Pandemic dims lights on Thailand's $5bn nightlife sector

[Enzian]

I agree with Yadon that a lot has been lost or ruined, but there are still some pockets on soi 24 and 26 and 26/1 and elsewhere. But then I'm a soapy fan. I used to like Merci up on Rachada Rd, but a change of management or something spoiled it. Some of the scene up that way is still ok, but the Japanese willingness to overpay has made it rather unreasonable. It will really be interesting to see what shakes out with those big places when this crisis eases.

[Cake Monster]

2 hours ago, Sharp said:

As said survival of the fittest .

 

There is definitely going to be less completion for the ones than can survive so maybe the service will improve.

 

Lets hope.

Survival of the fittest indeed.

And not just the " Nightclub / Bar " scene, but every business in Thailand, and the entire World.

Covid is surely going to cut out a lot of dead wood, whether they are small or large. 

[Saint Nick]

Once again, my heart is warmed by the expressions of solidarity and empathy on TVF!

 

So...let's break this down a bit, shall we?!

Let's take any Beer or GoGo Bar and let's see: first, there are the ladies/ girls...who are now completely out of money (unless they have one or two ree ruks abroad) and can't fend for themselves OR whole families upcountry!

Yeah...screw them, I say!

Why don't they work in the numerous 7elevens or fish can- factories all over the country?

Work is in endless supply there....or so, I have been told!

 

Then - of course - we have the cashiers, bartenders or DJ's, the cleaning personal or security...all out of job now!

They are not doing the shady business, but ...ahhhh...what the ...let's throw them into the big bucket of worthless trash, that doesn't deserve money, just like the hookers!

 

Last but not least: all these people usually went out to get some food from the vendors, up and down the redlight district- roads!

Oh well...they also don't make money anymore...tough luck...why are they trying to make a living of and in the filth, right!?

 

Live is so simple, if you are sitting on a pension from your home country, isn't it!

 

[Matzzon]

1 hour ago, Yadon Toploy said:

The global financial crisis killed the Bangkok bar scene in 2008

Yep, and know you have to ask yourself. How do we kill the same thing twice? I told you the first time, that you must kill it dead! ????

[the guest]

It will takes years for Thailand to recover. I very much doubt that the bar industry in its present form.

[eeworldwide]

1 hour ago, Matzzon said:

It´s great like it is. They can concentrate on creating more regular work for the people who lost it instead.

This doesn't make sense.

 

What's wrong with the nightlife in Bangkok?

 

It's provided very stable employment for thousands of people and now it's stopped. 

 

Its bad for tourism, it's bad for the city and it's bad for the people who work in the sector.

 

How can it be "great like it is" ??

 

And what kind of regular work are you proposing?

[marko kok prong]

5 hours ago, ChipButty said:

Gone back to sticky rice land, so Im told

Indeed many have,two of my gf friends she used to work with years ago,are back in Issan,maybe trying to get guys online,but how no one can travel.

[Ranshoko]

3 hours ago, Yadon Toploy said:

The global financial crisis killed the Bangkok bar scene in 2008, most of the expats with decent jobs left and it has been on a slow decline ever since.

 

All that survived were the boiler room bars on Sukhumvit built with stolen UK and Aussie pensioners' money.

 

All the pockets of beer bars have closed, and now it has lost the character and edge that Bangkok so exciting. 

 

Washington Square, Queen's Park Plaza, Soi 10, Asok Plaza, Soi 22 Plaza, Soi Zero, Impressionists' Row, Clinton Plaza, Soi 7 etc. All gone. 

 

Cowboy turned from a sexpat enclave into a neon tourist eyesore. Nana died a death when they refurbished it, Soi Nana looks like it is on its last legs and rigor mortis set in to Patpong long ago. Only a few bars in Patpong 2 worth going to nowadays.

A very good summary.

[marko kok prong]

5 hours ago, NCC1701A said:

interesting to see this number. 

 

but it does not include the girls fee. so think how much they are making. 

I thought they payed you NCC.So i guess your out of pocket too.

[Ranshoko]

3 hours ago, Yadon Toploy said:

The global financial crisis killed the Bangkok bar scene in 2008, most of the expats with decent jobs left and it has been on a slow decline ever since.

 

All that survived were the boiler room bars on Sukhumvit built with stolen UK and Aussie pensioners' money.

 

All the pockets of beer bars have closed, and now it has lost the character and edge that Bangkok so exciting. 

 

Washington Square, Queen's Park Plaza, Soi 10, Asok Plaza, Soi 22 Plaza, Soi Zero, Impressionists' Row, Clinton Plaza, Soi 7 etc. All gone. 

 

Cowboy turned from a sexpat enclave into a neon tourist eyesore. Nana died a death when they refurbished it, Soi Nana looks like it is on its last legs and rigor mortis set in to Patpong long ago. Only a few bars in Patpong 2 worth going to nowadays.

A very good summary.

[garygooner]

3 hours ago, Yadon Toploy said:

The global financial crisis killed the Bangkok bar scene in 2008, most of the expats with decent jobs left and it has been on a slow decline ever since.

 

All that survived were the boiler room bars on Sukhumvit built with stolen UK and Aussie pensioners' money.

 

All the pockets of beer bars have closed, and now it has lost the character and edge that Bangkok so exciting. 

 

Washington Square, Queen's Park Plaza, Soi 10, Asok Plaza, Soi 22 Plaza, Soi Zero, Impressionists' Row, Clinton Plaza, Soi 7 etc. All gone. 

 

Cowboy turned from a sexpat enclave into a neon tourist eyesore. Nana died a death when they refurbished it, Soi Nana looks like it is on its last legs and rigor mortis set in to Patpong long ago. Only a few bars in Patpong 2 worth going to nowadays.

Clinton Plaza... That takes me back! 

[Thongkorn]

2 hours ago, the guest said:

It will takes years for Thailand to recover. I very much doubt that the bar industry in its present form.

Maybe a good thing to make the place more family friendly, get rid of scabby Bars Music and Most Girls, 

[baansgr]

3 hours ago, Yadon Toploy said:

The global financial crisis killed the Bangkok bar scene in 2008, most of the expats with decent jobs left and it has been on a slow decline ever since.

 

All that survived were the boiler room bars on Sukhumvit built with stolen UK and Aussie pensioners' money.

 

All the pockets of beer bars have closed, and now it has lost the character and edge that Bangkok so exciting. 

 

Washington Square, Queen's Park Plaza, Soi 10, Asok Plaza, Soi 22 Plaza, Soi Zero, Impressionists' Row, Clinton Plaza, Soi 7 etc. All gone. 

 

Cowboy turned from a sexpat enclave into a neon tourist eyesore. Nana died a death when they refurbished it, Soi Nana looks like it is on its last legs and rigor mortis set in to Patpong long ago. Only a few bars in Patpong 2 worth going to nowadays.

Soi zero...that's a blast...long gone though

[baansgr]

3 hours ago, Saint Nick said:

Once again, my heart is warmed by the expressions of solidarity and empathy on TVF!

 

So...let's break this down a bit, shall we?!

Let's take any Beer or GoGo Bar and let's see: first, there are the ladies/ girls...who are now completely out of money (unless they have one or two ree ruks abroad) and can't fend for themselves OR whole families upcountry!

Yeah...screw them, I say!

Why don't they work in the numerous 7elevens or fish can- factories all over the country?

Work is in endless supply there....or so, I have been told!

 

Then - of course - we have the cashiers, bartenders or DJ's, the cleaning personal or security...all out of job now!

They are not doing the shady business, but ...ahhhh...what the ...let's throw them into the big bucket of worthless trash, that doesn't deserve money, just like the hookers!

 

Last but not least: all these people usually went out to get some food from the vendors, up and down the redlight district- roads!

Oh well...they also don't make money anymore...tough luck...why are they trying to make a living of and in the filth, right!?

 

Live is so simple, if you are sitting on a pension from your home country, isn't it!

 

The same bar owners that only a few months ago were defending their prices and saying the girls were earning upwards of 60k a month....are now 5 weeks after being closed saying those same girls are starving and they can't afford the rent....can't have it both ways...sorry but with the endless bill padding, rudeness, silly prices, violence and upto me attitude...who gives two poops whether they are suffering or not.

[Ranshoko]

Well tough! I've no sympathy with the owners of these bars and the women they employ. I've been coming to Thailand for more than 25 years and lived here for 10 years These "entertainment" bars have been ripping tourists off for years. Over priced beer, rip-off lady drinks with little or no alcohol in them. Since the advent of smartphones these girls spend most of the time sat on their <deleted> fiddling with the phone. I've lived in BKK and found a lot of the Expats drink in local pubs where prices are reasonable. An environment where you're not been hassled by Bar Girls begging for drinks. 

 

The "entertainment" bars that survive will be mostly dependent on tourists not Expats. I cannot see tourists coming back in any numbers any time soon. Most of the Chinese tourists anyway don't frequent girly bars. Most Bargirls are lazy, they want easy money, The Thai government should invest in factories, located in Issan to reduce the dependy on entertainment bars. I'm living in Issan now and feel sorry for a guy from England running a local pub. He's been forced to shut down and is trying to survive by offering take away food. 

[Sundown]

59 minutes ago, Matzzon said:

What's wrong with the nightlife in Bangkok?

Ohh! It´s sleazy and it spreads other diseases than Coronavirus. It´s also a morally seen life of decay. Mostly the women are forced into this business to be able to support their families because of poor education. In other words most of them do not want. In the world with open eyes, that it called rape. They are just to depending of it to be able to say no. If that is not forced sex, what is it then?

Yes, I've been told that many of them would just love to take care of their sick buffaloes at home.  

[Saint Nick]

20 minutes ago, baansgr said:

The same bar owners that only a few months ago were defending their prices and saying the girls were earning upwards of 60k a month....are now 5 weeks after being closed saying those same girls are starving and they can't afford the rent....can't have it both ways...sorry but with the endless bill padding, rudeness, silly prices, violence and upto me attitude...who gives two poops whether they are suffering or not.

...the same bar owners...

What part of my post was actually talking about the bar owners?

 

[BritManToo]

Just now, Saint Nick said:

What's wrong with the nightlife in Bangkok?

It is the same nightlife like in other countries in the world, only way less regulated!

And that is somehow the fault of the ladies, who work the bars?

I always wonder why these prudes ever came to Thailand.

It's a country well known for sleazy sex, and doesn't have much else to offer.

If you don't like sleazy sex go somewhere else!

[Saint Nick]

18 minutes ago, Ranshoko said:

Well tough! I've no sympathy with the owners of these bars and the women they employ. I've been coming to Thailand for more than 25 years and lived here for 10 years These "entertainment" bars have been ripping tourists off for years. Over priced beer, rip-off lady drinks with little or no alcohol in them. Since the advent of smartphones these girls spend most of the time sat on their <deleted> fiddling with the phone. I've lived in BKK and found a lot of the Expats drink in local pubs where prices are reasonable. An environment where you're not been hassled by Bar Girls begging for drinks. 

 

The "entertainment" bars that survive will be mostly dependent on tourists not Expats. I cannot see tourists coming back in any numbers any time soon. Most of the Chinese tourists anyway don't frequent girly bars. Most Bargirls are lazy, they want easy money, The Thai government should invest in factories, located in Issan to reduce the dependy on entertainment bars. I'm living in Issan now and feel sorry for a guy from England running a local pub. He's been forced to shut down and is trying to survive by offering take away food. 

"The Thai government should invest in factories, located in Issan to reduce the dependy on entertainment bars."

But the Thai- government is not doing that, are they?

So what do we do in the meantime?

Oh, right...we just let some people die, we are not interested in, because they play on their smartphone!

By the same token, we can let some homepro- employees starve too!

[baansgr]

27 minutes ago, Saint Nick said:

...the same bar owners...

What part of my post was actually talking about the bar owners?

 

Read my post again...you will understand

[The Word]

7 hours ago, jadee said:

Out of interest, what are all the women doing now? Gone back to the farm or started working online? (...asking for a friend...)

The chances of finding any to answer that question here seems rather remote, not many bar girls, etc., are members here.

[Boomer6969]

If you asked me I'd say there was a distinct chance that a place like Nana Plaza will never reopen. With bar operators struggling to pay rents the owner of the place could well prefer to sell out to some luxury condo developer. Which would be perfectly in line with what has happened in the area (from soi 10 down) for the last 10 years. 

Cowboy being a soi, would probably more resilient and become something like the Amsterdam RLD with upmarket Gogos instead of windows. Don't know much about Pattaya, but it could also shrink back into Walking Street. 

As far as the girls are concerned those who want to stay in the trade shouldn't have any problem to adjust to the On Line trade. 

[csmith]

Dimmed the lights? .… more like totally switched off!

 

… and where are the entertainers? .… online .… delivery service only .… no eating in the premises.

 

There is definitely an App

[The Word]

5 hours ago, pmarlin said:

 Most of them weren't legal anyway.

I think you'll find that the opposite is, in fact, the case.

[brokenbone]

4 hours ago, Saint Nick said:

Live is so simple, if you are sitting on a pension from your home country, isn't it!

i am going through hardship too.

due to the no plastic bags brain fart, i more then ever want to dine out

so my condo dont get messy before the maids return,

but now almost all resturants closed, and so i have to eat home

with the piling up of garbage that that entails,

and to add insult to injury there is barely a thing i got appetite for,

save foodlands potato salad and apple pie,

the only thing standing between me and famine in this dark hour

Edited April 24, 2020 by brokenbone

[tribalfusion001]

1 hour ago, Matzzon said:

What's wrong with the nightlife in Bangkok?

Ohh! It´s sleazy and it spreads other diseases than Coronavirus. It´s also a morally seen life of decay. Mostly the women are forced into this business to be able to support their families because of poor education. In other words most of them do not want. In the world with open eyes, that it called rape. They are just to depending of it to be able to say no. If that is not forced sex, what is it then?

 

 

Clearly you haven't talked to many of the working girls. Yes most are poorly educated, but forced into business, is complete lefty pc <deleted>. The money is easy and some of them are highly skilled in making sure the guy doesn't "last" long. I've met loads who see it as a viable business, obviously not now 555

[overherebc]

5 hours ago, Oziex1 said:

But will they get it, or will they just go back to opening a bar, next to a bar that is next to another bar that is across the soi from many other bars.

and each one next door to a 7/11.

[BritManToo]

16 minutes ago, Boomer6969 said:

As far as the girls are concerned those who want to stay in the trade shouldn't have any problem to adjust to the On Line trade.

I prefer to squeeze the fresh produce before I buy it.

Online is OK for buying hardware.

Edited April 24, 2020 by BritManToo

[Ranshoko]

50 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

I always wonder why these prudes ever came to Thailand.

It's a country well known for sleazy sex, and doesn't have much else to offer.

If you don't like sleazy sex go somewhere else!

Well we obviously know what your priorities are. There's going to be a lot less sleaze going on for the foreseeable future. Which should keep many of the sleazeballs away

[JAG]

1 hour ago, baansgr said:

Soi zero...that's a blast...long gone though

Yes, didn't it shake when the freight train ran past!

 

Soi 10 was another memory - one night it was there, the next morning gone!