Bar owners preferring Asians over Farangs?

[Berkshire]

Interesting article from the Stickman regarding the demographics shift within the Thailand bar industry (http://www.stickmanbangkok.com/StickmanWeeklyColumn2013/Bangkok-bar-Asian-customers.htm). Some rather startling revelations. Below is an excerpt from the article:

In my bar the number of Asian customers has gone from 5% to 15%. In a couple of years I'm going to go close the bar and open a new bar that will be all Asian customers, with no farangs allowed. I can't continue in business with people like this."

(quote from an English bar owner)

I'd be curious to know if anyone has actually seen this type of attitude in the bars that you visit.

Note: If you intend to "shoot-the-messenger" (i.e., Mr. Stickman), DON'T! This thread is not about whether you agree/disagree or like/dislike the Stickman. It's simply about the prevailing attitudes of bars owners and bargirls towards their customers. If you're going to attack or criticize the Stickman, do it somewhere else!

[Ticketmaster]

Hmmm, no takers. I guess everybody wanted to attack Stickman.

[iancnx]

Not very specific OP. Are we to assume you mean beer bars with working girls willing to accommodate farang advances?

[chrisinth]

Would it have anything to do with increased numbers of Asian visitors to the country? Also, what seems to be the point of the OP?

If the observations are from a bar owner's prospective, a customer is a customer, period! Why would you differentiate between Asian and Western?

The other thing about the OP is that the main reference is towards Go-Go's and not just ordinary bars. Big difference................

[Mario2008]

Yes, in BKK it was on occassion dificult to get into a bar in popular areas where there are not many foreigners, even accompanied by Thai's. Not realy a problem, but allowed to enter wasn't instantly. The bouncers sought permission first.

The staff was happy when we bought "Jack Daniels", guess they don't like cheap drinkers there.

[Ticketmaster]

Yes, in BKK it was on occassion dificult to get into a bar in popular areas where there are not many foreigners, even accompanied by Thai's. Not realy a problem, but allowed to enter wasn't instantly. The bouncers sought permission first.

The staff was happy when we bought "Jack Daniels", guess they don't like cheap drinkers there.

Pretty soon, they'll have special restrooms and drinking fountains for the "not colored folks".

[Theoutsider]

Yes, in BKK it was on occassion dificult to get into a bar in popular areas where there are not many foreigners, even accompanied by Thai's. Not realy a problem, but allowed to enter wasn't instantly. The bouncers sought permission first.

The staff was happy when we bought "Jack Daniels", guess they don't like cheap drinkers there.

Pretty soon, they'll have special restrooms and drinking fountains for the "not colored folks".

But they haven't, so were stuck with that invention.

[Theoutsider]

Interesting article from the Stickman regarding the demographics shift within the Thailand bar industry (http://www.stickmanbangkok.com/StickmanWeeklyColumn2013/Bangkok-bar-Asian-customers.htm). Some rather startling revelations. Below is an excerpt from the article:

In my bar the number of Asian customers has gone from 5% to 15%. In a couple of years I'm going to go close the bar and open a new bar that will be all Asian customers, with no farangs allowed. I can't continue in business with people like this."

(quote from an English bar owner)

I'd be curious to know if anyone has actually seen this type of attitude in the bars that you visit.

Note: If you intend to "shoot-the-messenger" (i.e., Mr. Stickman), DON'T! This thread is not about whether you agree/disagree or like/dislike the Stickman. It's simply about the prevailing attitudes of bars owners and bargirls towards their customers. If you're going to attack or criticize the Stickman, do it somewhere else!

Don't go to those go go bars.

Never been turned away from a bar in Thailand

[Markaew]

Yes, in BKK it was on occassion dificult to get into a bar in popular areas where there are not many foreigners, even accompanied by Thai's. Not realy a problem, but allowed to enter wasn't instantly. The bouncers sought permission first.

The staff was happy when we bought "Jack Daniels", guess they don't like cheap drinkers there.

Pretty soon, they'll have special restrooms and drinking fountains for the "not colored folks".

Perfect!!!

[Markaew]

Personally, I take the Stickman news with a grain of salt. He likes to stir the pot to get responses. Responses he wants to hear. He likes a very narrow conversation. So what he is saying may only be a stimuli.

He's ok to read if you have no experience in Thailand, but gets boring after you're here for a while.

Should be Winnie the Poohman.

Edited July 2, 2013 by Markaew

[impulse]

Would it have anything to do with increased numbers of Asian visitors to the country? Also, what seems to be the point of the OP?

If the observations are from a bar owner's prospective, a customer is a customer, period! Why would you differentiate between Asian and Western?

Go to Starbucks. Look at the tables. Some customers will be there taking up a table for hours sipping on a small coffee and tapping away on the free wifi. Others will buy a full breakfast with coffee and dessert, eat their purchase, and then vacate the table in 10 minutes so someone else can spend some money.

Go to a bar and some patrons are so obnoxious that they drive all the others away.

Customers aren't all customers, at least not of the same value.

[kiniyow]

His whole writing style changed once he got Married to a Korat Gal...

[Mangkhut]

^{The qoute of the bar owner was this:}

In my bar the number of Asian customers has gone from 5% to 15%. In a couple of years I'm going to go close the bar and open a new bar that will be all Asian customers, with no farangs allowed. I can't continue in business with people like this."

First of all - would it be legal to open a bar and deny certain people access cause of their skin colour and etnical origin in Thailand?

Secondly - why cant the bar owner continue business? nd who are the "People like this"?

[Kananga]

Interesting article from the Stickman

That's a first.

Sorry! Couldn't resist.

[Bagwan]

What a pity that the bar is not identified. Then everyone could go drink elsewhere and he could close up that much sooner.

[Berkshire]

^{The qoute of the bar owner was this:}

In my bar the number of Asian customers has gone from 5% to 15%. In a couple of years I'm going to go close the bar and open a new bar that will be all Asian customers, with no farangs allowed. I can't continue in business with people like this."

First of all - would it be legal to open a bar and deny certain people access cause of their skin colour and etnical origin in Thailand?

Secondly - why cant the bar owner continue business? nd who are the "People like this"?

To your first, apparently it's already being done with Japanese-only clubs. As to your second, did you read the article in the link? The owner in question already explained the sort of people that he was talking about, essentially his own people (if you will), i.e., fellow Englishman behaving like thugs.

[Berkshire]

Interesting article from the Stickman regarding the demographics shift within the Thailand bar industry (http://www.stickmanbangkok.com/StickmanWeeklyColumn2013/Bangkok-bar-Asian-customers.htm). Some rather startling revelations. Below is an excerpt from the article:

In my bar the number of Asian customers has gone from 5% to 15%. In a couple of years I'm going to go close the bar and open a new bar that will be all Asian customers, with no farangs allowed. I can't continue in business with people like this."

(quote from an English bar owner)

I'd be curious to know if anyone has actually seen this type of attitude in the bars that you visit.

Note: If you intend to "shoot-the-messenger" (i.e., Mr. Stickman), DON'T! This thread is not about whether you agree/disagree or like/dislike the Stickman. It's simply about the prevailing attitudes of bars owners and bargirls towards their customers. If you're going to attack or criticize the Stickman, do it somewhere else!

Don't go to those go go bars.

Never been turned away from a bar in Thailand

Neither have I...though I admit not frequenting bars as often as back in the day. Just wondering if anyone has experienced what the article was talking about.

[Berkshire]

Hmmm, no takers. I guess everybody wanted to attack Stickman.

I was wondering. The article was rather surprising to me. Just thought others may feel the same.

[berg1666]

Was turned away from Japanese bars in Thanniya in the early 90s; "Japanese only".

Then I lived in Japan for 15 years, and got turned away from Japanese bars in Japan; "Japanese only".

Nothing new to see here.

[Berkshire]

Would it have anything to do with increased numbers of Asian visitors to the country? Also, what seems to be the point of the OP?

If the observations are from a bar owner's prospective, a customer is a customer, period! Why would you differentiate between Asian and Western?

The other thing about the OP is that the main reference is towards Go-Go's and not just ordinary bars. Big difference................

The main point to me was the possible demographic shift, even among farang-owned bars. It used to be that farangs were the focal point, the "target market," if you will. Is that changing, even among the "farang bar scene?" That would be strange, as it wouldn't be the "farang bar scene" if that were the case.

[Berkshire]

Was turned away from Japanese bars in Thanniya in the early 90s; "Japanese only".

Then I lived in Japan for 15 years, and got turned away from Japanese bars in Japan; "Japanese only".

Nothing new to see here.

I have no problem staying away from Japanese only bars anyhow. They cater to the Japanese and are simply not my cup of tea. But the Stickman article seems to refer to farang bars. I don't see farang bars as disappearing any time soon, but the article seems to suggest that farangs are no longer the preferred demographic. If this is the case, I have not seen the evidence yet...not with my own eyes anyways.

[Donnie Brasco]

The Japanese tend to be younger, slimmer and cleaner than these more recent waves of farangs, notably the farang pensioners and the yobble-gobble, "plosive-glottal" fough-bough-blotto, binge-drunk set from the UK. And they are on average better behaved.

They are more accustomed to brothel creeping as well. They order from the greedy old squaws we ignorantly refer to as the mamasan. They buy the greedy old slapper a "ding"They do not complain and they do not get into arguments and fights. They are docile and cooperative.

The girls like them because they'll drop 4K on a leisurely short time.

A lazy slapper or inexperienced bar chippie just has to approach them, nod, smile and twist a fist in front of her jappy pout and the drink is agreed to. It's a yes or a no. No cumbersome language issues. No boring tedious engagement issues. No need for conversation. Very little need for communication because with rare exceptions Japanese "Thai" is incomprehensible to the buffalo bunnies. Yes, some (the poor innocents we read about being tricked into prostitution by an evil "past her due date"auntie in Tokyo are around. But there aren't many.

At the beginning of the AIDS scare they used to have a bar in Nana (now GSpot) that was off limits to gaijin. Now they have their own clubs all over the city. Japanese only. There's hundreds of them. You can see the girls trickling in to work around 4 pm.

There is far less bother and friction with these guys.

I guess it all goes back to Japan's WW II. occupation of Thailand when the Sons of Heaven would descend on one village after another, march into the temples, liberate the gold Buddha images and all the gold jewelry they could find and melt it into ingots for shipment to the Philipines. A few beheadings of prominent monks and elders in each village served to encourage these contributions.

Nobody here talks about this now because it's not here and it's not now. AND just the sight of a soi Cowboy bar full of goofy old Brits and Western douchebags might explain a lot as well.

I was trying to explain to a gaggle of Japanista BG's that westerners were better for their overall health because unlike the Sons of Heaven, our bodily fluids were NOT radio active. They just smiled and said stuff like "jai dee" and "nam jai" and " sebeu"

Thailand has always been like Mexico for these guys.

[rosst]

I rarely frequent these establishments but on the odd occasion when I go to a tourist destination in Thailand I have seen patrons who easily convinced me I should drink elsewhere. On the other hand I have had a very warm welcome in most establishments. It does seem a bit of a beat up must have been a quiet day, not enough Farang to keep the till ticking over. LOL

[weegee]

Yes, in BKK it was on occassion dificult to get into a bar in popular areas where there are not many foreigners, even accompanied by Thai's. Not realy a problem, but allowed to enter wasn't instantly. The bouncers sought permission first.

The staff was happy when we bought "Jack Daniels", guess they don't like cheap drinkers there.

A man who has taste.... ...

[slipperylobster]

Jeesh, I feel so "second class". Just as a previous poster said..Many Bars in Japan would not admit non-japanese men. One time me and several other serviceman dressed in suits and ties and boldly rode the elevator to the 4th floor (girlie bar) in Iwakuni Japan. All our Filipina girlfriends were working there. We actually got to sit at a table but the girls all started laughing when they recognized us. We were quickly escorted out. At 2a.m. the gals called us to pick them up at a secret location(near the train station). Jim Beam and beer accompanied good Music that evening at my small Japanese House. Quite a party.We were hailed as "Pirates and Miscreants"......Filipinas like that kind of stuff. As for Thailand....who cares! I will just go back to the Philippines where gals like Pirates and Sailors and just thumbing their noses at their bosses!!!!!!! As for the Japanese Bar owners........ummmmm...thanks for the freebies.....Yeah...

[Kananga]

The Japanese tend to be younger, slimmer and cleaner than these more recent waves of farangs, notably the farang pensioners and the yobble-gobble, "plosive-glottal" fough-bough-blotto, binge-drunk set from the UK. And they are on average better behaved.

They are more accustomed to brothel creeping as well. They order from the greedy old squaws we ignorantly refer to as the mamasan. They buy the greedy old slapper a "ding"They do not complain and they do not get into arguments and fights. They are docile and cooperative.

The girls like them because they'll drop 4K on a leisurely short time.

A lazy slapper or inexperienced bar chippie just has to approach them, nod, smile and twist a fist in front of her jappy pout and the drink is agreed to. It's a yes or a no. No cumbersome language issues. No boring tedious engagement issues. No need for conversation. Very little need for communication because with rare exceptions Japanese "Thai" is incomprehensible to the buffalo bunnies. Yes, some (the poor innocents we read about being tricked into prostitution by an evil "past her due date"auntie in Tokyo are around. But there aren't many.

At the beginning of the AIDS scare they used to have a bar in Nana (now GSpot) that was off limits to gaijin. Now they have their own clubs all over the city. Japanese only. There's hundreds of them. You can see the girls trickling in to work around 4 pm.

There is far less bother and friction with these guys.

I guess it all goes back to Japan's WW II. occupation of Thailand when the Sons of Heaven would descend on one village after another, march into the temples, liberate the gold Buddha images and all the gold jewelry they could find and melt it into ingots for shipment to the Philipines. A few beheadings of prominent monks and elders in each village served to encourage these contributions.

Nobody here talks about this now because it's not here and it's not now. AND just the sight of a soi Cowboy bar full of goofy old Brits and Western douchebags might explain a lot as well.

I was trying to explain to a gaggle of Japanista BG's that westerners were better for their overall health because unlike the Sons of Heaven, our bodily fluids were NOT radio active. They just smiled and said stuff like "jai dee" and "nam jai" and " sebeu"

Thailand has always been like Mexico for these guys.

I think you're turning Japanese, I think you're turning Japanese, I really think so.

[chrisinth]

Would it have anything to do with increased numbers of Asian visitors to the country? Also, what seems to be the point of the OP?

If the observations are from a bar owner's prospective, a customer is a customer, period! Why would you differentiate between Asian and Western?

Go to Starbucks. Look at the tables. Some customers will be there taking up a table for hours sipping on a small coffee and tapping away on the free wifi. Others will buy a full breakfast with coffee and dessert, eat their purchase, and then vacate the table in 10 minutes so someone else can spend some money.

Go to a bar and some patrons are so obnoxious that they drive all the others away.

Customers aren't all customers, at least not of the same value.

Wouldn't class Starbucks as a bar, slightly different scenario.

If the bar is run properly, you won't have the obnoxious ones for long if they are offending other customers.

I do take your point that some bars do get oxygen thieves in them, but experience has shown that these people are not bound by where they were born...............

[andrewrooney]

Never been turned away from a bar in Thailand, although apparently the clubs in RCA charge foreigners an entry fee now. Not my problem, plenty of other bars out there.

[Emdog]

Seems the level of couth in farangs has gone down in recent years (is that possible?), or maybe I am just getting old. Nippon and "the rule of five" enters into the equation to I dare say. If you have money, there will always be a bar that would glad to separate you from it. Not to worry. As if.....

[Nowisee]

If you own the bar, why not be allowed to chose your customers?

I agree with the one poster. The losers taking up a 4 seat table hogging the wifi should get bounced out. If it was my business I'd have a chat with him.

I do 97% of my drinking outside of a "bar" anyway. I think most are a overpriced waste of money and the food usually sucks. I'll reserve my comment about the patrons. 5555

In the US I will only go to brew pubs as the beers are <deleted> tasty.

Here, if the food is good I'll pay up to drink their beer.

Otherwise, drink where I want. Cold beer on the beech ranks up at the top..