Leaver

I see the point in your humor, but "money go down, put price up" means we all have a vested interest in seeing a thriving tourism industry here, not to mention it's a thriving tourism industry that allows us choice and variety, and availability of all things farang.

How so? For me, it's sad people spend their hard earned to come to Thailand for a holiday, only to get treated the way described in the OP, all across Thailand.

Yes, and do untold damage to the tourism industry all across Thailand, followed by taxis in tourist areas.

I found that strange as well, but then thought to myself, their mind set may have been they were donating to keep the bars open, otherwise they may have thought there would be nothing left in Pattaya to come back to. I am more talking about Thai girls going freelance on the apps, being well supported by customers here. This was obviously boosted by covid, but was also happening pre covid. Once again, I am not suggesting the traditional bar business model of lady drinks and bar fines will disappear, there will always be a place for it here. What I am suggesting is, online will take away a percentage of the traditional bar business model, and due to high rents, and thin margins for bar owners, the prices of these will have to rise, possibly causing a spiral down, unless Thai landlords recognize the business model that their tenants have relied upon for decades has been digitally disrupted and adjust rents accordingly. Interesting times ahead, post covid.

Was that not possible, before more information came to light?

They only language they are interested in here is money, and you did not speak that language to them very well. ????

Name some? Cannabis, and...................................? Yes, I am suggesting that. Not to mention, neighboring countries have UPS's, a BIG one being casinos, with Thailand nowhere near offering that service to tourists. See below for a casino in Vietnam. https://thegrandhotram.com/casino/ So Vietnam is building world record breaking infrastructure for tourists, and offering gambling which Thailand is nowhere near, and you bang on about Thailand's UPS's, and only name one, cannabis, which appeals to a very small percent of tourists. Yes, there is. What has Thailand build to benefit tourists, or the tourism industry, in recent years? Surely this is an easy question for you to answer about a country that has so many UPS's. ????

It could catch on. ????

How long do you think the traditional bar business model can continue for? Profits will be cut into, which then raises prices on those customers who prefer the tradition business model. You didn't indicate at what prices would you refuse to pay. I've never arranged to meet a lady in the day to discuss meeting at night, and I use the apps. Hardly a moot point. I am looking beyond the end of covid, I thought that was clear, but it's certainly not as long as 5 years away, more like 2 to 3 years., in my opinion.

Yeah, it was. You basically said, if Thai landlords refuse to make a market correction on rents, due to digital disruption of the traditional bar business model, then it's over for bars. Corrupt and greedy people aren't necessarily stupid. Maybe they will sit on vacant commercial premises as well. I have no idea why, maybe it's a face thing. I'm pretty confident they will not, until it's obvious to them that if there is no market correction, their land is near worthless. Near 30%. Fair play. I was thinking a little higher, around 40%. As I have said, I have called them corrupt, and I have called them greed, but never stupid. Greedy does tend to cloud reason.

What makes you think the offender has the capacity to pay?

Sure, I get that, no problem. However, I have asked, and yet to receive a reply from any member criticizing the online method, what is the line in the sand for you for lady drinks and bar fine prices? Would you be prepared to pay 250 baht for a lady drink and 1500 baht for a bar fine? I can only see as online gains in popularity, the lady drinks and bar fine prices will have to increase, because they were a traditional earner for bars, and the more they increase, the more it knocks out of the game. As I have said, Thai landlords may have to share some of this pain, or a lot of bars will close in the future.

Yeah, you can start with the first round for the local official. ????

I just thought you may be able to back up your comments. Obviously not. They are nothing but mere opinions, which is fine, but they shouldn't be pawned off as facts. Good day to you, Sir.

Once again, and I've said it so many times, there seems to be a false impression that if one dials up a girl online, she arrives at the hotel, goes upstairs for an hour, gets paid, and leaves. Yes, this is possible, but both short time and long time, and everything in between, is available online. Messages are exchanged, perhaps a short video call, and you can arrange to meet the girl in a bar. You can have a chat and drink with her, then either go a short distance to your hotel / condo / house for an hour, or, go out dancing, clubbing, to dinner, whatever. I always arrange to meet them at a bar for a drink, and if I like the vibe, sometimes I've gone long time and haven't got home to the early hours. A few of these girls I will message sometimes and say, "You have customer tonight darling?" Reply, "No." Me: "Ok, we go long time again, meet me in same bar 5pm." Reply, "Ok." Job done. No, "You must come to bar and pay bar fine" etc etc. It can be the same experience, minus all the bar BS. Once again, I feel for the bar owners, who have to navigate unreasonable rents, from unreasonable Thai landlords, but I'm not here to make donations to Thai landlords.

So much for freedom of speech. ????

Great, but isn't that what an internet forum is about, discussion, opinion, conversation, debate, agreement, disagreement, humor etc. I wasn't there at the time the crime was committed, nor am I the investigating Thai Police Officer. If you narrowed down the members that can post to only these, there would be no forum. My point being, throw your 2 baht worth in, rather than attack people who do, because at least they threw their's in.

Quite a long post, which is perfectly fine, but rather than address each comment individually, I will make a shorter post. The theme I get from your post is that if / when the old business model is digitally disrupted, Thai landlords will be realistic and there will be a market correction in rents, so at least there will still be a few bars here. You suggest this will happen because "rich Thai's aren't stupid." I've never called rich Thai's stupid, but I have called them corrupt, and greedy, in the past. We all know many rich Thai's are just sitting on empty condo's. Even pre covid there were commercial premises in good locations sitting vacant. How confident are you these rich Thai's will adjust their rents, pretty much across Pattaya City, should the traditional business model be digitally disrupted? In a transition period, what percentage of bars will be forced to close? I question whether Thai landlords will make allowances. There have been covid discounts on rent, but they are set to end soon for many tenants, and tourism is nowhere near 2019 levels, so just how realistic are they?

Interesting comment. In the interim, they can keep their bricks and mortar bars on Soi 6, but offer the online service to guys who don't like Soi 6 bars. I'm not sure how the police lose. They still get paid their tea money. As I said, the problem could arise that their online out call service supersedes their in house service, and then they are left with 25 useless bars that they paid big money for. The thing is, if they don't jump in, they could lose the lot if / when another company does. How long before one of the agencies sets up a platform and offers a service direct to the customers? What if the website was hosted offshore? Not much Thai Police can do. They have the one internet gateway here, and could shut down the website, but they just open up a new one and be operational again in no time. Are you suggesting the police need to crack down on digital services because they also have a lot invested in the old business model by way of tea money? It's not like it isn't already happening, so where, exactly, do the police lose money?

I'm in Pattaya to practice my hobby. ????

I disagree. Which beaches did you go to? I agree. Were you forced to sit in these chairs? Some might be shocked to know the taxis in Vietnam actually use their meter. ???? That's a personal choice.

Don't forget the village deputy chiefs. https://www.pattayamail.com/news/thai-village-deputy-chief-arrested-with-46-guns-371999

Simple question, really. What has Thailand built that benefits tourists, and the tourism industry, in recent years? What are some of the USP's that Thailand has? Can you name a few? Obviously, the the size of sex trade is one. Remember, the "U" stands for Unique.

Remind me of the last time you heard criticism of sidewalks in other countries. Point being, a nearby country, which is supposedly poorer, is building world record breaking tourism infrastructure. The question again, what has Thailand built in recent years to benefit tourists or their tourism industry? They can't even build or maintain a sidewalk properly here. Which describes most countries in South East Asia. I agree. Thailand is offering this, but legalizing something isn't a tourism infrastructure project, is it? Sure, but will they come to Thailand in the big numbers Thailand is used to? 2019 was the quietest high season I had ever seen, and covid had nothing to do with it. I know it seems like so long ago, due to covid, but things were not so great here for businesses back in 2019, and I don't think cannabis alone is going to turn that around.

It would be intersting to know if this guy has a history of assault and robbery against Thai women, and / or sexual assault against Thai women. Also, if there have been similar attacks in the past, in the same area, with the same MO as this guy. I doubt this is his first offense.