What price a Pattaya drink?

November 27, 2011

If you are in any kind of bar where the ladies employed to distract you ask for a personal libation, it is advisable to at least ask the impost of said thirst-quencher. Years ago, lady drinks were a standard price and style in most places. Nowadays, there are standard lady drinks, which might be a champagne glass of lolly water filled with not much more than two sips of coloured liquid, or they might be a proper glass filled with the damsel’s choice of poison. Then there are tequila shots doubling as lady drinks, cocktails also in the same line-up, and the prices for these can vary wildly from place to place.

I mention this because there are a number of beer boozers who make a point of ramping up the price of a lady drink, knowing the average two-week millionaire doesn’t look at what he is spending and almost without fail will buy a lady drink for the first female he lays eyes on at a bar.

So, while the punter may sip away on a bottle of Singha for 75 baht, his new-found potential horizontal folk dancing partner may be slurping to her hearts’ (and purses’) content on a glass of coloured juice being charged out at anything up to 150 baht and more.

From my point of view, an eagle-eyed and aware punter will be forewarned about the real overall intentions of his prospective foot-warmer by what kind of drink, and the price thereof, she orders. If it’s a glass of cola for 80-90 baht then she might be someone worth spending a little more time and money on. If she comes back with half a rainforest in a champagne glass for 160 baht then you are going to be in serious financial trouble the more time you spend with her. Cut your losses and look elsewhere.

Ó Duncan Stearn