How Much Does A Go Go Dancer Earn

In November 2010 the Oasis GoGo Bar on Soi Bukhao in Pattaya, Thailand were advertising for Go Go Dancers. There was a big sign outside giving the wages and the perks of the job. This was probably the best indication of the current state of pay for GoGo dancers.

A little off the beaten track of Walking Street and its side Soi's (roads) it is none the less a popular haunt for some. One can assume that wages may be slightly higher elsewhere and perhaps a little less when well away from the main drag.

Before examining the offer by the Oasis and the benefits included with the post one does have to look at it in the context of the average wage in Thailand. There is tremendous disparity between the rich and the poor and figures one sees quoted in newspaper articles do not, I feel reflect the truth.

Probably the average daily take of your average Thai is in the region of 300-400 Thai Baht per day. Some may only get half this of course. If working cutting or planting rice up in Isaan province you are unlikely to take home more than 150-200 Thai Baht per day. People on average live on less than the average salary.

The average national minimum wages fluctuates by a few Baht up and down the country but it is less than 250 Baht everywhere as of December 2010. Read 'Minimum Wage In Thailand' to learn more.

Some get considerably more of course and a driver in Bangkok could be expected to earn between 7,500 - 11,000 Thai Baht per month. Lecturers in colleges and universities will earn 30,000 Thai Baht per month and upwards.

So there you have it, the Oasis Offer! 600 Thai Baht per day before you have the extras added. Remember that most of these GoGo dancers come from the rice paddies of Isaan in Northern Thailand. There they have been lucky to earn 200 Baht per day labouring from dawn to dusk and beyond. Even then most of what they earned, if they were given anything at all, would be handed over to their parents.

Here they dance regular hours in an air conditioned environment and get more than three times the amount.

Then there are the perks.

Here she will get 40 Baht commission on every ladies drink. If she dances well she could get as many as ten drinks a night. That would push her daily take up to 1000 Baht.

Then there is her Bar Fine commission. 150 Baht here. Very good reason to smile and be friendly to customers. Although some girls may take a night off when bar fined others will prefer 'short time' so they can perhaps get back to the Go Go Bar and be Bar Fined for a second or even a third time.

Although negotiations with customers are a private affair there is nothing to stop some girls earning upwards of 3000 Baht per night, and I know some that do. A bit of a better deal than a Beer Bar.

This means that some Go Go dancers can earn three times that of a college lecturer in a month. It's a good job if you can hack it.