Upon learning that I was going on a vacation in Phuket, a lot of my friends told me I should go to the most frequented “tourist spot” there and watch a different kind of entertainment, Bangla Road in Patong. At first I didn’t have an idea of what they were talking about.. until I got there…
--------------o0o-------------
Along the streets of Bangla are the usual bars and restaurants (as well as souvenir shops).
)Sure, I’ve seen some movies showing girls dancing in the clubs, entertaining men and acting stupid. One of my ex boyfriends also gave me an idea of how it is in a girly bar (he used to work for a political icon and most of the time they go to Quezon Avenue to “de-stress” Hahahah! Okay, I know I sounded like a lenient girlfriend..
) but the ones in Bangla are ‘extreme’ and shocking.. Of course, picture taking isn’t allowed inside the strip club so I just posted the ‘wholesome’ ones taken along the street..When we came in, we were asked to sit in front of the stage coz that’s the only available table left. I did not want to, coz I found it really uncomfortable watching naked girls dance so close to me.. and it wasn’t just dancing that they did, it was their so-called “Ping-pong Show” (please refer to the photo of the ‘menu’ above). They danced with their brassiere on and wore a skirt without panties until they pull some items (listed on the ‘menu’) out of their…. you know what I mean.. Gross, isn’t it?
The next few shows were just plain a-go-go and pole dancing.. the numbers were non stop and there were like 3-5 of them dancing every set.
The customers may also take the ladies to accompany them in their table, they just have to pay for what they call bar fine. After every set, there were also ladies carrying cans asking around for tips. “A little help for the ladies”, I think, was written around the can.
I was just curious about this talk of the town but it was not really fun. While others were entertained, I found it really disgusting and I pity the girls coz it is kind of abusive. It really saddened me coz I am a woman and we all deserve to be respected. But how would you get respect when even the dirtiest creatures are coming out of your ‘hole’ for every customer to see? Oh well, like the ones depicted in movies, probably they don’t have the means to survive but to work this filthy.
Bangla Road is undeniably the hub of a different kind of entertainment. For the record, I do not promote this place.. I’m just sharing my experience coz it’s something different that I guess I won’t forget for the rest of my life. (But I am certain you’re curious too, so when you go to Phuket you will also ‘roam’ around Bangla and get noticed by a-go-go ‘marketers’ Hahaha!
)
The market opens at 6PM so we went there at around 7PM.
The barbecue below (it’s called satay in Indonesia but I forgot how it is called in Thailand) costs THB15/stick, those seafood and veggies I think are ingredients for Pad Thai (stir fried noodles), a rice roll (maki) is priced at THB8/each and... the lady eating barbecue is priceless! Hahahah! 
