Soi Bangla - Hub Of The Universe

[LivinginKata]

Little Goat... any truth to that description... or will we never hear from you again ... ???

[Sir Burr]

Be careful gents, petitechevre has high connections in Immigration. He could get you deported.

Oh dear,.......trapped at such a tender age.........

[DLock]

they just want to let their hair down.

Ahh, perhaps that's where the problem lies. Many don't have any hair to let down....

The real test of of survival skills is the ability to walk down Bangla;

- without stepping in someone's vomit or a filthy puddle,

- avoiding the sewer grates that send up the delightful aromas of Patong,

- having the brains to know that the creature with the brown teeth that grabs hold of your arm and says "ok we go your room now" is really a large deadly leach and not the soulmate you have always longed for.

- to understand that the guys standing on top of the truck blaring out tonite, tonite, boxing, muay thai, tonite, tonite, Bangla Stadium think it's just as retarded to do that as you do.

- to understand that the creepy little tailor tout that runs up to you and goes hello mate where are you from, come see my collection of fine imported european fabric really means hello sucker, I want to sell you an ill fitting suit that has paper tissue as liner and is made from recycled from Chinese waste fiber.

- the tasty looking sausage from the street vendor is of unknown origin and has been sitting there all day and has diarhea written all over it.

- and to recognize that what you think is a cute kitty cat in need of a pat is actually a large rat.

That is why I often cut through the Patong Beach Resort Hotel. Nicer walk, less offensive to the senses and if you are lucky, sometimes there is some nice eye candy walking about.....

GK,

I don't often agree with you, but you have captured Bangla perfectly.

If God was going to give the Earth an enema, Bangla would be a pretty good location.

[Old Croc]

they just want to let their hair down.

Ahh, perhaps that's where the problem lies. Many don't have any hair to let down....

The real test of of survival skills is the ability to walk down Bangla;

- without stepping in someone's vomit or a filthy puddle,

- avoiding the sewer grates that send up the delightful aromas of Patong,

- having the brains to know that the creature with the brown teeth that grabs hold of your arm and says "ok we go your room now" is really a large deadly leach and not the soulmate you have always longed for.

- to understand that the guys standing on top of the truck blaring out tonite, tonite, boxing, muay thai, tonite, tonite, Bangla Stadium think it's just as retarded to do that as you do.

- to understand that the creepy little tailor tout that runs up to you and goes hello mate where are you from, come see my collection of fine imported european fabric really means hello sucker, I want to sell you an ill fitting suit that has paper tissue as liner and is made from recycled from Chinese waste fiber.

- the tasty looking sausage from the street vendor is of unknown origin and has been sitting there all day and has diarhea written all over it.

- and to recognize that what you think is a cute kitty cat in need of a pat is actually a large rat.

That is why I often cut through the Patong Beach Resort Hotel. Nicer walk, less offensive to the senses and if you are lucky, sometimes there is some nice eye candy walking about.....

GK,

I don't often agree with you, but you have captured Bangla perfectly.

If God was going to give the Earth an enema, Bangla would be a pretty good location.

Good descriptive stuff.

And yet we've all spent some time there.

Sometimes you have to roll in the dung before you can fully appreciate the sweet air elsewhere.

[markg]

Phuket is the same as Kuta, Bali.

Firstly, please do not confuse the HUGE island of Phuket, with soi Bangla.

Soi Bangla is in Patong, Phuket, but it is not representative of the island of Phuket.

In a fast car it can take an hour to drive from the south (rawai) to the north (sarasin bridge)

It's like saying that Khao San Road is representative of the whole of Bangkok.

It isnt.

Secondly, Kuta in Bali is NOTHING like Soi Bangla.................................if sexy is what you want, and many do, then Bangla beats Kuta hands down.

Phuket is a beautiful island, and soi bangla is just one street, 300 metres long.

[markg]

If God was going to give the Earth an enema, Bangla would be a pretty good location.

God gave Bangla an enema. It was the tsunami. (yes, i was here for it) and some bars in Bangla were back up and running 3 days after.................

[donna]

personal attacks on forum members have been removed, folks. please keep it civil and remember the forum rules.

[geriatrickid]

Secondly, Kuta in Bali is NOTHING like Soi Bangla.................................if sexy is what you want, and many do, then Bangla beats Kuta hands down.

Jeez. That's quite the image you have drawn - a beauty contest between the two.

Like comparing 2 dead rat carcass pelts for lustre.

[markg]

Secondly, Kuta in Bali is NOTHING like Soi Bangla.................................if sexy is what you want, and many do, then Bangla beats Kuta hands down.

Jeez. That's quite the image you have drawn - a beauty contest between the two.

Like comparing 2 dead rat carcass pelts for lustre.

Whilst i understand that the sleazy underbelly of one aspect of Phuket's tourism might not be to everyone's tastes, the facts speak for themselves. Patong is relatively busy all year round. People are buying beer, paying bar fines, and taking girls out.

It might very well be that the place is a rancid smelling cess-pit.

However, try to bear this thought in mind.

Do you think the bar girls actually want to be there?

Have you considered how desperate you and/or your family are for money for you to prostitute yourself?

I firmly believe that everyone has their price. Would you prostitute yourself for say 1000 USD? No? A million? No? Ten million?

There comes a time when the price is right and you would do it.

It's just that we, generally, wouldnt prostitute ourselves for a week's worth of rice.

We're the lucky ones, arent we.

Some of the girls have little choice.

Patong, and specifically Soi Bangla, serve just one segment of the tourism card. Please dont fall into the trap of thinking that that short street is representative of Phuket. It isnt. There are areas of Phuket - large areas - that dont see a white face from one month to the next. Virtually the whole of the east coast, particularly the northern east coast.

There are still people living in tin shacks, tapping rubber trees in Phuket.

[billythehat]

Quote markg:

However, try to bear this thought in mind.

Do you think the bar girls actually want to be there?

Have you considered how desperate you and/or your family are for money for you to prostitute yourself?

I firmly believe that everyone has their price. Would you prostitute yourself for say 1000 USD? No? A million? No? Ten million?

There comes a time when the price is right and you would do it.

It's just that we, generally, wouldnt prostitute ourselves for a week's worth of rice.

We're the lucky ones, arent we.

Some of the girls have little choice.

Oh Buddha, are we gonna wheel this old chestnut out again, "those poor bar girls, sniff, sniff…gotta buy a little rice…boo hoo"

Get real, old chap, she's also gotta have the cash for a more expensive mobile than I own, nice clothes, food and lodging, advanced lying and deception technique classes, etc. The money, if it gets back home, has gotta pay for houses, motosai's, 4WD's for the extended family, etc.

"Do they wanna be there," you say? Rhetorical question really and a quite preposterous question to put to anybody from a 1^st world country…

Erm, er, also, were exactly do you buy your rice from?

There are still people living in tin shacks, tapping rubber trees in Phuket

Welcome to the 3^rd world, Bub….have you travelled around Africa recently?

Edited October 16, 2008 by billythehat

[JetsetBkk]

...

- and to recognize that what you think is a cute kitty cat in need of a pat is actually a large rat...

[simon43]

What Soi Bangla could do with is about 2 large buckets of concrete poured into the ever-deepening hole in the road just near to Soi Eric! This hole - about 20 cms wide, usually has a bollard on top of it, but I've seen unwary tourists taken to hospital after putting their foot down this hole. It's been there for months, everyone is aware of it, but no-one seems to be responsible for the upkeep of the road.

Now where was my bag of cement and and?

Simon

[jackyseymour]

Secondly, Kuta in Bali is NOTHING like Soi Bangla.................................if sexy is what you want, and many do, then Bangla beats Kuta hands down.

Jeez. That's quite the image you have drawn - a beauty contest between the two.

Like comparing 2 dead rat carcass pelts for lustre.

Whilst i understand that the sleazy underbelly of one aspect of Phuket's tourism might not be to everyone's tastes, the facts speak for themselves. Patong is relatively busy all year round. People are buying beer, paying bar fines, and taking girls out.

It might very well be that the place is a rancid smelling cess-pit.

However, try to bear this thought in mind.

Do you think the bar girls actually want to be there?

Have you considered how desperate you and/or your family are for money for you to prostitute yourself?

I firmly believe that everyone has their price. Would you prostitute yourself for say 1000 USD? No? A million? No? Ten million?

There comes a time when the price is right and you would do it.

It's just that we, generally, wouldnt prostitute ourselves for a week's worth of rice.

We're the lucky ones, arent we.

Some of the girls have little choice.

Patong, and specifically Soi Bangla, serve just one segment of the tourism card. Please dont fall into the trap of thinking that that short street is representative of Phuket. It isnt. There are areas of Phuket - large areas - that dont see a white face from one month to the next. Virtually the whole of the east coast, particularly the northern east coast.

There are still people living in tin shacks, tapping rubber trees in Phuket.

I keep reading this same twaddle about the sex trade here on Phuket being confined to 'just one street called Bangla in Patong'.

Over the ten years I've been here, it crept over the mountain to Kata/Karon - thought Chalong relatively free of it, but you try taking a stroll down the road to Chalong pier, every other 'shop' seems to have been turned into some hastily fitted up 'girlie' bar.

But what really took my breath away was a couple of evenings ago I was driving from Naiharn in the direction of Rawai, and the once quite tree lined rise was heaving with girls strung right along the road with the 'helooo - welcome' thing going on.

Phuket lost it's opportunity to at least have some decent well designed bars along the lines of Bali for instance, catering to family/couples or simply those who don't wish to be pestered by being constantly propositioned, a long time ago. Sad.

Edited October 17, 2008 by jackyseymour

[LivinLOS]

What Soi Bangla could do with is about 2 large buckets of concrete poured into the ever-deepening hole in the road just near to Soi Eric! This hole - about 20 cms wide, usually has a bollard on top of it, but I've seen unwary tourists taken to hospital after putting their foot down this hole. It's been there for months, everyone is aware of it, but no-one seems to be responsible for the upkeep of the road.

Now where was my bag of cement and and?

Simon

I think that holes been there years Simon.. I certainly remember exactly what you describe, a punter stepping into and gashing his shin and filling the hole with bacterial gunk, multiple years ago.

Of course its silly to expect the Or Bor Tor to do actually do anything about it.. Far to busy working out which one of them is going to milk the CCTV system (4 Thai / Or Bor Tor sourced cameras 4 mil baht, 16 private sector ones supplied for 1 million baht !!)..

[Old Croc]

try taking a stroll down the road to Chalong pier, every other 'shop' seems to have been turned into some hastily fitted up 'girlie' bar.

That's since Pete started hanging out there!

[simon43]

LininLOS, I also read that news about the CCTV system! Why on earth is the Phuket Gazette not asking questions about the huge difference in pricing for these 2 systems? Why don't they use the 4 million baht OrBorTor funds to buy 4 x 16 camera systems from Singapore? Or even better, just buy a couple of these 16-camera systems and use some of the remaining funds to fill up that hole!

Simon

[sandman73]

Wow!!! Sir Blur. Looking at your posts, you just bag the crap out of everybody!! What lurks in your mind to make you like this? Insecurity perhaps? Chips on your shoulder? dam_n man, cheer up and forget about trashing people, their countries and what they do. You sound like you really want to make yourself appear soo great!!

[Sir Burr]

Wow!!! Sir Blur. Looking at your posts, you just bag the crap out of everybody!! What lurks in your mind to make you like this? Insecurity perhaps? Chips on your shoulder? dam_n man, cheer up and forget about trashing people, their countries and what they do. You sound like you really want to make yourself appear soo great!!

I thought my OP was a fair and objective look at four hours in the early evening spent in Bangla.

Do you have any tattoos, or, a pony-tail?

You wouldn't happen to know where I could hire a good gardener, would you?

[LivinLOS]

LininLOS, I also read that news about the CCTV system! Why on earth is the Phuket Gazette not asking questions about the huge difference in pricing for these 2 systems? Why don't they use the 4 million baht OrBorTor funds to buy 4 x 16 camera systems from Singapore? Or even better, just buy a couple of these 16-camera systems and use some of the remaining funds to fill up that hole!

Simon

Simon.. I too used to think 'why oh why' but sadly now I just watch them manage themselves into second class status and watch the opportunity to advance pass them by.

I mean, a society has the governance it deserves.. When you have to buy your votes to belly up to the trough, why should we be surprised when they then turn out to have self interest at heart or a need to make profit from thier position..

Imagine what a truly civic minded Or Bor Tor could accomplish ?? I mean the difference one full time 4 man plus one pickup cleaning crew could make to the islands western beaches ?? At a cost of what 1/2 a mil baht per year ?? All that debris and plastic crud.. Solved.. Forget about 80 billion baht tunnels with 40m baht 'investigation panels'..

Or how about instead of sitting at chalong circle doing nothing and hitting up helmetless riders, they bothered to go round to the bus stations, make sure they didnt have bald tyres and fully paid up insurance.. That each heavy goods vehicle was fit to drive (and stop).. think of the deaths and mutilations for the careening bus at Patong temple.. No one cares about that kind of harm.. Mai pen rai.. Charge the driver for something to cover up that the owner never serviced the brakes and it had 4 bald tyres.

I dont want to change Thailand into the west.. I dont want a nanny state of petty laws.. But this island had an opportunity (that sadly I think has passed) to be a well developed tropical paradise.. Its now just becoming a developed one..

Sorry.. put the soapbox away now..

[sandman73]

Wow!!! Sir Blur. Looking at your posts, you just bag the crap out of everybody!! What lurks in your mind to make you like this? Insecurity perhaps? Chips on your shoulder? dam_n man, cheer up and forget about trashing people, their countries and what they do. You sound like you really want to make yourself appear soo great!!

I thought my OP was a fair and objective look at four hours in the early evening spent in Bangla.

Do you have any tattoos, or, a pony-tail?

You wouldn't happen to know where I could hire a good gardener, would you?

Objective!?! you're a joker! To trash another mans' country the way you did with the language you used, is nothing short of being nasty, racist and just a bloody fool.

[Sir Burr]

Objective!?! you're a joker! To trash another mans' country the way you did with the language you used, is nothing short of being nasty, racist and just a bloody fool.

I'm racist against Aussies? My God, I hope so.

Oh....I'd better add one of these , or, the numerous humourless Dudley Do-rights might misunderstand

Edited October 17, 2008 by Sir Burr

[stevenl]

Objective!?! you're a joker! To trash another mans' country the way you did with the language you used, is nothing short of being nasty, racist and just a bloody fool.

Maybe nasty and maybe he just is a fool, but racist? Since when are aussies a separate race?

[JetsetBkk]

LininLOS, I also read that news about the CCTV system! Why on earth is the Phuket Gazette not asking questions about the huge difference in pricing for these 2 systems? ...

It's a great shame about the Gazette. They used to ask awkward questions for the authorities to answer, but now they're just a poodle. You only have to see what garbage articles they have written about the One-Two-Go disaster to see that they've lost their nerve.

But if you want to see pretty pictures of Gulu Lalvani, people from Luguna Phuket or JW Marriot Resort, or any other of the mega-rich Gazette donors, then get your copy now!

[jackyseymour]

LininLOS, I also read that news about the CCTV system! Why on earth is the Phuket Gazette not asking questions about the huge difference in pricing for these 2 systems? ...

It's a great shame about the Gazette. They used to ask awkward questions for the authorities to answer, but now they're just a poodle. You only have to see what garbage articles they have written about the One-Two-Go disaster to see that they've lost their nerve.

But if you want to see pretty pictures of Gulu Lalvani, people from Luguna Phuket or JW Marriot Resort, or any other of the mega-rich Gazette donors, then get your copy now!

I've been here over ten years. I really don't see that they've lost their nerve. They never had any.

Having said that. I do understand, as they once pointed out, that they must be careful about what they print. And they do pay very occasional lip service to the 'downtrodden' - Burmese workers. The occasional victim of some random loony attack. Um. Yes, that's it. But for the most part, you're absolutely right. 'Society' pages and all that. But not much different from any parochial paper in the uk?

They've always been against any kind of real empowerment for the working poor here. I remember some years ago, an ongoing tirade against the idea of any of the Thai workforce daring to improve their lot via workman's unions. Everyone complains about the sheer tediousness of it. But much like the 'government' of the country, doesn't everyone get the press/government they deserve?

But all in all, it is perhaps the best this island can/is able to offer? The only interesting alternative was the Siang Thai Times, an English/Thai local publication which was seriously in need of investment.

Ah, there we have it!

[Sir Burr]

Many years ago, I talked to the then editor of The Phuket Gazette at some soiree about why their investigative journalism was so crap.

He said that working on the Gazette was just a job like any other and nothing was worth the risk of anyone getting hurt.

If you're looking for a Woodward and Bernstein, they're not here on Phuket.

[jackyseymour]

Many years ago, I talked to the then editor of The Phuket Gazette at some soiree about why their investigative journalism was so crap.

He said that working on the Gazette was just a job like any other and nothing was worth the risk of anyone getting hurt.

If you're looking for a Woodward and Bernstein, they're not here on Phuket.

I'm very well aware of that and if you re-read my post more carefully, you will see that I'd already said that they'd stated that there were certain things they had to be careful about reporting on. However, I don't believe their stance against unions here needed to be quite so vitriolic and prolonged. Nor do I think they need to be so up the <deleted> of the seriously cashed up here on the island week after week. Apart from the two, or was it three? weeks following the tsunami when there was no publication at all. I'd no idea that Phuket Town had been so devastated.

Edited October 19, 2008 by jackyseymour

[JetsetBkk]

... Apart from the two, or was it three? weeks following the tsunami when there was no publication at all. I'd no idea that Phuket Town had been so devastated.

Not sure what point you're trying to make here. The water didn't reach Phuket Town (unless you call Koh Sire part of the town ), and the Gazette did not stop publication after the tsunami.

[Master Chief]

Bangla was the seed to get tourism here and to now start turning it to something else is to kill Phuket as to us westerns.

Yeah, you guys (and girls) here at TV can argue this matter until you lose control, spew lava and get banned.

But the fact is that none of you have any care or ideas to get the island going on as a well being and sound tourism attraction.

Thai government and its likes are not capable to do any realistic turn to the tourism that you guys aim for, as I have asked for in my topics in this forum, are only replied with bar hooligan nonsense.

To be honest, as a long time resident here, I have seen no sensible turns to any prevailing tourism here, and that makes me wonder if it that is ever going to be!

Yes, I do like the bar life here and its easy sex, and so does the majority of the tourists coming here.

Family groups and the happy single tourist do exist together here and seem to work fine for now.

One can see that there are some politicians and law officers, speaking out that whatever is going on here in Phuket are alright according to Thai laws.

Thais are changing laws and adding taxes to successful businesses run by non Thais, and this has made it more costly to run a business here. We all went here to get away from excessive taxing and regulations in our home countries. Changes are made, but they come too fast and the changes are mostly not so well planned.

Bangla will remain, but it will be a costly affair to walk down this street in the near future, with all the rising costs and fees.

MC

[flamingtodd]

A friend of mine told me a story about a guy on one of those cheap fake Harley looking bikes. He said he was driving around and encountered this guy (sounded Danish or Swedish or Finlandish) and the guy chased him down because he was driving too fast. The guy claimed he "lived here" and this type of driving was NOT allowed.

When the guy caught up to him, he began screaming at him for driving so crazy. My friend got off his bike, told the guy to F.off and the guy then said he was going to report my friend to the police, and wrote down the license plate.

As if there was a way to stop it.

My point is, who gives a flying f*** what you think. Regardless of how long you have been here. It ain't your country. It ain't your business. Want proof? GO TRY AND STOP IT!

I agree with Sir Burr. But I also feel that THIS IS THE REASON WHY I AM HERE.

Lawlessness, Girls for Rent, and Cheap Beer. Now, having said that, I am sure I am not alone, but I realize that this place is no secret. All horny, ugly, fat bastards in the world know that they can come here and have fun.

If you don't like something about Phuket, leave. But ranting on a forum we all know the Thai's don't read much less acknowledge is like p!ssing in the wind.

Say Burr, we still need to get those beers aye mate?

Love your posts!

todd

[samuibeachcomber]

nothing like a good aussie bash,but what is a bogan?As for the poor girls in the bars,they dont have to do it,they love it,easy money,having sex for them is easy.Look at all the chicks who work in supermarkets,711,family mart for 8000-10,000 baht a month,and they get by without short time.Then there are the other shop and office workers doing short time or overtime,they dont care its extra money,sex is no big deal,but the money is.

and there's nothing worse than loud,beer swilling westerners be they from europe.uk,or oz and they are just carrying on just like they do back home.