Old Bangkok

[camerata]

For those of you who've been in Bangkok a long time, there's a site dedicated to Old Bangkok here, which has photos of such legendary hotels as the Thai Song Greet near Hualumpong.

[harrry]

For those of you who've been in Bangkok a long time, there's a site dedicated to Old Bangkok here, which has photos of such legendary hotels as the Thai Song Greet near Hualumpong.

Thanks for the memories.

I spent a couple of years in that era trying to flog advertising in a local hotel magazine to these hotels to try and survive.

[camerata]

The Thai Song Greet was the first hotel I stayed in as a backpacker. I think it was recommended as cheap by Lonely Planet. Pretty soon I moved to the nearby Station Hotel, which had much bigger rooms. At the Station Hotel there would be a sleazy guy knock on the door every evening:

"You want girl?"

"No."

"You want boy?"

"No!"

"You want heroin?"

"NO!"

On subsequent visits, when I had a bit higher budget, I almost always stayed at the Crown Hotel, Sukhumvit Soi 29.

[harrry]

looks as if we did a bit of the same.

I stayed at the TSG a few times but mostly just ate there. The chinese lady that ran it was a lot nicer than she was made out to be. Helped me out bigtime once.

It was strange how they planned to and did close the whole thing down when the daughter turned 12.

[sabaijai]

The Thai Song Greet was the first hotel I stayed in as a backpacker. I think it was recommended as cheap by Lonely Planet. Pretty soon I moved to the nearby Station Hotel, which had much bigger rooms. At the Station Hotel there would be a sleazy guy knock on the door every evening:

"You want girl?"

"No."

"You want boy?"

"No!"

"You want heroin?"

"NO!"

On subsequent visits, when I had a bit higher budget, I almost always stayed at the Crown Hotel, Sukhumvit Soi 29.

What year, camerata? The first hotel I stayed at was the Sakol, also long gone.

Whoever is doing the oldbangkok.com site seems to have access to Bangkok Post archives, judging from the ads.

I was surprised to see that the Siam Hotel was demolished last year, assumed it was still open. Most of the older hotels are decaying. I used to stay at the Liberty in the 1970s, and checked in again last year for old time's sake. Never again!

[camerata]

What year, camerata? The first hotel I stayed at was the Sakol, also long gone.

That was late in 1977.

[sabaijai]

I stayed at the Sakol Hotel in March 77. moved upcountry shortly after that and for next year or two always stayed either at the Opera, the Liberty or a friend's house in Pratunam. I've stayed at most of the hotels mentioned on the site, one exception being the TSG. I stayed at the others in the train station area, always liked the Sri Hualampong for the large rooms and breezy public balconies but like the TSG it was extremely basic. Thais say the Station Hotel is haunted, spirits from some famous murder case that occurred there.

Another old one that's long gone is the Boston Inn, close to the Malaysia. Others that ought to get spots as they expand the site include the original Erawan and the three Fs (First, Federal and Florida, all still operating AFAIK).

[bkkjames]

The former Russian Embassy was once a hotel back in 1925-1934 when the former house of Luang Sathorn was sold at that time and it became the Hotel Royal.

Hotel Rates at the time were 12-15 baht per day, breakfast 1.5 baht and to rent a car was 3 baht per hour.

It then changed its name to The Hotel Thailand after the rebellion in 1934 and remained this way until 1943 when it was taken back by the Crowne Property Bureau.

It was then rent to the Soviets from 1948-1999.

It is now being restored and will make up part of the new W Hotel / Sathorn Square development and should be finished by the early 2011.

[Boksida]

In the early and mid 70s, I stayed at the Kings, Liberty, Rex and Federal for extended periods. I can also remember staying for 'shorter' times at the Reno, Niagara, Opera, Suriwongse, Rose and others whose names I am glad I have forgotten. A lot of them only had numbers anyway.

[camerata]

Another old one that's long gone is the Boston Inn, close to the Malaysia. Others that ought to get spots as they expand the site include the original Erawan and the three Fs (First, Federal and Florida, all still operating AFAIK).

Those places around the Malaysia and Soi Ngarm Du Phli (plus the Atlanta) were notorious for police dope busts in the late 70s.

[sabaijai]

Another old one that's long gone is the Boston Inn, close to the Malaysia. Others that ought to get spots as they expand the site include the original Erawan and the three Fs (First, Federal and Florida, all still operating AFAIK).

Those places around the Malaysia and Soi Ngarm Du Phli (plus the Atlanta) were notorious for police dope busts in the late 70s.

I remember the Boston Inn started out as a very habitable mid-ranger in the early 80s (I think that's when it opened - at least I don't remember seeing it there in the late 70s), but within a few years of opening had slipped to a very low status indeed, with steady reports of heroin overdose, murder and suicide. Most of the 'junkie-den' guesthouses in and around Soi Ngam Duplee closed years ago.