February 2024
With February 2024 now behind us, Thailand’s nightlife continues to show resilience despite the seasonal shift. While the expected slowdown is evident, an interesting trend has emerged: tourists are staying longer, even as overall foot traffic begins to decline.
The anticipated downturn in gogo bar visitors has not been as severe as initially feared. Many venues still enjoy strong crowds from Thursday to Saturday, while Sunday to Wednesday can be hit or miss. Though the quieter season is setting in, some bars are still managing to fill their venues on peak nights.
A few factors influenced last month’s nightlife patterns:
- February is the shortest month of the year, naturally reducing the total number of nights for business.
- Thai Lent (Makha Bucha) saw many locals returning to their hometowns, temporarily impacting nightlife activity.
- Alcohol sales were banned during Thai Lent, with most venues shutting their doors at midnight on the 11th and not reopening until the 13th. This brief closure led to a noticeable dip in business during what would have otherwise been a bustling period.
However, fear not, the decline in peak-season tourists often brings a shift in the nightlife scene. This period tends to see more expats and long-term foreign residents emerge, enjoying the quieter atmosphere. With less crowding, more girls to choose from, and fewer inflated peak-season prices, many see this as the perfect time to go out.
Another major development is the emerging price war for dancers, spanning from Bangkok to Pattaya. Recruitment advertisements are now plastered across venue doors, as businesses compete to attract new talent. What was once a standard ฿500–฿700 daily salary has now escalated, with some venues advertising ฿700 to well over ฿1,000 per day.
In some cases, bars have even begun offering upwards of ฿1,500 per day to secure dancers, intensifying the competition. This raises an important question: will this impact smaller venues? Surely, this model isn’t sustainable in the long run. While larger establishments might be able to afford and absorb the higher costs of payroll, smaller bars could struggle to keep up, potentially leading to further shifts in the industry.
Meanwhile, clubs, lounges, and sky bars continue to thrive, often reaching full capacity even on Mondays, showing a shift in nightlife preferences toward more diverse and upscale venues.
As we settle into March, it will be interesting to see if the gogo industry maintains its current resilience or if the seasonal decline will deepen further. Either way, Thailand’s nightlife remains dynamic, adapting to the changing tides of tourism and local trends.
