Pattaya's golden times are over: Bar and salon owner packing up as uncertain future looms

[webfact]

Pattaya's golden times are over: Bar and salon owner packing up as uncertain future looms

 

Picture: 77kaoded

 

Thai media went to Pattaya where they found Thongjan Seuppheng packing up her bar beer and salon business. 

 

The Surin native has been in Pattaya for 15 years and ran a hairdressing salon within sight of Walking Street for a dozen years. 

 

For four of those years she also ran a bar out of the same premises. 

 

All that is now over because of the coronavirus and all the restrictions - and lack of tourists - that has caused. 

 

Thongjan told Thai PBS that she used to rake in 40-50,000 baht a day during her 12 noon -12 midnight opening hours This was more than enough to cover the 100,000 baht monthly rent and salaries for around ten employees. 

 

Now the staff have gone back to their villages and Thongjan has loaded up a pick-up truck with her possessions. 

 

She is not sure what the future holds and can't just go back to her north eastern Thai province and set up there. There are no tourists there either. 

 

She must wait and see what to do next. 

 

But for her, like so many who formerly made their living in the resort, the Pattaya dream is over. 

 

The media reported that Pattaya is in lockdown after orders from local mayor Sontaya Khunpluem.

 

Source: 77kaoded

 

 

 

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[Susco]

7 minutes ago, webfact said:

 

Thongjan told Thai PBS that she used to rake in 40-50,000 baht a day during her 12 noon -12 midnight opening hours

 

And she still couldn't save a little to overcome a 1 - 2 month lockdown?

[bkk6060]

Very sad but it is a world problem. Have a relative in the states 2 kids shut down business $125,000 a year job probably gone for good.

[petedk]

50,000 a day = 1.5 million per month. I assume that is turnover, so say she made a profit of 750,000 a month. 

Surely she saved some money.

 

I think that often the figures are exaggerated.

[fredob43]

1 minute ago, Susco said:

 

And she still couldn't save a little to overcome a 1 - 2 month lockdown?

1/2 month lock down??? more like two years before it'll get back to anything like normal.

[OnTheGround]

Earned 40-50k per day! the woman should have a few millions in the bank, one would expect. 

Nightlife have to think new and fresh, a total overhaul of their business model, without 300-500 baht bar off fee added on.

Bar fee 500 baht, no sympathy from me.

[petedk]

Just now, bkk6060 said:

Very sad but it is a world problem. Have a relative in the states 2 kids shut down business $125,000 a year job probably gone for good.

Same in UK. My close friend has a gemstone business. No sales for the past 2 months, so no cash flow. Plenty of stock but no buyers.

 

Many small businesses all over the world will wrap up in the coming months and probably lead to a snowball effect. Sadly, this crisis will last for some time.

[Titan1962]

Not a bad little profit 1,300,000 a month less operating expenses.

say 1 million a month profit after expenses. 12 million a year x 4 years + 48 million baht. She should have enough to see her out.

[z42]

It was flagging horribly before covid19 struck tbh.

 

It is a vibrant city, but needs tourists from all demographics to thrive. 

Capitalism itself ruined it. Overpriced rents, exorbitant key monies, and a plethora of uniformed persons with very questionable morals slowly chipped away at a good few people's ability to make a good living for themselves.

 

Then you add in a very strong baht to the mix, and people simply can't stay as long as before or can't do multiple trips in a year.

 

And now, those brave enough to stay may soon be reduced to beggars, like many residents already appear to be.

 

Maybe the city is done and dusted til at least the year's end.

[Rookiescot]

Wonder how much tax she paid on her 1,300,000 baht a month turnover?

Maybe someone from the Thai tax department should investigate.

[Pungdo]

I suspect it was more like 4,000-5,000 per day, my wife struggles with 1,000's and 10,000's mixes them up all the time.

[Kerryd]

Got to love how they interview ONE "bar owner" and then decide that the same thing applies to every other bar owner in the city.

There was another story not long ago, not sure if the same outlet or not, but the same theme. Interview one person and then proclaim that everyone else must be the same as that person.

Note that a lot of businesses on Walking Street were having problems long before the virus and lockdown. For years, TAT has been promoting Chinese and Indians to come here over the "Western" tourists that used to be the mainstay. The result has been, lots of people on the streets, not so many in the bars, restaurants, shops or other businesses. A few places still do OK, but a lot have been hurting for years now.

None of my (bar or restaurant) owner friends have said anything about selling their businesses (which are on the "water" side of Walking Street). I'm sure they probably aren't paying the same rent as they would when everything was open and they've sent all their staff home - probably without salary as well - so I'd suspect they aren't losing money right now, just not making any.
 

[Grumpy John]

Like others have said she made enough each month to put a bit away each month over the 10 years.  10.000 baht a month for 120 months would be 1.200.000 baht plus interest...maybe another 150.000.  On her turn over if she doesn't have that (or more) in the bank she is a silly girl!

 

Ps: I think her place had the boxing ring which was popular in the evenings...judging by the distance she is from Walking St entrance.

Edited April 29, 2020 by Grumpy John

[spiekerjozef]

Owning a business or leasing one is the key here...

[chrisandsu]

18 minutes ago, Susco said:

 

And she still couldn't save a little to overcome a 1 - 2 month lockdown?

The buffalo must of croaked 

[OnTheGround]

How about care for the average working thai, 77kaoded?

 

I pity 3 thai people I know who already been locked out of their apartment, unable to pay rent. Owner cut of their padlock, replacing it with his own lock.

I pity 1 more thai who's rent is up May 1, and she know she can't pay. 

 

In this article,

a 'rich hi-so' wannabe business woman have to pack up and go home - so what!

The Press here don't have their priorities right, and don't care to report more about real hardship among the working class.

Utter disgrace.

 

[Captain Monday]

The covid-19 fatalities in Thailand equal an average day's carnage on the roads.

Now? Destroy entire industries. When has the peoples well-being been of interest to any political party?

 

Madness.

[chrisandsu]

The saddest part is Thailand has made trillions of baht off the tourist boom over the last 30 years and no one thought to set up a social welfare programmes to help its own citizens when the <deleted> finally hit the fan ? We have generals that have made billions from working for the government and no one thought to question this ? It’s times like this you realise what a tin pot country Thailand is full of selfish people with the moral compass of a skip rat . 

[tgw]

29 minutes ago, Susco said:

 

And she still couldn't save a little to overcome a 1 - 2 month lockdown?

I always watch spending habits of acquaintances.

People who don't try to assemble significant savings even when they have good revenue are a trainwreck waiting to happen.

[JAG]

23 minutes ago, Titan1962 said:

Not a bad little profit 1,300,000 a month less operating expenses.

say 1 million a month profit after expenses. 12 million a year x 4 years + 48 million baht. She should have enough to see her out.

She is not saying that she is skint is she? She has decided to close her business. However profitable it may have been, it won't be now, nor for the foreseeable future. So she has closed it.

[Mistymilesdj]

3 to 4 bar fines a night, that was a busy lady.

[scubascuba3]

Sensible to get out now (or earlier) rather than the cash drain over the next year. Hopefully she and others have enough money to start again when things pick up

[JohnOFphon]

All of these failed business will be snapped up by the Chinese. 

For a fraction of what they would of sold for pre Chinese virus.

 

[chrisandsu]

1 minute ago, JohnOFphon said:

All of these failed business will be snapped up by the Chinese. 

For a fraction of what they would of sold for pre Chinese virus.

 

The businesses are worthless . Anyone that buys a leased business is buying literally a phone number . The landlord will happily rent to anyone dumb enough to pay their price . Up to you to fit it out 

[Chivas]

Pattaya was virtually on its backside pre Covid. This virus has delivered the Coup de grâce

[Phuketshrew]

57 minutes ago, webfact said:

Thongjan told Thai PBS that she used to rake in 40-50,000 baht a day during her 12 noon -12 midnight opening hours

That's a lot of happy endings ...

[Titan1962]

17 minutes ago, JAG said:

She is not saying that she is skint is she? She has decided to close her business. However profitable it may have been, it won't be now, nor for the foreseeable future. So she has closed it.

I did not say she was skint,I said she should have enough money to see her out. I know I could live quite happily on that sort of money. 
There will be lots of business closing down,she was lucky to have been in a very profitable business. She probably made the right decision,things will take years to get back to any sort of normality.

[sungod]

21 minutes ago, JAG said:

She is not saying that she is skint is she? She has decided to close her business. However profitable it may have been, it won't be now, nor for the foreseeable future. So she has closed it.

Tend to agree, will be no shortage of premises available at lower rataes in the future.

[outsider]

53 minutes ago, Susco said:

 

And she still couldn't save a little to overcome a 1 - 2 month lockdown?

 

She probably did and is doing that right now - going to live off her savings. Closing down her business probably allows her to cut her losses (rental, salaries etc.) so it doesn't eat into her savings. Just guessing ☺️

 

[ChipButty]

I have seen lots of landlords still want the same rent