Friday

[Heng]

My bad, didn't know you were talking about entertainment businesses. In that case frequent shutdowns would be annoying. Thought you were going to shut down some factory or something because you couldn't go out for a drink.

No, I don't have a factory but the principle is the same and can be worse.

Say you anticipate working the factory for 300 days a year (just using easy numbers here, not actual data). Then, you take on a big order, really profitable but with very strict penalty clauses which would wipe out your profits and put you in the red on that deal. You sign up with delivery some months ahead.

Ten days before delivery you have ramped up the workforce, you have them working overtime and some clown from the BiB comes along and says you have to close for 4 or 5 days. Don't close and we'll close your factory for 30 days or longer !

So you close and take a loss as you miss deadlines. But, your buyer gives you another chance and you gfet another deal. Lo and behold the same shit happens and not only do yo ulose money again but you lose your buyer.

You then find out that the BiB have their own factory which was not closed and now your buyer goes there.

On a salary side, the bar business is worse as part of the income the girls make is from the customers so not only do I have to pay them when we are closed but they also lose out on their direct tips.

I'm down serious 6 figures with this shit and as it "works so well" and TRT/PPP get more votes, then it is here to stay. Just why I have to close my places for 4 days so the girls can go (if they ever did or wanted to) to the City Hall and register and then vote is beyond me. They have to register and vote even before the time I open the bars anyway so my businesses cannot affect them !!!!!!!

Punters don't want to hear the story but it is a bloody tragedy and you just cannot plan ahead. Already they've closed us over 10% since the beginning of December and there will be more buddah days to come. I can speak to bar owners from years ago who said the only day they ever closed was the King's birthday. Fine, I'll live with that. I cannot live with 10-15 buddah days and the same again in bloody elections and other associated crap.

I reckon the loss in income is about 20% due to the 10% closure days as it has a knock on effect before and after. This will only get worse as people remember from one year to another.

Just tell me where can absorb a 20% loss of income? Then tell me where else has to take a hit of 20%. Bloody no-where, that's where.

I hear ya, but we've been here for generations and have never run into any kind of situation that couldn't be handled like that. It's business as usual no matter whether it's tanks in the street (all 20+ times), whether the Baht is pegged/floated/built up/trampled down, and least of all no matter what national holiday it is (whether traditional or impromptu).

I can tell you who can take a 20% loss of income, it's the businesses who are prepared to and have always consistently weathered the storm.

[torrenova]

Just tell me where can absorb a 20% loss of income? Then tell me where else has to take a hit of 20%. Bloody no-where, that's where.

Ordinarily, I would just say it comes with the territory, but the rational part of me will not allow that. I went to 2 restaurants / bars to watch the super 14 rugby this afternoon. Both had no alcohol on sale, no matter the cup or glass.

Ordinarily, both of them would be bursting at the seams. In the first, 1 hand had too many fingers to count the customers, in the other, 2 hands would more than suffice.

All foreigners, who cannot vote anyway.

My logic? If you can allow the bars to open but ban under-age drinking in the bars, and enforce it, why not the same principle for the elections. You serve a local, we shut you down for 30 days. No excuses, ask for ID if you need to, but by all means serve the foreigners - they cannot vote anyway.

My sympathy to all the publicans who are losing out, and all their staff on the tips etc.

edit - typos

I wish I could vote as I'd make someone with your common sense in charge of the country or perhaps just Pattaya for now !

As long as arrangements are made for those staff who wish to exercise their right to vote then I see no reason for the closures.

On another site, I read that one ago-go in Soi Diamond is bragging that they were open selling booze on Friday and posted on Saturday that they were intending to do the same.

This is the worst part, those who have to pay off to "show" being able to get away with it because they use bribes. We do not and thus abide by the law incurring serious losses. Bribe to show tits and ass I understand, not for this though.

[solent01]

Mr Nova, I hear you, but when you invested in Thailand, did you really think you would get a fair crack at the whip?

Once upon a time I did also, but oh how my bubble was burst, so I adapted, now I go with the flow, think about it!

There is more than one way to skin a cat.....

[kiakaha]

I wish I could vote

Well, you can definitely get the same "feeling"...go to youtube.com , search for "muppet show", and simply choose your favorite muppet.....same same right ?

Edited February 23, 2008 by kiakaha

[jstumbo]

5555, I have FINALLY found an advantage to being in Bangalore

The Kingfishers will be lining up in about 90 minutes

Glad you found one reason Crossy ... Let us know if you find another mate

Having been there, I'd be interested. Oh, and I was there before Kingfisher so

no idea what it's like.

Naka.

Just got back from my first and hopefully last business trip to India. They really should change their slogon from "!ncredible India" to "India, don't forget to flush"

Edited February 23, 2008 by jstumbo

[torrenova]

Mr Nova, I hear you, but when you invested in Thailand, did you really think you would get a fair crack at the whip?

Once upon a time I did also, but oh how my bubble was burst, so I adapted, now I go with the flow, think about it!

There is more than one way to skin a cat.....

I hear you but in my defense, I did my research beforehand.

Now if you tell me that for the last 5 years you have closed bars on 5 days a year and here are the days then it seems logical (ok laugh now) to be able to base assumptions on that information. You don't expect some clown to go and elevate another 10 buddah days to closures or to start closing weeks before elections are held or to close for meaningless elections or because the governor's cat had kittens do you ? You can only factor in so much Thai stupidity.

Now when the coup was on they said elections within a year which meant by September. We could not care about losing 2 days in September and we'd make a holiday out of it. Now they could have chosen anytime but the week you don't want is 23rd December and someone should have told them that it should have been before 5th December or you'll piss off the tourists.

I know people who are in town now who are making plans to leave before next week's shutdown because they will not put up with it. I also know people who have found other places to party after having their Xmas screwed up by the election.

The fact is that the closure before an election is not law but last time it was enforced by the military who were the effective government and now you've got some BiB chief who wants his turn at the trough.

I like bribery, corruption, the lack of morality but it has to know its own boundaries and those in power at the moment do not understand nor respect that and it will, eventually be their undoing.

[seonai]

Momo8 just asked what we were doing on a Friday night... jeez

[Heng]

Are normal places up and serving again (legally)?

[Momo8]

Hey it's Tuesday but there's supposed to be another ban this weekend according to a business mate.Better stock up the fridge and haul out the barbie.

[micksterbs]

Hey it's Tuesday but there's supposed to be another ban this weekend according to a business mate.Better stock up the fridge and haul out the barbie.

Already done, Momo8...

[Momo8]

Aya is Thailand becoming a Muslim nation??? What's with all the banns?Heck move to HK or China.

[micksterbs]

Aya is Thailand becoming a Muslim nation??? What's with all the banns?Heck move to HK or China.

Yeah, one of the main reasons I left the UK was the government treating grown-ups like bloody children. I realise that Thailand has a fair way to go yet, thank God, but these bans are just risible, IMO.

[FBN]

Oh, for the privilege of complaining about a closed pub!

I do sympathise..

In Doha at the moment. Right... DRY hotels (most of them). Friday off, of course. A brew, if you could track one down, would set you back almost 10USD a pint..

Perpetually sober states may be of benefit to some and even appeal to a few but it's the idea that counts! The freedom of choice, that's the root of the problem...