Police Crackdown on Patong Bars

[eir]

As out of place as it may be .... I should defend THAICAM here. In the US (where THAICAM resides) a point-to-point van or minibus is often referred to as a limo or as a shuttle. The word or phrase "Mini Bus" is rarely used here.
In LOS a limo is often a Toyota Camry ... in the sense of the word that is equally wrong.

 

[JoJo]

Some of us like it that way.

 

[Nina]

The actual law says 12 am outside of a nightlife area and 1 am inside it.. So the real law still is being broken !!! You want to go home at 12 ??

Secondly the technical law here is largely irrelevant.. Laws are only used when it suits those in power.



True its partly the fault of the tourist for not understanding they are outside of thier comfort zone and are putting themselves in a position to be ripped off. But the costs of some of these 'repairs' is often far more than the real cost or even the amount the jetski was bought for.. Isnt it normal to expect to pay for damage at the real cost of the damage.

Also the jetski boys will invent damage, use the same ding as many times as they can get away with and threaten and intimidate to back up these scams. Going to the police is usually useless as they side with the scammers, is that fair practice ??



Well if we mean the bunch we discussed before, I dissagree.. I think that particular bunch are an aggressive clique who have an anti farang chip on thier shoulder, they are not a friendly open bunch but another little group of thugs playing the wannabe 'mafia' card. Even local Thais I have chatted with have told me exactly the same thing and expressed thier distaste over them.

Plus they are not really employed to do that, they have just carved a niche where they can scam farangs that dont know thier game purely through ignorance. As its a scam that only hurts farangs no one objects or stops it.



Please.. Comparing a western salary for a 3rd world job.. That makes any sense at all ?? So tuk tuk drivers have western costs of living do they ?? Western standard of vehicle maintenance, western liability insurances ?? The very fact that a 3rd world service is even similar on price to a 2st world service just shows how much of a joke it is.

Secondly a western system has a meter, its fair, all pay equally depending on distance. The tuk tuk system is another scamming mafia system where they enforce thier little monpoly via threats, intimidation, and bully boy tactics.

Lastly tuktuks will make a price, then when getting near to your destination (if your up a hill like I was) despite clearly agreeing to take me to the top of the hill before leaving) stop and demand another 100 even 200 baht to drive 200m up a hill. Its 4am, you have people with you, are you going to get out ?? They renege on thier previous agreement once you have no other options.

One day Thailand will want to grow up and enter the real developed world and leave these kind of banana republic type scams behind themselves. A world where people all pay equal prices based on equal service, a world where personal responsibility is enforced, etc etc etc.

Thailand has many charms, many things that make it as great place to live.. But those listed above are not part of them IMO.



But too many of these are false costs.. The 550 baht drink, the fake (old) damage on a jetski or rental bike, the the additional surcharge that a tuktuk slaps on even tho he agreed to it a second before. These are not fair supply and demand economics its scamming the farangs and its becoming distasteful to many tourists who come. Maybe there will always be more but the word is out, Phuket is not only becoming less cheap, but its also the fact that scammers like this demand money without the service. That take take but dont give attitude turns visitors off more than anything I suspect.

 

[Donkey]

swedish,german,french,dutch or swahili?

 

[Drunk Chicken]

Why I think that the bar closing time is being enforced in the tourist areas, Patong Pattaya Nana etc, I think that you will find that ultimately Thai wants to severely reduce or eliminate the sex tourist and promote more family holidays.
Over the last few years in Pattaya especially I have seen some of the bar areas knocked down and expensive type hotels or places geared to family holidays go up. They knocked the gym down on beach road for one example. What was the soi in Bkk where they knocked the bars down in the middle of the night. The bar owners were not told and they demolished them with everything in them after closing. It is a park now but wait until the political dust settles and watch what goes up there.
Look at the large shopping complex just past the end of Bangla, you think that was built with bar mongers in mind?
Pattaya especially has some big plans for European tourist, but not sex tourists but families. Maybe they believe there is more money in that I don’t know.
Over the last few years I have observed the attitude of the girls in both Patong and Pattaya decline. This combined with the higher prices in Patong in general plus the taxi bull shite at the airport, the bloody touts, tuk tuk and other on going rip offs I think that the entertainment industry in Thai is helping to dig it’s own grave, or at least drive business away. Bad news travels fast and if you think a tourist who gets ripped off for a 550 baht drink or the tuk tuk crap is going to go home and recommend to people they know to go to Thai.
Places like Philippines may benefit but think the more developing third world countries will benefit from the younger newer players, or the next generation of mongers who will read on the net about the rip offs in Thai and then will read on the net about Cambodia or some other like place that does not have the same problems, where do you think they will go to spend their money?
Ultimately if a bunch of farang bar owners loose money and bar girls are unemployed, do you really think that will worry the law makers in Bkk who want to change the image of Thai to the world? I don’t think so as you can bet that they will have their finger in the pie some where.

I think of some one does not wise up reasonably soon we will be saying goodbye to our little paradises, Patong Pattaya etc.
Some people make references to Singapore, trying going out drinking there night after night and getting girls, you’ll need a very full wallet, every night.

:erf:

 

[joliesoleil]

Not to ask the same question twice, but are the girls still available after the bars close? Myself and Straightsoldier arrive at frikking 12:30 midnight .. probably won't be able to get to the bars till 2am !!!

 

[hot lips]

Soi Tiger was closed down at 0200 last night. So yes, its still being enforced.

And I hate people who just argue to argue...get a life.

 

[Leonie]

Last night everywhere closed early so me and Geir along with a few others left Dingos and went to a small bar where we know the owner.They stayed open but with music down and lights dimmed.Decided to have an early night and went home at 5am.There were still people about in the streets.:wai:

The police that closed Soi Croc are from out of town in para military camo uniforms.:lock:

Let's hope this is short term.:unlove:

 

[johnny 99]

Gets post of the month award :thumbsup: - sadly that one day is not in the foreseeable future where those that govern perpetuate these practices.

 

[dole61]

G,

What do you get for your 2K? Someone actually (eventually) turns up at the bar if it all kicks off in there? Side with you? Help you out? Takes the non-bill paying punters down the back of the Soi for a swift 'talking too' etc etc

Just guessing.

Interesting to know.

D

 

[Yokiatsu]

Sorry.. I'll clean it up later...

 

[S M]

How do you write that clicking noise they make? :rules:

 

[Yadira from LA]

I completely agree with your thoughts Steve - I was thinking the same.

 

[? Mrs. D?]

90 Days! 555555555555 So thats when the next coup will be!?

Laughable and expecting tourists to got out earlier in this heat/humidity is down right stupid as well. Tossing everyone out on the street will be great for Family Mart (Thaksin heavily invested here) and 7-11 and create far more problems than having a scaled closing times where people disperse in an orderly manner.

A load of nonsense that many of us here long term have seen come and go before - still at least for next 87 days its business as usual! :thumbsup:

 

[KeithOtron]

Nope sorry, they all dissappear from the face of the earth at 02.00 sharp...

 

[Adam]

So how many McD are there now in Patong? The one next to Molly Malones and another one at Bangla near Scruffy Murphys ?

 

[MusicIsLife]

Was at the new Rock City in Patong the other night. Band finished thier last set a little after 2 AM. Lights came on at 2:15, and the place cleared out. seemed normal closing time for that bar. Unfortunately the song that was being played at closing time was a remake of Ice Ice Baby. Who in gods name would do a remake of the worst song in the history of music? Closed Soi Eric the other night, closing time was 2-2:15 then too.


I try to sleep, theyre wide awake, they wont leave me alone.
They dont get paid to take vacations, or let me alone.
They spy on me, I try to hide, they wont let me alone.
They persecute me, theyre the judge and jury all in one.
The dream police, they live inside of my head.
The dream police, they come to me in my bed.
The dream police, theyre coming to arrest me.

 

[michelenergy]

2am is a great time for this geezer to get to bed...

 

[Sassy Shih Tzu]

Yep Yep Yep :great:

 

[The Great & Powerful Oz]

OK apologies if you call what we think of as a minibus...a limo. It's like the fanny is something different to us So what do you call these in the US?...a stretch minibus??

Far more than 2...

Bus to Phuket Town then another to Patong/wherever
Minibus (or limo if you're from the US)
TaxiMeter
Airport Limousine