DreamGirls

Almost spelled September wrong! Anyway, no discussion about a trip to Thailand would be complete without at least some mention of the thriving sex industry. Thanks to my friend's perseverance, I have some interesting information.

The main thing that is different about the sex trade there is the openness. From the staff, the prostitutes, even the locals, are very candid and open about it. No code or secrets are necessary, very plain language is used in the ordering and negotiation. It seems that this practice is somewhat excepted and forgotten in society's collective eye. The most interesting place we visited one night while clubbing was what appeared to be a strip club named DreamGirls. But, what you find inside is completely different.

DreamGirls more resembles a car showroom for women. The complex consists of a large room with a bar, and many levels of seating all centered on a large platform raised about 4 feet in the air. The outsides of the platform contain 4 poles, while in the center is a sort of rotating pole merry-go-round. On the poles you will find some girls dancing, though not naked but rather in skimpy clothing, which changes in theme from night to night, I saw sailor costumes and bikinis. Most of the men are simply enjoying the show, while some decide to at least start off the night by talking to a girl, which will cost you about 4 bucks, you should also buy them a drink.

While the majority of the men seemed to enjoy talking or watching, for another $15 you can leave with the girl and then pay her about $60 for an hour of private conversation in the venue of your choice. Don't forget to tip. I also found out that the bar itself has upper accommodation for those who don't want to leave the bar.

It's critical to understand that this isn't adult entertainment, that's why the girls aren't naked, it's, rather, a showroom for the bar's product. Still, during my time, I saw few girls get called to talk and ever fewer leave with a patron. Still an interesting place to visit and recommended, especially for any feminist visitors you happen to be low on outrage that particular day.

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