Valentine Karaoke - A bullet dodged

[greenteariot]

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/national/30355897

I knew something was up!  If a tuktuk driver offers to take you to Valentine Karaoke in Chiang Mai, just say no!

One night last weekend I had taken a look at the talent at Foxy Lady Gogo but wasn't feeling it...the girls seemed really lazy that night and there was already a large group of Chinese guys in there though they all seemed to be passing one dancer around.  The rest of the ladies were just sitting over by the bar looking bored or half-heartedly dancing on the stage, I wasn't even hassled by anyone for a LD that's how low the energy was in there which was a huge change from my one previous experience.  So I drank my one beer, paid, and left.  

Being already a little mao and feeling lazy I decided to take a tuktuk waiting outside to check out Spotlight and somehow let him talk me into stopping at Valentine Karaoke first...the way he was trying to sell this place immediately put my guard up and luckily I'd already heard some stories about Chiang Mai karaokes being ripoff joints.  On the ride over, he's texting someone, probably to call ahead and tell them he's got about to drop off a mark.  I actually hate karaoke bars in the US unless I'm drunk so I guess I was more than a little mao.  Anyway, we roll up after a bit and I'm immediately whisked into a room by the female manager(mamasan? I don't know I've never been to an asian "karaoke" before) along with one dude who looks like security.  Ok, I'm feeling even more uncomfortable with this situation especially with a security guy in the room.  The manager goes over the fees to have a girl spend time with me(something like 400thb/half hour) which seems reasonable enough and then shows me the drink menu.  Holy shit, I don't even remember some of the prices but they were vastly inflated and I'm already feeling less mao and wanted out.  I go along with the manager to be nice and asked for a lineup...wow, the girls were pretty ugly in the face by my standards and I'm saying "thank you but no thank you" and tell the manager I want to go.  The manager makes a joke that she could spend time with me(she was actually decently attractive and had good English) but nope my mind was already made up and  I'm more than a little suspicious that I'm being set up.

Walk back to the tuktuk driver, he seems annoyed(I'm assuming he gets some sort of kickback) and off we go to Spotlight.  

Anyway, that was a bullet dodged for me.  Hope this helps another BM out someday.