Lights dim on Bangkok’s nightlife as military tries to salvage legacy

[geriatrickid]

4 minutes ago, rwdrwdrwd said:

You're completely focusing on places related to prostitution, yet many of the clubs affected were not in the slightest related to it.
There is, believe it or not, more to Bangkok nightlife than gogo bars - and many of the venues affected attracted tourists who weren't here in the slightest for bargirls.
The places that DO cater to sex tourism, ironically , are unaffected - they don't tend to stay open particularly late anyway.

Perhaps you should follow the media release. The government has been transparent and open on this initiative. I am a longstanding critic of the military regime, but on this they are right. In Thailand as in the west,  no successful night club not linked to a large public corporation, can operate without the blessing of organized crime.

[lvr181]

4 hours ago, z42 said:

In short, the junta have been a disaster 

Have been, still are and likely to continue to do so................... 

[geriatrickid]

8 minutes ago, peperobi said:

Really good, they are on the best way to destroy the best income part of the country; the tourism! Do something against the killers on the roads that will be much better.

LOL Please look at the tourism income data.  The curtailment of a small number of illegal venues  has nothing to do with tourism. Yes, the gangsters operating some venues make money. That money does not make its way to the benefit of the country through taxes. Bangkok Hotels like the Kempinski, or Sofitel generate  more revenues and more jobs for  the country than the targeted clubs.

[rwdrwdrwd]

17 minutes ago, geriatrickid said:

Perhaps you should follow the media release. The government has been transparent and open on this initiative. I am a longstanding critic of the military regime, but on this they are right. In Thailand as in the west,  no successful night club not linked to a large public corporation, can operate without the blessing of organized crime.

I've read the release and am also very familiar with some of the clubs mentioned, and numerous ones that are not mentioned, that have been affected.

It is not true that they were all *ran by gangsters* - plenty of them operated on a shoestring budget and catered to music that the mainstream clubs and bars do not feature.

Neither is it true that *in the west* a successful club must be linked to either organized crime or a large public corporation - I spent almost a decade putting on nightclub events at a variety of venues and that's just cloud cuckoo land stuff.

This type of thing - http://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/thailands-pm-prayut-urges-thais-to-wear-period-costumes-for-outings, https://coconuts.co/bangkok/lifestyle/students-recite-prayuths-12-values-daily/ is the motivator here, the intention of some powerful people to make the country highly "conservative", regardless of what the people actually want.

Edited March 26, 2018 by rwdrwdrwd

[jenny2017]

 

 In short. If you don't pay we'll shut you down. 

[globalhouse]

To "geriatrickid" - very well spoken points. Thanks for sharing an alternative view. 

[lvr181]

8 minutes ago, rwdrwdrwd said:

regardless of what the people actually want.

Hence Thailand unlikely to have a true democracy in  the future.

[lvr181]

The lights are dim for the current leadership (IMHO) and they want to drag Bangkok down to their level? 

[Catoni]

4 hours ago, jacko45k said:

I thought this was about the energy saving move of switching out lights for an hour, was it Friday night about 8.30pm? My Mrs turned off the wall lights!

   What did that accomplish? 

[jesimps]

4 hours ago, Just Weird said:

"...they've done a damn fine job.

In short, the junta have been a disaster ".

Make up your mind, which one is it?

I'd say your name is very apt. Are you Jamie in disguise?

[yellowboat]

1 hour ago, geriatrickid said:

LOL, you are upset because the   price of alcohol increased. How pathetic. The cost of alcohol is not unreasonable and not much different than the cost in Australia, or Canada and is still cheaper than in much of Europe. It's one of the ways  how the  public health  is paid for and how  public transit is covered.

 

You are upset because they make it difficult for pimps and those who profit from the sex and drug trades. Boo hoo. Foreigners complain about corruption and illegal activity, yet when the  government won't tolerate criminal activity and won't take bribes to let it continue, some foreigners are upset. You carry on as if the operators of the illegal clubs and bars contribute to society. It is no secret that these are linked to organized crime and are used to launder money.

Ah a junta loving puritan. 

 

So you want to compare Thailand to the western world ? Countries that have rule of law, military that defends a country and not holds it captive?  That is laughable. 

 

Should you accidentally stray over the border to your neighbors, you will see lower alcohol prices and more fun than in Thailand.  Ask the young flash packers what they think about Thailand.  You may not like the answer.   There is more fun in China than in Thailand now.  And yes you can buy better beer there at 7-11 than you can in Thailand for less. 

 

Public health you say ?  Worlds poorest road safety after a the failed state of Libya.  Forth largest importer of the dangerous chemical paraquat.  Do these taxes cover the costs of helping the less fortunate where many civil servants were helping themselves to vast sums of money ?   

 

Nothing for the better has change under the junta other than MBK no longer charging for restrooms, stopping landlords for changing for electricity and sorting out of beach chairs. 

 

Your response is as uninteresting as contemporary Thailand.

Edited March 26, 2018 by yellowboat

[sungod]

11 minutes ago, yellowboat said:

Ah a junta loving puritan. 

 

So you want to compare Thailand to the western world ? Countries that have rule of law, military that defends a country and not holds it captive?  That is laughable. 

 

Should you accidentally stray over the border to your neighbors, you will see lower alcohol prices and more fun than in Thailand.  Ask the young flash packers what they think about Thailand.  You may not like the answer.   There is more fun in China than in Thailand now.  And yes you can buy better beer there at 7-11 than you can in Thailand for less. 

 

Public health you say ?  Worlds poorest road safety after a the failed state of Libya.  Forth largest importer of the dangerous chemical paraquat.  Do these taxes cover the costs of helping the less fortunate where many civil servants were helping themselves to vast sums of money ?   

 

Nothing for the better has change under the junta other than MBK no longer charging for restrooms, stopping landlords for changing for electricity and sorting out of beach chairs. 

 

Your response is as uninteresting as contemporary Thailand.

See ya

[Surasak]

I’m very surprised the junta have got away with so little in their four years, after all, they appear to be unable to organise a good visit to the toilet for a person with diarrhoea.

[balo]

I don't like PM Prayut very much  , but the army have been cleaning up some areas that the local police could not handle , in many towns and villages around Thailand.  

 

 

 

[billd766]

1 hour ago, possum1931 said:

"face it, the army wants to run the country as if it was an army camp". It sure feels like it at times, ie, when you have to do the 90 day reporting, and these ridiculous border hops.

 

It is possible to do 90 day reports on line and with the right visa and extensions you don't need to border hop.

[cameraman888]

The problem is the military does not think like any business, and they don't understand anything except the military way of thinking. They are trying to change Thailand the way they think it should be, but that does not fare well for the population and economy. The military thinks discipline and this is the way it is! Democracy is suppose to think about what the population wants, not what they think it should be from a minority of the population. I said supposed to, because no system is perfect, but at least the people should have a say and they don't when the military is in power. They can't be voted out. 

[billd766]

1 hour ago, lvr181 said:

Hence Thailand unlikely to have a true democracy in  the future.

 

It has never really had a proper democracy since 1932.

[jacko45k]

4 hours ago, kannot said:

My gawd is yer face  that ugly!! (MODS THIS IS A  JOKE)

I don't sit on my wall like a gargoyle!

Perhaps I am ugly enough to though.

[NoshowJones]

25 minutes ago, billd766 said:

 

It is possible to do 90 day reports on line and with the right visa and extensions you don't need to border hop.

Well I think you get the picture Bill.

Edited March 26, 2018 by possum1931

[jinners]

5 hours ago, Just Weird said:

"...they've done a damn fine job.

In short, the junta have been a disaster ".

Make up your mind, which one is it?

Don't do irony eh?

[Ron19]

A flame post has been removed.

 

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[bristolgeoff]

they are doing in chiangmai and now spending the virus.they will learn when no tourist do not come anymore and maybe they wonder why then

[SupermarineS6B]

I was here the last time one of the Pongo chancers started giving it large then he massacred over a thousand people and had to crawl on his knees up to the King to beg forgiveness, i just hope this latest pongo pillock doesn't do the same thing, because there's a definate lack of somebody to stop the lunacy........ Army ? what a joke....... It's so sad that the people are allowing this kind of suicidal stupidity to carry on, because it's all going to end in bloodshed........

[The Teacher]

Well, we all know its their last ditch effort to do as much damage until next time. Bloody tossers

[sawadeeken]

It is getting to be the 'police state' that Communist Russia used to be.......

Nobody has any 'Democratic' rights anymore.......... No party is allowed to exhist except those condoned by the Army (and under the Army's thumb.........

I think if you wipe out a certain few 'Generals' the 'Army' will listen to the power that did it.......

This is the first I've noticed officially stated that democratic elections are off toll 2019 now............ It sure isn't looking good for the 'Poor Thais'...........

[alex8912]

8 hours ago, Just Weird said:

This is just garbage from the Washington Post, nothing to do with what is actually happening in Thailand.

 

There have not been intermittent curfews, there was one curfew after the coup that was lifted and never reinstated.

 

It wasn't the Military that enforced dartboard licencing it was either the local police or local government officials and that only happened in Pattaya and that is old news that has never been heard of since.

 

The rest of the article relevant to "entertainment" seems to be complaining about illegal street bars being moved on, illegal after-hours drinking places being closed and a late-night club that was subject to a successful drug raid being shut down! 

I guess you and your “likes” are a bunch of people who do not go out in Bangkok. Just since Jan 1st I have gone to the same clubs and bars and at just one of them for example ( that has been around at least 10 years) it has been opened until 2 am, 1:45 am, 3:30 am, 4 am and closed at 12 midnight!  This club has nothing to do with prostitutes. 

[InMyShadow]

You can't make this stuff up! TV expats mostly bursting into a sprint out of bars at the 7pm deadline for happy hour..... Crying about enforced 2 am closure

[emoji23][emoji23][emoji23]

[metisdead]

A post containing a disallowed reference to the present government has been removed as well as a reply. 

[oldlakey]

10 hours ago, Just Weird said:

"...they've done a damn fine job.

In short, the junta have been a disaster ".

Make up your mind, which one is it?

I have to hand it to you mate, as entertainment goes even I cant hold a candle to you

[chama]

The legacy will be one of heavy handedness and use of a lot of smoke and mirrors. Current actions will surely solidify this....mission accomplished.