I can’t go into a lot of detail here folks since it involves police, competitive venues and so on but I still think it is interesting and points to how messed up this supposed “law” is. For more context please read:
What Smoking Law & BBK’s Guide to the Smoking Law.
Given that - listen to this. So we had a small tip that there may be some district wide crackdown on venues who are allowing smoking. Can’t tell you the district but it is a big one. So we called our contacts to confirm the district and the possible action. It would seem in this particular district there has been some shuffling around of some head dudes. So the new dude (dude #1) has decided to get back at the old dude (dude #2) for something he did years ago. So the way he is getting him back is to go bust venues that obviously made a deal with dude #2 and will be surprised at the crackdown and pissed off because they pay dude #2 for the option to smoke.
To me it all sounds like a big game but yet they play it with real people and real businesses. It also shows how silly the law is and how it is being used as a pawn in a much bigger game of cat and mouse than it first appears.
Me - I am just going to keep my head low and continue to lay out the ash trays.
Only in Thailand folks.
Not related, but did you guys see that Angelwitch @ Nana is for sale? There is a sign in the restrooms.
No wonder when you see how sad the place has become…
View all comments by Suk Psycho
suk - nice handle. u need to find a good gravatar to go with it.
http://www.2thebigmango.com/main/2007/11/17/spicy-tuk-tuks-lucky-and-gravatars/
AW has been supposedly for sale for months. but no traction. I think there is even an agent pushing it. Rumor is though that it is not so much for sale but that the former owners/couple want to separate the nana and pattaya properties. BUt it is just a rumor.
Better check with DTR for the latest…
View all comments by smitty
Sunbelt is the agent that offered AW a few ago in their weekly newsletter. Their asking price was very high, but now I cannot remember. I guess it may be stated in Sunbelt’s web page.
View all comments by messi
I think it was 40 mil baht but I forget. It was way over the top and the deal did not including trademarks for the name and more than likely, Pim, the lady running the place would leave and so would the girls with her. Which would leave u with a place not worth a few million baht. Add to this that the future of NEP is unclear and most likely you will not see any major purchases of bars for the time being.
View all comments by smitty
Yes 40 Mil was the asking from the owners themselves but Sunbelt or another Agent was trying for 60 Mil ( also DTR said 60 when i asked him about it ) each owner is looking for 20 mil for there 50 % of the place.
As for what you say about Old boss Vs New boss I think you are right on target. I was told the same a few days back while at a local on soi 4.
lets see what unfolds the end of this month,thats the time frame i was told.
View all comments by Jboy.bkk
j - this all started many months ago so from what I know there are no interested buyers at that price. Given the state of NEP and the selling terms I honestly see no deal getting done. There is also a lot more to this given the former relationship of the 2 owners.
I heard BBB put in an offer but was not accepted.
View all comments by smitty
Angelwitch has been on the market for the best part of a year now.
Unless they drop their asking price by several orders of magnitude, I certainly can’t see it selling by the end of this month - especially in light of the current crackdown and the uncertain future of NEP.
Who’s going to splash out 40-60 million baht on an empty bar when they may only have 3 years to make their money back and they have to close it at 1am?
View all comments by TAFKABBB
Ah, Smitty pipped me to it.
To confirm, I did once offer to pay a couple of thousand baht for Angelwitch, but in my defence I was thoroughly drunk.
View all comments by TAFKABBB
smitty , I completely agree about that price being way over the top,and like you and TAFKABBB have said the chance of a good return on investment would be very hard given the terms like you said.I cant see anyone deciding to buy it at the current state of things there.
I meant the smoking/early closing times problem should be worked out by the end of this month. some said a few days and others have said more towards the end of the month before things start to loosen up again on the after hours places.
View all comments by Jboy.bkk
j - gotcha. I agree. I don’t see it selling at those levels if at all since the terms were not that good. There was a chance of losing the name in the sale, loss of management (course DTR will stay) and a big chance of losing many girls.
I think the closing and the smoking thing, although happening at the same time, are not tied together. The smoking thing is going to play out over months. The closing thing was suppose to be done this week so we shall see how long it plays out.
fun fun
View all comments by smitty
Regarding the smoking ban: interesting to note that Pharoahs bar, outdoor bar, no air con, center as you enter on ground level Nana Plaza has banned smoking unless you stand outside the bar! I guess some bars aren’t taking any chances!
View all comments by Powers
powers - I am sure it is just a face saving move for that owner. He has a lot of bars and in none of them is he enforcing it.
I think since it is so visible maybe he thinks that it will look like he is banning smoking since he is doing it in his front and center bar. There is talk of lumpini cracking down and NEP is in lumpini.
View all comments by smitty
Sounds like something right out of a John Burdett novel.
View all comments by The Asian Badger
I love the smoking ban, since the smoking ban allowed me to stay in the bar for 5 or 6 hours,and not get sick. What irritated me, was the removal of nudity,and the hot sex shows they used to have. You can go into any bar in the world and see go go gals, but only LOS had the beautiful nude gals, flirting from the stage.
View all comments by Allen
a - good point problem is the authorities here cannot separate like that. Hence the smoking ban long term is no good for THailand nightlife since it just opens the door to limit more freedoms.
View all comments by smitty