Pattaya is dead now

[jacko45k]

1 hour ago, Leaver said:

Lower margin, but high turnover, business model. 

 

There are lower margins nearby, that's for sure. 

[kingdong]

8 hours ago, Chivas said:

What are you burbling about fella. Its 95 Baht for 2 Tigers. No amount of prevarication from you changes the fact the coolies are 47.5 each for what I drink.....I think SML was 100 baht for 2.

Can,t you read?I said san Miguel was 115 for 2 not 100 baht,what I was trying to point out was that 1.san  Miguel is 70 baht and 2 san Miguel are 115 baht, which isn,t 2 for 1. If that,s what drinking tiger doe,s for you,think i,d look for an alternative.

[Leaver]

8 hours ago, jacko45k said:

There are lower margins nearby, that's for sure. 

Perhaps if the sold Kingfisher beer they could attract Indian customers.  ????

[NRek]

4 hours ago, Leaver said:

Perhaps if the sold Kingfisher beer they could attract Indian customers.  ????

sold it in 7 eleven you mean? 4 can pack with 8 plastic cups would go down a treat ????

[Leaver]

8 hours ago, NRek said:

sold it in 7 eleven you mean? 4 can pack with 8 plastic cups would go down a treat ????

Or, they could offer cheaper flight and accommodation holiday packages, and bars the size of a warehouses could offer 4 for 1 drinks.  ????????

[fhickson]

22 hours ago, jacko45k said:

There are lower margins nearby, that's for sure. 

i think many places actually have no margin on the cheap beer. its just a way of getting people in the door hoping they will stay and buy more. thus, the girls.

[Leaver]

1 minute ago, fhickson said:

i think many places actually have no margin on the cheap beer. its just a way of getting people in the door hoping they will stay and buy more. thus, the girls.

I remember making this point on a thread some time ago.

 

With the 2 for 1 bars, the margins are so small that if you don't buy a lady drink, or pay a bar fine, by the time rent, salaries (which include the regular staff, cleaners, and the more expensive band salary) electric, water, maintenance etc are paid, they make very little money out of the customer that sits there only drinking beer with his friends. 

 

With margins that small, the establishment has to be large, and have a bum on every seat, pretty much every hour it is open. 

 

So, with the lack of foreigners coming here, and of the ones still coming here, they are spending more frugally, thus, less lady drinks and bar fines, some of these 2 for 1 bars, and bars in general, will be facing some tough times.

 

It must be remembered, with the 2 for 1 business model, the establish must be big, and with the bigger size, comes a considerable rent bill each month. 

[sunnyboy2018]

On 11/22/2019 at 12:58 AM, Chivas said:

Lol I wouldnt even know what to start with your post !!  It would be a novel. LK thriving lol. Where ??  Remove Billabong and its empty. Go into any Go Go at midnight and report back.

Scooters lol. Absolute car crash with their latest howler taking over the old secrets location. Of course thats on top of their Phuket meltdown and wipeout...Soi 6 franchise had 2 people at 7pm few night ago

Everywhere is the most quiet I have ever seen since start of the 90's. Soi 6 just a shadow of the past completely destroyed and completely empty to boot. Plenty of girls but no punters drinking there

I would agree about Scooters soi 6 and WS but The LKM branch and SB seem to thrive. As for Go Gos I guess Kink, Pandoras and Touch are best. Soi 6 is horrible and the music vile. about 10 to years ago Soi 6 provided a service as decadent afternoon drinking holes with quiet bars but it changed for the worse. And the girls very ugly. I stopped going there years ago.  However, WS is really busy and the good GG bars are busy and fun as are the many new restaurants that have opened. LKM is not just Billabong but I take your point: Pattaya is quiet but as I live here I prefer it that way. In 2006 NYE was scary in WS it was so crowded...unbearable.

[sunnyboy2018]

On 11/11/2019 at 2:26 AM, Leaver said:

Yet, records are made to be broken. 

 

In the past, there have been direct reasons for very low seasons, or quiet high seasons.  Eg. bird flu, tsunami etc.

 

This season/s, the reasons are man made.  Eg. strong baht, visa law changes etc.  

Im just sick of seeing gun toting cops and military all over the place.

[Chivas]

1 hour ago, sunnyboy2018 said:

I would agree about Scooters soi 6 and WS but The LKM branch and SB seem to thrive. As for Go Gos I guess Kink, Pandoras and Touch are best. Soi 6 is horrible and the music vile. about 10 to years ago Soi 6 provided a service as decadent afternoon drinking holes with quiet bars but it changed for the worse. And the girls very ugly. I stopped going there years ago.  However, WS is really busy and the good GG bars are busy and fun as are the many new restaurants that have opened. LKM is not just Billabong but I take your point: Pattaya is quiet but as I live here I prefer it that way. In 2006 NYE was scary in WS it was so crowded...unbearable.

As you say Soi 6 has been destroyed completely witness the very low foot traffic.....they are hemorrhaging money at a colossal rate.

[jacko45k]

3 hours ago, fhickson said:

i think many places actually have no margin on the cheap beer. its just a way of getting people in the door hoping they will stay and buy more. thus, the girls.

A few examples I was thinking of there is a margin, I know what a case of beer costs. Buying more with no margin would certainly not do anything for profits....  and not really girly places, drinker's haunts. 

[ivor bigun]

I first came here 26 years ago ,by accident and loved it ,,came back 6 weeks later ,eventually went to Bangkok and after a few years having business there met the wife ,now we live in Pattaya or on the outskirts ,with a home and family its fine for us ,but to be honest if i was just coming for the first time now as a single guy ,it would be the first and last time .

[Orton Rd]

4 minutes ago, ivor bigun said:

I first came here 26 years ago ,by accident and loved it ,,came back 6 weeks later ,eventually went to Bangkok and after a few years having business there met the wife ,now we live in Pattaya or on the outskirts ,with a home and family its fine for us ,but to be honest if i was just coming for the first time now as a single guy ,it would be the first and last time .

I came 25 years ago to Pattaya as well and hated it then and ever since. Most of the other people on the tour group had one look round and went straight to a travel agent to book a trip out of the place. It's bigger but smells pretty much the same ????

[Leaver]

11 hours ago, sunnyboy2018 said:

Im just sick of seeing gun toting cops and military all over the place.

I have no problem seeing them around.  I have a problem when they demand money for some fictitious minor breach of the law. 

[fhickson]

12 hours ago, sunnyboy2018 said:

I would agree about Scooters soi 6 and WS but The LKM branch and SB seem to thrive. As for Go Gos I guess Kink, Pandoras and Touch are best. Soi 6 is horrible and the music vile. about 10 to years ago Soi 6 provided a service as decadent afternoon drinking holes with quiet bars but it changed for the worse. And the girls very ugly. I stopped going there years ago.  However, WS is really busy and the good GG bars are busy and fun as are the many new restaurants that have opened. LKM is not just Billabong but I take your point: Pattaya is quiet but as I live here I prefer it that way. In 2006 NYE was scary in WS it was so crowded...unbearable.

re soi 6 could that be due to the business model? seems like its always deserted of drinkers.

 

i for one dont like 20 or 30 girls yelling at me to come in. its just not my style. whereas a low key place i may enjoy a drink.

[Leaver]

20 hours ago, Chivas said:

As you say Soi 6 has been destroyed completely witness the very low foot traffic.....they are hemorrhaging money at a colossal rate.

Why do you think a certain company that owns a lot of the bars on Soi 6 are continually looking for new fools investors?

[Eindhoven]

11 hours ago, Leaver said:

I have no problem seeing them around.  I have a problem when they demand money for some fictitious minor breach of the law. 

 

I had two 'Traffic Police' scammers, along with their motorcycle taxi assistants, try it on recently.

I took the same route that motorcycle taxis did, when the roadworks had closed off the road at Phra Tamnak Hill leading to Thappraya/Sai 2. The scammers sat at the bottom at the corner of Soi 18 Sai 2. 

So, the lower ranking scammer approached and stated that I was going down a one way(how could this be if the road was partially closed off , there was no traffic at all and it is a two way street) and for touching the pavement to avoid a portion of dug up road.

 

He claimed the fine was 2000 baht, but that I could pay the fine there and then by making an offer. 

I refused. So we continued over to his senior colleague, who began to write out a ticket. Their motorcycle taxi accomplices were suggesting that I offered 1000 baht for the all in service. I refused their kind offer.

Took the ticket, went for a walk and when I eventually arrived at the police station,  paid the 400 baht fine at Soi 9.

 

Nothing new under the sun....

[Chivas]

14 hours ago, fhickson said:

re soi 6 could that be due to the business model? seems like its always deserted of drinkers.

 

i for one dont like 20 or 30 girls yelling at me to come in. its just not my style. whereas a low key place i may enjoy a drink.

Well that group have destroyed the Soi simple as that. It was a cracking afternoon run with mainly closed in bars now the complete opposite with open bars screaming women and screaming music.

Can only assume the genius behind the fiasco thought he's turn it into a drinking st. Unfortunately he never thought about informing the punters who have subsequently left the place deserted most of the time

Losses are huge month on month

[beautifulthailand99]

16 minutes ago, Chivas said:

Well that group have destroyed the Soi simple as that. It was a cracking afternoon run with mainly closed in bars now the complete opposite with open bars screaming women and screaming music.

Can only assume the genius behind the fiasco thought he's turn it into a drinking st. Unfortunately he never thought about informing the punters who have subsequently left the place deserted most of the time

Losses are huge month on month

That would get you banned on a certain other unmentionable forum !

[FarangULong]

On 6/1/2019 at 1:00 AM, ezzra said:

On the contrary, Pattaya now is being 'discovered' by the Chinese now who buys properties and business there with cash, so when the Pattaya falls out of flavor with one group of people, there will always be another who think that Pattaya is a wonderful place to live and invest...

 How though? Admittedly I am not that well read on the topic at all, yet I did do some minor research, and I always come up with the same problem (regardless of buying property, business ventures, etc.):

 

You need a Thai partner with 51% interest. Sure, you could have a strawman-/dummy partner/holder, but it's always a huge risk. Unless there is something I am not aware of, some legitimate, 100% trustworthy service offered. So that leaves a woman out immediately. And I am not talking the bar girls etc. I mean the normal, every day kind, because relationships end & and I am not interested in losing everything, or even 51% (esp. considering that I will probably be putting up more than the 51% anyway, I assume).

 

Can someone suggest further reading material on this topic, or maybe point me in a the right direction generally speaking, regarding property(-development) & creating/investing into a business in Thailand? I did of course consider the more obvious route (established business, with a successful owner etc.), but even that involves way too much trust for my liking, considering the legal situation (if you have a falling out, etc.).

 

Also, is it just me or do many Thais dislike the Chinese much more than us "old school" (White etc.) Farang tourists? When I was riding cabs or in other casual conversations, I often had Thais say stuff to me like "Ah Chinese (pointing), so many Chinese Thailand now... Chinese NOOOOOO good, PAH!".

 

As for Pattaya in general: Good riddance, I say. I know there was/is some sort of clean up effort, but while paedos still have somewhat free reign and can both "buy" their "service" of choice and get away with it, screw that <deleted>-hole.... Not to mention how dirty and disgusting it is. I laughed hard, when I read about Thailand wanting to make it more family-&resort-friendly. Even the beaches there are/were never anything to write home about...

[Destiny1990]

The place nowadays resembles with North Korea.

Try selling ur condo see how that works out..

[Chivas]

5 hours ago, beautifulthailand99 said:

That would get you banned on a certain other unmentionable forum !

No idea but what I wrote is completely accurate and 1000's of others would agree. Its been a complete fiasco what they've done

[Banana7]

Here is what many Thais think of Pattaya currently

 

[fhickson]

17 hours ago, Chivas said:

No idea but what I wrote is completely accurate and 1000's of others would agree. Its been a complete fiasco what they've done

thats the same model they use all over. soi cowboy, nana...

 

its about thais not grasping whats comfortable to a foreign customer base as their main clientele. kind of a trying to hard situation where forcibg the situation has the opposite effect then intended.

[jacko45k]

On 11/29/2019 at 12:13 AM, fhickson said:

re soi 6 could that be due to the business model? seems like its always deserted of drinkers.

I'll tell you what though, soi 6 doing OK and a madhouse due to the Fireworks Display evenings. I stopped off at one of the quieter places. An opportunity to relax and let the crowds disperse. 

[Leaver]

On 11/29/2019 at 2:47 PM, Eindhoven said:

 

I had two 'Traffic Police' scammers, along with their motorcycle taxi assistants, try it on recently.

I took the same route that motorcycle taxis did, when the roadworks had closed off the road at Phra Tamnak Hill leading to Thappraya/Sai 2. The scammers sat at the bottom at the corner of Soi 18 Sai 2. 

So, the lower ranking scammer approached and stated that I was going down a one way(how could this be if the road was partially closed off , there was no traffic at all and it is a two way street) and for touching the pavement to avoid a portion of dug up road.

 

He claimed the fine was 2000 baht, but that I could pay the fine there and then by making an offer. 

I refused. So we continued over to his senior colleague, who began to write out a ticket. Their motorcycle taxi accomplices were suggesting that I offered 1000 baht for the all in service. I refused their kind offer.

Took the ticket, went for a walk and when I eventually arrived at the police station,  paid the 400 baht fine at Soi 9.

 

Nothing new under the sun....

Foreigners are a target here.   Alas, less and less targets here these days. 

[Leaver]

On 12/1/2019 at 10:55 AM, jacko45k said:

I'll tell you what though, soi 6 doing OK and a madhouse due to the Fireworks Display evenings. I stopped off at one of the quieter places. An opportunity to relax and let the crowds disperse. 

Are you saying the nice room you booked for the fireworks display was on Soi 6?  ????

[jacko45k]

7 minutes ago, Leaver said:

Are you saying the nice room you booked for the fireworks display was on Soi 6?  ????

Hardly, had to 3 cup on a WIN from The Corner Bar.

[yogi100]

On 11/13/2019 at 10:49 PM, beautifulthailand99 said:

Can't they do a 2 month at their Thai Embassy , extend a month at immigration and at the end have a nice break by air in an adjoining country whilst bringing plenty of evidence of accommodation and a ticket back to satisfy immigration at the border ? 

Apparently you have to apply for that 2 month SETV on line in some countries and it's not as straight forward as it was. Some older blokes do not even know how to turn a computer on let alone apply on line for a visa.

 

Then you've got to chase down to Jomtien and hope you can get another month's extension.

 

People want to be able to relax for the 3 or 4 months, not have to go chasing about or flying in and out of Thailand while they're on winter break or a long holiday. It's bad enough having to fly for hours on end and half way round the world just to get to Thailand.

 

Then you have to contend with ever rising prices prices, a lousy exchange rate and the worsening and increasingly mercenary attitude of the locals once you've arrived there.

 

As others have said I also know a couple of regular visitors who are calling it a day and one of my ex pat chums who has been in Pattaya for 12 years is going back to the UK in February and may not come back. He says it's not the Thailand he knew before and he's had it with the place.

 

Some people simply don't want the aggravation, that's why fewer falangs will be coming to Thailand for long holidays in the future. I'm in Pattaya right now and it's the quietest I've ever seen it at this time of the year. It can and will only get worse.

[kingdong]

Above post says it all,thailand dosen,t realise the empty bag it's holding regarding tourism