What's all this about "The Arab"?

[Wallenda]

Soi Cowboy has been around 40+ years? The predictions of it's demise are 1)nothing lasts forever and eventually it will die 2) the real estate it sits on is in high demand 3)the area is becoming more prominent to the mainstream, and thus the demand for the land goes up, as well as the number of people who want to see it go away. Of course you could say the same about PatPong as well.

 

But they're all separate properties, and even if one whole side was bought out from all those separate owners at once by one buyer, they still have to buy the whole other side* and have to deal with the fact that there's a city-owned street running down the middle of it all. So how can it happen?

 

Yeah ok nothing lasts forever, but plenty of things last beyond our lifetimes. What I'm saying is SC seems due to last a damn long time. Nana seems much more vulnerable to me as a potential real estate victim.

 

I could be wrong, but the opposing argument needs to address the issues I just mentioned in some way other than a vague "the property is valuable" -- because even if it is, there's some serious logistical problems to be overcome by whoever aims to buy all those separate properties, and I have a feeling that has something to do with why it's lasted 40 yrs.

 

* if they don't, then they have a whole block of repulsive go-go bars across a narrow lane from all their storefront properties, which will have a certain effect on the value of those properties, reducing their value drastically. I mean, what can be opened facing a go-go bar? Another go-go bar of course. Back to square one.

 

[bust]

Someone needs to develop a new complex but away from the high rent areas.

 

You may laugh but think about it As long as it has hotels within walking distance why not.

 

PT me if your interested in investing

[simie]

Sadly as OH has said in the case of Cowboy the arab is buying so many of the bars and pushing rent etc up for the others, so that all the other bars will eventually have to follow suit? This will lead to the whole street becoming more and more expensive and will eventually lead IMHO to either its demise or it becoming purely a tourist trap shunned by expats and Bangkok regulars.

Of course in other circumstances when bars have pushed their prices up punters have voted with their feet and chosen alternative venues. An example of this would be The Office in soi 33. Once the most popular bar in the soi and one of the most popular pubs/sports bars in Bangkok for guys to meet mates and watch sport over a beer or 3. (And perhaps indulge in the female company on offer). Now prices have been jacked up and its a pale shadow or its former glory particularly after the 9pm price hike when its now normally dead. A lot of its old trade has now moved to other bars such as the soi 8 pub.

Simie.

[Old Hippie]

Nana is a tough call er sort of. On one hand, yes the land is worth something. However, if NEP were to go away, there most likely would not be the draw to that area. Years back, it was a shopping mall of sorts, and there were those who came and went, could be that way again, but with out the "entertainment venues" Lower sukhumvit serves little purpose for attracting tourists.

 

As for Cowboy, I hope it lasts forever. The issue you state, that all are individually owned...I am not so sure of. most of the bars are leased from the property owner(s) if I have it right. I seem to think if the price were right, any problems with city streets down th middle etc would magically go away. Hope I am wrong and the place lasts forever.

[Old Hippie]

Someone needs to develop a new complex but away from the high rent areas.

 

You may laugh but think about it As long as it has hotels within walking distance why not.

 

PT me if your interested in investing

 

 

 

Well, I am soon opening a bar in Pattaya, I will have a contest here to decide the name...it will be great, as I am an expert on this shit...oh wait someone tried that already...

[The_Munchmaster]

...Now prices have been jacked up and its a pale shadow or its former glory particularly after the 9pm price hike when its now normally dead....

I always thought that The Office was one of the Soi 33 bars that didn't raise its prices after 9pm.

[simie]

...Now prices have been jacked up and its a pale shadow or its former glory particularly after the 9pm price hike when its now normally dead....

I always thought that The Office was one of the Soi 33 bars that didn't raise its prices after 9pm.

 

 

Munchie, I seem to remember The Office having two tier pricing for quite a while? Might not be the case now, I did'nt go in at all last time I was in Bangkok in november as non of my mates seem to go there anymore. Partly they state because of the pricing, partly because its not as good anymore and partly for reasons totally unconnected to this thread.

Simie.

[ThaiHome]

One difference between Soi Cowboy and NEP is that pretty much the entire length of Soi 4 area where NEP is located is full of beer bars while Soi Cowboy is almost an isolated oasis :content: in the midst of a growing business area. I think this might have some influence on a developer’s decision if they were thinking tear down NEP and put an office building or major brand hotel in its place. You could do that easily with Soi Cowboy and except for just a few places on Soi 23, the entire focus of the area would change drastically away from the nightlife.

TH

[simie]

TH, you do raise a very good point there. The large beer bar complex on the corner of Asoke is now just a memory and the whole area has seen office development. So as you say if Cowboy did close the whole character of the area would change.

Where as in the case of NEP even though many of us would not mourn its passing who would want to put an office block in the middle of a shitty red light area. And no point putting a hotel there when its main reason for being in that location has gone.

Simie.

[bust]

I always thought that The Office was one of the Soi 33 bars that didn't raise its prices after 9pm.

From what I saw the girls wouldn't raise a dick either.