BKK's nightlife is dead - exagerated?

[keith doug]

Having read so many threads re this closing and that closing.. what time would i actually!! expect a gogo bar in patpong to close......2am ???

[Guest]

According to a booklet with economic data about different Thai sectors that I have visitors from Muslim countries on avergae spend about twice as much per day as westerners do. So yes

 

CM

[khwaimaisabai]

Hardy641 said:

I definitely feel a significant increase of black covered Muslim birds there.

Hi hardy,

July and August are probably peak season for Gulf Arabs who come to Bangkok for the cool weather and refreshing climate - compared to home, that is.

Khwai

[Guest]

I still believe it can only be Thaksin himself endorsing all this nonsense, but must admit I still haven?t figured out the why.

He probably is, but my point is that he is not doing because he is the Thai equivalent of a William Bennett. Thaksin suggested legalizing the underground economy, including prostitution. He only backed down when religious conservatives objected.

 

I think the New Social Order is driven more by political expediency than moral concerns. If so, that suggests, it is pragmatic matter, where compromises are possible.

[Hardy641]

>>He only backed down when religious conservatives objected<<

 

I personally never heard about such groups existing in Thailand. If Thaksin risks to piss off most of the younger Thais (18-35+) with his social order cruade, they can't be a small minority. Otherwise he won't take the risk as afetr all he wants 400 seats in the upcoming election.

 

Can you become more specific? Who are these 'religious conservatives'? Where they come from? Why are they right now so influential?

[Guest]

This is a comment Khun Pasuk and Chris Baker made, and because it is political, I will PM you with a response (next few days - tired now; see long post on General Discussion Board).

 

Incidentally, I agree with you other comments about what is happening now in Bangkok (the crackdown). It is on this sensitive issue of why, that we might disagree, and I think it best we discuss with PMs.

[Guest]

The issues and reasons regarding the crack downs in Bangkok are probably complex. I think when the massage parlor king sent his mafia army in and torn down the business between soi 8 and 10 - this incident marked the beginning of the end. The king of massage parlors later revealed his large bribe payoffs and then pissed many off by refusing to pay any more bribes. This action led to his places being raided about 4 times a day. Over a year ago, he got busted for having under age girls working as prostitutes in his place. Just recently he got off because it was determined that the girls had forged IDs.

 

That is part of the shove. Another shove comes from the US. The US report on human trafficking in Thailand is not very nice. If the next report inches downward one notch, trade embargos may be impossed. Because of this, Thailand has been doing a lot to clean up its act in this matter. The government, just recently allocated, I believe 500 million baht for one of the programs dealing with this.

 

While all of this has been going on, Thailand has been averaging over 1 death per day due to terrorist activities in the south. Not too long ago, military weapons were stolen followed by the thieft of explosives at a quarry. The potential for serious terrorist activity remains at a high level. Also remember, a mosque was targeted in which over 100 people died. The pay back for that action has not been fulfilled - so you can see - the government has their hands full.

 

When you consider the underground economy is equal, if not twice the size of the legitimate economy - it does not take rocket scientist to realize that a lot of money that could be taxed - doesn't. This tax issue - I suspect is one of the major driving forced for change. Now that Bangkok has a rail system and a subway, ways are being looked at to increase the routes of both the subway and rail system - one is to tax the underground economy.

 

If we look at other areas in the world that had red light districts, once the red light districts were eliminated, other businesses generally moved in that 'made money', crime was reduced, etc. So this type of social order change may be something the citizens of Thailand really want.

[Hardy641]

I actually agree with you that the days of naughty nightlife areas like Nana and Soi Cowboy might be well numbered when Thailand is developing further. I also agree that most Thais would support the closure of these places as they don?t really benefit Thailand?s image in the world.

However, what is this Government doing? Is this crackdown really to eradicate prostitution? I just don?t buy this! If they want to go against the naughty night they could have closed it for good long time. Manila?s Ermita district is the best example.

I don?t see any clear strategy behind the whole social order nonsense. At least none that specifically focuses on the naughty nightlife. Of course these naughty nightlife areas are also affected, but not more or even less than normal entertainment areas:

Some thoughts to prove:

1.Massage parlors are doing business more or less as usual, they always closed at midnight.

2.Bars, A Gogos and Massage parlors can employ girls under 20 years (18 is the legal age here)

3.Most spectacular raids occurred in normal night life venues like the big discos at Ratchada, RCA and as we all know at CM2 and q-Bar lately.

4.1 am closing hits discotheques and clubs much harder than bars, Agogos or massage parlors as they always used to close around 2am latest. Most clubs and discotheques stayed open until early morning between 4am or 6am, they loose over 50% of their business hours.

5.ID card checks are much harder enforced in normal night life places than in the naughty areas. It is almost impossible to go to club with a girl under 21 these days while I never was checked if visiting SC or Nana. Even for us foreigners it becomes more and more difficult to visit regular clubs. Most perform strict passport controls.

6.Look at the zoning plans: Patpong, RCA and Ratchada. Two of them are infamous for there naughty night life.

7.What?s all the bullshit about not selling alcohol after 12 o?clock, nonsense plans (luckily not yet introduced) to close places at 12pm or don?t female guests w/o male companion not into pubs and clubs?

8.If they really go to polish up Thailand?s image, why the crackdown is not really enforced in Pattaya, the best known and most notorious sex Eldorado of the country.

I am sure there are more if I would think longer, but just too tired now...

There are just too many things that do not fit into the picture that it is all about cleaning up Thailand?s international reputation

[Guest lazyphil]

A number of my friends with no interest in LOS who know I'm a fan talk of Taksin trying to buy Liverpool FC and the drug war etc they read about, no redlight stuff which is old hat...Thais have no clue what the outside world think about LOS, in fact they are pretty vain for thinking people think at all about LOS. Beslen, Iraq etc yes they think, but LOS I doubt!

[Nervous_Dog]

I see a very carefull plan being played out. Simply they are making nightlife intolerable to that barowners, all the harressment is aimed at the bar and land owners.

 

This will continue until they decide, FARK too hard to make a living doing this, I'll make more money building a condo!

 

The thorn in the side is the property market is already cooling, something I don't think Thaksin forsore happening so fast.

 

They will never "Close" the night life as that would involve loss of face with allies etc.

 

Better way is to say, you own the land, you can run a bar, but hey, you know what, better business to build a condo on the site.

 

I think Cowboy, sadly will be the first to go, then Nana, and it will be sudden.

 

Patpong will linger, as bugi street in Sillypore does as "Taste of the exotic"

 

DOG