1969 photo Bangkok

[Xangsamhua]

Cab anyone identify this location? I took the photo in July 1969.

I know I took one at the Rajdamri intersection, but am not sure this is it.

If the tall building way down on the left is the, then new, Indra Regent Hotel, then it might be, but it doesn't look right.

In those days I think the Thai Daimaru department store was on the left, followed by the Gaysorn Arcade which contained the Chartered Bank, the Chalermnit bookstore and Wimpy's Burgers if my memory is right.

 

[Filer]

Rajdamri intersection, it very definitely is. The tall building is the Indra Regent, still under construction at your date of 1969 (it opened in 1971). You can see the construction lift tower towards the left of the structure. The large INDRA sign on the roof structure facing this way was not in place yet at that date. The large RADO sign to the right of the Indra (above the bus in the photo) clinches it. Today, Gaysorn Plaza/Village is on the corner in the right foreground, while the Central World complex and its forecourt now occupy the site of all the shops and other premises on the left in the original photo.

 

I stayed at the Indra on my first arrival in Bangkok in 1978. One of my pastimes now is the history Bangkok's old hotels, which are rapidly disappearing as the city develops -- wit the disappearances including several notable hotels younger than the Indra. I've searched through my collection of old hotel images and found one that shows you the view from about the same point in 1973. This is a forshortened (telephoto) view and must have been taken from an elevated point somewhere close to the intersection. You can see the rise in the road where it crosses the canal and the Petchburi Road flyover just beyond it. Note the RADO sign to the right of the hotel block, just as in the original image.

 

Hotels in Bangkok were very few before 1960, when only 15 hotels were listed, offering a total of less than 1,000 rooms all together. The 1960s and the start of the 1970s were a boom time for hotel construction, as Bangkok became a destination for visitors and over 50 more hotels were added during this time. The Indra Regent was one of these.

 

[dddave]

Filer.  I hope you'd consider putting together a photo essay with images from your collection and post it to the "Historical Photos"  section of the Photography forum.  So many of the Vietnam era R&R hotels have been giving away to Condos lately:  The Federal, The Honey, ect.

[Clear Sky]

Oh look, the buses are the same.

[JRG23]

Great photo. And yes agree: Rajdamri intersection.

 

Please please post more.

 

I love these. 

[BeltAndRoad]

31 minutes ago, Clear Sky said:

Oh look, the buses are the same.

Along with family values, property rights and gender classifications. 

[Phil McCaverty]

R&R Bangkok, 1967.

 

 

[BeltAndRoad]

5 minutes ago, Phil McCaverty said:

R&R Bangkok, 1967.

Basic geography is lacking.

[Phil McCaverty]

5 minutes ago, BeltAndRoad said:

Basic geography is lacking.

Was never the Americans strong suit. 555

[lopburi3]

23 hours ago, Xangsamhua said:

In those days I think the Thai Daimaru department store was on the left, followed by the Gaysorn Arcade which contained the Chartered Bank, the Chalermnit bookstore and Wimpy's Burgers if my memory is right.

 

Thai Daimaru was on the right (now Central) in 1969 and had the only escalator in Thailand.  It was one soi back from street.  It later moved to the the above and underground location on left side with Gayson just before the corner after it.  Do not recall any Wimpy's burgers - it was a bar area except for a French restaurant and the President Hotel

[cranki]

Great pic !! I wasn't even born then, post some more please :-)

[Rookiescot]

Hey those buses and trucks are still running.

Must be well maintained. 

[lopburi3]

1 hour ago, lopburi3 said:

Thai Daimaru was on the right (now Central) in 1969 and had the only escalator in Thailand.  It was one soi back from street.  It later moved to the the above and underground location on left side with Gayson just before the corner after it.  Do not recall any Wimpy's burgers - it was a bar area except for a French restaurant and the President Hotel

Too late to edit but some memory restored - Gaysorn (an area - not an arcade) had The Rendezvous, Siamese Doll and Three Sisters on one strip of bars.  Also a fairly upscale but small French restaurant.  In basement of President Hotel was a popular bar/restaurant also.  There was a nightclub and other bars but they changed often.  Was an alternative to Patpong for civilians who avoided the noisy New Phetchaburi R&R area.

[AgMech Cowboy]

2 hours ago, Phil McCaverty said:

R&R Bangkok, 1967.

 

Phil, you messed up and posted your Taiwan trip. ????

[AgMech Cowboy]

2 hours ago, Phil McCaverty said:

Was never the Americans strong suit. 555

Apparently not yours either, Mr. Taipei

[unblocktheplanet]

quote: "One of my pastimes now is the history Bangkok's old hotels, which are rapidly disappearing as the city develops -- wit the disappearances including several notable hotels younger than the Indra. I've searched through my collection of old hotel images and found one that shows you the view from about the same point in 1973."

 

Please, please, please share your photos! Thought about River Books???

 

 

[flexomike]

Great photo, brings back memories, I was stationed in Bangkok from 1968-1970, wish I could share some of the thousands of photos I took, but lost them all through a divorce

 

 

[bodga]

4 hours ago, Clear Sky said:

Oh look, the buses are the same.

worse,  still got the same tyres  on

[Phil McCaverty]

2 hours ago, AgMech Cowboy said:

Phil, you messed up and posted your Taiwan trip. ????

Sorry. As a bonus, Soi 4 back in the day.

 

 

[Gandtee]

23 hours ago, Filer said:

Rajdamri intersection, it very definitely is. The tall building is the Indra Regent, still under construction at your date of 1969 (it opened in 1971). You can see the construction lift tower towards the left of the structure. The large INDRA sign on the roof structure facing this way was not in place yet at that date. The large RADO sign to the right of the Indra (above the bus in the photo) clinches it. Today, Gaysorn Plaza/Village is on the corner in the right foreground, while the Central World complex and its forecourt now occupy the site of all the shops and other premises on the left in the original photo.

 

I stayed at the Indra on my first arrival in Bangkok in 1978. One of my pastimes now is the history Bangkok's old hotels, which are rapidly disappearing as the city develops -- wit the disappearances including several notable hotels younger than the Indra. I've searched through my collection of old hotel images and found one that shows you the view from about the same point in 1973. This is a forshortened (telephoto) view and must have been taken from an elevated point somewhere close to the intersection. You can see the rise in the road where it crosses the canal and the Petchburi Road flyover just beyond it. Note the RADO sign to the right of the hotel block, just as in the original image.

 

Hotels in Bangkok were very few before 1960, when only 15 hotels were listed, offering a total of less than 1,000 rooms all together. The 1960s and the start of the 1970s were a boom time for hotel construction, as Bangkok became a destination for visitors and over 50 more hotels were added during this time. The Indra Regent was one of these.

 

The buses in the 1969 pic. are still on the road now.????

[HawaiianBlues]

Interesting to note that the Star of Siam store seen at the left of your picture was a well known and frequented Thai silk destination located at the earlier Ratchaprasong Shopping Center (around where Central is today).  The Star of Siam was also a location used for shooting foreign movies including "Panic in Bangkok", circa 1964.  If interested, here is a link to a clip from that movie inside and right outside the silk store:

 

 

[kentrot]

My first trip to Thailand (Bangkok, Rose Garden & Pattaya) was 1979. Unforgettable, wonderful experience. I had never met such smiling and friendly people. Now I live here and have been married to a Thai lady for 17 years.

 

Don't believe all those horrid negative stories about marriage to a Thai lady. If you are willing to share your resources with them (family who are dirt poor) you will be appreciated, rewarded many times over and enjoy a wonderful life here.

 

[Xangsamhua]

Many thanks for the responses, especially Filer's and Lopburi3's. Filer, I second DDDave's suggeston.

 

Lopburi3, are you talking about the area at the beginning of Ploenchit Road on the right side after the Erawan Hotel? That is, diagonally opposite what is now Zen (and what I remember as Daimaru). I seem to recollect the President Hotel as being on the left side of Ploenchit going out towards Sukhumvit. There were bars on the right side. I remember the Thai Yanok was somewhere down there, though I have no visual memory of it. I think it was a favoured hangout of GIs on R&R. I seem to recollect a bowling alley, too, about where Amarin Plaza is now.

 

Wimpey's (Whimpy's?) definitely existed on the left hand side of Rajdamri heading towards Pratunam. I fairly clearly remember it at the end of an arcade. The Chartered Bank was in the arcade. Also a nice restaurant (with white table cloths?) and, I believe, ML Manich Jumsai's Chalermnit Bookshop.

 

Memory is fallible, so I'm grateful for any information that will rectify mine after 51 years. Bangkok was an exciting place then for a young man. I lived and worked in Vientiane in those days and a trip to Bangkok on the overnight train from Nong Khai was always a great experience.

[lopburi3]

5 hours ago, Xangsamhua said:

Lopburi3, are you talking about the area at the beginning of Ploenchit Road on the right side after the Erawan Hotel?

Gaysorn was the first block of Ploenchit after Ratchadamri on the left side going toward Sukhumvit and is now called Gaysorn Village (shopping center).  The Erawan Hotel was on the opposite side of Ploenchit where shrine still stands and nothing else on that side that I recall.  The President Hotel was the end point of Gaysorn and where President Tower now stands.  Second Daimaru (shopping center) was built behind Gaysorn area on Ratchadamri Road across from what is now Central World (and where original Daimaru (department store only) was located.  

There may have been bars on Erawan Hotel side later but in 69/70 do not recall many outside of Gaysorn, Sukhumvit (mostely Soi Nana), Patpong and the R&R places on New Petchaburi Road (but most of my time was 2 hours upcountry at Takhli).  

 

As I recall Thai Yanok was an after hours place and never did get there (early to bed) so not sure where that was.

Edited June 10, 2020 by lopburi3

[Xangsamhua]

Thanks Lopburi3

It makes sense that Gaysorn in those days would be on the Ploenchit side of the intersection given that's where it is now. My memory is clearly wrong on that. 

I have a clear visual memory, though, of an arcade running along the Daimaru side of the road heading towards Pratunam. I guess it had another name. I may have had a small account at the Chartered Bank there.

The Thai Yanok was the only bar I remember on the right hand side of Ploenchit past the Erawan. I don't remember how far past it was.

I don't know if it was a bar or club or hotel, but I remember going to a palce called Chavalit Mansion in the Sukhumvit area. It was quite nice from memory. Had strobe lights, which I thought was pretty cool. A bit more upmarket.

 

...........................................

 

Many thanks for the responses, especially Filer's and Lopburi3's. Filer, I second DDDave's suggeston.

 

Lopburi3, are you talking about the area at the beginning of Ploenchit Road on the right side after the Erawan Hotel? That is, diagonally opposite what is now Zen (and what I remember as Daimaru). I seem to recollect the President Hotel as being on the left side of Ploenchit going out towards Sukhumvit. There were bars on the right side. I remember the Thai Yanok was somewhere down there, though I have no visual memory of it. I think it was a favoured hangout of GIs on R&R. I seem to recollect a bowling alley, too, about where Amarin Plaza is now.

 

Wimpey's (Whimpy's?) definitely existed on the left hand side of Rajdamri heading towards Pratunam. I fairly clearly remember it at the end of an arcade. The Chartered Bank was in the arcade. Also a nice restaurant (with white table cloths?) and, I believe, ML Manich Jumsai's Chalermnit Bookshop.

 

Memory is fallible, so I'm grateful for any information that will rectify mine after 51 years. Bangkok was an exciting place then for a young man. I lived and worked in Vientiane in those days and a trip to Bangkok on the overnight train from Nong Khai was always a great experience.

[lopburi3]

3 minutes ago, Xangsamhua said:

I don't know if it was a bar or club or hotel, but I remember going to a palce called Chavalit Mansion in the Sukhumvit area.

Do not recall but avoided strobe and high volume (most of that was on New Petchaburi Road for the R&R folks) a bit up from other end of Soi 3 Sukhumvit.  Normally stayed on Soi 1 or Soi 3.

[Xangsamhua]

From http://www.oldbangkok.com/hotel-images/pages/ambassador.htm

 

What is now the Ambassador [Hotel] started as the Chavalit Mansion/Chavalit Hotel, located right on Sukhumvit Road. The larger building on Soi 11, which houses the modern day Ambassador, was built at a later date (early seventies) as an expansion of the Chavalit. The whole operation was eventually renamed the Ambassador and was, at the time, Bangkok's largest hotel with 1,000 rooms. The Chavalit Mansion was at first a serviced apartment primarily used by the US servicemen. It bacame the Chavalit Hotel after the contract with the US military expired with the winding down of the war in Vietnam. Upon the departure of the US servicemen, Chavalit claimed 9.6 million baht in damages to the hotel, though the US government offered only 2.2 million in compensation based on a list of 300 damaged items submitted by the hotel.

 

My memory of the Chavalit Mansion is of an old colonial-style building. I don't know if it included serviced apartments, but may have. I didn't know that New Petchburi was the main R&R area. Thank you.

Edited June 11, 2020 by Xangsamhua

[lopburi3]

1 hour ago, Xangsamhua said:

I didn't know that New Petchburi was the main R&R area.

Out of sight - out of mind.  It was very much the outskirts of the city in those days and purpose built hotels/bars/nightclubs/bowling/requirements were all on a strip of that road so no need to go anywhere else for R&R visitors.  Believe officers were in a different location near Rama VI.  Patpong and Gaysorn was mostly Embassy/civilians/Air America until first stage dancers bar opened on Patpong and that brought many R&R and upcountry servicemen from about 1970 and changed Patpong from a quiet 4 bars and small nightclub into an active scene.  .

[Xangsamhua]

Yes, I remember the quiet Patpong from 1970. I used to stay nearby at a small hotel in Surawong. There were a couple of nice cool bars for a drink during the day. I don't remember it at night. I think I used to go to hotels and restaurants to eat. One of the Patpongs had a restaurant called the Thai Room which served Mexican food.

 

The Australian Embassy was on the corner of one of Patpong 2(?) and Silom. It occupied a couple of floors upstairs in a fairly small building. Opposite, perhaps on the corner of Convent and Silom, there was a nice coffee shop called the Saigon Tearoom if I remember rightly. Like Sukhumvit, Silom was a pleasant tree-lined road in those days.