Bars operating on a knife-edge

[Lollipop]

yep...I get the feeling that this peak Xmas/Ny period will be the last for many punters for a and have decided WTF one more time before I tighten the belt......once the real effects of worldwide weakenning demand and unemployment hit holidays are going to be one of the first things cut from the family budget

will be interesting to see how long the extortion operators (the owners of the premises) in Phuket can last it out..its a real shame that they don't get hit first rather than the leasees

 

[sublimebch]

Phukets combination of factors, not only airports..

A changing visitor demographic was never good for it, I have long argued that the single male traveller spent far more, in a much more direct benefit way.. The quality tourist spends 90% of thier money in thier luxury resort, the family tourists wanter round with a stroller and buy nothing but a wooden frog and a sarong, and the female travellers simply dont squander money getting hammered in bars with sluts in the same way. Thailand, and especially Phuket (and possibly Samui) where the trend is possibly the most noticeable, will regret that IMO. The only winners are those tiny % of the population that own major resorts and land owners leasing out to international chain stores.

Add in of course multiple coups, airport closures, and a gouge the tourist attitude and you dont want to alienate the very group that would put up with all that (the single male in search of girls).. Families simply wont just grin and bear it.

All that said I dont predict the demise of phuket, its been through so much and still grown. Good businesses will still trade (as long as thier initial investment wasnt too harsh) and prosper.. The weak hands will leave the table and the good should end up sitting with the pot.

Now more than ever tho, people should make the effort to make sure thier baht goes to businesses the respect them, provide the best service, and in general treat them with the respect a customer deserves. If poor service and those little tourist cheat tricks that so many businesses have used for so long are used, people need to make sure those are the businesses that leave the market.

 

[Magic is Might!]

good point...make sure you are getting value for your money...and the sort of deal (unspoken) you signed up for with your holiday....

don't let the gougers gouge or the BGs/Fls get away with ambit claims....and remember your BM mates when you choose a bar/hotel/restaurant/club etc

it will make it a much better holiday if you don't just "mai pen rai" your way through it when you are being ripped off!

 

[Judy M]

Just like the way Patong was before. Although i usually don't count how much I spend on my trip in LOS, I was really pissed off when I brought a drink for a LB in Soi Crocodile. Of course, I have no interest in her (or him) but just as being nice to everyone. I don't even discriminate ugly ones. But we I asked the bar tender (which seemed to be the owner) to get her a drink, he got one for himself too without my consent and just put the charge in my bill. I would never ever return to that bar again. If I can't remember which bar I need to avoid, I just avoid the whole soi. So, besides bar owners have to behave, i suggest you also educate the others near you.

I don't intend to offend any bar owners which I understand that they work hard for their livings as well as giving opportunities to the local. i am just sharing what I came across here. I will still go to the bars, no matter it's day or night, as long as i am thirsty and horny.

 

[Rachel <3]

;-) of cause I know what you meant ... just joking.

Well, it would be quite difficult to put every customer into the different drawers at the travel agents office ... and all travel agents would need to
be Thailand experts ...

...I just remembered the lady from our office complaining (about prostitution in your face) after coming back from Pattaya with her family last years summer. Really wonder what the travel agent thought sending a family there ...

 

[Mario S]

If people think the 2008-2009 high season is bad, wait until the next one, the 2009-2010 season.
Many people are here at the moment because they put down a deposit on a holiday and didn't want to lose it.
After a full year of recession that is due for 2009, how many people do you think will be taking a holiday in Thailand?

The numbers of foreigners holidaying in Thailand will collapse in March and probably won't recover until late in 2010.

Business owners, brace yourselves. They toughest times are a coming.......

 

[Lorenzo]

Dream on, 2011 might be a decent season for any holiday resort around the world

 

[LAkers Fan]

Thanks Mr.D - Was going out to LOS in March.... But just lost my job today:erf:
Oh well.. I am still dream about going.

Rant Over

 

[Shorty15c4]

Agree nelsonone, however it seems like the extortion operators can hold out indefinitely as they seem to be wealthy Thai folk whose outlook is 'well I'll keep putting up the rates until someone buys in'........and they always seemed to.

Now the situation may be a little different, time will tell.

 

[??? ??? ???]

So in a nutshell........Mav's siggy is on the money ! :great:

 

[Villain]

Sir Burr

Your comments are so true. Those who think otherwise are deluding themselves and are not wanting to face reality in the face.

 

[CallMeKleriker]

Well wherever it is, it is still in LOS, which was my point in the first place, Thailand has countless destinations which are attractive to countless different types of tourists and if they (Gov'mt) had a clue about what they were doing, they would sell the benefits of each to the types of tourist they would like, in each - mind you given the mental age of the entire country would appear to range between 3 and 12 - might explain why they haven't worked that bit out yet!

I'm ratted - sorry

 

[Aliza]

Hmmm...Lower prices,quiet roads and beaches..:great:

 

[Spanky G]

I was in the Drop Inn bar in Sea Pearl when you strolled past last night.
I think i know which one was you.555

The girls there put on some Isaan music and 2 of them got microphones and stood up on the pole podium and were lip syncing song after song in front of a gathering horde of otherwise bored BG`s,who started singing along as well.

The boss from the Country Rose bar rang the bell 3 times for tequila`s all round.

This whipped the girls into a frenzy.The 2 singing were then jumping down occasionally and mingling with the crowd offering their hand so the other BG`s could touch them and some of them screaming hysterically,pretending that these were their Isaan music idols. 555.
I just love their TG`s enthusiasm and comradary at times.
SP not your usual sort of bar scene,but one i will miss if the bars all go from SP.

By around midnight the girls were all very drunk and starting to slow up a little,some going to sleep at the bar.

They were offering 2 BG`s LT`s for the price of one,but i was happy to take a girl i had been with before.
She was offering to go with me for much less than the usual amount,so i decided to take her.


4 of us left at the same time,only leaving 2 customers at that bar,and only about 4 customers in total down the back of SP.
The Ice bar at the front was doing it`s usual fair trade...but the rest......nothing

Sign of the times i think. Great..:great:
BG`s and Hotels all lowering there prices,plenty of places to get a beer for 50/60 baht.
No hordes of holiday makers cluttering up the beaches.

Must be like the Patong of old that so many people talk of. :love3:

 

[dadnbob]

give him a break, he was probably looking for a tax loophole

 

[greengirl]

Yes, I experienced a week ago in Patong, that BG would go for 1000 after they originally asked for 1500. Whole night 2000, see my other posts for BG related stuff

 

[seafarer]

Hey that's sh1te news Crabby ......hope you still make it ...:aww:

 

[somehuman]

And you can sit outside a 7/11 with Thaicam.

 

[refinej721]

We even might see the rebirth of the old Patong even if it's only for 6 months

Short term gains:

Get rid of the young guys running around in big groups with their tops off and drinking large bottles of Chiang from 7-11
Families
Farang females

 

[Yavish]

yup, high liquidity and fluidity