The Soi 4 Investment Debacle Revisited

Last week's column which started with a piece about investment issues in certain Sukumvit Soi 4 bars received a lot of feedback and some of the players involved requested a right of reply. It is only fair to let couple them have their say and therefore this week's column starts with more of the same.

The first email listed here, somewhat verbose, comes from someone purporting to be a happy investor in the bar. Now what is interesting about this email is that A) it came from the same email provider as the person who has been accused of ripping many people off B) it was written in a similar way to the emails from the person who has been accused of ripping others off, including the format of the email, similar grammatical mistakes, and signed off in a similar way and C) it was totally in favour of the said person. Mmmm, with all of that in mind I'll let you draw your own conclusions. As was requested in the email, names have been removed.

To say there are inconsistencies in this story with what has been said by others is something of an understatement. As already stated, the English is remarkably similar to that of one of the couple who has emailed me previously. That this investor purports to know so much about other investors would appear a little unusual too. The claims made that there are no more than X investors is ridiculous because quite simply, the author of the email could not possibly know. So much of what is purported here is also contradictory to what has been reported to me, in person, by at least one of the investors, someone who was able to show a great deal of proof about what has been going on.

Remember the fellow whose words were largely positive which I included last week…well, here is the latest from him. An investor in it all, this guy is one of the lucky ones who appears to have got his money back. Having said that, he is not as positive as we may have thought.

And then this email came from someone who had not emailed me previously.

Analysing this email is interesting. It is inferred that as one of the couple was himself the victim of such a scam, then so too have the others become victims. Whether or not the Scandinavian can make huge money is immaterial. The other points about the downturn in business have some validity although once again we get into some questions about just how the money was spent.

I'll let you make your mind up on what has happened. As said in last week column, some imprudent decisions have been made. I'll be interested to see how this all works out and will let you know as soon as I hear, although that may well be some time from now. I have no plans to feature this story again.

Finally, please do not worry that this column is going to turn into a collection of reader's emails flooding the opening piece, as has happened to other columns. In this instance, I felt that it was fair to include these emails, providing people involved with a right of reply and a place to respond.

Where is this pic?

Last week's pic was wasn't taken in Bangkok, but a little down the road, in Pattaya. It was yet another overpriced place, the fruit market behind Mike's, where busloads of Asian tourists stop to buy overpriced Thai fruit. Now, where is this week's pic? It's in Bangkok this time. There are two prizes offered for the where is this pic prize each week. The first Bangkok based person to answer the pic correctly wins a 500 baht credit to use at the Classics Movie Lounge. The second person to get it right wins a tube of MyCreme, the cream that will send your teeruk to heaven! I'm sorry that for now, prizes are only available to guys who are Bangkok based. However, for guys outside the Big Mango, still do feel free to email me your guess.

FROM STICKMAN'S BAG OF EMAIL:
(If someone sends me something positive, I'll include it here, but it seems that all most people ever do is moan and groan… So come on, how about something brighter?)

This had definitely crossed my mind.

Where do katoeys take a leak?

How to keep a Thai girl happy!

Thailand cheaper now?

More on prices.

Is Thai syndrome a medical condition?

A friend was down on Samui recently and made a very interesting comment, one which seems to have been made by many others too. He claims that the operators and promoters of Samui do everything that they can to get you there, but once you are there, they do little to make your holiday fun. A good friend in Thailand made such a comment recently, a good friend from home made the comment this time and several others have also made such or similar comments. Interestingly enough, they all agree that the actions of the Thais working on Samui result in many dis-satisfied visitors. Note: at least one of the people in question said that this was in total contrast with Pattaya where the Thais are generally very friendly and go out of their way to help.

There is a new show down at Long Gun in Cowboy and in a few bars down there the girls are out in their birthday suit…

All the Playskool girls have returned to Hollywood Rock and it has reportedly been very busy the last couple of nights with all the girls… Anton as had a minor reprieve and will stay on until July 15 so that the Playskool girls cab ne kept there until they reopen on July 13. Meanwhile in Nana Plaza, Casablanca on the 2nd floor has been renamed Mercury and is open, operated by the former Australian partner.

Boss Hogg's beauty shop is coming along well, all the necessary furnishings are almost all in place from what I can see. Nicely put together with what looks like top of the range chairs, tables, mirrors and even a large TV!

Word on the street is that Megabreaks, the huge pool table company, are poised to take over Paradise Disco to turn it into a pool hall. A large company like them have the money for publicity and promotion that a location like that which is just a little bit too far down the soi needs. it seems one of the much more sensible ideas that Soi Nana bosses have come up with recently. With Swan Bar and Brunswick doing reasonable business currently, how will Megabreaks fair? Megabreaks are set to start renovating Paradise next month.

Panthip is a mess at the moment. While most stalls that sold counterfeit software closed down, there are a handful running, as if it is business as usual. Prices on CDs and DVDs have moved up, 30 to 50 baht per disk.

Clinton Plaza is not only closed, but the area is now blocked off with large, ugly sheets of corrugated iron making it impossible to see inside. Walking past what was once upon a time a lively bar area with a party atmosphere, all one sees now is a construction site.

Starbuck's have put up their prices. With lots of new coffee houses opening up all over the city, they must fancy their brand recognition, as a coffee at Starbucks can be dearer than you'd pay in a 5 star hotel. And when that is the case, you have to wonder if they have got their pricing wrong… Still, if they use the extra baht and start putting in some wi-fi laptop spots like they have in Singapore then hey, that would be nice!

I notice that David Young's excellent first up novel has been reprinted and is in its second edition. It is also twice the price, at 240 baht, as opposed to the original 120 baht. This price still represents excellent value for what is a good read from an author who really does show his superior understanding of Thais and Thailand in his books.

I note that quite a few of these new mobile phones keep copies of outgoing SMS messages as the default setting. A friend of mine got in some strife when his Thai girlfriend turned on his phone and found some outgoing messages to another Thai female… A nasty situation this and one has to wonder quite who is in the wrong, him for SMSing another girl, her for looking into his phone without his permission, or them both? This does remain quite an issue for foreign guys with technology literate Thai women. Often they won't just stop at your mobile but will be into your computer and your email as well.

Quote of the week from the staff room at work. "I take precautions with these working
girls. I wash it both before and afterwards".

I heard an hilarious story of the police trying to shake someone down recently, another of my colourful colleagues. The fellow in question was pulled over by the police who maintained that the registration plates on his car were counterfeit, and he would have to pay a fine accordingly! Counterfeit plates? What will be next! They insisted on 1,000 baht and threatened to take him to the police station if he didn't pay there and then. After a while, he negotiated it down, but still, his inability to speak Thai resulted in him being forced to pay a fine for something quite outrageous.

The Pussy Connection Bar in Patpong has been closed now for a couple weeks for renovation but the strange thing is that it was renovated about 3 months ago. Can't get anyone to comment on the possibility that it was closed for the slightly young age of some of it's girls. The girls and staff are now over at Super Star and the old mamasan Jimmy from Super Star is gone to another bar and long time waiter "New" now is a greeter with The Pen. SS doing pretty good as lots of girls dancing due to girls from both bars there. "Izzy" from Crown Royal is in the states for another two weeks, on one of his annual visits to the states. Thigh Bar doing good lots of dancers on stage at this time with a couple of girls from Super Star making the move over. Very slow all over the Pong and there aren't even that many tourists walking the market area. Drink prices at most bars remaining at 90 baht for beers and drinks and SOME discounting by the ladies later in the night if not taken early. There is no lack of consternation by the ladies as it is getting more than a little difficult to make the required number of offs and lady drinks, no doubt due to the lack of customers. It is really getting bad going home from Patpong. The two small streets connecting the two main halves of the Pong are flooded by the dreaded katoeys at closing time and they are getting very aggressive – even if you are with a girl. Must be 50 of them between the narrow streets and it is hard to get around them.

A little over a week ago, there were more than the normal contingent of cops down at the Pong and they were talking with bar owners and / or doormen, making them physically open and close outer bar doors. Sliding the curtains alone was not good enough and the cops insisted that the outer door had to be able to be closed, I guess to provide some sort of physical block. The curtains had to be pushed to one side of the doorway or the other and they were checking how fast doors could be closed. Last time any one could remember, door closing checks were followed by cops and politicians coming around with media! So the thinking is that in the near future some politician will be coming around for checks.

From time to time, I am asked by people what would be a good present to bring a Westerner who has been living in Thailand for a while. I always reply that favourite food items, particularly favourite brands which may not be available here, will always go down well. It can be anything from favourite cheese to chocolates to biscuits to whatever,. Oh, and wine. Wine is so damned expensive here compared to virtually everywhere.

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