Sukhumvit & Surrounding Area

[Steps]

For those of you living in or have visited recently the Sukhumvit and surrounding area, what has it been like lately and over the last few months. As someone who has not visited Bangkok in over 2 years i am interested to know if and how it has changed. Have a lot of businesses closed down? Are people desperate around there? Is there a lot of homeless? Are the streets safe? Do you feel safe? Has there been a rise in crime or your perception of it? What about the boys in brown, have they been carrying out their duties honestly or have their been a rise in shake downs and "extortion" as some people may see it. Is there still trade on the streets? What about bars, restaurants and venues? Are they still open or have a lot closed down?

 

Some recent photos would be great if you care to share.

 

Steps

[Pravda]

Sukhumvit and surrounding areas?

 

Would that include Samut Prakan?

 

 

Nothing changed.

 

 

[Hamus Yaigh]

Rayong and the route down to Cambodia much the same as well..

[camble]

It's very quiet and peaceful.  About half the bars at Nana Plaza and Soi Cowboy are closed.  The ones open have 6 to 12 customers.  You might find someone sleeping under a BTS stairwell, but it was the same before.  It's certainly safe.  Worst thing is the Art Box closed at the end of August.

 

[Steps]

6 minutes ago, camble said:

It's very quiet and peaceful.  About half the bars at Nana Plaza and Soi Cowboy are closed.  The ones open have 6 to 12 customers.  You might find someone sleeping under a BTS stairwell, but it was the same before.  It's certainly safe.  Worst thing is the Art Box closed at the end of August.

 

 

 

What is the art box? Judging by the photos, its easier to get around due to less traffic.

[camble]

16 minutes ago, Steps said:

What is the art box? Judging by the photos, its easier to get around due to less traffic.

Art Box occupied Chuvit Gardens adjacent Soi 10 the past couple years.  They had craft shops, restaurants, live bands, and even axe throwing.  I really miss it.  I understand a mall is to be constructed there.

[mtls2005]

Yes, no, no, yes,yes,no, no, some, many closed.

Some bars have closed, been remodeled, opened and then closed. Wash cycle complete.

Honestly, there are hundreds of Bangkok walkaround videos on youtube, just from the last week. All the digital nomads and vloggers who got stuck here are churning out "content" daily.

 

Videos give you a better feel than photos. Some of the above photos re: traffic are a bit deceiving. You can check Google Maps (Traffic layer) if you want. Traffic is still bad, and why does it always rain during PM rush on Fridays?

 

 

[jojothai]

54 minutes ago, Steps said:

What is the art box? Judging by the photos, its easier to get around due to less traffic.

Pictures may deceive. Traffic is still very heavy at rushhours.

Thats with an "S". A few hours morning and evening.
During the full lockdown there was far less traffic in most places, although some near market places etc, were still busy.

The new MRT lines and links have changed things substantially in terms of getting around, to malls and across bangkok.
The underground links in shopping malls and the high level connecting walkways on the skytrain are fantastic improvements IMHO.

[LALes]

For those who live on Soi 10 or the nearby environs, the Artbox will not be missed one iota.  They took a nice, peaceful park in a quiet neighborhood and turned it into another low end noise dive.  As the saying goes, Adios Mother#$@%er.

[phantomfiddler]

7 hours ago, camble said:

It's very quiet and peaceful.  About half the bars at Nana Plaza and Soi Cowboy are closed.  The ones open have 6 to 12 customers.  You might find someone sleeping under a BTS stairwell, but it was the same before.  It's certainly safe.  Worst thing is the Art Box closed at the end of August.

 

Great pics ! May one ask what camera was used ? I was in both areas last week and about a month ago, and it was so grim I wonder how the bars still open are surviving ????

[CLW]

Soi 11 looks desperate. Many businesses closed down, temporarily or forever.

I don't go there often, but if I compare from last weekend, Saturday evening and the last time I had been there pre-covid it looks terrible. Australian Pub - closed. Eight on eleven - closed. Many other bars and restaurants, too. And those who are opened hardly have any customers.

[Steps]

2 hours ago, LALes said:

For those who live on Soi 10 or the nearby environs, the Artbox will not be missed one iota.  They took a nice, peaceful park in a quiet neighborhood and turned it into another low end noise dive.  As the saying goes, Adios Mother#$@%er.

At least they didnt turn it into gogo bars which is what they had planned at one point back about 10 years ago. Planning permission was rejected if i remember rightly. You would have had something to complain about then!

[Steps]

1 hour ago, CLW said:

Soi 11 looks desperate. Many businesses closed down, temporarily or forever.

I don't go there often, but if I compare from last weekend, Saturday evening and the last time I had been there pre-covid it looks terrible. Australian Pub - closed. Eight on eleven - closed. Many other bars and restaurants, too. And those who are opened hardly have any customers.

That's so sad to hear. I used to like visiting soi 11 which was a popular destination. So where does everyone go now then? What about sports bars?

[samtab]

Same dump as 20 years ago ! What did you expect ?!

 

 

[Steps]

12 minutes ago, samtab said:

Same dump as 20 years ago ! What did you expect ?!

 

 

What are you referring to? Sukhumvit? The park on soi 10?

[madisongy]

13 hours ago, camble said:

It's very quiet and peaceful.  About half the bars at Nana Plaza and Soi Cowboy are closed.  The ones open have 6 to 12 customers.  You might find someone sleeping under a BTS stairwell, but it was the same before.  It's certainly safe.  Worst thing is the Art Box closed at the end of August.

Excellent pictures Camble.   Thanks very much for posting.   We are not planning to return until 2021, as my wife is not crazy about the idea of getting on a plane for 20 hours, and I tend to agree.  But we are used to seeing all those areas you posted CRAMMED with people.   Very interesting to see what's going on at the moment.

[TimBKK]

14 hours ago, Pravda said:

Sukhumvit and surrounding areas?

 

Would that include Samut Prakan?

 

 

Nothing changed.

 

 

I had forgotten about the ignore user function on TV, thanks for the reminder

[5633572526]

17 hours ago, LALes said:

For those who live on Soi 10 or the nearby environs, the Artbox will not be missed one iota.  They took a nice, peaceful park in a quiet neighborhood and turned it into another low end noise dive.  As the saying goes, Adios Mother#$@%er.

And now you can look forward to the noise dust and debris that construction of the new mall or condo building will bring. Soi 10 traffic will increase greatly as well first with construction equipment then the additional traffic from your new neighbor lol. I will miss Artbox but very happy I don’t live on soi 10.

[ColeBOzbourne]

On 9/23/2020 at 8:27 AM, camble said:

They had craft shops, restaurants, live bands, and even axe throwing.  I really miss it.

I love to be around people who have a few beers and then start throwing axes. I can see why you miss it.????

[CLW]

19 hours ago, Steps said:

That's so sad to hear. I used to like visiting soi 11 which was a popular destination. So where does everyone go now then? What about sports bars?

I'm no visitor to sports bar but I know except to have some special food in Soi 11 there is no need to go there for nightlife vibes.

[elgenon]

On 9/22/2020 at 6:16 PM, camble said:

It's very quiet and peaceful.  About half the bars at Nana Plaza and Soi Cowboy are closed.  The ones open have 6 to 12 customers.  You might find someone sleeping under a BTS stairwell, but it was the same before.  It's certainly safe.  Worst thing is the Art Box closed at the end of August.

 

Rainbow 5. That you used to be Twister?

[elgenon]

On 9/22/2020 at 6:16 PM, camble said:

It's very quiet and peaceful.  About half the bars at Nana Plaza and Soi Cowboy are closed.  The ones open have 6 to 12 customers.  You might find someone sleeping under a BTS stairwell, but it was the same before.  It's certainly safe.  Worst thing is the Art Box closed at the end of August.

 

Is Butterfly open? Does it still exist?

[Paiman]

Anybody been to Hillary 2 after reopening?

 

I did enjoy it before the Lockdown, mainly because my favorite Laos freelancer was there.

 

Always good fun, but she drinks like a horse.