CM bars closing at midnight, What's your experience?

[Beetlejuice]

Me talking rubbish? I've never been so insulted in my whole life.

Whilst I agree that midnight curfew is for nanny states and I recognise the irony in being able to drink late in Muslim countries, my point is that people don't cancel their holiday to Thailand merely because of midnight closing. It may annoy some people but I can't see them vowing to never come back. As we all know, the late night destinations of Pattaya and the likes still open late and any crackdown is only ever a temporary thing. The same applies to the cricket sixes, other options or not. If it's struggling to get a quota of teams I'd be surprised if late-night drinking is the cause.

Really? People who have not been insulted on Thai visa haven’t lived.

At first I took the insults thrown at me here as personal, it was starting to affect my family relationships and love life. After one horrific bashing from WinnieTheKhwai, I walked next door and bit my neighbor`s cute 5 month old baby on her arm. I knew I was heading for TV breakdown. Then after a while I began to enjoy it, I became a Thai visa masochist.

My therapist has told me that if I continue to take the blue tablets I could be cured within a year, he also advised me to cut down on my doses of Konini, who`s agonisingly long posts are upsetting the chemical balances of my mind.

Edited February 8, 2015 by Beetlejuice

[slipperylobster]

I think zoe and spicy are attracting the bulk of drinkers and party goers in chiang mai.my opion for what its worth is many girle bars have shot the selves in the foot, with there bar prices and don't realize a lot of tourist coming here are mainly back packers on limited budgets.

To be sure....backpackers are not really into the prostitution angle these bars offer ("Girlie Bars"). Most come as couples, and just would not be attracted to the red light stuff.

A beer at Riverside or Good Times (non-girlie bar) can be the same price. Even Tawang Daeng and those local establishments.

Edited February 8, 2015 by slipperylobster

[northernjohn]

I have to laugh at the posters who are so hung up on drinking that they will grab straws to keep it going till the early morning if not all night. Really some bars closing at midnight is not going to even make a dent in the tourism business here in Chiang Mai. People who are coming just for the drinking and girls will be going to Pattaya any how. No loss to Chiang Mai.

It would be interesting to hear from some of the bar owners how much their business depends on tourists drinking after midnight.

[Beetlejuice]

I have to laugh at the posters who are so hung up on drinking that they will grab straws to keep it going till the early morning if not all night. Really some bars closing at midnight is not going to even make a dent in the tourism business here in Chiang Mai. People who are coming just for the drinking and girls will be going to Pattaya any how. No loss to Chiang Mai.

It would be interesting to hear from some of the bar owners how much their business depends on tourists drinking after midnight.

A very good point.

I would be interested to hear from any Chiang Mai business owners who`s livelihoods depends to a degree on tourism? Straight from the horse`s mouth so to speak. Such as; how have the clamp downs, tougher restrictions and decrease in farang tourists affected their trade over the years? Or perhaps many of them are afraid to crawl out of the woodwork and give us an insight as to how the situation really is?

[Mapguy]

Drinking past midnight can definitely affect one's prowess in bed or on the cricket pitch!

[rakchaingmai]

Went past Bar 51 in jed yod on friday looking for noodles around 11 30pm the normal friday night band had been shut down by BIB and the band looked lost and they were giving the thai owner some hassle so it is happening all over the city not just in the tourist areas .

in the end the noodle shop was closed had to settle for the new egg and ham toast from 7-11.

[bangmai]

Not a bar-drinker myself, but I sympathise with those who are and just want to enjoy a good night out. I like to be all snuggled up in bed with my tablet by 9 o'clock

The biggest issue from a personal point of view (I know that there are party people and younger people who like to stay up a lot later than us old farts) is with the sport being on at inconvenient times. Mr K goes out to watch the footie. He loves it. He can get it at home, but such things are better shared (at least that's what I think). Pint in hand, that kind of thing. The last game starts at what? 12.30am? Thereabouts anyway. So the bars can't show those games? What about games already in progress? Just chuck everyone out mid-match when the witching hour descends? I really don't know, I have no idea how many people are out there in the bars trying to watch the football late at night, so I don't know how many people this affects. Midweek games are worse, 7:45pm kick off translates to a 2:45am kick off in Chiang Mai. Still, there is always somebody open, if nothing else the very small Thai bars just a few steps from home will have the football on, but usually if he walks over to the moat there's someone still open.

Anyway, probably not the appropriate place for this (I'm on a meandering roll), but forget about expats for a moment and just think about the very restricted licencing hours here in general. They really are the complete opposite of what countries enjoy pretty much everywhere else in the world, which is loosening up the regulations for availability of leisure associated things. Thailand is somewhere people come for holidays. When we think of holidays, we think of laying around, relaxing, exploring and drinking. And maybe having nookie. What that says about society is immaterial; the fact remains that most people have a few weeks of the year that they don't have to go to work and some of those people like to go to different countries to experience different cultures, food, arts and crafts. Or to get drunk cheaply, eat too much at the endless buffets and barfine a girl or two. Whatever, who am I to judge? It's very difficult explaining to visitors that they can't get a nice cold beer in the middle of a hot, lazy afternoon (unless eating at a restaurant, but I think the rules changed recently) or that whilst they might not have to get up early and be on the ball tomorrow morning, they still can't stay out after midnight. Back to your hotel. Tuck yourself in nice and snug and go to sleep. Seriously, that's what I'd rather do, but it's not what is considered normal and it certainly isn't what the majority of people come on holiday for.

The majority come for the all-you-can-eat, cheap grog and lovely ladies. I know that there are bars open after midnight, single men will always manage to find them and of course there are the naughty night clubs, but there is a gaping hole here. What I'd class as respectable couples, or friends travelling together, older, out for a memorable night of music and local beer or wine and intelligent conversation and may want to continue on in one of the excellent blues or jazz bars here in Chiang Mai. But it's midnight. You have to go to bed now. Goodnight. Law-abiding types probably wouldn't think of staying out later in case they can find somewhere open. Probably don't know such places exist, just go to bed disappointingly early. I don't think that's doing the tourism numbers much good, but it's not the tourist today that's the problem for the authorities - it's those tourists when they return home, and please believe me when I state that I'm not saying said tourists didn't have a good holiday, because it would be hard to come somewhere like Chiang Mai and not have an enjoyable time). We've all been there at work and seen them. First day back, tanned, relaxed. happy. A few good stories to make people laugh, one dodgy story (always has to be a scary story), couple of baubles for the girls on reception and 'Really, you should go; it's fantastic.' Are people saying this about Chiang Mai? Or are they saying it was great, but every night we had finish up and go back to our hotel by midnight like being back in school on a curfew.

We don't know how long these restrictions will go on for, and as I've mentioned, they really don't affect me - the only times I've been affected by it have been cases of being annoyed with myself for standing in the supermarket in the middle of the afternoon trying to work out what I'm going to use in the place of brandy in the sauce tonight because I've got the alcohol sales time wrong and can't buy what I need. (Unless I go to the little hole in the wall shop that doesn't have a clock.) But I think that these restrictions are affecting future tourism as people go home and stand around the watercooler and talk about where they've been. A lot of the places we discovered and had smashing holidays at were found by word of mouth, we can't be the only ones. In this regard I fear for Thailand as a whole.

Here in Chiang Mai a lot of tourists appear to be Chinese, and I don't know their drinking habits but sense that they are happier going to the 7/11 for a takeaway back in the room or maybe just using the hotel bar than going out on the town. Or maybe they aren't big drinkers when on holiday, I really don't know enough about their habits. Doesn't look very clever for the bars that are remaining though. I hope they manage to plod their way through. Even though I don't use these bars myself, they are an important part of expat life - not the drinking culture in itself, but the community spirit such as it is which is made up from many different area's such as clubs, sports and hobbies. And the bar scene, which is as integral a part of any expat community as golfing. Men drink. It's not so much the drinking as the company, otherwise everyone would drink at home. And it's the company, be it fellow expats, tourists or bought and paid-for female company that is the important part, which adds to the overall sense of community.

The bar scene will always survive in one form or another, but the more vibrant it is the better it is for all of us whether we are users of it or not. I understand that there are devastating problems regarding alcohol with sections of society here and it's good that the government have recognised this and are doing something about it, but I feel that what they are doing is without any merit. Education is the way to curtail the proclivities of the working classes. That and taxes. Opening the hours of availability and at the same time raising the taxes would be beneficial to everyone (apart from expats) as it could price grog out of the range of those who may become problem drinkers in the future, and put educations programs in place funded by the higher taxes everyone pays. Not that it will ever happen of course - those destined to be alcoholics priced out of the market will either distil their own or replace alcohol with yaba. There are those for whom we cannot do anything. Mental illness and circumstances entrench their position further. They will just drink until they die and all we can hope is that they find a modicum of pleasure in their lives and don't do anything to hurt anyone else. But for the rest of society, the overwhelming majority, get the education campaigns going. They work. Seriously. For the Brits Clunk Click Every Trip: Look right, look left, then look right again. I honestly can't remember the litter one but I know that there was something about taking it home. For the Aussies there's Slip, Slop Slap, and Do the right thing, Mirror, Signal, Manoeuvre, Pete Repeat Drink Drive, Bloody idiot. The fantastic Beyond Blue Ads for making people see that depression is an condition just like ingrowing toenails and is a and something we could talk openly about just as we discuss toenails. All other countries would have their versions of them. They were all education campaigns that changed the way we did things. They changed the way we lived. Remember when recycling first came out? Bah, Tree-hugging Greenies. Haven't got time for that stuff. Nice box though. But over the course of a couple of years, the constant messages got through and I started putting newspapers and cardboard in the box then the campaign wore me down more and I started plastic bottles in then in the end, along with most people, I was recycling everything. It took about 3 years all up, but it was 3 years during which I was indoctrinated and therefore it was money well spent. The horror smoking campaigns may have stopped young people from starting to smoke, I hope that they have, and the education has been a huge part of the very low takeup rates amongst most young people. Skin cancer awareness in Australia is a bit scary at times, and the most successful campaigns of all were the various HIV and Aids prevention campaigns of the early 1980's. It proves that they work. Hell, they even got me to recycle. Me. By choice. But at the same time the most unsuccessful campaign is Just Say No (Drugs)and the food pyramid to teach you not to eat fat (following that dietary advice has led to thousands of morbidly obese people and is a very sad side-effect, perhaps they've agreed to change the pyramid, it obviously isn't working. so there are obviously ways to do it and ways not to do it.

However it is presented though, it has to be education and not restrictive alcohol selling times to curtail the problem.

My, I have meandered on a bit, haven't I? Too many painkillers. Wheeeeeeee!

You should start your own column...."Pointless; Counter-pointless."

[onthedarkside]

A number of off topic replies have been removed.

[Dante99]

Not a bar-drinker myself, but I sympathise with those who are and just want to enjoy a good night out. I like to be all snuggled up in bed with my tablet by 9 o'clock

The biggest issue from a personal point of view (I know that there are party people and younger people who like to stay up a lot later than us old farts) is with the sport being on at inconvenient times. Mr K goes out to watch the footie. He loves it. He can get it at home, but such things are better shared (at least that's what I think). Pint in hand, that kind of thing. The last game starts at what? 12.30am? Thereabouts anyway. So the bars can't show those games? What about games already in progress? Just chuck everyone out mid-match when the witching hour descends? I really don't know, I have no idea how many people are out there in the bars trying to watch the football late at night, so I don't know how many people this affects. Midweek games are worse, 7:45pm kick off translates to a 2:45am kick off in Chiang Mai. Still, there is always somebody open, if nothing else the very small Thai bars just a few steps from home will have the football on, but usually if he walks over to the moat there's someone still open.

Anyway, probably not the appropriate place for this (I'm on a meandering roll), but forget about expats for a moment and just think about the very restricted licencing hours here in general. They really are the complete opposite of what countries enjoy pretty much everywhere else in the world, which is loosening up the regulations for availability of leisure associated things. Thailand is somewhere people come for holidays. When we think of holidays, we think of laying around, relaxing, exploring and drinking. And maybe having nookie. What that says about society is immaterial; the fact remains that most people have a few weeks of the year that they don't have to go to work and some of those people like to go to different countries to experience different cultures, food, arts and crafts. Or to get drunk cheaply, eat too much at the endless buffets and barfine a girl or two. Whatever, who am I to judge? It's very difficult explaining to visitors that they can't get a nice cold beer in the middle of a hot, lazy afternoon (unless eating at a restaurant, but I think the rules changed recently) or that whilst they might not have to get up early and be on the ball tomorrow morning, they still can't stay out after midnight. Back to your hotel. Tuck yourself in nice and snug and go to sleep. Seriously, that's what I'd rather do, but it's not what is considered normal and it certainly isn't what the majority of people come on holiday for.

The majority come for the all-you-can-eat, cheap grog and lovely ladies. I know that there are bars open after midnight, single men will always manage to find them and of course there are the naughty night clubs, but there is a gaping hole here. What I'd class as respectable couples, or friends travelling together, older, out for a memorable night of music and local beer or wine and intelligent conversation and may want to continue on in one of the excellent blues or jazz bars here in Chiang Mai. But it's midnight. You have to go to bed now. Goodnight. Law-abiding types probably wouldn't think of staying out later in case they can find somewhere open. Probably don't know such places exist, just go to bed disappointingly early. I don't think that's doing the tourism numbers much good, but it's not the tourist today that's the problem for the authorities - it's those tourists when they return home, and please believe me when I state that I'm not saying said tourists didn't have a good holiday, because it would be hard to come somewhere like Chiang Mai and not have an enjoyable time). We've all been there at work and seen them. First day back, tanned, relaxed. happy. A few good stories to make people laugh, one dodgy story (always has to be a scary story), couple of baubles for the girls on reception and 'Really, you should go; it's fantastic.' Are people saying this about Chiang Mai? Or are they saying it was great, but every night we had finish up and go back to our hotel by midnight like being back in school on a curfew.

We don't know how long these restrictions will go on for, and as I've mentioned, they really don't affect me - the only times I've been affected by it have been cases of being annoyed with myself for standing in the supermarket in the middle of the afternoon trying to work out what I'm going to use in the place of brandy in the sauce tonight because I've got the alcohol sales time wrong and can't buy what I need. (Unless I go to the little hole in the wall shop that doesn't have a clock.) But I think that these restrictions are affecting future tourism as people go home and stand around the watercooler and talk about where they've been. A lot of the places we discovered and had smashing holidays at were found by word of mouth, we can't be the only ones. In this regard I fear for Thailand as a whole.

Here in Chiang Mai a lot of tourists appear to be Chinese, and I don't know their drinking habits but sense that they are happier going to the 7/11 for a takeaway back in the room or maybe just using the hotel bar than going out on the town. Or maybe they aren't big drinkers when on holiday, I really don't know enough about their habits. Doesn't look very clever for the bars that are remaining though. I hope they manage to plod their way through. Even though I don't use these bars myself, they are an important part of expat life - not the drinking culture in itself, but the community spirit such as it is which is made up from many different area's such as clubs, sports and hobbies. And the bar scene, which is as integral a part of any expat community as golfing. Men drink. It's not so much the drinking as the company, otherwise everyone would drink at home. And it's the company, be it fellow expats, tourists or bought and paid-for female company that is the important part, which adds to the overall sense of community.

The bar scene will always survive in one form or another, but the more vibrant it is the better it is for all of us whether we are users of it or not. I understand that there are devastating problems regarding alcohol with sections of society here and it's good that the government have recognised this and are doing something about it, but I feel that what they are doing is without any merit. Education is the way to curtail the proclivities of the working classes. That and taxes. Opening the hours of availability and at the same time raising the taxes would be beneficial to everyone (apart from expats) as it could price grog out of the range of those who may become problem drinkers in the future, and put educations programs in place funded by the higher taxes everyone pays. Not that it will ever happen of course - those destined to be alcoholics priced out of the market will either distil their own or replace alcohol with yaba. There are those for whom we cannot do anything. Mental illness and circumstances entrench their position further. They will just drink until they die and all we can hope is that they find a modicum of pleasure in their lives and don't do anything to hurt anyone else. But for the rest of society, the overwhelming majority, get the education campaigns going. They work. Seriously. For the Brits Clunk Click Every Trip: Look right, look left, then look right again. I honestly can't remember the litter one but I know that there was something about taking it home. For the Aussies there's Slip, Slop Slap, and Do the right thing, Mirror, Signal, Manoeuvre, Pete Repeat Drink Drive, Bloody idiot. The fantastic Beyond Blue Ads for making people see that depression is an condition just like ingrowing toenails and is a and something we could talk openly about just as we discuss toenails. All other countries would have their versions of them. They were all education campaigns that changed the way we did things. They changed the way we lived. Remember when recycling first came out? Bah, Tree-hugging Greenies. Haven't got time for that stuff. Nice box though. But over the course of a couple of years, the constant messages got through and I started putting newspapers and cardboard in the box then the campaign wore me down more and I started plastic bottles in then in the end, along with most people, I was recycling everything. It took about 3 years all up, but it was 3 years during which I was indoctrinated and therefore it was money well spent. The horror smoking campaigns may have stopped young people from starting to smoke, I hope that they have, and the education has been a huge part of the very low takeup rates amongst most young people. Skin cancer awareness in Australia is a bit scary at times, and the most successful campaigns of all were the various HIV and Aids prevention campaigns of the early 1980's. It proves that they work. Hell, they even got me to recycle. Me. By choice. But at the same time the most unsuccessful campaign is Just Say No (Drugs)and the food pyramid to teach you not to eat fat (following that dietary advice has led to thousands of morbidly obese people and is a very sad side-effect, perhaps they've agreed to change the pyramid, it obviously isn't working. so there are obviously ways to do it and ways not to do it.

However it is presented though, it has to be education and not restrictive alcohol selling times to curtail the problem.

My, I have meandered on a bit, haven't I? Too many painkillers. Wheeeeeeee!

Did anybody really read all that?

[Chicog]

Drinking past midnight can definitely affect one's prowess in bed or on the cricket pitch!

Au contraire, I once watched one of the top tier teams players go straight from the bar to the ground to play in the first game (yes that was a while back!). Some would argue that his cricket that days was above his usual par, but he still got a hefty fine from his team mates.

As for brewer's droop, must be an old wives tale.

[LivinLOS]

Did anybody really read all that?

TL:DR

[LivinLOS]

To all those (probably over 40s or more) saying whats the problem..

Stop thinking its all about old expats.. Or all about Loy Kroh.. Or backpackers in fishermans pants.. What about normal young Thais..

Remember back when you were teens or 20s ?? Should every bar club and music venue shut so early ?? Dont younger people just sometimes want to party till late ?? Right now sure you can get a desperate drink from some skanky hole in the wall, but really, why should they ?? Just as punishment from the Junta because this is a red leaning area ?? Bangkok, Patts, Phuket.. None of these businesses have to suffer the same, bangkok Thais can be out till teh small hours, then the last orders crowd can be looking for the hole in the walls, but up here ?? 12 o clock ??

Lets face it.. Its pretty childish no ??

[northernjohn]

I have to laugh at the posters who are so hung up on drinking that they will grab straws to keep it going till the early morning if not all night. Really some bars closing at midnight is not going to even make a dent in the tourism business here in Chiang Mai. People who are coming just for the drinking and girls will be going to Pattaya any how. No loss to Chiang Mai.

It would be interesting to hear from some of the bar owners how much their business depends on tourists drinking after midnight.

A very good point.

I would be interested to hear from any Chiang Mai business owners who`s livelihoods depends to a degree on tourism? Straight from the horse`s mouth so to speak. Such as; how have the clamp downs, tougher restrictions and decrease in farang tourists affected their trade over the years? Or perhaps many of them are afraid to crawl out of the woodwork and give us an insight as to how the situation really is?

Actually I got to thinking about it. It seems to me that there was bars going out of business 2 years ago when the tourists were here.

[northernjohn]

Drinking past midnight can definitely affect one's prowess in bed or on the cricket pitch!

Au contraire, I once watched one of the top tier teams players go straight from the bar to the ground to play in the first game (yes that was a while back!). Some would argue that his cricket that days was above his usual par, but he still got a hefty fine from his team mates.

As for brewer's droop, must be an old wives tale.

Now let us get this straight you once in how many years saw one player leave a bar no idea if he had a beer or a ginger ale and went straight to the pitch and had a good game maybe better than normal. Probably because this time he had a ginger ale.

don't you feel you are stretching it a little bit here? Do what I did in my younger days. Buy some to go.. Many a party wound up in the early hours at my place.

[Chicog]

I know exactly what he had because I was drinking with him

[Chicog]

I have to laugh at the posters who are so hung up on drinking that they will grab straws to keep it going till the early morning if not all night. Really some bars closing at midnight is not going to even make a dent in the tourism business here in Chiang Mai. People who are coming just for the drinking and girls will be going to Pattaya any how. No loss to Chiang Mai.

It would be interesting to hear from some of the bar owners how much their business depends on tourists drinking after midnight.

A very good point.

I would be interested to hear from any Chiang Mai business owners who`s livelihoods depends to a degree on tourism? Straight from the horse`s mouth so to speak. Such as; how have the clamp downs, tougher restrictions and decrease in farang tourists affected their trade over the years? Or perhaps many of them are afraid to crawl out of the woodwork and give us an insight as to how the situation really is?

Actually I got to thinking about it. It seems to me that there was bars going out of business 2 years ago when the tourists were here.

I've seen more than a few go under in the last year, but then again tourist numbers are well down despite TATs attempt at painting it otherwise.

And there are a few more for sale signs on Loi Kroh. I think some people will hang on when times are rough on the basis that things might eventually pick up, but the uncertainty created by these random crackdowns must influence peoples thinking.

The bars that will always do well are the ones that create and hold on to a decent core business.

The ones relying on walk-in tourist business are very vulnerable to ebbs and flows in tourist traffic, and I think there's been more ebb than flow in recent years.

[bangmai]

Anyone remember Doc Ellis?

http://nypost.com/2014/08/31/pitcher-dock-ellis-dropped-acid-then-threw-a-no-hitter/

[northernjohn]

I have to laugh at the posters who are so hung up on drinking that they will grab straws to keep it going till the early morning if not all night. Really some bars closing at midnight is not going to even make a dent in the tourism business here in Chiang Mai. People who are coming just for the drinking and girls will be going to Pattaya any how. No loss to Chiang Mai.

It would be interesting to hear from some of the bar owners how much their business depends on tourists drinking after midnight.

A very good point.

I would be interested to hear from any Chiang Mai business owners who`s livelihoods depends to a degree on tourism? Straight from the horse`s mouth so to speak. Such as; how have the clamp downs, tougher restrictions and decrease in farang tourists affected their trade over the years? Or perhaps many of them are afraid to crawl out of the woodwork and give us an insight as to how the situation really is?

Actually I got to thinking about it. It seems to me that there was bars going out of business 2 years ago when the tourists were here.

I've seen more than a few go under in the last year, but then again tourist numbers are well down despite TATs attempt at painting it otherwise.

And there are a few more for sale signs on Loi Kroh. I think some people will hang on when times are rough on the basis that things might eventually pick up, but the uncertainty created by these random crackdowns must influence peoples thinking.

The bars that will always do well are the ones that create and hold on to a decent core business.

The ones relying on walk-in tourist business are very vulnerable to ebbs and flows in tourist traffic, and I think there's been more ebb than flow in recent years.

Reread my post.

I said a few years not one year ago Tuskers for example. How many times has Spice's closed down and look who owns them.

[JulieM]

Anyone remember Doc Ellis?

http://nypost.com/2014/08/31/pitcher-dock-ellis-dropped-acid-then-threw-a-no-hitter/

No big deal but it is "Dock Ellis."

[Mapguy]

If anyone were to count the number of pissed off or panic stricken barfly posters who insist on a drink in a public place after midnight, it strikes me that there are actually very, very few on line in Chiang Mai, either old farts or partying youth. And there is an inordinate focus on Loy Kroh as if it were the only place in town to get a drink!

If anything, there appears to be some lack of resourcefulness and ingenuity, (or commonsense in the case of those who drive a bike or a car). Tales like good-humored Chicog's are frankly boorish legends of the sort traded up and down the bars of my memory about who could hold it and who couldn't --- "chuckle! chuckle! sip! chuckle! ha,ha.ha " --- which is one good reason I have never found it entertaining to hang out in bars for my tipple.

Maybe ThaiVisa ought to open a forum for barflies.

[JulieM]

Tuskers? I don't miss it. I went once. What a sad place. Managed by foreigners for foreigners. I always avoid those places.

[Chiengmaijoe]

Tuskers? I don't miss it. I went once. What a sad place. Managed by foreigners for foreigners. I always avoid those places.

Why? You come on here to interact with foreigners, so what's so different about doing that in a bar? Plenty of excellent bars and restaurants in Chiang Mai not only fit your description but have made a great contribution to the variey of dining and drinking experiences. This forum fits your description too.

By the way, the couple that ran Tuskers were exceptionally nice and very popular people. I can't recall either of them ever sneering at others or being so dismissive.

Edited February 8, 2015 by Chiengmaijoe

[JulieM]

I'm not sneering at them, and I have no doubt they were nice people. It just wasn't my kind of place. None of those places are.

I wasn't able to sleep tonight so I went out for a late night snack and a walk around Nimmen around 02:30 AM. I was shocked at the number of cars and motorbikes around Infinity nightclub. Tons of people.

It must happen every night but this was the first time in a few years I've been out so late.

[Chiengmaijoe]

I'm not sneering at them, and I have no doubt they were nice people. It just wasn't my kind of place. None of those places are.

Maybe you need to choose your words more carefully because it came across as being arrogant and dismissive to me.

[piewarmer]

When it's Cricket sixes week the BIB back off, happens every year.

Spotlight and Foxy have been getting a hard time lately, closing very early some nights.

[WinnieTheKhwai]

I have to laugh at the posters who are so hung up on drinking that they will grab straws to keep it going till the early morning if not all night. Really some bars closing at midnight is not going to even make a dent in the tourism business here in Chiang Mai. People who are coming just for the drinking and girls will be going to Pattaya any how. No loss to Chiang Mai.

It would be interesting to hear from some of the bar owners how much their business depends on tourists drinking after midnight.

For the Boon Yoo bars I bet it's a lot.

For the Loy Kroh bars, it may impact barfine income, at any time: If it's 11pm and you know all the staff are going to be off at midnight anyway then there's not much point in paying for it.

And then for other places it's actually good: Spicy only gets going after the reggae bars get shut down.

[Beetlejuice]

I'm not sneering at them, and I have no doubt they were nice people. It just wasn't my kind of place. None of those places are.

Maybe you need to choose your words more carefully because it came across as being arrogant and dismissive to me.

Sorry, but it`s you who comes across as being arrogant. People have preferences, I too don`t enjoy the types of venues such as Tuskers, I think these places are rather blasé. For some of us, dining out on a regular basis in the company of a load of old ultra cucks is not the be all and end all, it`s just not my scene. I prefer something a wee bit raunchy and lively.

But those are my preferences, one man`s meat is another man`s load of crap.

Edited February 9, 2015 by Beetlejuice

[northernjohn]

I was the one who mentioned Tuskers. I did that because I could not remember the names of many others that were going out of business before this year came around. It has been going on for years and believe it or not the tourist trade has grown over the years.

The bar scene is not my life style so I have no idea but I have seen it quite often on Thai Visa where did so and so go from the old timers.

[true blue]

I'm not sneering at them, and I have no doubt they were nice people. It just wasn't my kind of place. None of those places are.

I wasn't able to sleep tonight so I went out for a late night snack and a walk around Nimmen around 02:30 AM. I was shocked at the number of cars and motorbikes around Infinity nightclub. Tons of people.

It must happen every night but this was the first time in a few years I've been out so late.

they still got the notice on the entrance to infinity, 200bht entrance fee all farangs.

[true blue]

Tuskers? I don't miss it. I went once. What a sad place. Managed by foreigners for foreigners. I always avoid those places.

funny thai visa management,found it that sad that they put two of there free party nights on at tuskers,rember them well had a great party,and.and any one rember them spare ribs ,arroy.and of course the beer lao.