News Forum - BREAKING: Reopening of bars and nightclubs pushed to mid-January 2022

[Rafealye]

Soi for you to say something like that is utterly ridiculous. You rather risk these girls spreading covid rather then actually maintaining safety in Thailand? The main reason of the return of the surge was due to the nightclubs. That was the first cluster that led to this huge second wave. The government is right in delaying opening. They should be focusing on controlling and making sure majority of the population is vaccinated first. Look at regions like the US and Europe. People are going to nba matches and premiere league matches with attendance over the tens of thousands why? Because they were able to control at the start. Not like thailand who did a half ass job reopened clubs March and invited the second surge

[Stonker]

41 minutes ago, Soidog said:

The official figures are not a true reflection of what is going on.

Sorry, but that's exactly what they are.

Almost certainly not strictly accurate as it's impossible for anyone's to be, anywhere, but they're a very true "reflection of what's going on", very clearly supported by every other indicator such as excess deaths, serious hospital cases and numbers on ventilators, and they always have been if you look back over the last two years.

All show exactly the same thing, reflecting the government figures and confirming the trends up and down, and they always have.

41 minutes ago, Soidog said:

... but we hear daily stories of whole villages being locked down, schools being closed. “Clusters” in markets and factories.

Just goes to show that you shouldn't listen to "stories" on the internet that are at best a very narrow snapshot of the big picture and at worst contradicting or ignoring independent experts by those with their own agendas.

[Soidog]

1 minute ago, PBS said:

If London is any indication, many Saudi's love drinking away from home.

IMO after boasting Thailand is reopened for tourism, many people would have booked for Xmas / New Year holidays in the sun, closing bars and so on for the period, at this late stage, will do a fair amount of reputational harm for Thailand as a tourist destination.

Exactly right. The hypocrisy of the rich Arabs is staggering. No alcohol. No gambling and no womanising (Unless you are in a European city).
 

I get your point about the people booking for Christmas and New Year. But you really do have to question your decision making skills if you decided to fly to Thailand with all that’s going on and not checking first.   

[gummy]

3 minutes ago, PBS said:

If London is any indication, many Saudi's love drinking away from home.

IMO after boasting Thailand is reopened for tourism, many people would have booked for Xmas / New Year holidays in the sun, closing bars and so on for the period, at this late stage, will do a fair amount of reputational harm for Thailand as a tourist destination.

Looks like if Thais want a good piss-up for Xmas and New Year Bavaria is their favoured location, cos sure as hell Thailand isn't. 

[palooka]

8 minutes ago, PBS said:

will do a fair amount of reputational harm for Thailand as a tourist destination.

You can only harm a reputation if you have one, Thailand doesn't. 
It is a dead duck due to all the illogical, poorly thought out plans for tourism.

[palooka]

13 minutes ago, Soidog said:

Exactly right. The hypocrisy of the rich Arabs is staggering. No alcohol. No gambling and no womanising (Unless you are in a European city).

It isn't only the men either, met a few arabic young ladies myself in London years ago that went there to supposedly train as nurses who had a wild lifestyle that was "fixed" Gynecologically before returning to Arab homes.

[Soidog]

19 minutes ago, palooka said:

It isn't only the men either, met a few arabic young ladies myself in London years ago that went there to supposedly train as nurses who had a wild lifestyle that was "fixed" Gynecologically before returning to Arab homes.

It’s incredible isn’t it. I’ve not heard of that but can fully believe it. I don’t mind people doing whatever floats their boat. Hypocrisy however is infuriating.
 

 

[HolyCowCm]

The only thing now you have is, and the Thai have? Is the right to be silent. 
Anything else you will be convicted of unless it shows love for them.

[HolyCowCm]

You guys and girls should stop on criticizing them. Constitutional Court rule under rule 49 says it is now illegal. Don't you get it?

[Paco]

Government doing stupid again is because they are stupid and koekoe...  I think with all their statements and plans that always fall apart, governments does not have the balls to open the entertainment, because they do not have the brains to even do anything right ... government like always you slowly , dumb and disgusting, rest of the world is drinking one on this one.... and that is why they not coming to  thailand because clowns are running it that you can not trust  on their word ever...  the entire government  disgust me, greed, stupidly and no brains

[Rookiescot]

4 hours ago, Rip255 said:

A lot of us loathe alcohol and the massive negative impact it has on society. Who wants to holiday in a place where the overwhelming majority of tourists are fat, shirtless, smelly drunks. 

I live in Pattaya and welcome the move to banish the barflys.

Better to shed its reputation as a place for drunks and hookers and instead target foreigners that have money to spend on less deviant pastimes like sightseeing, shopping and fine dining.  

You chose to live in Pattaya but hate the bars?

If you think the pandemic is going to turn Pattaya into Monaco I fear you will be waiting a long time. It will have caused the place to revert back about 15 or 20 years but it will always have a reputation of being the biggest open air knocking shop in the world.

The punters will return and the girls will return. Its just going to take a while is all.

Why on earth would you live there given your feelings about the clientele? 

[Brownie]

47 minutes ago, Soidog said:

It’s incredible isn’t it. I’ve not heard of that but can fully believe it. I don’t mind people doing whatever floats their boat. Hypocrisy however is infuriating.
 

It's not hypocrisy - The religion does not allow them to have booze or do stuff that needs to be "fixed Gynecologically".  My religion does not allow me to eat beef, but I love a juicy cheesburger or well done steak whenever I'm overseas!  Difference is that I don't look like a Hindu eating beef surreptitiously, just like a regular guy floating his boat

[NCC1701A]

what is wrong with all of you? lol. 

[poohy]

2 hours ago, gummy said:

Looks like if Thais want a good piss-up for Xmas and New Year Bavaria is their favoured location, cos sure as hell Thailand isn't. 

BUT

Hotels are crowded and Christmas Photos problematic

[Sarisin]

5 hours ago, Rip255 said:

A lot of us loathe alcohol and the massive negative impact it has on society. Who wants to holiday in a place where the overwhelming majority of tourists are fat, shirtless, smelly drunks. 

I live in Pattaya and welcome the move to banish the barflys.

Better to shed its reputation as a place for drunks and hookers and instead target foreigners that have money to spend on less deviant pastimes like sightseeing, shopping and fine dining.  

It's more the hordes of tourists, I'd rather see drunks and hookers than the millions of Chinese who used to turn up, they really did have a negative impact.

[Poolie]

22 minutes ago, Sarisin said:

It's more the hordes of tourists, I'd rather see drunks and hookers than the millions of Chinese who used to turn up, they really did have a negative impact.

I think the clue is in the end of your sentence. You haven't thought it through have you?

[JohninDublin]

7 hours ago, gummy said:

Well Bryon Flowers who claimed at the beginning of the week he is going on hunger strike will now have a further opportunity to loose weight, well assuming he actually started in the first place, if it is into Jan 2022 before the bars can open.

I was just thinking that they might have to rename Nightwish, to Deathwish.

[JohninDublin]

7 hours ago, Rip255 said:

A lot of us loathe alcohol and the massive negative impact it has on society. Who wants to holiday in a place where the overwhelming majority of tourists are fat, shirtless, smelly drunks. 

I live in Pattaya and welcome the move to banish the barflys.

Better to shed its reputation as a place for drunks and hookers and instead target foreigners that have money to spend on less deviant pastimes like sightseeing, shopping and fine dining.  

Your post reminds me of the car hating cyclists. If it wasn't for the cars, there would be few good roads to cycle on. In the same way, if it wasn't for the barfly's and deviants, Pattaya would still be a fishing village, and then where would you go for fine dining and shopping? 

Yours is the sort of attitude that led to the genocide of many indigenous people. "Yes. They've done a good job of making this land attractive. Now let's get rid of all these scum who built the place".

[Soidog]

2 hours ago, Brownie said:

It's not hypocrisy - The religion does not allow them to have booze or do stuff that needs to be "fixed Gynecologically".  My religion does not allow me to eat beef, but I love a juicy cheesburger or well done steak whenever I'm overseas!  Difference is that I don't look like a Hindu eating beef surreptitiously, just like a regular guy floating his boat

Sorry @Brownie I’ve either missed your humour or you haven’t made clear what you mean. 

[ace035]

8 hours ago, Shade_Wilder said:

And there it is Pattaya; you are totally screwed.

Isn't it an amazing coincidence that the only competition to Bangkok's tourism business/night life isn't allowed to open the very things that it is famous for? Isn't it an amazing coincidence that the only places allowed to sell alcohol in Thai restaurants, outside of Bangkok, are far, far outside of Bangkok?

The "Kingdom of Bangkok and Surroundings" is truly official policy now.

Pack up your bags, Patts; you ain't wanted here no more/

Don't worry, it will get extended again next month for sure

6 hours ago, Pi_Tim said:

Wouaw, if they push it for 2 months more without even mentioning they might revise it next month, it means there is a serious problem behind this decision.

5th wave on the way ?

Absolutely, everybody in the whole world will be arriving in mid-January to February. Prepare for major outbreak coming up unless the Thai government keep extending it over and over again for the last 21 months.

[ace035]

7 hours ago, Lowseasonlover said:

I said a while ago the government want to get rid of the bars they are doing a good job so far 

I agree with you as long as the Thai government keep extending the bars/entertainment venues closure over and over again for the next 5 years, not an issue for reopening. I am happy for it. What it matter most is Thailand open for tourism.

[JohninDublin]

6 hours ago, Rip255 said:

If given the choice of preferred tourist between a courteous Japanese family who buys designer fashion, enjoys fine dining and spends their days embracing all that the country has to offer...

Or a shirtless barfly whose day consists of drinking 18 singhas and soliciting past-their-prime prostitutes

I know which segment of the tourism market I'd be targetting

OTOH, whoever went broke giving the customer what they wanted? You do of course realise that the segment you are scorning spends far more collectively than Japanese families visiting Pattaya. If ever you have a business idea and are looking for investors, in the words of Samuel Goldwyn, "Include me out".

[JohninDublin]

5 hours ago, Soidog said:

This is the clearest demonstration yet that the authorise know the real situation in Thailand. The official numbers are just official nonsense.  
 

Schools in Khon Kaen that closed last week for one week are now closed until December 1st. Why? Because they are worried about general case numbers in the province. Well if you look at the official figures you shouldn’t be worried.
 

The same is being illustrated here. If case numbers were as low as they are. Claiming today of 7,300 and 51 deaths then you would crack on and open. They know that is simply not the real picture and being forced to admit it and maintain restrictions. 
 

Whatever is really going on, this is the right decisions. I would also add that I’m not holding my breath that Jan 15th will be the time they will open. Vaccination rates by then will be far higher and so it’s possible, but not guaranteed. Why 15th Jan? Nothing big happening then. May as  well go for Feb 1st, although April 1st would seem more appropriate

Totally agree with you. I want to get to somewhere like TH so bad, it almost hurts. I live in a country which has one of the toughest lockdowns in Europe, but I am not going to criticise my gov because they are impinging on my freedom to enjoy myself. They may or may not have it right, but when the critics start complaining, it wont be because my gov let too many people die. 

And for that very same reason, I will not criticise TH for remaining cautious. 

[JohninDublin]

5 hours ago, MikeW said:

Another holier then thou do gooder 

I don't mind "do-gooders". They usually act out of compassion and I see nothing wrong in that even if they might be misguided. However when they are also "holier than thou", their agenda usually is totally devoid of compassion or tolerance.

[Alavan]

4 hours ago, PBS said:

If London is any indication, many Saudi's love drinking away from home.

 

About 30 years ago some friends, who also befriended the Saudi ambassador in my country, told me I should see the wine cellar of the Saudi Embassy. Unbelievable.
I saw that ambassador a few months later on a BBQ in their villa, and that Saudi was drinking wine. Seems contrary to Christianity, the moment the wine touched his lips it changed to water.