BANGKOK EYES PRESENTS -
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BANGKOK EYES PRESENTS -
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NOT the 'Street Of Joy', Soi Cowboy remains in lock-down desolation after an evening summer shower,.
As we 'go to press', the Coronavirus continues to dictate - dictate the Bangkok Night Entertainment Scene, dictate our personal lives and livelihoods, dictate the Global economy, dictate the movement of human populations and dictate the actions of Governments around the globe. Such is a 'pandemic'. And this is something 'brand-new' to most of us - there is scarcely anyone alive today who remembers Planet Earth's last real global pandemic. Nevertheless, since our last month's issue, we have seen that this Novel Coronavirus is not omnipotent. There is light at the end of the tunnel - the Coronavirus is beginning, ever so slightly, to ebb...
Last month we made the observation that the Coronavirus was highly contagious but not very deadly. What we are now finding -through ever-greater testing- is that it is even more contagious than first postulated. This is due to the very significant number of persons who have tested positive for Coronavirus antibodies, but who didn't present with symptoms - which, of course, thereby boosts the stats on total number of infected. Statisticians then did a quick retake - extrapolating to obtain new 'adjusted' totals, and then recalculating a new, much-reduced percentage of infected who have died. The Media were quick to push these new-found stats as proof that the virus was not as deadly as we thought, and that we are actually better off than originally imagined - 'Just look at the numbers,'.... Well, OK... Nope, there are still just as many dead people as there were before, therefore it is exactly as deadly as it was before the statisticians got hold of the numbers. To say the same thing another way, its still the same 'too many dead people', the only thing that changed is we found out it was more contagious than we thought. This statistical manipulation is, we guarantee, not going to soothe mourning families.
Hey, wait a minute....
It appears, nevertheless, that the Coronavirus is in fact on the ebb in Thailand, and the recent statistics show it is ebbing more quickly here than in many other parts of the globe. However having said that, it is less apparent WHY - Thailand has been, from the start, in a state of "Partial Lockdown", (not full lockdown as found in the USA) - all of Thailand's essential services have remained open, persons are able to venture outside to go jogging in most areas, and go to restaurants (ordering food to take out). We, Thailand, have exercised social distancing, the near universal wearing of masks, self-isolation whenever reasonable and possible, almost universal testing of body temperature, and required use of sanitizing gel when entering commercial and government establishments, as well as increased personal hygiene and area cleanliness around homes and businesses. Our wet markets are clean and thriving, as are the curbside food stalls. In spite of remaining 'semi-open', and not being the most rigorous of 'lockdown nations', all appearances are that Thailand has 'turned the corner' and is headed steadily toward a full reopening. MIDNITE HOUR
has reproduced charts from www.worldometers.info regarding the numbers of new cases, active cases and daily deaths which show very encouraging trends.
There is a great deal of conjecture as to the reason(s) the Coronavirus in Thailand has receded as quickly as it has. -Some of which is scientifically supportable... (There are also a number of pseudo-scientific reasons floating around, however we won't be covering them in this article.) Below are the most rational actions taken to date to control the pandemic - in no particular order of efficacy :
CORONAVIRUS BEAT-DOWN
* - 'Social Distancing'. - Maintaining a distance of 1 - 2 meters prevents the passing of the virus through direct contact with another human. * - Hygiene. - Personal and Area - The removal of the Coronavirus from the skin by washing (thereby preventing it from entering the mouth, nose, or perhaps the eye, from touching), and the cleaning of hard surfaces within the home and workplace that could harbor Coronavirus for a number of hours or days before dying off. Refraining from touching surfaces while away from home : door handles, elevator buttons, escalator handrails, etc. * - Wearing of masks. The prevention of projecting virus-laden moisture and/ or droplets of saliva in the breath onto another individual or surface. * - Time & Herd Immunity. - The longer the Coronavirus is around, the greater the amount of 'herd immunity'. It is now known that there is a much larger than expected number of persons who have been exposed to the virus, and who, without exhibiting symptoms, have developed antibodies (and thus a measure of immunity). There is currently no accurate way by which to gauge how much of the population (by %) has developed antibodies, or how much any resultant herd immunity has contributed to the current level of amelioration of Coronavirus in Thailand. Accurate data on this can only be obtained after extended testing and evaluation - and this will take considerable time. * - Increased medical care. - to include improved medical procedures and the use of off-the-shelf chemical medicines, such as hydroxychloroquine sulfate. Preliminary testing of this, and other medicines has shown at least some positive results in reducing the effects of, and the prevention of Coronavirus. While very encouraging, testing needs to continue. * - Herbal Medicines. Local ya samunphrai such as Faa-thalai-jone, ginger, garlic. Much is claimed on the efficacy of these and other herbals, however there are no scientific data available demonstrating their value in treating Coronavirus. Based on promising positive trends reflecting a diminished Coronavirus infestation (see graphs above), the authorities have advised that starting 3 May 2020 we will see the phase-in of 'easing' of the restrictions of the Emergency Decree on Public Administration in Emergency Situations B.E. 2548 (2005) - as implemented by the Prime Minister on 26 March 2020 (and incrementally expanded to include the 22:00-04:00 hrs curfew and a one month extension of some provisions of the lock-down). Much of the advisory information comes from valid sources, and much comes from 'usually reliable sources'. To the best of our knowledge, as at this date 01 May 2020, the following guidance has been provided from official sources through the newspapers to the Thai public :
It should be noted that the Government will continue to monitor the Coronavirus pandemic, and should there be an observed resurgence of the virus, the stricter controls previously implemented will be reinstated. In summation, barring substantial improvement in the Coronavirus data, it does not appear that Thailand's Night Entertainment Scene will be reopening before June 2020.
 
MIDNITE HOUR
MAIL
BANGKOK
EYES
Let the May 2020 Follies
begin-
As Bangkok enters its 2nd month of Night Entertainment shut-down due to the global Coronavirus pandemic, we note there are some encouraging statistical data which indicate the Government containment measures are successful in bringing the virus under control. However, even should ongoing containment efforts further suppress the contagion, it will be a long time before the 'good news' translates to a reopening of Bangkok's Night Entertainment Scene. As noted last month, due to the financial strains imposed by the shut-down, the longer the Coronavirus remains a disruptive force in Thailand, the greater will be the number of Night Entertainment Venues that will disappear. We face the increasing prospect of a vastly different world of entertainment when things return to "normal". While we at MIDNITE HOUR have already noted some negative signs in the Night Entertainment landscape, we will continue to give the benefit of the doubt to all Nitespots that were open immediately prior to the shutdown - we will consider these Night Entertainment Areas and Nitespots "Closed Temporarily" - until status is otherwise known. This month, we will continue to document the various Night Entertainment Areas / Nightspots currently affected by the Coronavirus close-down in Bangkok.
Except for a solitary 7-Eleven, the entire length of Patpong 1 sits in silence... Although I will say, it pleases us to note we do not have to gaze upon that wretched 'tent city' night market of fake-brand goods which normally chokes the street each evening...
 PATPONG 1 Patpong 2's "The Ramp" (upstairs) and "The Island" below (and all the bars within) - remain in limbo for approximately another month, while the step-by-step 'easing' is implemented....
PATPONG 2
VIDEO CLIP
After a number of starts and stops, Glamour finally got its feet on the ground. A pleasing atmosphere and staff - a pleasant place to visit. With the lock-down now having been extended, it remains to be seen if it will return to its previous entertaining ways. For that matter, it remains to be seen if it will return at all...
PATPONG 2 The Cactus has been completely gutted. It is unclear at this juncture if they are doing a total renovation, or if they have found a way out from under the Machine. A wait-and-see item...
SOI COWBOY
The K&S Bar and the Hillary 4 partially illuminated by passing traffic.
NANA PLAZA
A photo of the slightly obscured Nana Plaza in lock-down taken from Strikers Sports Pub. Strikers was, up until that time, open as a 'speak-easy' (lights out), but closed almost immediately afterward when the Nana Hotel closed down. Yes, you heard that right....
SOI NANA - (SOI 4 SUKHUMVIT) G's Bangkok in normal times also functioning as an 'oasis' - is in fact a 'restaurant'. -And therefore permitted to remain open during the current lock-down (but only for take-away orders, as per the emergency decree).
SOI KATOEY
The Wine Depot attempted to stay open at the commencement of the lock-down last month, but quickly changed their mind when they saw the Government's intent to 'enforce'.
SOI 22
Progress on the Wine Connection has slowed, but not entirely ceased. Depending on 'the easing' of the Emergency Decree, will we see it opened next month? Or July? Located in the front of the Ambassador Hotel.
SOI AMBASSADOR
(Sukhumvit Soi 11)  SOI 7 PLAZA
(AKA "Nana Plaza @ 7")
The Soi 7 Plaza remains in deadly darkness as the lock-down drags on. Will the bars, many just opened, survive the extended lock-down? Will the Soi 7 Plaza Night Entertainment Area?
SOI 7 PLAZA
Subsoi Pan Pan (off of Soi Dead Artists - Soi 33), a predominantly 'Japanese' cul-de-sac, now stands idle, day and night....
SOI DEAD
ARTISTS (Sukhumvit 33) What was the Check Inn 99 became the Christie's/Napoleon. However the Christie's/Napoleon fell flat on their face, and put the premises up for lease. This month, it looks like they have a taker: KTC Entertainment is furiously renovating - in spite of the lock-down. What they will name the new venue is anybody's guess....
SOI DEAD
ARTISTS (Sukhumvit 33) 
MAP
The Tarntip Massage, lights on, is not actually open. Which is more than we can say for three specialty massages deeper into Soi Eden, where one might find a 'masseuse' or two lurking in the shadows....
SOI EDEN (Sukhumvit 7 / 1)
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Bangkok Eyes is an historically based news outlet, and as such, all graphic excerpts herein are considered,
under current legal precedents and
prevailing interpretations, 'Fair Use' under Copyright Law. Copyright of any original artwork resides exclusively with the artists.
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The MIDNITE 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.... - Ed)
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