BANGKOK EYES PRESENTS -
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BANGKOK EYES PRESENTS -
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 This month we continue our post-Covid round-up on the various Bangkok expat Night Entertainment Areas with a look at Soi Ambassador (Sukhumvit Soi 11). The Soi has not-so-quietly become the largest contiguous* expat nighttime playground in Bangkok - followed closely by the Khao Sarn Road bar / bazzar. (-Is anyone surprised? We were.)
*We note that Soi 22 has more venues, but they are not 'contiguous', forming generally two separate Nitespot areas.
 SOI AMBASSADOR
(Sukhumvit Soi 11)
Soi Ambassador's Nightlife scene is not the traditional night entertainment of the '60's & 70's (A Go-Go's, Steam & Cream fishbowl massages, a couple of big nightclubs, and single-shophouse lounge bars). The new Bangkok Nightlife dynamic consists of 'clubbing', 'pubbing', and a multitude of smaller 'ambiguous' happy-ending massage parlors. (Whether the 'old timers' like it or not)... The traditional A Go-Go havens of the past remain as 'islands in the stream', while still popular, they function more as Nightlife carnival sideshows for the tourists, who for a large part, wander through without stopping for a drink.
"The traditional A Go-Go havens of the past remain as 'islands in the stream'.... more as Nightlife carnival sideshows for the tourists..."
Our last look at Soi Ambassador was two years ago, just as the Covid veil was being lifted. At that juncture, the Soi had 45 permanent / semi-permanent Nitespots - also quite surprising, but does not come close to today's headcount of 64 Venues. (Last April, Khao Sarn had about 53 Nitespots, while the next most populous, Nana Plaza currently has 36 "watering holes".) We note: Restaurants are not counted in the Night Entertainment head-count unless they are 'bar-restaurants' with functioning bars having a degree of nightlife action. Neither do we inlcude cannabis retail / headshops, as we consider them in the same category as liquor stores / grog shops.
Ambassador's rise to preeminence (at least volume-wise) was in spite of a long stretch of real estate flattened for a redevelopment project (previously home to several now-defunct Nitespots). This redevelopment has yet to commence. Also, there are two nightclubs poised for opening in the Ambassador Hotel grounds, and others on the Soi undergoing renovation (example: Alchemist). It looks like the development of Soi Ambassador as a Nightspot super-hub is far from over.
 
MIDNITE HOUR
MAIL BOX
Dave is BACK... 
Let the Follies begin-
When the King's Group closed down the Tip Top for the final time in March of this year, they advertised that there would be "coming soon" a new King Castle 2 (completed in the old Tip Top digs), a King Castle Sports Bar & Restaurant (completed on 2nd level above the new King Castle 2. But the promised King Castle Inn Hotel was nowhere to be found. Until this month... It has just opened on the 2nd level on Subsoi Bookstore, above what was the Dok Pub. But the signage reads only, "Inn" for discretionary purposes... It is of course a short-time hotel - something the King's Group doesn't ordinarily get involved with.... Shake it, don't break it, gentlemen....
PATPONG 1
A For-the-Archives photo of the Thigh Bar A Go-Go. Their current business model (selling drink tickets to get in) hasn't proved all that successful. May they keep on keeping on...
PATPONG 1
The 4th level Morimoto is apparently closed. Located above Shenanigans. We'll keep an eye peeled, and if they pop back to life, we'll duly report next round...
PATPONG 1
The recent Kinky Girls facade makeover coincides with a staffing-up, and from what we see out on the front stoop, they have done a good job on both. Gotta let the train roll on...
PATPONG 2 The Dok Pub, only recently opened (April 2024) has already fallen into the abyss. Talking with the mamasan, the owners (Virgin A Go-Go) will soon reopen it as another A Go-Go bar, with some of the dancers coming from Virgin, and the rest as new hires. The new name has not yet been decided.
PATPONG 2 The long standing Qeen 501 Studio Bar was closed down tighter than Alcatraz when we passed by the other evening. We'll keep an eyeball peeled, and if they should reopen any time soon, we shall so advise. Located up on The Ramp.
PATPONG 2 
Yet another bar ventures into Soi Cowboy from Nana Plaza. Taking over lock, stock, and bar stool from the just closed Oasis is the brand new Stumble Inn Cowboy. Modus operandi (from the Oasis) unchanged... Let the good times roll...
SOI COWBOY
Quietly slipping into the just-closed Essence (2nd level) is the Kino Go-Go Bar. Not to be confused with other Venues in Bangkok with a like or similar name... Welcome them to partytown.
Graphics provided by reader
NANA PLAZA
The new Nana 4 Massage has just opened in the long-closed Big Mango digs (after they moved out of Nana Plaza). Wish them luck as they throw their hat in an already crowded massage parlor ring...
SOI NANA - (SOI 4 SUKHUMVIT) The tiny Bar D. Mare, pronounced dead last month for unknown reasons, has sprung from the crypt -and it's business as usual. Welcome back to the same old, same old. Located in the Maison Hotel compound (ex: Rajah Hotel).
SOI NANA - (SOI 4 SUKHUMVIT) The long-running Heaven @4 looked darker than a poisoned well when we passed by the other night - it's a neon jungle out there...
SOI NANA - (SOI 4 SUKHUMVIT) The Golden Beer Bar located at the front of the Nana Hotel complex, has battened down the hatches, turned off the lights and left the building. May they find that greener grass...
SOI NANA - (SOI 4 SUKHUMVIT) 
The 4th level Beef, open 3 months ago, closed last month, has now reopened. We never see any customers entering or exiting - perhaps it'ss a late-late place? Welcome them back to the bright city lights.
SOI KATOEY (Silom Soi 4)
The Cube has opened newly in the long-closed Siri Massage. Located midway down the Soi. May they continue to slip and slide...
SOI 22 Sukhumvit Rd
The Maxim Massage has opened in what was the Lavender Massage up until last month. The prime agendum (special massage) remains unchanged. Welcome them to the already inundated massage parlor scene - we (almost) have no idea how any of them make any money... Subsoi Hana.
SOI 22 Sukhumvit Rd
The unusually named Utamaro22 specialty massage has opened up in the recently closed BTS Massage at the top of Subsoi Titanium. May Fate deal them all aces and faces...
SOI 22 Sukhumvit Rd
Monsoon, one of the older, established eats & drinks Venues, is still going strong. BTW, they also serve breakfasts... May they persevere...
SOI 8 Sukhumvit 
s month, however we now realize we failed last month to make note of the opening of Kushi Shogun, located at the second bend in the road at the back of Soi Ambassador.
SOI AMBASSADOR
(Sukhumvit Soi 11) The long-failing Mon Spa has fallen to the expansion and reopening of a boutique hotel. Mon Spa was located midway down Subsoi Havana Social.. May the Mon masseuses find themselves a new home...
SOI AMBASSADOR
(Sukhumvit Soi 11) The P.P. Massage has called it a night. They initially were the P.P. Beer Bar & Massage (circa 2016), however, after several changes, the beer bar has become today's popular Ya Dong Potion beer bar, and the P.P. Massage was operating separately. We suspect the remaining masseuses had long ago found new employment... Located at the back end of Subsoi Havana Social.
SOI AMBASSADOR
(Sukhumvit Soi 11) 
The Nice Bar after graduating from the old Bier Garten side to a larger area straddling both the old area and the Bier Garten area, has now gone belly-up. It appears that renovations are proceeding - a wait-and-see item on what will replace it.
7 CENTER POINT (Sukhumvit Soi 7) The miniscule Spring Flowers closed after only one month. Located on the north wall of the old Bier Garten area. Darwin's axe can be quite random...
7 CENTER POINT (Sukhumvit Soi 7) The brand new The333 nuru massage has just opened mid-Soi. And it appears no expense was spared in upgrading this facility to an attractive multi-level massage parlor. Wish them luck as they cast their lot with the rest (of the massage parlors on the Soi...).
SOI DEAD ARTIST (Sukhumvit Soi 33)
The Aurora Massage has suddenly become the Aurora 33. This is just a name change, the operant descriptor (specialty massage) remains unchanged...
SOI DEAD ARTIST (Sukhumvit Soi 33)
the
The Hachi Snack Bar Karaoke has disappeared from the 3rd level above Propaganda. Better luck on the next spin of the bottle... Located in Subsoi Pan Pan.
SOI DEAD ARTIST (Sukhumvit Soi 33)
Likewise, the Jasmine Club was shuttered and dark when we surveyed the other evening. We wish them good fortune, whichever way the winds of Fate may blow...
SOI DEAD ARTIST (Sukhumvit Soi 33)
Last month we noticed that the Venue previously named Kawinya Massage was renovating. We were expecting a new Nitespot to appear in its place this month, however it turns out it is the I'm A-Roy restaurant. As a restaurant, it is not an actual Night Entertainment Venue, so we will be dropping it from our inventory.
SOI EDEN (Sukhumvit 7 / 1)
 OTHER NITESPOTS OF INTEREST
At some point over the last 2 to 3 months, the new building at the top of Soi 25 has become home to two new pub-type Nitespots - The Pablo and The Intense. Their growing popularity would be criminal to ignore...
SUKHUMVIT At SOI 25
A This month Midnite Hour continues to review Bangkok's Nightclubs offering live entertainment, located both in the bigger hotels and operating independently.
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September's Nitelife News 
