Pattayaland bar closures

[SidJames]

I was downtown last night & saw that another of the old bars has closed down in Pattayaland.

Sinbin has is shutters down & paddlocked.

I asked in Sugar Shack & one of the customers told me that they (Sinbin owners) couldn't afford it anymore.

Lewinsky's was empty as well & you couldn't get in the door on golf night's there not so long ago.

Sinbin was Mulligan's before that run by Larry then Tropics which was run by Jim & that's as far back as I go which is 20+ years.

Those sois were off the wall back in the day now they are mostly empty Indian restaurants or empty boy bars with only Classroom, Shamrock, Lewinskys, Sugar Shack & Sue's left trading.

 

 

[moonseeker]

Many more to follow... The end is near.... 5555555.... For sure it is, for the good old days and ways. MS>

[seasia]

It is certainly changing here.

[thailand49]

Competition? and that drives Rent?

[LALes]

More Indian restaurants on 13/1 and 13/2.  Bars are closing or boarded up.  The new Pattaya demographic.

The end of an era.

[sammieuk1]

On the bright side the new beach is now much closer to the sea?

[peterb17]

Well - you have to look at the demographics of the people living or visiting Pattaya.

 

The expat community living in and around Pattaya are not exactly youngsters - mostly retirees and tend not to visit these places. 

The Visa situation is now more tricky.

The Baht is strong and a trip from Europe has really become expensive - it’s not a cheap destination.

I know it’s not relevant to these bars - there used to be a younger gay crowd visiting - not any more - Jomtien Complex is like God’s waiting room complete with Zimmer frames.

The few remains punters are fed up with drinks costing more in some dodgy bar than in the capital cities of Europe, Australia etc. 

 

Who makes up the majority of visitors- Chinese, Indians and a few Russians - they do not go to bars.

 

Many Bangkokians come for the weekends -do not go to these establishments.

 

The reputation of Pattaya is constantly hammered by the tabloid press - it is a sleazy place to be avoided.

 

Back packers would not be seen dead in the place - does not fit in with finding themselves on cheap cocktails and drugs on a beach . 

 

And finally - if you are a desperate sexpat- a take away can be ordered with a few clicks on a smart phone - so why go to a seedy bar, be hassled for drinks etc. 

 

Demographics are changing , to be honest if all those beer bars closed down - would that be a bad thing? 

[jamie2009]

One bar closes more open, Tree Town on Soi Bukhao, 2/3 new Bars there, the Soi leading down from the Kasikorn Bank to 2nd Road, new development of Bars there, must be a least 4/5 new Bars there.

on Soi Bukhao new development with poster saying Bar for Rent.

Maybe the developers know more than us, in my 4/5 years in Pattaya I have seen a big decline in Farang tourists even at the peak periods plus the expat community is dwindling and not being replaced.

[Destiny1990]

Bars in pattaya nowadays their clients usually bored with them selves old farangs who cant operate a smart phone in 5 years that generation nolonger present.

Less bars in Pattaya will be fine..Most bars Pattaya have already much more staff then customers...

[AsiaHand]

About 20-25 years ago a frang could get a decent priced rent on a 3-4 shop house ,Get the liqueur license  in his girlfriends name,hang his homeland flag ,hire two girls to help out .What profit he made during the high season helped him live during the low season  with a bit left over to pay for his visa runs and play golf on some good courses .Then the greed of the landlords kicked in.When they saw the money made in the high seasons they started to jack up the rent for a new contrast ,the BIB wanted more as well ,the golf courses started to raising their prices also while letting their courses go to hell.A lot of my old friends that were the owners then sold out to the Thais or newbie frangs (suckers) and moved up north to Nong Khai ,Chang Mai ,etc.Others went to the Philippines and Vietnam to start over.It was great while it lasted.From a sleepy fishing village with the money in to there from Air America in the early 1960s Does anyone remember BJs little beach set up with seating for 4 at the bar under a brush arbor with two open air tables ? or Dennis Smith's OK Corral ?) and the build up during the Vietnam war then supported by the English and other Europeans traveling there with some staying on. to a great  fun little city.  Thanks to my Friends there I had a great life By By Pattaya....Dirty Jim 

[Jaybott]

Joining the list of closures will be the  entire Soi Rompho Beer Bar Complex off Jomtien 2nd Road. Its going to be some sort of medical center from what I've heard. Not sure if it's a government or private entity yet.

[baansgr]

I meet up with a friend every three months, last week had an evening out in Jomtien. Next time, we are just gonna get some beers and sit round the pool. Why pay more for a crappy bottle of lager than a decent pint in the UK just to look at girls playing on Facebook. Then to be called tight as dont leave a tip. I would think a few years from now apart from Bukhao there wont be any bars left.

[sanemax]

4 minutes ago, baansgr said:

I meet up with a friend every three months, last week had an evening out in Jomtien. Next time, we are just gonna get some beers and sit round the pool. Why pay more for a crappy bottle of lager than a decent pint in the UK just to look at girls playing on Facebook. Then to be called tight as dont leave a tip. I would think a few years from now apart from Bukhao there wont be any bars left.

If you have facebook , you can sit and talk to the girls live , whilst you are sat around the pool 

[SidJames]

49 minutes ago, Jaybott said:

Joining the list of closures will be the  entire Soi Rompho Beer Bar Complex off Jomtien 2nd Road. Its going to be some sort of medical center from what I've heard. Not sure if it's a government or private entity yet.

The land is owned by the Bangkok Christian Hospital but not so sure that this means that it will be a medical centre.

It's a massive site so there very well maybe something related to health care.

I just hope that it's not another massive condo project but something that will add to the area.

I'm only guessing though.

[Iforbach]

Yes not many bars left but i only need a few to drink in ? good ones survive ..yes lots bars closing but there were too many here although yes less westerners ...

 ..it happened in spain x pats throwing in keys ..on that if theres any guiness drinkers out there ..in your opinion weres best pint now days ..thnks 

 

[Sprigger]

They’ve finally killed the goose but can they see it not a chance, everything thing overpriced, corrupt police, unsmiling faces, dangerous environment, shitty beaches, stinking drains, rubbish everywhere, visa runaround, everything in duplicate and triplicate let them get on with it. It’s over

[Media1]

On 8/12/2018 at 1:47 PM, moonseeker said:

Many more to follow... The end is near.... 5555555.... For sure it is, for the good old days and ways. MS>

Snot true the army will moved on shortly and this rubbish will stop

[jamie2009]

The Brits ruined the Costa’s in Spain, it took nearly 25 years to repair the damage. It won’t happen in Pattaya, for me the place will end up as a ghost town as less and less Farangs come on holiday or retire.

The Thais think they can open Bar after Bar, put a few girls outside charge what the like and the customers will flock in.

They need too look at how a Bar should be set up, give the customers what they want and run like Scooters in Soi Bukhao albeit the music can be a bit loud. There are 2 more one in LK Metro and one in Soi 6.

You never see any of the staff on their mobile phones, that’s the way it should be.  

[Jingjock]

7 hours ago, sammieuk1 said:

On the bright side the new beach is now much closer to the sea

Two or three months it will all be in the sea

[adammike]

On a seven week trip in Jan/feb I stayed in jomtien ,went into Pattaya to do some shopping a few times popped into TQ1 for a cold one it was a warm one,Did get a cold one in Mr eggs bar and that was my only two drinks in Pattaya,couldnt get out quick enough.The promenade on beach road is an improvement but the traffic is a nightmare though it has slowed down a lot and there are crossings and lights on the road, second road is worse than ever.its a dump.See you next January booked for 52 days, Brexit will be a fact when I arrive back home in the Netherlands guess my British passport means I line up in the non EU lines.Oh and I see the Euro is at a years low against the dollar and gone under 38 to the baht.happy days.

[phantomfiddler]

Pattayaland 1 used to be the jewel in the crown, but as soon as the gay bars took over the Soi 2 half of the street it was all over. Every bar had half a dozen almost naked boys standing in the middle of the street actually trying to drag passers-by into their bar, and it wasn,t long before people just started avoiding going down these streets. Don,t call me homophobic, but you could say I suffer from homodium, I just don,t like them. They make terrible neighbours, apart from the excessive noise consistently encroaching outside their boundaries, parking their vehicles in front of, and often blocking in, nearby straight bars (but no-one is allowed to park in front of their bars !).

[maxcorrigan]

12 minutes ago, phantomfiddler said:

Pattayaland 1 used to be the jewel in the crown, but as soon as the gay bars took over the Soi 2 half of the street it was all over. Every bar had half a dozen almost naked boys standing in the middle of the street actually trying to drag passers-by into their bar, and it wasn,t long before people just started avoiding going down these streets. Don,t call me homophobic, but you could say I suffer from homodium, I just don,t like them. They make terrible neighbours, apart from the excessive noise consistently encroaching outside their boundaries, parking their vehicles in front of, and often blocking in, nearby straight bars (but no-one is allowed to park in front of their bars !).

I don't .like them either, is Palmers bar still there or did it get swallowed up by the ever encroaching Boys Town, i knew Bob Palmer great bloke, used to get some good home cooked meals in his bar!  

[DrTuner]

That area is little Mumbai now. 

[bubblehead]

1 hour ago, maxcorrigan said:

I don't .like them either, is Palmers bar still there or did it get swallowed up by the ever encroaching Boys Town, i knew Bob Palmer great bloke, used to get some good home cooked meals in his bar!  

Yes I liked the food at Palmers Bar too. I have not been down that street for nearly 20 years.

 

What about Cheers bar is that still there?

 

[SidJames]

Palmers moved across the road for a few years but Bob finally gave up the ghost earlier this year & also threw the keys back in.

Bob is a true gent.

Cheers has gone as has the Blue viking place opposite Sue's Place.

[kevin612]

thais are too greedy

[bubblehead]

2 hours ago, SidJames said:

Palmers moved across the road for a few years but Bob finally gave up the ghost earlier this year & also threw the keys back in.

Bob is a true gent.

Cheers has gone as has the Blue viking place opposite Sue's Place.

Thanks for the info Sid. I agree Bob was great bloke.

 

I wonder what happened to Stan and Colin at Cheers that was one of the first bars I went in back in 1990. They stood the test of time. You don't see many bars lasting that long. Any idea when they closed?

[maxcorrigan]

3 hours ago, SidJames said:

Palmers moved across the road for a few years but Bob finally gave up the ghost earlier this year & also threw the keys back in.

Bob is a true gent.

Cheers has gone as has the Blue viking place opposite Sue's Place.

Thanks for the update Sid, have'nt been to that neck of the woods for many years and often wondered about Bob Palmer, what do you mean "threw the keys back in" do you mean got out of the bar game altogether?

[cyberfarang]

12 hours ago, AsiaHand said:

About 20-25 years ago a frang could get a decent priced rent on a 3-4 shop house ,Get the liqueur license  in his girlfriends name,hang his homeland flag ,hire two girls to help out .What profit he made during the high season helped him live during the low season  with a bit left over to pay for his visa runs and play golf on some good courses .Then the greed of the landlords kicked in.When they saw the money made in the high seasons they started to jack up the rent for a new contrast ,the BIB wanted more as well ,the golf courses started to raising their prices also while letting their courses go to hell.A lot of my old friends that were the owners then sold out to the Thais or newbie frangs (suckers) and moved up north to Nong Khai ,Chang Mai ,etc.Others went to the Philippines and Vietnam to start over.It was great while it lasted.From a sleepy fishing village with the money in to there from Air America in the early 1960s Does anyone remember BJs little beach set up with seating for 4 at the bar under a brush arbor with two open air tables ? or Dennis Smith's OK Corral ?) and the build up during the Vietnam war then supported by the English and other Europeans traveling there with some staying on. to a great  fun little city.  Thanks to my Friends there I had a great life By By Pattaya....Dirty Jim 

There is more to it than this.

 

The whole Thai hospitality industry has become greedy. There is no such thing as a cheap social night out in Thailand any more, especially in the adult entertainment sectors. In-fact it can now cost more for a night out in Thailand then in most western countries. Then include the police clamp downs, strong baht and high commercialisation whereas big companies are taking over everything into the mix = it`s not fun any more. It`s simply not good value for money.

 

Last year I visited Vietnam for the first time and was amazed to discover how cheap everything was compared to Thailand.

 

I have lived in Thailand for several years, living in Chiang Mai, that I`ve nicknamed, Boredville. If not had laid down foundations in this country, I would never again be holidaying in Thailand and have recommended many of my family and friends abroad not to visit here, as they`ll going to be disappointed.

 

For us old timers that remember better times, the party`s over.

[bubblehead]

6 minutes ago, cyberfarang said:

There is more to it than this.

 

The whole Thai hospitality industry has become greedy. There is no such thing as a cheap social night out in Thailand any more, especially in the adult entertainment sectors. In-fact it can now cost more for a night out in Thailand then in most western countries. Then include the police clamp downs, strong baht and high commercialisation whereas big companies are taking over everything into the mix = it`s not fun any more. It`s simply not good value for money.

 

Last year I visited Vietnam for the first time and was amazed to discover how cheap everything was compared to Thailand.

 

I have lived in Thailand for several years, living in Chiang Mai, that I`ve nicknamed, Boredville. If not had laid down foundations in this country, I would never again be holidaying in Thailand and have recommended many of my family and friends abroad not to visit here, as they`ll going to be disappointed.

 

For us old timers that remember better times, the party`s over.

"For us old timers that remember better times, the party`s over".

 

Not a chance me old Pal!!!! It has only just begun, move with the times.