Pattaya: Bars and clubs won't open despite bans ending

[Kerryd]

I have friends that own establishments on Walking Street. I asked one about if they were going to reopen their beer bar on 1 July and maybe have a big party or something.

All he said was "no customers". 

Domestic tourists are not going to flood into the beer bars and go-gos (especially as they normally wouldn't be allowed in the go-gos to begin with). They are going to go to restaurants and "Thai style" places like karaokes, where they can eat Thai food and listen to Thai music.

A few place will open and "test the waters". I'm sure a few places have owners/management that were smart enough to bank some cash ahead of time and will be able to staff their places for a month or two and see what happens. Places like Baccara might be OK. A couple of the "beer bars" in the Simon Complex (the ones closest to the street) may get enough business to keep the lights on.

If they are seen to be doing good and have lots of customers, others will scramble to open as well. But as already mentioned, this is the traditional "low" season so the only places that will probably be OK are the same ones that are usually able to stay open every other low season.

Many of the "shop house" bars that "expats" have on the ground floor of their shop house home will open, with the wife and maybe one of her "sisters" tending bar. You know, those little places that dot the area, where you can go by 10 times and maybe see a customer in them 2 or 3 times.

 

2 hours ago, robblok said:

Expats love to overstate their importance. This is again one of those things. Nicely demonstrated.

Indeed. Just like all the ones who whine that without them, the Thai economy would collapse. And the ones who whine that a one day closure of the bars (i.e. during an election or religious holiday) will "cripple" the tourism industry and be the "final nail in the coffin".

Yeah, you may go to a village and see 1 or 2 "modern" houses built by "money from Pattaya". The other 400 houses in the village though were built by "working in the rice fields". (Or whatever endeavour they normally do to earn a living at in their area.)

I'm currently looking at the 2019 Immigration Stats, trying to decipher just how many people are in the country on some form of "yearly" Visa. (Yes, Immigration thinks you are on a "Visa" not an "Extension". They don't have a category for people on "Extensions".)
https://www.immigration.go.th/immigration_stats

It's a pain to decipher because the headings are in Thai (naturally) and some are abbreviated so you aren't really sure what they are referring to.

If I'm reading it right (I have doubts), the total number of foreigners in Thailand on some kind of long stay (Non-Something) visa is just over 180,000. That includes 78,000 Lao/Cambo/Burmese. (And no, that doesn't include the 900,000 on something other than a "long stay" Visa or those here illegally.)

Another 35,000 are Japanese/Chinese/Indian (in that order).

That leaves just 67,000 "other" expats combined and of those, Brits/Aussies/Canadians/Kiwis/Yanks make up around 16,000 (roughly). 
(Brits clock in at #4 overall with just over 6,000 and Americans are #5 with just over 5,000.)

Oh and the number of people of Thai Elite memberships ? A whopping 444 !!! And another 2,144 on Thailand Privilege Cards !


And BTW - The UN estimates that there are only about 147,000 "sex workers" in all of Thailand and only 27,000 in Pattaya. Not "200,000" in Pattaya.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prostitution_in_Thailand#:~:text=UNAIDS in 2015 estimated the,in Thailand to be 147%2C000.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walking_Street,_Pattaya#:~:text=In addition to a large,Pattaya%2C many in Walking Street.
 

[Don Mega]

4 hours ago, ezzra said:

Do you think that by now, Thai people realised and it dawned on them that basically without foreigners this country is pretty much back to being a farm and agriculture oriented country, no better than many other poor third world countries around the world.. and do you think that they will remember it when the good times comes rolling back?...

 

Amusing you think Thailand is nothing but sex workers, farming and agriculture.

 

[robblok]

13 minutes ago, nuckyt77 said:

Jawohl Rob...a good partymember. Brown-arm award coming your way

Nah I am someone who can use his brain and actually uses it. Not some bar stool critic. 

 

You either stop all rules for corvid or you adhere to them. Because not following up makes them all useless.

 

 

[robblok]

7 minutes ago, MAMMartin said:

is that why you don't run a bar?  at 50% capacity and increased expense of staff to monitor and clean there's no profit in it - why open to lose money?

No I just use my brain.. how do you want to fill a bar up right now with over 50% capacity when there are no tourist. My point is even if they want it it will be hard to fill them up given that there are just not that many tourist in pattaya.

[Leaver]

2 hours ago, ftpjtm said:

Tourism accounts for 17% of Thailand's GDP. 

Not to mention the millions of people the tourism industry employs.  That's a lot of money not circulating around the Thai economy, causing further job loses in the future. 

[JonnyF]

4 hours ago, robblok said:

Good point then to keep them closed. Its exactly as you said the things people want to do in a bar cant be done safe because of corvid and people will break the rules ASAP. So why open them at all if people dont even want to adhere to the rules.

 

When I go shopping i follow all the rules why would bars be exempt.

Well done Rob, you're such a good little boy I will ask Uncle Tu to give you a pat on the head and a gold star.

 

However, the borders are closed and there have been no cases for weeks.

 

So either your hero is lying about the number of cases, or he is lying about the reasons for enforcing these stupid rules?

 

Which is it? If there's no C19, why the rules?

[robblok]

Just now, JonnyF said:

Well done Rob, you're such a good little boy I will ask Uncle Tu to give you a pat on the head and a gold star.

 

However, the borders are closed and there have been no cases for weeks.

 

So either your hero is lying about the number of cases, or he is lying about the reasons for enforcing these stupid rules?

 

Which is it? If there's no C19, why the rules?

You need to keep up but maybe all the alcohol is affecting your brain. I have no love for Prayut been that way for ages. Have been a fan of FFW since it was formed and it was a sad day when they were shut down. 

 

I am thinking that the government is lying have been so for a long time. If you look at the stats the BBC posted over extra deaths and it shows like 2300+ so a lot went unreported. So corvid is still out there. 

 

Having said that its still like a 20 times better performance then the UK in corvid stats. 

[Leaver]

3 hours ago, OneMoreFarang said:

Even under normal conditions now would be low season. And lots of entertainment venues make only real money in the high season. Normally they stay open all year because the rent must be paid anyhow and they want to keep the staff so that they have them in high season.

But now is obviously a lot worse than just low season. And there is a BIG question mark if there will be any high season this year or maybe even next year. 

There is no point for business owners to reopen an unprofitable business.

And there is also not much point for the dancers, who normally make lots of money not from dancing, to go to work in an empty place. Same for tips for waitresses, etc.

 

Correct.  Just because the government will allow bars and clubs to open, doesn't mean that they will. 

 

Some will open, and remain open. 

 

Some will open, only to close again, possibly for good, but may reopen in the future.

 

Some will remain closed until tourists in decent numbers start returning, thus minimizing their losses.

 

Some will hand back the keys to the landlord and walk away, never to open again.  

[animatic]

Singing by customers is prohibited?

I have heard that bands are expected to sing with masks on.... 

[robblok]

Just now, animatic said:

Singing by customers is prohibited?

I have heard that bands are expected to sing with masks on.... 

Might be a good thing that customers are not allowed to sing. ????

[Chiang Mai Bill]

4 hours ago, KhunKenAP said:

You can bet the police will be checking all open bars and arrest any patron's and bar owners for a single violation of any of the 22 rules. I would estimate the odds of anyone in a bar frequented by farangs being busted at around 90%. Of course there will be mass confusion on what is OK or Not OK. They will arrest first and ask questions later, so they can get picture in the news media.

 

Best they stay closed until these stupid 22 rules go away. 

The police in Chiang Mai will turn a blind eye to those bars that have no hope in keeping to the majority of the 22 rules -- as long as the owners pay the police their monthly protection fee -- which will, no doubt, be increased!  The police are missing their monthly payments and will want them to continue!

 

Of course, as in Pattaya, there aren't that many tourists here and many bars will remain shut until the tourists return -- if ever!

[JonnyF]

3 minutes ago, robblok said:

You need to keep up but maybe all the alcohol is affecting your brain. I have no love for Prayut been that way for ages. Have been a fan of FFW since it was formed and it was a sad day when they were shut down. 

 

I am thinking that the government is lying have been so for a long time. If you look at the stats the BBC posted over extra deaths and it shows like 2300+ so a lot went unreported. So corvid is still out there. 

 

Having said that its still like a 20 times better performance then the UK in corvid stats. 

Oh I'm pleased to hear you finally worked out P wasn't the hero you thought he was. Better late than never. 

 

The UK deaths are overstated. I have friends working in palliative care in the UK and they said people with terminal cancer are dying with C19 and the reason of death is recorded as C19 when they had only weeks left anyway. I reckon if you get hit by a truck while positive for C19 in the UK that would probably be recorded as a C19 death. It was a way of scaring the population into lockdown as us Great Britons are not known for our enthusiasm to follow government advice.

[ftpjtm]

19 minutes ago, Kerryd said:

I have friends that own establishments on Walking Street. I asked one about if they were going to reopen their beer bar on 1 July and maybe have a big party or something.

All he said was "no customers". 

Domestic tourists are not going to flood into the beer bars and go-gos (especially as they normally wouldn't be allowed in the go-gos to begin with). They are going to go to restaurants and "Thai style" places like karaokes, where they can eat Thai food and listen to Thai music.

A few place will open and "test the waters". I'm sure a few places have owners/management that were smart enough to bank some cash ahead of time and will be able to staff their places for a month or two and see what happens. Places like Baccara might be OK. A couple of the "beer bars" in the Simon Complex (the ones closest to the street) may get enough business to keep the lights on.

If they are seen to be doing good and have lots of customers, others will scramble to open as well. But as already mentioned, this is the traditional "low" season so the only places that will probably be OK are the same ones that are usually able to stay open every other low season.

Many of the "shop house" bars that "expats" have on the ground floor of their shop house home will open, with the wife and maybe one of her "sisters" tending bar. You know, those little places that dot the area, where you can go by 10 times and maybe see a customer in them 2 or 3 times.

 

Indeed. Just like all the ones who whine that without them, the Thai economy would collapse. And the ones who whine that a one day closure of the bars (i.e. during an election or religious holiday) will "cripple" the tourism industry and be the "final nail in the coffin".

Yeah, you may go to a village and see 1 or 2 "modern" houses built by "money from Pattaya". The other 400 houses in the village though were built by "working in the rice fields". (Or whatever endeavour they normally do to earn a living at in their area.)

I'm currently looking at the 2019 Immigration Stats, trying to decipher just how many people are in the country on some form of "yearly" Visa. (Yes, Immigration thinks you are on a "Visa" not an "Extension". They don't have a category for people on "Extensions".)
https://www.immigration.go.th/immigration_stats

It's a pain to decipher because the headings are in Thai (naturally) and some are abbreviated so you aren't really sure what they are referring to.

If I'm reading it right (I have doubts), the total number of foreigners in Thailand on some kind of long stay (Non-Something) visa is just over 180,000. That includes 78,000 Lao/Cambo/Burmese. (And no, that doesn't include the 900,000 on something other than a "long stay" Visa or those here illegally.)

Another 35,000 are Japanese/Chinese/Indian (in that order).

That leaves just 67,000 "other" expats combined and of those, Brits/Aussies/Canadians/Kiwis/Yanks make up around 16,000 (roughly). 
(Brits clock in at #4 overall with just over 6,000 and Americans are #5 with just over 5,000.)

Oh and the number of people of Thai Elite memberships ? A whopping 444 !!! And another 2,144 on Thailand Privilege Cards !


And BTW - The UN estimates that there are only about 147,000 "sex workers" in all of Thailand and only 27,000 in Pattaya. Not "200,000" in Pattaya.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prostitution_in_Thailand#:~:text=UNAIDS in 2015 estimated the,in Thailand to be 147%2C000.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walking_Street,_Pattaya#:~:text=In addition to a large,Pattaya%2C many in Walking Street.
 

Any stats on the number of Thais who married foreigners, moved out of Thailand, and support their Thai families from abroad?

[5633572526]

5 hours ago, robblok said:

So its not the government keeping them closed its the owners thinking it wont be profitable if they have to follow the rules. 

 

I don't get it what is the problem with the 50% capacity. I mean its not as if they would be at 100% capacity in low season anyway. 

 

 

The owners didn’t make the ridiculous rules the government did so yes the government is keeping them closed. For most people I am sure this is not difficult to understand.

[Bob A Kneale]

4 hours ago, robblok said:

When I go shopping i follow all the rules why would bars be exempt.

They're not exempt!

[Ventenio]

100 baht beer delivered in COVID free container

100 baht to look at girl in covid plastic box 

300 baht if want to talk to girl, since dangerous.

500 baht to buy covid PPE from bar, safety first

1000 baht to leave with girl, buying her PPE covid sex-free covering

5000 baht for covid sex insurance

1000 baht fine if in bathroom together and not 2 meters apart

1000 baht fine if take off mask.

 

let the good times roll......

[A1Str8]

Bars won't open. Wonderful. Now everyone can go and find a meaningful activity. 

[robblok]

Just now, JonnyF said:

Oh I'm pleased to hear you finally worked out P wasn't the hero you thought he was. Better late than never. 

 

The UK deaths are overstated. I have friends working in palliative care in the UK and they said people with terminal cancer are dying with C19 and the reason of death is recorded as C19 when they had only weeks left anyway. I reckon if you get hit by a truck while positive for C19 in the UK that would probably be recorded as a C19 death. It was a way of scaring the population into lockdown as us Great Britons are not known for our enthusiasm to follow government advice.

You have missed quite as I have stated countless times that I don't like Prayut. He did not leave fast like others and the ban of FFW is just crazy. FFW was the one I was rooting for ever since they were formed. 

 

You did not read the UK article then you should. The stats are UNDERSTATED. They now compared normal death rates (of previous years) with real death rates this year) Then you got a good number.

 

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-53073046

 

It showed the UK Under reporting 12,729 official was 51,804 but if you check it with previous years there were 64.533 deaths more then normal

 

In Thailand it was 2,316 deaths more then normal (should be a songkran correction on too) but still it shows that its far less then the UK. But it still shows that corvid killed and is out there without it being tested 

 

 

[tribalfusion001]

Doesn't look like Soi Cowboy will be reopening either. I doubt the walking street go go bars will open, no tourists no point in opening. In regards to Pattaya maybe just soi buakhao will open up back up, some bars will be ok and others will close. Soi 6, 7 and 8 bars looks bleak for them.

[micmichd]

3 hours ago, OneMoreFarang said:

Pattaya is part of Thailand but very different from the rest of Thailand. The rest of Thailand has lots of local bars and local customers. It might be difficult for some people to understand but Thailand if perfectly able to survive without Pattaya.

You're aware that around Pattaya (in Chonburi) a new industrial zone is growing? And you're also aware that Pattaya will be recreation zone for the workers there? 

So, Pattaya will remain, just different guests will come. 

[Ventenio]

4 minutes ago, A1Str8 said:

Bars won't open. Wonderful. Now everyone can go and find a meaningful activity. 

That's your opinion.  What are you doing that's meaningful?  What if I say it's not meaningful?  Is it then not meaningful?

 

old guy goes to bar and make a friend......could it be meaningful?

guy meets girl at bar.....could it be meaningful?

guy has stress, relaxes.....could it be meaningful?

guy gets out of the house, smiles.......meaningful?

 

When I turned 25, I stopped judging others and telling others what is correct and incorrect.  i am not the high priestess...  i don't think working for the church is meaningful...am i bad? 

 

i'm now typing on TV....is it meaningful?   lol

[schvonsky1]

5 hours ago, KhunKenAP said:

You can bet the police will be checking all open bars and arrest any patron's and bar owners for a single violation of any of the 22 rules. I would estimate the odds of anyone in a bar frequented by farangs being busted at around 90%. Of course there will be mass confusion on what is OK or Not OK. They will arrest first and ask questions later, so they can get picture in the news media.

 

Best they stay closed until these stupid 22 rules go away. 

The bib must be devastated all them brown envelopes they not getting ????????????????????????????????

[lee b]

I understand some of the fears, but what will happen to many places if they just stay closed due to rules and extra money needed to be spent, and it takes another year for example for people to return?

[JonnyF]

8 minutes ago, robblok said:

You have missed quite as I have stated countless times that I don't like Prayut. He did not leave fast like others and the ban of FFW is just crazy. FFW was the one I was rooting for ever since they were formed. 

 

You did not read the UK article then you should. The stats are UNDERSTATED. They now compared normal death rates (of previous years) with real death rates this year) Then you got a good number.

 

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-53073046

 

It showed the UK Under reporting 12,729 official was 51,804 but if you check it with previous years there were 64.533 deaths more then normal

 

In Thailand it was 2,316 deaths more then normal (should be a songkran correction on too) but still it shows that its far less then the UK. But it still shows that corvid killed and is out there without it being tested 

 

 

Comparing number of deaths is not very scientific since there are multiple factors involved, not only C19.

 

You might also find that as C19 fades away the number of deaths for the following 12 months is reduced since many of the terminally ill or those with very serious health problems passed away during the C19 peak (they would have died anyway but the speed of their demise was sped up by C19) leaving a generally healthier population. You could also find that herd immunity causes a second wave to be less severe in places that had a larger first wave.

 

Basically, it's too early to count the scorecards, we might only be in round 4 of a 12 round fight.

[sambum]

5 hours ago, robblok said:

So its not the government keeping them closed its the owners thinking it wont be profitable if they have to follow the rules. 

 

I don't get it what is the problem with the 50% capacity. I mean its not as if they would be at 100% capacity in low season anyway. 

 

 

It's not just the 50% capacity rule - it's all the other inane rules that go with it (No singing or dancing?)

 

And I thought that Thailand was virtually virus free - the only cases are Thais returning home from other countries, so why the continued "State of Emergency" anyway?

[steven100]

Pretty simple really, if a bar wants to open and is prepared to adhere to the safety guidelines as instructed by the government then he is welcome too. I've been to restaurants and drank beer without any problem.  Khun Prayut Chan O Cha and his government certainly don't want to risk a second wave of infections in Thailand as that would really be disastrous. Some farang may not agree with the safety measures being in place, however I for one prefer the safer method so as to lower the risk of any transmission rather than relax the lockdown just to please a few boozers that can't get into their favorite drinking hole everyday and go upstairs. Well done Thailand on minimal COVID-19 infections & transmission.

Exceptional work by Khun Prayut Chan O Cha in enforcing the lockdown measures that prevented big numbers. Glad i'm lockdown here rather than Brazil or Italy.

[kcpattaya]

Here here....
This was to be expected.
No point to open any venue without customers.
???? 

[steven100]

11 minutes ago, tribalfusion001 said:

Doesn't look like Soi Cowboy will be reopening either. I doubt the walking street go go bars will open, no tourists no point in opening. In regards to Pattaya maybe just soi buakhao will open up back up, some bars will be ok and others will close. Soi 6, 7 and 8 bars looks bleak for them.

RIP .... no tourists, no flights permitted by other countries, no work, no money.

[Taxi]

The bars that had a solid expat customer base before this will be OK and operate as normal.  As the expats and the owners are all very familiar with each other none/few of the rules will be applied.  That's the truth of it in my opinion. 

 

My view.

 

Never depend on the government for your safety.

Never depend on the other people for your safety.

The only person who is responsible for your safety is you.  Make your decisions accordingly.

 

A Penn State university study published in the NY Post a couple of days ago estimated over 8 million infected in the US in March. If true then there are 10's or hundreds of millions of people who have or have had this.  Not sure any amount of rules will help if this is the case.  But that would also mean the fatality rate was very low.  In Italy I recall reading the average age of the victims was 80, so probably need to try and protect different parts of the community differently.

 

Study link https://nypost.com/2020/06/23/over-8-7-million-covid-19-cases-in-us-went-undetected-in-march-study/

[robblok]

4 minutes ago, JonnyF said:

Comparing number of deaths is not very scientific since there are multiple factors involved, not only C19.

 

You might also find that as C19 fades away the number of deaths for the following 12 months is reduced since many of the terminally ill or those with very serious health problems passed away during the C19 peak (they would have died anyway but the speed of their demise was sped up by C19) leaving a generally healthier population. You could also find that herd immunity causes a second wave to be less severe in places that had a larger first wave.

 

Basically, it's too early to count the scorecards, we might only be in round 4 of a 12 round fight.

Actually according to the scientists its best solution (of the worst). I mean there is no real good solution anyway to be sure but more then average deaths certainly shows it best.

 

But like you said you might have to correct it a bit like in Thailand they record 2300 more deaths then normal. But corvid might even be higher as normally songkran kills quite a few. So its not fullproof but certainly better then what they did currently. 

 

But it certainly shows the UK as one of the worst in Europe and certainly doing far worse then Thailand. 

 

But it shows that Thailand has covered up the most surprise surprise percentage wise)

 

But Thailands covered up stats also show that its quite possible that corvid is still around So the bars are a danger.

 

IMHO you either follow all the rules or none.. because otherwise its just pointless.