Patpong Is Going To Change

[mackayae]

Back in the day, Safari was one of the earlier go-go's along with the Mississippi Queen, King's Castle, Grand Prix, Lucky Strike, the Texan. Along with the afternoon bars such as the Executive, The Other Office.

[Mr Meeseeks]

On 5/5/2022 at 4:19 PM, The Hammer2021 said:

Patpong was dieing by the end of the 90s even in the early  90s NP and SC had taken over as primary  fun places.

Patpong 2 was still one of the haunts of the locally based expat, myself included, throughout the 90's until Cowboy started taking over in the early 00's. 

 

Nana Plaza has always been more geared towards the tourist. Unfortunately they have ruined Cowboy with the neon gogos, very few cool bars left now.

 

Most of the decent expat bars in Patpong 2 have closed down now too, Cosmos only recently. 

 

The main Patpong drag was always a tourist trap.

 

I liked Patpong although it always had an edge over Nana and Cowboy. By edge I mean more raw and dangerous with the amounts of ladyboys, scammers, touts and clip joints upstairs. If one was known or seasoned it was easy to navigate, but it got a bad reputation among visitors and expats in the late 90's so Cowboy became the expat ogling street of choice. 

[Mr Meeseeks]

On 5/5/2022 at 7:11 PM, OneMoreFarang said:

I know a BJ was 600B the last time I was there (many years ago). No idea about the beer prices.

A BJ and beer was 1,000thb last time I was in Star of Light, but I have heard it closed recently. Another iconic bar gone. 

[OneMoreFarang]

36 minutes ago, Mr Meeseeks said:

A BJ and beer was 1,000thb last time I was in Star of Light, but I have heard it closed recently. Another iconic bar gone. 

The last time I looked they had the same women like 10 years ago, just 10 years older. Since then I didn't bother anymore. 

[mackayae]

Jack Shirley in the Madrid.

Patpong-in-60s.webp

[mackayae]

Wanchai.

Edited May 9, 2022 by mackayae

[Whale]

On 5/2/2022 at 4:51 PM, kingstonkid said:

As to the girls to work in the bars she says that is not an issue she says that there are lots of girls.  Just worries about the bars and how many will be able to make money.

It is pretty depressing on the soi now as there are no lights on and with her in the middle even with the pool tables it is quiet.

Pre-covid it was already dead as a dodo compared to previous years. The night market was the only thing keeping it going.

[The Hammer2021]

On 5/5/2022 at 6:00 PM, Real Name Hidden said:

I’ve been a customer of King’s Castle I and II on Patpong I for 30 years,  they’ve consistently had one of the best, if not the best, lineups in Thailand. I was never foolish enough to venture into one of the upstairs bars.

Yeah I remember  the KC and the nude live sex shows on a Harley to the dambusters theme tune and ping pong and blow dart shows...then a new police  authority  took over and it went tame and the action moved  to NP and SC

[mackayae]

Randy and Tim.

[Liverpool Lou]

On 5/7/2022 at 12:28 PM, jaiyenyen said:

Is Safari bar still there?

It's the first bar I visited on my first trip to Bangkok, around 20 years ago. I loved that place. Lot's of happy memories.

Yes.

[Liverpool Lou]

6 hours ago, The Hammer2021 said:

Yeah I remember  the KC and the nude live sex shows on a Harley

Me too, near to the Derby King restaurant, but it was a Honda "chopper", not a Harley.

[The Hammer2021]

2 hours ago, Liverpool Lou said:

Me too, near to the Derby King restaurant, but it was a Honda "chopper", not a Harley.

You may well be right at that- good skills.

[jaiyenyen]

15 hours ago, Liverpool Lou said:

Yes.

If, as others have said 'The builders are in'. It sounds like it's not going to remain as it once was.

That would be a great shame. For me, the bar had a unique atmosphere.

[kingstonkid]

On 5/9/2022 at 11:10 AM, Whale said:

Pre-covid it was already dead as a dodo compared to previous years. The night market was the only thing keeping it going.

Even the night market was driving people there.  The problem that they see is that like Walking street it needs a face lift.  The problem is that the owner does not want to put any money into it.

 

Patpong as it was known in the 90's is no more.  This is not surprising as I am sure we can all think of areas in our home countries that are not like they were.

Being from Ontario Canada the biggest example is YONGE STREET between Bloor and Queen street.

 

The question though is what would attract people back and the market is not it.  patpong 2 near surawongsie seems to be doing ok sort of but only because the bars are small.

[The Hammer2021]

On 5/5/2022 at 5:11 PM, rott said:

I feel for the owners and customers of the lovely old bars. And for those who never experienced them and think Bangkok means theme pubs, well good luck to you.

Go-go's and live sex shows never my thing, preferred a few drinks and find a darling of my own for the night. 

Theme pubs and expat Irish pubs Ugh

[it is what it is]

 rarely went there but always found it a kind of depressing place; crappy tourist market mingling with sex tourist bars. an urban developer with some imagination could make it quite a pleasant couple of pedestrian streets.

[kingstonkid]

56 minutes ago, it is what it is said:

 rarely went there but always found it a kind of depressing place; crappy tourist market mingling with sex tourist bars. an urban developer with some imagination could make it quite a pleasant couple of pedestrian streets.

LOL same could be said for Walking Street.

The problem is the same for both locations.  Until they see that there is a clientele for the buildings and that there are tourists neither are going to put money into the locations and redevelop.

 

There has been development on the Surwong end of patpong and the street itself is starting to change.  The issue though is that the new buildings are almost empty.  

 

Personally I am looking forward to seeing what rises from the ashes.  The owners of the properties are quite able to say to hell with it and let bars try and fail.

 

Eventually there will be major renovations building wise but I think that is a long time down the road.  If anything I see bars showing up not go go bars but actual bars.

[rott]

1 hour ago, it is what it is said:

 rarely went there but always found it a kind of depressing place; crappy tourist market mingling with sex tourist bars. an urban developer with some imagination could make it quite a pleasant couple of pedestrian streets.

I think you'd be happier in Singapore or Warrington.

I'll be in BKK next week, can't wait to have a mooch around and a few drinks in Patpong.

It's nothing like the Patpong we first knew but that's life. 

 

[Onerak]

I am visiting Thailand for two decades and lived in Bangkok for two years and in Jomtien for two. I had gone to Patpong only once at night in that time. 

Edited May 10, 2022 by Onerak

[Liverpool Lou]

2 hours ago, it is what it is said:

an urban developer with some imagination could make it quite a pleasant couple of pedestrian streets.

He'd have to purchase the streets from the owners first!

 

 

[The Hammer2021]

6 hours ago, kingstonkid said:

Even the night market was driving people there.  The problem that they see is that like Walking street it needs a face lift.  The problem is that the owner does not want to put any money into it.

 

Patpong as it was known in the 90's is no more.  This is not surprising as I am sure we can all think of areas in our home countries that are not like they were.

Being from Ontario Canada the biggest example is YONGE STREET between Bloor and Queen street.

 

The question though is what would attract people back and the market is not it.  patpong 2 near surawongsie seems to be doing ok sort of but only because the bars are small.

Patpong died from the time banned the nude shows and introduced early closing

[Gottfrid]

On 5/2/2022 at 4:51 PM, kingstonkid said:

I have known her for about 5 years as well as another lady

Did that do you any good?

 

[The Hammer2021]

19 hours ago, kingstonkid said:

Even the night market was driving people there.  The problem that they see is that like Walking street it needs a face lift.  The problem is that the owner does not want to put any money into it.

 

Patpong as it was known in the 90's is no more.  This is not surprising as I am sure we can all think of areas in our home countries that are not like they were.

Being from Ontario Canada the biggest example is YONGE STREET between Bloor and Queen street.

 

The question though is what would attract people back and the market is not it.  patpong 2 near surawongsie seems to be doing ok sort of but only because the bars are small.

Walking St did not need a face lift. Up till covid  it was very busy. Patpong  was ruined by turning it into an anodyne, clean no vice zone. None of these places are improved by government interference, municipal  planning or the police or army intervening.

[kingstonkid]

2 hours ago, The Hammer2021 said:

Walking St did not need a face lift. Up till covid  it was very busy. Patpong  was ruined by turning it into an anodyne, clean no vice zone. None of these places are improved by government interference, municipal  planning or the police or army intervening.

Walking street was dying before covid.  It is just that it was in the early stages.  The bars were not as busy nor were the girls.  Just like Cowboy and having the same stuff and not upgrading hurt PP the same can be said for walking street and soi Bhukao to an extent it will be interesting once things fully open to see what happens.

[The Hammer2021]

1 minute ago, kingstonkid said:

Walking street was dying before covid.  It is just that it was in the early stages.  The bars were not as busy nor were the girls.  Just like Cowboy and having the same stuff and not upgrading hurt PP the same can be said for walking street and soi Bhukao to an extent it will be interesting once things fully open to see what happens.

No it was not  dieing. I visit  there every few weeks and in the high season  its very busy and in the low season  just busy. The only people who  think WS is dieing are people who never  visit or go there infrequently and then very early before  its got  lively- It's a myth about WS dieing but it is changing. When people  incorrectly  say WS is dieing they mean less  white  people are there  which  is true but it was a very busy, popular  crowded place up till covid.  As for  the future who knows? The SB area has taken a lot of the  WS customers.

[scubascuba3]

19 minutes ago, kingstonkid said:

Walking street was dying before covid.  It is just that it was in the early stages.  The bars were not as busy nor were the girls.  Just like Cowboy and having the same stuff and not upgrading hurt PP the same can be said for walking street and soi Bhukao to an extent it will be interesting once things fully open to see what happens.

I'm looking forward to Walking St making a comeback, I don't care so much about the bars but many of the agogos were doing really well pre covid, Pinup for example 100+ attractive girls, struggle to get a seat. Nightclubs and agogos need to be allowed to properly open for WS to flourish, hopefully soon

Edited May 11, 2022 by scubascuba3

[GrandPapillon]

On 5/5/2022 at 7:32 AM, scubascuba3 said:

I recall King's Castle agogos being on the left coming from Silom? I'm 100% sure agogos on the left had ladyboys in and i used to go to King's Castle but can't recall exactly which agogo was which, some years ago

Those ladyboys bars were the best, good times ????

[scubascuba3]

2 hours ago, GrandPapillon said:

Those ladyboys bars were the best, good times ????

confusing thing for me at the time was they had a mix of pretty girls and top of the range post op LBs who weren't easy to detect, natural tits, female body shape

[kingstonkid]

2 hours ago, scubascuba3 said:

I'm looking forward to Walking St making a comeback, I don't care so much about the bars but many of the agogos were doing really well pre covid, Pinup for example 100+ attractive girls, struggle to get a seat. Nightclubs and agogos need to be allowed to properly open for WS to flourish, hopefully soon

I agree.  The only way we are going to know what and  who survives is when  t hey open.  Also opening them may increase the single male and female tourists to finally come back. 

[The Hammer2021]

The true barometer of Pattaya's recovery is thriving go go bars open till 2am/ 4am....all else follows