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BANGKOK EYES PRESENTS -
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 Most will remember Patpong Roads 1 & 2 as a flourishing Night Scene. Write-ups, articles in the Rolling Stone (etc) and documentaries attest to it's once-legendary status among the world's Night Entertainment Areas. However there is a never-ending discussion on WHEN Patpong reached it's zenith, WHEN its golden age was.
A typical rock & roll A Go-Go bar from the late 1980's, where the dancers actually danced to the music being played...
 7 CENTER POINT
Those nightcrawlers arriving in Bangkok ten, twenty years ago each remember a different Patpong, each having their own favorite bars. Each are convinced that they saw Patpong at it's best. As do those who have been in Bangkok since the '60's and '70's. And of course, each new wave claiming the old farts remember Patpong through nostalgic, rose-colored glasses. The subject appears to be entirely subjective.
Credit given where credit due... Sources for the above map come from now-ancient Zootramp Publications, our old and new graphics - and last but not least, a massive data-scrape from Cleo Odzer's Patpong Sisters, where she had rough, but very comprehensive maps - which had much valuable information we didn't. (Written in 1988, published in 1994.)
But there is an objective way, a rationale to be employed in determining when Patpong was at its peak - When were there the most Nitespots? When was the most varied kinds of Entertainment? When were the po lice closing their eyes to everything (except drugs)? The answer from those keeping chronicles (such as Bernard Trink), and those making surveys (ourselves included), to all three of these questions is the 1988 - 1989 period. - And we might note, the implementation of that hideous night market down the middle of Patpong 1 was completed in late 1989. Not many disagree that this was the beginning of the end, not many think this a coincidence.
There was a time when bar owners took pride in the bar's exterior and interior decoration - not just endless chrome pole palaces covered with mirrors, and 'pews' to seat the incoming customers. The above pic from the long-disappeared Pussy Collection.
Next month we will continue on where we left off - covering Patpong 2 Road in the 1988 - 1989 timeframe.
MIDNITE HOUR
MAIL BOX
Dave is BACK... 
Let the Follies begin-
The King's Castle I is currently closed. It appears that the King's Castle I & 2 may be combined into a single large Venue. A wait-and-see item. (File Photo below)
PATPONG 1 Tip Top the King's Group's flagship restaurant of old (recently a pool hall) has closed. It looked darker than a poisoned well when we passed by the other evening, no indication of ongoing renovation, no signage indicating a reopening date. We fear the worst....
PATPONG 1 The upstairs Kamikazi Japanese lounge (Bldg 1) have completed their renovations. All good.
PATPONG 1 Many of the old Bangkok hangers were hoping that Cosmos would reopen (in spite of protests from the former owner that it would not). It appears the question has finally been answered - Cosmos is now up for rent (lease) from the King's Group. Likewise, other Nitespots part of the Bua Luang dynasty are just now posting the same Space For Rent signs (replacing the old Do Not Enter Without Permission signs).
PATPONG 2 There were no changes in the Soi Cowboy lineup this month, so we are posting a recent pic for the Archives....
SOI COWBOY
Last month we noted the Stumble Inn (the largest bar beer - pool bar in Nana Plaza) could use some additional signage appropriate their new expanded premises. This month their new neon has been duly extended - and looking great. Gotta let the train roll on...
NANA PLAZA
There are two bars currently under construction in the front of Nana Plaza on the 3rd level.
* The first Venue under construction is immediately above the now-closed 2nd level The Balcony Bar. Although the new bar will have an entrance on the 3rd level, it remains to be seen if the 2nd level will be a part of that bar, or if it will open as yet another bar. * The second Venue under construction is immediately beside Tycoon. Both bars will be struggling to be open by New Years. We shall be following-up... NANA PLAZA A long time coming, the new Nana Night Club has opened in the old Strikers Sports Pub digs located at the back of the Nana Hotel parking lot. And they have done an excellent job of redecoration. It appears, however, that they, like virtually all of today's "club" owners, suffer from a common paranoia - Should they be so exclusive that everyone would want to be seen there, or are they so exclusive that they are scaring away a large sector of their customer base? Hey, don't look at us, the proof of the pudding.... But in the meantime, welcome Nana Night Club to the machine...
SOI NANA - (SOI 4 SUKHUMVIT) Last month we introduced the brand new Mimosa Bar just in time for Halloween. This month we note they have some new, much more visible neon nailed up. Keep on keeping on...
SOI NANA - (SOI 4 SUKHUMVIT) Squeezed in among the Venues fronting on the Nana Hotel property is the new Rak Siam Massage offering 'massage for health'. Rub-a-dub-dub.
SOI NANA - (SOI 4 SUKHUMVIT) The Infinity 88 has actually been in operation for a couple of months, however it is co-located with a tattoo parlor, and together with a miniscule sign, we weren't able to discern until recently that it was in fact a separate 'lounge bar' unto it's own. A belated welcome to the neon jungle...
SOI KATOEY (Silom Soi 4)
The Cherry has moved into the previous Squeeze In digs at the back of Soi Titanium. We wish them the same popularity that the Squeeze In enjoyed...
SOI 22
The Loso Bar (newly reported here last month) at the end of Subsoi Lemongrass has added some new neon which can be seen by prospective customers entering the Subsoi. May they continue to be dealt all aces and faces...
SOI 22
The Private Bar having recently relocated to the back of Subsoi Hana has already closed the shop. Should there be a change of status, we shall duly report...
SOI 22
The White Night, also recently opened, has already shuttered their doors and windows. As everything is still intact we suspect it will reopen eventually, but as they change names frequently, we wouldn't be able to venture a guess as to what name it will reopen under....
SOI 22
The brand new Malino (a club) has opened in the recently closed Blaq Lyte digs. Judging from the activity on the front veranda and the sidewalk in front, they are already substantially busier than their predecessor. Let the good times roll...
SOI AMBASSADOR
(Sukhumvit Soi 11) The Big 'Pao Restaurant & Bistro has opened in what is now a crowded Havana Social subsoi. Although the sign says Restaurant & Bistro, they seem to also function as an open 'lounge'. May they be dealt all aces and faces...
SOI AMBASSADOR
(Sukhumvit Soi 11) The Moon Bar & Bistro, noted 'closed' in this column last month, has reopened - Business as usual.
SOI AMBASSADOR
(Sukhumvit Soi 11) The Panacea, closed two months ago, is sporting a new For Rent (Lease) sign. Interested parties please note.
SOI AMBASSADOR
(Sukhumvit Soi 11) 
7 CENTER POINT
The newly expanded 7 Center Point (absorbing the Soi 7 Bier Garten) is 'growing by leaps and bounds'. A number of new bars have opened over this last month. The video clip below shows new and old frontage on Soi 7.
VIDEO CLIP
7 CENTER POINT
(Sukhumvit Soi 11) The updated map (December 2023) for 7 Center Point -
12 new Bars opening this last month:
* You & I Bar * Nice Bar * Sky Bar * The One Bar * Beer Bar Aurora * AJ 168 Bar * Pai 7 Bar * Tony Bar * Su Bar * White Lion * La La Bar * Make Love Bar The newly expanded 7 Center Point continues to expand at the rear of the compound. It is too early to determine whether the area under renovation (see map above) will be part of the Night Entertainment Area or not. We'll keep an ear to the ground and get back atcha...
7 CENTER POINT
(Sukhumvit Soi 11) The Mystique specialty massage has become the New Mystique - modus operandi unchanged. May they continue to slip and slide.
SOI DEAD ARTIST (Sukhumvit Soi 33)
The Baron Lounge has taken over the reins from the recently closed Club Kitty. The Baron continues to be Nippon-oriented. We wonder if this Baron is any relation to the Baron Nitespots of the past? Located on Subsoi Pan Pan.
SOI DEAD ARTIST (Sukhumvit Soi 33)
The Sun has taken over from the previous occupants ,RUP (oral services bar). The Sun's prime agendum? Also located on Subsoi Pan Pan.
SOI DEAD ARTIST (Sukhumvit Soi 33)
After a number of closings and reopenings, the Tenderloins / 33 Bistro has called 'time' for the last time. As at this writing, no renovations have commenced for a replacement Venue. Located at the back of Subsoi 5, they never really gained traction after Covid. We hear tell they have relocated to a 'newer' part of town - should we get confirmation, we shall advise...
SOI DEAD ARTIST (Sukhumvit Soi 33)
Although we saw no change in the lineup of Nitespots in the Soi Eden Night Entertainment Area, we did note that it was getting it's fair share of the surge in Thailand's tourism commencing this last November...
SOI EDEN (Sukhumvit 7 / 1)
The continuous succession of well-known entertainers from the US and elsewhere in the '60's and '70's proved to be, in retrospect, a "Golden Age" of entertainment in Bangkok's nightclubs. That scene has long faded into history - should an entertainer of any celebrity come to perform in Bangkok today, it would be at an arena or stadium, and not in the intimate setting of a nightclub. Meanwhile, the R&R Night Entertainment Scene continued to 'exp
lode' on New Petchburi Road and parts of Sukhumvit Road.
 
Louis Jordan, already a popular recording artist, formed the Tympany Five group in 1938. His tour to Thailand in 1967 was a testament to his sustained popularity. He continued to record through 1973.
March 1967
With all the foreign entertainment acts in Bangkok in 1967, it is easy to forget that the news headlines were predominantly covering the "Viet Nam War". All the while, Bangkok was becoming a major R&R center for U.S. soldiers on leave. Source : Bangkok World.
March 1967
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prevailing interpretations, 'Fair Use' under Copyright Law. Copyright of any original artwork resides exclusively with the creators.
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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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December's Nitelife News 
