Nostalgia may not be what it used to be, but the collective memory can't be denied. Through a fortuitous turn of events, a reader and long-time correspondent recently sent us some rare old photos of some of Bangkok's more well-known 1960's & 1970'sNitespots. Being an 'historical' (or at least historically oriented) website, how could Midnight Hour refuse to rush to publication? We remain ever grateful.....
The Nipa Hut
- Published with permission. All rights to owner. With thanks to "O.D."
What is the only thing better than one door-dwarf? Why, TWO door-dwarves, of course. The Nipa Hut was located between Sukhumvit Sois 16 & 18, nearer to the Soi 16 side (just past Mitch & Nam's Soul Food Restaurant). The Nipa Hut was a great favorite of both American G.I.s and civilians - anyone craving Mexican food. When the Nipa Hut closed, the dwarf on the left moved down to the Check Inn 99 (on Sukhumvit near Soi 5), where he was doorman / greeter for several years.
SUKHUMVIT ROAD - Near SOI 16
The Thai Heaven
- Published with permission. All rights to owner. With thanks to "O.D."
Anyone who was in Bangkok for a shorter or longer period during the 60's and early 70's knew the Thai Heaven Bar. If we were to take an informal survey of those expats still around today on which Nitespot was the favorite of all time, the Thai Heaven would come out far in front of the pack. A particular favorite of the G.I.s on R&R from Viet Nam, it epitomized the generous Thai way of life and the readily available companionship as proffered by the abundance of freelancing young ladies of the evening. Early of an evening, if things were not busy, the young ladies would often be found up on the floor dancing a ramwong to some piece of Western music. This is a rare photograph indeed - incredibly, we don't recall seeing any other photos of this venue. The restaurant was at the right of the photo, and was usually not open at night, and the bar was on the left. The Thai Heaven closed its doors in the 1980's, having changed from it's 'bar' format in the late '70's.
NEW PETCHBURI ROAD
"The Copa"
- Published with permission. All rights to owner. With thanks to "O.D."
- Published with permission. All rights to owner.
Long ago relegated to the historical archives, "The Copacabana" (just say, 'The Copa') was a favorite of the expats who were here in Bangkokpre-R&R early '60's (although it survived well into the 70's). Military advisers, Peace Corps and USAID types all have fond memories of this Night Entertainment Venue. Located between Soi's 5 & 7 Sukhumvit, it was a (mostly) upstairs venue, and was reported to have a higher cut of entertainment and freelancers. It was one of the early 'pioneers' of Sukhumvit Road - at least in the expat-oriented Night Entertainment sense. In the second photo, the Thai language note to taxis reads, "Bar Copa. Sukhumvit, near Soi Lert Sin, Bang Kapi." Lert Sin is the name for both Soi's 5 & 7 Sukhumvit, and the old District name was Bang Kapi.
SUKHUMVIT ROAD Near SOI 5 / SOI 7
- Published with permission. All rights to owner. With thanks to "O.D."
This photo, as with the others, dates itself by the automobiles. It was taken from the top of the Miami Hotel, and shows the corner of the structure. Most remember it as the " Coffee Shop", but in fact it was actually the Turkish Bath & Massage. It also had a barber shop and a coffee shop, as was de rigueur for steam-&-cream massage parlors of the era. It is of course remembered for the basement coffee shop, which, to give an idea of it's relative stature amongst Night Entertainment Venues, was also called the Chicken Farm and the Meat Market. The Coffee Shop itself (not the massage parlor) relocated closer to Soi 15 at Ruam Chit Mansions in July 1996, when the massage parlor building was torn down for redevelopment. The Coffee Shop is still operating there in it's 'new' incarnation. Note the original spelling of "" using the Old English Latin grapheme 'a-e'.
Footnote: At the old, original ruins some years later (May 2003 - March 2005) a modestly successful bar beer area, 13 Night Market, sprung into life - until the owners got serious and built a brand new building at that location.
SUKHUMVIT ROAD at SOI 13
The above photos have been enlarged and 'restored' using photo processing software from Corel. We would like to thank "O.D." (you know who you are) for sending them to us for publication.
BANGKOK EYES AUTHORITATIVE INDEPENDENT TIMELY - THE NIGHTSCENE HISTORY-IN-THE-MAKING
BANGKOK EYES AUTHORITATIVE INDEPENDENT TIMELY - THE NIGHTSCENE HISTORY-IN-THE-MAKING
Your http://www.bangkokeyes.com/ is so good that you covered every place a tourist wants to know about !
I mean about clubs !
But what about somebody who wants to play it a bit low profile and wants to enjoy himself discreetly in his hotel suite and want the best nice girls in town regardless of the pay ! I saw many sites full of girls but no distinction in quality.
Since you are connoisseurs in the field may I ask you to direct me to the crop of the crop of these sites or any thing you might help with.
You said Everything, so I this is my question.
You answer or not I still feel that you have done a good job.
Thank you.
M.
Greetings, M,
Apologies for our slow response to your question. Yours is a most unusual request, indeed. However some of the rules of "The Game" will still apply in your situation.
Firstly, the presumption that money-is-no-object will guarantee a good time should be thrown out the window. A lot will depend on the 'chemistry' between yourself and the young lady from the escort service. For example, even if you are using the same escort service, your level of satisfaction can go from 100% to 0% back to 100%, depending on the luck of the draw. This is one of the distinct dis-advantages of using an escort service; you don't get a chance to see if you are going to be attracted to the young lady - or, if she appears lifeless, or uninterested in the same types of entertainment that you are. The second thing to remember is escort service girls are no different than others : beauty, while an initial attraction, is also no guarantee of a good time. The same reasoning applies. An additional word of caution - the photos that appear on the escort and massage parlor websites often tend to show the young ladies in their best light - in real life, the young ladies are often (but not always) much less attractive, and often much older, and perhaps fatter than their photos.
Selecting an escort service, likewise can also be hit-or-miss. One way to find a reliable escort service is to read the local blogs, and find out who is having good, or bad, luck with which escort services. Another way is to go to a site like Stickman, and see which escort services he has advertising on his site - chances are if the escort service is a reliable one, and it has been in business for a length of time, and it has been advertising on the same second-party websites, it will be reliable. However, if staying in your hotel room and ordering in "room service" is your preference, and if you give it enough time, you are virtually certain to find a number of young ladies who will ring your bell.
One last comment, make sure that the hotel in which you will be staying allows for such escort visits (some may not), and if so, determine in advance if they charge additional room rates.
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.
It looks as though most of the King's Group renovations on their varous facilities are nearing completion - a good time to snap a few point-in-time 'archive' shots. This, as can be seen, is "The Club King's" on the interconnecting Soi Bookstore.
Another one for the archives. A not-often-seen sign for the third floor Black Pagoda (on the bridge over Patpong II near Foodland). This sign, however, is located at the Silom end of PPII, above their The Strip venue. May they continue to thrive.
PATPONG II
The Matador has once again closed it's doors. For how long, this time? We'll be dropping them from the rolls until such time as they reopen... IF they reopen....
Shebas continues on with a massive renovation. We stuck our head in the other day, and it looks like it will be another month before "they" reopen it....... See the classic 'archive' shot below from November 2007.
This is our favorite shot of the new Nana Plaza neon (at least for the time being). We're still working on an archive shot of the main sign, however, and will be putting it up one of these days..........
NANA PLAZA - (Sukhumvit SOI 4)
On a slow night at the NEP, there's nothing for it but to wait.....
- Anonymous submission. All rights to the owner.
NANA PLAZA - (Sukhumvit SOI 4)
At first glance, it looked like the Nana Main Station (Pretty Lady 1 & 2) was already tanking. However, on closer inspection, we see that the ground floor venues are all being re-roofed (and will have extended overhanging rain shields, so we are told). This necessitated the temporary removal of Nana Main Station's giant sign. Note the new framing topside the existing awnings. Expect all to return to normal next month.
One Night Only, a popular 'theme' entertainment house, has effectively hidden the Sugar Bowl from view with a large partition - a vodka advertisement.....
The Black, a new upstairs live jazz lounge has just opened across from the Dali. And they have some impressive, if not overlarge, neon. Good work, gents. ....And may the nightgods treat you kindly.
SOI DEAD ARTISTS - SOI 33
This new sign says the Mirai Club will be opening shortly, and that they are hiring the usual various personnel. The question is, the Mirai (pronounced 'Mee Ra Eee') has already opened a couple months back. Could they be talking about a brand new, even larger venue abuilding at that location? Time will tell.....
SOI DEAD ARTISTS - SOI 33
The Sabai Sabai Massage looked darker than a poisoned well when we passed by the other night. We'll be dropping it from the rolls for the time being - we note that they tend to close early if there is no business (which in itself, is bad business, but hey....)
Washington Square has been slowly closing down as a Night Entertainment Area for the last several months due to a major land redevelopment by the owners. Most of the Nitespots have already either closed or relocated; the Area has dropped below the "critical mass" required to sustain customer interest. Midnight Hour will no longer report on this Night Entertainment Area on a monthly basis. However we will continue to track that area and report any additional closures of the remaining bars as they occur.
The Crossed Pistons Saloon (Bangkok) has just recently taken over the reins from the Dirty Deez (may they find peace in another place and another time). The Crossed Pistons have not changed the modus operandi - a small, comfortable pool bar. And yes, this is the same "Crossed Pistons" motorcycle crew that have the large venue of the same name on the grounds of the Rajah Hotel. Here's hoping they draw all aces and faces. And calling them the Pissed Crosstons is not considered good etiquette....
QUEEN'S PARK PLAZA
Originally there were two small bar beers on the left and right of the entrance to the Baan Beer 22, which we took to be the two halves of the same beer bar, the Jasmine Bar. This, however, is not the case - the bar beer on the left going in is the Nazabar. A belated welcoming to the Night Circus.....
- File photo
QUEEN'S PARK PLAZA
The recently opened Boom Boom Pub has already closed - but we suspect, that in light of massive interior renovations, it will be reopening shortly, much unchanged - with the exception of the interior shine.... We shouldn't expect a name-change.... We will, however, be keeping our eyeball peeled, and get back atcha when we know something further....
- File photo
QUEEN'S PARK PLAZA
Gone, but not gone, the 3-Sister Bar is operating full-bore again. Welcome back (if they were ever really gone). May they continue to abide.
- File photo
QUEEN'S PARK PLAZA
The Away From Home was back to status quo ante this month - and looking as though nothing had changed; as though they weren't even closed last month. May they persevere.
The Tarntip Massage and Spa has completed their migration all 25 meters across the Soi to their new digs within (what we are provisionally calling) the 'Eden Complex'. Things are looking up - may they continue to slip and slide.
SOI EDEN - Soi 7/1 Sukhumvit
The Magic Table has taken to calling itself Magic Table V.I.P. and are looking very professional. Let the good times roll.
SOI EDEN - Soi 7/1 Sukhumvit
The Sip Song (sounds like the number 12 in Thai, however it is not spelled the same) now has the rest of it's neon up. Looking good - may they continue to rock.
SOI EDEN - Soi 7/1 Sukhumvit
Dr BJ's Budget Bangers has, according to it's posted notice, closed for 15 days. We hope that is the extent of the closure - not something more sinister. The other two adjacent Dr BJ's however continue to slather along full-speed.
This upstairs bar, the New Twilight, is no longer in existence, however it's name has been lent, informally so, to the soi itself. A private soi, as with the Patpongs and Silom Soi 4, it is generally referred to as "Soi Twilight", or the "Twilight Zone". With the exception of the @ Chai Massage on the Rama IV end, it is Bangkok's straight out gay soi, so if that is not your thing, you would be wasting your time going there.
Bangkok Eyes jumps back in time to have a look at who was new - and who was through. We'll be willing to bet that many of you "Old Bangkok Hands" will be reminded of some bars you'd almost forgotten. (We also will be willing to bet you WON'T EVEN REMEMBER an even greater number....)
10 YEARS AGO :
February
SUKHUMVIT SQUARE DESTROYED - IN MIDNIGHT MAFIA BLITZKREIG
An aerial view of the horrific destruction at Sukhumvit Square that greeted shop owners and bar owners and passers-by on the morning of 26 January 2003. Photo by Stickman
This month we will be leading off our 'Historically Speaking' column with the Sukhumvit Square Night Entertainment Area story, which 10 years ago made international news when the then Massage Parlor-Brothel King, Chuwit 'Hot-Tub' Kamolwisit and Military Mafia leader, Col. Himalai conspired to destroy, by bulldozing, the entire Sukhumvit Square area, to include sixty bars and dozens of other shops such as laundries, restaurants and tourist shops. All of which took place right under the noses of the local Men In Too-Tight Uniforms. Both have been convicted in the courts, and neither is likely to serve any prison time or receive any punishment whatsoever - they are both free on bail. Lest we forget - this land is still very much a land without rule-of-law.
A file photo of Chuwit taken at a local hospital (in an unrelated imbroglio). That time around, he had accused Bangkok's Finest of taking bribes to the tune of "trays of Rolexes" in order to allow him to keep his massage parlor-brothels open. The gendarmerie (from an undisclosed precinct) proceeded to kidnap him and eventually throw him out of their vehicle alongside the highway in a Bangkok suburb -- once again making outrageous headlines in all the local papers. He was eventually picked up by a kindly passing motorist and taken to the hospital in a stupor. (Source: Bangkok Post)
Co-conspirator Col. Himalai behind bars. He wasn't there for long, and he's not likely to return there any time soon. (Source: Bangkok Post)
Below is a listing of the 60 bars in Sukhumvit Square that were bulldozed, then ransacked in the dead of night by the minions of Bangkok's most influential and powerful underworld figures:
In Happy Today 8-Pak
Chemo Bar
Ying's Corner
Rose Garden
Tu's Bar
G-Sport
Wan's
California Bar
Lovely Bar
Fronting on Soi 10
Titano Soi 10 Bar
Star Bar
Titano Bar (other one)
U 2 Place
T-Time Bar & Rest
77 Sunset Area
Ninety Nine Bar 99
Made In Heaven
The Loaded Dice
Lucky Milk Bar
Check Inn 99
In the Rear
At 10 Bar & Pool
Brownie
Casablanca
Country Road Beer Bar
Tippler's Tavern
The Retreat Bar
Kat Beer Bar
Lemon Tree
Bar Sanuk
Infinity Bar & Karaoke
Friends Bar
Jasmine & Kittingoen Bar
Bonanza Pub
The Winner
The House's Bar
Superior Bar Pool
Princess Bar
In the Center
Studio 54 A Go-Go
Remember Pub
Speto
Caligula Pool & Pub
Green House
Counter 7
Little Shinjuku
(A to-be-named bar beer)
Welcome Bar
Facing Sukhumvit
Lighthouse
Bar Chemo 02
Hot Shots
After Work
Sweet Home Bar
Montika Bar
Gemini
West Side
Gwynnes
Lucky Cat Bar
Hello Bar
Walker Bar Pool & Darts
Suzie
Tikki Bar
Say Hi
Colorando Pool Bar
Relax Bar
In other news that month -
The Dome Juniority Club on the 2nd re-closed up on The Ramp. They would reopen under another name. The World bar now occupies those premises.
PATPONG 2 - February 2003
The Three Ladys Cocktail Lounge bar on The Ramp reopened after a brief closure. They are still there today.
PATPONG 2 - February 2003
An unnamed pub located in what was part of the Thai Room re-opened after a brief closure. The Tavern 3 is now at that location.
PATPONG 2 - February 2003
Tony's re-closed after only a month. It would reopen again in the near future.
SOI COWBOY - February 2003
The seminal Nana Plaza bar, the Three Roses Bar on the second floor closed it's doors for good. It would become Spankys the following month.
NANA Plaza - February 2003
The Tochu ChakabaJapanese bar opened it's doors for the first time. No bar is at that location today - the Square is being demolished for redevelopment.
WASHINGTON SQUARE - February 2003
The Crystal Bar bar re-opened it's doors after a one-month hiatus. No bar is at that location today - the Square is being demolished for redevelopment.
WASHINGTON SQUARE - February 2003
The Chelsea lounge closed for good. It became The CaveS&M show bar, and is now the DemoniaS&M show bar.
SOI DEAD ARTISTS - February 2003
The Kosu MosuJapanese lounge closed for good. There is currently no Nitespot at that location. .
SOI DEAD ARTISTS - February 2003
The As Found lounge, deep in the Soi, closed for good. There is currently no Nitespot at that location. .
SOI DEAD ARTISTS - February 2003
The following bars transitioned in QUEEN'S PARK PLAZA that month:
* One More Bar bar beer - REOPENED * O.B. 1 Bar bar beer - REOPENED * Divas bar beer - REOPENED
Asoke Corner / Asoke Plaza
Night Entertainment Area :
-CLOSED DOWN-
( March 2000 - February 2005 )
Ten years ago this month, the following bars transitioned in Asoke Plaza / Asoke Corner (formerly Cowboy Annex).
* Siamese Twins (in the 8-Pak - Ex: Unit Bar) - OPENED * Fantasy Thailand (- in the 4-Pak) - REOPENED * Lady Bar (- in the 4-Pak) - OPENED * (A bar beer - no sign) (- in the 4-Pak) - CLOSED
Archives
SUKHUMVIT ROAD - Near SOI 16 
TOP
February's Nightlife News 
structure. Most remember it as the "
PATPONG I 
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