Why not?

[StaggerLee]

 

 

I put in some reviews recently of a few go go bars, and quite frankly it took a bloody long time. Looking back, I don't think I said anything useful.

 

Each review had to be put in separately, each time starting from the beginning. Rather time consuming, it was.

 

I'll compare my feeble efforts with Brown Fox's very comprehensive, insightful, and excellent reviews which were posted directly in the forum.

[StaggerLee]

 

 

The other general comment I'll make is the human element to the board.

 

When I had some questions recently, they were answered quickly and informatively. No matter how hard you look at a comprehensive FAQ or review section,being able to ask questions and get answers to the follow up questions is so much better.

 

So long as there are people willing to spend countless hours answering questions (I assume out of charity or in a sense of true pub community) on the open board, I wouldn't be perplexed that the rest of the site gets little use.

 

[khunsanuk]

Hi,

 

Weird:

"How about adding a point system or something like other boards do?"

 

Nice idea. This board software does not support that, but I'll check if FusionBB does.

 

"but to encourage people posting pics elsewhere, it might be a good beginning to allow everyone to post them on the forum"

 

Yes, I am considering this. Problem is a bit that I am worried that people would take advantage of it, i.e. create a throw away account and post some porn.

Considering to maybe allow people to post pics after they have clocked up a certain amount of posts, maybe 100 or 200. This would negate the problem above.

 

Gummigut:

"I personally would like to see a bit more "fun" here on this board."

 

Fun would be good. Any ideas on how to achieve this?

 

"EVENT CALENDAR"

 

I like these ideas. Thanks.

Some of your other ideas will hopefully be taken care off when we move to the new board software. It is quite a bit more flexible and will allow me to add related links to the different forums.

 

"You need to step away from your baby. I feel you are too close to look objectively because you see the site every single day. Too me the answers are obvious and the actions you can take are several."

 

Yes, probably true...

 

pe7e:

"you need to get a couple of wordsmiths on board to do a regular weekly feature"

 

Agree fully. I would love to get someone to write a column for Bangkok like Eyebee does for Pattaya. So far though, I have not been able to find someone who can do it, as I, unfortuntely, lack the time and writing skills to do so.

 

David66UK:

"And I would also humbly suggest that you do need to put the time and effort into "capturing" at least some of the info you are given in the message board and posting it on the Website on a regular basis, even if only once a week."

 

Yes, I am aware that this would be very usefull. Unfortunately, I am not certain if I am the right person to do this. Preferably Jigger and I would need a third partner who takes care of all the writing bits. Problem is that the site is making so little money that it would pretty much have to be a labour of love.

 

"Maybe also post certain Threads up as Standalone articles? "

 

When moving to the new board, the articles and columns will most likely be part of the message board (not as they are now, but the entire article displayed as a post, with the option to comment on it). It would therefore be very easy to allow people to post articles into that section.

 

StaggerLee:

"Each review had to be put in separately, each time starting from the beginning. Rather time consuming, it was."

 

Probably cannot change much on the entering seperately bit, but might be able to make it a bit easier to move from one bar info page to the next. I'll have a bit of a play.

 

"No matter how hard you look at a comprehensive FAQ or review section,being able to ask questions and get answers to the follow up questions is so much better."

 

Hmmm, had not considered it that way, but I guess you have a good point.

 

Sanuk!

[Central Scrutinizer]

KS,

 

In the gogo bar reviews how about placing the link to the bar's website (if they have one) in with the review page? That would get around this no pics of the bar girls thing and make for easier access to these pics that the bar already has in thier webpage. Just put the url/link in the review page. I know a lot of the gogos have websites we could link to from the review section.

 

Just a thought.

 

Cent

[StaggerLee]

khunsanuk said:

 

"No matter how hard you look at a comprehensive FAQ or review section,being able to ask questions and get answers to the follow up questions is so much better."

 

Hmmm, had not considered it that way, but I guess you have a good point.

 

Sanuk!

 

 

Exactly like we are all doing here on this FORUM thread.

[khunsanuk]

Hi,

 

"In the gogo bar reviews how about placing the link to the bar's website (if they have one) in with the review page?"

 

Sure, that is not a problem, and I think people have already been adding URLs to the review system. Might not be a bad idea to add it to the GoGo ranking stuff as well.

 

Sanuk!

[Central Scrutinizer]

KS,

 

Just makes it easier for someone reading a review that has never been to the bar to click and see what the bar has to offer. No searching about. Makes it easily available. We need to consolidate certain features to make it easy for the reader and worth a look. I also found it hard to place a review. I tried twice and the damned thing didn't work for me. 's why I haven't tried again. Was a bit time consuming, and then it didn't work, so a bit off-putting/frustrating. But, quite possibly it was me doing something wrong. I'm no IT techie type you know.

 

Cent

[Boring_Man]

Ummm...

 

In no particular order:

 

A heartfelt call for people to provide free content for your site is hardly going to provoke an inspiring response. People tend to post because they want to brag, share their exploits/info with like-minded strangers, be helpful, or repay the board for information previously received, among other reasons.

 

I know you say the site isn't going to a pay scheme again, but if you're losing money it seems that either that or shutting down are your real options failing the appearance of new advertisers or a determined click-through campaign to pump up your Google revenue. I'd rather that didn't happen, but I'm not going to provide free content for a site with a pay option and I'm not going to waste my time writing stuff up only to have it disappear when a site goes belly-up. Additionally, I can't say I'm really excited about providing content for an ever-increasing audience of non-contributors. Every note about the burgeoning membership only reminds me that there are about a dozen useful posters whose info is often met with either silence or white noise.

 

Regarding the stuff outside of the "nightlife" area, you might as well give up. I don't think any site that has such a large component of nightlife interest will ever succeed in promoting other things. The mongers will inevitably scare away the non-mongers. All is takes are a couple clicks on the nightlife board to convince Joe Lunchpail or Sally Housecoat that we're (and by "we" I mean "you" ) all a bunch of sick freaks who need to be reported to our respective consulates.

 

Ah, well, no doubt I've bored you long enough--I'm certainly bored now. Good luck in your effort, and good luck with the new troll.

[Vintage_Kwai]

As a newbie to this board, but a long-time resident, I found the website (and the forum) a lot later than I found Stickman. I find the (moderated) forums here a great place to chat as I can't find time to sit down over a beer or three downtown.

 

Stickman's site does well because of the articles and his weekly column, not because he has a forum.

 

There are two camps here - one are the residents, both old-timers and recent comers; they want to discuss topics such as infrastructure, medical facilities etc as opposed to the other camp - the tourist - who is more interested in what he or she can squeeze into a few short days, and in many cases a perpetual alcoholic fog for the duration of that stay. Very few of these tourists would be interested in the temples, etc as the mainstay.

 

Over the years, only the prolific Nite Owl was read on a regular basis by both residents and later (when the Bangkok Post eventually went on-line) by the tourists. I would look forward to the Friday edition where he'd have a whole page dedicated to his ramblings. The information was up-to-date and accurate, so it was sad when the publication watered it down and eventually stopped publishing without even warning us readers. I cancelled my subscription not long after that.

 

So, KS my suggestion would be to group the website into three general areas - one catering for the residents, another for the tourists and the final one would be an 'events calendar' cum bar events with feedback from participating bars on a weekly basis ala Nite Owl...

 

You could even have a 'story of the week' featured - you might pull some Stickman talent your way Cent? :hubba:

 

Accomodation 'n stuff are catered for on other boards - if any comments should be made, they could be for the benefit for the tourist, as to whether girl-friendly or not, curtains around the car... you know

 

My two pennies worth...

[Central Scrutinizer]

kc2000 said:

You guys are great, at least you have a belief and stick to it.

 

Stickman, how can you say with a straight face this place is better than bangkok tonight? No disrespect to anyone here. This place is better than the world sex guide, very little posting here.

 

Also why do you even have to rate agogos. If you want pretty girls you go to the Rainbows in Nana or the Castles in patpong. You want cheap and not that pretty you go to soi cowboy.

 

Spend your time on something that people are interested in, not something that you want them to be interested in.

 

God these places are a hoot!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

kc2000,

 

One big difference here though when you try to compare BKKtonight with NP.com. NP.com is a public board which can be accessed by anyone as a member or as a guest with read only privleges. BKKtonight is a private board for members only and the forums and message board can only be accessed by its members. The frontpage is just a tease to draw in members and has little info on it. Here anyone can read the board, the full board I think.

 

So I think NP.com is easier to access and the place a lot of people looking for LOS info read without having to 'join' to see the info provided. Each board has it own plusses and minuses, as does Stick's board/site.

 

Cent