18 hours ago, Walker88 said:

sell themselves to make money. Unless some major industries suddenly emerge in Thailand, or people decide harvesting rice is really entertaining and highly lucrative, there will be plenty of supply coming to market.

This right here. These guys so hell bent on changing Thailand or its image had better have a viable plan B. I'm just not seeing it.

Not sure about the soapies always thought they were more of a tourist trap.  Too many rules and pay first for lousy service was my experience.  Also, a couple of dudes trying to intimidate hovering over you the entire time until you go to the room.

 

I am in Bangkok now the Christmas decorations at the malls are worth the visit.

Anyway, a couple of new sky bars one very good off Thong Lor and it seems getting back to full on loud people and loud music.  The Sukhumvit bars in the 20 numbered streets had a fair share of customers.  Not as many but a share of bars are open and fairly full, new bar complex off Soi 7, Soi 8 packed, girls walking around everywhere and lots shops with some real cuties.   Soi 23 amazing.

Nana complex is still closed but plenty of places in the area otherwise.  I know some hate the area just sayin last night Soi 4 bar/restaruants and the surrounding areas seemed fairly busy.   And all this with minimal tourists

just wait it will all come back big time by December 2022 will be packed.

Edited December 13, 20214 yr by bkk6060

19 hours ago, RichardColeman said:

It will come back over time as the tourists return.

 

BUT, the longer the closures go on the more evident to me it is that the Thai government appears to be trying to destroy certain parts of their economy - namely the bars, clubs and gogo's. The problem with that scenario is that the people that will build back the tourism industry ARE the people that would attend them - the demand for sex and beer is more pulling to Thailand for the next few years than being sat on a beach as a tourist risking your family in the thai farce pass and quarantine incarceration

FAR too many nicer beaches than in LOS, but there is NO Walking Street anywhere else in the world.

As they like to say 'the world's oldest profession."  Always had it, always will.

 

I liked the line.  "I don't pay for sex.  I pay to be left alone afterwards."

Edited December 13, 20214 yr by rwill

I saw a Walking Street club on the beach side with workers inside doing construction. A glimmer of hope, perhaps they know something we don't?

20 hours ago, OneMoreFarang said:

I found bars with bees and girls

Was this a case of the birds and the bees?

If the Muppets get their way, there won't be any.

However, I think it will return but in a scaled down version of pre covid.

There will be changes. I'm guessing that there are fewer gogos and more restaurant-bar mixes such as those currently in Soi 8 and Soi 11.

21 hours ago, OneMoreFarang said:

So rents will get lower again. Otherwise building owners won't find any tenants.

It isn't unusual in Thailand for landlords to not care whether they have tenants or not, as it is the land the business stands on that is the real value. That explains why, in Bangkok at least, there are still huge areas of empty land. Rather than spend money building on it, the owners just sit on it and watch it increase in value until they eventually want to sell it.

The number of young people visiting Thailand has been in decline for years - Thailand is too passé and is known as a dangerous country. The numerous murders here have gained considerable media attention abroad.

 

Most Chinese and Indian visitors don’t enjoy the seedy Thai nightlife.

 

Also, the world has changed. The days of old white guys treating Asian women as sex objects have gone.

 

Much of what  is left of Thai tourism consists of elderly men who have been coming here for years. As they die off the seedy entertainment industry will go.

 

And about time.

Just now, Paulypoo said:

Most Chinese and Indian visitors don’t enjoy the seedy Thai nightlife.

Saw plenty of Indian visitors partaking and trying to sample it.....

46 minutes ago, Bangkok Barry said:

It isn't unusual in Thailand for landlords to not care whether they have tenants or not, as it is the land the business stands on that is the real value. That explains why, in Bangkok at least, there are still huge areas of empty land. Rather than spend money building on it, the owners just sit on it and watch it increase in value until they eventually want to sell it.

I have a friend who lives in Jomtien. The owner of his condo just flat out cancelled his SIGNED contract and doubled the rent stating "Covid is now over. Pay or move out."

2 minutes ago, HappyExpat57 said:

I have a friend who lives in Jomtien. The owner of his condo just flat out cancelled his SIGNED contract and doubled the rent stating "Covid is now over. Pay or move out."

Must have a lucrative Christmas booking!

Prostitution will always be with us here  in Thailand young girls old tourists plus expats willing to pay 

The bars of  old probably not they are pricing themselves out of the market as will be fewer around and less girls as most will be online 

22 hours ago, OneMoreFarang said:

Maybe a question to people who travel a little more.

Is there anything like Thai go-go bars anywhere else on the planet?

I don't travel much. But when I was in neighboring countries I found bars with bees and girls but nothing even near to Thai go-go bars.

I don't know how many people only like go-go bars compared to other places. But I am sure there are enough of us to fill a couple of bars.

Wherever I've been in SEA, the ladies found me.

The park, the street, coffee shops, restaurants ...........

Not really spent much time in gogos, the beer was too expensive for me.

Places like Soi Cowboy and Nana Plaza will be back ????

 

But Walking St in Pattaya?! OMG it’s gone to rack and ruin. It will need to be bulldozed first as too many dangerously unsafe roads, footpaths and abandoned buildings. 

22 minutes ago, Paulypoo said:

Also, the world has changed. The days of old white guys treating Asian women as sex objects have gone.

Mostly the Asian women treated me as an ATM.

I always felt I was the one being objectified & exploited.

26 minutes ago, Paulypoo said:

the seedy entertainment industry will go.

The seedy entertainment industry happens mostly between Thai people.

The foreign people are just a small number.

Open your eyes.

He never said prostitution is over. He said it moved online.  Anyone who thinks or states that the world's oldest profession is "over" has completely lost their faculties.

14 minutes ago, jvs said:

The seedy entertainment industry happens mostly between Thai people.

The foreign people are just a small number.

Open your eyes.

So true. These guys can't read Thai and their wives don't tell them but there are countless "Sideline" sites with all the uni girls making cash on the DL.  And for half what foreigners pay.

23 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

Not really spent much time in gogos, the beer was too expensive for me.

I don't really go there to drink beer...

31 minutes ago, HappyExpat57 said:

I have a friend who lives in Jomtien. The owner of his condo just flat out cancelled his SIGNED contract and doubled the rent stating "Covid is now over. Pay or move out."

Contracts mean nothing in Thailand. Same as football manager contracts in the UK.

23 hours ago, StayinThailand2much said:

The nightlife as we know it will be mostly gone, I think. The tourism-centred nightlife was declining anyway over the past 15 years. There will be 'naughty' nightlife, but it will be more 'Thai-style', i.e. karaoke bars in back alleys, rather than gogo bars in main streets. (There will still be some a-gogo and beer bars, but without the 'fun feel' of years past.)

Soi NaNa already open and almost back to normal, plenty of beer in sight, few if any masks. Bad sign for the future.

13 hours ago, djayz said:

I live slap bang in the middle of one. You? 

20 years in my wife's village.. Central Thailand - I have watched as the hardworking farmers have gone from only one truck in the village to most families have both a tractor and a pick-up truck... 

23 hours ago, BangkokReady said:

Whiskey & Go Go?  Is that a misspelling or a trade mark issue?

I guess they cater to Yanks and the Irish as opposed to the Scots, Brits, Japanese and Canadians.

Pattaya is meant to be a sausage fest currently.

About 5 guys to every one girl.

Decent gg's still in the villages waiting for the official opening of gogos and entertainment.

Police raided Jomtein complex a couple of nights ago and still Bryan Flowers wife campaigns for the official and legit opening of nightlife.

January 16th opening will get pushed back when omicron arrives.

It'll be back, big as ever.  But.  Even in the bar areas, it'll be much less "in your face".  More closed-door bars, less outdoor loud music and scantily clad girls touting their bars.

The government doesn't care about what goes on, as long as it doesn't tarnish the image of Thailand.

2 hours ago, toolpush said:

I guess they cater to Yanks and the Irish as opposed to the Scots, Brits, Japanese and Canadians.

I didn't think of that.  It's actually the "&" I was wondering about.  The real name is "Whisky a-go-go".

The fun atmosphere, which was amazing 50 years ago, has faded over the years. I fear it will continue to fade under the current administration, but I doubt it will ever be entirely extinguished.

 

 

As a resident of the Muslim Deep South, I can safely say that there is no nightlife here anymore. The few karaoke bars that used to exist have a been converted into hair or beauty salons or restaurants. For the good people of Narathiwat there is nowhere to go anymore after (or before) sunset. Alhamdulilah!