Binthabat/karaoke Areas

[Big Boy]

Getting back to Binthablock, a photo from last night at Panama Bar came up on my Facebook page today for some reason. The photos made it look very busy, but as well as the older guys with their 'trophy' young ladies, I was very surprised at how many young men were there. It did make me wonder i.e. they looked more like the holiday crowd rather than residents. The number of younger men looked quite disproportionate for Hua Hin.

[europtimiste]

Sunday I drive Binta area, Panama was closed.

[fft100]

Panama is very busy on Friday/Saturday, but only starts getting busy at 11pm or midnight.

Sam Sam bar only gets busy at 1 or 2am. At 3am normally very busy.

Wonderland is overdoing the beer prices. 80 baht for small Chang/Leo. That's not going to work. Le pub is 45 baht. Given the low overheads they should be soi 80 prices if they want long term business.

[Robinhood]

In my opinion, it's too early to write off Binterbaht. I think pre-covid, it thrived on guys arriving on a few weeks holiday, pockets full of spending money and wanting to have a good time.
Depending on how quickly things open up again, things could rebound pretty quickly. At the moment, bar owners are making sensible business choices. If there aren't loads of punters, why renew expensive leases?

[Big Boy]

Depending on how quickly things open up again, things could rebound pretty quickly. At the moment, bar owners are making sensible business choices. If there aren't loads of punters, why renew expensive leases?

Personally, and I've said it already, what I saw on my 10 minute reccy it has gone beyond the point of no return.

In the unlikely event of people coming back as predicted on Jan 1st how will it work?

Will Binthabat re-open on Dec 1st in readiness for the predicted Jan 1st influx - very unlikely. Anybody prepared to take such a risk will probably have a screw loose.

So, the thousands return on Jan 1st. Where will they go? Binthablock is a skeleton of it's former self. There are other entertainment centres already established, which in the main are cheaper. In my mind, it's a no brainer.

[thecolonel]

In my opinion, it's too early to write off Binterbaht. I think pre-covid, it thrived on guys arriving on a few weeks holiday, pockets full of spending money and wanting to have a good time.
Depending on how quickly things open up again, things could rebound pretty quickly. At the moment, bar owners are making sensible business choices. If there aren't loads of punters, why renew expensive leases?

You make a very good point about "pockets full of spending money wanting to have a good time"

The situation now is that the clear majority of punters now live here and simply don't have the budgets for 'beer and birds' like the tourists did before.

That's why the pitch has shifted for now. Personally I think its shifted for good for the expats who live here.

Whether the tourists will abandon Binta for good remains to be seen

Interesting times ahead

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[fft100]

I am presuming in my comments below that the bars shut in bintablock have been handed back for good, rather than continuing to pay leases.

In which case, would anyone pay key money and lease money for a bar in that area not knowing if other bars will stay empty ? I don't think so because you could end up with an expensive white elephant in a very quiet area. Or, you may be busy for a month or two and then beer/girl tourists go home and the bar is empty again. Seems a safer bet to open where other bars are still open and a critical mass seems established.

In the days when bintablock was busy (10 years+), there was very little outside the centre. Khao takiab hadn't been developed. Soi 94 had very little and soi 80 was only a few years into being a major bar area. Most hotels outside the centre were not there - so people stayed close to town. Things changed. I feel that covid has just accelerated the speed of change.

[hhinner]

There were those in government that didn't want bars and such near temples and schools. Wasn't that one of the things that helped start the move to Soi 80?

[thecolonel]

There were those in government that didn't want bars and such near temples and schools. Wasn't that one of the things that helped start the move to Soi 80?

Ive heard that many times too

Regardless of their views and wishes it seems that basic economics and market forces have prompted a change in bar locations

Bintabaht just became far too expensive and thai property owners are renowned for simply ignoring market forces

Many of them will just keep hanging on for the old high rent

TiT


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[HHTel]

The beach was to open and all the shops/bars/restaurants along the beach would close. They were even served notices giving them 2 months to leave. A delegation to Bangkok produced the result of extending that to 2 years.

That was years ago!!

When I looked at bars in the Bintablok back in 2000, plans had been made to zone the area. Bars behind the school and the temple had to go. Plans were published and dates agreed etc etc. Here we are 20 years later and ...........

[Robinhood]

Getting back to Binthablock, a photo from last night at Panama Bar came up on my Facebook page today for some reason. The photos made it look very busy, but as well as the older guys with their 'trophy' young ladies, I was very surprised at how many young men were there. It did make me wonder i.e. they looked more like the holiday crowd rather than residents. The number of younger men looked quite disproportionate for Hua Hin.

There is quite a lively scene, even now, that starts around midnight. Thais and international students. Most of the ex-pats have normally headed home by this time.

[caller]

Its not just the bars is it. Its the number of restaurants, souvenir shops, art galleries, property agents, massage shops that have gone as well. As it stands, the whole area is pretty desolate. Tourists that stay central in future are in for a shock and the long term validity of the area must be in doubt.

[Big Boy]

Yes, is was the closed restaurants along Poonsuk that hit me first. The 3 that were open only had staff inside. It used to be thriving food industry, The Poonsuk restaurants were the reason for many walking from their hotels through Binthablock in the first place.

[thecolonel]

What's the status on the London Bar refurb anyone?

Wondering if they have simply stopped until customers return to other bars?

In the meantime Crazy Bull(the former almost nightly house band from there) now play at Rock Zone on Saturdays

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[HHTel]

It may because it's in it's honeymoon phase. Someone who works there said that when there is a party then it pulls in all the bars around as they're so close together.

We'll see.