New Sports Bar Kad Falang

[PostmanPat]

Lovely new facility, high end investment, beautifully laid out, comfortable, great beers on draft, good food menu.

BUT......and its a big but, heres the thing, theres no feed to watch Premiership Football there at this time! Occasional big Rugby matches, yes OK, but the main and number one attraction of a place like this at this time of the year ( NFL comes later) is the availability of the top football games especially the English Premier Division.

I understand that at this point, CTH which has exclusive coverage of most Premier matches ( apart from 23 coming on channel 3) have advised the owner that their service doesnt extend out of the city as far as Kad Falang!! Personally, if I was investing such a large amount I m pretty sure I would have checked out something as basic as what you would call "the core function" of the place before going ahead!

I understand meetings with CTH engineers are pending, and I really really hope this fairly fundamental key issue can be resolved, if not, and sad to say, the place will really struggle, because I wouldnt think the place will survive on a diet of the sports crap which is currently shown on most of the true channels most of the time like unimportant motor sport events, volleyball, etc.

Even if the Premiership football issue is resolved, it will be interesting to see how the place develops, because its OK if you live around that end of town (as I do) but will it attract the kind of numbers to make what is clearly a significant investment work in the longer term?

[BillyBobThai]

What do they mean ,out pf coverage area? I live about 3 km further south and have CTH.

[badprimers]

" I understand that at this point, CTH which has exclusive coverage of most Premier matches ( apart from 23 coming on channel 3) have advised the owner that their service doesnt extend out of the city as far as Kad Falang!! "

That's weird. A place like Sukhumvit near the Big C HD2 has got it going?!

[PostmanPat]

What do they mean ,out pf coverage area? I live about 3 km further south and have CTH.

Thats what the manager, Damon ( I spoke to him on Sunday) has been told so far by CTH ! Another example of a Thai compny which doesnt know one hand from the other?! Join the long list which certainly includes Truevision !!

[Diplomatico]

Would someone please explain where/what is Kad Falang?

[uptheos]

Good luck to the owner, but a sports bar without EPL is sorely lacking.

Hard to imagine enough punters for other sports at that end of town.

If CTH dish and box is used, surely satellite can be picked up from Kad Farang, just point the dish.

The owner should go and have a word with the shop that supplies CTH stuff on Hang Dong Rd, just past Makro's.

Edited August 18, 2014 by uptheos

[DaamNaam]

No AFL either and only down the road from me. Wont be getting my business.

[DeaconJohn]

Would someone please explain where/what is Kad Falang?

Hang Dong road before the turn-off to Ban Tawai, isn't it?

[tyznd]

Anyone know what beers they carry and what the prices are like?

[haybilly]

I saw Draft Heineken [190 baht per pint], Chang and Singh and another Western Draft, both by the pint and half pint,cant remember the prices for these other drafts but they were similar, I think.

They also had a bunch of Bottled Beers.

Food prices--were about normal for these sort of Farang places [249 baht for the basic burger and 299 baht for one with bacon/cheese]-- the burgers that we tried were sadly so overcooked that they were too dry to finish, but to be fair this was on their opening night so, maybe, the chef was slightly flustered--shame, though, because it did put me off a little.

I wish the owners all the best, though, because doing business in Kad Farang always seems like an uphill slog.

Edited August 18, 2014 by haybilly

[Chiengmaijoe]

Hopefully draft Heineken was 190 a litre jug, rather than the 'pint' which is nearly always 500ml. (That's the size of their glass and is the standard in most of Europe).

The agent for CTH in Chiang Mai is WETV , and they have two options,;receiving it via satellite or through the WETV cables, which probably don't extend out to his place. Maybe there was some confusion, or possibly he wants to receive it via cable, but either way, there is no reason why he shouldn't be able to receive CTH with a satellite dish.

[PostmanPat]

In answer to the question about beer prices, its 150 a pint for draft Tiger, Singha and Chang. A bit more for your "imported" eg Heineken, and the specialist beers like Guinness and Kilkenny are 250 a pint. OK, its a bit more than your average bar, but if they can sort out the entertainment ie get the main football matches, I suppose a bit extra as a premium for the "free entertainment" is acceptable.

The place is called "The Game", they have a sister bar in Bangkok and if you google their website you will see how modern and plush it is. Just hope they can get the necessary sports so that they can flourish.

No personal interest from me by the way, just a customer hoping this place does well!

[badprimers]

'Lost in translation', can't see any other reason.

The thing is, you are not allowed to do a private subscription with CTH and use it for business purpose. You need a cooperate contract otherwise they'll fine you.

" If CTH dish and box is used, surely satellite can be picked up from Kad Farang, just point the dish. "

[Ned]

Small Chang or SLeo or singha etc 110 baht plus 7% VAT ! Got a pint of German beer (not an actual pint of 600ml but only half a litre, 500ml) for 260 plus vat which took it to 278!

Burgers for around $10 with fries.

They've spent a lot of money out there in an area which just doesn't seem to hold businesses for long.

The massive new shopping complex next door has been in a state of semi completion for months if not more than a year already......Starbucks, Boots, McD etc and a new Rimping.

The Game just feels to be out of place there. It's the sort of place you'd come across near the stock exchange in Hong Kong or Singapore if you ask me.

Still if you're cashed up and want a good night out you'd probably be okay with it.

[Diplomatico]

The place is called "The Game", they have a sister bar in Bangkok

That explains why it's overpriced....just like it's sister bar in Bangkok.

[tyznd]

Don't think I could have a good night out paying 118 baht for a small Chang or Leo when you figure in VAT. Someone should start a pool on how long before this place closes. Lost count on the number that were only open a few months before the owners started bleeding so much money they had no other choice but to bail - even at a considerable loss. My guess is this will be the next one to join the list.

[Chiengmaijoe]

Small Chang or SLeo or singha etc 110 baht plus 7% VAT ! Got a pint of German beer (not an actual pint of 600ml but only half a litre, 500ml) for 260 plus vat which took it to 278!

Burgers for around $10 with fries.

They've spent a lot of money out there in an area which just doesn't seem to hold businesses for long.

The massive new shopping complex next door has been in a state of semi completion for months if not more than a year already......Starbucks, Boots, McD etc and a new Rimping.

The Game just feels to be out of place there. It's the sort of place you'd come across near the stock exchange in Hong Kong or Singapore if you ask me.

Still if you're cashed up and want a good night out you'd probably be okay with it.

That makes it more expensive than Night Bazaar places that also have Live Sports, which may not work in Hang Dong. I've seen plenty of guys move up here from Bangkok or Hong Kong that don't appreciate that this is a provincial city that doesn't have the high-fliers that those cities have. No big corporate headquarters here paying huge expat salaries or guys having nights out on expenses. Some places around Nimannheimin have fancy beers at fancy prices but I don't think it will work in Hang Dong with what is presumably an expat targetted customer base.

Good luck to him, but it will certainly be a big challenge. His food and service would have to be up to pretty high standards to justify his prices as Live sports are shown all over town, with plenty of places having big screens and attractive , attentive staff to attract the Thai guys.

Edited August 18, 2014 by Chiengmaijoe

[Thighlander]

Small Chang or SLeo or singha etc 110 baht plus 7% VAT ! Got a pint of German beer (not an actual pint of 600ml but only half a litre, 500ml) for 260 plus vat which took it to 278!

Burgers for around $10 with fries.

They've spent a lot of money out there in an area which just doesn't seem to hold businesses for long.

The massive new shopping complex next door has been in a state of semi completion for months if not more than a year already......Starbucks, Boots, McD etc and a new Rimping.

The Game just feels to be out of place there. It's the sort of place you'd come across near the stock exchange in Hong Kong or Singapore if you ask me.

Still if you're cashed up and want a good night out you'd probably be okay with it.

Not to split legal hairs with you but since this is Thaivisa; 500ml is slightly more than a pint. But if you had an inch of foam in a 500ml glass you would be getting screwed. Anyhow, those prices are way high....they are marking it up almost 200%.....If median household income in HD was above 30K per month; I would be surprised. A lot of the farang are either missionaries or have kids (or both), they have school to pay for. Tons of places showing soccer, including a place right next door that stays open until 3 or 4....3 Large Leos for 200. Most Americans love the NFL, but I just redid the schedule for my team in Thai Time....kickoffs range from midnight to 7:30 am, including a few starting at 3:30 and 4:30 am....and almost all are Monday morning.....so I can't see the NFL doing much for a bar in Thailand...except for a memorable Super Bowl Party. I don't think I would go to HD to watch NFL at 4am Monday morning if they had FREE Heinekens and burgers. I seriously doubt they will run 24/7.

The airport or maybe Airport Plaza are about the only places here that could even come close to supporting a place like that.....remember that western place on the top floor......nice place to go before a flight, with much lower prices than that......lasted several years......

I see very poor marketing research on this one. I've seen so many Chili's and Bennigan's fail; it would be hard to count. And they were in areas with household incomes 10 times higher than HD. I know millionaires, who don't do 10 Dollar hamburgers.

BTW, how is the famous White Plate doing?

Edited August 18, 2014 by Thighlander

[Thailand]

McDonalds has a new place at Kad Farang and they usually get it right.

That said, nearly every business there in the past has struggled or closed down completely. Just seems to be in the wrong place.

[Thighlander]

I think 99% of Thai families would choose Mcdonalds over The Game, and that number would be similar for farang families. The new MCD on Suthep was packed with Thais.....at 4 pm. They love to watch soccer, but they know many Thai places, all much cheaper, that show the games. That restaurant at BWT barely stays in business, and it has a beautiful layout, and is cheap compared to The Game.

[Chiengmaijoe]

A US pint is only 473ml, whereas a British pint is 568ml. Heineken 500ml glasses have a 500ml line that is about 3/4 inch below the top, so plenty of room for foam.

[slipperylobster]

I saw Draft Heineken [190 baht per pint], Chang and Singh and another Western Draft, both by the pint and half pint,cant remember the prices for these other drafts but they were similar, I think.

They also had a bunch of Bottled Beers.

Food prices--were about normal for these sort of Farang places [249 baht for the basic burger and 299 baht for one with bacon/cheese]-- the burgers that we tried were sadly so overcooked that they were too dry to finish, but to be fair this was on their opening night so, maybe, the chef was slightly flustered--shame, though, because it did put me off a little.

I wish the owners all the best, though, because doing business in Kad Farang always seems like an uphill slog.

Sound pricey, and a bit far. Hope they got tons of cute girls to make up for the burgers.

[uptheos]

'Lost in translation', can't see any other reason.

The thing is, you are not allowed to do a private subscription with CTH and use it for business purpose. You need a cooperate contract otherwise they'll fine you.

" If CTH dish and box is used, surely satellite can be picked up from Kad Farang, just point the dish. "

Fair enough, then they need to do whatever is necessary to make it into a genuine sports bar if that's their aim.

No-one who likes to watch EPL, will be in there on a Saturday or Sunday night.

I would pay higher prices for a real nice place to watch EPL, if I didn't have it at home.

[DaamNaam]

Their sign out the front says "All the sports, all the time", it should read.."some sports, some of the time".

[Diplomatico]

Small Chang or SLeo or singha etc 110 baht plus 7% VAT ! Got a pint of German beer (not an actual pint of 600ml but only half a litre, 500ml) for 260 plus vat which took it to 278!

Burgers for around $10 with fries.

They've spent a lot of money out there in an area which just doesn't seem to hold businesses for long.

The massive new shopping complex next door has been in a state of semi completion for months if not more than a year already......Starbucks, Boots, McD etc and a new Rimping.

The Game just feels to be out of place there. It's the sort of place you'd come across near the stock exchange in Hong Kong or Singapore if you ask me.

Still if you're cashed up and want a good night out you'd probably be okay with it.

BTW, how is the famous White Plate doing?

I believe that the famous White Plate Cafe is now called the Four Corners Cafe.

[Chiengmaijoe]

Their sign out the front says "All the sports, all the time", it should read.."some sports, some of the time".

I don't really see how sports bars work in Thailand. Most US sports are too early in the morning and most European sports are too late if they're midweek. That leaves showing European sport on Saturday and Sunday, so you'd have to have other options for Monday to Friday to compete with everywhere else. I rarely watch sport if it's not Live, and certainly wouldn't go out to watch recorded games and I'm assuming that most people are like me.

The most popular Live sport in bars is almost certainly The Premier League, but even then, other than Man. Utd and Liverpool you'd be surprised how little interest there is in say, Chelsea, Man. City and even Arsenal, never mind the lower teams such as Newcastle. I've often seen a bar more or less empty out after a game with either of those two top teams, even when the next game was the likes of Chelsea v Spurs!

I wonder whether he'll be showing the likes of cricket and rugby? Cricket attracts the guys that will sit there for hours on end nursing a beer, as does Formula 1. Rugby will have him checking if he has enough pint glasses and a spare barrel or two.

At a guess, I,d say that the UN Irish is the most popular expats bar for sport, but as well as they may do from sport at the weekend, he still has to have the likes of Live music nights and a quiz night to get people in on other nights. People will certainly gaze at his reruns, but I doubt if anyone has gone there just for that.

Edited August 18, 2014 by Chiengmaijoe

[DaamNaam]

Their sign out the front says "All the sports, all the time", it should read.."some sports, some of the time".

I don't really see how sports bars work in Thailand. Most US sports are too early in the morning and most European sports are too late if they're midweek. That leaves showing European sport on Saturday and Sunday, so you'd have to have other options for Monday to Friday to compete with everywhere else. I rarely watch sport if it's not Live, and certainly wouldn't go out to watch recorded games and I'm assuming that most people are like me.

The most popular Live sport in bars is almost certainly The Premier League, but even then, other than Man. Utd and Liverpool you'd be surprised how little interest there is in say, Chelsea, Man. City and even Arsenal, never mind the lower teams such as Newcastle. I've often seen a bar more or less empty out after a game with either of those two top teams, even when the next game was the likes of Chelsea v Spurs!

I wonder whether he'll be showing the likes of cricket and rugby? Cricket attracts the guys that will sit there for hours on end nursing a beer, as does Formula 1. Rugby will have him checking if he has enough pint glasses and a spare barrel or two.

At a guess, I,d say that the UN Irish is the most popular expats bar for sport, but as well as they may do from sport at the weekend, he still has to have the likes of Live music nights and a quiz night to get people in on other nights. People will certainly gaze at his reruns, but I doubt if anyone has gone there just for that.

Already asked them about Aussie rules, answer was it's not on true visions. Cricket isn't either.

Apart from the opening party with free buffet the place looks dead.

Can't see it working out. But for the investors sake i hope it does.

[Sparkles]

What do they mean ,out pf coverage area? I live about 3 km further south and have CTH.

Yes nonsense,have they heard of satellite dishes ???? Like we all have south of town. That goes into the draw for the weakest excuse ever

[uptheos]

Their sign out the front says "All the sports, all the time", it should read.."some sports, some of the time".

I don't really see how sports bars work in Thailand. Most US sports are too early in the morning and most European sports are too late if they're midweek. That leaves showing European sport on Saturday and Sunday, so you'd have to have other options for Monday to Friday to compete with everywhere else. I rarely watch sport if it's not Live, and certainly wouldn't go out to watch recorded games and I'm assuming that most people are like me.

The most popular Live sport in bars is almost certainly The Premier League, but even then, other than Man. Utd and Liverpool you'd be surprised how little interest there is in say, Chelsea, Man. City and even Arsenal, never mind the lower teams such as Newcastle. I've often seen a bar more or less empty out after a game with either of those two top teams, even when the next game was the likes of Chelsea v Spurs!

I wonder whether he'll be showing the likes of cricket and rugby? Cricket attracts the guys that will sit there for hours on end nursing a beer, as does Formula 1. Rugby will have him checking if he has enough pint glasses and a spare barrel or two.

At a guess, I,d say that the UN Irish is the most popular expats bar for sport, but as well as they may do from sport at the weekend, he still has to have the likes of Live music nights and a quiz night to get people in on other nights. People will certainly gaze at his reruns, but I doubt if anyone has gone there just for that.

Already asked them about Aussie rules, answer was it's not on true visions. Cricket isn't either.

Apart from the opening party with free buffet the place looks dead.

Can't see it working out. But for the investors sake i hope it does.

No EPL, Aussie Rules or Cricket.............what exactly makes it a sports bar?

[Diplomatico]

Already asked them about Aussie rules, answer was it's not on true visions. Cricket isn't either.

may do from sport at the weekend, he still has to have the likes of Live music nights and a quiz night to get people in on other nights. People will certainly gaze at his reruns, but I doubt if anyone has gone there just for that.

Apart from the opening party with free buffet the place looks dead.

Can't see it working out. But for the investors sake i hope it does.

If one believes TV member zeegator in post #36 of the thread linked below then the investor scenario could have any number of interesting subplots, including the "can't miss" sales pitch.

"The Game was mentioned recently on another website, it's owned by the most infamous boiler room boy in Bangkok apparently, that would put me off going there."

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/745828-favourite-barspubs-not-go-go/page-2

Edited August 18, 2014 by Diplomatico