Alcohol free zones not meant to hurt tourism

The draft of the alcohol said that alcohol sales would be banned within 500m of schools and temples...this would close nearly all of Walking Street.

More recently 200m zones were mentioned but this would still affect much of Walking street.

From the Bangkok Post

Hotels and restaurants located near schools and temples will not be banned from selling liquor under the new alcohol control bill being drafted.

The National Legislative Assembly's special committee, which is drafting the bill, held its second public hearing yesterday to sound out opinions from hoteliers, restaurant owners and tourism business operators.

Some of the representatives of these businesses expressed concern about the possible ban on alcohol sales in the vicinity of temples and schools because many hotels are located close to temples in some major provinces, including Chiang Mai and Ayutthaya.

In response, Tuang Anthachai, the committee spokesman, said the bill would only ban alcohol sales within school and temple compounds as it was not designed to ruin tourism-related businesses as feared.

The participants also opposed a plan to impose an alcohol advertisement ban concerning brand logos on tableware in hotels and restaurants.

Public Health Minister Mongkol na Songkhla, as head of the special committee, promised his panel would seriously look into the complaints.

However, the committee dismissed a request to let business operators implement self-censorship instead.

Party at Lennie's

From Lennie's

The eyes will be upon Lennie’s located on Soi Diamond on May the 11th for Tony’s Party. This event will feature the World’s Largest Hamburger as certified by Guinness Worlds Records which was ordered for the party as well as other food from Bob’s BBQ & Grill.

Bob’s BBQ & Grill made history around the world on July 31, 2006 when they made the World’s Largest Hamburger and was certified by Guinness World Records. The burger was eaten by the kids of the Ban Jing Jai Orphanage as part of a charity event which raised money for the needy kids.

The burger consisted of a bun made in Bob’s bakery and is filled with 25 Kg (55.12 lb) of quality beef

Tony's Combat Rock Birthday Party, Friday May 11th Start 8pm.

at Lam Morrison's Rock Bar

Lam Morrison, the notable rock guitarist previously seen at Blues Factory, has set up in his own bar. The venue is i Soi Marine Plaza underneath Club Insomnia and was previously known as Vibez.

From Pattaya Secrets

We were very impressed both by the venue and the house band but unfortunately the whole evening was ruined by a visit mob handed by the police, several of which were dressed in army uniforms. The music immediately stopped and after about 20 minutes of futile negotiation we were told that unfortunately they had to close for he night. The given reason was "something to do with Licences!"

What a shame as we were loving the house band. Most of them are "females of indeterminate gender" but very good musically.

The lead singer is something else - what a babe. She sings, she dances and is incredibly sexy!

at Baby Dolls, drinks that is

From Baby Dolls

Baby Dolls A-GoGo has started a promotion running from the end of happy hour (7-10pm) until closing.

Customers are allowed one voucher for two for one drinks.

Bottled beer (except Corona) are 2 for 110 Baht and house spirits are 2 for 95 Baht.

The promotion will also apply to Club 69 once renovations are complete hopefully by the weekend (28th April)

Hits girl on Soi 6

From Pattaya Addicts

A service girl who was putting on her makeup outside her bar to get ready for work had a lucky escape in the late afternoon of April 8 when a bullet fired by an unknown person came down through the tin roof and struck her on the head.

The incident happened at Foxy's Bar on Pattaya Soi 6. Officers from Pattaya Police Station were called to the scene, a four-story commercial building in which the ground floor is used as the bar and the upper floors contain accommodation for the staff.

The injured woman had been taken to Pattaya Inter Hospital before the police arrived.
The bullet had lodged in the top of her head and doctors operated to remove it. Jinda was lucky, because the bullet had not penetrated her skull and only embedded itself in her scalp. Doctors later allowed her to go home.

Officers examined the area but they found no trace of criminal activity. Inquiries continue.

At Dollhouse, Coyotee's & Diamond

From Dave the Rave
From Pattaya Today: Night March

The management of Dollhouse A-GoGo are busy making a few changes to their internal decor with the aim of making it a more interesting and customer friendly environment. As part of the low-key celebrations a Pattaya By Night magazine party will be held inside Dollhouse on Tuesday night 24 April. The den will play host to some of the best dancers from Club Boesche and the Living Dolls Showcase. Copies of the third issue of Pattaya By Night magazine will be on sale. There will also be a number of copies of the best-selling humorous book Porn Unplugged to be given away as prizes to customers.

There will be a “Sunday Showdown” dance contest in Coyotee's A-GoGo on Sunday April 29.

Diamond A-GoGo will be hosting a Black Magic Woman contest featuring young ladies with dark skin. The contest will take place on Monday night, 30 April, starting at around 9:30pm,

Update: Taboo Dancing

Taboo Club A-GoGo is holding a sexy coyote dance contest this Friday, 27th April from 8pm. As well as Taboo, girls from other bars including Highway Star and Silver Star will be joining in.

Worries of police closure of Walking Street bars

From Thai Visa

Heard today from the police that the chief wants to patrol Walking Street on Pattaya Songkran Day, April 19th, at 6pm and close the bars and gogo's for the evening supposedly due to security alerts regarding the South Thailand muslim insurgency.

Update: No Need to Worry

Pattaya Songkran day proved wet in every sense of the word. But hopefully revellers will now move on to Rayong for their Songkran day today

Club 69 closed for refurbishment

Club 69 will now be closed for a few days for refurbishment.

This is part of a continuing programme to refurbish, Windmill Club, Baby Dolls and Club 69.

 
Raising bar fines for Songkran

Several Walking Street bars have been spotted raising bar fines to 1000 baht for the duration of Songkran. This policy has only been noted before during the peak of the high season between Christmas and New Year.

Songkran sits squarely in low season and there is simply no need of any rationing of the girls. Presumably the policy is to prevent the staff returning to Isaan for the week.

Bars noted so far to impose the 1000 baht bar fine are Windmill, Baby Dolls, Club 69 and Silver Star

Comment: Return Business

Thanks to jj

See also original article: Return Business Enticing Pattaya Regulars

I can reasonably understand the attempt to take advantage of opportunity but some policies are not necessarily in the best interest of return business. I specifically refer to the policy of raising bar fine rates for holidays. For the one-time tourist, this can be a bit confusing even leading to the suggestion of a scam. This could easily come about in those bars that have their bar fine rates posted on the walls. After a first-timer makes a selection during a holiday period, he is informed of the higher bar fine. If posted at all, it is most likely a sign written in Thai stuck on the bar. Hardly a reasonable notice to the customers. He might rightly question the difference between the posted rate and the one being quoted and whether he is being scammed.

The same applies to regulars. Same girl, same bar, new week: higher price. If return business is of any interest what so ever, then regular customers should not be subject to temporary holiday pricing. Perhaps more bars could issue VIP cards that would permit the mamasang to collect the standard bar fine -- no freebies needed just an agreed upon rate.

There is clearly another aspect to this issue: keeping the girls at work. The ladies like to celebrate the holidays too. For most, this entails "going home" and necessarily not working. It is one thing for a bar owner to raise the price of truancy, it is quite another to milk the customers as well.

Some policies just work against the best interest of the owner's (and the ladies') bank account.

Update: Back to Normal at Windmill

17th April

As of Monday, the official end of Songkran, people have reported that barfine rates at Windmill have reverted back to normal.

I was told on Sunday (at Baby Dolls) that the high charges were set to end on the crazy Pattaya Songkran day of April 19th. So perhaps the management have had a change of heart.

Update: Refund

18th April

David the owner has stated on Pattaya Secrets that the 1000 Baht bar fine was only intended for showgirls going long time before midnight. Customers who were overcharged may now claim a refund

 
Mayor discusses zoning

From Pattaya City News

Pattaya City Hall convened a meeting chaired by Khun Niran, the Mayor of Pattaya. The meeting discussed plans to create zones around the City. Entertainment, Residential and Educational Zones will be clearly defined.

Although the idea for zoning has been approved the exact boundaries of each zone has not yet been agreed upon. This could well have an impact on the lucrative late night entertainment industry here in Pattaya which would be affected by these zoning plans. The plans are in the consultation stage for now and despite previous plans to zone Pattaya failing, the meeting is hopeful that these plans will eventually be put into operation.

Disused gogo catches fire

I did notice that the large neon sign has been turned on recently. Presumably to catch the eye of potential buyers rather than signalling any activity in the bar

From Pattaya City News

Police and fire rescue units were called to Walking Street in the early hours of Friday Morning after reports of a fire in an unused building was reported.

The fire occurred in Soi BJ just off Walking Street at the Broadway Bar which is no longer open.

Neighbors mentioned to Police that a loud explosion was heard from inside the disused building and moments later smoke was seen coming from the first floor. We can confirm that no one was in the building at the time of the fire and it is thought that a short circuit is to blame as many items such as audio equipment, air-conditioning units and a fridge were destroyed by the blaze.

Provincial Police Forensic teams are now examining the scene due to its proximity to Walking Street, one of the main Tourist areas in Pattaya, however Police confirm that no evidence that the fire was started deliberately has been found.

Update: Damage Limitation

It was later reported that damage was minimal and confined to the bar furniture

Renovations complete at Windmill

The renovations to the Windmill Club on Soi Diamond have been completed except that the soapy stage idea has not seen the light of day.

There are now small table dancing stages just in front of the customers on the bench seats.

This has freed up the main stage to resume as the show case for the very naughty and continual Windmill shows.

Also I noted another advantage of running the Baby Dolls and Club 69 is that girls can be moved round to suit demand. A party night at Windmill could easily have 'run out' of girls but more were rapidly ordered up so there were still plenty to go round.

A Vodka bar opens in Walking Street

From Pattaya Addicts

A new vodka bar has opened on Walking Street. It is located on the first floor running down the length of Soi Happy.

Everything about the bar seems to ooze quality, and the ice vodka room is a great way to instantly cool down from the hot nights that have started again. Also when you take a lady into the ice room with you I doubt very much that they will have experienced cold like this.

One thing I really liked is the hostess outfits, every girl looked very stylish.

Sexy Girls A-GoGo starts an afternoon shift

It is always good to see a bar making a positive effort to make more of an impact. Sexy Girls A-GoGo, a small gogo on Soi8 near 2nd Road, is doing just that.

There is a slightly eccentric Thai owner on meeting and greeting duties who makes an effort to ensure that customers are well looked after.

There are now many new and prettier faces on the dance stage and amazingly some of them were dancing with real enthusiasm. I noted that it produced good feedback for one girl, as no sooner had she finished her dance stint then she was off out of the door, barfined.

The bar has now changed its opening hours and opens at 4pm (though strangely noted on the door as opening at 15.59)

Somehow the efforts of the dancers and staff rubbed off and made for a lively early evening session.

Didi's Bar moves to Brauhaus

Didi's Bar is a popular German beer bar previously in Soi 7.

The bar used to be at the front of the terrace of bars forming a small soi in front of the Flipper House hotel. The bars closed at the end of March to make way for a hotel expansion.

Didi's have now found a temporary home in front of the Brauhaus restaurant just around the corner on 2nd Road.

Blue Lagoon II goes Jacuzzi

A centre stage Jacuzzi has been installed and pleasantly filled by a couple of good looking girls.

The Jacuzzi splits the stage in two and the 4 dancers were doing a bit of a run round between the two halves of the 4 dance set. Another improvement is that some of the girls have been persuaded to dance topless.

On the downside sitting anywhere near the Jacuzzi gets you a tip pot shaken in your face. And the girl I sat with, was very quick to push for lady drinks for her friends and her mamasang etc.

In a venue that seems to be a little sparse of customers it doesn't feel a good policy to rapidly drive out the customers that actually make it through the door.

A bird in the hand is worth twenty hassled out of the door

Rabbi's Elephant Bar opens on Soi Buakhao

From  Pattaya Secrets

The Elephant Bar which opened this week is a little bit different in style than the other bars in that area. It is a large bar with a high ceiling in a double shophouse and decorated in a Balinese-Bamboo style.

Comfortable bar chairs with backrest, leather sofas, a couple of hostesses and soft background music makes this a place to chill-out and relax.

You can either sit at a small outside area or in the large aircon-part of the bar. A pool table is available.

Drink prices are reasonable eg Singha is 60 Baht.

Hopefully they will be able to attract a few more girls soon.

The Elephant bar is located on Soi Buakhao around Soi 21 near the Diana Estate.

Compulsory online hotel registration

Of course what we really want to know is how this will effect short time hotels

From Pattaya Daily News see full article

Pattaya Immigration is to install a centralised, online system linked to all the accommodation providers in the city to log the comings and goings of guests, especially foreigners.

The Immigration Police, also stipulated that this system is compulsory and specifies by law that all legally licensed accommodation premises must report to Immigration details of customers who check into their properties within 24 hours (according to the Immigrant Act, year 1979). The penalties for non-compliance by any hotel or accommodation operator is a fine of between 2000-10000 Baht.

And a new rock band

From Pattaya Secrets

This Friday the 6th April I have booked in a German blues singer/ guitarist and his band. Marc Reece and his band will be live from 11pm in the Blues Factory

They will be followed by my new rock band which has a new guitarist called Nung previously from The Rock Pub in BKK and he is joined by Lam Morrisons original band.

Bob's BBQ opens at Lennies

From Pattaya City News

Lennie's Bar in Soi Diamond have held a launch party for a new addition to the bar. Bobs BBQ and Grill have opened an express restaurant inside the bar and offer his world famous burgers along with other items which are exclusive to Lennies such as Burritos and Tacos at very reasonable prices.

Fun Room A-GoGo opens on Soi 15

Fun Room A-GoGo is right next door to Club 69 and opposite What's Up in Soi 15 off Walking Street. It is the 78th GoGo as listed by this site

I recognised some of the girls from various GoGo's fom the Nui's stable so presumably this is the latest addition to the group.

It is a small gogo but at least large enough to accommodate bench seating about a central stage.

Early days but there were only about 8 girls in the bar of which 2 were dancing at any one time. Two of the girls were pretty so maybe the bar would be quickly down to 6 girls.

The girls ranged from fully bikini to fully nude whilst dancing. One girl was making a good effort to flash the gash to entertain the few customers.

There is also a Jacuzzi but it seems to lack any nearby seating so it may become something of a white elephant.

I toyed with the idea of staying for a second drink but there are several very good bars in the soi that proved too tempting.

Drink prices seem to be the same as the rest of the Nui's group (Nui's 2, Hot Girls, New Star, Pinky Girl and Rock Girls) with draft beer at 55 Baht