Guys......
This thread is getting too interesting, seems age 40+ is a time for change
It is almost exactly a year since I saw Nicke in MTB, pumped him for some infos on how he can survive+ with his nice, but small, bar ...
Then I want to Tai Pan and was 'enlightened' .....

That was my future. No more a boring Accountant....I was a *****mongering bar owner with bandana on my head DJ'ing my fave techno music LOOOOUUUD as feck and having a ball
I've saved a bit as an expat Accountant and was thinking about doing it soon as i'd seen all those bars and agogo's you linked above already, but now it looks like being a bar ower is too easy.... to lose money..... as all the bars are for sale and there are few punters. I hope there is a turn around for the sake of Phuket.
So I will stay 'here' for one more year (as I just renewed my visa against all odds) and boringly save another wedge whilst reading this great forum everyday.
I'll try and get a trip out in August and see for myself the true picture.
Regards to all and thanks to SteveM and LIL for their great input.
H3X