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In
December of 2003 MIDNITE HOUR made our first survey of Soi 5 Sukhumvit Road.
Optimism was running high;
we even predicted that it might continue to grow and become a Night Entertainment Area in it's own
right. Let's take another look and see what has changed over
the last three-plus years....
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The Public House
is new, it wasn't around 3 years ago, but if ever a place had location, location,
location, it would be this place - right on the corner of Soi 5 & Sukhumvit Rd. The beer bar format has
customers sitting out next to the sidewalk - as part of the passing parade.
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 SOI 5 - SUKHUMVIT RD
Below is an
updated map of Soi 5 showing those venues which qualify as "Night Entertainment Venues". If you would like to see our old map,
click here < link>.
What we have noticed, comparing the Soi 5 of three years' ago with today's is that the number of Night Venues has stayed about the same. But there are fewer bar-lounges and more massage parlors than before. So much so, that one has to wonder how so many massage parlors could exist on such a small soi, considering that there is an abundant number of massage parlors outside the area as well. Suffice it to say, that they seem to be doing a good business here, in spite of the drop-off in tourism due to the hot season.
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Alice Club was in fact an open fronted lounge bar 3 years ago, but you may remember it by it's old name - Club Ryu.
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SOI 5 - SUKHUMVIT RD
Three years ago, there was an abundance of Japanese-oriented lounge bars on Soi 5. A quick comparison has seen the demographics change markedly - from Japanese to Arab/African. This is quite easily explained due to the concentration of Arab/African tourists in Sois 3 and 3/1. It seems the Japanese are moving out to other locations (such as Soi Dead Artists - Soi 33).
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The Amari Hotel Beer Garden has stood the test of time - it seems to appeal to a good number of hotel guests that don't feel like venturing out into "the wilds" of the Big Uneasy.
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SOI 5 - SUKHUMVIT RD
We at MIDNITE HOUR will return periodically to Soi 5 - and will be keeping you
informed of the changes. At this juncture, however, we must conclude that it does not look promising for Soi 5 as far as becoming a Night Entertainment Area in it's own right - while there have been a good number of changes in the intervening three years, overall growth has remained at zero, and it is a long way away from an independent "destination", where one might want to go to spend an entire evening..
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The Po Thong Massage
is new, it has taken over where the Japanese oriented Himawari left off.
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SOI 5 - SUKHUMVIT RD
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Door Art Of The Month
Award
 Gulliver's Travelers' Tavern has the complete package as far as door art is concerned - neon graphics, general lighting and presentation. It takes the Door Art Of The Month prize for this April.
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SOI 5 - SUKHUMVIT RD
Follows are photos of the remaining Soi 5
Night Entertainment Venues.
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Pearl House Massage
is a newcomer, located quite a walk down the soi on your left.
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SOI 5 - SUKHUMVIT RD
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Money $ Thai Massage & Spa
is one of the vets - although not shown on our original map three years ago (as we were not including massage parlors at that juncture.)
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SOI 5 - SUKHUMVIT RD
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The Asuka Club
is one of the few remaining Japanese-oriented bars to have survived since our original survey - they still seem to be doing a good business.
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SOI 5 - SUKHUMVIT RD
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Baan Thai Massage
took over from the old Sweet Heart, which if we are not mistaken, moved over to Queen's Park Plaza. This is one of the few massage parlors that caters to Arab-speaking custom - check out the sign.
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SOI 5 - SUKHUMVIT RD
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The Bua Thip Massage is also relatively new, having taken over from the old Moody's Place.
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SOI 5 - SUKHUMVIT RD
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Cher-Tree Massage
is new. One wonders how one small Soi can support so many foot & body & oil massage parlors....but it does.
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SOI 5 - SUKHUMVIT RD
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The Tunnel is, relatively speaking, one of the older venues on Soi 5 - and as the name implies, it is built like a tunnel. That tunnel, followed to it's end, will spill out at the side of the Soi 7 Bier Garten.
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SOI 5 - SUKHUMVIT RD
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Ancent Thai Style Massage (sic) is most likely meant to read, "Ancient", but the misspelling doesn't seem to affect the business there - they always seem to be full. They must be doing something right.
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SOI 5 - SUKHUMVIT RD
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The E' Best
is brand new, located just to the side of the Foodland. It is quite a pleasant place to stop for a drink - and it should be busier than it is.
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SOI 5 - SUKHUMVIT RD
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Historical Minutiae Dept.
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ASK US (ALMOST)
ANYTHING
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Almost any question
The Q &
A
KB :
Hello,
I and my Thai girlfriend ... would like to have a threesome with a farang girl / woman (age not relevant) in Bangkok - do you know where we can find, or do you know anybody? Thanks for your help.
MH:
Over the course of a month, we receive several similar requests, many legitimate, and some just giving us a tweak to see if we are maintaining our sense of humor. Nevertheless, it would only be appropriate to explain to all who haven't already read our "ABOUT" page that MIDNITE HOUR is an historical website, keeping track of old and new Night Venues, entertainment trends, and Night Entertainment news in the predominantly expat Night Entertainment Areas. We regrettably do not provide information on sexual contacts or relationships.
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(The above
is one of several similar queries.)
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? ASK
US (ALMOST) ANYTHING !
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We can answer virtually any (reasonable) question on the Expat Night Entertainment Scene in
Bangkok - be it Historical or very recent. Send us an e-mail and
we will do our best to answer you soonest.
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'Boge' Hartman
Historical Research
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* Zootramp Publications
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- In the LAND OF SMILES -
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This month theMIDNITE HOUR awards the "Thai Smile" a young lady who serves beer at a late-night sidewalk bar at the Asoke-Sukhumvit intersection.
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Let the April 2007 Follies begin...
MIDNITE
HOUR presents
our monthly recap
of the
NEWS on
Bangkok's
Expat Night
Scene.
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The street-side 'bar beer with no name' located just past Super Pussy went down for
the count at the beginning of last month. Their demise was
made all the more ignoble by having been taken over by yet more brick-a-brack
stalls that continue to choke the once-mighty Pong. Greener pastures....
PATPONG I
Sisters and The
After are, in fact, joined at the hip. While they
have separate entrances, there is also a connecting door at the
rear. The After
is a large late night pub whose closing time is limited only by the lack
of imagination of the Men In Too-Tight Uniforms
. Sisters on the other hand, is, well, "anything" you want it to be,
according to the mamasan. They are quite
serious about the "Take Two" appearing on their
sign. Shake it, don't break it, guys.... For
more details, go to
bangkoksisters.com <link>. They are located on the 4th
floor in the Cosmo's stairwelll across from Foodland - in what
used to be the old Century
pub digs. Welcome them as they wade into Sin
City's dark waters.
The Suzie Wong is now but one of many
Nitespots that have employed
wooden sidewalk extenders (check out the photo below).
During the day, the sections of sidewalk are drawn up like so many drawbridges - and
the Soi returns to it's original
width.
SOI COWBOY
It's the hot season,
and tourism is undeniably down. The other night
Soi Cowboy's Nitespots had more girls out on the street beckoning to passers-by than they did in the
bars themselves. This too shall pass.
SOI COWBOY
A quick snack
between 'floors' outside on the
Soi isn't dampened by the lack of a place to sit.
These two A Go-Go dancers from Moonshine Joint found the yum woon sen and shrimp just too delicious to pass up, so they hunkered down right there in
front of the food cart, and got stuck into it.
SOI COWBOY
If you are going up
to Spankys but see it
full of workmen, that's because the dancers are temporarily shaking the chrome poles
next door in the old Hog's Breath. Presently neither location has any neon up, but
starting (approximately) today, the two bars should be joined into a single double-
wide A Go-Go. We are betting they will retain the
original Spankys
neon, some of which is shown below, but we can anticipate some additional
LED razzle-dazzle like the sister bars on Soi
Cowboy....
NANA PLAZA
We heard it through
the grapevine. Someone is opening an unnamed short-time hotel
above Bobby's now defunct
Pool Boyz Club....
SOI KATOEY
We promised you
another look at the La Vogue Club
neon, once they got their archway on fire. This
is the view a prospective, usually Japanese, customer would see looking
down the small lane from the Soi,
with the Oshare on
the right. Keep on rollin'.
SOI DEAD ARTISTS - SOI 33
All these (almost 6) months that
the Santana Club has
been closed, they have kept a candle burning in the window - giving hope to passing
nightcrawlers that it would once again throw open it's doors and roll out the red
carpet. Well, about 3 weeks ago, that is exactly what
happened. Welcome them back to the sharkpool.
SOI DEAD ARTISTS - SOI 33
Jack & Betty Massage & Center has risen from the ashes of the
Miss Phu Ke
Massage, and it looks for all the world that no one even missed a
beat. Jack &
Betty offers the usual array of legitimate and ambiguous
services. While we wish Miss Phu Ke (read: Phuket) a better roll of
the dice next time around, it looks like Jack & Betty is already off to a successfully slippery
start. Let the nightwinds blow kindly.
SOI DEAD ARTISTS - SOI 33
One of the older traditional
massage parlors, the Po Massage has cashed in it's chips and headed for higher ground (if you don't mind
the mixed metaphor). In it's place is the unusually named
Pheeran Massage &
Spa. We can safely agree that the Pheeran will be offering a
wider selection of massages than it's predecessor. Let's
welcome them to partytown.
SOI DEAD ARTISTS - SOI 33
The Let's Go Bar, which replaced the Cupid Bar last month, has
already deep-sixed. This otherwise attractive corner location
must have been dobbed with some bad sanay - that's two bars
opened and two bars closed in just under three months. Next
time around, someone had better call in the monks for a couple, three hours'
chanting....
QUEEN'S PARK PLAZA - SOI 22
The Lee Lee Pub & Pool Bar has foundered in
dark waters after a relatively respectable four and a half years' attempt to stay
afloat. If you're in the market for a small, comfortable Pool
Bar, give Lee a
call at the number below. We hope they find things a little more
to their liking a little further on down the road a piece.
QUEEN'S PARK PLAZA - SOI 22
The other half of
the now-defunct Double Entry Bar
(2nd floor) has just been taken over by the Relax Bar, and as is the modus
operandi for almost the entire 2nd floor, it is a Pool
Bar. Let's welcome them to Bangkok's neon
circus.
SUKHUMVIT 1 PLAZA
The DC.10 #2 wasn't really gone,
they were just playing musical chairs (again). No sooner had
they moved from the front of second floor to the front of the ground floor, than they
moved yet again to what was (last month) the Angel Bar's digs. Where does it
all end? Nevertheless, we wish them constancy.
SUKHUMVIT 1 PLAZA
The Lynx has added some color to
their neon - but fear not, all else remains the same - Pool Bar being the
prime agendum.
SUKHUMVIT 1 PLAZA
The Angel Bar has, it seems, been
bumped from their original digs, and sent packing all the way to the rear - to the area
previously occupied by the
Revolution Salsa Bar. Nevertheless they have
survived their relocation to play another day. Rock 'n Roll.
SUKHUMVIT 1 PLAZA
The late-nighter
Black & White (4th fl., roof), which
took over from the original Josephines in mid October last year, has
stuffed it's last chit in the cup. The doors were bolted and the
legal notices were posted in plain sight. Alas, the Darwinian
Imperative plays no favorites.
SUKHUMVIT 1 PLAZA
The New Screw Boys A Go-Go Bar and it's late night counterpart, the
$BM Discotheque (a.k.a. '
Black Market') didn't quite make it to the end of their second
month - the fat lady sang before they even got all the way out of the chute, figuratively
speaking. It happens.
SOI TWILIGHT
 NO
NEWS IS GOOD NEWS
DEPARTMENT
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VICARIOUS
ART
CRIMES
# 19
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MIDNITE HOUR's
Street Gang Graffiti
THE
DARK SIDE OF COUNTER-CULTURE EXPRESSIONISM
If you Google " Gang, Graffiti, News" you will get
how many hits, again? How does " about 1,130,000"
sound? Incredible, but true. Many of
these links headline the ever increasing amount of gang violence and the concomitant
increases in 'gang graffiti'. While most of this 'news'
is from the USA, to be fair, it is an increasing problem worldwide.
What initially brought this to our
attention was a news report saying that there had been an increase in gang warfare in
Los Angeles, and that the cause of these "turf wars" was over whose
graffiti got painted over by whom. And who came back to
repaint over that graffiti with their own graffiti all over again.
All of this sounds like so much storm in
a teapot until one realizes that people are maimed and killed in the
process. Outsiders need to be reminded that a gang's turf has a
lot to do with their influence (ego) and their customer base (drugs = money,
for those needing it to be spelled out).
One 'enlightened' Police Chief
commenced a policy of removing and painting over all graffiti, and repairing
all the broken windows. He said if the gangs saw that the
community would not tolerate all this graffiti and breaking of windows, then they, the
gangs, would stop and become nice people. Chief, all
I can say is your cranium is in rectal defilade (as we used to say in
Vietnam).
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A police officer inspects a large mural
idolizing the 18th Street gang in Los Angeles.
Contrary to popular belief, much of gang graffiti is in fact quite
artistic.
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An Hispanic gang marks it's territory
outside one of Los Angeles' housing
projects. "ELA" is, obviously for '
East Los Angeles', and the number 13 refers to the gang
name. Old English script is typical of Hispanic gangs
in Southern California.
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Someone's home stood in the spraycan
crossfire; the number "18" seems to be the paint war victor here.
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Unfortunately, gang graffiti
has about as much chance of going away, either by force or by reason, as does any
other kind of graffiti, Let the municipalities rant and
rave, let them spend their weekends removing the 'scourge' of graffiti in all
it's forms; their chances of success amount to zip.
Read the papers, read the web,
graffiti is on the increase, whether we like it or not. And
while much of counter-culture expressionism comes from the spraycan
alone, and doesn't have a violent counterpart, there is a very real, and highly visible
component that is directly linked to violence. It is therefore
unavoidable that the words, " gang" and " graffiti" are often thought
inseparable, joined at the hip, as it were.
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- And now to
Bangkok's own brand of Graffiti....
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Graffiti #127
Panelwork
6 ft high x 20 ft
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Graffiti #128
Hoop
10 ft high x 18 ft
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Graffiti #129
Messin' 'Round
10 ft high x 8 ft.
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Graffiti #130
Pink Manah
10 ft high x 15 ft
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Graffiti #131
Popcorn Coup
10 ft high x 12 ft
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Graffiti #132
Quick 'N Dirty
6 ft. high x 9 ft.
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Graffiti #133
Talk-About-It
8 ft. high x 15 ft.
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Graffiti,
graffiti , and more Graffiti -
Bangkok's
original and
ONLY graffiti Site
!
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The
M
IDNITE
HOUR
Graffiti
Page
is prepared by Staff Contributor "Boge"
Hartman
.
(Boge's
photo, above, is not a graffiti per-se, although there are
those who have
insinuated....)
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--- Datzit Fernow
William R. Morledge
Copyright © Bangkok Eyes / bangkokeyes.com : 2002-2005
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Reformatted 01 2013
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