There is already an alliance, or rather a cartel, whose sole purpose is to extract as much money as possible by providing as little service as possible.
I have several gay friends in Thailand who are totally oblivious of the gay forums. One wouldn't dream of reading anything in advance.
I rarely take tours, I do most of my travel independently, alone and wouldn't like to have a schedule or packages of transport and hotel. Going on an organized tour to me is like going to a brothel (not that I would find anything wrong with that).
Extracting as much money as possible? Yes, absolutely. Just like the rest of the world. As little service as possible. Absolutely not. I've had exceptional service from the minute I got here in bars restaurants, taxi cabs hotels and from the boys.
I've encountered and talked to plenty of bar owners over the past 24 years of visits. Many have been patently poor businessmen who were, however, utterly oblivious to their personal failings in that respect. Another large group were retirees who are content to run at a loss / drink away their meagre profits for their few remaining years of life, becoming increasing embittered and cynical in what they'd assumed would be "paradise".
They've almost all struck me as egotists - perceiving themselves as big fish in what they fail to see is actually a pretty small pond - and pretty unlikely to sign up to any cooperative project.
"The fruits of peace and tranquility... are the greatest goods... while those of its opposite, strife, are unbearable evils. Hence we ought to wish for peace, to seek it if we do not already have it, to conserve it once it is attained, and to repel with all our strength the strife which is opposed to it. To this end individual[s]... and in even greater degree groups and communities are obliged to help one another... from the bond or law of human society." [Marsilio dei Mainardini (c.1275-1342), Defensor Pacis]
christianpfc (September 9th, 2017)
You are now reminding me of a certain Neil who was reviled across the board (pun not intended). The former owner of this forum and bar-owner (I forgot which bar) was clearly not perceptive of ANY of his shortcomings.
He did some good though before he passed by donating money from the photo contest he ran to charity. And boy did he milk that photo contest
The fat cunt's bar was Happy Place.
There is also another connection to the FC in this thread - and that is in ChristianPFC's assertion that a cartel operates.
I recall that when Neal opened his bar (and before he threatened to have me sued/maimed/deported/killed) he claimed to me that he was approached by a delegation of representatives from a number of the existing BT businesses who attempted to tell him what prices he should be charging for drinks and other activities so as to avoid any significant price competition. I won't mention the names he mentioned as I can't substantiate his claims.
I will say though that 20 or more years ago I can see how a cartel could thrive in BT - especially as one shadowy figure from the UK owned much of the property (no idea if he is even still alive) and several of the businesses had UK owners/operators who could easily work together.
Nowadays though the businesses in BT seem so fragmented in terms of ownership and nationalities that I'm sceptical that they are organised enough to operate a cartel - but who knows for sure?
I think no cartel exists. The prices vary wildly from bar to bar. On the subject of bar owners Michael and Thomas who ran The Corner Bar are both from and returned to, Houston. I hope they are both OK considering the horrors that that city is currently suffering. If anyone has any news I would appreciate it. Michael was practically a genius as a host and we shared a few wonderful trips together.
I was referring to Soi Twilight. But as the OP did not specify any particular bar area in Thailand, I should have specified.
As I have shown here http://christianpfc.blogspot.com/201...ation-and.html, drink prices in Soi Twiligh rise between 8 and 10 % per year, which far above inflation in Thailand.