At the end of the COVID restrictions on Nightlife activity, we saw almost no reopening of old Nitespots or new Nitespots for several months on Soi Dead Artists. We had pretty much written off the Soi as a viable Night Entertainment Area. However, over the last couple years, there has been a 'quiet explosion' of new entertainment venues. It had been two years since we updated our map - and to our surprise, we find there are once again over 50 Nitespots. We note that most of today's Venues are in the Subsois, and are oriented (npi) toward Japanese clientele.
READER :
Hey,
What ever happened to that Bed Sitting Room bar on Soi 11? It looked like a long metal tube? One of the unique places in Bangkok. I noticed on this return trip it was completely gone.
MIDNITE HOUR:Greetings,
You would be referring to the Bed Supper Club (pic above). It had a good run in the early 2000's, eventually closing, the building was relocated to Soi 13. It was not reopened as a successful Nitespot at the new location.
The King Castle 2 has wrapped up operations at their most recent location and sent the young lady dancers across the Road to the other King's Castle outlets. The history of the various King's Castle Venues reads like corporate musical chairs. The just-closed King Castle 2 (without the 's') is currently a mess, and perhaps slated for another renovation. We won't bid it adieu, as we know it will, like a Whac-A-Mole, pop up somewhere. -File Photo
We noted no change, either up or down, in the inventory of Nitespots on Patpong 2, Below is a clip of a popular stretch of bars opposite the Foodland. For the Archives.
The Peep has pulled the red carpet back inside and gone into lock-down for the forseeable. Will it reopen as its predecessor Dun Dee, or The Peep once again, or something new, or just lay dormant like its neighbor, the ex: Cactus Club? We'll be keeping an eyeball peeled, and get back atcha...
The Rainbow (without a following number) at ground level in the corner, was out of action when we passed by the other evening - the interior was lit up like an Indian tailor shop... We did notice some of the outside seating was in use, although it appeared to be 'borrowed' by dancers from Obsession... "More on this as we learn of it." -File Photo
The Immortal Metal Bar, closed down permanently last month on Trok Mayom, however it has just reopened as Immortal Productions. It is now co-located with the Khaosan Comedy Cub in one of the passageways between Khaosan Road and Trok Mayom. May Immortal continue to produce whatever it is they produce...
KHAO SAN ROAD
The Khaosan Comedy Club has joined real estate, if not joined forces, with Immortal Productions (see above). It initially is a temporary arrangement to wait out the rainy season (and perhaps to wait out the massive renovations on Trok Mayom.) (Much of Trok Mayom is no longer an open thoroughfare.) Should the arrangement be mutually beneficial, the space-share could become more permanent. A wait-and-see item...
KHAO SAN ROAD
The 2nd-level OK Bar, closed last month, has switched back on the lights and it's business as usual. Welcome them back to the machine...
Last month we noted the opening of Luxe Nuru in the Honey Plaza compound. The Luxe took over the defunct Tina - plus another shophouse or two... This month we update the photo for the Archives...
SOI 22 Sukhumvit Rd
The long-standing Buddy's Bar & Grill has fallen into the abyss. A favorite bar-restaurant of expat denizens over the years, it will be missed by many... -File Photo
We had ignored Stable Lodge since forever (or, since when it was a wilder version decades ago), because it never seemed to have any customers - seemingly not open to the public (?) But lately it is very obviously "open", customers coming for drinks and food - but still not yet much of a "scene" as in times past. We'll continue to report.
SOI 8 Sukhumvit
Up until a couple of months ago, there was an unnamed 'hole-in-the-wall' bar beer at the top of Soi 8 (on the right, going in). Then suddenly it was gone. When we passed by the other night, it looked like it, or its successor (bigger by twice) will be opening there soon. More later.
The Moom Muum has been around for a long while, but they haven't been sitting still. Aside from the new signage (Moom Muum Soi 11 Park), they often have live music at the back. Keep on rockin'.
SOI AMBASSADOR
(Sukhumvit Soi 11)
Last month we noted the new Dragon Lounge as co-located with Dragon Heart Massage. It appears that the massage is on the 4th level, and Dragon Lounge is rooftop (5th). Let the good times roll...
Open only two months ago, the Welcome Bar B & F got their signage nailed up just last month. This month they are closed. Don't people do business plans anymore? The 7 Center Point Night Entertainment Area has not been busy for months, and with the 'early' rainy season creeping in, "the future don't look bright ahead"... Wishing Welcome Bar greener pastures...
The New Massage Thai Massage was darker than a poisoned well when we passed by the other evening. They took over from the New Mystic Massage in February 2024. Better luck on the rebound ladies... -File Photo
Soi Eden (Sukhumvit Soi 7/1) was running smoothly again this last month, no bars closing or opening. An aside : The BMA street sign for the Soi is one of a very few where there is only a number but no name.
This month Midnite Hour continues to review Bangkok'sNightlife Scene offering live entertainment, both foreign and local, as found in the bigger hotels, expat Night Entertainment Areas, and other Venues within the City.
The Scala Cocktail Lounge was located in Siam Square (near the theater of that name). In the late '60's and early '70's some thought Siam Square would become a full-fledged Night Entertainment (Bar) area. This never came to fruition - other than the 'grand four' movie houses...
February1970
What went unspoken in the above ad was Diane Landry was Miss Canada 1966. A year after her Bangkok performances, she signed with a major US record label.
Ola & Barbro were an internationally renown Swedish cycling acrobatic team. They are best remembered for their spectacular performance at the Eurovision Song Contest, 1963.
February 1970
The rock & roll group Delltones was formed in Australia in 1958, originally as a 'doo-wop' group. Popular in Australia, they later settled in Europe for an extended time, returning to Australia late 1970 - but not before passing through Bangkok...
February 1970
Although the New Road Night Entertainment Area was on the wane - giving way to the Patpongs and the Sukhumvit area, several of the bigger New Road Nitespots persisted, to include the New Champagne Room (by some accounts it had 100 hostesses). Perhaps ill-timed, it had recently done a complete renovation.
February 1970
Bernard Trink entertainment insert
The Caravelle Lounge was in the adjunct to the Chavalit Hotel(Sukhumvit Road @ Sois 11 -13), which was owned by the adjacent Ambassador Hotel (say, "General Chavalit"). As the A Go-Go generation was being born in Thailand, some of the waitress' outfits were skimpier than the A Go-Go gear.
February 1970
The hotel bar Bar Again was located next door to the popular late-late Thai Yonoke, and across Ploenchit Rd from the Gaysorn Night Entertainment Area. In spite of the competition it survived for a considerable time.
February 1970
SAIGON WIDOWS ?!
Bernard Trink entertainment insert
Bernard Trink's reference to "Saigon Widows" is perhaps much less macabre than it appears. 'Saigon Widows' were wives of those Government Employees (Saigon Embassy, 3-letter agencies under the Embassy umbrella, USAID, Air America, the U.N.) who were assigned to Saigon - 'family status'- during the Conflict in Southeast Asia, (Some called it the Viet Nam War). Instead of putting the families up in SaigonBOQs (apartment buildings), they housed the wives and kids in Bangkok (an hour's flight on Air Nuoc Mam). The added benefit was the kids could attend Bangkok's International School. "Widows" was the slang for these dependent wives, and had nothing to do with what I know you were thinking...
February 1970
Bernard Trink entertainment insert
Rick Menard was slowly expanding his A Go-Go staff at the Grand Prix Bar, one young lady at a time, in hopes the Men In Too-Tight Uniforms wouldn't take notice... In the photo above, one of his waitresses did an impromptu set, apparently to Trink's delight...
February 1970
Historically speaking.... February 1970 marked a (seldom recalled) turning point in the Conflict In Southeast Asia (also known as the Viet Nam War). That month President Nixon's 'Vietnamization Program' was put into high gear with the lock, stock and barrel turn-over of Lai Khę Base Camp (home to the Big Red One) to the South Vietnamese Army. US troop reductions in Viet Nam began in earnest, and R&R was terminated for almost all locations in Asia. From that point forward in Viet Nam, all DEROS-ing troops necessarily would be screened for drug addiction before departing Viet Nam for the US. (And if necessary, sent to select in-country 'Repo Depo' detox centers - yes, drugs were that big a problem....) At that juncture, the last thing the Military Assistance Command, Vietnam would consider is sending more G.I.s to Bangkok on R&R for a week of bingeing on the all-too-available drugs. (And no, we're not forgetting PCODs...)
This of course sent shivers through Bangkok'sNightlife scene - most affected : the string of bars and massage parlors on New Petchburi Road's Golden Mile, which was predominantly (but not exclusively) an R&R Nitespot. (Not to mention sending shivers through Pan Am, and Retired Brigadier General (Burmese) Tommy Clift of Tommy's Tours. Should historians want to follow links on BG Tommy, you will find it most entertaining.
February 1970
Bernard Trink entertainment insert
Australia's Wilma Reading first received recognition as a sports star, but through a remarkable "A Star Is Born" series of events, she turned professional singer and conquered the international music world, from Las Vegas to London to New York to Moscow, and more than once, to Bangkok.
February 1970
The Four Freshmen performed at more than one of Bangkok's major Nitespots (see above).Usually performers at the Rama Hotel (Silom Road) would entertain at its Tropicana Room and the Ramayana Lounge.
February 1970
Bernard Trink entertainment insert
Note - Bernard Trink's now 'archaic' use of the term 'partners'. The young ladies were not partners in the San Francisco Bar business, the term 'partner' has since been updated to 'hostess' (or more prosaically, 'bar girl'). The San Francisco Bar was one of the larger 'emporium' Nitespots on New Petchburi Road'sGolden Mile. Many of the Night Entertainment Venues on the Golden Mile were named after US states or cities, presumably to make the predominantly G.I. clientele 'feel at home'.
Recently a Thai national 'street artist' was nabbed in the middle of the night spraying up a storm on an obviously not 'legal wall' wall in Cheng Mai. He was fined Baht 3,000 for his troubles. Does anyone know if there are any 'legal walls' in Chieng Mai ? Apparently, he was working alone and not part of a 'graffiti crew'.
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.
Graffiti #1665
Sixty-Five and Over
6ft high x 8 ft.
Graffiti #1666
Smoked
8ft high x 6 ft.
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)
At the end of the COVID restrictions on Nightlife activity, we saw almost no reopening of old Nitespots or new Nitespots for several months on Soi Dead Artists. We had pretty much written off the Soi as a viable Night Entertainment Area. However, over the last couple years, there has been a 'quiet explosion' of new entertainment venues. It had been two years since we updated our map - and to our surprise, we find there are once again over 50 Nitespots. We note that most of today's Venues are in the Subsois, and are oriented (npi) toward Japanese clientele.
PATPONG 1 
July's Nitelife News 
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