the tip the boy is given when you buy him a drink was 30Bht now 40Bht up 30% coverd by the bars profit to help staff in low season.

As for boys time you should always talk with the boy and agree this with him before you go to your room so there is no misunderstanding. :blackeye:

Why should the dollar/baht rate have any bearing on what you tip a boy? Do you think he's going to the bank to change the baht you give him into dollars?

Because the original poster lives in the U.S., has no way of finding sex or cannot afford sex there. He has limited resource of U.S. dollars funds, and keep counting his dollars and his days to come back to LOS. While hs is happy that the U.S. dollars has gone up a bit, he is also worrying the tips may go up.

Sounds like a thread to go into the stupidest excuses to start a thread about go-go boys archive, to me.

The reason that many Europeans seem to be cheapskates is that many countries have traditions of paying service personnel decent wages. Nowadays many countries have minimum wages. The tip has already been paid into the rather high prices one pays for served food and wine. The service cost is factored into the price of the commodity served. Is that too hard a concept to grasp? People who cannot understand the practices of people from other countries and economic systems are simply bigots and need to reflect on their frequent pejorative posts.

Sounds like a thread to go into the stupidest excuses to start a thread about go-go boys archive, to me.

Who was it that held the gun against your head and forced you to read it? Reading the thread in it's entirety is something that you obviously didn't do, otherwise you would have seen posts within it that not only made some very valid points, but contained information within them that in all probability, would not have been known before by some members here and in the case of the information honestly provided in Mark's post from the Krazy Dragon, it would have certainly been impossible for anyone to have known about prior to his posting. Always assuming of course, that they are not a fucking psychic. http://i281.photobucket.com/albums/kk216/ThaiRakThai/2003_rolling_eyes_backwards.gif


George.

The fault lies with the Thais for beating around the bush with "off fees" and "tips". They should simply have a menu on the table:

Boy make hand job you 300 baht
You-smoke-boy 500 baht
Boy-smoke-you 750 baht
Boy-smoke-you and swallow 1,000 baht
You fuck boy 750 baht
Boy fuck you 500 baht
Boy sit your face 500 baht/hour
You sit boy face "are you out of your fucking mind?"
Boy pretend to like you 750 baht/hour

It would solve all this silliness once and for all, don't you think?

The fault lies with the Thais for beating around the bush with "off fees" and "tips". They should simply have a menu on the table:

Boy make hand job you 300 baht
You-smoke-boy 500 baht
Boy-smoke-you 750 baht
Boy-smoke-you and swallow 1,000 baht
You fuck boy 750 baht
Boy fuck you 500 baht
Boy sit your face 500 baht/hour
You sit boy face "are you out of your fucking mind?"
Boy pretend to like you 750 baht/hour

It would solve all this silliness once and for all, don't you think?

It most certainly would Chao Na, however the simplicity in it's self of your example above, would I am afraid cause far too many complications in certain areas for some. http://i281.photobucket.com/albums/kk216/ThaiRakThai/happy011.gif


Cheers,


George.

Give me a break! The "off fee" or "tip" fluctuates with the exhange rate between the dollar and baht? (I didn't see these social services go down in price when the baht was strong.)

I bet the majority of these boys' customers are from countries that already have/had a strong currency. How about having different prices according to which country you come from? a German would pay more than an American....an American would pay more than some dude from Zimbabwe or Turkmenistan... How about senior citizen discounts on Wednesdays?

Oh Thrillbill, the common American still thinks that there influance around the World is very important, so important that their $ even influences the off fees overhere. Let them dream on!!

[Wesley]

No, Speaking as an American, the fact is oil is based on the dollar, oil goes up products go up and inflation takes off driving groceries up since it takes more to fly drive and deliver products . its not that American think there dollar is special, just that until the Euro takes the place of the dollar most products are based on the rise and fall of the dollar, the dollar falls the oil goes up to keep profits the same and then everything else goes up because of the rise in the price of oil. I donтАЩt think any American thinks the dollar is the problem. We think the oil rich countries in the Middle East are going to make a buck no matter how it affects the world economy. The same is true for investor trading in oil makes a false sense of the price of oil based investments not supply and demand. When Bush dropped the based off shore drilling the price of oil begin to drop. It was not a matter of supply and demand, it was that inventors realized the top dollar for a barrel of oil had topped out and they began to sell at a high to make money off us poor guys who have to buy gas to make the business work. So, the fall of the dollar, the unscrupulous investment in oil and fall of demand for oil and threats of American independence on mid-eastern oil influenced he inflation rate which for the most part is based on oil and the rate of the dollar on the world market. The fact that the dollar has taken about a 9% rise in the past month helps inflation world wide. Mostly because oil is based on the dollar. The fact that the Iraq war is winding down and supply and demand is down and the dollar seems to be recovering agaist most Asian markets makes a difference there. If you need to know more ask kence he is the real investment queen here.

Why should the dollar/baht rate have any bearing on what you tip a boy? Do you think he's going to the bank to change the baht you give him into dollars?

Because the original poster lives in the U.S., has no way of finding sex or cannot afford sex there. He has limited resource of U.S. dollars funds, and keep counting his dollars and his days to come back to LOS. While hs is happy that the U.S. dollars has gone up a bit, he is also worrying the tips may go up.

That sounds pretty likely to me. While I was thinking about this possibility, and researching it, I came upon the following website:

http://www.rentboy.com/Default.aspx

If you narrow your search to the US (and, I believe Europe) you will find no one available for less than 3,500 baht ($USD 100).

What's worse is that these dudes will probably give you a bad feeling and a bad experience. And that, for me, is the real reason to live in Thailand. Thai guys do not typically do that. They will generally try to turn the off, like all things, into a fun experience. This concept is totally alien to farang hustlers.

George, if you read my message carefully; your suggestion for me to start a Bar entirely contradicts the position I have taken. Your response has the real solutions to the issues I have raised therein. If you can not run a bar profitably, why open one or continue running it? If the market conditions dictate that you should exit a certian market segment, then you should and come-back (if you are addicted to boys) when the market conditions improve.

So George, you can be rest assured I will be not foolish to open a bar given the current market conditions and if at all I open one you will be my main Mamasag - I mean PIMP !!

If you can not run a bar profitably, why open one or continue running it? .. and if at all I open one you will be my main Mamasag - I mean PIMP !!George did open a bar of his own, the Lost Boys - http://www.sawatdee-gay-thailand.com/fo ... .php?e=372 (http://www.sawatdee-gay-thailand.com/forum/weblog_entry.php?e=372)

It apparently didn't make a profit. However you will be the pimp, stevekoolguy, as the bar income, less expenses, goes to you. The mamasan, whatever the form of remuneration, is merely an employee