How far does $100 go in Bangkok nowadays?

**Gerbil** · 28-03-2013, 10:31 PM

For the majority of my life, my income has been in US$, so I still tend to price things that way.

When I arrived here in the mid 80's we had the pretty much fixed 25:1 exchange rate. Then of course in 97 things collapsed, reaching a peak of around 50:1. Over the last 10 years that has slowly declined to 30:1 (Ok it's lower, but these numbers are easier to work with).

So how has that (and inflation) affected the price of a good night of debauchery for those of us who get their income from overseas?

(This comparison is not intended for those who regard a good night as a few beers at home with the missus, food from the market and watching a DVD. I do that as well, but still enjoy a good night out on occasion - Although since being married, the girl prices are 'here-say'

)

(All prices are averaged, as I recall them from the time)

So the 'benchmark' for this is:

1) 8 beers in a nightlife area.
2) A 'farang' meal in a decent place.
3) 4 'ladydrinks'
4) A barfine
5) Girls money

80's
----

Beers: 8 * 50 = 400 Baht
Meal: 300 Baht
Lady Drinks: 4 * 60 = 240 Baht
Barfine: 400
Girl: 500

Total: 1,840 Baht or about 73$

After the crash
---

Beers: 8 * 80 = 640 Baht
Meal: 400 Baht
Lady Drinks: 4 * 100 = 400 Baht
Barfine: 500
Girl: 1000

Total: 2,940 Baht or about 58$ (It was great to paid in $ then

)

Now
----

Beers: 8 * 150 = 1200 Baht
Meal: 600 Baht
Lady Drinks: 4 * 180 = 720 Baht
Barfine: 500
Girl: 2000

Total: 5,020 Baht or about 167$

Given the poor economy in the rest of the world, does this mean we will be seeing the end of the sex tourist market? Plus, will this then have a corresponding impact on some of the ridiculous drinks prices charged by bars nowadays?

**klong toey** · 28-03-2013, 10:35 PM

Cut out the lady drinks,barfine and the girls money you will have some change then.
I generally drink in bars where the beer is 75 baht being married has its benefits as well.

**Gerbil** · 28-03-2013, 10:41 PM

^ Yeah, but I go to drool over the eye candy and the old bats in my local don't provide that, unless I up the beer intake until the beer goggles kick in

**Yasojack** · 28-03-2013, 10:44 PM

good post

just a matter of time and they will price themselves out the market.

with tourism these days heading towards the indians and mainland chinese, i would say within the next few years sex tourism could well be a thing of the past.

the chinese tourism from what i see is the older generation and the indians are after everything cheap.

The russians will go to pastures new.

philipines could be the new market in Asia in time

**Fondles** · 28-03-2013, 10:48 PM

Who the fuck pays Bt.150 for a beer ?

**Gerbil** · 28-03-2013, 10:53 PM

Originally Posted by Fondles

Who the fuck pays Bt.150 for a beer ?

I said 'nightlife area' in Bangkok.

ok.... I should have been more specific and excluded Thai nightlife areas and similar karaoke dives, etc. My idea of a good night out is not having to worry about whether the drunken collection of motorbike taxi drivers suddenly want to practice their English on the farang at the next table.

**BaitongBoy** · 28-03-2013, 10:58 PM

Check your figures again, Gerbil...One of your totals is wrong, I believe...

**klong toey** · 28-03-2013, 11:07 PM

Originally Posted by Gerbil

^ Yeah, but I go to drool over the eye candy and the old bats in my local don't provide that, unless I up the beer intake until the beer goggles kick in

I like bars with a street view and i am allowed to look still enjoy a bit of girl watching.
Can't be bothered with gogo bars though.

**snakeeyes** · 28-03-2013, 11:08 PM

Originally Posted by BaitongBoy

Check your figures again, Gerbil...One of your totals is wrong, I believe...

Explain.

**Gerbil** · 28-03-2013, 11:14 PM

Originally Posted by BaitongBoy

Check your figures again, Gerbil...One of your totals is wrong, I believe...

dont think so. totals add up (conversion to $'s is rough). actual prices are based on an average of experience in places I've frequented over the years (but obviously excluding low end and high end)

**BaitongBoy** · 28-03-2013, 11:16 PM

^Fair enough...

**snakeeyes** · 28-03-2013, 11:31 PM

Originally Posted by BaitongBoy

^Fair enough...

I will send you a calculator for christmas , you made me check that 6 times ,

**Yasojack** · 28-03-2013, 11:38 PM

its a chinese calculator.

**Rural Surin** · 28-03-2013, 11:54 PM

$100 goes a lot farther and an all-around better value once one gets out of the big bad evil city.

Move.

**Gerbil** · 29-03-2013, 12:00 AM

^ Fuck off idiot and read the thread. I'm talking about specific areas / activities in a specific city.

**snakeeyes** · 29-03-2013, 12:06 AM

^^^^^

**TonyBKK** · 29-03-2013, 12:08 AM

I'm not really into the gogo scene, but do hit them from time to time and have noticed that bar fines keep going up up up! Gone are the days of 500 baht bar fines. 600-1000 baht bar fines are not uncommon these days in Bangkok... Screw that, I prefer to pick up chicks in clubs and beer gardens. No bar fine and sometimes you actually meet a girl with a real job who just wants to have some fun. If you want to drink good beer you have to pay. If you don't mind drinking piss you can get it cheap. Same goes for food- you get what you pay for.

**Butterfly** · 29-03-2013, 12:17 AM

Originally Posted by Gerbil

After the crash
---

Beers: 8 * 80 = 640 Baht
Meal: 400 Baht
Lady Drinks: 4 * 100 = 400 Baht
Barfine: 500
Girl: 1000

Total: 2,940 Baht or about 58$ (It was great to paid in $ then )

Now
----

Beers: 8 * 150 = 1200 Baht
Meal: 600 Baht
Lady Drinks: 4 * 180 = 720 Baht
Barfine: 500
Girl: 2000

Total: 5,020 Baht or about 167$

yep, that's how I remember it

whoring is no longer fun and cheap, it's expensive but the girls are also getting better

Germany has better deals for whoring and beers, I will try it in the next few weeks and report back, and could even do a pic thread

Thailand is done, the lost paradise is no longer, it's a crowded place with shit tourists, expats on light package, and full of British and European retirees

it has become a sad place to be IMO,

**Smug Farang Bore** · 29-03-2013, 12:21 AM

Funnily enough, I did a similar calculation in phnom penh the other night and for the menu above it came to $64

Just sayin like.

**Looper** · 29-03-2013, 02:21 AM

Originally Posted by Gerbil

Beers: 8 * 150 = 1200 Baht

Originally Posted by Gerbil

does this mean we will be seeing the end of the sex tourist market? Plus, will this then have a corresponding impact on some of the ridiculous drinks prices charged by bars nowadays?

It is still less than $5 for a beer. Same price as draft in a low rent bar in Aussie ... but with a stack of naked Thai girls

**wasabi** · 29-03-2013, 03:54 AM

We are Pattayas Future. Religious Police replace tourist police.

**Gerbil** · 29-03-2013, 04:06 AM

^ Is that Borat on the right?

**cheekyman** · 29-03-2013, 04:26 AM

Originally Posted by Gerbil

Given the poor economy in the rest of the world, does this mean we will be seeing the end of the sex tourist market? Plus, will this then have a corresponding impact on some of the ridiculous drinks prices charged by bars nowadays?

I agree with all your figures, basically in 28 years the prices have slightly more than doubled in $ terms. No big deal so has everything else.

A shit night out in Oz would cost more without the girls - Thailand still great value if you ask me.

**snakeeyes** · 29-03-2013, 04:54 AM

^^^

It's alright saying the prices are OK when your a tourist , it's a different matter when you are living there full time , everything is well over priced in the tourist areas for expats ,

**Yasojack** · 29-03-2013, 05:53 AM

Be interesting to see a price comparasion for the philiphines anyone visited lately.

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