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The Rounds February 14, 2002
* * * * * * * * * * A Happy Valentine's Day to all! * * * * * * * * * * We're pretty much at the last gasp of the tourist season, and various bar owners with whom I've talked aren't exactly thrilled with the results, since the "tourist season" this year was scarce distinguishable from the "non-tourist season" -- i.e., the *rest* of the year. The Tourism Authority of Thailand has been widely reported in the media as saying arrivals are up, a claim backed up with hard numbers -- but I neither have seen many of them nor have heard of many of them showing up in haunts one would expect to find at least some of them. I hope to heck I'm wrong on this, but I'm afraid when owners tally their books they won't be smiling very much. * * * * * * * * * * There's been some hubbub about young people openly stating they intend to celebrate Valentine's Day by having sex. Some letter-to-the-editor writers have spoken out in alarm and indignation. The part that surprises me is that apparently a fair number of people are surprised to hear of young people's intent. I'm *not* going to get into arguments about pre-marital sex, under-age sex, etc. etc. etc. -- those are matters about which each person will make up his or her own mind. But those who are surprised should wake up and smell the coffee. The young people here are virtually awash in a whole subculture of sex -- including, significantly, a THAI culture which not merely tolerates but looks on bemusedly when Papa takes Junior to a brothel at age 14 or 15 to initiate Junior into the mysteries of sex. Further, the wide-spread custom of men maintaining at least one mia noy -- "minor wife," or "mistress" -- undoubtedly contributes to an acceptance of early sex and outside-of-marriage sex by a substantial portion of the population. Even if only resigned acceptance, at least on the parts of the Number 1 wives, who can hope only that their philandering husbands don't openly flaunt their roamings, causing The Wife to lose face. That young people need to be guided by their elders into channels culturally appropriate is beyond dispute, in my book. My argument is that to tell youngsters thus-and-such is evil, "un-Thai," and similar arguments is to foist off a bunch of claptrap; all the kids have to do is to open their eyes. But if stories in the newspapers are to be believed, there's no such intention. Read The Bangkok Post story headlined "Stop! In the name of love" as one example of what is, in my view, a hysterical over-reaction -- I mean, teachers taking on the role of the "Morality Police"? And does anyone honestly think checking a miniscule 30 spots is going to have any significant impact? * * * * * * * * * * Exceptionally, among bars in venues I frequent, the new Dollhouse on Soi Cowboy appears to be doing quite well, as is (something I mentioned last time) The Office Bar & Grill on Sukhumvit Soi 33. My guess is that The Dollhouse is reaping the benefits of the cloth banner they had up over the front advertising the place many weeks before the bar actually opened and of the well-done, visually-arresting sign dominating the entire soi. The sign flat across the front doesn't hurt, either (below right).
As you can see, the sign is eye-catching -- and the picture doesn't really do it justice. And The Office isn't a shabby sight, either. I personally find it one of the most attractive bars around, especially its view of The Emporium, the UBC Tower, and The Queen's Park Hotel (but of which I couldn't get a good shot -- you'll just have to go see for yourselves!). * * * * * * * * * * There seems to be an edging upwards of prices in a *few* of the places I frequent; one or two owners or manager's have said it's in response to the poor tourist season, but that seems to be shooting oneself in the foot. When the competition increases, it seems common sense to make yourself more attractive. Maybe cutting prices isn't the answer (though it is one common response) -- but for SURE to make prices HIGHER will simply drive away a portion of the already-too-few patrons. This is especially true given the stability of the baht against the U.S. dollar -- it even is strengthening a bit, as it now stands around the 43.80 baht to the dollar range, up a measurable amount over just a few weeks ago -- nearly a full baht, or about 2%. Another thing NOT to do -- I know this from direct personal experience on the customer end -- is not to pay attention to portion control of food servings. In more than one venue I and another person have ordered precisely the same dish, only to have one of us get a *greatly* differing portion. It doesn't take an MBA to figure this out; a desire to avoid looking downright silly at best or sloppy at worst is enough to prod one into paying at least a modicum of attention to what's coming out the kitchen. Even being on the smaller side consistently is better than to serve portions INconsistently -- sometimes tiny, sometimes huge, other times some unpredictable amount in between; one goes to a favoured restaurant precisely for predictability, not for a grab-bag menu. * * * * * * * * * * There was a story a few days ago that some foreign executives face civil and criminal charges for conducting a business meeting outside their offices. Work permits here are tied to a geographical place, true, but one wonders if a group of business people hard a project all morning, say, lunching together are simply to clam up on anything remotely related to business. Where does it stop? When I used to teach in university here, I taught in one particular department on one of two campuses. Could I not legally have given even a guest lecture at our sister campus? Could I have taught outside the confines of my particular department or faculty? Now I have to wonder. . . . And what of foreign guest lecturers or speakers -- and not just in academia? I've never heard of one obtaining a work permit just to come give, say, a two-hour speech, so I can only surmise they were engaged in criminal activity. Maybe it's somehow perversely related to the World War II slogan in America "Loose lips sink ships" -- maybe for a foreigner to speak in his or her official capacity without a work permit throws great harm in the way of the voyage of the "Thaitanic." In a country desperate for foreign investment, the mind boogles, simply boogles. . . . * * * * * * * * * * In case you missed it on the homepage, The Office Bar & Grill is having their Grand Opening Party on Saturday, February 23. Drop on by. * * * * * * * * * * I'm about to despair of even keeping up on Queen's Park Plaza. Three-four days ago I noticed the seafood restaurant has been subdivided into three establishments, one open-air "bar beer" on the sidewalk on the backside -- the walk-through has been walled off; the shrunken remnant of the restaurant itself, though if they plan to serve food, there's no hint of a kitchen; and what was formerly the indoor dining area, apparently destined to be another bar, perhaps with an open front. It appears increasingly likely that to establish a bar zone in Q.P.P. was an idea whose time never even was slated, let alone actually came. * * * * * * * * * * Until next time -- Mekhong Kurt
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