Changes in Bangkok

[Neeranam]

How has Bangkok changed since you came here? I went to Bkk two weeks ago and was astonished with the BTS extensions. I left to go to Isarn when  it only went to Bang Na, Saphan Taksin. There are so many new Shopping Malls!

I remember sitting in the beer garden in MBK every week, watching them build Siam Discovery. Now there is Paragon! 

I cam in 1992 and one thing that has totally changed is Khao San Road. back then there were very few thais that went, apart from interested uni students. There were no Thai bars/night clubs.

Flooding is not as serious. I remember being nearly waist deep on the main roads.

Many more Islam people tourists and Chinese.

 

Pat Pong is now not very good, vendors were rather rude to me at the market.

 

Im sure there are many other arras with big changes that I havent seen.

 

What about you, changes for better or worse, if there is such a thing.

 

As for Khon Kaen, totally changed from a 'baan nok' town to a major city.

[OneMoreFarang]

27 years, and things changed. Amazing, and so unexpected. ???? 

[madmen]

1 hour ago, Neeranam said:

flooding is not as serious. I remember being nearly waist deep on the main roads.

They are improving infrastructure fast and our whole soi lower suk was ripped up and a new concrete rd installed with MASSIVE drain pipes and this happing all the way up sukhumvit..Barely a puddle during monsoon

[Thainess]

Almost nothing has changed in the past 27 years. Same same but diffullent. True, 1,000 baht gets you a bit less than it used to.

[Nyezhov]

There was a corner bar up on the third floor of nanaplaza that was an expat hangout

[BlueScouse]

In 1982 getting the train from Don Muang to Bangkok was green fields nearly all the way.

[steven100]

1 hour ago, Nyezhov said:

There was a corner bar up on the third floor of nanaplaza that was an expat hangout

Cascade's  I think or Mango bar. 

Edited October 12, 2019 by steven100

[Neeranam]

7 hours ago, OneMoreFarang said:

27 years, and things changed. Amazing, and so unexpected. ???? 

Thanks for sharing.

[bergen]

I miss Washington Square……. ????

[Nyezhov]

10 hours ago, steven100 said:

Cascade's  I think or Mango bar. 

Nope. Far right corver as you faced it. No girls there. They had food. Nice little place. I met Stickman there.

[tutsiwarrior]

12 hours ago, steven100 said:

Cascade's  I think or Mango bar. 

the Big Mango useta have tasty burgers and a good view and cheap Beer Lao on occasion...run by a couple of falangs...

 

 

[ballpoint]

3 hours ago, Nyezhov said:

Nope. Far right corver as you faced it. No girls there. They had food. Nice little place. I met Stickman there.

Woodstock?

[Nyezhov]

4 minutes ago, ballpoint said:

Woodstock?

yeah that was it I reckon...when was that there....87?

[ballpoint]

Just now, Nyezhov said:

yeah that was it I reckon...when was that there....87?

I think it opened in the early 80s.  It was certainly there in 87 when I first came to Bangkok.

[villagefarang]

I seem to remember there were three tall buildings back then, Indra Hotel, Dusit Hotel and the Chok Chai Building out on Sukhumvit.  No expressway, no skytrain, no cellphones, basically a never-ending list of things big and small.  Life is much easier and more convenient these days.  It can be a bit hard to get your bearings if you have been away for a few years, though.

[richard_smith237]

Someone mentioned the 'corner bar on the 3rd floor in nana' - Woodstock. 

Washington Sq. Bourbon St. has moved, although the Tues night Mex buffet remains.

 

Khao Sarn Rd used to be a great place to hang out (in my 20's) and meet Uni girls (Austins, Suzies, the Club).

 

Along Sukhumvit: Q'Bar, Ministry of Sound, Bed Supper Club.

 

I've probably changed as much as the City, I don't bother with clubs anymore. The growth in quality restaurants has been phenomenal.

 

So many more shopping malls, arguably too many.

 

The Skyline, more taller buildings, a lot more huge Apartment Complexes.. the Price of accommodation has also skyrocketed in Bangkok. 

 

The beer gardens in front Central World (formerly known as WTC) for about 3 months of the year. 

 

Skytrain, obviously. 

 

Any further out than Thonglor used to be considered 'out of town', Bang Na seemed like a different province. Now On Nut is considered relatively central and Udom Suk is seeing some significant development.

 

 

[Nyezhov]

Not to switch off of Bangkok, but is that rock n roll bar on Beach Road in Pattaya still there...its like the first bar near maybe soi 6?

[lopburi3]

I remember when the only escalator in the country was from ground floor to 2nd (top) floor of Thai Daimaru Department Store (where Central World is now).  The only Central Department Store at that time had a staircase access to 2nd floor.  And there were no roads more than two lanes wide (airport into town was first multi lane road).  Gaslight and Max's Place on Patpong at night. 

[moontang]

On 10/13/2019 at 8:12 AM, Nyezhov said:

Nope. Far right corver as you faced it. No girls there. They had food. Nice little place. I met Stickman there.

Cathouse certainly offered value with AYCD Heineken from 4-8 for 300 THB...fun crowd minus the teacher cliques.  

[moontang]

oh, and who remembers the Hollywood Bar at NEP...never seen anything better since.  Did a grand mariner and got a juice glass filled to the rim.  

[luckyluke]

Sukhumvit Square/Plaza Corner Soi 10.

 

Destroyed in January 2003. 

[madmen]

There is a newish night market opposite soi 13 on suk with lots of Craft beer stands and food , bands etc

[Nyezhov]

48 minutes ago, moontang said:

oh, and who remembers the Hollywood Bar at NEP...never seen anything better since.  Did a grand mariner and got a juice glass filled to the rim.  

I think I remember that. I spent more time down by the tracks though ????

[Khon Kaen Jeff]

21 hours ago, villagefarang said:

 Life is much easier and more convenient these days.  

Mmmm, not sure about that.

[Khon Kaen Jeff]

1 hour ago, luckyluke said:

Sukhumvit Square/Plaza Corner Soi 10.

 

Destroyed in January 2003. 

Legend has it that the owners of what lay there had no idea it was being flattened, turned up for work one fine morning and it was on the floor..

[luckyluke]

15 minutes ago, Khon Kaen Jeff said:

Legend has it that the owners of what lay there had no idea it was being flattened, turned up for work one fine morning and it was on the floor..

Indeed, it happened to us. 

My wife had a beauty salon there inside. 

We were living at On-Nut, 26 January 2003 everything was OK, 27 morning everything down. 

 

[samsensam]

 

not that surprising really, if you compare the london of 27 years ago to now the City skyline has changed dramatically, as have the shops you see, or dont see, on the high street, as have many underground stations due to crossrail. the world changes, moves on, always has...

[holy cow cm]

On 10/12/2019 at 10:02 PM, steven100 said:

Cascade's  I think or Mango bar. 

Right hand side corner

[metempsychotic]

On 10/13/2019 at 9:12 AM, Nyezhov said:

Nope. Far right corver as you faced it. No girls there. They had food. Nice little place. I met Stickman there.

woodstock?

[Nyezhov]

14 minutes ago, metempsychotic said:

woodstock?

yeah