Often the authenticity of the Irishness extends to a mere shamrock on a window, but sometimes, like with the Irish Times Pub in Patong, it means authentic beers, food and management.
Located in the Jungceylon shopping mall, the popular watering hole is owned and operated by father and son team, Ronald and Thomas Corley.
Like many British and Irish families in the 1980s, the Corleys left their homeland for Spain, searching for warmer climes and better opportunities.
“Tommy was around 9 years old,” recollects Ronald, while searching for the exact year that the family moved. “I opened a disco there and did that for a while. Then we started renting out pool tables and servicing waterparks and things like that. We did a little bit of everything really.”
This included opening a funfair, around the time that Thomas began working alongside his father.
“I’ve been working with my dad since I was 14 years old, so I don’t really know anything else,” says Thomas, sitting alongside his father as we talk at the Irish Times.
It was a little later on that the Corleys first heard of Phuket, and of the seemingly endless possibilities that could be found on the southern Thai holiday island.
“We first came here in 2001,” says Ronald, “This was pre-tsunami and it was booming then.
“We were looking for Asian exports to take back to Europe. At that time, it reminded us of how Spain used to be.”
Ronald recalls visiting the existing Irish bars in Patong and being inspired to open his own. But then the 2004 tsunami came and “Put a stop to that for a while.”
The Irish Times eventually opened six years ago and recently celebrated its anniversary.
“It was my original intention to retire here,” says Ronald, “but I just couldn’t do it and so I carried on.”
Going from strength to strength, the pub continues to attract a steady stream of tourists and expatriates alike.
“We have good service, cleanliness, friendliness and great staff. We are very particular with the staff we have,” says Thomas.
Outside of the back office where we’re sat talking, the pub is heaving with revellers. Through the door we can hear live music, people laughing, dancing and having a really good time.
For son Thomas, this is at the heart of the global popularity of Irish bars.
“They’re neutral and everybody knows what they are going to get – we [the Irish] love the craic.”
Speaking on the Irish community in Phuket, he says that it isn’t that large, but it is strong, close and has a “genuine connection”.
It’s obvious that the continued success of the Irish Times is not down to a stroke of luck. It’s the result of hard work and business acumen passed down from father to son.