Patong is dead.

[simon43]

Judging by the amount of pestering "Taxi sir?, kebab/burger sir?, hello mate you need a suit?, massage?, Thai food/seafood?, ping pong show?, kebab sir?...

What! No-one said that you are a very, very lucky man!?

[DLock]

Went out again couple of nights ago, one of the girls I've known a LONG time had a bit of a celebration and insisted on having it in Bangla , understandable as lots of her chums work there.

Went to Hollywood. The 100 baht beer promo has either finished or was off for that night, back to 180 baht per bottle. We went about midnight and the place was 90% empty. By far the highest proportion of people in there were the Hollwood attired and 'sponsored' PR girls. The music was awful and the DJ really bad, merely playing random tracks with little to no mixing and highly erratic in terms of 'beats per minute' and clashes in style (pop, house, trance, Arab, electronica, pop, trance), a real musical dog's breakfast. Shisha still available at 350 baht (to be fair they actually do make a good job of it).

Around 3:30 (Bangla closure time) it picked up mostly with a few Arabs and French/Algerian types trying to be uber-cool but generally being blanked by the girls, all in cheap-charlie mode (indeed if some of the farangs are seen by bar owners as 'cheap charlies' here, don't hang your hopes on these drongos keeping your bar afloat!). The trend in the dorkish wearing of sunglasses inside a club with next to no lighting, and the VERY tired, and these days unfashionable, wearing of caps backwards hasn't subsided with this crowd. Doubtless due to the large number of girls around our table a couple tried to muscle in to bring their brand of cool to the evening, until they were told in no uncertain terms "private party and you ain't invited, now &%#$ off!!" Even after 3:30 the place was still about 80% empty. Wrapped up there about 6, waited until the death as we had a couple of bottles of liquor and got joined by a bunch of off-duty Bar Funk girls we know who came in after work. Had a good time but for me it was only because we took our own party. As an aside, the Hollywood Zero refurb is set to happen 1st October. The recent closure was just for a short time and some minor touch ups, the 100 baht beer offering merely to tempt people back once the doors opened again.

After that, we went to Tai Pan which by this time was in its death throes and had entered the Thai music shut down face. It was still pretty full through. Tai Pan still does well, pretty constant really. Was in there the last time we went out here with a few chums who finish work late. Busy enough even at 12, peaking to about 90% full around 3:30, thinning out again around 5.

The new place next to Rock Hard that has been mentioned (and that is owned by the same guy that owns Suzy Wongs Group) will be a club with a live band and DJ, it's not another gogo. I stopped by to chat to the owner and have a look at the place on the way to meet my chums the other night and it will hopefully be ready to open 1 August, they're working flat out on it at the moment, 24 hours a day I think. I'd be surprised if it can open on the 1st though. Lots to do. It will be in an oriental style, similar to Suzy Wongs, and will be called 'Tao' (as in Taoism).

One of the problems with the old Tazmania pool lounge, under Illuzion, was that the beers were a bit pricey for a pool lounge. Nice to see that under the new owners the prices will be better. 100 baht beers and cocktails around 200-260 depending on the type. They will be doing shisha too and have a nice line-up of PRs. Looking forward to seeing it when it's finished. The PRs will be out in Bangla tonight, before it wraps up at 12 for Buddha day, dishing out some tickets for the opening on the 1st.

Other parts of Bangla same same, even Aussie Bar quite quiet. Tiger 2 dead. Tiger 1 not far off. Tons of tourists mingling around, but mostly Chinese and Korean taking photos, and clogging up the walkway watching the various break-dancers and whoever else decides to turn the walkway into street theatre, fine until you want to walk and get somewhere!!

Judging by the amount of pestering "Taxi sir?, kebab/burger sir?, hello mate you need a suit?, massage?, Thai food/seafood?, ping pong show?, kebab sir?" (you know the drill) which seem to have reached record levels, times are really hard. Does get tiresome walking down Soi Sansabai having be conscious of not making eye contact with almost anyone at all for the sake of not getting pestered with the relentless stream of fast food invites. That's assuming you can actually walk down Sansabai which by 1am is barely wide enough to get one tuk-tuk down the road thanks to the now 5 deep parking of bikes.

PoP, you are like the TripAdvisor of Phuket nightlife.

Great post again.

[SooKee]

PoP, you are like the TripAdvisor of Phuket nightlife.

Great post again.

555. Thanks. Posted it really as I had heard that Hollywood was dead but had not been to actually see for myself(now remedied) and couple of folks were asking about Taipan. Also thought the 'Tao' and 'Tazmania' updates might be of interest in terms of new places opening soon and offering something (hopefully) at least a BIT different.

Have to watch my computer's bleedin' auto-correct like a hawk though (e.g. face replacing phase!). Think I'll turn it off, I swear I spend more time correcting ITS screw-ups than it saves me time in making correct corrections. Auto-correct is a ducking piece of ship!!!!! 555

Edited July 29, 2015 by Pick of Penang

[DLock]

PoP, you are like the TripAdvisor of Phuket nightlife.

Great post again.

555. Thanks. Posted it really as I had heard that Hollywood was dead but had not been to actually see for myself(now remedied) and couple of folks were asking about Taipan. Also thought the 'Tao' and 'Tazmania' updates might be of interest in terms of new places opening soon and offering something (hopefully) at least a BIT different.

Have to watch my computer's bleedin' auto-correct like a hawk though (e.g. face replacing phase!). Think I'll turn it off, I swear I spend more time correcting ITS screw-ups than it saves me time in making correct corrections. Auto-correct is a ducking piece of ship!!!!! 555

Really enjoy your posts.

I lived there 7 years, so its good to hear what's going on, the changes - good and bad, and get a first person perspective on different places.

Good to hear Bob is still doing good with Taipan. Still throwing out stuffed toys, money and T-shirts to the screaming girls and yelling out "You guuuyyyyyyssss"?

Doubt I could do a 6am close anymore. You hit your 40's and recovery times get harder...but happy to live vicariously through you.

Keep them posts coming when you can.

[SooKee]

PoP, you are like the TripAdvisor of Phuket nightlife.

Great post again.

555. Thanks. Posted it really as I had heard that Hollywood was dead but had not been to actually see for myself(now remedied) and couple of folks were asking about Taipan. Also thought the 'Tao' and 'Tazmania' updates might be of interest in terms of new places opening soon and offering something (hopefully) at least a BIT different.

Have to watch my computer's bleedin' auto-correct like a hawk though (e.g. face replacing phase!). Think I'll turn it off, I swear I spend more time correcting ITS screw-ups than it saves me time in making correct corrections. Auto-correct is a ducking piece of ship!!!!! 555

Really enjoy your posts.

I lived there 7 years, so its good to hear what's going on, the changes - good and bad, and get a first person perspective on different places.

Good to hear Bob is still doing good with Taipan. Still throwing out stuffed toys, money and T-shirts to the screaming girls and yelling out "You guuuyyyyyyssss"?

Doubt I could do a 6am close anymore. You hit your 40's and recovery times get harder...but happy to live vicariously through you.

Keep them posts coming when you can.

Thanks. "You hit your 40's and recovery times get harder.." Tell me about it! I'm 56 55555. Been burning the candle both ends waaaaaay too long, too many years playing guitar, bumming around with bands and performing artistes while trying to find time to work (thankfully the dreaded W word is behind me now) so I guess the juvenile behaviour has become somewhat hard-wired 5555, only here once eh!!!

I've not been to Taipan enough to know if the throw-arounds are still happening, though I do remember them. Certainly nothing like that when I've been the last couple of times well before closing time. I guess hard times are biting all round, or I just picked a couple of random nights when it didn't happen. The crowd is actually quite good in Taipan now, better than it was I think. Those looking for non-scene girls / freelancers will find a lot to chose from now IMO, with a variety of styles across all age groups. Last time I was there I was with a chum of mine who's a bass player (they always seem to be ultra cool guys - Thai guy in his 40s) and got talking to bunch of 5-6 stunning, and I MEAN stunning, girls visiting from BKK for a few days. Bank tellers, air-crew and nurses from memory. "Girls just wanna have fun" types, who were also bemused by the dark glasses / caps backward brigade 5555. They were fobbing them off with 'sorry no speak English'. The ability to speak Thai has its bonuses I suppose when you pick up and that kind of vibe being sent out. Actually 4 of them spoke great English, I guess they just thought the readings on the 'twatometer' were too high for the droids trying to hit on them. Ended up playing pool with them at Chang. Hit the one with a challenge, real real party fun girl, you win, you go hotel, You lose........ "Ok ka". She lost, good to her word too 555. Now THAT was a good night. 9am finish that day, or finish drinking at least. Happy days Trip to BKK coming up soon

Edited July 29, 2015 by Pick of Penang

[Bulldozer Dawn]

PoP, you are like the TripAdvisor of Phuket nightlife.

Great post again.

555. Thanks. Posted it really as I had heard that Hollywood was dead but had not been to actually see for myself(now remedied) and couple of folks were asking about Taipan. Also thought the 'Tao' and 'Tazmania' updates might be of interest in terms of new places opening soon and offering something (hopefully) at least a BIT different.

Have to watch my computer's bleedin' auto-correct like a hawk though (e.g. face replacing phase!). Think I'll turn it off, I swear I spend more time correcting ITS screw-ups than it saves me time in making correct corrections. Auto-correct is a ducking piece of ship!!!!! 555

Really enjoy your posts.

I lived there 7 years, so its good to hear what's going on, the changes - good and bad, and get a first person perspective on different places.

Good to hear Bob is still doing good with Taipan. Still throwing out stuffed toys, money and T-shirts to the screaming girls and yelling out "You guuuyyyyyyssss"?

Doubt I could do a 6am close anymore. You hit your 40's and recovery times get harder...but happy to live vicariously through you.

Keep them posts coming when you can.

Pop. I dont understand you. Why go to Hollywood to socialize with Thai girls friends. You already said that they were not interested in the Arab and Leb hip hop boys. Of course cool girls can see right though the coooool and know that they are broke. Why not arrange for your girls to met up with you at a Thai venue in Phuket town. No Lebs and Arabs and you can bring your own bottle and just pay for mixers. You can't use the excuse that you go to Hollywood to "People Watch" because, by your on admission, the place was empty except for hiphopslims.

[SooKee]

Pop. I dont understand you. Why go to Hollywood to socialize with Thai girls friends. You already said that they were not interested in the Arab and Leb hip hop boys. Of course cool girls can see right though the coooool and know that they are broke. Why not arrange for your girls to met up with you at a Thai venue in Phuket town. No Lebs and Arabs and you can bring your own bottle and just pay for mixers. You can't use the excuse that you go to Hollywood to "People Watch" because, by your on admission, the place was empty except for hiphopslims.

Ummm, this might come across as overly harsh BUT....I don't understand you to be honest. I post these updates here to update the state of Bangla, not to split hairs and enter into a debate with people I don't know over the choices I make over where I go. What the heck does it even matter to you why I go there?? You don't need to understand, I don't care whether you do or don't, no need to justify what I do to anyone and I've lived here enough to know all the options in terms of where to socialise, with who, how and when. Thankfully though, I do what I want, not what others think I should do. I'm a bit of a traditionalist in that regard.

If you felt the NEED to understand I guess the giveaway would be in the first two lines of the post, it's called attention to detail! In this case it was a friend of mine having HER celebration with HER friends at the venue of HER choosing. Not my place to dictate where she goes just so it suits me, but then, maybe others are more selfish,what makes you think I need ANY excuse to go there? My life, my choice, end of. Feel free to understand or otherwise.

Edited July 29, 2015 by Pick of Penang

[xylophone]

Quote Pick of Penang: "Thanks. "You hit your 40's and recovery times get harder.." Tell me about it! I'm 56 55555. Been burning the candle both ends waaaaaay too long, too many years playing guitar, bumming around with bands and performing artistes while trying to find time to work (thankfully the dreaded W word is behind me now) so I guess the juvenile behaviour has become somewhat hard-wired 5555, only here once eh!!!".

Hmmm, tell me about it, and I don't think I could do 6 a.m. mornings any more, not that I did that many here, possibly a lot more in my younger days when I was around an airport party scene which was something else. Now I'm 68 this year and the latest I stay out is around 2:30 a.m. before heading off home.

I do get up and sing a few songs with the Filipino band in Soi Freedom (after oiling the vocal chords with a few glasses of red wine, a few beers and some tequilas) and occasionally with the little band in a friend's bar, but now out mostly for a bit of a chat, a laugh and a catch up as well as some good fun singing with the band.

I have been to Taipan a few times in the past and in general had some good fun, however the last few visits I've found to be devoid of tasty talent, so IMO you were lucky to find some good looking girls there..............just a few weeks ago an American friend of mine asked if I had seen the movie "Planet of the Apes" and I said that I had, why did he ask, and his reply was, "well the last few times I've been Taipan, the women have been a lot like that", so I went again a couple of nights later and encountered that very same thing, purposefully avoiding the gaze of a small table of them as one of them seemed to be making a move over to the table I was at with a friend, before scurrying out of the place!

Can't comment on the other places because my only Hollywood visit was a few years ago and I found it to be claustrophobic, with a big bass sound which literally interfered with the beating of my heart and bloody nearly kicked my heart out of rhythm!!! Rock city was okay and Banana Disco in the old days was where one went to pick up the "better class" of girls (yeah right) and of course Tiger disco in the old days was the place to go although that became passé after a while.

I remember a few visits when people were crammed in so badly that you could only stand upright with your drink in your hand and couldn't move anywhere, let alone speak to anybody or even see anybody across the dark expanse, and even if you could it was damn near impossible to get to them. Some of the more experienced guys used to sit outside of the disco having a beer and endeavoured to pick up some of the better looking girls who were leaving the place, and had great success I may add.

So at 68 I leave the discos alone and just go out for pure enjoyment, and occasionally visit new bars I haven't been to in the past........and of course to sing a few songs and wallow in the appreciative applause from the scant audience!

[Lashay]

Hollywood is pretty much a "has-been" these days, only people going there are ones who don't hang to much in bangla clubs and think it is still 'in'. Even the old backpacker, drug haunt 'The White Room' is more popular now.

Illuzion is the place at the moment. Full of "hip" (using this term very loosely) young farang males with enough cash to splash out on a bottle or two for a small group. If you like the young, skinny, 20 something FL's, this is place to find them before 4am (then unlucky ones head to tai pan) these days. But unless you really are a "hansum man" expect to not get to much interest from them unless you are splashing the cash

Interesting set up in Illzusion, not only farang pullers outside, but farang dj's (actually not to bad) even farang stage dancers and bouncers. They are pretty much single handly breaking down the "thai's only" labor laws on Bangla. Unless police push back (unlikely as rumored they have some serious connections) expect to see majority of staff and even many bar girls being non thai in a few years

[DLock]

PoP, you are like the TripAdvisor of Phuket nightlife.

Great post again.

555. Thanks. Posted it really as I had heard that Hollywood was dead but had not been to actually see for myself(now remedied) and couple of folks were asking about Taipan. Also thought the 'Tao' and 'Tazmania' updates might be of interest in terms of new places opening soon and offering something (hopefully) at least a BIT different.

Have to watch my computer's bleedin' auto-correct like a hawk though (e.g. face replacing phase!). Think I'll turn it off, I swear I spend more time correcting ITS screw-ups than it saves me time in making correct corrections. Auto-correct is a ducking piece of ship!!!!! 555

Really enjoy your posts.

I lived there 7 years, so its good to hear what's going on, the changes - good and bad, and get a first person perspective on different places.

Good to hear Bob is still doing good with Taipan. Still throwing out stuffed toys, money and T-shirts to the screaming girls and yelling out "You guuuyyyyyyssss"?

Doubt I could do a 6am close anymore. You hit your 40's and recovery times get harder...but happy to live vicariously through you.

Keep them posts coming when you can.

Thanks. "You hit your 40's and recovery times get harder.." Tell me about it! I'm 56 55555. Been burning the candle both ends waaaaaay too long, too many years playing guitar, bumming around with bands and performing artistes while trying to find time to work (thankfully the dreaded W word is behind me now) so I guess the juvenile behaviour has become somewhat hard-wired 5555, only here once eh!!!

I've not been to Taipan enough to know if the throw-arounds are still happening, though I do remember them. Certainly nothing like that when I've been the last couple of times well before closing time. I guess hard times are biting all round, or I just picked a couple of random nights when it didn't happen. The crowd is actually quite good in Taipan now, better than it was I think. Those looking for non-scene girls / freelancers will find a lot to chose from now IMO, with a variety of styles across all age groups. Last time I was there I was with a chum of mine who's a bass player (they always seem to be ultra cool guys - Thai guy in his 40s) and got talking to bunch of 5-6 stunning, and I MEAN stunning, girls visiting from BKK for a few days. Bank tellers, air-crew and nurses from memory. "Girls just wanna have fun" types, who were also bemused by the dark glasses / caps backward brigade 5555. They were fobbing them off with 'sorry no speak English'. The ability to speak Thai has its bonuses I suppose when you pick up and that kind of vibe being sent out. Actually 4 of them spoke great English, I guess they just thought the readings on the 'twatometer' were too high for the droids trying to hit on them. Ended up playing pool with them at Chang. Hit the one with a challenge, real real party fun girl, you win, you go hotel, You lose........ "Ok ka". She lost, good to her word too 555. Now THAT was a good night. 9am finish that day, or finish drinking at least. Happy days Trip to BKK coming up soon

Even more credit to you PoP if you 56...

I lived that life for quite a few years. Back then it was Tiger Disco, Taipan and before that Shark Club and Banana...a simpler time.

In my 30's going to bed at 4am and getting up at 2pm seemed normal. Riding the bike down to No. 6 restaurant for breaklunchdinner before it was popular and you could always get a table, and seeing the girls from the night before...often still dressed like the night before. A mixed fruit shake and a few Panadol was the normal heart starter.

Does Banana even happen these days? It always seemed to attract a good bit of biffo late in the evening. No idea why.

I was banned from Tiger by Pia. Long story.

Before Hollwood, that place was a cool pool bar with a ever changing Go-Go, disco, club at the back. It actually had some good phases, but the Management couldn't seem to get it right and eventually Khun Ut's family lost or sold the club to what became Hollywood. I never really liked it after that. Felt too much like a "look at me" place, and unless you were with a group, it was not a lot of fun. The clubs also became later and later...or I got older...probably both. That did seem to usher the change from attractive girls from the beer bars moving to freelance at the emerging clubs...beer bars went downhill fast.

I did always enjoy taking first timers to Soi Crocodile...some of them worked it out, some were so blitzed on Bacardi Breezers they didn't. Haven't been there in a long time either. The last time seemed very aggressive and unpleasant.

Keep up the posts when you go out...loving them.

[Bulldozer Dawn]

Pop. I dont understand you. Why go to Hollywood to socialize with Thai girls friends. You already said that they were not interested in the Arab and Leb hip hop boys. Of course cool girls can see right though the coooool and know that they are broke. Why not arrange for your girls to met up with you at a Thai venue in Phuket town. No Lebs and Arabs and you can bring your own bottle and just pay for mixers. You can't use the excuse that you go to Hollywood to "People Watch" because, by your on admission, the place was empty except for hiphopslims.

Ummm, this might come across as overly harsh BUT....I don't understand you to be honest. I post these updates here to update the state of Bangla, not to split hairs and enter into a debate with people I don't know over the choices I make over where I go. What the heck does it even matter to you why I go there?? You don't need to understand, I don't care whether you do or don't, no need to justify what I do to anyone and I've lived here enough to know all the options in terms of where to socialise, with who, how and when. Thankfully though, I do what I want, not what others think I should do. I'm a bit of a traditionalist in that regard.

If you felt the NEED to understand I guess the giveaway would be in the first two lines of the post, it's called attention to detail! In this case it was a friend of mine having HER celebration with HER friends at the venue of HER choosing. Not my place to dictate where she goes just so it suits me, but then, maybe others are more selfish,what makes you think I need ANY excuse to go there? My life, my choice, end of. Feel free to understand or otherwise.

Ok thanks for the explanation. Your Thai friend likes to celebrate with HER friends at a venue that plays bad music, has expensive drinks, and late in the evening fills with hiphopslims.

[SooKee]

Ok thanks for the explanation. Your Thai friend likes to celebrate with HER friends at a venue that plays bad music, has expensive drinks, and late in the evening fills with hiphopslims.

In all honesty, initially I thought your comment really, REALLY didn't even warrant a reply. Your point being what exactly? Or are you just going out of your way to be antagonistic? But I guess there's always one. Some people are just too concerned with what OTHERS do, and trying to make smart #ss comments about it, rather than minding their own business and getting on with leading THEIR OWN lives.

She had her reasons for holding her celebration there but I guess she would feel as compelled to explain them to you about as much as I do, which is not in the slightest. I guess my Thai friends are rather like me in that regard, they care only about what the people they are close to think and don't give much of a monkeys about the opinions of others, and certainly not random anonymous internet personas. I imagine she'd be totally devastated if she knew about it - or maybe she wouldn't give a st! Yah, thinking about it, she'd be the same as me in this regard too, it'd be the latter. Have a good day.

Edited July 31, 2015 by Pick of Penang

[SooKee]

Even more credit to you PoP if you 56...

I lived that life for quite a few years. Back then it was Tiger Disco, Taipan and before that Shark Club and Banana...a simpler time.

In my 30's going to bed at 4am and getting up at 2pm seemed normal. Riding the bike down to No. 6 restaurant for breaklunchdinner before it was popular and you could always get a table, and seeing the girls from the night before...often still dressed like the night before. A mixed fruit shake and a few Panadol was the normal heart starter.

Does Banana even happen these days? It always seemed to attract a good bit of biffo late in the evening. No idea why.

I was banned from Tiger by Pia. Long story.

Before Hollwood, that place was a cool pool bar with a ever changing Go-Go, disco, club at the back. It actually had some good phases, but the Management couldn't seem to get it right and eventually Khun Ut's family lost or sold the club to what became Hollywood. I never really liked it after that. Felt too much like a "look at me" place, and unless you were with a group, it was not a lot of fun. The clubs also became later and later...or I got older...probably both. That did seem to usher the change from attractive girls from the beer bars moving to freelance at the emerging clubs...beer bars went downhill fast.

I did always enjoy taking first timers to Soi Crocodile...some of them worked it out, some were so blitzed on Bacardi Breezers they didn't. Haven't been there in a long time either. The last time seemed very aggressive and unpleasant.

Keep up the posts when you go out...loving them.

Yah, Number 6 has gone really downhill in the last couple of years, ever since it became a tour bus stopover. It was good before that, but even then, not good enough to warrant queuing in the street for a table, I mean jeez!! Quality of the food has nose-dived too.

Crocodile much the same now, very pushy. Fewer punters seem to bother going down it now, tending instead to congregate at the mouth of the soi and watch for a few minutes before moving on.

None of the clubs really do it for me here. They're all somewhat devoid of atmosphere, even when busy, and only Illuzion gets busy at the moment. I guess it's the standard 'cheap as chips' interior design, concrete floors and metal tables, walls painted black and crap lights, heck even the Dannok clubs near the Malaysian border have better light-shows, and I mean MUCH MUCH better. Agree about the migration of talent from the beer bars to freelancing at the discos too. In hindsight I guess that really helped kill much by way of interest in Bangla for folks, outside of the coyote bars. These days Sansabai and the surrounding sois get busy about midnight to 1am as the freelancers pour into Bangla to hit the clubs, making most of the beer bars about as interesting as watching a plank warp IMHO.

My memory may be fading but I also don't recall Bangla being QUITE so inundated with pushy katoeys after 2-3 am as it is now, they were always there of course but now it's like the floodgates opened or something. People I know that come here and who stay at the hotels in the sois opposite Christine Massage always complain about being hassled by ladyboys on the way home, with groups of 3-4 sat around in massage parlour doorways getting slammed on 285, the further out from Bangla you get, the more they seem to overlook the 'lady' component of 'ladyboy' by all accounts. Not a pretty sight and not a pleasant experience as you walk home munching the now ubiquitous kebab.

[SooKee]

I have been to Taipan a few times in the past and in general had some good fun, however the last few visits I've found to be devoid of tasty talent, so IMO you were lucky to find some good looking girls there..............just a few weeks ago an American friend of mine asked if I had seen the movie "Planet of the Apes" and I said that I had, why did he ask, and his reply was, "well the last few times I've been Taipan, the women have been a lot like that", so I went again a couple of nights later and encountered that very same thing, purposefully avoiding the gaze of a small table of them as one of them seemed to be making a move over to the table I was at with a friend, before scurrying out of the place!

Can't comment on the other places because my only Hollywood visit was a few years ago and I found it to be claustrophobic, with a big bass sound which literally interfered with the beating of my heart and bloody nearly kicked my heart out of rhythm!!! Rock city was okay and Banana Disco in the old days was where one went to pick up the "better class" of girls (yeah right) and of course Tiger disco in the old days was the place to go although that became passé after a while.

I remember a few visits when people were crammed in so badly that you could only stand upright with your drink in your hand and couldn't move anywhere, let alone speak to anybody or even see anybody across the dark expanse, and even if you could it was damn near impossible to get to them. Some of the more experienced guys used to sit outside of the disco having a beer and endeavoured to pick up some of the better looking girls who were leaving the place, and had great success I may add.

So at 68 I leave the discos alone and just go out for pure enjoyment, and occasionally visit new bars I haven't been to in the past........and of course to sing a few songs and wallow in the appreciative applause from the scant audience!

Yeah, with Taipan, in all honesty I couldn't really say that the (somewhat) better standard of the girls is now the norm as I don't go there enough. I've just been there a few times recently as I've had visitors here who know people that work late and who don't finish until 2-3 am so it rather cuts down the choices of where to go. In that regard I'd still rather go to Taipan than the Bangla discos and on the occasions I went I was pleasantly surprised by the greater proportion of attractive and, shall we say, not unattractive, girls in there. More mature of in the main, aside from the orange clad Taipan dancers (some of whom being quite game for some fun), but then I prefer that maturity to the teeny propelling pencils gracing many of the coyote bars. It may be though that the times we went we just got lucky.

Tiger disco for me is the worst of the lot. Awful layout with only a very small floor area affording a view of the raised centre dance floor, stand elsewhere and you invariably have a damn great pillar stuck in front of you and of course there's the music, with everywhere seeming to play the same rubbish that we jokingly refer to as "Bangla Hits - The F&%$ed Up Mix: 50 tracks they said should never be remixed and certainly not like this". The DJs (and I use the term loosely) here seem to not realise that there's more to mixing than blending in a booming 140 BPM (and it's ALWAYS the same one!!!!) backing track. Always seems to me that they are out to see who can make the tables vibrate the most rather than trying (or even being able) to create a vibe that encourages and is conducive to dancing. The so called VIP areas are also laughable, generally being just a few sofa's, raised and out of the action with even less atmosphere than the rest of the place with a 1,000 plus baht added on the the price of a bottle to buy you that 'luxury'. OK (just!) I suppose if you go with a big group and want some floor area but there are other places I'd chose for a night out like that, not Bangla discos.

Edited July 31, 2015 by Pick of Penang

[Lashay]

My memory may be fading but I also don't recall Bangla being QUITE so inundated with pushy katoeys after 2-3 am as it is now, they were always there of course but now it's like the floodgates opened or something..

Not your memory, there are more these days.

Think combination of factors, just more transsexuals in Thailand these days period, less places for them to work with Soi Ladyboy/Croc shutting down for renovations by new owners (already half the bars in the soi closed), less bars wanting them (for example Soi Freedom does not allow them except for a few "grandfathered in" before rule change, Should be interesting to see what happens as a few Soi LB bar owners moving there next month) and police not really giving a damn at the moment about anything beyond increasing tea money (there have been indications they want triple or more via a new stupid system they want to implement based on bar menu beer price)

[FritsSikkink]

Have to say I have little sympathy for the bar owners, far from it in fact, it's self-generated bubble that was bound to burst. Whatever the justification the owners might have felt they had for the continued price hikes offering an enjoyable night out can't be ignored as a consideration, the suckers at the end of their food chain seem to have had enough. It will be very interesting to see how long lived the 'start of high season' celebrations on Bangla are this year.

I find that a very interesting comment. Basically you seem to be saying they should be running at a loss and be happy as long as all customers are having fun.

Nearly all the cost increases have been factors beyond individual bars owners control;

• Increasing alcohol wholesale prices (introduction of 10 vat and general producers price hikes)
• Rents (if they refuse to pay the bangla rents they will end up somewhere like nanai with little to no customers)
• Girl salary increases (no salary, little to no girls and if you do manage to get them people will complain, to old/to fat/to average and go elsewhere. Actually these days even with salary it can be a struggle as so many of the better looking girls prefer to freelance in the clubs instead, they can up their rates while still less cost to customer due to no bar fine)

Across europe and US (and presume Aus though never been involved in the industry there) average mark up for bottle beer is 250-350%, this is considered needed to actually make a profitable business .

Lets use Singha as an example, wholesale generally around 31 baht (high volume places like clubs can get this down about 10%). Here, selling at 80 baht it's a 150% markup, at 100 baht it's a 215% markup, at 120 it's 280%. So by worldwide standards vast majority of bars are selling too cheap already. Before bars could get away with these low mark up's and still make a profit because then staff were generally paid well under the minimum wage, girls cost virtually nothing and rents were low (you could get a whole soi for less than what a front row bar costs now), but these days.....

Bar owners (and developers) have tried time and time again to get customers out of Bangla into cheaper areas, we said we would never go there, that it would never work and laughed at them, they flopped. And now we complain that drinks prices are to high.

across europe bars pay a lot more tax and can't get away with paying girls f all or less then the minimum wage. i agree with tbe silly rents and you forgot the keymoney

[Lashay]

Have to say I have little sympathy for the bar owners, far from it in fact, it's self-generated bubble that was bound to burst. Whatever the justification the owners might have felt they had for the continued price hikes offering an enjoyable night out can't be ignored as a consideration, the suckers at the end of their food chain seem to have had enough. It will be very interesting to see how long lived the 'start of high season' celebrations on Bangla are this year.

I find that a very interesting comment. Basically you seem to be saying they should be running at a loss and be happy as long as all customers are having fun.

Nearly all the cost increases have been factors beyond individual bars owners control;

• Increasing alcohol wholesale prices (introduction of 10 vat and general producers price hikes)
• Rents (if they refuse to pay the bangla rents they will end up somewhere like nanai with little to no customers)
• Girl salary increases (no salary, little to no girls and if you do manage to get them people will complain, to old/to fat/to average and go elsewhere. Actually these days even with salary it can be a struggle as so many of the better looking girls prefer to freelance in the clubs instead, they can up their rates while still less cost to customer due to no bar fine)

Across europe and US (and presume Aus though never been involved in the industry there) average mark up for bottle beer is 250-350%, this is considered needed to actually make a profitable business .

Lets use Singha as an example, wholesale generally around 31 baht (high volume places like clubs can get this down about 10%). Here, selling at 80 baht it's a 150% markup, at 100 baht it's a 215% markup, at 120 it's 280%. So by worldwide standards vast majority of bars are selling too cheap already. Before bars could get away with these low mark up's and still make a profit because then staff were generally paid well under the minimum wage, girls cost virtually nothing and rents were low (you could get a whole soi for less than what a front row bar costs now), but these days.....

Bar owners (and developers) have tried time and time again to get customers out of Bangla into cheaper areas, we said we would never go there, that it would never work and laughed at them, they flopped. And now we complain that drinks prices are to high.

across europe bars pay a lot more tax and can't get away with paying girls f all or less then the minimum wage. i agree with tbe silly rents and you forgot the keymoney

Bar's in Europe generally don't have girls and here days of paying them nothing or less than minimum wage are pretty much gone . Staff might get paid more there, but you generally need less of of them. Key money is basically portion of rent in advance. Only real cost bars here don't have is taxes (at least unofficially)

[FritsSikkink]

Have to say I have little sympathy for the bar owners, far from it in fact, it's self-generated bubble that was bound to burst. Whatever the justification the owners might have felt they had for the continued price hikes offering an enjoyable night out can't be ignored as a consideration, the suckers at the end of their food chain seem to have had enough. It will be very interesting to see how long lived the 'start of high season' celebrations on Bangla are this year.

I find that a very interesting comment. Basically you seem to be saying they should be running at a loss and be happy as long as all customers are having fun.

Nearly all the cost increases have been factors beyond individual bars owners control;

• Increasing alcohol wholesale prices (introduction of 10 vat and general producers price hikes)
• Rents (if they refuse to pay the bangla rents they will end up somewhere like nanai with little to no customers)
• Girl salary increases (no salary, little to no girls and if you do manage to get them people will complain, to old/to fat/to average and go elsewhere. Actually these days even with salary it can be a struggle as so many of the better looking girls prefer to freelance in the clubs instead, they can up their rates while still less cost to customer due to no bar fine)

Across europe and US (and presume Aus though never been involved in the industry there) average mark up for bottle beer is 250-350%, this is considered needed to actually make a profitable business .

Lets use Singha as an example, wholesale generally around 31 baht (high volume places like clubs can get this down about 10%). Here, selling at 80 baht it's a 150% markup, at 100 baht it's a 215% markup, at 120 it's 280%. So by worldwide standards vast majority of bars are selling too cheap already. Before bars could get away with these low mark up's and still make a profit because then staff were generally paid well under the minimum wage, girls cost virtually nothing and rents were low (you could get a whole soi for less than what a front row bar costs now), but these days.....

Bar owners (and developers) have tried time and time again to get customers out of Bangla into cheaper areas, we said we would never go there, that it would never work and laughed at them, they flopped. And now we complain that drinks prices are to high.

across europe bars pay a lot more tax and can't get away with paying girls f all or less then the minimum wage. i agree with tbe silly rents and you forgot the keymoney

Bar's in Europe generally don't have girls and here days of paying them nothing or less than minimum wage are pretty much gone . Staff might get paid more there, but you generally need less of of them. Key money is basically portion of rent in advance. Only real cost bars here don't have is taxes (at least unofficially)

there are loads of girly bars in europe. key money has nothing to do with rent.

[xylophone]

Saw they closed Bamboo Bar, too bad, something different...

Looks like they are building bars like all the other ones on bangla, good luck for those who will rent that now...

If who i think has taken that over actually has, it might prove interesting to keep your eye on it. Not only is he not thai but he runs also owns quite a few other very successful nightlife places around.

Will see then, location is good but if its just bars like the other ones.

Malaysian tenant, it's going to be one big bar with a live band so I'm told and not like his other establishments in soi Sea Dragon he runs

I called in to see him yesterday as he was in the bar during the daytime directing some building operations and he said although he was hoping to open on August 1, he couldn't see that it would be finished in time.

As you say he is a good operator and has been around a while, however I just cannot see how he is going to make this one work or indeed what market he is after............ it has a rectangular shape bar just as you go in the entrance and there are going to be seats around the place, however there is a small stage area for a live band, and very small "dancefloor" if you can call 8 m x 3 m or thereabouts a dancefloor and of course the area for a DJ, which makes it all very cramped indeed.

Because everything is so close together, I doubt very much whether conversation is what the place is built for, especially as there are loudspeakers all around the place and a multitude of extremely large LED TV screens. And with a DJ and live band competing for space, anyone with claustrophobic tendencies would be advised to stay away!

I sincerely hope it works, however I just have my doubts.

[Sharp]

I concur I think it's all setup wrong and enclosing it makes no sense to me personally

[Bulldozer Dawn]

Saw they closed Bamboo Bar, too bad, something different...

Looks like they are building bars like all the other ones on bangla, good luck for those who will rent that now...

If who i think has taken that over actually has, it might prove interesting to keep your eye on it. Not only is he not thai but he runs also owns quite a few other very successful nightlife places around.

Will see then, location is good but if its just bars like the other ones.

Malaysian tenant, it's going to be one big bar with a live band so I'm told and not like his other establishments in soi Sea Dragon he runs

I called in to see him yesterday as he was in the bar during the daytime directing some building operations and he said although he was hoping to open on August 1, he couldn't see that it would be finished in time.

As you say he is a good operator and has been around a while, however I just cannot see how he is going to make this one work or indeed what market he is after............ it has a rectangular shape bar just as you go in the entrance and there are going to be seats around the place, however there is a small stage area for a live band, and very small "dancefloor" if you can call 8 m x 3 m or thereabouts a dancefloor and of course the area for a DJ, which makes it all very cramped indeed.

Because everything is so close together, I doubt very much whether conversation is what the place is built for, especially as there are loudspeakers all around the place and a multitude of extremely large LED TV screens. And with a DJ and live band competing for space, anyone with claustrophobic tendencies would be advised to stay away!

I sincerely hope it works, however I just have my doubts.

A business does not have to "work" if its objective is to launder money.

[xylophone]

If who i think has taken that over actually has, it might prove interesting to keep your eye on it. Not only is he not thai but he runs also owns quite a few other very successful nightlife places around.

Will see then, location is good but if its just bars like the other ones.

Malaysian tenant, it's going to be one big bar with a live band so I'm told and not like his other establishments in soi Sea Dragon he runs

I called in to see him yesterday as he was in the bar during the daytime directing some building operations and he said although he was hoping to open on August 1, he couldn't see that it would be finished in time.

As you say he is a good operator and has been around a while, however I just cannot see how he is going to make this one work or indeed what market he is after............ it has a rectangular shape bar just as you go in the entrance and there are going to be seats around the place, however there is a small stage area for a live band, and very small "dancefloor" if you can call 8 m x 3 m or thereabouts a dancefloor and of course the area for a DJ, which makes it all very cramped indeed.

Because everything is so close together, I doubt very much whether conversation is what the place is built for, especially as there are loudspeakers all around the place and a multitude of extremely large LED TV screens. And with a DJ and live band competing for space, anyone with claustrophobic tendencies would be advised to stay away!

I sincerely hope it works, however I just have my doubts.

A business does not have to "work" if its objective is to launder money.

I don't think that's the objective, and anyway if it was there would be many more ways to get a better return on "laundered money" than this........... pay millions for a lease, spend millions kitting it out, open the place and find out that your takings do not even cover the cost of running it, then what?

Very difficult to sell something like that, so it becomes almost a total loss situation and as I said before, not a good option for even laundered money!

[LivinginKata]

A business does not have to "work" if its objective is to launder money.

I don't think that's the objective, and anyway if it was there would be many more ways to get a better return on "laundered money" than this........... pay millions for a lease, spend millions kitting it out, open the place and find out that your takings do not even cover the cost of running it, then what?

Very difficult to sell something like that, so it becomes almost a total loss situation and as I said before, not a good option for even laundered money!

Often laundered money is used to give an appearance of respectibility/wealth/income. Nothing to do with the (local) business profit/loss.

Edited August 2, 2015 by LivinginKata

[FritsSikkink]

If who i think has taken that over actually has, it might prove interesting to keep your eye on it. Not only is he not thai but he runs also owns quite a few other very successful nightlife places around.

Will see then, location is good but if its just bars like the other ones.

Malaysian tenant, it's going to be one big bar with a live band so I'm told and not like his other establishments in soi Sea Dragon he runs

I called in to see him yesterday as he was in the bar during the daytime directing some building operations and he said although he was hoping to open on August 1, he couldn't see that it would be finished in time.

As you say he is a good operator and has been around a while, however I just cannot see how he is going to make this one work or indeed what market he is after............ it has a rectangular shape bar just as you go in the entrance and there are going to be seats around the place, however there is a small stage area for a live band, and very small "dancefloor" if you can call 8 m x 3 m or thereabouts a dancefloor and of course the area for a DJ, which makes it all very cramped indeed.

Because everything is so close together, I doubt very much whether conversation is what the place is built for, especially as there are loudspeakers all around the place and a multitude of extremely large LED TV screens. And with a DJ and live band competing for space, anyone with claustrophobic tendencies would be advised to stay away!

I sincerely hope it works, however I just have my doubts.

A business does not have to "work" if its objective is to launder money.

I don't think that's the objective, and anyway if it was there would be many more ways to get a better return on "laundered money" than this........... pay millions for a lease, spend millions kitting it out, open the place and find out that your takings do not even cover the cost of running it, then what?

Very difficult to sell something like that, so it becomes almost a total loss situation and as I said before, not a good option for even laundered money!

money landering isn't about making money, they have loads of it but can't spend it anymore without getting to much attention.

so the buy something 'cheap' on paper, give more money on the side. then they make loads of money in-- the bussines administration (doesn't have to be real) and they have something to show for there 'earnings'

[xylophone]

Surely a simple explanation for money laundering is that dirty money goes in one end and clean money comes out the other?

It's a way of hiding "dirty" money by way of passing it through businesses or purchases and seemingly ending up with "clean" money, otherwise why would they do it.

As an example, someone has $1 million of "dirty" money and buys a high-end villa, they then sell that Villa at whatever price they can get for it, often for a loss and they are then presented with "clean" money from the purchaser of the same Villa, thereby having some sort of money trail to prove that the money is clean. No matter which ever way they do it, and sometimes it is done through many businesses, the object of the exercise has to be ending up with money, albeit a smaller percentage of that which went in.

I'm not actually saying they get a "return" on their "investment" but they end up with what seems like an amount of "legitimate" money.

[xylophone]

Anyway getting back on topic.......... I ventured out last night to catch up with a few friends in Bangla and on the way down Nanai Road at about 8 p.m. I noticed there were quite a few people in Dons BBQ, which is good, because I do believe he has tried to understand the farang market and whenever I have eaten there, the food has always been very good value for money.

There seemed to be a reasonable amount of people walking up and down Bangla, but then that always seems the case yet they don't seem to spend much money anywhere.

The two Italian restaurants in Soi Patong Resort also had some good numbers in with one of them being about 65% full, yet the more recent Italian restaurant arrival was closed as was the Thai restaurant, Thai Basil, which despite quite an attractive looking restaurant (and sign) never really attracted any customers and I think this one has probably closed for good.

The Soi Sea Dragon bar fronting Bangla was very busy and I have noticed that over my past few visits to Bangla, but I'm not sure what he is doing to attract the customers although I did notice beers at 80 baht?? I believe Nigel the owner has a new Aussie partner/manager and maybe it's his influence which is attracting the customers.

Smiley Bar was just about full at about 10 p.m. and the band was going very well, then people started to wander away and when I eventually went past again at about 1 a.m., it was completely devoid of customers. This unlike the old days when bars like this would really be in full swing and not start until about 11 p.m. Still, it is very good bar and if the chairs are allowed on the pavement, it means that one can people-watch and be just far enough away from the band (noise) to hold something of a conversation.

The owner with of Island Bar was having a birthday party and there was free food available and quite a few people at the bar, some I suspect there for a free meal, as can often happen here, or maybe I'm being cynical and that they were there to wish him happy birthday? Anyway the atmosphere was good and there would have been around 30 people at that bar and the one opposite for a good while in the evening.

The band was in full swing and really got going in the second part of their act, with the audience clapping and cheering and a few of them even dancing. The old Kiwi rocker (yes I have mentioned him before) got a great reception and folks kept wanting him to sing more songs!

I wandered off from Soi Freedom at around 1 a.m. and as I walked up the Soi, I again noticed how few customers there were in the bars, and headed towards the bars under Tiger 2 to catch up with some other friends, although I often dread going into that place because you are pulled from pillar to post/pestered by girls eager to get you to drink at their bar and sometimes it can be a hassle pulling away from them, this especially as one of my friends had dislocated his shoulder a few weeks ago and was in a little pain (as well as a sling) but it didn't stop the girls pushing and shoving him.

There were more girls in the place than there were customers, with some of the bars having no customers at all, which does not bode well for that place, or should I say does not bode well for the owners of the bars.

The New York bar was nowhere near as full as it has been, neither at the beginning or the end of the evening and the same applied the bar opposite with the group.

Didn't venture into Tiger1, although the bars at the front which are usually relatively busy, did not look so at all, so god only knows what the bars at the back were like!

On a side note, I did look at the menu at the restaurant called "Higher" which is next to Seduction and which is literally on the roof of the building, and it looked good and very reasonably priced, and as a friend of mine had eaten there about a month ago and said it was good, it's a place I will try soon and give my usual Italian place a rest.

[DrDave]

Anyway getting back on topic.......... I ventured out last night to catch up with a few friends in Bangla and on the way down Nanai Road at about 8 p.m. I noticed there were quite a few people in Dons BBQ, which is good, because I do believe he has tried to understand the farang market and whenever I have eaten there, the food has always been very good value for money.

There seemed to be a reasonable amount of people walking up and down Bangla, but then that always seems the case yet they don't seem to spend much money anywhere.

<snip>

The Soi Sea Dragon bar fronting Bangla was very busy and I have noticed that over my past few visits to Bangla, but I'm not sure what he is doing to attract the customers although I did notice beers at 80 baht?? I believe Nigel the owner has a new Aussie partner/manager and maybe it's his influence which is attracting the customers.

<snip>

The owner with of Island Bar was having a birthday party and there was free food available and quite a few people at the bar, some I suspect there for a free meal, as can often happen here, or maybe I'm being cynical and that they were there to wish him happy birthday? Anyway the atmosphere was good and there would have been around 30 people at that bar and the one opposite for a good while in the evening.

The band was in full swing and really got going in the second part of their act, with the audience clapping and cheering and a few of them even dancing. The old Kiwi rocker (yes I have mentioned him before) got a great reception and folks kept wanting him to sing more songs!

<snip>

The New York bar was nowhere near as full as it has been, neither at the beginning or the end of the evening and the same applied the bar opposite with the group.

<snip>

On a side note, I did look at the menu at the restaurant called "Higher" which is next to Seduction and which is literally on the roof of the building, and it looked good and very reasonably priced, and as a friend of mine had eaten there about a month ago and said it was good, it's a place I will try soon and give my usual Italian place a rest.

It looks like we were some of the same places last night

Don's BBQ always does well on Saturday and Sunday nights when he does his all-you-can-eat BBQ. As you say, he obviously knows the farang market and does an excellent job with the food he has on offer. Unfortunately, the place seems to be empty whenever I pass by during the week, so it may be that the weekend BBQ is keeping it alive. I saw Don walking down Soi Freedom later last night, so maybe the BBQ finished early?

We started the evening at the Higher restaurant you mentioned. On our first visit there a few months ago, the place was empty, and I was worried they wouldn't be able to continue. Last night, it was packed - we hit it at just the right time, and were lucky to get one of the best tables. I really recommend you try it - a very good and diverse menu with very reasonable prices and good service.

I could be wrong, but I think I recall seeing a sign for 70 baht beers at the bar at the head of Seadragon. Lots of other places offering 80 baht beers.

We also caught the "Kiwi Rocker's" performance last night. Have to say I was really impressed! Was also pleasantly surprised by the number of people in that soi, although a lot of them may have been there for the free food at Island Bar (we were on the other side of the soi from Island Bar, which also seemed to be doing fairly well).

We ended the night at NY Live, only because we saw from the street that the tomboy singer is back, but now singing as the 3rd or 4th vocalist in the second band. It was much better when she was the main singer for the 1st band. I also noticed that the customer mix at NY Live was changed considerably from a couple of weeks ago. Previously, it was almost exclusively Chinese, but last night it was maybe only 25% Chinese, with a number of Thais, westerners and a handful of drunk but very polite Romanians having a good time.

[Bulldozer Dawn]

Anyway getting back on topic.......... I ventured out last night to catch up with a few friends in Bangla and on the way down Nanai Road at about 8 p.m. I noticed there were quite a few people in Dons BBQ, which is good, because I do believe he has tried to understand the farang market and whenever I have eaten there, the food has always been very good value for money.

There seemed to be a reasonable amount of people walking up and down Bangla, but then that always seems the case yet they don't seem to spend much money anywhere.

<snip>

The Soi Sea Dragon bar fronting Bangla was very busy and I have noticed that over my past few visits to Bangla, but I'm not sure what he is doing to attract the customers although I did notice beers at 80 baht?? I believe Nigel the owner has a new Aussie partner/manager and maybe it's his influence which is attracting the customers.

<snip>

The owner with of Island Bar was having a birthday party and there was free food available and quite a few people at the bar, some I suspect there for a free meal, as can often happen here, or maybe I'm being cynical and that they were there to wish him happy birthday? Anyway the atmosphere was good and there would have been around 30 people at that bar and the one opposite for a good while in the evening.

The band was in full swing and really got going in the second part of their act, with the audience clapping and cheering and a few of them even dancing. The old Kiwi rocker (yes I have mentioned him before) got a great reception and folks kept wanting him to sing more songs!

<snip>

The New York bar was nowhere near as full as it has been, neither at the beginning or the end of the evening and the same applied the bar opposite with the group.

<snip>

On a side note, I did look at the menu at the restaurant called "Higher" which is next to Seduction and which is literally on the roof of the building, and it looked good and very reasonably priced, and as a friend of mine had eaten there about a month ago and said it was good, it's a place I will try soon and give my usual Italian place a rest.

It looks like we were some of the same places last night

Don's BBQ always does well on Saturday and Sunday nights when he does his all-you-can-eat BBQ. As you say, he obviously knows the farang market and does an excellent job with the food he has on offer. Unfortunately, the place seems to be empty whenever I pass by during the week, so it may be that the weekend BBQ is keeping it alive. I saw Don walking down Soi Freedom later last night, so maybe the BBQ finished early?

We started the evening at the Higher restaurant you mentioned. On our first visit there a few months ago, the place was empty, and I was worried they wouldn't be able to continue. Last night, it was packed - we hit it at just the right time, and were lucky to get one of the best tables. I really recommend you try it - a very good and diverse menu with very reasonable prices and good service.

I could be wrong, but I think I recall seeing a sign for 70 baht beers at the bar at the head of Seadragon. Lots of other places offering 80 baht beers.

We also caught the "Kiwi Rocker's" performance last night. Have to say I was really impressed! Was also pleasantly surprised by the number of people in that soi, although a lot of them may have been there for the free food at Island Bar (we were on the other side of the soi from Island Bar, which also seemed to be doing fairly well).

We ended the night at NY Live, only because we saw from the street that the tomboy singer is back, but now singing as the 3rd or 4th vocalist in the second band. It was much better when she was the main singer for the 1st band. I also noticed that the customer mix at NY Live was changed considerably from a couple of weeks ago. Previously, it was almost exclusively Chinese, but last night it was maybe only 25% Chinese, with a number of Thais, westerners and a handful of drunk but very polite Romanians having a good time.

The focus of this thread is Patong is dead. We have had a lot of commentary on Bangla. But Bangla doth not maketh Patong. Sure it is the heart, but if Patong is going bust then the canar(ies) in the coal mine will be the outlying businesses in the outlying spots of Patong. People with leases in Bangla have deeeep pockets. Not so with the punters (thai and farang) on the fringes. I would like to see a few more reports about the health of these quieter bars, massage shops, and other businesses.

[LivinginKata]

The focus of this thread is Patong is dead. We have had a lot of commentary on Bangla. But Bangla doth not maketh Patong. Sure it is the heart, but if Patong is going bust then the canar(ies) in the coal mine will be the outlying businesses in the outlying spots of Patong. People with leases in Bangla have deeeep pockets. Not so with the punters (thai and farang) on the fringes. I would like to see a few more reports about the health of these quieter bars, massage shops, and other businesses.

For sure I see the Nanai Road area dying, especially the further south end. I drive Nanai every day and I see places closing, and no-one picking up the open lease.

Must admit today I was astonished to see a Chinese couple having a coke and snack about 10.30 at the old Offshore Bar on the corner of Nanai and Nanai 2. Maybe that really is the new market ...

[Bulldozer Dawn]

The focus of this thread is Patong is dead. We have had a lot of commentary on Bangla. But Bangla doth not maketh Patong. Sure it is the heart, but if Patong is going bust then the canar(ies) in the coal mine will be the outlying businesses in the outlying spots of Patong. People with leases in Bangla have deeeep pockets. Not so with the punters (thai and farang) on the fringes. I would like to see a few more reports about the health of these quieter bars, massage shops, and other businesses.

For sure I see the Nanai Road area dying, especially the further south end. I drive Nanai every day and I see places closing, and no-one picking up the open lease.

Must admit today I was astonished to see a Chinese couple having a coke and snack about 10.30 at the old Offshore Bar on the corner of Nanai and Nanai 2. Maybe that really is the new market ...

Yeah good point. No doubt in time the mainland chinese market will mature and we will see FITs such as chinese backpackers and even flashpackers. But will that sophistication of the Chinese source market occur fast enough to save fringe businesses in Patong. My guess is no. Also another counter arguement is that if the Chinese market becomes savy enough to have free independent travellers, who can research and book there own deals. Why on earth would then come to Phuket. My guess here is that your example couple was just some "dare devils" who choose to sneak away from their tourgroup for a few hours.

I will float a theory here, shoot it down if you can. Chinese mass tourists come to Phuket because they do not have access to Google back home. If they could they would google and find endless reports of the scams, crime, violence and traffic deaths on Phuket...and not book a trip. The media blackout in China is currently a god send for Phuket. Package tourists are fed BS and probably given brochures containing 20 year old photos of the Phuket and its beaches.