Pantip Plaza

[bdenner]

IMO it’s about time the authorities went into Pantip Plaza and ‘turfed out’ the porn vendors, they must think every farang is a pervert. I only get to Bangkok a couple of days a year and the bloody pests completely spoiled my shopping venture into there, I finished storming out without spending a Baht.

[meadish_sweetball]

Just say 'No thanks' and walk on. I agree they're annoying though.

[peter991]

Bdenner: Surely the 'porn vendors' wouldn't still be there if there wasn't enough customers for them to make it worth their while.

I don't purchase porn myself - but surely there is enough censorship in Thailand already. At least they are selling it openly - not selling it from the backs of their cars and motorbikes outside schools - like they do in Australia.

Peter

[bdenner]

Bdenner: Surely the 'porn vendors' wouldn't still be there if there wasn't enough customers for them to make it worth their while.

I don't purchase porn myself - but surely there is enough censorship in Thailand already. At least they are selling it openly - not selling it from the backs of their cars and motorbikes outside schools - like they do in Australia.

Peter

I don’t care about their product, it’s the sales technique that pissed me off. Every few meters they (normally in pairs) forced there faces into mine one talking “You want dirty movie mister?” with the other flicking open VDC covers at me. No sooner had they got the message when another pair started their pitch.

[Jai Dee]

No sooner had they got the message when another pair started their pitch.

Ahhh... the old "wear the falung down until he cracks" method...

I just use the "mai ow krap" line and push them out of the way to pretend to look at something else... they soon get bored and drift off.

[Crushdepth]

IMO it’s about time the authorities went into Pantip Plaza and ‘turfed out’ the porn vendors, they must think every farang is a pervert. I only get to Bangkok a couple of days a year and the bloody pests completely spoiled my shopping venture into there, I finished storming out without spending a Baht.

I avoid Pantip specifically because of the sexy movie salesman. Go to Fortune, its much more relaxed. There's only one small cluster of them on the top floor, easily avoided.

[StrongView]

I do the same. Pantip has much to offer in variety, but the porn vendors annoyed me so much, I haven't been back in a year. Now I exclusively go to Fortune. It's a better overall experience.

[LindsayBKK]

I do the same. Pantip has much to offer in variety, but the porn vendors annoyed me so much, I haven't been back in a year. Now I exclusively go to Fortune. It's a better overall experience.

Better Value, I bought a subwoofer from Fortune that cost 1890bht and saw the same unit @ Pantip for 2900! 1000 bht??? (same colour & model) I still go to Pantip to compare prices. Fortune is easy to get by train also.

[Mobi]

No sooner had they got the message when another pair started their pitch.

You can't blame the poor kids who flog the stuff - they're just trying to make a few lousy stang to live off. As usual, it's the people who employ them and the owners/managers of Pan Thip who permit them to operate. I also find it extremely annoying - maybe a few posts to the pan thip website might get their attention - but I doubt it.

[raro]

No sooner had they got the message when another pair started their pitch.

Ahhh... the old "wear the falung down until he cracks" method...

I just use the "mai ow krap" line and push them out of the way to pretend to look at something else... they soon get bored and drift off.

I do the same....but without the "khrap" and a fierce look instead. I have little sympathy for touts in general.

[tavarich]

Fortune IT is the place to go for everything. I have never been offered a " sexy movie" there, its a nice change from the plaza.

[Nordlys]

Just say 'No thanks' and walk on. I agree they're annoying though.

But it's usually those people touching me and blocking my way that really annoys me. Once I tried to shake off the hand of one of those vendors who grabbed my shoulder and instead he held my arm and pushed me.

[dantilley]

Just say 'No thanks' and walk on. I agree they're annoying though.

I find a successful tactic is just to completely blank them, as if they weren't even there. It seems that they're used to being ignored as they don't seem to persist too much with me when I do it.

[The Coder]

I find a successful tactic is just to completely blank them, as if they weren't even there. It seems that they're used to being ignored as they don't seem to persist too much with me when I do it.

That is what I do as well. It's hard to explain, but I think they like it better if you act like they aren't there rather than recognize them and give them the "no". Responding to them in any way can also result in renewed interaction on their part.

I don't have a problem with their wares, am only slightly annoyed when they yell it out when they see me (a farang), it's when they deliberately get in my path or touch me that really crosses the line. And people selling seedy stuff throughout Thailand really like to do that; it's not really a pantip thing per-se. I find it very rude for someone to physically impede me for any reason, let alone for the purpose of selling crap I could care less about that is obvious enough without them doing that. What's the old saying? "One of these days POW, right in the kisser!"

[dantilley]

Yeah, even saying "no" to them is often seen as recognition that you might possibly be persuaded into turning the "no" into a "yes" - strange logic, but it seems they just want any recognition as an excuse to repeat their peddling lines again. And once one of the guys sees you exchanging more than one line of conversation with another sexy movie seller, they see that as the green light to jump in and harass you as well...

By the way, I see them hounding Thai guys as well, I don't think it's only farrangs that get this treatment. But, on the whole, I think things are a bit calmer there these days - I used to get people coming up to me as I was outside approaching the Plaza building trying to sell me this crap, this doesn't happen to me now.

[The Dan Sai Kid]

Go to Pantip Plaza in CM, the place is deserted...

[John 1]

Hey, do these guy have a web site so I can buy porn on line instead of going to the Plaza

[dantilley]

Go to Pantip Plaza in CM, the place is deserted...

I know I've been also - strange, isn't it?

[Phil Conners]

Bdenner: Surely the 'porn vendors' wouldn't still be there if there wasn't enough customers for them to make it worth their while.

You don't have much experience with Thailand, do you? Logic doesn't enter the equation here.

[joeywade]

I went about a week ago for the first time and thought they were saying "60 movies for 100 bht" I didn't realize that it was "sexy movies" until we arrived at the "secret room". I got a good laugh out of it.

[meadish_sweetball]

Go to Pantip Plaza in CM, the place is deserted...

I know I've been also - strange, isn't it?

There are too many places selling IT all over Chiang Mai for the demands of the market. I also think many people are deterred by the parking situation at Panthip Plaza as well as the traffic around Night Bazaar.

Further, the rents there are rather high, which means the vendors have to charge a bit more for their wares. That being said, whenever I need a more mall-like place like IT City, I will go to Panthip, because it's more quiet than the other locations.

For cheaper prices (but unfortunately not so good variety) try the mall out near the crossing of Superhighway and Chang Phuak Rd. Then there's 'that new IT place' as well as Com Plaza and Icon Square near the moat, east of Central Kaat Suan Kaew.

There are also a few places in Central Airport Plaza (which the local Thais call Robinsun).

[The Dan Sai Kid]

Go to Pantip Plaza in CM, the place is deserted...

I know I've been also - strange, isn't it?

There are too many places selling IT all over Chiang Mai for the demands of the market. I also think many people are deterred by the parking situation at Panthip Plaza as well as the traffic around Night Bazaar.

Further, the rents there are rather high, which means the vendors have to charge a bit more for their wares. That being said, whenever I need a more mall-like place like IT City, I will go to Panthip, because it's more quiet than the other locations.

For cheaper prices (but unfortunately not so good variety) try the mall out near the crossing of Superhighway and Chang Phuak Rd. Then there's 'that new IT place' as well as Com Plaza and Icon Square near the moat, east of Central Kaat Suan Kaew.

There are also a few places in Central Airport Plaza (which the local Thais call Robinsun).

They have a tailor on the 4th floor. If the computer shops are quiet then imagine how quiet they are...