bars closing at 12 am

[LivinLOS]

If it wasn’t for this thread, I would have no idea what a beer actually cost in Thailand, not because I haven’t ordered any, just because it makes absolutely no difference to how much fun I am having.

I would agree with you.. usually.. But the 400b for a saison in Namtons made me only have a couple..

Same with (small) bottles of brewdog in bangkok for 3xx this weekend.. I could live with a 500ml at that but not a 330..

[somtum16]

I went to a bar in Nimmaheim , Charles sheep, I think the bar was called and I ordered a bucket of ice for 20 Baht , when my order arrived , I emptied out the ice and neatly re stacked the ice in the bucket , filling in all the air gaps , when the task was completed , I noticed that the ice bucket was only 3/4's full , so I said that I was only going to pay 15 Baht for it , no one rips me off because Im not Thai

Seriously? Wow. If ever a paragraph summed up everything that's wrong with the overtly cynical dimwits that frequent Thai visa forums, this is it. Instead of enjoying your night out,you stressed over whether your ice bucket was 100% full or 75% full. All in the name of saving a grand total of 5 baht. Thailand really does attract the absolute dregs of society.

Dude.. Check the sarcasm antenna.. Seems its a bit off..

Sarcasm doesn't really translate that well to the written form, especially when the only actual clue of sarcasm was in the name of the bar that the poster mentioned. It's actually more of a damning indictment of expats in Thailand that I genuinely thought there was a guy over here moaning about how full his ice bucket was. It honestly wouldn't surprise me.

[heybruce]

Most Thai restaurants and eating places provide ice and water free of charge.

It's usually greedy overpriced foreigner restaurants that want paying for water.

You must be on a tight budget if you find that most Thai “restaurants” provide free water with ice (it’s mostly just the street kitchens, not the “real” restaurants nor the common food courts), and consider places that charge (often 10-20 baht) for water to be “greedy” and “overpriced”.

You’re probably a perfect example of what the above posts talk about.

Most everyday Thai restaurants, the kind Thai people go to food, not for an evenings entertainment, do provide free water. Many of them have very good food at a very reasonable price. At one close to me I can fill myself up with pad thai and a vegetable dish for well under 100 baht, and I'm a big eater, it takes a lot of food to fill me up.

For the nightlife places, both Thai and western, it is standard to charge for water and ice. However if you stick with Thai food and drinks your night out will be a small fraction of what a night out in the west costs. People on a budget so tight that an extra 10 or 20 baht charge will ruin them probably shouldn't be going out.

[KhonKaenKowboy]

EQ Late Night Bar is doing all you can drink from 2300-0100....200 THB....bottles of Singha are included. I will make a full report in a few weeks. That's the old Nana Disco at NEP in BKK. Now, open until 4. I'll bet my left hand they aren't slopping around buckets of ice to go with warm beer.

I can wait a few weeks to go out to bars...but can the pathetic bars in Chiang Mai wait two weeks to pay their poorly negotiated rent?

[BritManToo]

Most Thai restaurants and eating places provide ice and water free of charge.

It's usually greedy overpriced foreigner restaurants that want paying for water.

You must be on a tight budget if you find that most Thai restaurants provide free water with ice (its mostly just the street kitchens, not the real restaurants nor the common food courts), and consider places that charge (often 10-20 baht) for water to be greedy and overpriced.

Youre probably a perfect example of what the above posts talk about.

Paying more that you have to is just daft.

And the Thais see it as foolish foreigners with too much money.

[KhonKaenKowboy]

Most Thai restaurants and eating places provide ice and water free of charge.

It's usually greedy overpriced foreigner restaurants that want paying for water.

You must be on a tight budget if you find that most Thai restaurants provide free water with ice (its mostly just the street kitchens, not the real restaurants nor the common food courts), and consider places that charge (often 10-20 baht) for water to be greedy and overpriced.

Youre probably a perfect example of what the above posts talk about.

Paying more that you have to is just daft.

And the Thais see it as foolish foreigners with too much money.

Exactly....it is 100% certain that they have less respect for people willing to pay full price at the night Bazaar and tolerate padding of bills, etc.., than people who are polite but firm. If someone is that insulted by me asking for a quantity discount or a price break; they haven't been and won't be in business long. There are just so many alternatives, here. The latest person I scratched off my list is a fruit seller. Her fruit is cold and fresh, but she is grouchy and impolite....their business just shrunk by 1500+ per month, and the new lady I go to gives me 3 for 2 on fresh berries.

[luke000]

had a very bad experience in dayli bar the other night,Ye promo 3 leos 169 okay,3 opened bottles and ice, No thank you one at a time and no ice, given menu, some jerk 5 minutes later its gone 11 no food,only five past,bill come 220 you no no had ice so full price,never and I mean never will I ever set foot in that dump again.

So, you got annoyed because they wouldnt serve you food after the kitchen had shut and so wasnt able to get beer at a discount .

I dont think that they will be too upset at you not returning

[WorkingTourist]

You must be on a tight budget if you […] consider places that charge (often 10-20 baht) for water to be greedy and overpriced.

Paying more that you have to is just daft.

And the Thais see it as foolish foreigners with too much money.

You’re crazy if you think Thais consider people paying 10 baht for water at a restaurant as “foolish foreigners with too much money”.

Also, the free water at the street kitchens is commonly flavored with pandan leafs, most likely because it is tap water and they wish to mask the bad taste.

It is not the same product as people pay for in restaurants.

[KhonKaenKowboy]

The street vendors don't serve tap...they fill 20l bottles at the machines. At the top noodle shop in the province I think they do chuckle at people, who pay for bottled water or even pay for special tea, because there is a pitcher of free tea on every table, and they will gladly bring me cups of ice automatically. I think that they personally would rather cross the super highway on foot than pay 10 for a bottle of water...but it's there, and they aren't going to argue with the fools. I was checking out Took Lae Dee on Tripadvisor...most of us have been there...it means "cheap and good." It's in the top 7% of over 8000 restaurants reviewed in BKK, and yes there is free filtered water....hamburger/ff is 68 thb....24/7/366...I was trying to think of a place in CM similar to that, and there just isn't; the restaurant owners bring their "great ideas" from abroad or even locally, and they are just bad business models. If I had to guzzle a beer every time I walked by a kind of upscale, a little bit pricey, foreign owned restaurant around Nimman, THAT HAD NO CUSTOMERS, I would have a most serious buzz on by the time I got to my destination. And I'm talkin Wednesday/Thursday nights at 19:30...zero customers. By the time they start periodically closing at irregular intervals; they are already in a downward spiral. The food could possibly be great, consistency is another story...especially when you know the ingredients have been around a while. Great chefs fail all the time. Took Lae Dee isn't great, but it's clean and consistent, it's very reasonably priced, and it's open. Now why is that so difficult for them to comprehend in CM?

[WorkingTourist]

I think that they personally would rather cross the super highway on foot than pay 10 for a bottle of water...

Yet many pay a songthaew driver 20 baht to avoid having to walk…

[…] they aren't going to argue with the fools.

Right, people who don’t mind paying 10 baht for bottled water rather than drink water of unknown origin flavoured by pandan leaves are fools which the staff chuckles at.

What you say sounds like an attempt at making your stinginess an admired virtue, which it is not! Like the other post about people who pay full price at markets not being respected by the locals.

I get that for you paying 10 baht for water is exuberant extravagance that show inability to manage money, but for majority of people it is really no big deal, and what you say about Thais considering those who buy bottled water as fools and chuckle at them is simply not true. Only people of very limited means would consider bottled water in Thailand a foolish expense, but that does not make it true.

[luke000]

Most Thai restaurants and eating places provide ice and water free of charge.

It's usually greedy overpriced foreigner restaurants that want paying for water.

You must be on a tight budget if you find that most Thai restaurants provide free water with ice (its mostly just the street kitchens, not the real restaurants nor the common food courts), and consider places that charge (often 10-20 baht) for water to be greedy and overpriced.

Youre probably a perfect example of what the above posts talk about.

Paying more that you have to is just daft.

And the Thais see it as foolish foreigners with too much money.

People who earn enough money not to worry about 10 Baht are foolish and daft ?

IMO , the opposite is true

[heybruce]

The street vendors don't serve tap...they fill 20l bottles at the machines. At the top noodle shop in the province I think they do chuckle at people, who pay for bottled water or even pay for special tea, because there is a pitcher of free tea on every table, and they will gladly bring me cups of ice automatically. I think that they personally would rather cross the super highway on foot than pay 10 for a bottle of water...but it's there, and they aren't going to argue with the fools. I was checking out Took Lae Dee on Tripadvisor...most of us have been there...it means "cheap and good." It's in the top 7% of over 8000 restaurants reviewed in BKK, and yes there is free filtered water....hamburger/ff is 68 thb....24/7/366...I was trying to think of a place in CM similar to that, and there just isn't; the restaurant owners bring their "great ideas" from abroad or even locally, and they are just bad business models. If I had to guzzle a beer every time I walked by a kind of upscale, a little bit pricey, foreign owned restaurant around Nimman, THAT HAD NO CUSTOMERS, I would have a most serious buzz on by the time I got to my destination. And I'm talkin Wednesday/Thursday nights at 19:30...zero customers. By the time they start periodically closing at irregular intervals; they are already in a downward spiral. The food could possibly be great, consistency is another story...especially when you know the ingredients have been around a while. Great chefs fail all the time. Took Lae Dee isn't great, but it's clean and consistent, it's very reasonably priced, and it's open. Now why is that so difficult for them to comprehend in CM?

7:30 pm is too early for Nimmanhamin, if you walk around at 10 pm, especially on a weekend, you'll find many places are packed, and twice as many nearly empty. Clearly some businesses know how to appeal to the crowds and others don't.

I don't know what "foreign owned restaurant around Nimman" you are referring to, and I don't really care, I like the Thai places. OMG, both upstairs and downstairs, and Rush Bar do a very good business on weekends and pretty good business on weekdays. Club Cafe has an indoor area that is often packed, and a garden area that usually has a table available, good food and beer promotions. Dayli can be very quiet on weekdays but does alright on weekends. I sometimes check out other places, but these are my mainstays. I'm sure other people can name other places worth looking into.

In summary, there are business owners in the Nimmanhamin area who comprehend what is required to operate a successful business. However these are Thai places and more fun when visited with friends; ideally some of the friends would be Thai. I sometimes go to them solo (except Dayli, it's definitely a place to go with a group), but it's always better with friends. If you are looking for a fun place to go alone then Nimmanhamin isn't the best option, especially if you can't speak Thai. That being said, if you're content to mellow out while you drink beer brought by a pretty, snack on Thai food, and enjoy the eye-candy, it's not bad even when alone.

[KhonKaenKowboy]

I think that they personally would rather cross the super highway on foot than pay 10 for a bottle of water...

Yet many pay a songthaew driver 20 baht to avoid having to walk…

[…] they aren't going to argue with the fools.

Right, people who don’t mind paying 10 baht for bottled water rather than drink water of unknown origin flavoured by pandan leaves are fools which the staff chuckles at.

What you say sounds like an attempt at making your stinginess an admired virtue, which it is not! Like the other post about people who pay full price at markets not being respected by the locals.

I get that for you paying 10 baht for water is exuberant extravagance that show inability to manage money, but for majority of people it is really no big deal, and what you say about Thais considering those who buy bottled water as fools and chuckle at them is simply not true. Only people of very limited means would consider bottled water in Thailand a foolish expense, but that does not make it true.

Well the county I grew up in only has a GDP 1/4 of Thailand's, but then again at 1.1 million people, it is 1/60th the population, with a median household income and per capita GDP close to 15 times higher. But, go ahead, enjoy your 300 thb, warm, flat beer, in a dirty glass, perhaps buy a few for your wealthy Thai friends, maybe even demonstrate hand washing and garbage removal to them.

[WinnieTheKhwai]

Meanwhile, I found a tourist town with worse nightlife than Chiang Mai. And midnight closing, too.

[KhonKaenKowboy]

Meanwhile, I found a tourist town with worse nightlife than Chiang Mai. And midnight closing, too.

does it rhyme with "Chiang Mai," or is it the place with the big lake no one dares to swim in? Or did you simply go to a place that applies Sharia Law?

[WorkingTourist]

[…] enjoy your 300 thb, warm, flat beer, in a dirty glass, perhaps buy a few for your wealthy Thai friends, maybe even demonstrate hand washing and garbage removal to them.

Where is this stuff coming from?

Seems to not only be sour grapes, but actual hatred of people who don’t mind buying water at 10 baht per bottle, which in your book apparently is both foolish, daft, but also only done by “wealthy” people (who go to “greedy” and “overpriced” places where the locals do not respect them and laugh behind their backs)…

Sure you’re not trolling?

[KhonKaenKowboy]

My main point was that the Thais rarely, if ever, pay for the water at restaurants. The other points were that you falsely stated that the free water is unfiltered tap water. But, there just frequently seems to be a theme here about how common wealthy Thais are...and for most, they were wealthy enough to get into serious debt.....they are stingy by nature, they either simply don't have it, or they worked quite hard to get it. There are many books on the characteristics of truly wealthy people..you should read some of them. They can be very hard to spot in a crowd, they often drive old cars, and wear old clothes. Their homes cost 1/5 of what a bank would loan them on one. NFL players are rich, the people who sign their paychecks are wealthy. There is big difference. Half of the former will declare bankruptcy before age 50. I have nothing against money, the 1%, or even the .1%, income inequality is a necessity. My background in business and economics gives me a good understanding of how consumers function. It is a little annoying to see the touts on here promoting business that are way more doomed for failure than the Titanic. They don't fit in well with the local economy, culture, or the rent they will pay. They are often reselling items that are subject to heavy import taxes. They thought they were geniuses to determine that it's hard to get a decent bottle of wine and wheel of cheese at anywhere near reasonable prices. Perhaps the 400% tax on imported wine has more to do with it, than people not recognizing a need for it. Meanwhile the same touts will ridicule family run Thai places that will outlive these burger joints and same-sex hook-up craft beer bars, by 50 years.

[WorkingTourist]

If your main point is that “Thais rarely, if ever, pay for the water at restaurants” then go to a mall, there are five in Chiang Mai, all have restaurants frequented by Thais, yet I’ve never seen a “free water” option there. Not that this is unique to malls.

And I did not say the free water was unfiltered (I said there might be a reason why they flavour it with pandan leaves).

The rest you write about wealthy people, I just don’t get what that has to do with anything or why you think I should read books about the characteristics of wealthy people. I’m not even sure what it is you think is a common theme here, surely not that Thais are wealthy, at least that is a theme I have missed.

[KhonKaenKowboy]

you write with a twang.

[BritManToo]

And I did not say the free water was unfiltered (I said there might be a reason why they flavour it with pandan leaves).

never eaten anywhere the water is flavoured. Doesn't seem popular in Chiang Mai.

[LivinLOS]

And I did not say the free water was unfiltered (I said there might be a reason why they flavour it with pandan leaves).

never eaten anywhere the water is flavoured. Doesn't seem popular in Chiang Mai.

Seems common enough at the smaller ahan tham sang type joints.. Personally I like it, as I do the very light green tea you get with chinese or khmer places..

[luke000]

Thinking about it, when I go out to eat, I usually get myself a bottle of mineral water from 7/11 and take that with me to a restaurant . I just prefer water that hasnt been drunk by someone else before

[northernjohn]

Thinking about it, when I go out to eat, I usually get myself a bottle of mineral water from 7/11 and take that with me to a restaurant . I just prefer water that hasnt been drunk by someone else before

According to science that is imposable. It could have been drank by your great great great great grandparents.

[Some One Else]

Meanwhile, I found a tourist town with worse nightlife than Chiang Mai. And midnight closing, too.

does it rhyme with "Chiang Mai," or is it the place with the big lake no one dares to swim in? Or did you simply go to a place that applies Sharia Law?

Hoi An, Vietnam fits that description perfectly. The most violent and dangerous place in south east Asia

[dru2]

Meanwhile, I found a tourist town with worse nightlife than Chiang Mai. And midnight closing, too.

does it rhyme with "Chiang Mai," or is it the place with the big lake no one dares to swim in? Or did you simply go to a place that applies Sharia Law?

Hoi An, Vietnam fits that description perfectly. The most violent and dangerous place in south east Asia

Ridiculous. I have been to Hoi An a good dozen times and have never seen any violence at all. Next time I suggest you try a holiday in Jolo, Sulu Archipelago, southern Philippines. I guarantee you it's perfectly safe and violence free.

[WinnieTheKhwai]

Meanwhile, I found a tourist town with worse nightlife than Chiang Mai. And midnight closing, too.

does it rhyme with "Chiang Mai," or is it the place with the big lake no one dares to swim in? Or did you simply go to a place that applies Sharia Law?

[luke000]

I frequent a dozen or so restaurants, , always walk in and sat hello to the people working there .

I have usually decided what I want before I go in there , so I order what I want without needing a menu .

When it comes to paying , I calculate the bill in my head and give the waitress the money rounding according to what size of baht notes that I have and they bring me the change , I dont even have to ask for a bill , as long as the change is roughly what I expectedm then Im happy with that .

So far, no one had ever tried to add something to the bill or tried to short change me , we went to a local place once and we had six dishes between us, average cost 50 Baht per dish , I just handed them 500 Baht and they bought the change over, it seemed to much, so on the way home I counted it, 300 Baht they gave me back. I went back to the shop and asked them to re calculate my bill , they did and they had undercharged me and I gave them another 100 Baht .

Its usually only in seedy bars or restaurants that only cater for tourists that you have to check your bill .

[prism]

Meanwhile, I found a tourist town with worse nightlife than Chiang Mai. And midnight closing, too.

does it rhyme with "Chiang Mai," or is it the place with the big lake no one dares to swim in? Or did you simply go to a place that applies Sharia Law?

13118906_10154500017631664_5436060568944139451_n.jpg

Several years ago, they had a small but spirited beer bar scene. Went last year, it was just grim. Times change....

[KhonKaenKowboy]

Meanwhile, I found a tourist town with worse nightlife than Chiang Mai. And midnight closing, too.

does it rhyme with "Chiang Mai," or is it the place with the big lake no one dares to swim in? Or did you simply go to a place that applies Sharia Law?

13118906_10154500017631664_5436060568944139451_n.jpg

Several years ago, they had a small but spirited beer bar scene. Went last year, it was just grim. Times change....

Yes, Chiang Rai went from being a fun alternative to CM, and worth an extra night on a Maesai trip to being worse than CM. They tried to make it something it wasn't, and those businesses cannibalized the fun decent places...and add soaring land prices to the equation and now it all pretty much sucks...and it's a hassle to get a cold beer even at the Night Bazaar, which borders on pathetic.

[luke000]

Where abouts in Chiang Rai is that ?

I lived there for a while and didnt even know that it existed