Phuket Disco's and 22nd Jan 1am Shutdown

[K2]

Hi - perhaps this is more towards long term farangs here, and anyone with a good useful peice of info...

Part 1:

Seems most know of the 4 discos's in Patong-

Tiger - now the hottest spot with much improved music, drinks at 100Bhat and worth checking out by all new commers to Phuket as more than adequate amount of BG and freelancers - Ms Sanouk slowly warming to the place, but dance floor does get a bit too packed after 1.30am.

Star Club (ex Shark ex Star Wars ex Star World) - changed the decor to to what looks like anti-bomb proof shuttering and lost a lot of tables. Pool tables upstairs (often shut off these days) free food at 9pm (pretty decent grub) and 100 Bhat/drink. Used to be our favorite haunt - but not quite enough people to have that buzz factor - also music not as good as before despite the DJ being a friend of Ms Sanouk!

Dragon - iteresting concerp this disco above the bar beers (a la Tiger) and suggested to Nicke already that Soi Eric bar owners do the same. One thing about Dragon is huge (15 when we went on 27/12) of cute serving girls and excellent US standard pool tables as Nicke's Dec update mentions at 20 Bhat/game. We like it there and wish them luck, music is excellent and perhaps will find a niche somewhere.

Banana - oldest and still always packed. Probably will stay around despite being most costly place to dance (unless you count Tai Pan's aweful dance floor as a disco).

Anyone know of any other places (other than Safari) then would like to know about them - cheers all and party on down!

Part 2:

Read on Stickman's Bangkok site than on 22nd Jan 2004 the closing time for entertainment places would be 1am....!!! Anyone know whats going to happen to Phuket?? This is nuts - Singapore going the other way - opening to 7am..... never thought see the day that could have more fun in Orchard Towers and Vogue than Patong!!

OK happy holidays all!

[r3aps]

yea it has been reported on a load of the thai boards.it wont really bother me,just means i go out earlier and means the poor girls will be on there backs longer
steve

[Bafana]

SanoukAngloThai,

Singapore OK to have fun lah but Sing Dollar to Thai Baht lasts a lot longer both with the girls and the booze...

Hope you have a couple dozen platnium cards handy if your going to party till the late early hours in Singapore...

Besides an early departure to the hotel room could be good on the lttle fella especially where booze is concerned and on the big fella so it can all be remembered better...

Though I don't think the bar owners will appreciate it unless they open earlier then 9:00pm - Is that what the Mai Thai will do???

[r3aps]

Originally Posted by Bafana

SanoukAngloThai,

Singapore OK to have fun lah but Sing Dollar to Thai Baht lasts a lot longer both with the girls and the booze...

Hope you have a couple dozen platnium cards handy if your going to party till the late early hours in Singapore...

Besides an early departure to the hotel room could be good on the lttle fella especially where booze is concerned and on the big fella so it can all be remembered better...

Though I don't think the bar owners will appreciate it unless they open earlier then 9:00pm - Is that what the Mai Thai will do???

i dont understand why the bars open as late as they do in patong anyway.i mean in pattaya bars pretty much all open by 4pm,most all day.
steve

[stevem]

Originally Posted by r3aps

i dont understand why the bars open as late as they do in patong anyway.i mean in pattaya bars pretty much all open by 4pm,most all day.
steve

Because in Patong no one is around at 4pm.

We dont get busy until at least 10pm. I've heard that one gogo is opening in the afternoon, but if you barfine a girl in the afternoon, you must pay double bar fine to cover her for the evening session as well. !!!!

[Hobbsy]

Originally Posted by stevem

Because in Patong no one is around at 4pm.

We dont get busy until at least 10pm. I've heard that one gogo is opening in the afternoon, but if you barfine a girl in the afternoon, you must pay double bar fine to cover her for the evening session as well. !!!!

yeah but what r3aps is saying is that if closing time moves to 1am people (myself included) would like to hit the bars earlier - no one does now because a) closing time is currently around 3am and b) there is no one there to serve/entertain you.

So the suggestion seemed to be that bars open an hour or two earlier and they may just make up some of the lost business from the earlier closing time?!

[r3aps]

Originally Posted by Hobbsy

yeah but what r3aps is saying is that if closing time moves to 1am people (myself included) would like to hit the bars earlier - no one does now because a) closing time is currently around 3am and b) there is no one there to serve/entertain you.

So the suggestion seemed to be that bars open an hour or two earlier and they may just make up some of the lost business from the earlier closing time?!

my thoughts exactly.as it is i get bored from around 6-9pm waiting for the nitelife to wind itself up a bit.i like to go out about 730,but not many women around so maybe this will make it better for me at least.i am not one of those people who can have a couple of hours kip in the early evening,if i hit the sack its until i awake naturally,usually around midday the next day.i personally think it will make my nitelife a bit more enjoyable,and after the bars close u can still go get food and sit around drinking at the restaurants.also there will always be the bars that stay open well late just as there is now.
steve

[Bafana]

Same here...

Between 6-9pm really boring and up boozing too much and picking ugly ones when finally get to the BG joints... Yeah I know, Typical country Aussie binge drinking style but when your fully trained wht do ya do...

[stevem]

As per usual with anything to do with what can/can't be done in bars, we have heard rumours that gogo's will legally be able to open at 3pm when closing moves to 1am.

Personally I can't see 3pm opening be all that viable, but maybe a 6pm opening. Thinking aloud, that still gives the girls a 7 hour shift, so they can't complain about that.

We will all see what actually really happens soon I guess. Usually they only let us know the day before.

Steve

[K2]

Well seems some mixed vies on the changes to opening hours - think have to bear in mind the girls in all this - typically they are VERY laid back and getting to work earlier will be a big strech for a lot of them ...many of the Issarn girls like to comb the beach in the afternoons and get a short time or 2 in before they start their regular shift at the go-go/bar beer. Obviously some are recovering from hard nights with customers the day/night before and telling your customer you want to go before gettiing a free lunch is alos unlikely to be welcomed by most - but could tempt them to get the bar fine if they've hooked someone they like (or pays well).

I agree with most of you in that in late afternoons there is little to do unless you like sunbathing/shopping/eating. Problem is that late afternoon is generally very hot/humid so sitting at a bar before the sun sets is not very comfortable - being all hot and sweaty when Miss Phuket turns up next to you is not what you want.... perhaps Tiger and Soi Eric can sort out getting covered and having aircon!?

See Banana and Tai Pan have been awarded 'White' (Clean) Status as far as entertainment venues goes - hmmmmm (see Phuket Gazzette) ...this is somewhat surprising on several counts (especially Tai Pan!!!)....oh well guess thats what makes this place so much fun.

Yes your Bhat goes further than in Singapore (as long as your not American) and those from Europe having an especially good ride with the super strong Euro - but for members in Singapore lah....there is some great fun to be had at Golden Mile (Lavender MRT) if you miss the Thai action and pretty decent value too as I recall.

Still like to hear about any other disco's nightclub if anyone has anything to add, and hope that these new hours don't spoil our fun.

Happy partying all.

[K2]

Just a brief update ....

Thanks for comments ...more welcome of course....

Just to let any expat residents here that Mr Lee the manager of Star Club is offereing free membership that gets some decent goodoes to both Star Club and Tiger .... including dicounts on drinks (useful). He is very receptive to views and have got a new DJ - pretty good a major imrovement on last one(s) and when we were there on Sat farangs outnumbered Thai's 10:1 ... in fact never seen so many farang women in one place - a pleasent change.

OK happy partying all.

[r3aps]

Originally Posted by SanoukAngloThai

when we were there on Sat farangs outnumbered Thai's 10:1 ... in fact never seen so many farang women in one place - a pleasent change.

OK happy partying all.

thats ok for you expats but i dont travel 6000 miles to spend my nite in a club full of farangs,i can do that here.
steve

[K2]

r3aps - yeah good point, but sometimes as a long term expat a change of scenary is good ! - and the quality was very high, but guess you are right --- back to Tiger and Safari then!

[Jaws]

Well the more I think about it and read about it the more I like the new closing hours they will suit me anyway.

[Tarzan]

Originally Posted by Jaws

Well the more I think about it and read about it the more I like the new closing hours they will suit me anyway.

Are you getting old Jaws...

No, but i agree.I would only go out earlier.And to bed earlier. But i dont think i would sleep earlier.

But it would affect the tourism, no doubt about that.

[r3aps]

Originally Posted by Jaws

Well the more I think about it and read about it the more I like the new closing hours they will suit me anyway.

i agree with jaws,i think it will suit me better.mainly because of the way i like my nite to go.
steve

[K2]

Seems the new Govenor here in Phuket supports the ealier closing proposal - see Phuket Gazette (www.phuketgazettte.com) but saying that it will come into force 1st March. Well hard to understand rational in all this - Singapore realised that to go in opposite direction made sense and good luck to them... maybe in Langkawi they will create some 'liberal zones' and cash on this... it's surely good for the authorities to know where the action is occuring then can monitor it and create safe and taxable envirnoments for all to enjoy .... they result will be seedy unregulated joints springing up and there will always be somewhere to head after the 'officila close' as anybody who's been here a while knows. (there are places here now that close at 7am!!).

Starting earlier will most significantly not suit the girls - they do not like the sun and the heat in mid-afternoon is not healthy for drinking (heat/dehydration/alcohol -- not a happy mix) still lets see what happens, I guess that they may weel or SHOULD create longer opening entertainment zones that they can regulate and tax - fair enough the men in brown work in hard conditions for not the best of pay, so should make life for them fair also.

OK Happy Chinese New Year - another excuse to party!!!