Silly business ideas and tactics.

Hi,

In these times of austerity and lack of tourism due to everything from the global meltdown to the flooding in Thailand, one would think that the businesses involved in the gay industry (and straight ones for that matter) would take a pragmatic approach to address their lack of custom but No!

They would prefer to have meetings within their cartels/cliques where they all club together and try to act in unison by all agreeing to raise their prices for off fees and drinks as well as the sex workers demanding far more and doing far less. This has become the usual cycle of greed with all that it entails with a few exceptions of those bars refusing to ' toe the line ' regards these narrow minded and silly business practices.

We have some properties which we rent out a bit higher up the rental scale, as soon as the meltdown occurred we were aware that a lot of ther companies employing foreigners over in Thailand paid them in USD and that we would no longer be able to demand the previous income as they would shop elsewhere. We reduced the rental figure and kept the properties full and maintained because it's not just the income you are not receiving, it is the money you are having to pay each month for electricity, maintenance of the property such as gardens and swimming pools etc. which is an outgoing you don't want or need.

What is the result of their business practices? Easy, less people visiting, more using GR and other social networks and those that do visit, go less often and spend less and it also leads to an increase in the turnaround of staff as they are not getting the ' offs ' so resort to other means of getting custom or changing their workplace.

Amazing indeed and most of these are run by foreigners not Thais. They should cut their margins and expect less just like every business has done around the world instead of trying to think because they all raise their prices they present the customer with no choice. Bangkok has learned that the hard way. The go go days are numbered for sure.

Times have moved on and less and less people are going to frequent bars with exorbitant pricing and disinterested boys who would rather be elsewhere and don't care if you know it or occupy themselves by playing with their mobile phones.

Hi,

Anyone paying 400 baht for an off, 300 baht for a drink and then 1500-2000 for an overnight might as well stay at home. There are guys working at home in the UK that will go at those prices, and that's a fact.

That's 8 quid ($12) to walk out of the bar, 6 quid ($9) a drink and 40 quid ($60) overnight.

There are young clean guys in Leeds, Manchester,Blackpool, Liverpool and Bradford that I know that will go for that... :occasion5:

[lexusgs]

Hi,

Anyone paying 400 baht for an off, 300 baht for a drink and then 1500-2000 for an overnight might as well stay at home. There are guys working at home in the UK that will go at those prices, and that's a fact.

That's 8 quid ($12) to walk out of the bar, 6 quid ($9) a drink and 40 quid ($60) overnight.

There are young clean guys in Leeds, Manchester,Blackpool, Liverpool and Bradford that I know that will go for that... :occasion5:


Newcastle too Mr Quill :happy7:

You are of course quite correct in what you say. The world is moving on and the evolution of the Thai economy will have a major effect on the bar scene as we know it now. Things never stay the same.

[netrix]

tourism is 6% of thailand's economy. only S I X percent! and that's ALL tourism.
and the old, wrinkly, gay sexpat tourism is a tiny fraction of that.
most old queens in thailand think the country somehow revolves
around them. what makes you think anyone will give a fuck if you
don't go to the gogo bars as much anymore?

[lexusgs]

tourism is 6% of thailand's economy. only S I X percent! and that's ALL tourism.
and the old, wrinkly, gay sexpat tourism is a tiny fraction of that.
most old queens in thailand think the country somehow revolves
around them. what makes you think anyone will give a fuck if you
don't go to the gogo bars as much anymore?

The strange thing is you keep contributing here so must feel a kindred spirit. Better to vent your frustration elsewhere I reckon. This post is just venomous bile.
I see your latest post has you leaving. Do you think anyone gives a fuck? :hello2: bye bye

tourism is 6% of thailand's economy. only S I X percent! and that's ALL tourism.
and the old, wrinkly, gay sexpat tourism is a tiny fraction of that.
most old queens in thailand think the country somehow revolves
around them. what makes you think anyone will give a fuck if you
don't go to the gogo bars as much anymore?


No attack Netrix,

But why do you bother with a gay board focussed on Thaland and especially the go go and bar scene if it annoys/ upsets you?.... :dontknow:

[RonanTheBarbarian]

Hi kevinquill,

Interesting report. So can I take from what you are saying that most of the bars in Btown are charging 400 bt for an off? That seems like Bangkok prices and, considering how many of those who holiday in Pattaya are Cheap Ch...eh, very price conscious (and indeed often choose it over Bangkok for that very reason) you would think the bar-owners would realise that they are damaging the Pattaya "brand".

Just for comparison what is the average off fee in Sunee and Jomtien at the moment?

I would have thought closer to 250 bt but perhaps I am out of date. Is there a price difference between Jomtien and Sunee?

I remember Shamelessmack once did in article where he compared the off fees over the decades in Bangkok and Pattaya. He had recorded the off fees he paid since the early 1990's in BKK and PTT and did up a graph of sorts showing the development up to 2009. Unfortunately that article has disappeared with the rest of Shamelessmack' s opus.

It would be interesting to have it now for comparative purposes.

[Beachlover]

They would prefer to have meetings within their cartels/cliques where they all club together and try to act in unison by all agreeing to raise their prices for off fees and drinks as well as the sex workers demanding far more and doing far less. This has become the usual cycle of greed with all that it entails with a few exceptions of those bars refusing to ' toe the line ' regards these narrow minded and silly business practices.

Anyone paying 400 baht for an off, 300 baht for a drink and then 1500-2000 for an overnight might as well stay at home. There are guys working at home in the UK that will go at those prices, and that's a fact.
Kquill... Are you referring to the Boyztown bars?

Aren't there plenty of other gay gogo bars in Pattaya people can go to if they're not happy with the prices there? I.e. The alternative isn't to stay home - they can just go to another bar - and the consequence will basically be less people visiting that particular strip of bars.


tourism is 6% of thailand's economy. only S I X percent! and that's ALL tourism.
and the old, wrinkly, gay sexpat tourism is a tiny fraction of that.
most old queens in thailand think the country somehow revolves
around them. what makes you think anyone will give a fuck if you
don't go to the gogo bars as much anymore?
Bit too harshly worded but still true... Thanks for giving the board some perspective.

Lexusgs - Before you accuse another poster of "venomous bile", remember plenty worse has come out of your mouth here.

Beachy,

These prices are what's happening in Boyztown from people there and on the ground. Bangkok of course can be worse as they try to get anything they can and never think or care about repeat business.

[christianpfc]

Hi,

Anyone paying 400 baht for an off, 300 baht for a drink and then 1500-2000 for an overnight might as well stay at home. There are guys working at home in the UK that will go at those prices, and that's a fact.

That's 8 quid ($12) to walk out of the bar, 6 quid ($9) a drink and 40 quid ($60) overnight.

There are young clean guys in Leeds, Manchester,Blackpool, Liverpool and Bradford that I know that will go for that... :occasion5:

I actually paid once 240 Baht drink, 500 Baht off, 1500 Baht tip for short time in Bangkok Soi Twilight and I would do it again if the right guy comes along. But generally, I am more "price-conscious" (as most of you already know).

I assume you can't get Thai guys (Chinese or Japanese would do as well) in the UK, or at least fewer to choose from than in Thailand. And there is another aspect that drives me to Thailand: the weather!

Plenty of asian students here in Brisbane Ive had quite a few for $100.

tourism is 6% of thailand's economy. only S I X percent! and that's ALL tourism.
and the old, wrinkly, gay sexpat tourism is a tiny fraction of that.
most old queens in thailand think the country somehow revolves
around them. what makes you think anyone will give a fuck if you
don't go to the gogo bars as much anymore?In another post someone says that 40 percent of males who visit the Philipines are sex tourists so you are saying that more guys go there for sex than go to Thailand???

[colmx]

If off fees in Boyztown are now 400B they might as well close up shop now...
Seems like its not just the Thais that put up the prices to gouge the farang when business is slow...
The farang bosses do it too!

Whatever happened to promotions?

Surely they should look at the success of the promotions being run in nearby bars and try and emulate them... instead of pricing themselves out of the market?

[latintopxxx]

this post is absolute music to my ears...I'm in ecstacy...thoiught i was the only sane voice in the wilderness...hail kquill and christpfc....
Always thought it was absolute rubbish when all the self rightteous sandal wearing tree huggers lambasted me for daring to suggest that i was disrespecting the honourable hard working rent boy by daring to pay him less than HIS asking price....HELLO...this is Asia...we bargain...for everything...and that includes arse.....
Maybe I take it to extremes but thats another story....
Onl;y fools would pay the full asking price...
If you bargain...beat his price down...and ensure that he respects his side of the bargain ...and pay....he WILL respect you....been around long enough that power and respect come in hand in hand...no one respects the smiley idiot who empties his wallet .....walking joke..

[kjun12]

tourism is 6% of thailand's economy. only S I X percent!
Please tell where you got this figure. I have read things which led me to believe that the tourist industry accounted for a lot more of Thailand's economic income. 6% certainly seems to be low.

[pong]

Hi,

In these times of austerity
) would take a pragmatic approach to address their lack of custom but No!

They would prefer to have meetings within their cartels/cliques where they all club together and try to act in unison by all agreeing to raise their prices for off fees and drinks as well as the sex workers demanding far more and doing far less..
Thats in the eyes of most Asians about what labour unions-that hailed success of the emancipation of the pitiful poor labourer, do in Europe. Just to show that many other ways of thinking also exist.........
BUT; back to subject, I think there is a daft easy answer: learn Thai. Go to the ''Thai'' places in suburban BKK-leave that Silom-safety bubble alone. I see no price hikes, I find much better service, I see braod smiles when I return-as sign of appreciation, and often even disocunts. Went to some place drowned out for 4 weeks since it reopened-and they ran special offers. Simply: you ask for it youself if you stcik to those farang-aimed places.
OR; try Malaysia, surprisingly, even though about anything there cost 20-30% more as in Thailand (hourly wage is 45 bt-=vs 25 in TH for same-low-skilled jobs), what we are looking for is often free or goes for a lower selling rate. But it is harder to find and less available.

[lexusgs]

They would prefer to have meetings within their cartels/cliques where they all club together and try to act in unison by all agreeing to raise their prices for off fees and drinks as well as the sex workers demanding far more and doing far less. This has become the usual cycle of greed with all that it entails with a few exceptions of those bars refusing to ' toe the line ' regards these narrow minded and silly business practices.

Anyone paying 400 baht for an off, 300 baht for a drink and then 1500-2000 for an overnight might as well stay at home. There are guys working at home in the UK that will go at those prices, and that's a fact.
Kquill... Are you referring to the Boyztown bars?

Aren't there plenty of other gay gogo bars in Pattaya people can go to if they're not happy with the prices there? I.e. The alternative isn't to stay home - they can just go to another bar - and the consequence will basically be less people visiting that particular strip of bars.


tourism is 6% of thailand's economy. only S I X percent! and that's ALL tourism.
and the old, wrinkly, gay sexpat tourism is a tiny fraction of that.
most old queens in thailand think the country somehow revolves
around them. what makes you think anyone will give a fuck if you
don't go to the gogo bars as much anymore?
Bit too harshly worded but still true... Thanks for giving the board some perspective.

Lexusgs - Before you accuse another poster of "venomous bile", remember plenty worse has come out of your mouth here.


lol you gotta be kidding me Beachy. I leave all that crap to you mate.

[Beachlover]

These prices are what's happening in Boyztown from people there and on the ground. Bangkok of course can be worse as they try to get anything they can and never think or care about repeat business.
That's what I assumed... but there's other commercial sex centres in Pattaya outside Boyztown right? Isn't there Sunee Plaza and Jomtien too? Won't they just be driving customers away from Boyztown and to these alternatives?

In any market, there's only so much of a premium customers will pay and only so many customers willing to pay it. What's the difference between Boyztown and the rest that allows the to command a premium?



tourism is 6% of thailand's economy. only S I X percent!Please tell where you got this figure. I have read things which led me to believe that the tourist industry accounted for a lot more of Thailand's economic income. 6% certainly seems to be low.
Apparently that figure is correct and already quite high among its neighbours. And sex tourism would only account for a fraction of that 6%.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Economy_of_Thailand

[corky]

tourism is 6% of thailand's economy. only S I X percent!
Please tell where you got this figure. I have read things which led me to believe that the tourist industry accounted for a lot more of Thailand's economic income. 6% certainly seems to be low.

Google 'Thailand Economy 2011' and you will get a lot of different sources.

Some quotes from http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/2814.htm

The Thai economy is export-dependent, with exports of goods and services equivalent to nearly 70% of GDP in 2010.
Economy:
GDP (2010 prelim.): $317 billion. (Data based on the National Economic and Social Development Board)
Annual GDP growth rate (2010 prelim.): 7.8%.
Inflation rates (2010): 3.3% (headline) and 0.9% (excluding energy and food prices).
Per capita income (2010 prelim.): $4,716.
Unemployment rate (2010 prelim.): 1.0% of total labor force.
Natural resources: Tin, rubber, natural gas, tungsten, tantalum, timber, lead, fish, gypsum, lignite, fluorite.
Agriculture (12% of GDP): Products--rice, tapioca, rubber, corn, sugarcane, coconuts, soybeans.
Industry: Types--tourism, textiles, garments, agricultural processing, cement, integrated circuits, jewelry, electronics, petrochemical, and auto assembly.
Trade (2010 preliminary): Merchandise exports--$188.8 billion. Products--automatic data processing machines and parts, automobiles and parts, precious stones and jewelry, refined fuels, rubber, electronic integrated circuits, polymers of ethylene and propylene, rice, iron and steel and their products, rubber products, chemical products. Major markets--ASEAN, EU, China, U.S., Japan, and Hong Kong. Merchandise imports--$175.5 billion. Products--crude oil, machinery and parts, electrical machinery and parts, chemicals, iron and steel and their products, electrical circuits panels, computers and parts, other metal ores and metal waste scrap, ships and boats and floating structure, jewelry including silver and gold. Major suppliers--Japan, ASEAN, China, the Middle East, EU, and U.S.

and from the same document:

Tourism contributes significantly to the Thai economy (approximately 6%). The tourism industry began to recover in the last quarter of 2009, but the protests in Bangkok in April and May 2010 drove away some foreign tourists. The heavy floods during October and November and the strong Thai baht had minimal impacts on the industry. Tourism from January to November was on average 12.7% higher than 2009 levels.