1 minute ago, OneMoreFarang said:

I never had beer on my mind when I visited that place (a long time ago).

I plead innocence, I wonder if they will re-open and if the prices have gone up since 97.

I am sure a small Heineken was 80 baht. ????

 

I wonder how many of us understand the Patpong business model.

Many of us live here since years. We don't go there to buy souvenirs or look at those exiting shows.

But it seems tourist do that.

So if a small shop sells three times a night something vastly overprized to a tourist maybe that is enough money for them. Maybe, I don't know.

And maybe a few stupid people walking into the 2nd floor are enough to keep them going.

It seems that business model worked for many years. And certainly not because of us "locals" spending much money there.

When the tourists return I am pretty sure they will go to that exiting nightlife Patpong again. And likely they will buy souvenirs again. And they will likely pay way too much money for whatever they buy.

So personally I think let's wait and see. Many bars have to pay high rents and that is obviously difficult in difficult times. But those street vendors can come and go whenever they want. I am pretty sure they will be back if there are tourists who want to spend money.

6 minutes ago, rott said:

I plead innocence, I wonder if they will re-open and if the prices have gone up since 97.

I am sure a small Heineken was 80 baht. ????

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

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.

I have my doubts about that. But maybe that is a question of the definition of "girls".

Many bars struggle to find pretty young girls. And that is what many customers want.

Is the English pub that used to be in the car park still there?

 

I used to plays darts in there and also in The Other Old Office in the Bangkok darts league.

12 minutes ago, billd766 said:

Is the English pub that used to be in the car park still there?

 

I used to plays darts in there and also in The Other Old Office in the Bangkok darts league.

Bobby's Arms. No that is long gone Bill, must be 20 years ago. Nice enough place, I had a couple there my first night in Bangkok.

Old Other Office is still going, at least it was about 2 months ago. 

23 minutes ago, OneMoreFarang said:

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

Yes prices went up a bit. My one visit in 97 I was quoted 700 for the "private room" aka the cleaner's cupboard or 400 in the bar. 

27 minutes ago, rott said:

Bobby's Arms. No that is long gone Bill, must be 20 years ago. Nice enough place, I had a couple there my first night in Bangkok.

Old Other Office is still going, at least it was about 2 months ago. 

I have been away from Patpong etc for a long time.

5 minutes ago, billd766 said:

I have been away from Patpong etc for a long time.

I can't stay away when I'm in BKK, I just like those old bars even though most of their customers have long since moved on. And as someone pointed out they charge 120 for a 320 ml Thai beer. But I'm not there 4 or 5 times a week putting 8 pints away. 

2 hours ago, OneMoreFarang said:

I never had beer on my mind when I visited that place (a long time ago).

I didn't know they even had beer for sale there.

On 5/5/2022 at 6:32 PM, 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

You're wrong, King's Castle bars are on the right, coming from Silom. I think you're thinking of King's Corner. If they're wet, they're not ladyboys. 

1 hour ago, Real Name Hidden said:

You're wrong, King's Castle bars are on the right, coming from Silom. I think you're thinking of King's Corner. If they're wet, they're not ladyboys. 

Not what googlemaps says, on left coming from Silom. Don't trust the wet thing 555

8 hours ago, scubascuba3 said:

Not what googlemaps says, on left coming from Silom. Don't trust the wet thing 555

don’t trust google maps.  They’re on the right

On 5/5/2022 at 4:02 PM, bkk6060 said:

Otherwise, if they try to keep the old theme I bet it will fail.

The owners of that private land (Patpong 1 and 2) won't care if every business there fails, it'll sell in a blink of the eye, anytime.

On 5/5/2022 at 6:49 PM, VocalNeal said:

On 5/5/2022 at 5:07 PM, chalawaan said:

The cork never sinks!

And PatPONG just stinks.

The Star Of Light comes to mind. One beer was enough.

The "Star" didn't stink, it was a reasonably well-kept place considering it's activities.

On 5/5/2022 at 7:37 PM, rott said:

Yes prices went up a bit. My one visit in 97 I was quoted 700 for the "private room" aka the cleaner's cupboard or 400 in the bar. 

SOL never charged as little as B400 in the 90s and the charge for the use of the small room was always the same as in the bar until the police stopped the use of that room and everything then had to be done in the bar or in the corner near the bog and hand basin in the back.

1 minute ago, Liverpool Lou said:

SOL never charged as little as B400 in the 90s and the charge for the use of the small room was always the same as in the bar.

Well I was only there the once in 97 and it was 700 for the "room" and 400 for in the bar. 

1 minute ago, rott said:

400 for in the bar. 

You're mistaken.  There was never any differentiation, I know, I've been there a time or two.  

3 minutes ago, Liverpool Lou said:

You're mistaken.  There was never any differentiation, I know, I've been there a time or two.  

I am not mistaken, I remember it clearly from the one time I went.

My experience differs from yours. No big deal. 

1 minute ago, rott said:

6 minutes ago, Liverpool Lou said:

You're mistaken.  There was never any differentiation, I know, I've been there a time or two.  

I am not mistaken, I remember it clearly from the one time I went.

You're claiming that you got a blow for B400 in SOL in '97?

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.

49 minutes ago, 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.

Last time I went past there seemed to be builders working inside. 

59 minutes ago, Liverpool Lou said:

You're claiming that you got a blow for B400 in SOL in '97?

Never claimed anything of the sort. And that emoji does you no credit. 

On 5/2/2022 at 5:21 PM, scubascuba3 said:

Patpong died for me many years ago when the ladyboys infiltrated the agogos

Died for me when they opened the market, made it more difficult to bar hop.

3 minutes ago, rott said:

1 hour ago, Liverpool Lou said:

You're claiming that you got a blow for B400 in SOL in '97?

Never claimed anything of the sort. And that emoji does you no credit. 

Which emoji?   

I'm not looking for "credit", especially from Thaivisa members such as your good self, there are no scores!   This is a forum where opinions are allowed to be expressed and emojis are provided to be used.

 

By the way, insisting that the SOL did B400 blows in '97 doesn't do your credibility any favours.

On 5/5/2022 at 7:10 PM, OneMoreFarang said:

I wonder how many of us understand the Patpong business model.

Many of us live here since years. We don't go there to buy souvenirs or look at those exiting shows.

But it seems tourist do that.

So if a small shop sells three times a night something vastly overprized to a tourist maybe that is enough money for them. Maybe, I don't know.

And maybe a few stupid people walking into the 2nd floor are enough to keep them going.

It seems that business model worked for many years. And certainly not because of us "locals" spending much money there.

When the tourists return I am pretty sure they will go to that exiting nightlife Patpong again. And likely they will buy souvenirs again. And they will likely pay way too much money for whatever they buy.

So personally I think let's wait and see. Many bars have to pay high rents and that is obviously difficult in difficult times. But those street vendors can come and go whenever they want. I am pretty sure they will be back if there are tourists who want to spend money.

Patpong night market just like walking street in Pats was going downhill.  The market was always known for the flashing lights and high volume(loud) stalls selling everything and anything.  It was somewhere you had to go to at least once.  Just to say you were there.  

 

The bar with the girls standing on stage in a gaggle was something that worked for a few years just as it did on walking Street.  However, there are fewer single males with large bankrolls coming to Thailand the same as a lot of other locations.

 

Las Vegas was sin city now it is more family oriented as well as providing night activities.

 

Before covid there were nights that at least 10 stalls were vacant with  no one there. 

 

As to people returning the feeling is that the market will not return as the vendors all moved to different locations.

 

When I talked the feeling was that a lot of the business as it was being run was going to go away. 

 

Patpong and walking street were to a certain sense created by the American Military. Then there wsa the mystique or the novelty of it.  

 

I can remember when I first came here there were 2 locations other than the Wat Palace that i was told I had to go to.  Patpong was one and the other was Pantip plaza. Both unfortunately have lived their life. 

 

As to ladyboys there I have seen a couple but they are few and far between there is a separate area for them.  Most of the girls as mamasan told me are Issan and will be back if the clubs open.

 

  

I've been hanging out on Pat Pong 2 for a few months now. there's life in the old dog yet.

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.

interesting comment about the upstairs bars because I tried at least five separate upstairs joints back in the early 2000s and was surprised that I didn't get strong-armed into paying a 10K bill for one small Singha ????

 

iirc the Kings Group ran a couple of upstairs bars and they had those not-really-sexy shows. last upstairs bar I went into was a very long time ago and they ignored me so I left after one beer and never went back to the soi until 2022 ????????????

8 hours ago, rott said:

Last time I went past there seemed to be builders working inside. 

Woiuld be a shame if Safari would be gone, (i presume it is not open anymore ?) it was for me the only good gogo bar in Patpong where you could go without being pestered and just having a good time with good music.

19 hours ago, merijn said:

Woiuld be a shame if Safari would be gone, (i presume it is not open anymore ?) it was for me the only good gogo bar in Patpong where you could go without being pestered and just having a good time with good music.

I'll see what I can find out next time I'm down there. don't think I've ever been inside, this was the original go-go right?

 

sorry, not big on Patpong history. closest I've gotten to the museum is taking the stairs form from Black Pagoda.