Bangkok Nightlife, Gogo Bars & Pubs and Foreign Managers Needed

I have been reading your blog for the past few years and I allays enjoy what you write but things are looking very worrying for Bangkok's nightlife.

I was in Bangkok near the end of February to celebrate my birthday and was shocked how the gogo bars and pubs are looking and doing. There was absolutely no motivation with the girls or the waitress or bar lady or barmen, and these people
are the heart of the business. If they are not happy the customers can see it. I can’t stand to sit in gogo bar or pub if the girls look bored as it’s depressing. It’s make you want to go back to your hotel and have a drink
at the hotel bar – at least there they look happy!

I saw a couple of the foreign managers you mention. Well, one actually outside the go-go bar trying to pull customers in. In fact he got me in to the gogo bar by doing that and that was good customer relations, that’s what people want,
someone that looks like you and can speak your lingo. The only downfall was once he got you in, that was it! No chatting to you or even trying to find out what you are actually looking for tonight. I believe if the managers could take the time
to speak to their customers just maybe they could see what they really want.

I cruised around Nana Plaza, Soi Cowboy and Patpong and they all had the same thing in common – nothing happening at all! The girls don’t look happy and if the girls don’t look happy why do I want to go and have a drink in place
where the staff are depressing? This is your holiday and you want to be happy and have fun and if the staff are not happy it does hamper on the customers. The girls can become pushy and you don’t want that. The only place to me that was
happening was Sukhumvit soi 11 where customers were laughing and really looked like they were enjoying themselves.

You might disagree with me in this example, but an office person that works 8 to 5 in his little cubical or behind a bar, if they are not motivated then they will not do good at all at their job. That is why it is so important to have managers
that motivate their staff. I really think if the bar owners don’t look at this they really going suffer and maybe worse, close down.

I have been thinking what will it take to get into this kind of work to manage a gogo bar or bar in Bangkok as it seems they really need new blood and new ideas on how to get the customers. When I was on holiday this year in Bangkok I spoke to a lot of
people to see what they think and they all agreed with me. I gave them my ideas and they thought it would be brilliant but hey, I don’t work in a gogo bar or bar maybe that’s why I’m looking from the outside in and thinking
out of the box.

I don’t understand why they don’t look for managers in their late 20s and early 30s as they know the nightlife and what the customer wants. I don’t call myself an expert but I have been working with people for the past
13 years and I have picked up what the consumer wants in a nightlife experience. I spoke to a manager in one of the gogo bars in Nana Plaza and hinted to him some ideas. Will he do anything with those ideas? It's very doubtful, but hey what
do I know about a running a gogo bar? Actually a bit if you work with a lot people all the time as it’s the same thing – demand – what the customer wants to see and experience is what you are there for.

I wonder sometimes were the gogo bars find their DJs because honestly they can play awesome music, put you on such a high and then kill the mood with an oldie! Why do they do this. You want to keep your customer on a high with the music,
girls and the drinks, of course, but to kill it with an old song?! Don’t get me wrong, I love the oldie music but you need to know when to play it.

I’ve traveled around Europe and Africa and believe me they do know how to party and keep their customers happy. Don’t get me wrong, I love Asia and they do have one of the best nightlife parties ever, but if Bangkok gogo bars
and pubs don’t get their act right there is going to be a problem in the future…

Anyway, Stick, that’s my thoughts on the matter.