Leaver

What's your definition of "immediately?" Was that when borders opened, Test & Go finished, or when the Thailand Pass ends? I've posted some ads from the bahtsold website which actually gave dates when the covid discounts would cease. Rents were set to double, triple, and more, in the near future. Most leases are for 3 years. There will be no profits for most of the 3 year leases. Will current owners dip into their savings again to buy the same lease, twice? Picking up from what, lock down, restrictions, border closures, 2019? "Picking up" is a broad term. How far away do you think this "pick up" is from 2019 levels?

Apologies to you, and other members of the forum. The guy on the link you posted said the girls wanted 5000 baht for long time, not the bar fine. My bad.

I'm not sure how accurate the information is from Bryan Flowers, but If this guy has some assets / cash, then he may chose to pay, rather than go to gaol. If he's come to Thailand and joined the Issan House Builders Club, and helped many sick buffalo, hence ended up broke and working in a boiler room, he may not have a choice, and will go to gaol, therefore, the victim receive no compensation.

Why do you say that? Covid rent discounts are coming to an end, and the clock was still ticking on the leases. All was not well before covid, check the date I started this thread. Why do you think more closures are not imminent?

I think with the prices quoted in that video, even if they are open, they are still closed. ????

Buffalo cheese, perhaps. ????

Maybe that youtube guy should be charged with defamation. ????

I guess the 2000 / 5000 baht bar fines didn't work out so well. https://www.bahtsold.com/view/go-go-bar-for-sale-451800

They could have easily built a solid forensic and circumstantial case against this guy that would have required very little by way of the victim identifying the offender. She would have had his skin under her fingernails, and possibly some of his saliva on her skin. She may have even pulled out some of his hair. He may have had some of her blood on his clothing. He may have had injuries constant with a struggle and / or skin off his knuckles. CCTV put his car at the scene, but that does not mean he was at the scene, but he would then need an alibi. They could impound and examine his car and do a search warrant on his house. Probably find trophies from past victims. Basically, put him at the scene, without her testimony, but too much hard work for them, and this particular crime is not "damaging" enough to Thailand's image to warrant a proper investigation. 3rd world policing, in a 3rd world country.

Throwing money at them is a lot different to throwing punches at them. ????

As I have said, several times, it's personal choice. You may be interested in these tourism statistics. It's from Jan 2020, shortly before covid hit. https://vietnamtourism.gov.vn/english/index.php/statistic/international?txtkey=&year=2020&period=t1 From the link: 'International visitors to Viet Nam in 1/2020 estimated 1.994.125 arrivals, increase 16,6% over 12/2019 and up 32,8% over the same period last year. 2019. Total international arrivals in 1 months reached 1.994.125 arrivals, increasing 32,8% over the same period last year." A 32.8% increase on the previous year. Is it possible, the saying "build it and they will come" is true, and if so, and again I ask, yet to receive a reply from anyone, including yourself, what has Thailand built for the benefit of tourists, and the tourism industry, in recent years? Fast forward 5 to 10 years from now, how much more tourism infrastructure would Vietnam have built, whilst Thailand still hasn't built anything. Here's another. https://en.vietnamplus.vn/six-more-airports-to-be-constructed-in-10-years/214064.vnp From the link: "Six new airports will be built in the next 10 years, raising the total number of airports in the country to 28, haft of which are international airports" Thailand has 38 airports, 7 of them being international airports. So in 10 years, or less, Vietnam will have 14 international airports, and Thailand will still only have its 7, the same 7 it's had for decades. In a lot of ways, Thailand's tourism industry could go the way of the Nokia phone company. They had such a huge market share that all they did was sit back and do nothing while there competition was developing, and they ultimately went broke. If Thailand doesn't invest in its tourism industry, it very well may suffer the same fate as Nokia. Currently, pre covid, all they were doing were targeting tourists from emerging economies to keep the numbers up.

I think that information was forthcoming after I posted. His MO suggests predatory behavior. I am not surprised he is a serial offender.

In general, Thai guys don't take rejection very well.

Living the dream then. Funny thing is, he's still here, whilst thousands of others have gone home broke. ????

I gather you don't live here full time. If / when you do, after a while, you might see things a little differently. I'm retired and traveled South East Asia extensively as well. Different countries do different things, differently. There are good and bad in all of them. Thailand might "beat them all" for you, but that doesn't mean others see it the same way. It comes down to personal choice.

Maybe she opted for some cash to "forget" her testimony.

And not telling them where the money is hidden could end up with you suffocating to death with a plastic bag over your head.

You could always put yourself on "Ignore." ????

Why would I care?

The question was, could a Ukrainian have committed the crime, because the victim was Russian. It was not about whether you, or I, committed the crime, and who had an alibi. The member was criticized for suggesting the offender may have been Ukrainian, and it may have been a hate crime, due to the war. This was before the media reported the offender was Thai. In my opinion, the member's comment was worth considering, and entirely possibly. To be honest, I initially considered domestic violence, and her partner committed the crime. Should I have been criticized as well, had I put this forward?

Will you pay a 5000 baht bar fine?

Interesting point. There would be guys that went online during covid that have struck up online relationships with a Thai girl/s, some just for sex, some romantically. When they eventually get back here, they will be with that girl/s, where as, before, they would have bought lady drinks and paid bar fines.

How so? You said bars that can't pay their rent will close. Did you not? In my opinion, and in the opinion of many, yes, but Thai face may be difficult to overcome, and possibly their knowledge of what percentage of lady drinks and bar fines went to paying their rent every month. What Thai landlord will listen to a farang bar owner tell them that their property is no longer worth the rent he is charging, and therefore their property has decreased in value? What's your definition of "good commercial properties in good locations?" There are busy businesses with high rents that have less profits than quieter businesses with lower rents. I am talking about small businesses, not the Hilton and Central. Sex tourists, who either pay bar fines, or find freelancers online, will always need accommodation. I have never suggested the sex trade will be driven out. I have suggested, and it was already happening pre covid, which was boosted during covid, that a percentage of the sex trade had moved online, and in my opinion, will continue to gain in popularity, thus, impacting profits, and possibly effecting the ability of bar owners to meet their expanses, namely, rent. How will the value of rents / purchases prices of properties here gain in value, when tenants can't even afford the rent, should rents not be corrected due to digital disruption? As I have said, their margins are thin, lose X amount of percent to online freelancers and it could tip many over the edge, unless their Thai landlord is willing to share the consequences of digital disruption. You think they will, I think they won't, until a big percentage of bars are closed, then, maybe, they will see the bigger picture.

Huh? I'm sure they can use both. What's your point?

We already are, compared to Vietnam. 28 baht beers in an air conditioned bar that's equivalent to a GC here. ????