Eviction Notices Given To Peak Bars

[Bluelotus]

2 nights ago there were letters being given out to the bars in the area of the peak , I cannot read Thai but from the reaction of the bois I can only assume they were notices of eviction or non renewal of leases, does anyone know any more about this?

[Ijustwannateach]

You've lost me. What's the peak? Are you talking about Bangkok or another city?

[Bluelotus]

You've lost me. What's the peak? Are you talking about Bangkok or another city?

Chiang Mai the area where there are a lot of gay open air bars , The peak was a climbing wall that burned last new years eve, the bars are scattered around the area.

The rumors mill says that the whole place is coming down to be rebuilt pushing out the" Bars whose purpose must not be named " due to the upscale hotels recently built nearby.

I heard a lot of " I no care I got back ........( insert any of eight Thai cities or regions )

Several Thug types roaming about these days too.

[Galong]

You've lost me. What's the peak? Are you talking about Bangkok or another city?

Chiang Mai the area where there are a lot of gay open air bars , The peak was a climbing wall that burned last new years eve, the bars are scattered around the area.

The rumors mill says that the whole place is coming down to be rebuilt pushing out the" Bars whose purpose must not be named " due to the upscale hotels recently built nearby.

I heard a lot of " I no care I got back ........( insert any of eight Thai cities or regions )

Several Thug types roaming about these days too.

Was this an area where gatoeys were very aggressive towards tourists? If so, perhaps that could have something to do with it. I'm not gay, but I have absolutely nothing against those who are. I see the problem as not being one of sexual preference, but more of the aggressive gatoeys hassling/stealing from tourists. Shutting the whole scene down is an easier way to deal with it than proper patrolling and going after the few bay guys (or 1/2 guy 1/2 gals )

BTW, did they ever suss who was behind the wall burning down or was it considered an accident?

Edited June 28, 2008 by Galong

[PeaceBlondie]

I have spent just barely enough time around the Peak, off and on these past five years, and I never noticed aggressive khatoeys. Are you confusing Chiang Mai with the beach scene in Pattaya, perhaps, or with Tha Pae area after midnight?

Not all the bars in that area were gay, either. And not all the gay ones were offable, even the awful ones. Further back down the soi, the gay bars behind D2 hotel seem to have fallen upon harder times, as well. I suspect it relates to the high season ending earlier, and to the change in the tourist mix. We once saw a drunken Japanese tourist who did not realize he was being hustled by gay men. Then we realized the gay man did not realize he was supposed to be a hustler! Dumb and dumber, before our very eyes.

[rampo]

Was this an area where gatoeys were very aggressive towards tourists? If so, perhaps that could have something to do with it.

When I was in Chiang Mai for a couple of weeks in March there was a short nightly katoey cabaret in front of the ex-Peak after which a tip bucket was carried around. It appeared to me that the tourists actually came to see the show as most arrived just before the show began or sat down when they saw it in progress, watched the show while nursing a drink, and then cleared out once it was over. That was about the only time I saw a significant number of katoeys in the area, but I never noticed any aggressive activity unless one interprets the presentation of the tip bucket as being so.

[Steve2UK]

Was this an area where gatoeys were very aggressive towards tourists? If so, perhaps that could have something to do with it. I'm not gay, but I have absolutely nothing against those who are. I see the problem as not being one of sexual preference, but more of the aggressive gatoeys hassling/stealing from tourists. Shutting the whole scene down is an easier way to deal with it than proper patrolling and going after the few bay guys (or 1/2 guy 1/2 gals )

BTW, did they ever suss who was behind the wall burning down or was it considered an accident?

Can't say that I've ever seen katoeys being aggressive towards tourists anywhere in The Peak bars area. Logically, the owners of any of the bars (gay/straight/mixed) aren't likely to put up with their customers being hassled like that. All the owners and staff in the area know each other and [iMO] it operates quite well as a self-policing community.

No-one was "behind the wall burning down". The fire was caused by a stray flame-powered paper balloon coming to rest on the top of climbing wall and setting it alight. Apparently, this was around 4.00am and the area was practically deserted. I assume one of the local hotel security guards spotted the blaze, but the wall was gutted in a couple of hours.

[Tyke]

2 nights ago there were letters being given out to the bars in the area of the peak , I cannot read Thai but from the reaction of the bois I can only assume they were notices of eviction or non renewal of leases, does anyone know any more about this?

So are they closing down or being relocated? So another nail in the coffin for gays in CM then? It never had a decent gay scene and these bars are about all there is, apart from the go-go bars and the Garden bar/Soho which are dreadful.

I once heard they may be moved to that shopping area at the end of Huay Kaew Road opposite Central where Buddy's is located, but that was a long time ago.

[Paagai]

2 nights ago there were letters being given out to the bars in the area of the peak , I cannot read Thai but from the reaction of the bois I can only assume they were notices of eviction or non renewal of leases, does anyone know any more about this?

My understanding, based on good authority (though no guarantees it's fact ) is the Peak, along with a lot of the rest of the night bazzar, is owned by the Chang Beer company (Can't recall the company name but its one of the biggest in Thailand). They've been talking about redeveloping the area for several years and the story has been "everything will close next year" for several years now. So this should be no suprise (if indeed its what actually happened - the OPs post is not definitive - it could just have been the BIB giving notice of closure for yet another holiday, and collecting their Tea money ). The Peak, (Climbing wall and all the bars) was leased and constructed by the Thai business man who ran the climbing wall he also has a couple of guest houses and other business interests in Chiang Mai. Its he who sublets the bars.

With the opening of the new "Phrom Paradise" high end condo and boutique hotel complex right opposite I think the demise of the Peak is inevitable. No one would want those kind of entertainment venues right across the street [incidently, one of the bar owners was rumoured to have done very nicely out of a land deal related to that complex ]. In any case the Peak has been in terminal decline for several years, and with expected imminent closure no one was likely to invest; the bar owners have just been extracting the last drops of milk from the cash cow before she dies. The faces turning tricks down there haven't changed for years either, and in a business where looks and good health is everything, several of them look like they may soon follow the cash cow .

When the Peak does eventually close, it will only leave the real sleaze bars behind the D2 hotel, but I suspect they won't survive long in that location either. The city is rumoured to have a plan to banish all of Chiang Mai's seedier entertainment establishments (including the girlie bars on Loy Kroah) to Chiang Mai land: out of sight of the "quality tourists" they are expecting to arrive in vast numbers

Was this an area where gatoeys were very aggressive towards tourists? If so, perhaps that could have something to do with it. I'm not gay, but I have absolutely nothing against those who are. I see the problem as not being one of sexual preference, but more of the aggressive gatoeys hassling/stealing from tourists. Shutting the whole scene down is an easier way to deal with it than proper patrolling and going after the few bay guys (or 1/2 guy 1/2 gals )

Sorry, this theory is way off the mark.

No-one was "behind the wall burning down". The fire was caused by a stray flame-powered paper balloon coming to rest on the top of climbing wall and setting it alight. Apparently, this was around 4.00am and the area was practically deserted. I assume one of the local hotel security guards spotted the blaze, but the wall was gutted in a couple of hours.

People were still drinking in Paradise bar - it was New Years day so the bars could stay open. Apparently the fire caught hold very quickly and there was much running around rescuing furniture etc, by the time the fire trucks arrived the structure was already gutted.

[rampo]

When the Peak does eventually close, it will only leave the real sleaze bars behind the D2 hotel, but I suspect they won't survive long in that location either.

Yikes! If those bars qualify as "real sleaze bars," I must be far more decadent than I thought.

[Paagai]

Seems the rumours have some basis in fact. Apparently the Thai businessman who runs the place was in breach of his lease with the big Thai owners, they've reacted accordingly, but now there's been a small outcry and the whole thing is on hold until the end of September (Don't know which year though ). No doubt more will emerge ove rthe coming weeks, but I suspect the final demise is not far off.....

Apparently a new central department store and mall is a more appealing business model than some down market tourist bars (Boy and girl in fact).

[Paagai]

Apparently last night was the closing night at the Peak - third hand information not yet confirmed first hand. They will start clearing the site Wednesday.

Maybe a good thing in the longer term. The Chiang Mai scene is very stale these days, maybe this represents an opportunity for some newer venues that will re-juvenate it?

[Unfaithful]

Thanks for the memories, Peak.Not for the mammaries.She had a lot of pretty, pretty boys.Sweet summer sweat.

[Steve2UK]

Apparently last night was the closing night at the Peak - third hand information not yet confirmed first hand. They will start clearing the site Wednesday.

Maybe a good thing in the longer term. The Chiang Mai scene is very stale these days, maybe this represents an opportunity for some newer venues that will re-juvenate it?

For the benefit of those contemplating a visit to Chiang Mai and to paraphrase Mark Twain - the report(s) of The Peak's demise are greatly exaggerated. I have just returned from an evening there and the whole place is running at full throttle - allowing that it's rainy i.e. low season. As I learned tonight (first not third hand) from the owner of Friendship Bar (widely regarded as the the flagship and certainly most popular bar in the complex) - yes, notices were issued....... again. Yes, these were disputed and are potentially the subject of court cases to come........ again. There is also talk that the site owner (as in Central department stores, previously mentioned) has its own money issues and is not ready to clear/re-develop the site any time soon. Meanwhile, they're happy to go on collecting the 7,000-ish baht per month per bar rent. TIT - this story looks like it has a while to run yet. As of now, the site is not being cleared and The Peak as a whole is "business as usual" - including the katoey show paid for by The Peak's mangement. Enjoy .

[Paagai]

Apparently last night was the closing night at the Peak - third hand information not yet confirmed first hand. They will start clearing the site Wednesday.

Maybe a good thing in the longer term. The Chiang Mai scene is very stale these days, maybe this represents an opportunity for some newer venues that will re-juvenate it?

For the benefit of those contemplating a visit to Chiang Mai and to paraphrase Mark Twain - the report(s) of The Peak's demise are greatly exaggerated. I have just returned from an evening there and the whole place is running at full throttle - allowing that it's rainy i.e. low season. As I learned tonight (first not third hand) from the owner of Friendship Bar (widely regarded as the the flagship and certainly most popular bar in the complex) - yes, notices were issued....... again. Yes, these were disputed and are potentially the subject of court cases to come........ again. There is also talk that the site owner (as in Central department stores, previously mentioned) has its own money issues and is not ready to clear/re-develop the site any time soon. Meanwhile, they're happy to go on collecting the 7,000-ish baht per month per bar rent. TIT - this story looks like it has a while to run yet. As of now, the site is not being cleared and The Peak as a whole is "business as usual" - including the katoey show paid for by The Peak's mangement. Enjoy .

This is true (I've been meaning to post an update...): some of the bars have defied the instruction and stayed open. But Cupid Bar and Chez Nous have closed as of the 12th (and my information came indirectly from A at Cupid bar). The description "running at full throttle" is also greatly exaggerated given two of the five gay bars have shut - that only leaves MTVee and Friendship as genuinely gay owned bars, whilst Paradise seems to have a 50/50 crowd these days. When I was there a couple of nights ago both were deserted, this has often been the case over the last few months (though I did ride past last night and Friendship looked unusually busy).

The story Steve2UK got from Nui (Friendship bar) is much more upbeat than he'd told me. Nui's prophecy a few days ago was they had days or weeks left rather than months (though he was still smiling). Also, Central don't get the bar rent, the Peak management does, who - in turn are meant to pay Central - herein apparently lies the root cause of the problem! I'd also heard Central wants to sell the site quickly whilst it can still get a good price, rather than develop it.

[gymshark]

Any attempt to clean up the reputation of Thailand must be welcome, Sukhumvit in Bangkok looks much better in places where they got rid of those horrendous street beer bars. Keep seedy bars by all means but keep them off the beaten track.

[Steve2UK]

Apparently last night was the closing night at the Peak - third hand information not yet confirmed first hand. They will start clearing the site Wednesday.

Maybe a good thing in the longer term. The Chiang Mai scene is very stale these days, maybe this represents an opportunity for some newer venues that will re-juvenate it?

For the benefit of those contemplating a visit to Chiang Mai and to paraphrase Mark Twain - the report(s) of The Peak's demise are greatly exaggerated. I have just returned from an evening there and the whole place is running at full throttle - allowing that it's rainy i.e. low season. As I learned tonight (first not third hand) from the owner of Friendship Bar (widely regarded as the the flagship and certainly most popular bar in the complex) - yes, notices were issued....... again. Yes, these were disputed and are potentially the subject of court cases to come........ again. There is also talk that the site owner (as in Central department stores, previously mentioned) has its own money issues and is not ready to clear/re-develop the site any time soon. Meanwhile, they're happy to go on collecting the 7,000-ish baht per month per bar rent. TIT - this story looks like it has a while to run yet. As of now, the site is not being cleared and The Peak as a whole is "business as usual" - including the katoey show paid for by The Peak's mangement. Enjoy .

This is true (I've been meaning to post an update...): some of the bars have defied the instruction and stayed open. But Cupid Bar and Chez Nous have closed as of the 12th (and my information came indirectly from A at Cupid bar). The description "running at full throttle" is also greatly exaggerated given two of the five gay bars have shut - that only leaves MTVee and Friendship as genuinely gay owned bars, whilst Paradise seems to have a 50/50 crowd these days. When I was there a couple of nights ago both were deserted, this has often been the case over the last few months (though I did ride past last night and Friendship looked unusually busy).

The story Steve2UK got from Nui (Friendship bar) is much more upbeat than he'd told me. Nui's prophecy a few days ago was they had days or weeks left rather than months (though he was still smiling). Also, Central don't get the bar rent, the Peak management does, who - in turn are meant to pay Central - herein apparently lies the root cause of the problem! I'd also heard Central wants to sell the site quickly whilst it can still get a good price, rather than develop it.

I've got zero interest in getting into a "who said what and when to whom" tussle - but Paagai's earlier "RIP" posts gave the clear impression that The Peak was gone....... The fact is that it's still very much there and was certainly busy enough last night - again given that this is low season. Speaking of which, "the last few months" were all low season - hardly surprising that places have been less busy compared to high season. But - it also really doesn't help their business to announce here that the site is being cleared......... when it just isn't. I went there last night half-expecting to see the place had been bulldozed.

As to which bars are gay-owned - I really couldn't care less........... IMO that's a western hang-up and irrelevant here. For me - if it feels right, it is right. FWIW, in two years of living in CM and visiting The Peak, I have never seen Chez Nous or Cupid anything like what one could call "busy".

For sure, The Peak's future is uncertain - but I suggest waiting for the demise before you announce the funeral.

[Steve2UK]

Any attempt to clean up the reputation of Thailand must be welcome, Sukhumvit in Bangkok looks much better in places where they got rid of those horrendous street beer bars. Keep seedy bars by all means but keep them off the beaten track.

a] What is your definition of "seedy" ?

b] Have you ever been to The Peak ?

Depending on your answer to a], I suspect the answer to b] is "no".

[PeaceBlondie]

Indeed, the Peak is on a narrow back soi, although there is access from ChangKlan-Night Bazaar. Not very seedy, either, but nobody said it was upscale. Most venues are slow during slow season. And even Mick Jagger doesn't always get what he wants, at the best of places.