Crackdown Over! Police lay down the law!

[Guest]

Johnny - Good post and I agree with much of what you say. One point I disagree with is the idea that the increase in prices will put off tourists. Frankly, many guys come from around the world - myself included - to experience the scene and, although many guys are on a strict budget, I can't see them turning away from it because of a price hike. By any measure, BKK is still an INCREDIBLE value for the money - sanuk or otherwise. Again, if I were watching my money, I'd probably buy a few less trinkets to bring home to offset the cost.

If I had to watch my baht, I'd probably drink one or two beers a night less in the bars, or have one or two at home before I get there. But, I would still go to the bars.

I think the price increases will have a more dramatic effect on the expats who live there and whose economic situation is a little different. If I am an English teacher in BKK earning 22,000 baht a month, the increase means more to me than that guy from the US, Japan, UK, etc. who has a larger disposable income, (theirs being based on the dollar, yen, pound, whatever). Also, we are on "vacation" and generally looser with our wallets vs. the locals who have to absorb the increase as part of their weekly budget.

Its unfortunate, but I think the closing times will have a much greater impact on me than the cost increase, because I can still manage the costs, but I can't manage the closing times and Bangkok has always been the "city that never sleeps", more so than New York! My view anyway. Cheers. Chicago Dave

[ August 17, 2001: Message edited by: chicago dave ]

[Guest]

quote:

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Originally posted by nepfan:

Update:

For now it is a firm closing of 1AM everywhere in compliance with the existing law. ]

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Incorrect once again

Currently Cowboy is closing at 1.45 all out of the bar by 0200. it looks as if they have hit an agreement with the cops.

[Guest]

Rictic....Have you confirmation of the later closing at Cowboy? I wasn't there last night and have not been able to locate anybody who was. Two Cowboy owners told me on Wednesday that they thought they were going to be allowed to close later, but I have not been able confirm.

PS: You can always ask for the whole bottle of soda unless they are pouring with a gun. Additionally, many of the bars, including Crown Group, will give you ice-water for free. I know Big Dogs, Lucky Lukes and Golden Bar charge for water.

[ August 17, 2001: Message edited by: nepfan ]

[Guest]

quote:

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Originally posted by nepfan:

Rictic....Have you confirmation of the later closing at Cowboy? I wasn't there last night and have not been able to locate anybody who was. Two Cowboy owners told me on Wednesday that they thought they were going to be allowed to close later, but I have not been able confirm.

PS: You can always ask for the whole bottle of soda. Most bars will give it to you.

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The last two nights in cowboy it has been 1.45 checkbin and then out. All the bars seem to be doing the same. Unfortunately I've got to go to Jomtien this afternoon so I cant go and ask. If no-one has checked out the details before I come back I'll go and ask. These opening ours would make Cowboy a very attractive place to go for the night.

[Guest]

Rictic, Thanks for the info. I'll check out Cowboy and soi 33 (also in Thong Lo jursdiction mostly Thai owned) tonight.

[ August 17, 2001: Message edited by: nepfan ]

[Guest]

Not sure about Cowboy, but last night there were still people drinking in Asoke Plaza at 2.30am. 7 eleven on soi 13 were doing good business from 1.00am onwards as I noticed that none of the street vendors were selling alcohol. These days it looks much like a street party around that area around that time. The new Thermae is somewhere between soi 11 and 15 on the footpath . Now this looks good for appearances doesn't it.

[Guest]

Thanks, Dan.

[khunsanuk]

Hi,

"I also think there may well be a rise in the amount of street prostitution."

According to Santos (owner of Titty Twister) the opposite is happening now, lots of girls are applying for jobs in Nanaplaza. Presumably these are freelancers (Thermae girls?) that can't make enough money on the street anymore?

Sanuk!

[Guest]

There is one `positive' in this early closing that has so far been overlooked....The Hotel Breakfast!

Usually after a late night, I wake up the following morning at around 11am, hungry and ready for my hotel breakfast that I have already paid for. However, on arrival at the breakfast room I am frequently told `Sorry, Sir,you have missed blekfast as it has stopped being served at 10.00am.'

This early 1am closing and early to bed should hopefully resolve this and piss the hotel staff off big time!

[ August 18, 2001: Message edited by: ozbod ]

[Guest]

I heard that the bars actually like the early closing and are making more money. If you think about it it makes sense. With less time the girls are being more aggressive with lady drinks etc. and customers are spending more money on drinks for themselves as well. The truth is that after 1am most people would head off to the disco's or Thermae and anyone still in the bars usually did not spend that much money on drinks anyway. With Thermae and the disco's closing at the same time there is much less freelance activity afterwards which means more activity by the girls for the bars. This has apparently resulted in increased barfine activity. I would guess that the early closing time means less hours required to work which reduces the amount of wages needed to be paid out. Maybe not directly on an individual basis but indirectly in the form of reduced staffing requirements to overlap each other during a typical business day (night).

Anyone out there have first hand confirmation or rebuttal to this please speak up. I am just as interested as anyone to know how true this is.