Patong is dead.

[LivinginKata]

Clearly I am in the wrong business  And if the guy I spoke with today reads Thaivisa then  for bringing you into this topic. 

[KarenBravo]

I'll say it if nobody else will..........he's bullshitting you LiK.

[wellred]

I know one of the Tiger bar owners. He just bought a 2nd bar in Tiger (new tiger, not new old) and said more girls from Pattaya are coming to Patong and Pattaya scene is dead. Never been to Pattaya myself as there's nothing much to do there aside from drink. I'm due to spend 10 days or so in Patong over new years so hoping things pick up.

[xvend]

1 minute ago, wellred said:

I know one of the Tiger bar owners. He just bought a 2nd bar in Tiger (new tiger, not new old) and said more girls from Pattaya are coming to Patong and Pattaya scene is dead. Never been to Pattaya myself as there's nothing much to do there aside from drink. I'm due to spend 10 days or so in Patong over new years so hoping things pick up.

 

LOL. He said who said she said.

[wellred]

A year ago I had my only bad experience in a number of years frequenting patong. I was one of the bars at the back with a lady friend. She knew the female bar boss and all 3 of us were downing shots, allegedly on the bar. I kept checking my bin periodically to ensure I wasn't getting stung and all was fine. As soon as they see we are about to leave they stick another chit in there for around 3k. I wanted to say something but chalked it up to TIT and just paid and left. 

 

I've noticed some other girls there try ask for 2 drinks at a time now too.

[xvend]

Just now, wellred said:

A year ago I had my only bad experience in a number of years frequenting patong. I was one of the bars at the back with a lady friend. She knew the female bar boss and all 3 of us were downing shots, allegedly on the bar. I kept checking my bin periodically to ensure I wasn't getting stung and all was fine. As soon as they see we are about to leave they stick another chit in there for around 3k. I wanted to say something but chalked it up to TIT and just paid and left. 

 

I've noticed some other girls there try ask for 2 drinks at a time now too.

 

Get a life, you're posting nonsense.

[xvend]

Just now, wellred said:

 

I said you're an idiot. 

 

Solid reply, please carry on :)

[Lashay]

*see's various individuals doing their best to live up to the TV reputation on a nearly 2 year old thread with little to no drama*

[xvend]

your eloquent opinion of Phuket.

 

 

 

 

[Johnniey]

55 minutes ago, wellred said:

I know one of the Tiger bar owners. He just bought a 2nd bar in Tiger (new tiger, not new old) and said more girls from Pattaya are coming to Patong and Pattaya scene is dead. Never been to Pattaya myself as there's nothing much to do there aside from drink. I'm due to spend 10 days or so in Patong over new years so hoping things pick up.

Are you serious. Nothing to do in Pattaya apart from drink! 

Everyone I know go there for one thing and it isn't drink, or the beach.

[NamKangMan]

On 18/10/2016 at 10:20 PM, Lashay said:

Not hard to know who this bar owner is by the description if you know anything about Bangla bars and their owners.

 

I would say that total is total across all 3, no way is it per bar (even with at least one being open daytime). 

 

Quick back of napkin calculations 

 

200k say 200 days per year: 40 million per year. Even at rather low profit margin of 25% that's 10 million per year.

 

Factoring in high season peaks (if who I think I would say his main bar alone is probably regularly clearing 100k per day during a lot of high season) his profits could be anything up to 30-50% higher

 

This is one thing many don't realise about Bangla bars, while many bar owners now sink within 1-2 years, those who have been around for 3 years plus, have established clients and actually work their bar as a long term business, might be down in profits but are still making decent money.

 

 

 

Even if those figures are across all three bars, that's 28,571 baht per hour, divided by three bars, that's 9,523 baht per hour in sales, for each bar. 

 

If we divide 9,523 baht by 60 minutes, we get 158 baht per minute, across all three bars.  Basically, that's a drink sale, in all three bars, for every minute the bar is open, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.

 

Of course, lady drinks, bar fines, bell ringers and high / peak season would play on these figures, but then again, so would low season, Buddha Days, Election days, rain / flooding etc. 

 

I just don't see bars that busy when I go to Bangla, and in this case, the owner has to have ALL three bars that busy, for every minute they are open.

 

You mention "established clients."   Phuket is losing its repeat western tourists, so where does that leave bars relying on "established clients?" 

 

 

 

[NamKangMan]

On 19/10/2016 at 2:50 AM, wellred said:

I know one of the Tiger bar owners. He just bought a 2nd bar in Tiger (new tiger, not new old) and said more girls from Pattaya are coming to Patong and Pattaya scene is dead. Never been to Pattaya myself as there's nothing much to do there aside from drink. I'm due to spend 10 days or so in Patong over new years so hoping things pick up.

 

 

I personally know two unconnected bar girls from Phuket, that moved to Pattaya.  

 

Passing through Pattaya on visa runs, I have visited them, so they definitely work there now.  

 

I asked what was the difference between the two places for them.  Both basically said, they had less "work" on Phuket, but for bigger money, with more "work" for less money in Pattaya, with Pattaya having a cheaper cost of living, and being closer to home.  Both said they had more money at the end of the month in Pattaya than they did on Phuket.

 

I suppose, as a bar girl, if you can "go with" more customers, that's more of a chance of getting one on the hook.  So, Pattaya would be a better place for them to advertise themselves. 

 

 

[NamKangMan]

Talking about buying more bars, I have heard The Aussie Bar bought that whole Soi, including the nightclub at the back. 

 

 

[Underthescope]

On 28.9.2016 at 11:24 AM, xylophone said:

...when one "investment" is made, another one done previously suffers and this is no more evident than in the amount of small to medium size hotels/guesthouses which are on the market because someone has built yet another, but larger place. It is in fact a merry-go-round.

 

True that, but IMHO that is how capitalism operates and here you just see the merry-go-round at a faster pace. There will always be losers as long as we settle for a monetary system that has it built-in as a key function; and actually depends on it to work.

[Bulldozer Dawn]

On 10/18/2016 at 0:52 PM, LivinginKata said:

I just finished a very interesting conversation with a long time Bangla bar 'owner'.  He has just paid 21 million baht key money on 3 connected bars (7 million each) and 210 K baht month rent (70 K each).  I expressed astonishment that he can stay in  business given those costs, plus all the staff. He says 150 K baht takings a night would be poor, more like 200 K baht is expected. I completely believe him as I first met him about 12 years ago. He was a young guy. He told me he had just 'bought' a bar in Bangla. I openly laughed at him. Now he has multiple bars in Patong. Today we laughed about our first meeting those many years ago.

 

Mind you he works very hard and is no fool when it comes to running a business. He has many many Thai staff and I know he is very stressed out. My point is that some bar 'owners' are making a lot of money in Patong.

 

I am calling Bul***t here.

 

If he was making that sort of coin in Patong he would already be dead.

 

Or he would be scammed out of his business like the owner of the successful shark bar.

 

There is absolutely no way that the underbelly of Patong would tolerate a foreigner making 600K per night on 3 bars and not do something to intervene.

 

[LivinginKata]

50 minutes ago, Bulldozer Dawn said:

 

I am calling Bul***t here.

 

If he was making that sort of coin in Patong he would already be dead.

 

Or he would be scammed out of his business like the owner of the successful shark bar.

 

There is absolutely no way that the underbelly of Patong would tolerate a foreigner making 600K per night on 3 bars and not do something to intervene.

 

 

Read the post again ... it was 150K poor and 200K expected for the 3 bars total, and not per bar.

 

And this bar owner is very well connected to the various powers of Patong/Phuket. No doubt they all get a share.

Edited October 21, 2016 by LivinginKata

[NamKangMan]

5 hours ago, LivinginKata said:

 

Read the post again ... it was 150K poor and 200K expected for the 3 bars total, and not per bar.

 

And this bar owner is very well connected to the various powers of Patong/Phuket. No doubt they all get a share.

 

 

As stated in a previous post, with some simple maths, I just don't see beer bars that are consistently that busy on Bangla.  All three bars would need to be that busy, every night, of every week, of every month, for every year of the lease. 

 

Bars may see a big turn over nights like New Years Eve, but your bar owner friend would need a New Years Eve every night. 

 

You haven't been to Bangla for a long time.  I suggest you go and take a stroll along, and pop down some of the Soi, then maybe you may have the same opinion as BD about what your friend has said to you. 

 

I would not be surprised if your friend is playing "real estate bar agent" for a few "starry eyed punters" he is basically scamming, because the figures don't correspond to the amount of customers I see in a single bar, let alone, three bars. 

[LivinginKata]

On 8/29/2016 at 4:01 PM, LivinginKata said:

I see some changes over the weekend on the south end of Nanai, don't know if that small dead ending soi has a name - goes to the Asia Garden guest house. In the early days (2+ years ago) most shops were rented, but it a poor location with little foot traffic. The eatery at the road end has changed hands a few time, then closed, that's when just about every other business closed. Last week the restaurant terrace was trying to rent motor bikes, but not it's back to a resturant - think called Bite.  The m/bike people moved 2 doors down (used to be a travel agent) and in between now a property agent (used to be a ladies dress shop). Couple of farangs working out of the property shop. 

 

So 2 months later I see that restaurant bar called One Bite seems to have bit the dust. I pass by in the afternoon most days, never seen any customers except the 2 younger farang guys that have the estate agent next door. I think all the same business. Today about 15.00 all closed up.

[GiantFan]

On 10/20/2016 at 7:35 AM, NamKangMan said:

Talking about buying more bars, I have heard The Aussie Bar bought that whole Soi, including the nightclub at the back. 

 

 

That was on offer many years ago by ex-mayor.  Doubt it, unless extremely cheap.

[Lashay]

21 minutes ago, GiantFan said:

That was on offer many years ago by ex-mayor.  Doubt it, unless extremely cheap.

Aussie bar has whole of gonzo now, rumor is basically for free under some type of profit sharing as land owners could find no real buyers at price they wanted. 

 

They have cut out half of Aussie ground floor to open up soi and put in two smaller bars.

 

Last I heard due to be ready for high season.

 

 

[xylophone]

1 hour ago, LivinginKata said:

So 2 months later I see that restaurant bar called One Bite seems to have bit the dust. I pass by in the afternoon most days, never seen any customers except the 2 younger farang guys that have the estate agent next door. I think all the same business. Today about 15.00 all closed up.

 

And the beat goes on...........the Amigo bar and restaurant which I mentioned a few posts ago and then closed down, has now opened back up again or at least it's been open for the last week and I have never seen anybody in there, so lo and behold it is up for sale again!! Would be a great buy for somebody who wants a bar that doesn't have any customers, so they don't have to do any work!

 

The Italian restaurant (and guesthouse) now called Lo Scoglio, which replaced an Italian restaurant which has had two reincarnations, both unsuccessful, is empty every time I go past and I've noticed that on many occasions they haven't bothered to put the tables and chairs out in the front part – – one can only assume that it's a waste of time because they don't have any customers?

 

Don's new barbecue area looks ready to open and looks good and he has certainly been a busy boy, because he has opened a bar about 100 m north of his barbecue, on the other side of the road and it is called "Yes bar", but with very little patronage from what I've seen, and as if trying to expand his empire, he has had two or three little bars built in the area next to it, which used to be closed off and overgrown and full of wild dogs, and they are up for lease – – any takers?

 

And now for the good news – – well according to a lady I know who has bought an apartment in "The Park", the defunct 900+ apartment complex which has been idle and rotting away for the last two years – – because she said that she has been told that they have all of the permits in order now and work will start next year!! Of course they said that to her about a year ago when they persuaded her to upgrade from the original small apartment she had bought, to a larger one, thereby having to pay higher monthly instalments!

 

Will be going out tonight to have a look at Bangla, but the last time I went out, almost 2 weeks ago, two good bar owner friends of mine, with seemingly successful and large bars, said that they hadn't made any money for more than three months and this season needed to be a real "high" season otherwise they would be in trouble. 

 

If as has been said, Gonzo is resurrected and more bars become available in a Soi that was dead anyway, then it should be advertised as a magnet for the lame, stupid and simpleminded folk who think there is money to be made on little beer bars, and/or wish to support a bar girl for three years.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[GiantFan]

Gonzo was offered and name changed to Soi St#ve.  He wasn't interested.  Don't forget, ex mayor family screw#d a few Belgian expats years ago with Hollywood.   Wouldn't build the stairs to go to 2nd floor.

Prab isn't his Dad obviously.  Seems risky.

[DrDave]

2 hours ago, GiantFan said:

That was on offer many years ago by ex-mayor.  Doubt it, unless extremely cheap.

There's the possibility that the family is cash strapped at the moment.

Paradise Beach may not be generating the anticipated profits, and was certainly not helped by the cancellation of the full-moon parties due to the mourning period. Other family businesses may have taken a hit this low season as well.

Construction of their 5-years-in-the-making-and-still-not-finished resort seems to have all but stopped again.

[Psimbo]

On 10/20/2016 at 7:35 AM, NamKangMan said:

Talking about buying more bars, I have heard The Aussie Bar bought that whole Soi, including the nightclub at the back. 

 

 

Interesting considering he reckons his profits have been down by about 60 % over the last couple of months, or did a 'mate' tell you this?

[DrDave]

12 hours ago, xylophone said:

 

And the beat goes on...........the Amigo bar and restaurant which I mentioned a few posts ago and then closed down, has now opened back up again or at least it's been open for the last week and I have never seen anybody in there, so lo and behold it is up for sale again!! Would be a great buy for somebody who wants a bar that doesn't have any customers, so they don't have to do any work!

 

The Italian restaurant (and guesthouse) now called Lo Scoglio, which replaced an Italian restaurant which has had two reincarnations, both unsuccessful, is empty every time I go past and I've noticed that on many occasions they haven't bothered to put the tables and chairs out in the front part – – one can only assume that it's a waste of time because they don't have any customers?

 

Don's new barbecue area looks ready to open and looks good and he has certainly been a busy boy, because he has opened a bar about 100 m north of his barbecue, on the other side of the road and it is called "Yes bar", but with very little patronage from what I've seen, and as if trying to expand his empire, he has had two or three little bars built in the area next to it, which used to be closed off and overgrown and full of wild dogs, and they are up for lease – – any takers?

 

And now for the good news – – well according to a lady I know who has bought an apartment in "The Park", the defunct 900+ apartment complex which has been idle and rotting away for the last two years – – because she said that she has been told that they have all of the permits in order now and work will start next year!! Of course they said that to her about a year ago when they persuaded her to upgrade from the original small apartment she had bought, to a larger one, thereby having to pay higher monthly instalments!

 

Will be going out tonight to have a look at Bangla, but the last time I went out, almost 2 weeks ago, two good bar owner friends of mine, with seemingly successful and large bars, said that they hadn't made any money for more than three months and this season needed to be a real "high" season otherwise they would be in trouble. 

 

If as has been said, Gonzo is resurrected and more bars become available in a Soi that was dead anyway, then it should be advertised as a magnet for the lame, stupid and simpleminded folk who think there is money to be made on little beer bars, and/or wish to support a bar girl for three years.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Things must really be bad for business owners, as in the past, they normally waited 6 months to a year before throwing in the towel. Now it seems that 2-3 months is becoming the new norm.

 

I noticed that the "Welsh Bar" has moved out of their tiny space near the "One Bite" that LiK mentioned, into a large double unit further north on Nanai Rd. In its place is some kind of Thai burger joint - I might just have to give it a try out of curiosity.

 

I didn't realize that Don was behind the "Yes" bar, and the adjacent beer bar plaza. I was a little sad to see development occur there, as it was just about the last bit of green space (formerly the Hideaway Spa) in the city.

 

As for Bangla - we visited on Halloween, and I was surprised that the area wasn't as busy as I thought it would be, especially on a somewhat "special" day. There was a decent crowd, but nowhere near being crowded, or overly busy. Surprised to see that Island Bar at the end of Soi Freedom has taken over the bar directly opposite - so now both bars immediately in front of the stage have the same owner.,  

[KarenBravo]

Was in Kata - Karon early evening yesterday. Was surprised how busy the place was.

[madmax2]

On 10/20/2016 at 7:35 AM, NamKangMan said:

Talking about buying more bars, I have heard The Aussie Bar bought that whole Soi, including the nightclub at the back. 

 

 

The owner of the aussie bar and the Thai owner of the land and premises there were partners when the business was first established after the tsumani

[LivinginKata]

21 hours ago, LivinginKata said:

 

So 2 months later I see that restaurant bar called One Bite seems to have bit the dust. I pass by in the afternoon most days, never seen any customers except the 2 younger farang guys that have the estate agent next door. I think all the same business. Today about 15.00 all closed up.

 

Correction ... today One Bite open in the afternoon. And I might try a burger in that burger bar opposiite.

[NamKangMan]

On 05/11/2016 at 8:33 PM, LivinginKata said:

 

So 2 months later I see that restaurant bar called One Bite seems to have bit the dust. I pass by in the afternoon most days, never seen any customers except the 2 younger farang guys that have the estate agent next door. I think all the same business. Today about 15.00 all closed up.

 

 

So, another "One Bites" the dust. 

[NamKangMan]

On 05/11/2016 at 8:53 PM, GiantFan said:

That was on offer many years ago by ex-mayor.  Doubt it, unless extremely cheap.

 

 

Well, it's been redeveloped, and "new" bars are for sale in the soi. 

 

Could be someone bought the lot, and is going to carve them up, or, the original owner has redeveloped it, and trying to sell his beer bars again.