MIDNITE HOUR - 01 April 2024

Since our early survey years in the 1990's, one of our primary areas of focus has been the origins of A Go-Go. Perhaps our most popular Midnite Hour issue was on A Go-Go dancing's origins - as evolved after World War II (See our Whence "A Go-Go"? <link> from February 2006.) For the last 5 years or so, Bangkok Eyes' Midnite Hour has been digging back into our old 'clippings' and other documents in order to build an holistic picture of Bangkok's earlier Nightlife history. In our research, we found several instances of early "A Go-Go shows" in the '60's - an indication of Bangkok's growing interest in this form of Night Entertainment. But of even more interest to us was our discovery that two Nitespots had regular A Go-Go dancing as far back as 1966, approximately 3 years prior to A Go-Go being introduced to Patpong 1 Road at the Grand Prix Bar. Both of these seminal bars, the Naturist (Sathorn Rd), and the Oasis (New Road) were popular bars, lasting into the 1970's, and were often advertised in the Press and publications for distribution, like Bangkok After Dark (BAD), and pamphlets given to G.I.s on R&R.

Naturist - Sathorn Road

The clipping immediately above is from Bernard Trink's Nite Owl pages, September 1966. The advertisement at the left is from the July 1967 Bangkok After Dark, (BAD), a full year after Trink first mentioned it in the Nite Owl, indicating A Go-Go was still going strong. The Naturist also remained open into the '70's.
The Naturist claimed they were the first to have A Go-Go in Thailand, and after going all the way back through our 1964 clippings, we have found nothing to disprove this. (Note : The world's first A Go-Go dancing was at the Los Angeles Whisky A Go-Go in 1964.) Footnote : Bernard Trink later described dancers Jaye Stevens and Jill Hamilton as native lasses from Australia.

Oasis - New Road

The above clipping is from Bernard Trink's Nite Owl column, September 1966. Miss Saengdao is, as far as known, Thailand's first regularly performing Thai A Go-Go dancer. The Oasis lasted well into the early '70's as one of Bangkok's more popular New Road Nightclubs.

Grand Prix

While we are myth-busting, we note that while the Grand Prix was in fact the first bar to introduce A Go-Go to Patpong 1 Road (successful, or otherwise), A Go-Go was only one of it's regular features. It was also (perhaps) the first 'Sports Bar' on Patpong 1, regularly screening boxing films on weekends. It also hosted live music, often ad-hoc on its tiny 'bandstand'. (Not to mention the just-plain-drinking-bar.) It is useful to mention that in 1969, the "100% A Go-Go bars" were not yet in existence.
Below are some of the original A Go-Go crew from 1969 (stretching into 1970). We note the Grand Prix Bar 'borrowed' the stringed curtain format from the Oasis A Go-Go stage (see above photo). (--We wonder if this 'curtain effect' was part of the effort to get around dancing license problems?) Also noted was the dancer attire was still far from the bikini-clad 'standard-uniform' of future years. -BTW, has anyone noticed (as did Bernard Trink) that Rick Menard's original crew were all English lasses?

Candy

Jeanette

Janet

Lynda

Traces of Bangkok's Early Years

The '60's and '70's proved to be a "Golden Age" of entertainment in Bangkok's nightclubs. That period differed from today's resurgence of live music in Bangkok's "clubs and pubs" in that they were bringing in international stars. That scene has long faded into history - the paradigm has shifted - should an entertainer of any celebrity come to perform in Bangkok today, it would be at an arena or stadium, and not in the intimate setting of a nightclub. Meanwhile, the R&R Night Entertainment Scene continued to 'explode' on New Petchburi Road and parts of Sukhumvit Road.

The Honey Nightclub continued to have live large-production entertainment, usually groups from Asian countries. What caught our eye was the ad for Krating Thong beer (the beer would soon enough disappear from the market, but the company would later come out with Krating Daeng - or, 'Red Bull'). We ask ourselves - how does one sell bottled draft beer? Isn't it either 'draft' or 'bottled'?

November 1967

      The Four Lads, known less for their nightclub appearances, were recording artists having a number of gold records in the 1950's, 1960's, and 1970's.   They were popular guest performers on the variety shows on US television during those years.   An award-winning Canadian male singing quartet that exists today, however the original members passed away several years ago.   The Sani Chateau was located in the Gaysorn Night Entertainment Area.

November 1967

      Normally, the entertainment at the Yard Of Ale comes from owner, pianist and raconteur Sam Scott, so we are surprised he brought aboard Maggie Bowra and her own piano player.   Located corner of Silom Road and Convent Road, across from Patpong.

November 1967

      The Domino has been running the same advertisement for over a year, which tells us Narcing (the third Aguilar brother) had a permanent gig going.   Located in Gaysorn Night Entertainment Area.

November 1967

      The Aguilar brothers (& backup) continued to make the rounds on the New Road & hotel circuits with their afternoon Tea Dances and nighttime musical gigs.   (The third brother, Narcing was a regular at the Domino at Gaysorn.)

November 1967

      Susie's Little Inn, a longtime Gaysorn favorite, advertised as a restaurant, but was also a 'lounge' later in the evenings.

  November 1967

      The popular Angara Service Turkish bath was located at the top of Sri Ayuthaya Road.   It would seem to be too far out of town, not being close to any of the major Night Entertainment Areas of the day.   But Sri Ayuthaya Road was opening a number of fishbowl massage parlors (Chao Phraya 1 & 2, Chawala 2), and customers were readily available from the Chao Phraya BOQ, just down the block.
November 1967

      The Cafe De Paris was one of several Nitespots introducing A Go-Go shows to Bangkok - while not yet having that style of entertainment as a regular feature.   (The only exceptions were the Oasis on New Road and the Naturist on Sathorn Road, both ramping up in 1966).

November 1967

      The Pearl S. Buck Foundation found out the hard way that no good deed goes unpunished.   The vernacular Press warned that "some Thai people" are worried that aid to Amerasian babies could lead to promiscuous behavior by their mothers, in that they would have more free time on their hands to 'get into more trouble' with American G.I.s...

  November 1967

      Although this clipping has nothing to do with Night Entertainment, we couldn't help notice the 1 baht price of a soft drink.   That would now be over a thousand percent inflation since 1967.

November 1967

       This has nothing to do with Night Entertainment of that era, (Long before the giant screen Sports Bars made their way to Bangkok), but it is an interesting historical factoid on the subject.
November 1967

   Air Vietnam (known tongue-in-cheek in Viet Nam as 'Air Nuoc Mam') was offering 5, count 'em, 5 flights a week to visit the sunny Viet Nam War...
November 1967