Once Asia’s party capital, will Bangkok’s nightlife scene recover even if Thailand’s tourism industry picks up?

[Freddy42OZ]

5 hours ago, Hayduke said:

 

Will Bangkok's nightlife recover?  No, it’s effectively dead…the government has knocked it out and and the police are busy sucking the life out of its unconscious body. It's gone....and it won't be back.

 

 

 

Of course it's not dead. 
Maybe the crappy go-go bars that cater to farangs are dead, although I suspect they'll rise from the ashes as well.

 

But the real money is in the bars for rich young Thais and those places that don't want low class Western pensioners through their doors.

[newnative]

8 minutes ago, spidermike007 said:

Prior to Covid some surveys showed that 86% of all arrivals were lower or lower middle income tourists from China, Malaysia and India. After Covid? Far fewer of them and maybe 12 to 20  wealthy tourists a year. Maybe. 

 

The goons are successfully doing everything in their power to strip Thailand of much of it's character. Khao Son Road. Samui, Phuket, Pattaya. Without the nightlife that will likely NOT revive after nearly 2 years of consistent and deliberate sabotage, Thailand is finished as a tourist destination. Millions of jobs lost. 

 

One can only hope one day Prayuth and his henchmen are held responsible at the Hague, or exiled from Thailand. The crimes being committed against the Thai people are unforgivable. 

 

Swampy recently at 10am.

 

 

     Source for your pre-covid claim that '86% of all arrivals were  lower or lower middle income tourists from China, India, and Malaysia'?  In 2019 there were nearly 40 million arrivals.  Arrivals from China, India, and Malaysia in 2019 total 17 million and change.  How do you get 17 million arrivals equaling 86% of 40 million arrivals, even disregarding that not all of the 17 million arrivals were 'lower or lower middle income' tourists?

[Will B Good]

Sad, at least from my point of view.

 

Things have slowly contracted and been ground down to almost nothing.

 

I used to love the street bars, opening up on derelict land, under flyovers, disused multi-stories.......all gone now as the whole place is slowly being sterilized.....courtesy of the government.

[Freddy42OZ]

1 hour ago, Farmerslife said:

I think it will bounce back in time but I fear the ownership will change. A lot of small owners will have been squeezed out and larger more affluent owners will snap up the bargains to be had in the currently decimated industry thus concentrating wealth in ever decreasing hands. 

Not good news. 

 

Why does it matter who owns them?    

 

[Chad3000]

7 hours ago, nausea said:

 

From the original article:

 

“You have to have good friends in the police to stay open,” said the manager of a downtown pop-up bar which has operated in near open view throughout the latest lockdown, despite a booze ban. “When we have to close there is another bar upstairs to go to. We know how to work carefully.”

 

No surprises there.

 

As for the raids, it's nice to know the potential cost just in case one's tempted:

 

"There are regular local media reports of raids on illegal bars across Bangkok crammed with both Thais and foreigners who are tested for Covid-19 – at their own cost – and fined around US$120 on the spot."

 

C..4000bt + covid test it seems, hardly bank breaking stuff for your average expat.

 

 

But it's a scam.

 

Is there an actual law that is being broken?

 

Are you ticketed and the sum uniform for everyone?

 

Is this proper application of law?

[Chad3000]

I think they're dead and we're dying pre.covid.

 

Internet hookups far more efficient, probably less hassle and money.

 

The costs to keep the dancers is quite high. Imagine numbers even get swapped and no bar fine occurs often.

 

I'd heard dancers at least lookers so few that the gogos in Pattaya were hiring college girls that wanted nothing to do with bf. They even came from agencies.

 

There is only Baccarat on Cowboy that has any lookers. Most of the rest my wife is hotter and she's 45. Many chunky girls, unattractive. Fine for a b60 beer in AC. That's about it.

 

My call: done.

 

Want gogos and cheap beer it's Angeles City.

[spidermike007]

26 minutes ago, newnative said:

     Source for your pre-covid claim that '86% of all arrivals were  lower or lower middle income tourists from China, India, and Malaysia'?  In 2019 there were nearly 40 million arrivals.  Arrivals from China, India, and Malaysia in 2019 total 17 million and change.  How do you get 17 million arrivals equaling 86% of 40 million arrivals, even disregarding that not all of the 17 million arrivals were 'lower or lower middle income' tourists?

Thailand is not able to attract affluent travelers anymore. For a dozen good reasons. Very very few with real money. And Western tourism has been dropping for a decade.

 

Ask anyone in the tourism industry. How was your business the past 5 years prior to Covid. Was income up or down? How were the quality of the tourists? 

[thonglorjimmy]

3 hours ago, henry213 said:

 

Keep up the good work Thailand.GOV

That's Aleppo in Syria

[Lucky Bones]

1 hour ago, Cake Monster said:

And with the new Tourism Policy stated just about 10 Days ago, that Thailand was seeking to move away from its raunchy image of the past, there will be zero assistance from the Government 

The (unelected) PM has a personal hatred of alcohol, students and foreigners.

Not much of a way to run a country.

Edited October 29, 2021 by Lucky Bones
Old age

[Lucky Bones]

1 hour ago, spidermike007 said:

Prior to Covid some surveys showed that 86% of all arrivals were lower or lower middle income tourists from China, Malaysia and India. After Covid? Far fewer of them and maybe 12 to 20  wealthy tourists a year. Maybe. 

 

The goons are successfully doing everything in their power to strip Thailand of much of it's character. Khao Son Road. Samui, Phuket, Pattaya. Without the nightlife that will likely NOT revive after nearly 2 years of consistent and deliberate sabotage, Thailand is finished as a tourist destination. Millions of jobs lost. 

 

One can only hope one day Prayuth and his henchmen are held responsible at the Hague, or exiled from Thailand. The crimes being committed against the Thai people are unforgivable. 

 

Swampy recently at 10am.

 

 

Comments agreed. But why were you at Swampy @ 10:00am? Just curious Spider????

[Thingamabob]

I find it hard to believe Thailand's nightlife will be gone forever. It will take time, but it will return.

[chilly07]

Don't think it ever stopped for Bangkok HiSos just so long as the profit share/fees continue to flow

[vandeventer]

9 hours ago, RichardColeman said:

If they are lifted , they better hope they can survive on the domestic populace for another8-9 months

This may be hard, but why don't they just send China the bill I'm sure they will pay. These are the best reasons for not drinking while covid 19 is with us. It might answer some of your questions as to why we shouldn't drink with this virus among us.

https://www.euro.who.int/__data/assets/pdf_file/0010/437608/Alcohol-and-COVID-19-what-you-need-to-know.pdf

[rumeaug]

I moved to Thailand in 2013 (still live there). Went there for holidays for the first time in 2010 and to see my brother who already lived in bangkok for a few years. What I personally noticed, is that Nightlife was getting worked out and "old" already before covid (frankly, I wasn't hardly impressed at all by the go go's scene , which I found barely entertaining, like some sort of old and crumbling "entertainment park" . Certainly nothing to do with the Hollywood view portrayed in movies (just like the Amelie Poulain view of Paris, which attracts billions of visitors, is not the real thing. Love Paris though, fabulous city). COVID certainly outs the nails on a moth-eaten coffin. Just my opinion. Cheers all.

[paul1804]

Sadly for Thailand and its people their leaders have strangled small & medium business far more than was needed to be effective and continue with fake ideas to do so how ever they can using Covid as an excuse. Its a known fact Generals don't usually make good leaders and Thailand is certainly no exception. They need to find new young blood that's hopefully above corruption and Thailand will hit new highs, if they continue down their current path they will remain a third world nation!!!

[WinterGael]

Would it be the big a loss? Not if you look globally.  In the US, UK, Europe, Canada, the number of nightclubs and bars has dropped dramatically over the past 20 years. For years they were fuelled by the younger generations, the under 30 group, but no longer.  And it hasn't hurt tourism or the economy the way everyone fears here.

 

The question is not will they recover, but how does the country move away from the sex for sale, beer guzzling, party type tourist and more towards a style of tourism that other countries thrive on.

 

Outside the present tourist oriented business pre COVID, most Thais do not like the sort of tourists that come here for sex, beer, and partying.  We frown upon such actions in our home countries, deplore tourists and immigrants alike who come to our home countries and "abuse" our notions of correctness, so why bring it here.

 

You know, after 5 years of marriage, my Thai wife still not believe that I never came here for sex and party before I met her.  When she gets upset, she still accuses me of such because, in her view, that is they way farangs are.  Unfortunately, in talks with my neighbours and family here, that is pretty much the image that most Thais i know seem to have of farangs.  And it is amazing how many ask my wife about such things.

 

I never thought about all this before COVID, but I see the changes, and I think the changes are for the better.  It's time Thailand moved away from the Vietnam era "Thailand is a big brothel party town for fatangs to relax" image. And frankly, that is how many if my male friends in Canada view it because when I'm back there, that's all they want to know... 

 

[Andrew65]

For about the last 10 years I've thought that Soi Cowboy and Nana could be on borrowed-time. Partly because some serious redevelopment and 'gentrification' has been going on in that area (where I lived for nearly 20 years). I suppose it might only be when things fully re-open up that we might know what has survived and what hasn't.

[DTL2014]

well its certainly not a safe investment environment-thats why there is a proliferation of shambolic shacks everywhere..the system supports fly by night operations..

[NoshowJones]

4 hours ago, hotchilli said:

Prayut has banned one and say's the other doesn't exist.

 

He also said there will be no coup and no floods, his lies are as near to being a politician as he will ever get. 

[bullseye66]

46 minutes ago, WinterGael said:

Would it be the big a loss? Not if you look globally.  In the US, UK, Europe, Canada, the number of nightclubs and bars has dropped dramatically over the past 20 years. For years they were fuelled by the younger generations, the under 30 group, but no longer.  And it hasn't hurt tourism or the economy the way everyone fears here.

 

The question is not will they recover, but how does the country move away from the sex for sale, beer guzzling, party type tourist and more towards a style of tourism that other countries thrive on.

 

Outside the present tourist oriented business pre COVID, most Thais do not like the sort of tourists that come here for sex, beer, and partying.  We frown upon such actions in our home countries, deplore tourists and immigrants alike who come to our home countries and "abuse" our notions of correctness, so why bring it here.

 

You know, after 5 years of marriage, my Thai wife still not believe that I never came here for sex and party before I met her.  When she gets upset, she still accuses me of such because, in her view, that is they way farangs are.  Unfortunately, in talks with my neighbours and family here, that is pretty much the image that most Thais i know seem to have of farangs.  And it is amazing how many ask my wife about such things.

 

I never thought about all this before COVID, but I see the changes, and I think the changes are for the better.  It's time Thailand moved away from the Vietnam era "Thailand is a big brothel party town for fatangs to relax" image. And frankly, that is how many if my male friends in Canada view it because when I'm back there, that's all they want to know... 

 

Thailand has always been about the party, go go, sex scene. If offers very little else. If you want beautiful locations....there are better options. You want fantastic beaches with clear water.....better options. You want 24/7 gambling, all legal ......better options. You want river cruising.....better options. Jungle trekking.....better options. Thailand was revered for one thing, and one thing only. And now they're killing it off.

[simola]

Covid 19 didn’t shut everything down. The government did. It was political choice. There were options as others in the world have shown. 

[JonnyF]

It will still exist, but on a much smaller scale.

 

It was starting already, with the likes of Oasis opening up on Cowboy, a normal style pub amongst the bars. Queens Park Plaza gone. Patpong not thriving etc.

 

The trouble is, those in charge don't realize why so many people visit. It's for the nightlife, not to watch traditional Thai dancing or do cooking classes. They also don't see how many Issan families are indirectly supported by punters after they have left the country. 

 

As others have said, the nightlife was the only thing that Thailand really excelled at. The beaches, infrastructure, trekking etc. are all pretty average at best. Plus it's not cheap any more. Lots of alcohol free days, too many rules about smoking/drinking on the beach, the usual scams, not so many smiles.

 

I've never been a 'final nail in the coffin' guy. But this time, I really think Thailand has jumped the shark.

[The Cipher]

Quote

Of course it's not dead. 
Maybe the crappy go-go bars that cater to farangs are dead, although I suspect they'll rise from the ashes as well.

 

But the real money is in the bars for rich young Thais and those places that don't want low class Western pensioners through their doors.

I have mixed feelings about this comment.

 

On one hand, yeah. The local-oriented places are way more ???? and there's no way they'll die. Gf and I haven't been clubbing much since Covid but we did make it to TopOne earlier this year and were pretty blown away. Easily up there with any other club experience we'd had anywhere in the world. And I do realize that's not a scene that's really accessible to this board demographic, so I can understand why it's often overlooked here even though the quality is so much 'better.'

 

But on the other hand I also think that the red light bars and related bustle give Bangkok part of its unique character. There's an authenticity to the aesthetics and the atmosphere of the red light districts that I feel would be a shame to lose. But on the other hand I've only ever visited the RLDs like twice, so maybe I'm talking out my αss and romanticizing something I know nothing about. Also definitely possible.

 

I do wish that Bangkok would lose some of its seedy rep and I do wish that the expat mix would move upmarket a bit. But I also hope it can achieve those things without losing all of the rawness of its charm at the same time.

[Flink]

2 hours ago, Lucky Bones said:

The (unelected) PM has a personal hatred of alcohol, students and foreigners.

Not much of a way to run a country.

Particularly one so much in need of tourists. All those "gap year" students he's scared off as well as the retirees who, pre covid, might have planned coming here are now looking elsewhere to countries that DON'T go out of their way to make coming and staying here an expensive pain.

[moe666]

There is always people with money to come in after a covid, a war, adepression. These people will be back to open bars because there is money to be made To many pesimestic people here always saying Thailand is finished before it was the nail in the coffin saying  now it is just flat out failure. I will believe it when I see it. If you know where to go in Chiang Mai there is a drink to behad as well as a few ladies

[madmen]

9 hours ago, Hayduke said:

 

Will Bangkok's nightlife recover?  No, it’s effectively dead…the government has knocked it out and and the police are busy sucking the life out of its unconscious body. It's gone....and it won't be back.

 

 

 

Always a frilly nickered drama queen lurking ????

[madmen]

https://www.facebook.com/100044288176713/posts/438993204253615/

 

Woohoo 

[DefaultName]

Remember those surveys we used to get on the plane about the reason for our trip?

We all ticked the temples and beaches.  Looks like they believed us.  ????

[Globaleyes]

36 minutes ago, Flink said:

Particularly one so much in need of tourists. All those "gap year" students he's scared off as well as the retirees who, pre covid, might have planned coming here are now looking elsewhere to countries that DON'T go out of their way to make coming and staying here an expensive pain.

Exactly.  Some of those such visitors (myself included) ended up living here precisely because of the great time we had when we were younger.  We kept coming back and spending money. 

[gejohesch]

7 hours ago, Chaichara said:

For those who need it, there is plenty of booze and flesh for sale and gawping in De Wallen, the Reeperbahn, Pigalle, and Soho without the fuss of visas, airports and long flights.

I have no experience with Soho, Pigalle or the Reeperbahn, but I do not believe those places would compare well with Bangkok or Pattaya.  There is a lot to do with 1) how cute Thai girls can be and 2) the atmosphere of careless fun Thai girls can develop in some venues. "Can" because of course it's not always that nice either (plenty of plain-to-ugly + vulgar girls in Thailand - not to 

everyone's taste).

 

But for sure, if that nightlife disappears for good, there is frankly not enough attraction remaining in Thailand in my view. There are loads of other destinations that have similar natural beauty as Thailand and are as cheap, plus in many cases with a lot more culture to experience. Thailand, take note! (it will not because it just cannot).

Edited October 29, 2021 by gejohesch
forgot sthg