Although they can’t compete with the sheer number and scope of girlie bars in the city, there are a lot of ladyboy bars in Bangkok. The most well known are the kinds of ladyboy go go bars that appeared in The Hangover 2.
The Check In Bar is located on Sukhumvit Soi 10 near the Lollipop 1 blowjob bar and the Paradiso Suites Hotel. It is on the ground floor of the Check In Residence, which is a 24 room guest friendly hotel with moderate quarters available at a reasonable price. The bar used to be located on Soi 7 but moved to make room for some developments on that street.
The bar is a really laid back place. It has a sort of beer bar vibe, but it is a bit nicer. It has nice cool ambient lighting that really sets the mood. It’s a comfortable place to hang out. Drink prices are totally reasonable for both customers and the ladyboys. Of course ladyboy drinks are a little more expensive at 150 Baht ($4.50 USD), but the ladyboys at the Check In are more than worth it.
There are a lot of ladyboys working at Check In, but the actual roster changes from one night to the next. At times there are more than a dozen ladyboys in the bar. Other times it is a lot more quiet with only a handful of ladyboys working. Whoever is around is usually well dressed. They normally wear nice evening dresses that show off their curves but sometimes they wear sexy bikinis. Most of the ladyboys are average looking. A few are rough, and a few others are really hot. It’s like any place else then really.
Most of the ladyboys at Check In are eager to go out of the bar with customers. The bar fine is a reasonable 500 Baht ($15 USD), and the ladyboys usually ask for 1000 Baht ($30) or more for a short session. Short time rooms are available right above the bar so customers do not have to go far to get some action.
Of course some guys who visit the bar just want to relax. It has all the usual games and a pool table that is fit for some billiards. Some of the ladyboys are expert with the sticks and balls as you might imagine.
The bar technically opens at 5:00 PM but the ladyboys don’t usually start showing up until later. When they do arrive, they still need to do their hair and makeup. The bar doesn’t get really lively until 8:00 PM or later. It is open until 1:00 AM or later depending on how many people are inside.
Uniquely, the bar claims to drug test all of the ladyboys on staff. I have heard of testing for disease (though unfortunately not enough), but testing for drugs is new to me. I guess this ads to some level of assurance for customers. Indeed it may, since I have never heard of a single problem or overcharge at the Check in!
Check In Bar, Sukhumvit Soi 10, Bangkok, Thailand. Open every day from 5:00P-1:00A. Click here for the bar’s Facebook page. Click here for a map.
