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Gus
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Bangkok seems to be losing bars very fast just lately. I am not an expert but is it Clinton Plaza, Asoke Plaza, then Soi11/13, washington sq etc
It seems that some new centres need to be created.
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Bangkok Women : Meet Sensual Bangkok Women
Posted on: 1:38 pm on Jan. 3, 2005
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power24
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If its one thing that Thailand needs now is less bad press about its declining nightlife and entertainment venues. Thailand would do well to put a hold on this silly closing hours crusade and reverse some the zoning laws which (before the tsunami) were killing the tourist industry.
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Thai Girls : Meet Sexy Thai Girls
Posted on: 2:01 pm on Jan. 3, 2005
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waxhead
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power24
Without raining on your parade, what tourism industry killing are you talking about due to nightlife?
Tourism numbers are up...until the Tsunami. Most of the research we are doing here (and half our customers are tourists) shows that the affluent family tourists (of which there are many) and plenty more would prefer that the city is zoned so that the beer bars aren't all over the place. The majority of Thais living in BKK want the same thing. Hell, most of the landlords want to turn their slum beer bar areas into trendy apartment slums.
Plus most beer bars are for westerners only; what percentage of tourists do you think are western here in Thailand? And what percentage of those are male? Are what percentage are not with family? The numbers start to get pretty small.
I for one would prefer that this dip in tourism (which is going to happen now from Phuket) is not handled in a short term knee jerk response; bring on da zoning! Get dem beer bars down the sois where they belong.
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Bangkok Girls : Meet Sexy Bangkok Girls
Posted on: 4:45 am on Jan. 4, 2005
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Vancouver Jay
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Quote: from waxhead on 4:39 pm on Jan. 4, 2005
Plus most beer bars are for westerners only; what percentage of tourists do you think are western here in Thailand? And what percentage of those are male? Are what percentage are not with family? The numbers start to get pretty small.
Sex-tourism contributes an amount equivalent to 2%-6% of the Thai GNP. Take a look at the marked gender imbalance in TAT's statistics and make reasonable assumptions. It's not small money although it may not be the biggest slice of tourism.
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Thai Women : Meet Matured Thai Women
Posted on: 4:57 am on Jan. 4, 2005
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Bangkok Chang
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Waxhead is on the money here.
Thailand's reputation has largely been for western male-oriented nightlife.
Much of the world isn't interested and even half the westerners (women) aren't.
If the bars are closed down and replaced by posh hotels and apartments tourism will increase.
It is already happening.
Bars and massage parlours aren't the only thing Thailand has going for it.
Patpong is already dying a slow death, and the desperation in the other zomes (NEP and SC) is driving customers away. Anyone been asked for bht 3,000 s/t by a hard-up bg recently?
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Bangkok Women : Meet Beautiful Thai Girls
Posted on: 5:00 am on Jan. 4, 2005
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amexpat2001
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Quote: from derman53 on 12:47 am on Jan. 4, 2005
Even Bourbon Street will be no more.
This is really not new news. Boubon Street Doug has already opened at least two other restaurants in other locations. One is in the Ploenchit area, and the other,,, I forgot.....too many gin and tonics I believe.
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Bangkok Girls : Meet Attractive Thai Girls
Posted on: 9:30 am on Jan. 4, 2005
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power24
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Quote: from waxhead on 4:39 pm on Jan. 4, 2005
power24
Without raining on your parade, what tourism industry killing are you talking about due to nightlife?
Tourism numbers are up...until the Tsunami. Most of the research we are doing here (and half our customers are tourists) shows that the affluent family tourists (of which there are many) and plenty more would prefer that the city is zoned so that the beer bars aren't all over the place. The majority of Thais living in BKK want the same thing. Hell, most of the landlords want to turn their slum beer bar areas into trendy apartment slums.
Plus most beer bars are for westerners only; what percentage of tourists do you think are western here in Thailand? And what percentage of those are male? Are what percentage are not with family? The numbers start to get pretty small.
I for one would prefer that this dip in tourism (which is going to happen now from Phuket) is not handled in a short term knee jerk response; bring on da zoning! Get dem beer bars down the sois where they belong.
Didnt realise I was having a parade??anyway the tourist industry I was referring to was Bangkoks own and not a anywhere else in Thailand which, as you pointed out, was doing well before the tsunami and recovering from the bird flu and Sars scares. This is a Bangkok forum after all! The zoning has numerous controversial issues with it which I will not get into here but I remember reading in the Nation just recently that I think it was TAT that reported a decline in tourist numbers staying in Bangkok year on year from 2003- 2004 taking into account the BF and Sars scares and as BC just mentioned and many board members of mentioned over the past year what is left is a slow death of Patpong, NEP, cowboy,...Asoke/Plaza has gone and Washington Square possibly next.
Do you not think that the reins should be held on this moral crusade just a little? Fare enough dont have beer bars all over the place but I have never thought of Bangkok like that anyway, instead the beer bars etc have been concentrated in specific areas. Im sure that everyone (Thais and tourists) would prefer entertainment kept to the bars than the zoo that is Sukhumvit Road and Patpong after 1am now? Maybe the Thai people dont want tourists at all in Bangkok but would prefer them all at the beach resorts etc outside of the city..I dont know...but I doubt that tourists will stay for lengths of time in Bangkok for the temples and shopping alone.
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Thai Girls : Meet Active Thai Girls
Posted on: 10:22 am on Jan. 4, 2005
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waxhead
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Well you deserve a parade 
>>Fare enough dont have beer bars all over the place but I have never thought of Bangkok like that anyway, instead the beer bars etc have been concentrated in specific areas. Im sure that everyone (Thais and tourists) would prefer entertainment kept to the bars than the zoo that is Sukhumvit Road and Patpong after 1am now?
yep - we are in total agreement. I think the point is that rather than having them on the main strip, they are buried away from pre schoolers, university students, mothers and the like. Like most cities around the world. Speaking for one Thai business; we love tourists, we want tourists to be happy, and one of the things that would make the tourists that we deal with happier, is if these beer bars are so on were not an eyesore for their children and partners when they are getting around the city. Not getting rid of them so much as moving them. Much in the same way I would be really peeved if I lived in say Suk Soi 8 and a big niteclub opened which kept me awake everynight. I'd use my influence to harang them into shutting down... and I guess that';s what the people in Soi 8 did. better to zone it so it never happens.
Regarding the TAT stats; yes; part of my job is to predict tourism numbers in the business I work in - a large type imbalance you speak of (male vs. female) is Malaysians via the port of entry of Hat Yai - exactly I think the point you are making that yes, elements of sex tourism makes up some proportion of GDP. I am not sure where you got the % from, but would love to understand more about that number - since total tourism accounts for 6% of GDP; I would guess that sex tourism is at most like maybe 10% of that - our numbers are quite different, so I wonder whether you have access to something I don't?
I view that the sex trade is similar to being a beggar on the street. Short term, it puts foods in mouths, but long term it is not a sustainable position on which to build a country. It wouldn't surprise me if the impact on the provinces catering to mostly farang (some of the villages in Isaan for instance) are at a tipping point where the social fabric has been ripped apart with young girls now considering this to be a valid career choice as opposed to getting an education and job elsewhere in the economy. Some of the incredibly ugly slags I see in Pattaya working for like (and I have asked them) 20,000b a month for instance. They could probably earn a quarter of that amount or more doing a respectible job. And yes, I am totally aware that it was going on well before foreigners started coming here; but now I think the element of sex trade catering to foreigners (ie. half of the ahp op nuets; PP, NEP; Cowboy; beer bars; most of Pattaya) need to be reigned in a bit and zoned, so that they don't scare off the non tourists.
Know wha' I mean Brucie?
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Thai Women : Meet Matured Thai Women
Posted on: 6:16 am on Jan. 5, 2005
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Mr Alan
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There is a flurry of new development in BKK for condos, serviced apts, and hotels. This is good for competition and keeps the price of quality accommodations at a reasonable level.
The entertainment districts will not disappear. they will simply re-locate to less valuable real estate. Many of these places need a make-over anyway.
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Bangkok Girls : Meet Attractive Thai Girls
Posted on: 9:04 am on Jan. 5, 2005
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