THe hammer has fallen on nightlife

[MikeN]

With all the doom and gloom stories from BKK, did anyone read the BKK Post story about the nightclubs down south ?

Some excerpts :

Songkhla _ Nightclubs in the border town of Sadao are trying to win back tourists driven away by the violence in the deep South, offering male night owls a chance to ``feel'' beautiful women.

 

The new sex service is available in most venues, from open-air restaurants to cafes and go-go bars.

 

Male visitors can touch any part of the young girls' bodies, including intimate areas, for no more than 10 minutes at 20 baht a shot.

 

Most customers are Malaysians crossing the border into the district of Songkhla, and local visitors.

The girls wear skirts over shorts to deter male customers who want more than just touching. They come from across the country and are aged 15-35 years.

 

So how long will those clubs stay in business, or is it a different set of rules down there ?? T.I.T.

[samak]

shotover said:Mostly in other places like Krungthon, but like most groups we gather before our rounds in front of Rama IX Cafe.

Not familiar with these establishments. Can you tell me where Rama IX (I know where Thanon Rama 9 is, but not where which soi this cafe is near) and Krungthon? What is a good time in the evening to arrive?

Rama IX Cafe: at intersection Rama 9/Ramkhamhaeng; large billboard with painted heads of the comedians;

Krungthonburi Cafe: in Thonburi

[Khun_Kong]

check_bin_krap said:

Its surprising that Vegas even got to be such a popular place in the first place. There is only sand, sand and sand there. I believe there was a lot of doubt when the first hotel opened up its business.

 

Tee hee.

 

LV was started by the Mafia, I believe Lucky Luciano and his boys started up the original Stardust. Somebody else here may have a better idea of the specific history.

 

I think there was some concern from the mob about the initial costs.

 

Surprised? Great way to launder money and hide income. Some powerful people behind the original plans.

[Khun_Kong]

pattaya127 said:

Lets differentiate then : all of LOS tourists come from abroad. Probably as much as 90 - 95 % of Vegas tourists are from the USA.

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BTW, not as a contradiction, just an addendum, last year was the first time that domestic tourism in Thailand was deemed to be higher than international tourism.

I do not know/remember how it was researched, and the numbers are not so important than the trend itself which concerned not just people going places but also monies spent.

 

Because domestic tourism increased- or because foreign tourism decreased (or didn't increase as rapidly)?

[shotover]

Thanks Samak for the locations. I've gone by Rama IX and Ramhgamhaeng many times in the daytime, but never noticed the Cafe. I'll look for it next time.

[Guest]

Nightclubs and bars ... outside can stay open from 9pm to midnight.

If enforced as written, I can't see how bars outside the zones will survive.

 

This will be a boon for Patpong. It will be a disaster for the lower Sukhumvit where there are now a tremendous variety of clubs, pubs and bars. Actually, some of the more sophisticated and couple friendly places - places like Club Mystique, Q Bar, Bed, etc. - are located outside the zones.

 

If enforced, these new rules will have the affect of wiping out the more sophisticated nightlife scene that had started to develop in Thailand (which catered to more than single males), while preserving the pay-for-play scene. Ironic.

 

It will make the authorities look pretty silly. (I have already seen an article in the US press about how silly it looks to outsiders.) And may raise questions about just whose interests are being served with these new rules?

[Guest]

Nightclubs and bars ... outside can stay open from 9pm to midnight

If enforced, how will the bars outside the zones survive.

 

The irony here is that the more sophisticated bars that carter to couples - the places that were giving Bangkok a reputation for having more than go go bars - will be the ones that suffer the most. Upscale bars like Bed, Club Mystique, Club 87, etc., are all located outside the zones. This point has been noticed by the US press.

 

The authorities responsible will look rather foolish since they are essentially saying that Patpong's go go bars are fine while more sophisticated clubs that don't center around prostitution are prohibited. A strange message indeed, and I am confident this message will not go unnoticed.

[Khun_Kong]

Gadfly1 said:

(I have already seen an article in the US press about how silly it looks to outsiders.)

 

G1-

 

Can you point to this online, please. I'd like to see a foreign take on this issue.

 

TIA

[pattaya127]

Because domestic tourism increased

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yep. The advent of an important segment of society into middle-class (thai) standards, also brings the same things associated to it in any country. More spending power, vacation time, leisure time, open-mindedness/curiosity to places/provinces, outside one's own, etc... Everywhere I go that is a national park, a handicraft center, thais are more numerous than farangs. Who, after all, in large numbers, stick to the straight line of roughly CM/BKK-PATTAYA/PHUKET-SAMUI.

[Nervous_Dog]

Gadlfy - agree with you (for once ) one thing Bangkok lacks, and one attracion of KL to me, is the better bars and clubs where you can go out as a couple.

 

Sad to see this industry which is just gaining ground, diapear.

 

DOG -