Bangkok.baronbonk.com: Want to gogo from the gogos then try a g club

G Club : There ia an alternative to gogo

Want to gogo from the gogos then try a g club

Are you tired of the cynicism of gogo bars? Do you dread the inane inquisition (where you flom?...how long you stay Thailand?) from Isaan Coke guzzlers when all you want to do is sit back and enjoy the show?
If so, salvation might be at hand. There is another nightlife world out there that is unknown to many long-time Bangkok residents who have never ventured beyond Patpong, Nana Plaza and Soi Cowboy. It is more sophisticated and you might spend a fortune on lady-drinks without getting laid if you don’t quickly develop a game-plan. It is a predominantly Asian scene being infiltrated by discerning farangs. Gentlemen, I give you the gentlemen’s clubs, aka g-clubs or member clubs.
The Cheap Baron was alerted to this alternative by Smitty, until recently the joint owner of the Big Mango Bar in Nana Plaza and a prolific chronicler of the nightlife scene on his excellent blog 2thebigmango.com. He is a recent convert to the g-clubs, which have been around for years but are experiencing a revival in conjunction with the craze for coyote dancing.
“The member clubs are how the Thais and other Asians party in Bangkok,” he says. “You would not see these guys in Nana but they like to go out, buy drinks, sit with girls and take some of them home. I think some of the girls in these clubs are the hottest in Thailand when it comes to their looks, their bodies, their fashion sense and the way they carry themselves as women. End of story.”
It was time to find out more. I headed to The Pent with Bill, a new member. This club opened on Wireless Road, about a five-minute walk from Ploenchit Skytrain station, four years ago. If you just want to check out the club, you can pay 660 baht for two drink vouchers or 3,000 baht for a bottle of Chivas whisky (the bottle can be shared by a group of non-members). Membership costs 20,000 baht but this isn’t as expensive as it sounds – you are basically pre-paying for your drinks and can choose to have 11 bottles of Chivas (or your spirit of choice), including free mixers, or 100 bottles of beer. Membership brings other benefits such as invitations to special events.
Most g-clubs consist of one large hall where the entertainment switches between a live band and coyote dancers. The Pent differs in that it has four areas: the main lounge and showroom, a quieter upstairs level overlooking the main area, a swimming pool area where parties are sometimes held and a very lively discotheque that swings into action at about 10.30pm.
The top-end cars that filled the parking area gave a hint of the opulence inside. The Pent is an upscale venue with attentive service and classy furnishings and décor. As we took seats at the bar, we were quickly joined by the PR woman who had sold Bill his membership. Entertainment in the showroom starts at 9pm. The band was knocking out a number on the stage as four coyote dancers gave a very lively and professional performance as far removed from the Nana shuffle as you could imagine. The volume was kept at a sensible level that enabled people to converse.
After a few whiskies, we headed for the disco. This was the party area, with a younger crowd enjoying a more raucous atmosphere as the coyote girls danced energetically to mainly hip-hop music. The PR lady was never far away and Bill was quickly joined by a 24-year-old dancer he had befriended on his first visit.
Some g-clubs charge customers 300 baht an hour for the company of the coyote dancers or ‘pretties’, the smartly dressed hostesses who mingle with customers. The Pent has no such policy, though lady-drinks are a whopping 320 baht (250 baht for members). Bill bought the PR lady and the dancer a drink, though after that they were happy, as was this cheap companion, to share his whisky.
What of the ladies? There were certainly plenty of extremely attractive girls, generally taller and fairer than the Isaan types you will see in the gogo bars. Asians prefer light-skinned women. Many of the coyote dancers are university students and speak good English. You cannot barfine them but it is possible to meet them outside work if they are agreeable. Like many of us, Bill is middle-aged and no babe magnet, but he already has the phone numbers of the friendly dancer and the PR lady.
“I’m guessing that the limited number of farangs works in favour of guys like me,” says Bill. “Some girls want to speak English and probably want to marry a farang and live happily ever after. On my first visit to this club, I had contact with six women interested in hanging out with me. All were young and most were beautiful.
“I used to be sceptical about these clubs, but not now. And they are not particularly expensive. I go through about half a bottle of whisky on each visit, which is about 900 baht of my membership fee. Throw in a couple of lady-drinks and my bill for a great fun evening is 1,400 baht. I would spend that money in a few gogo bars without having as much fun or meeting such classy women.”
Sopranos (Sukhumvit Soi 26) is considered by many to be number one on the g-club circuit with its superb house band and different dance set every night. Forte (RCA) and The Pent have the same owners and are right up there with the best. The Resort (Ratchadaphisek Soi 13) is a small club with a reputation for being packed with stunning girls, while the cavernous Ritz (Sukhumvit Soi 11) and Caribbean (Prachuathit Road) are also popular.
Aficionados also speak highly of Piano (Soi Ekamai), Exotica (Soi Thonglor), Chateau Le Blanc (Soi Ekamai), Tango (Sukhumvit Soi 42), Sky (Srinakarin Road), White House (Ratchada), The Glass House (Ratchada) and Sherbet (Soi Ekamai).
Gentlemen, leave the sleaze behind.

For more information about The Pent, contact Joy on 0816 161548.