News Forum - Will Thailand’s nightlife survive another 2 months of closure?

[Malc-Thai]

  On 11/13/2021 at 9:25 AM, JohninDubin said:

I wouldn't say it's in "full swing", but there are signs that it is heading back to normal with some of the bars re-opened: This was from 2 days ago.

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This is misleading video John, I live here and this video is early evening, come along a bit later and the road is pretty packed

Edited November 13, 2021 by Malc-Thai

[Stonker]

  On 11/13/2021 at 9:49 AM, HolyCowCm said:

Take away bars and nightlife and alcohol and they have successfully killed tourism. 

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"killed" ?

Wouldn't 'hibernation' be a more accurate term, particularly as no-one else seems to have rushed to fill the void?

[Soidog]

  On 11/13/2021 at 9:45 AM, gummy said:

Well he also is only  38/39 so at that impressionable age where they  think they need to impress people on a forum perhaps so we should give him a bit of latitude so as he can relieve the emotional stress of what you have deduced 

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Yes I think that’s a fair comment. I’ll lengthen the piece of rope

[HolyCowCm]

  On 11/13/2021 at 9:52 AM, Stonker said:

"killed" ?

Wouldn't 'hibernation' be a more accurate term, particularly as no-one else seems to have rushed to fill the void?

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Caught in a perpetual void? 

[Stonker]

  On 11/13/2021 at 9:52 AM, Malc-Thai said:

This is misleading video John, I live here and this video is early evening, come along a bit later and the road is pretty packed

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... and mask-wearing already seems to have been abandoned by many, particularly the farang element (all of them in that pic, as far as I can see).

Vaccinated or not, it's a disaster waiting to happen if the UK and other countries are anything to go by.

There are more people masked in my village, out of respect for others, and recently we've had three cases a day across the complete province.

[JohninDublin]

  On 11/13/2021 at 9:50 AM, HolyCowCm said:

Wow. I think I need to go to Phuket. I am fully vaccinated. 

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Go for it. That was my first thought when I saw this and I would have booked my ticket by now, were it not for the fact that I have to be home for a couple of important matters that limit me to under a fortnight.

But Jan is looking good.

[Malc-Thai]

  On 11/13/2021 at 10:02 AM, Stonker said:

... and mask-wearing already seems to have been abandoned by many, particularly the farang element (all of them in that pic, as far as I can see).

Vaccinated or not, it's a disaster waiting to happen if the UK and other countries are anything to go by.

There are more people masked in my village, out of respect for others, and recently we've had three cases a day across the complete province.

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Totally agree. Security, they do a temperature check each end of the street and vaccination checks (thai only) then masks off! 

We go for a walk there to a couple of friends bars but early before it gets too busy (not pre covid busy). and sit outside.. it gets more packed at weekends,  which seems to show expats or people living here going.. more than the everyday holidaying tourist..

[JohninDublin]

  On 11/13/2021 at 9:51 AM, Soidog said:

They truly are inscrutable people. Government announced to the world that bars and nightlife would remain closed until mid Jan 2022 and yet this is how it is already

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That vid is not unique. There are several others posted recently with similar content.

[Griff1315]

  On 11/13/2021 at 9:03 AM, Soidog said:

I take your point, which is one side of the problem. But what else would you have the government do? Personally I would like to have seen them provide much better financial support to businesses and people during the past 20 months. 

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They are too busy filling their own pockets and off shore accounts to show any interest in giving financial support to the businesses that they have closed...

[JohninDublin]

  On 11/13/2021 at 9:52 AM, Malc-Thai said:

This is misleading video John, I live here and this video is early evening, come along a bit later and the road is pretty packed

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Yes. I agree. I've since seen several others, where there is much more activity. But this was the first I saw.

[gummy]

  On 11/13/2021 at 10:11 AM, Griff1315 said:

They are too busy filling their own pockets and off shore accounts to show any interest in giving financial support to the businesses that they have closed...

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So right you are

[NCC1701A]

i walked down Soi Cowboy the other night. everything was closed except one bar. Many people out front at tables drinking. girls grabbing me to pull me inside. "One beer! One beer!" I explained that I don't drink and that I was looking for my girlfriend.  

amazing how one bar can remain open. Must be selling peanuts.  

one the other hand Soi 8 and 22 were busy. Viva restaurant soi 8 was very busy. all of the bars on soi 23 were closed. Crazy House dark. Little Italy was open. 

Back in totally dead Hua Hin you can get a beer in a paper cup like you are at a USA baseball game. somehow that makes it invisible.  A few bars are open illegally for the hard core barflies on soi 80.

[Stonker]

  On 11/13/2021 at 9:55 AM, HolyCowCm said:

Caught in a perpetual void? 

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But does hibernation hurt?

To be a bit more specific, where else are the customers, old and new, going to go for more of the same if that's what they want?

I see plenty of other countries making plans to attract digital nomads post-Covid, but I've not seen anyone else talking about attracting those who want "entertainment" !

[HolyCowCm]

  On 11/13/2021 at 10:07 AM, JohninDubin said:

Go for it. That was my first thought when I saw this and I would have booked my ticket by now, were it not for the fact that I have to be home for a couple of important matters that limit me to under a fortnight.

But Jan is looking good.

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I was thinking about January, but I have promised my kids to take them on a nice beach trip (maybe Samui) then at that time if they can swing it. But realistically might have to postpone that idea with them until March because they are in University. Now I just hope a USA great old friend of mine comes in January as he has been planning to come for awhile now, but won't until nightlife is open and I do not blame him one little bit. I think there is a lot of us here who need to have some travel fun around here. CM is just dead and if not dead still isn't calling me to go out like a beach area is.

[JohninDublin]

  On 11/13/2021 at 8:54 AM, Rip255 said:

Nice piece but sadly it misses the mark. 

Those caught up in the alcohol industry, whether they be consumers or suppliers, believe its some kind of injustice and its costing jobs and money.

Theyre naive. Its a plan by the govt to reduce the harmful impacts of the ethanol game to all sectors of society.

Respectable Thai people see alcoholism as losing face and are deeply shamed by it. If your only conversation with Thais is to a bargirl working for tips and short times, then you may not be aware of this. 

This explains the drinking at a restaurant rule. A glass of beer over dinner is suitable but discos and girly bars are nothing but trouble.

If you think your beer money is worth more to Thais than protecting their culture...then you're sadly mistaken. 

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Not quite sure I understand your post, especially in respect to bar girls. AFAIK, P4P has been endemic throughout TH, long before the Yanks were coming to Pattaya. But a lot of the trade in those days was in village brothels. It became more of a social event when alcohol was introduced into the equation.

I am not aware if TH has an alcohol prob that is any better or worse than anywhere else, but I can't say I've seen much in the way of trouble in girly bars. Usually when I have, it's from an obnoxious English visitor, who would probably be the same in any location.

[HolyCowCm]

  On 11/13/2021 at 10:14 AM, Stonker said:

But does hibernation hurt?

To be a bit more specific, where else are the customers, old and new, going to go for more of the same if that's what they want?

I see plenty of other countries making plans to attract digital nomads post-Covid, but I've not seen anyone else talking about attracting those who want "entertainment" !

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I take it you are not a night life person. If these guys who assumed control and kept it were not in then I would surmise we would be seeing quite the opposite and even with everyone vaccinated with the vaccine of their choice..

[JohninDublin]

  On 11/13/2021 at 9:10 AM, Rip255 said:

Soliciting a hitman generates revenue for the local economy too but unfortunately some transactions (eg alcohol) provide a net negative contribution to society. 

Need proof? Compare the value to society that a fit, tea-totaling 65 year old makes compared to a common barfly of the same age. 

One is spritely, probably still working and playing football with the grandkids while still earning AND spending money on other products. 

The other is immobile, burdening the healthcare system and misses his grandsons football final cos its 'happy hour' down at the local dive bar.

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Here we go again. Another person who labels drinkers as "barflies". A huge section of the TH tourist industry was built on the back of these people, and nobody was complaining too loudly about that at the time. I've already made the point, that you are like a car hating cyclist. The "roads" that you now enjoy were built at the expense of the car drivers, but they've served their purpose as far as you are concerned so they can all get lost.

[Stonker]

  On 11/13/2021 at 10:08 AM, Malc-Thai said:

Security, they do a temperature check each end of the street and vaccination checks (thai only) then masks off! 

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Cursory would be an understatement - going by the comments on Tik-Tok, those Thais who aren't in the bars are anything but impressed and those bashing the government about wanting change aren't doing their cause any favours at all.

[HolyCowCm]

  On 11/13/2021 at 10:22 AM, JohninDubin said:

Not quite sure I understand your post, especially in respect to bar girls. AFAIK, P4P has been endemic throughout TH, long before the Yanks were coming to Pattaya. But a lot of the trade in those days was in village brothels. It became more of a social event when alcohol was introduced into the equation.

I am not aware if TH has an alcohol prob that is any better or worse than anywhere else, but I can't say I've seen much in the way of trouble in girly bars. Usually when I have, it's from an obnoxious English visitor, who would probably be the same in any location.

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Yeah, even over 30 years ago in the remote areas where nothing is there still were girls and straw hut or bamboo quick made bars. Issan, in the north here in CM area and down south. Been here long before it opened outward tot he world.

[Pompies]

The claim that part of the reason for continued closure is the inefficient following of regulations is spurious because the places are closed, so no audit of efficiency can take or has taken place. Gathering in large numbers in malls, fresh markets, big box stores etc is allowed and they are no more efficient than any bar. Our premises are open on two sides, we installed additional extraction fans, bought thermo scanners, reduced the seating to comply with social distancing, installed a UV cabinet for sanitising cutlery & crockery, & have staff 100% vaccinated and still cannot open. There is a hidden agenda within the CCSA and government that is using the pandemic to deliberately bankrupt certain types of businesses and thus ensure that Thailand is not attractive to dirty farangs. Guess who our 18 unemployed staff will be voting for at the next election.

[Stonker]

  On 11/13/2021 at 10:22 AM, HolyCowCm said:

I take it you are not a night life person. If these guys who assumed control and kept it were not in then I would surmise we would be seeing quite the opposite and even with everyone vaccinated with the vaccine of their choice..

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I was, but I can quite happily live with or without it and I don't need to live in a chocolate shop to enjoy chocolate.

The point I'm making is that this whole argument about Thailand's nightlife not "surviving" if it doesn't open for a couple more months is absurd and doesn't hold up to any sort of rational thought at all.

Will the demand still be there after two more months - or even two more years?

Obviously 'yes' unless everyone becomes teetotal and asexual, which is hardly likely.

Has anyone else indicated any interest in catering to that demand if Thailand doesn't for a couple of months?

'No', no takers at all.

Given that, the answer to the original question is unavoidably a very clear 'yes'.

[JohninDublin]

  On 11/13/2021 at 10:32 AM, Stonker said:

Cursory would be an understatement - going by the comments on Tik-Tok, those Thais who aren't in the bars are anything but impressed and those bashing the government about wanting change aren't doing their cause any favours at all.

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Just watched a vid which included the temp checks to get onto Bangla Rd.I think I saw three which came out at between 36.3 -36.5 based on hand temps. Usually people who are well record 36.8 - 37 on forehead checks. 

My first thoughts on seeing this, were that maybe hand temps are not as accurate as forehead temps. Then it occurred to me, that if I bought a beer from say 7/11 and drank that, 5 mins of handling the bottle would certainly reduce my hand temp. Then I wondered if the machine might have been deliberately calibrated to under-report temps. 

Not sure I have any faith in hand temp testing!

[Stonker]

  On 11/13/2021 at 10:39 AM, Pompies said:

Guess who our 18 unemployed staff will be voting for at the next election.

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Probably not you!

Only joking, and more seriously the "efficient following of regulations" or not seems pretty clear.

While they're only narrow snapshots, there are an awful lot of narrow snapshots that aren't endearing those in them to a lot of Thais and while many aren't in favour of the present regime many of the same people aren't in favour of opening up either.

Those opposing the government on this aren't doing themselves any favours as they're pushing people to the government camp who are otherwise their fiercest opponents on all other issues.

[HolyCowCm]

  On 11/13/2021 at 10:44 AM, Stonker said:

I was, but I can quite happily live with or without it and I don't need to live in a chocolate shop to enjoy chocolate.

The point I'm making is that this whole argument about Thailand's nightlife not "surviving" if it doesn't open for a couple more months is absurd and doesn't hold up to any sort of rational thought at all.

Will the demand still be there after two more months - or even two more years?

Obviously 'yes' unless everyone becomes teetotal and asexual, which is hardly likely.

Has anyone else indicated any interest in catering to that demand if Thailand doesn't for a couple of months?

'No', no takers at all.

Given that, the answer to the original question is unavoidably a very clear 'yes'.

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Ok, good to know you put some rum in your tea. I think it has to be seen what their real intention is and that will unfold as time goes.

[Stonker]

  On 11/13/2021 at 11:01 AM, JohninDubin said:

Just watched a vid which included the temp checks to get onto Bangla Rd.I think I saw three which came out at between 36.3 -36.5 based on hand temps. Usually people who are well record 36.8 - 37 on forehead checks. 

My first thoughts on seeing this, were that maybe hand temps are not as accurate as forehead temps. Then it occurred to me, that if I bought a beer from say 7/11 and drank that, 5 mins of handling the bottle would certainly reduce my hand temp. Then I wondered if the machine might have been deliberately calibrated to under-report temps. 

Not sure I have any faith in hand temp testing!

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You're 100% right .

While the better sensors, say at 7-11, alarm to an "under-read", from holding a cold glass even for just a few seconds, many only alarm to a high temp.

I tried it in 7-11 when I was bored, on my way out .