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A business story


AloyMak

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Last night I was in Nana, making the go-go rounds. As background, I come to Bangkok twice a year for the last 5 years. I am an 'easy mark' because when I do come, I'm here to spend money and have a good time.

 

So I'm out and one girl in particular caught my eye. Several lady drinks later for her an her friend, I decided that I should go as it was still early in the night. I ask the girl if she does LT and she enthusiastically responds yes. Before leaving I give the girl 300 baht and tell her I will probably be back. Less than 30 minutes in the bar and I've spent 1500. To further set the atmosphere, I'll say that by the end of our 3 hour tour of nana, my friend and I have easily spent 15k.

 

After making the rounds, I go back to this place to end the night. The girl spots me, squeals and comes over. I immediately buy her and her friend 2 shots each. I barfine the girl and in five minutes have run up a 1k bartab + a 600 baht barfine.

 

The girl gets dressed and just to make sure, I confirm she can do LT. Now, I'm not necessarily sure I want LT (I usually don't) but I just want the option. All of a sudden she's a hardworking student that has to make it to morning classes.

 

Ok, I say. No problem. Call the mamasan over and give me back the barfine.

 

I explain the situation and mamasan says, 'Cannot give back. You have to take a different girl.' I say to mamasan, 'Think about this carefully. I'm a good customer and I'll come to bangkok many times. Many of my friends live here and own bars and businesses. You can ask Khun Mao how much money I spend in her bars. You can either keep the 600 baht and I never come back or you can make me happy and make a lot more money for the bar.'

 

She thinks about it. She's clearly torn. She is calculating what she can do to convince me to take the girl. All she can come up with is 'No, cannot give back barfine money.'

 

I say, 'It is ok. I don't care about 600 baht. This is about whether you are a smart business woman. Let me make it easy for you. Give me back 600 and I will give 300 to the girl.'

 

She thinks hard. She's never seen me before. And unlike the typical drunk pissed-off patron, I'm not angry or loud (I've been drinking mostly soda water all night). She wonders whether I'll come back anyway. She wonders if I'll make a ruckus. She consults with the girl and comes back with 'How about you take 200?'

 

I laugh, stand up and say goodbye.

 

As I'm leaving, I realize she's made a good business decision. She probably came to the (correct) conclusion that I'm not coming back to the bar anyway and 600 baht in hand is probably worth a lot more than most customers are worth. She also marked me as the quiet, sensible sort of guy that wouldn't make much of a stink and let this sort of thing die quietly.

 

And she's absolutely right. Well, mostly...

 

The name of the bar is SPANKY'S.

 

My friend also had a great night that turned miserable when the girl he was buying drinks for (and tipping generously) got super pushy about being barfined. I'd avoid this bar.

 

 

 

A special nod to Steven Levitt (Freakonomics) who's article about bad chicken I stole from shamelessly.

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Ok for the record I have it from a reliable source that most of the girls there have a get out clause for LT if they not too fussed on the punter. Mine told me she have flu and A/C make her sick again maybe so she will see how she feels.

 

The admission came the morning after and she was in no hurry to leave :grinyes::grinyes::grinyes::sex::sex::sex:

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Up until the last trip or two, I never discussed ST/LT or "how much you give me?" Now, on occasion, I will discuss that if pressed. I say 100 baht short time and long time is until 11 a.m. Of course, if they just want the barfine paid, not much you can do about it if the bar is ready to stand behind them. In contrast to what Bust seems to be saying, I have heard of one very popular bar on SC that very much is in the customer's corner and tells the girls they must honor their committments. I had a prob once with a girl from that bar. I never said any thing to the mamasan, but word got back to her through other girls I'd known for quite a while. The girl was let go the next day when she returned to work. A year ago, I had a NEP mamasan return my barfine money after the whore decided to raise the price of admission and before we left the bar. No problems at all.

 

HH

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And she's absolutely right. Well, mostly...

 

The name of the bar is SPANKY'S.

 

...except how much is this post and these practices generally going to cost the bar? I personally think you are absolutely right to name the bar, but that is really not what interests me. The issues that interest me are (a) how do your price this sort of poor publicity and (B) to what extent are these costs recognized here?

 

My two satang? These costs are hard to impossible to quantify with any precision, but they are real. But, having said that, I think Thailand and business persons in Thailand in general have traditionally undervalued the value of goodwill. Look at what the airport fiasco has costed Thailand. The costs have taken most Thai business people I know completely by surprise, but the foreigners in the tourism sector through the business chambers immediately recognized what a disaster this would be.

 

Also, the response here is interesting. There is a "blame the messenger" mentality, meaning the efforts to criminalize negative postings about things Thai on the internet. I am betting technology and imagination with triump over these measures. Not good for Thailand, unless and until a new generation, which realizes the value of good will, takes over.

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I guess the other side to this is that perhaps the girls do draw the line somewhere (not directed at OP). If you are successful in any venture you have the privilege of choosing who you do business with.

 

Just out of curiosity what number was she?

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Well at the very least you considered your options and didn't take any of the bullshit. Sure you lost some coin, but based on some of the numbers you were throwing around this seems to be a 'principle' thing and they were not taken advantage of or compromised in any way.

 

WIll you truly avoid SPANKY's from now on? How snarky will you get when walking by, like holding a pig nose up with your finger or just ignore the joint completely?

 

Interested to know how you salvaged the night.

 

 

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