Bar closures

[Oliver]

This was odd....maybe I'm out of the loop but I had no inkling that bars were to be closed last night. Nor, I suspect, did bar-owners. I had an early -evening drink in Boyztown and, returning to my hotel after dinner, found every bar closed, including the ones that had been opened earlier.
I have the impression, cynical though it may be, that our beloved leaders- local or national- had forgotten that yesterday was the anniversary of the KIng's death and panicked at the last moment.
My interest in this is not personal insofar as P. and I don't go to the bars (though I must admit that the sight of a darkened Boyztown replicating Bognor-on -Sea in February is not w.hy I travel five thousand miles). However, from a political angle, I do find disturbing the manner in which an official or politician can, at a stroke of the pen, undermine the efforts of thousands of less-wealthy citizens to feed their families. It's not just dancers and owners who miss out but the many who rely on the custom that that accompanies the scene. And many of these people live day by day.
And something else that is odd; bars close but massage parlours that offer little but happy endings stay open.

[cdnmatt]

They're mourning the death and cremation of their king, the longest living monarch in the world. If you really need alcohol that bad, just go to a local mom & pop shop, as they'll still sell to you.

[frequent]

This was odd....maybe I'm out of the loop but I had no inkling that bars were to be closed last night. Nor, I suspect, did bar-owners. I had an early -evening drink in Boyztown and, returning to my hotel after dinner, found every bar closed, including the ones that had been opened earlier.
I have the impression, cynical though it may be, that our beloved leaders- local or national- had forgotten that yesterday was the anniversary of the KIng's death and panicked at the last moment.
My interest in this is not personal insofar as P. and I don't go to the bars (though I must admit that the sight of a darkened Boyztown replicating Bognor-on -Sea in February is not w.hy I travel five thousand miles). However, from a political angle, I do find disturbing the manner in which an official or politician can, at a stroke of the pen, undermine the efforts of thousands of less-wealthy citizens to feed their families (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cult_of_personality). It's not just dancers and owners who miss out but the many who rely on the custom that that accompanies the scene. And many of these people live day by day.
And something else that is odd; bars close but massage parlours that offer little but happy endings stay open.Appearances are everything - that's what "face" means

[Manforallseasons]

Actually Oliver the bars etc. were closed marking 1 year after the king's death.

[francois]

Yes, they did close the entertainment venues in Boyztown, including the massage shops, but never touched the ones along 2nd Road and liquor was sold at the convenience shops.

[Oliver]

delete

[Smiles]

Bars in Hua Hin were open for business last night (i.e. Fri Oct 13). Closing of bars for this particular date seems like a local call, not a universal one. So Thai ... no one knows nuttin'.
Ollie just doesn't get it. Never did.

Just another reason why I love living in Thailand. :D

[samebb]

Soi Twilight was closed yes.
Silom Soi 4 was open, but no alcohol was served till after midnight.
DJ Station / Soi 2 was the same. Drinks after midnight.

It will be a hard month for many of the people working in and around these areas and yes it does seem like they were closed at a moments notice.

I stayed home. Was easier.
Things should be back to normal tonight, so I am TOLD.... Will pop to Silom later and look.

[cdnmatt]

They weren't closed "at a moments notice". The King died a year ago. This was pre-planned for a while now.

On this topic, anyone else in Thailand have their Youtube page a little screwed up last couple days? For mine at least, first about 6 recommended videos are in Thai now, I'm assuming about the King.

[samebb]

They weren't closed "at a moments notice". The King died a year ago. This was pre-planned for a while now.

On this topic, anyone else in Thailand have their Youtube page a little screwed up last couple days? For mine at least, first about 6 recommended videos are in Thai now, I'm assuming about the King.

No.

They were closed on a moments notice. This means they were not told they could not open. They opened and were then asked to close.
The normal procedure, as happened in Jomtien 2 nights ago is the bar owners are given instructions with a good period of notice in regard to closures.

Nobody is argueing about the date yesterday, but not everywhere was closed.

[pennyboy]

The bars on Soi Beaukow were open at 7.00pm last night as I passed.

[samebb]

The bars on Soi Beaukow were open at 7.00pm last night as I passed.

Yeah. Rules were different everywhere. My friends bar in Jomtien was open last night.

Another friend was partying on Koh Samui.

Thailand haha

[gerefan2]

Closed one night....You ain't seen nuttin...

Just wait until the funeral...I predict many, many, closures. All unpredictable.

There won't be anyhting like it.

And there is a public holiday a few days beforehand...

Keep out of Thailand, or get well stocked up.

[Oliver]

At 1900 bars were open, by 2000 they were told to close....or rather, some were told to close. It's strange that the this, easily observable, fact, was questioned by some posters who aren't even in Pattaya , let alone Boyztown as I was. So, were gay bars treated differently? or foreign-owned bars? What happened in Soi Twilight and Silom 4?

[francois]

samebb, you must excuse cdnmatt, he is blind and living in KK and out of touch with the reality of Pattaya and Bangkok.

[cdnmatt]

samebb, you must excuse cdnmatt, he is blind and living in KK and out of touch with the reality of Pattaya and Bangkok.


I might be living in KK, but I know for the last few days the one shop I frequent decided not to stock up on alcohol.

I also know my Youtube channel has been a bit screwed for days now.

[neddy3]

"I also know my Youtube channel has been a bit screwed for days now."

I'm confused. Often!

A blind man trying to watch Youtube.

[cdnmatt]

"I also know my Youtube channel has been a bit screwed for days now."

I'm confused. Often!

A blind man trying to watch Youtube.


Because as it turns out, when you go blind, you can still hear people like news anchors and standup comedians, and late night show hosts such as Steven Colbert and Seth Meyers.

[neddy3]

But how do you find all these things to 'listen' to?

[cdnmatt]

What??? What a stupid question.

I search Youtube, then Youtube learns what I like and gives me a bunch of recommendations every time I visit. Right now, the first about 6 recommendations are Thai videos, I'm assuming due to the King's death.

Christ, I think some of you are a little out of the loop, and unsure what it means to go blind. Am I supposed to curl up in the fetal position, rock back and forth, and sing nursery rhymes to myself all day, or something?

I'm blind, not stupid.

[neddy3]

So tempting!

[cdnmatt]

Indulge in your temptations, dude. Go for it.

Or no, because you know you'll just make yourself look like an imbecile?

[arsenal]

I think we're all out of your loop (y) Matt.

With one possible exception. 🙄

[cdnmatt]

What exception is that?

Ohhh, I remember that post... you think I'm also some other guy on the forum. I'm curious, who do you think I am? Indulge me.

[francois]

No matt, you are a 60+ year old plus man living a life of fantasy in Pattaya.

[cdnmatt]

No matt, you are a 60+ year old plus man living a life of fantasy in Pattaya.


I wish. Then my life would be much easier.

[scottish-guy]

I remember us being repeatedly assured (by the then powers-that-be) that this Forum now features technical wizardry which would outstrip the USS Enterprise and the Tardis put together.

Therefore if Matt is posting under multiple identities then Head Judge Len would surely know about it (after all, he thinks he knows every other fucking thing ) and instead of just insinuation from him we might expect action - no?

[cdnmatt]

Exactly. I don't hide my identity online, so MMoses can cehck if he wants. It's a residential 3BB IP that generally resolves to Khon Kaen, although sometimes to Udon Thani or Bangkok, all depending on their network activity at the time.

Surfcrest has already approved this many times publicly at my request.

[scottish-guy]

Clearly it's a case of Head Judge Len cracking under the pressure of management and throwing around accusations with no basis in fact.

Perhaps Moses would pay to get some counselling for him - or I for one would be prepared to contribute to a crowdfunder for his ongoing treatment.

[arsenal]

Scottish.

"Uneasy lies the head that wears the crown for lesser mortals are want to envisage it's jewels upon their own."

William Shakespear/Arsenal

[scottish-guy]

This is rich coming from someone who originally insisted that they would not take on the moderation of this forum under any circumstances.

"The worm turneth like a horrible squiggly turny thing" SG

[arsenal]

Scottish wrote.
"The worm turneth like a horrible squiggly turny thing"

I believe that's what every Thai boy you've ever offed has said.

[scottish-guy]

Never - but one did express frustration at not being able to find the hole

:D

[latintopxxx]

back on topic..I love the way the Thais always have a way of skirting the rules..on some religious day..Budda day I think it was...we were all perched in telephone bar drinking liquor out of coffee cups..

[arsenal]

I remember one holiday, one of the biggies where every bar in Boyztown was closed, every bar except X-Boys that is when it was in it's original location. For the entire evening three policemen in plain clothes sat in the front row to ensure that no alcohol was served and no nudity was shown. The enjoyment I got from their obvious for all to see intense discomfort was far more than watching the boys. Priceless.

[samebb]

back on topic..I love the way the Thais always have a way of skirting the rules..on some religious day..Budda day I think it was...we were all perched in telephone bar drinking liquor out of coffee cups..

Been here for a good number of these non-alcohol days now. It is funny how the rules only apply to some. I am asked all the time in both Bangkok and Pattaya were to go to drinks on these days, what store will sell my liquer. I swear I should start charging for this info.

Suffice to say in Bangkok and Pattaya there is never a problem drinking to your hearts content on any holiday, even in boy bars. Like you said, drinking some "coca-cola" that may or may not have something else in, is a common way for bars to skirt the rules. I would advise drinking very quickly if a policeman approached you though. If you want to buy in stores that requires a little more local knowledge. If you are ever near Jomtien or Sathorn soi 1 on one of these days, send me a PM. I can point you in the right direction. You will owe me a beer at some point though!

[joe552]

Not Thai related, but a friend and I went to a small town in Southern Spain (about half an hour) from Malaga. All the bars closed on Christmas Eve so we had to stock up on bread rolls, meats, etc. Maybe the most depressing Christmas lunch I've ever had. However, the bars opened again on Christmas night. So it all turned out well (and there were no turkeys killed in the making of this post)

[samebb]

Not Thai related, but a friend and I went to a small town in Southern Spain (about half an hour) from Malaga. All the bars closed on Christmas Eve so we had to stock up on bread rolls, meats, etc. Maybe the most depressing Christmas lunch I've ever had. However, the bars opened again on Christmas night. So it all turned out well (and there were no turkeys killed in the making of this post)

I am English, and in England you would find the exact same.
If you can't deal with it, stay in your dank country. That's how Europe works.

I left Europe (for other reasons). Maybe you should choose better dates to Travel or better company.
My Christmas in Barcelona was amazing. I guess it should be surrounded by Colombian hotties. Do you need a bar to have fun? Just rent a villa and have your own party.

[newalaan2]

This was odd....maybe I'm out of the loop but I had no inkling that bars were to be closed last night. Nor, I suspect, did bar-owners. I had an early -evening drink in Boyztown and, returning to my hotel after dinner, found every bar closed, including the ones that had been opened earlier.
I have the impression, cynical though it may be, that our beloved leaders- local or national- had forgotten that yesterday was the anniversary of the KIng's death and panicked at the last moment.
My interest in this is not personal insofar as P. and I don't go to the bars (though I must admit that the sight of a darkened Boyztown replicating Bognor-on -Sea in February is not w.hy I travel five thousand miles). However, from a political angle, I do find disturbing the manner in which an official or politician can, at a stroke of the pen, undermine the efforts of thousands of less-wealthy citizens to feed their families. It's not just dancers and owners who miss out but the many who rely on the custom that that accompanies the scene. And many of these people live day by day.
And something else that is odd; bars close but massage parlours that offer little but happy endings stay open.

The whole aspect of booze for sale/not for sale on certain days is a confused affair. Normally each bar receives an official paper 'notification' via their police contact, sometimes/normally just the day before any closure/restriction will be enforced but there are other aspects bars take into consideration...even if allowed or not restricted do they give staff the day off in fairness to the fact it might be religious etc, then is it even worth opening if customers are unsure if bars are to be open, so often they take the decision that it's not worth opening.

Take the previous Thursday 5th Oct, no sale of alcohol due to awk pansa buddhist observance/holiday, all the supermarkets had notices restricting sales on Thursday 5th. On wed night I was out round BT and sunee, met up with bf in BT at 12am and headed to Walking St 12.30am Thurs 5th, Walking St closed completely. So we headed back to Sunee, Double Shot open and busy,so we had a few drinks there, then onto Diamond Bar at 1.30am until it decided to close well after 2am.

On Thursday evening I met up with Thai friends who play in bands around Pattaya for a few drinks and strums at their rooms as they had a 'free' night due to bar closures. Heading back through a deserted sunee to Mosaik at 10pm to find Double Shot open, busy, noisy, bright and serving whatever alcohol you wanted. TingTong and Forest Bar were also open. Out later after midnight I found most beer bar complexes along 2nd Rd closed, as were most bars in Made In Thailand complex, yet Walking St was as normal, with all AgoGos and music bars open and very busy, Marine Disco was packed at 3am.

With regard to Friday 13th, we expected all places to be closed and had planned to head to Bkk that day anyway. But I was out on the Thursday night 12th and sunee bars were open to 2am Friday and bosses at both Euro Boys and Diamond Bar had not been told to close so were planning to open as usual on Friday evening and was advised Double Shot was to open also. But nobody seemed sure and there had been no clarification up to that time whether they were to close or not. So despite what cdnmatt said about having a year in advance notice, the bar operators themselves didn't know for sure hours before they were due to open if thy were to be allowed. We were in Silom/Suriwong that evening with Soi Twilight closed and Soi 4 had Telephone/Balcony open as they serve food but soft drinks only and no 'coffee cups' of alcohol permitted. We went just to eat there and on the way back stopped in by 'Seven' for a pack of Heineken, as they had no alcohol sale restrictions, which we had back at the apartment. Didn't bother to check if anywhere was open after 12am, the night in was a welcome change after a number of nights out on the town.

The attitude of the boys who work in the bars was mixed, some like to observe holidays/Buddhist days, some miss the income and don't seem 'over religious' when it concerns serious loss of earnings, like many things Thai black+white = grey area.

[joe552]

"If you can't deal with it, stay in your dank country. That's how Europe works."

I lived in the north east of England for 8 years. Enjoyed going to the pub on Christmas day with friends. Can't do that here in Ireland. I honestly don't remember if the pubs would open for a couple of hours in the morning, then close, and reopen after the Eastenders Christmas special.

[Patanawet]

We were in Silom/Suriwong that evening with Soi Twilight closed and Soi 4 had Telephone/Balcony open as they serve food but soft drinks only and no 'coffee cups' of alcohol permitted.

According to Balcony's newsletter, the bars were told on the Thursday 12th that the following day, the 13th, would be business as usual.
On the Friday afternoon at 3:15 they were told 'no alcohol' but 'maybe' could start at midnight. This was too late to send the information to their members. They were told at about 23:45 that they could now resume serving alcohol.
I had walked to the Patpongs earlier and they were dark so it certainly wasn't aimed at gay bars.
I was also told that on Sala Daeng (different police district) it was a normal night.
As you said it was normal at 7-11, presumably stopping selling alcohol at midnight.

Of course this was all just a prelude to a specially damp night!