Police knock bars back to midnight-closing

[richard]

Johan : 'What time it will close today ? Any idea ?'


After your bedtime young man

Yes when you are tucked up and F***ed up

Sweet dreams

[usual suspect]

11.45 this evening..the block is FULL of tourists, many bars refusing them drinks, many bars putting in the centre-poles so they can drop their shutter-doors, many with lights off already..!!

WTF is wrong with this 'resort'..??
That what we hear time and time again from the people on holiday..or "we not come here again!"

Just how many farang were spending money in the bar-area tonight?
How much money do the girls lose-out on from this?

Ask how many bars are for sale in HH..answer is ALL OF THEM..if not now..very soon!!

[PeteC]

↑ To me it sounds like a concerted effort to move Hua Hin back in the direction of a family and Thai resort only. They know that foreign families on holiday will not frequent girlie bars late at night, for the most part. They also know that the Thais have their own places tucked away out of sight to most and not along the main downtown seaside area. It seems they want the single, foreign male bar runner gone.

Goes along with the other thread about redevelopment in the area as well. Maybe in preparation for that they now begin to limit operating hours. Pete

[STEVE G]

Ask how many bars are for sale in HH..answer is ALL OF THEM..if not now..very soon!!

I'd be surprised if that that huge open air Thai bar on Petchakasem that's busy every night is up for sale.
Pete is perhaps right, the market has changed; the East is booming and the West is not.

[dozer]

There are only two bars on Bintabaht that are managed by the actual owners of the land and building, the rest are leased out to “bar owners”.
So the reality is that the “bar owners” have very little if any say in how the area is managed

[Korkenzieher]

but surely it isn't beyond the wit and immagination of the BIB to understand that you have to let the bars make money before they can pay the graft, whoever it is to. Another case of a golden goose being strangled. And I don't think it matters what kind of resort they want - sleepyville won't put money in their pockets. If they force families and couples to stay on resort, I can't see shaking down the bar at Chiva Som getting very far.

[STEVE G]

Yes, but you have to remember that the sort of Thais who're involved in these types of multi-million dollar hotel and shopping mall developments in the centre of town have a bit more money and political influence than the average Farang bar owner.
Personally speaking, I wouldn't miss the Bintabaht area and I certainly wouldn't miss some of the people it attracts to the town.

[dozer]

The first bars started opening in Bintabaht around 1991 and at that time the consensus was that they would get 10 or so years, well they have had 20 now.
So I think Bintabaht in its present form has had its day and I think most people would like to see it redeveloped.

[Bamboo Grove]

Whenever the development starts, I hope that the facades of the wooden houses will remain. They are the charm of the fishing village of Hua Hin.

[Roel]

Personally I have some fond memories of always exciting late Bintanights in the 90s when I first lived in Hua Hin, but I am convinced the party will be over sooner than later.
Key words: family resort, interest of influential Thais (both visitors and investors) and emphasis on quality tourism.
And the Bintaplot is in the centre of the centre of the centre of Hua Hin. Must be worth a staggering fortune!

Bar owners and bar girls along with their clientele: no chance.
And the fact that the police is making money from the bars, these handouts are really peanuts in the grand scheme of things. Besides that it will simply continue once the bars are relocated.

My bet would be a five star hotel and/or a high end shopping mall, something similar to the Siam Paragon in Bangkok. Prepare for the rich Russians, Chinese and Arabs to take over the town centre. But then again I have been wrong before.

[dozer]

The key to the redevelopment is getting all the land owners on board and at the moment the development is being held back by a few land owners who have not agreed to sell.
The developers will not want to develop the area while there are still a few of the run down, unsightly beer bars in operation.
So yes maybe the restricted operating hours is a ploy to make the beer bar business untenable.

[caller]

For me, its scary to think the centre of Hua Hin could be turned over to faceless malls and hotels. That truly sounds a nightmare and the whole fabric of the place would change.

Same with the piers, a few years ago there was 'authoritive' talk of them being pulled down and some sort of promenade being built instead.

I agree with BG, if you want to replace the current types of bars or whatever, do so, but learn to retain, repair, renovate, enhance whats already there, to retain the essential charm of the place.

[Korkenzieher]

It seems that most residents don't want it. And most residents 'claim' not to use it.

So it is for tourists then. Who might well seek their jollies elsewhere if you completely change it. A commercial risk the Thais might not want to take.

I can't help feeling there is a certain amount of the 'outraged of Tunbridge Wells' mentality creeping in to all this. Call it Nimbyism if you prefer. The simple fact is that while it is profitable it will continue. If the current owners see more money in selling for redevelopment, then that is what they will do. Anything short of compulsory purchase - which is unlikely to happen - amounts to an extended wish list by people who in the main probably knew what they were getting into. Thailand is not the French Riviera, and some people really need to get used to that idea.

[dozer]

There is a place for beer bars, but not in the present location.
This area of the town is far too valuable be left in its present state, so if necessary I am sure that the developers will go ahead with their projects once they have acquired enough land and turn the whole area into a building site.
So in effect the area will be closed down for the duration of the construction and then the rest of the land owners will fall in line.
The younger generation of Thais understand this; it’s the older ones who are holding out for the moment, but time is not on their side.

[caller]

So in effect the area will be closed down for the duration of the construction and then the rest of the land owners will fall in line. The younger generation of Thais understand this; it’s the older ones who are holding out for the moment, but time is not on their side.

Seems to me that the younger generation of Thais are fools then.

Whatever happened to the 'authoritive' promenade plan in any case?