Sukhumvit Psycho

I thought I would be the first to break the news but a quick search on Google just to make sure proved me wrong. Stickman had the information and it was published in his last weekly column that I always read late (if at all). I suspect he’s been tipped-off, because if you open a new p4p venue in Bangkok I guess the first thing you do is to talk to Stickman about it. Yes I’m jealous. But anyway, here is my own review.

Black Pagoda on Patpong soi 2 is not a go go bar. It is not a club either. It’s a Go Go Club. That’s a new concept in between. From what I heard, the owner of this new venue is also the owner of the Strip and Bar Bar, both on Patpong soi 2, and both also pretty unique in term of concept. No surprise then that he comes again with a new concept: the Go Go Club.

This Go Go Club replaces the late Park Bridge Club (a night club) which never really succeeded (or should I say “which quickly failed”). It is located on this small footbridge connecting the 2 buildings on both sides of Patpong soi 2.

Stickman’s description of the place is rather accurate, then please allow me to benefit from his goodjob and to copy the main part here.

“Black Pagoda could be described as cozy.  It’s not that big, at a guess about 100 square metres or so.  Each side is glass meaning that you can look down on to Patpong soi 2, below.  There are very thin curtains in place although if they could be removed, the advertising potential for the venue with those below seeing sexy girls dancing around poles would be priceless.  Sadly it seems that the men in tight brown uniforms are unconvinced and the curtains will remain, at least for the time being.

Chrome poles are found at one end of the venue and more will be added to the sides.  The venue is in fact not quite complete and its opening this past Wednesday was very much a soft opening.

There’s no gogo stage so the girls are wriggling around the pole at ground level, so to speak.  With no gogo stages and the girls adorned in bikini and light negligee, the venue has more of a club-like feel than that of a traditional Bangkok gogo bar.

There’s a small mezzanine floor area above the main bar area which may well get the nickname, “Heaven”.  Exactly how that part of the bar will be used remains unclear.”

Not unclear for me: The small mezzanine is also a part of the bar (just another place where customers can have a drink. They kept the luxurious chairs from the former owner). This is also where is the DJ (he used to be downstairs in a corner at Park Bridge).

As Stickman says, the access to the place is a problem: “Access to the venue is a problem, and I predict the biggest barrier the success of the venue faces.  It is two floors up and you currently have to make your way up a pretty nasty staircase to get there, dimly lit, grimy and covered in graffiti.  You could also take the age old lift but it feels like something out of a horror flick.  The venue is targeting the higher end of the market but getting there sees you pass through some dodgy walkways - not a good fit.”

And for me, when I saw the big guys at the door, I immediately wanted to make sure that they were not going to charge me 1,000 baht for a beer.

No, they’re not. Stickman has it right: “150 baht the going rate for standard drinks [...] It’ll set you back 250 baht for a premium drink (gold labels, special beers, Breezers etc.)“.

Go go clubs don’t come cheap! But Lady Drink are fairly priced at 150 baht.

Stickman mentions 20 girls. There were less than 12 when I visited and the only really pretty one was… the mamasan! Who’s very nice as well. Probably someone’s girlfriend but she wouldn’t tell. The others were all average, at best, and didn’t seem to be very “professionals”. Probably all new in the job.

Regarding prices, Stickman and I haven’t received exactly the same information. He says: “The venue features a flat rate barfine system that includes the barfine as well as the girl’s fee so you can leave your negotiating skills at home.  2,500 baht releases the lady from the bar and gets you 3 hours of her time.  Alternatively, 4,500 baht gets you 2 women for the same period.”

What I was told is that the Barfine was 1,000 baht and that the girl would go ST for 1,500 baht and LT for 3,000. It’s almost the same except that my understanding is that you only pay 1,000 baht before hand and not the whole amount, which can make a real difference. Some girls lose their motivation once the bill has been paid.

This higher-than-anywhere-around barfine policy is a bad thing in my opinion. I’d better give more to the girl and less to the bar. And I’m pretty sure that when the bar will recruit true talents (at least one bargirl who I talked to was a complete newbie in the business) they will probably ask for 2,000 baht ST and 4,000 LT, whatever the barfine price is.

The gentlemen guests only policy (which means that women can’t enter the bar) however is a good thing. Nothing more annoying than foreign women visiting a go go bar like it is a circus or something. Let’s see if it is enforced, though.

As a conclusion, I am not sure how this place will do. It’s definitely not worth a long trip to Patpong by itself (for those living on Sukhumvit, and we are many), but can be included in your next trip to Electric Blue or Star Of Light. If you knew the Park Bridge before, you may now want to see how they did different with pretty much the same. And if you didn’t know the Park Bridge, then you may want to see the first Go Go Club on a bridge, with an unbeatable view on both sides of Patong soi 2.

All Patpong Go Go bars (and 1 Go Go Club!) are listed here.