Due to the large volume of photo processing for this month's issue, Midnight Hour will not present our usual lead feature, and instead proceed directly to our monthly review of the Nightscene.
The girls at Club 66 take a quick street break - just time for a bowl of noodles, then back upstairs for their next 'floor'.
PATPONG I
Last month we noted that the Muzzik Cafe had reopened, and that they would likely have new neon up by this month. And they do.... and as we thought it rather attractive, we have given it our "Door Art of the Month" award. Let the good times roll.
Door Art Of The Month
Award
PATPONG I
Last month we noticed that the Pen & House (Pent House of old) had closed, but we were under the impression it was only to be for a couple of days. Not so - it seems they lured the last customer up that darkened stairway almost two months ago.
The French Kiss is getting it's first renovation in almost twenty years, but all you regulars will be able to return on, or near the end of the month - we saw hammers and saws a-flying, so it won't be long before they are back in action.
PATPONG II
The Lift has gone the way of the dodo, however, it was quickly replaced by the brand-new Target 2. Some of you may remember the original Target (a Bua Luang Group bar) which was located where Bar Bar and The Strip are now located. Target 2 are located on the 4th floor, Cosmos stairwell, across from Foodland. Welcome them back to the neon roulette.
PATPONG II
Cafe De Paris has seen it's end of days. This has all the earmarks of another Bobby adventure - as Bobby's Arms, immediately above, has also recently closed (and moved back to it's original location). We'll keep an eyeball peeled and give you a come-back as soon as we hear anything above "rumor' level.
When the going gets slow, the Five Star A Go-Go team head out into the Soi in their silver-satin robes and black leather knee-boots to attract passers-by in for a beer - which we've found well worth the money, by the way....
SOI COWBOY
The Coyote is no more. All that remains of the old facade and neon is the old Apache door sign. So until we see which way the wind is blowing, we will carry it on the rolls as having reverted to the "Apache". No change of ownership, however, and the place continues to rock, even as renovations proceed.
Lo and behold; the Mercury Bar has sprouted up like a dragon's tooth in the space between the Mandarin and what used to be the Big Mango on the 2nd floor. You will recall that up until 3 months ago, Mercury Bar was located directly opposite - in what is now the Erotica Pool House. Welcome them back to the sharkpool.
The Souvlaki Greek style Nitespot has opened in the old Milano digs. It is for 'wining and dining', however it seems to be more popular as a place to enjoy a drink curbside and watch the masses migrate. Welcome them to the vicissitudes.
The Dali Coyote Club has opened on the 2nd floor of the Dali, in the old Dali Pool digs. From all appearances, they have a very attractive lineup. Let's hope Fate deals them all aces and faces this time around.
SOI DEAD ARTISTS - SOI 33
The Central Tour & Massage has had massage for donkey's years, but never really advertised the fact until now. In the past, to keep their masseuses busy, they would lend them out to some of the other massage parlors on the Soi - on an 'on-call' basis. But now it looks like they are going to see if they can make it on their own. We salute their new, more agressive neon - so get out there and break a leg, ladies. (Figuratively, of course.)
SOI DEAD ARTISTS - SOI 33
A quick pic of some new neon just up by joint effort of the Night Venues at the back of 33 Complex. . Except for the new neon, no changes - keep on keeping on.
SOI DEAD ARTISTS - SOI 33
Have Muu-Tuu, Will Travel
Like a pimp in your pocket - the hand-phone has streamlined much of our night moves.
SOI DEAD ARTISTS - SOI 33
The Dew Spa & Massage, opened only last month, also flaunts some new neon. Keep on a-slippin' and a-slidin'.
SOI DEAD ARTISTS - SOI 33
We're not saying that Papa was busted for drugs, and we're not saying they weren't, however they have a brand-new sign on their front window - the kind Bangkok's Finest will often 'volunteer' to put up for some establishments that step over the line. This is the third time Papa has tanked - perhaps it's time they called in the monks.
The rough translation of the above sign is:
1. Drugs undermine the well-being of the nation.
2. Drugs destroy the health of those addicted, and undermine the well-being of the nation.
3. Those selling drugs shall be punished up to the death penalty.
4. Work gives us life. Drugs give us ruin.
5. (Our) children and wives are 'the life' - drugs are 'the evil'.
6. Drugs are harmful to everyone addicted, and drug use is punishable by imprisonment and fine.
SOI DEAD ARTISTS - SOI 33
The Sawatdee Massage, open only a few months ago, is now bristling with new neon. Hard to miss - and good traditional massage, to boot.
SOI DEAD ARTISTS - SOI 33
This is not what you want to see on a massage parlor sign. However, it's not what you think. The Alice Massage Salon has just been suffering from a little . All will be well with their new neon in a couple of days.... By the way, they are now open for business, so welcome them to the neon jungle.
SOI DEAD ARTISTS - SOI 33
The 33 Barber Sauna & Oil Massage has pulled up stakes and trundled down to Soi Thonglor - and have ramped up to do more of the same (specialty massage) at the 55 Center on Soi 9 Thonglor - so all you 'regulars' will find them just a little further on down the road a piece. We hope they will find things a little more to their liking at their new digs - but with the sufficiency of massage parlors now on Soi Dead Artists, they won't really be missed.....
SOI DEAD ARTISTS - SOI 33
An 'old friend' quietly resumes services on the 2nd floor of the Peep Inn Park.... Orientation Oriental, don't you know....
SOI DEAD ARTISTS - SOI 33
We don't know either. But they are located on the second floor of Peep Inn Park, just next door to Nyan Nyan's upstairs entrance. We'll ask around....
Minogue's has plummeted headlong into the Abyss, leaving behind only a "For Sale" sign to remember them by. We wonder if this isn't the beginning of the rot - what with notices already out (see our last two months' issues) on the pending closure of Washington Square. We hope we are wrong, but somehow, we don't expect they will find a buyer anytime soon....
WASHINGTON SQUARE
The 52 Club is either still open, or it is not still open. The other night we saw the lights on, so we walked in. No one behind the bar. No customers. No khon serb. No DJ. I was the whole show - Twilight Zone, man. We wonder if it has anything to do with a very large and prominent sign in their front window which reads (approximately); "Drugs undermine the well-being of the Nation. Those selling drugs will be subjected to punishment up to the death penalty" ? We'll check back, and get back atcha.
Last month, when the No Bra Bar (the original one) stuffed it's last chit into the last cup, a bit of history snuffed out. The No Bra Bar (originally No Bra, then No ! Bra), was Queen's Park Plaza's seminal bar - it was the very first, even before the bars were built - even before it was called 'Queen's Park Plaza'.. It's ‘defining feature’ back in those latter days of 1998 was a lively group of hostesses out on the sidewalk’s edge each evening encouraging foreign passers-by to come in to the lean-to shanty for a drink. Their curbside dancing made it quite apparent why the bar was so named, and in those early days, they were grossing 10,000 baht a night. By mid-August of 2001 the QPP had completed construction of the permanent structures, with the No ! Bra eventually trading down for a place in the rear. The rest, as they say, is history. Greener pastures.... Over these last 3 weeks, since they sold out to the next-door Happiness, renovations have been ongoing , and are nearly complete (see photo).
QUEEN'S PARK PLAZA - SOI 22
Yet another old timer bites the dust - the Angel Bar, originally a refugee from the demolished Asoke Corner / Asoke Plaza, has winked out - a MagicMarker sign on the door says the loc is up for lease. Only shadows now dance on their darkened steel shutters; may the nightwinds blow kindly.
QUEEN'S PARK PLAZA - SOI 22
The on-again, off-again Sweetheart Bar is now in it's "off-again" mode. We assume, as in all previous times, they will eventually reopen - and when they do, we'll get back atcha.
QUEEN'S PARK PLAZA - SOI 22
The Bada Bing ! owner was, by our observations, a bada-bing sort of guy, and wanted to play high-roller in his own bar - entertaing his hostesses with drinks and jeeping, leaving the customers to sit alone. This closure seemed inevitable from the git-go. Great neon, though....
QUEEN'S PARK PLAZA - SOI 22
The Pop Eye 2, surprise-surprise, has reopened. The rock still rocks....
-File photo
QUEEN'S PARK PLAZA - SOI 22
"...A World where everything is either
compulsory or forbidden..."
More and more Night Entertainment Venues are posting signs similar to the one above - you may be wondering what they say....
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
All patrons please know that:
This establishment is licensed to provide entertainment
in accordance with Law #3.
Open for business from 17:00 hrs to 01:00 hrs.
1. It is forbidden for anyone under 20 years of age to enter.
2. You are required to show I.D. cards on entering.
3. It is forbidden to show someone elses I.D. card as your own.
4. It is forbidden to bring drugs into this establishment.
5. It is forbidden to bring weapons into this establishment except for
officers in uniform and on duty.
Last month we noted that Maxis Bar & Restaurant had opened, and that it was open-fronted. Well, no more - they have dropped a glass curtain and airconditioned the place. They have also nailed up some new neon.
HOW TO KEEP YOUR MONEY IN YOUR POCKET
AND STAY OUT OF JAIL AT THE SAME TIME.
Hello Boge,
A couple of years ago I read an article somewhere about a place in Bangkok where a man could get a virgin girl to make love to. I assumed from the text that these girls were of age and not children. Is there such a place, as I have never had a virgin and would like to very very slowly seduce one.
T
Australia
Hello, T
Thanks for reading, and for writing in. You might not be surprised that we have received several similar inquiries.
We know of no such place or service offering virgins. As a cautionary note, we should advise you that there have been many such scams in the past which claimed the young women were virgin - and guaranteed: these scammers would take your money up-front.
Further, as a foreigner, you would not be able to ascertain whether or not the girl was of legal age, and this would put you at risk with the law.
Recently, there has been a lot of emphasis on human trafficking - and there is a high probability that any such scam would be in violation of these laws. It would be wise to steer clear of any such claims; there are many female attractions to maintain your interest here in Bangkok without taking the undue risk of ending up in prison.
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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PATPONG I 
PATPONG I 
. All will be well with their new neon in a couple of days.... By the way, they are now open for business, so welcome them to the neon jungle.
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