Not much of a garden any more. I used to visit daily to walk and read. I noticed two weeks ago they finally cut the trees down. Too bad. Now the place is surrounded by a high fence and ready for construction of a 233 meter skyscraper. The following is painted on the fence:

 

TENTH AVENUE

GRADE-A OFFICE SPACE

LUXURY LIFESTYLE HOTEL

VIBRANT RETAIL DESTINATION

With unobstructed views of Bangkok and Benjakitti Forest Park.

 

I didn't watch all of this video, but obviously taken when the trees were still standing: 

 

Another stupid tower. Sukhumvit is dead.

Not sure about stupid, as the only way to get a ROI is by going UP.  Keeps the economy going, as billions will need to be spend, on materials to build, along with salaries to pay, and spent / sent citywide, up/down country.

 

It's a beautiful thing.  ArtBox was a bit of a loser from day 1.

 

 

Sukhumvit Square!

 

Now that was a " blast from the past"!

I guarantee this area will not remain dead and in fact, will be the most vibrant area of Bangkok in a few years.  There are many people from other countries who want to move to Thailand.   

1 minute ago, herfiehandbag said:

Sukhumvit Square!

 

Now that was a " blast from the past"!

You mean Washington Square?  Yeah, that was pretty great.

16 minutes ago, bkk6060 said:

You mean Washington Square?  Yeah, that was pretty great.

No, he means Sukhumvit Sq.  The community of small bars and massage shops that filled that space until Chewit payed 200+ goons to come in one January night in 2003 and destroy it, leaving not a single chair or table unsmashed and beating any owner who tried to intervein. 

I watched the entire episode from the roof of the Miami Hotel.

Chewit built that park not out of respect for the king but as public atonement because he wanted to start a political career.  He ended up doing a year in jail for financial irregularities but not for the destruction.

 

Edited May 21, 20224 yr by dddave

1 hour ago, Tom H said:

Another stupid tower. Sukhumvit is dead.

Before it was a garden which nobody visited. And just another tourist place.

11 minutes ago, dddave said:

No, he means Sukhumvit Sq.  The community of small bars and massage shops that filled that space until Chewit payed 200+ goons to come in one January night in 2003 and destroy it, leaving not a single chair or table unsmashed and beating any owner who tried to intervein. 

I watched the entire episode from the roof of the Miami Hotel.

Chewit built that park not out of respect for the king but as public atonement because he wanted to start a political career.  He ended up doing a year in jail for financial irregularities but not for the destruction.

 

I live and lived with view to that place. One morning, looking out of the window, something was different. But what? And then: Until last night there were lots of bars over there. And now not anymore. Interesting.

 

One thing I learned that day was that it is amazing what Thais can do if they have the right motivation. The bars existed until after midnight. And by morning, maybe 7am, the place was flat and there was a thick concrete wall around it and security. All done within about 6 hours at night. Before I would have though that is impossible in Thailand. It was well organized and possible. TiT - this time in a different way.

 

1 hour ago, herfiehandbag said:

Sukhumvit Square!

 

Now that was a " blast from the past"!

 

46 minutes ago, dddave said:

No, he means Sukhumvit Sq.  The community of small bars and massage shops that filled that space until Chewit payed 200+ goons to come in one January night in 2003 and destroy it, leaving not a single chair or table unsmashed and beating any owner who tried to intervein. 

I watched the entire episode from the roof of the Miami Hotel.

Chewit built that park not out of respect for the king but as public atonement because he wanted to start a political career.  He ended up doing a year in jail for financial irregularities but not for the destruction.

 

A friend of mine had a share in a bar and lost it all where the bars were simply smashed down one dark night.

 

Naturally she got no compensation and neither did anybody else even though the rent was paid to a holding company.

2 hours ago, bkk6060 said:

You mean Washington Square?  Yeah, that was pretty great.

Was

Last century..it became a dead depressing ghost  town existing only in fading memories and books such as the Killing Smile

4 hours ago, OneMoreFarang said:

Before it was a garden which nobody visited. And just another tourist place.

It was a place people were running:). Sukhumvit Soi 7 food court dead

Soi 9 a pipi street

Soi 3-5 Arab Klong

Soi 11 ok, Qbar finished, bed and supper finished, Oscar plus Hemingway for upper class, Former begin of Soi 11 dead

Klong Toi streets all dead from 6 to 22

Soi 22 gone

Soi 10 nothing

Soi 13 dead

Soi 15 dead

Soi 19 Steaks only

Soi 22 who likes it

Soi 33 dead

Soi 39 Trafic jam 

Soi 55 no single food stall anymore

Soi 61 over build soon

Soi 63 noisy 

O Nut onwards better:)

What remains: Some nightlife places for the Precariat.

Edited May 21, 20224 yr by Tom H

8 hours ago, Tom H said:

It was a place people were running:). Sukhumvit Soi 7 food court dead

Soi 9 a pipi street

Soi 3-5 Arab Klong

Soi 11 ok, Qbar finished, bed and supper finished, Oscar plus Hemingway for upper class, Former begin of Soi 11 dead

Klong Toi streets all dead from 6 to 22

Soi 22 gone

Soi 10 nothing

Soi 13 dead

Soi 15 dead

Soi 19 Steaks only

Soi 22 who likes it

Soi 33 dead

Soi 39 Trafic jam 

Soi 55 no single food stall anymore

Soi 61 over build soon

Soi 63 noisy 

O Nut onwards better:)

What remains: Some nightlife places for the Precariat.

You must have an interesting definition of "dead".

And are we maybe a little racist calling an area "Arab Klong"? I prefer little Arab, with some good restaurants.

And about the "upper class": What do you expect in a area with high price land and buildings? Places for cheap Charlies? 

"O Nut onwards better:)" Great, you found a place for yourself.

Edited May 21, 20224 yr by OneMoreFarang

12 hours ago, bkk6060 said:

I guarantee this area will not remain dead and in fact, will be the most vibrant area of Bangkok in a few years.  There are many people from other countries who want to move to Thailand.   

 

 

Mainly Indians so if uou like places like Mumbai, Delhi, Bradford or Leicester  you will feel at home.

17 hours ago, billd766 said:

 

A friend of mine had a share in a bar and lost it all where the bars were simply smashed down one dark night.

 

Naturally she got no compensation and neither did anybody else even though the rent was paid to a holding company.

That's what can happen when notices to move from private property at the end of temporary leases are consistently ignored!   

17 hours ago, billd766 said:

 

A friend of mine had a share in a bar and lost it all where the bars were simply smashed down one dark night.

 

Naturally she got no compensation and neither did anybody else even though the rent was paid to a holding company.

Interesting story about the demolition here:

 

http://www.bangkokeyes.com/gestapo.html

30 minutes ago, Liverpool Lou said:

That's what can happen when notices to move from private property at the end of temporary leases are consistently ignored!   

Really? Even though the rents were paid to the holding company.

 

Rents may also have been paid to the collectors who wear tight brown suits and big black boots.

2 minutes ago, billd766 said:

35 minutes ago, Liverpool Lou said:

That's what can happen when notices to move from private property at the end of temporary leases are consistently ignored!   

Really? Even though the rents were paid to the holding company.

 

Rents may also have been paid to the collectors who wear tight brown suits and big black boots.

You really think that they were paying rent right up to the night in question?    

 

Bribes paid by the bar operators to the police are irrelevant to the owners who wanted their property back.

26 minutes ago, bbko said:

Interesting story about the demolition here:

 

http://www.bangkokeyes.com/gestapo.html

Thank you for the link. It was indeed, an interesting story.

 

All of the posters on this thread should read it.

14 minutes ago, Liverpool Lou said:

You really think that they were paying rent right up to the night in question?    

 

Bribes paid by the bar operators to the police are irrelevant to the owners who wanted their property back.

Yes I do think that they were paying rent right up to the night in question.

 

I knew several of the owners and I am also still in irregular contact with one of them.

 

Try reading this.

 

http://www.bangkokeyes.com/gestapo.html

Edited May 22, 20224 yr by billd766
Added extra text

46 minutes ago, billd766 said:

Yes I do think that they were paying rent right up to the night in question?  

 

Try reading this.

 

http://www.bangkokeyes.com/gestapo.html

I did, years ago.   That article doesn't confirm that the stall-holders were actually paying their rent.   Neither was there any confirmation that anything in the article was known to be accurate (there are clear inaccuracies in the article) or anything more than hearsay on the part of "Bangkok Eyes".   The article seemed to be just an unreliable, "allegedly" article.

Edited May 22, 20224 yr by Liverpool Lou

9 hours ago, OneMoreFarang said:

You must have an interesting definition of "dead".

And are we maybe a little racist calling an area "Arab Klong"? I prefer little Arab, with some good restaurants.

And about the "upper class": What do you expect in a area with high price land and buildings? Places for cheap Charlies? 

"O Nut onwards better:)" Great, you found a place for yourself.

You dont know Bkk. You write nonsense. Sorry.

2 hours ago, Tom H said:

You dont know Bkk. You write nonsense. Sorry.

I live in lower Sukhumvit permanently since >25 years. How about you?

Remember Soi Zero? Fun on the cheap for a few years there...