There are a number of perennial Nitelife topics of discussion among both longtime residents and new arrivals. Some of the popular examples: "Was Soi Cowboy an R&R bar area?" or, "What is the oldest bar in Bangkok?" or, "When did the Thermae really open?" or, "What was the first bar in Nana Plaza?" etc... But none comes up in conversation as often, and none is more controversial than "What was the first A Go-Go bar?"
Miss Saengdao
Recently, we have come across two more write-ups on the subject, neither accurately reflecting the history of A Go-Go in Bangkok. The best way to clear up any controversy would be to present the known facts as compared to commonly held beliefs. So, let's have a look at the commonly held belief that the Grand Prix Bar on Patpong 1 Road became the first A Go-Go bar in Thailand in 1969. After little research, we find this to be the quintessential example of "The Power Of The Printed Word" - Alan Dawson's popular book, Patpong: Bangkok's Big Little Street (1988) spelled it out most succinctly :
"Patpong, 1969. A woman, totally oblivious to her place in history, dances on a stage to a rock 'n roll song on a jukebox in the Grand Prix Bar. So ... occurred the first successful go-go bar in Patpong. In Bangkok. In Thailand. In Asia."
And while this "Grand Prix + A Go-Go + 1969" version of events had been bandied about prior to Alan's book, once published and read by the multitudes, it had become a chiseled-in-stone 'mantra'. So much so, this version was even included in the Patpong Museum's guided tours.
Since our early survey years in the 1990's, one of our primary areas of focus has been the origins of A Go-Go. Perhaps our most popular Midnite Hour issue was on A Go-Go dancing's origins - as evolved after World War II (See our Whence "A Go-Go"? <link> from February 2006.) For the last 5 years or so, Bangkok Eyes' Midnite Hour has been digging back into our old 'clippings' and other documents in order to build an holistic picture of Bangkok's earlier Nightlife history. In our research, we found several instances of early "A Go-Go shows" in the '60's - an indication of Bangkok's growing interest in this form of Night Entertainment. But of even more interest to us was our discovery that two Nitespots had regular A Go-Go dancing as far back as 1966, approximately 3 years prior to A Go-Go being introduced to Patpong 1 Road at the Grand Prix Bar. Both of these seminal bars, the Naturist (Sathorn Rd), and the Oasis (New Road) were popular bars, lasting into the 1970's, and were often advertised in the Press and publications for distribution, like Bangkok After Dark (BAD), and pamphlets given to G.I.s on R&R.
Immediately below, we have provided samplings of our collected documentation showing the establishment of A Go-Go dancing in Bangkok as a regular feature - going back at least as far as September 1966.
Naturist - Sathorn Road
The clipping immediately above is from Bernard Trink's Nite Owl pages, September 1966. The advertisement at the left is from the July 1967Bangkok After Dark, (BAD), a full year after Trink first mentioned it in the Nite Owl, indicating A Go-Go was still going strong. The Naturist also remained open into the '70's.
The Naturist claimed they were the first to have A Go-Go in Thailand, and after going all the way back through our 1964 clippings, we have found nothing to disprove this. (Note : The world's first A Go-Go dancing was at the Los AngelesWhisky A Go-Go in 1964.) Footnote : Bernard Trink later described dancers Jaye Stevens and Jill Hamilton as native lasses from Australia.
Oasis - New Road
The above clipping is from Bernard Trink's Nite Owl column, September 1966. Miss Saengdao is, as far as known, Thailand's first regularly performing Thai A Go-Go dancer. The Oasis lasted well into the early '70's as one of Bangkok's more popular New Road Nightclubs.
Credit where it is due. Although not Bangkok's first A Go-Go bar, the Grand Prix was no less a seminal bar in the emergence of Patpong Road as the preeminent Night Entertainment Area on planet Earth. At the time Rick Menard introduced A Go-Go to Patpong 1, it was not immediately an overwhelming favorite, but success was quick to follow. Very soon, new bars on Patpong would be opening where A Go-Go would be the main, or only featured attraction. By the end of 1989, Patpong Roads 1 & 2 had become known worldwide as the 'go-to' place for Night Entertainment.
Grand Prix
While we are myth-busting, we note that while the Grand Prix was in fact the first bar to introduce A Go-Goto Patpong 1 Road (successful, or otherwise), A Go-Go was only one of it's regular features. It was also (perhaps) the first 'Sports Bar' on Patpong 1, regularly screening boxing films on weekends. It also hosted live music, often ad-hoc on its tiny 'bandstand'. (Not to mention the just-plain-drinking-bar.) It is useful to mention that in 1969, the "100% A Go-Go bars" were not yet in existence.
Below are some of the original A Go-Go crew from 1969 (stretching into 1970). We note the Grand Prix Bar 'borrowed' the stringed curtain format from the OasisA Go-Go stage (see above photo). (--We wonder if this 'curtain effect' was part of the effort to get around dancing license problems?) Also noted was the dancer attire was still far from the bikini-clad 'standard-uniform' of future years. -BTW, has anyone noticed (as did Bernard Trink) that Rick Menard's original crew were all English lasses?
Candy
Jeanette
Janet
Lynda
A final note - 'The A Go-Go story' is an ongoing effort on our part - as we continue to comb through our old clippings and other documents, we shall keep all posted on any changes or updates on the subject.
READER :Hi,
I was wondering if you know where in Bangkok the various scenes from The Deer Hunter movie were filmed?
Thanks,
MIDNITE HOUR:I have forwarded a copy of your email to a friend who has more detail on The Deer Hunter, and I will get back to you if there is any additional info. So far, I know of only 2 segments of that film that were filmed in Bangkok.
** An overview of Patpong Road (the crowd scene) (cut to..) Walken outside the Mississippi Queen, entering.
** Walken inside the Mississippi Queen A Go-Go bar talking to hostess.
Addendum from friend:
Yes, that information is correct about Patpong 'acting' as a Saigon street & bar interior. I would add that I understand that the scenes with Walken in the military hospital were also filmed in Bangkok (no idea exactly where).
Also of note are the two Russian roulette scenes. The first was filmed at a location on the River Kwai about four or five hours to the north west of Bangkok. The second of these scenes (in which Walken shoots himself) I can confirm was filmed at a warehouse on a river some way outside of Bangkok, and definitely not in the Mississippi Queen bar in Patpong as has been wrongly stated by many sources.
There are some other scenes shot in Thailand representing Vietnam locations in the Deer Hunter but I don't know of any that were also filmed in Bangkok.
Hope this helps.
P.
MIDNITE HOUR: Last month we noted the opening of Vovo on Soi Dead Artists (Soi 33 Sukhumvit), stating it was a "Pink Salon". Our (Bangkok resident) expert on Japanese Nightlife advises us it is actually a Spa (confirmed by viewing their website). Nevertheless, certain services are expressly stated when Googling...
READER :
Walking down Patpong the other day I saw what was left of one of the old Peppermint Lounge signs still not removed after all this time. Now, that's an old memory from the cobwebs. Do you know when the Peppermint Lounge closed?
MIDNITE HOUR: That is almost a trick question. The Peppermint Lounge became the Peppermint Bistro & Club in April of 1993. Nevertheless everyone (including us) still referred to it as the 'Peppermint Lounge'. The Peppermint (Bistro & Club) closed its doors for the final time in November 1998, but not before it added "Restaurant" to it's name, becoming Peppermint Bistro Club & Restaurant. We suspect the original name change came about because of copyright infringement on the original, which opened in Manhattan in 1958. (Copyright infringement crackdowns hit Patpong regularly in those years - Pink Panther, etc...)
There is a building on Patpong 1 that is just a building. Currently, it is used as a place to park a motorcycle or two, or sometimes it's used as a temporary 'warehouse'. But (we hear on good authority) in previous times, it was an electrical substation & housed a backup generator. But for what? Back in the '50's the Patpong family was encouraging commercial establishments to open offices on the Patpongs, and one of the biggest incentives was to offer reliable electrical power (in those early years, power outages were commonplace). The generator and electrical switching has long been removed - leaving the building vacant for decades...
PATPONG 1
Last month we noted that Mizu's had resumed vigorous renovations once again, but we didn't know what the intended use might be. This month, while we do not know the name of the new Venue, we at least know it will be a bar restaurant. It is likely that by the time you read this, the new place will have opened. We'll catch up next issue...
PATPONG 1
MAP
Vinai's Bar has got some new signage - not that it needed it - it has been a regular "watering hole" for the 'old hands' for years..... Keep on truckin'
PATPONG 2
The 'on-again, off-again' Top Light is 'off again'. Located in the strip of ground floor single-shophouse Nitespots under The Ramp.
A 'For-the-Archives" pic of the Venus and Weed Hub. We haven't seen any cannabis shops closing down, nor have we seen them full of customers.... we wonder how they pay the rent.... (In general, we note no change in bar inventory on Soi Cowboy this past month - business remains relatively good in spite of the onset of the "hot season"...).
We were going to feature a pic on Wonderland (2nd level), however we could only find this rather blurry shot from an old video clip (?). Nana Plaza remains busy, however not at the level of previous months. Likely attributable to the "hot season".
Last month we noted the soft opening of The Stranger Bar at the end of the Soi. This month they have the rest of their signage up, to include an "across-the-soi" banner which can be seen from Silom Road. Keep on keeping on...
SOI KATOEY (Silom Soi 4)
The single-shophouse digs (that was The Stranger Bar before they moved deep into the Soi) will soon be the Valour Bangkok Wine Bar. Looks like they'll be opening once they've hired the crew... (Oh, and what is a 'Gatsby'?)
At the top of the Soi (ground level, the Holiday Inn) is the brand-new, well-appointed Burbric Craft Beer. It looks like they are already starting to get a following... Welcome to the bright lights, big city...
SOI 22 Sukhumvit Rd
The Bebop Bar (deep in Soi 22, opposite B52 Cowboy Bar) hasn't been open long, but is starting to get some 'regulars'. We might be wrong, but we think "Basueno" is a sponsoring tequila? May they continue to keep the sharks at bay...
SOI 22 Sukhumvit Rd
The Ola Ola has put up some new signage. Probably motivated by the need to let passers-by know they were a "Massage" - as virtually no one knew what kind of a Venue they were. May they keep on a slippin' and a slidin'...
For those who like Mixed Martial Arts (MMA), it doesn't get any more 'mixed' than this... Bangkok'sSoi Ambassador (Sukhumvit Soi 11), had a running 'Last Tranny Standing' battle late-late on 4 March, spilling over into early 5 March, as dozens of Thai and Philippine eunuchs and transvestites battled it out with each other (and police) over the previous week's bad blood. Officialdom became alarmed - while the general public became amused... We submit that 'Katoey Wars' might even supplant Muay Thai as the national sport...
VIDEO CLIP
SOI AMBASSADOR
(Sukhumvit Soi 11)
We had all but given up on the Lotus Beauty and Massage (located deep in a side-soi), but we find they are very much open for business. What threw us off was they were closing early on nights where there were no customers (not unusual for massage parlors). We'd welcome them back, but they weren't gone...
The brand-new Leggs 11 have moved in to the recently closed Big B's CD Bar. Welcome to the big city lights.... Note: Big B is far from gone, they move about in 7 Center Point like a bubble in a Hippy lava lamp....
7 CENTER POINT (Sukhumvit Soi 7)
The farthermost back upstairs area in the old Bier Garten is now open for business. Mentioned in an earlier issue, we were not sure whether it would be a Specialty Massage or a S.T. Hotel. Their sign pretty much spells out which.
7 CENTER POINT (Sukhumvit Soi 7)
The newest and smallest beer bar to open at 7 Center Point is the Up To You, located at the very back of the compound. A sign is forthcoming. Welcome them to the machine.
7 CENTER POINT (Sukhumvit Soi 7)
The Best Friends is set to open in the 6-Pak 'island' in the old (and short-lived) We For You Too digs. Once it opens, we'll get back atcha with a pic or two.
The Iku Iku Girls & Bar has been replaced by the Komachi. Located midway down the Soi. Modus operandi unchanged. Welcome them to the neon nights...
SOI DEAD ARTIST (Sukhumvit Soi 33)
What was recently the Mystique Massage became the New Mystique Massage, only to quickly become the New Massage New Thai Massage - taking over lock, stock and Tiger Balm. Welcome them to the neon circus.
Last month we noted Soi Eden had become 'One Way', wondering how it would work out. Well, it didn't work out that well, so maybe a bigger sign will help.... The Soi experienced no change in bar inventory this month....
The '60's and '70's proved to be a "Golden Age" of entertainment in Bangkok's nightclubs. That period differed from today's resurgence of live music in Bangkok's "clubs and pubs" in that they were bringing in international stars. That scene has long faded into history - the paradigm has shifted - 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 'explode' on New Petchburi Road and parts of Sukhumvit Road.
The Honey Nightclub continued to have live large-production entertainment, usually groups from Asian countries. What caught our eye was the ad for Krating Thong beer (the beer would soon enough disappear from the market, but the company would later come out with Krating Daeng - or, 'Red Bull'). We ask ourselves - how does one sell bottled draft beer? Isn't it either 'draft' or 'bottled'?
November 1967
The Four Lads, known less for their nightclub appearances, were recording artists having a number of gold records in the 1950's, 1960's, and 1970's. They were popular guest performers on the variety shows on US television during those years. An award-winning Canadian male singing quartet that exists today, however the original members passed away several years ago. The Sani Chateau was located in the Gaysorn Night Entertainment Area.
November 1967
Normally, the entertainment at the Yard Of Ale comes from owner, pianist and raconteur Sam Scott, so we are surprised he brought aboard Maggie Bowra and her own piano player. Located corner of Silom Road and Convent Road, across from Patpong.
November 1967
The Domino has been running the same advertisement for over a year, which tells us Narcing (the third Aguilar brother) had a permanent gig going. Located in Gaysorn Night Entertainment Area.
November 1967
The Aguilar brothers (& backup) continued to make the rounds on the New Road & hotel circuits with their afternoon Tea Dances and nighttime musical gigs. (The third brother, Narcing was a regular at the Domino at Gaysorn.)
November 1967
Susie's Little Inn, a longtime Gaysorn favorite, advertised as a restaurant, but was also a 'lounge' later in the evenings.
November 1967
The popular Angara ServiceTurkish bath was located at the top of Sri Ayuthaya Road. It would seem to be too far out of town, not being close to any of the major Night Entertainment Areas of the day. But Sri Ayuthaya Road was opening a number of fishbowl massage parlors (Chao Phraya 1 & 2, Chawala 2), and customers were readily available from the Chao Phraya BOQ, just down the block.
November 1967
The Cafe De Paris was one of several Nitespots introducing A Go-Go shows to Bangkok - while not yet having that style of entertainment as a regular feature. (The only exceptions were the Oasis on New Road and the Naturist on Sathorn Road, both ramping up in 1966).
November 1967
The Pearl S. Buck Foundation found out the hard way that no good deed goes unpunished. The vernacular Press warned that "some Thai people" are worried that aid to Amerasian babies could lead to promiscuous behavior by their mothers, in that they would have more free time on their hands to 'get into more trouble' with American G.I.s...
November 1967
Although this clipping has nothing to do with Night Entertainment, we couldn't help notice the 1 baht price of a soft drink. That would now be over a thousand percent inflation since 1967.
November 1967
This has nothing to do with Night Entertainment of that era, (Long before the giant screen Sports Bars made their way to Bangkok), but it is an interesting historical factoid on the subject.
November 1967
Air Vietnam (known tongue-in-cheek in Viet Nam as 'Air Nuoc Mam') was offering 5, count 'em, 5 flights a week to visit the sunny Viet Nam War...
Two Russian men were arrested for spray-painting graffiti at least two locations in Patong, Phuket. A video of their spray-painting was posted on line, making their identification by the authorities all the easier. They were traced to their dormitory and arrested by local police - whereupon they immediately confessed to being the spray-painters, claiming they were drunk at the time. Their charges of 'colluding in vandalism' will be heard in the Phuket Provincial Court in the near future.
For a more complete report visit The Bangkok Post
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 photographs or artwork resides exclusively with the creators.
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 creators.
Bangkok's original site !
SINCE 2005
The MIDNITE HOUR Graffiti Page is prepared by Staff Contributor "Boge" Hartman.
(Boge's photo, above, is not a graffitiper-se, although there are those who have insinuated....
-
Ed)