Actually quite a few. Most of the people I met there were retirees. I don't know if she's still there, but when you step out of the Irish clock, take a right, a little ways down on the left there was a makeshift bar ran by a lady named Joy, her husband was from the UK, from what he told me he was a prison guard, for the life of me I can't remember his name. Pretty much every night there would be five or six guys sitting around drinking for an hour or two bullshiting. The cowshed had familiar faces pretty much every night. Even walking to the night market you would see quite a few westerners. You can tell who the border runners were, usually younger guys you only saw for one or two days.
RECESSION?
Re: RECESSION?
Re: RECESSION?
These days I see more groups of old guys supping their Chang's and Archa's at the stone tables outside the mom pop stores in the afternoon than sitting in any of the bespoke bars. The 5 or 8 baht all-day difference in price is more significant and easier than chasing any nebulous happy hour specials for a lot of us more discerning coffin dodgers.
Re: RECESSION?
My last time there, which I believe was around 2015, there had been a lot of changes since my first time there. Irish Clock even changed owners, bars changed owners, bars for sale. By around 10 p.m. they were nothing but pretty much empty bars. The only thing going was the Disco that opened next to Mr. Tongs, where a lot of the bar workers went after midnight. But not to change the subject, what is the fascination with KFC for Thai people? Central Plaza was always pretty packed, but the KFC there was always full.
Re: RECESSION?
^ Soi Sampan needs a bit of carpet-bombing IMHO, especially the mostly empty cow shed. Hopefully there will be more boutique hotels and restaurants and the beer bars will fade away. If the beer and liquor wholesaler opposite The Clock was relocated, they could easily pedestrianize the whole short, sad soi with cobble stones. Sidewalk drinking and dining could expand. Make a ~20 m drop-off, u-turn area at each end and the hotels can pool a Central-style golf cart service to run guests to their hotels.
TBH the quality and service at the KFC Central outlet is rubbish as well. I am an infrequent KFC diner and only partake when my lad wants to eat but we both agree that ANY of their other outlets easily beats Central with the Big C Phosri branch pipping the UD Town branch if only for ease of parking.
TBH the quality and service at the KFC Central outlet is rubbish as well. I am an infrequent KFC diner and only partake when my lad wants to eat but we both agree that ANY of their other outlets easily beats Central with the Big C Phosri branch pipping the UD Town branch if only for ease of parking.
Re: RECESSION?
"British car production falls at quickest pace since recession"
https://forum.thaivisa.com/topic/114584 ... paign=news
https://forum.thaivisa.com/topic/114584 ... paign=news
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Re: RECESSION?
Our favorite Korean BBQ style buffet here in NongKhai just bit the dust, they charged more than most but had more and better selections, I'm guessing that when times get tough people don't care quite as much about selection but price. Yet in the rice field our deck overlooks there is a large housing development being built, while the Thai fellow I walk with in the mornings says nobody is buying land or houses right now. I'm so cornfused!
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Re: RECESSION?
Thais aren’t known for being business Savy.NongKhaiLee wrote: ↑February 1, 2020, 12:46 pmOur favorite Korean BBQ style buffet here in NongKhai just bit the dust, they charged more than most but had more and better selections, I'm guessing that when times get tough people don't care quite as much about selection but price. Yet in the rice field our deck overlooks there is a large housing development being built, while the Thai fellow I walk with in the mornings says nobody is buying land or houses right now. I'm so cornfused!
- Barney
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Re: RECESSION?
Keep an eye out over the border.NongKhaiLee wrote:Our favorite Korean BBQ style buffet here in NongKhai just bit the dust, they charged more than most but had more and better selections, I'm guessing that when times get tough people don't care quite as much about selection but price. Yet in the rice field our deck overlooks there is a large housing development being built, while the Thai fellow I walk with in the mornings says nobody is buying land or houses right now. I'm so cornfused!
Someone may be coming with money.
Bit if a Chinese influence drifting through Laos with their ghost city philosophy.
Next is to build an industry and then the people come last.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Re: RECESSION?
What more Ghost Cities by the ChineseBarney wrote: ↑February 1, 2020, 2:07 pmKeep an eye out over the border.NongKhaiLee wrote:Our favorite Korean BBQ style buffet here in NongKhai just bit the dust, they charged more than most but had more and better selections, I'm guessing that when times get tough people don't care quite as much about selection but price. Yet in the rice field our deck overlooks there is a large housing development being built, while the Thai fellow I walk with in the mornings says nobody is buying land or houses right now. I'm so cornfused!
Someone may be coming with money.
Bit if a Chinese influence drifting through Laos with their ghost city philosophy.
Next is to build an industry and then the people come last.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
I just can’t work out how the Chinese can waste or park their money in developments such as these, with little or no chance of a return on their investment for many years down the track.
The Chinese were and are renowned for their business acumen and this building of empty cities goes against everything the Chinese are known for. I must be missing something in this equations
pipoz4444
That's one small step for a man, one giant leap for mankind.
- semperfiguy
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Re: RECESSION?
It's probably ill-gotten wealth through corruption, so they can afford to wait it out and remain hidden by layer upon layer of shell companies. Same thing happens all over Thailand!pipoz4444 wrote: ↑February 2, 2020, 6:18 pmWhat more Ghost Cities by the ChineseBarney wrote: ↑February 1, 2020, 2:07 pmKeep an eye out over the border.NongKhaiLee wrote:Our favorite Korean BBQ style buffet here in NongKhai just bit the dust, they charged more than most but had more and better selections, I'm guessing that when times get tough people don't care quite as much about selection but price. Yet in the rice field our deck overlooks there is a large housing development being built, while the Thai fellow I walk with in the mornings says nobody is buying land or houses right now. I'm so cornfused!
Someone may be coming with money.
Bit if a Chinese influence drifting through Laos with their ghost city philosophy.
Next is to build an industry and then the people come last.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
I just can’t work out how the Chinese can waste or park their money in developments such as these, with little or no chance of a return on their investment for many years down the track.
The Chinese were and are renowned for their business acumen and this building of empty cities goes against everything the Chinese are known for. I must be missing something in this equations
pipoz4444
China Ghost City (2).jpg
Colossians 2:8-10...See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, which are based on human tradition and the spiritual forces of the world rather than on Christ. For in HIM dwells all the fullness of the GODHEAD bodily; and you are complete in HIM, who is the head of all principality and power.