Asoke Corner No More!

[udon]

I didn't get down to the Thermae last time either.  Might as well ask...is it still operating?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Yes, and it's still full of beautiful mobile phone thieves and run by the cops

[Khutan]

I didn't get down to the Thermae last time either.  Might as well ask...is it still operating?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Yes, and it's still full of beautiful mobile phone thieves and run by the cops

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Maybe some more beautiful than others.

I remember one day to my total shock, Walking up to George St in Sydney from Wynyard Station there was this old guy with that really old lady from the Thermae - the short thin one walking down to the station.... I couldn't believe my eyes.

[udon]

You've just reminded me of something.

Whatever happened to the big, old bird with the sixties bee-hive that had something alive inside it?

She sat at the front bar......... just as you walk in.

Did she hook onto a dumb, old, 1st timer?

[aughie]

Yes, and it's still full of beautiful mobile phone thieves and run by the cops

Thanks. I remember when they first instituted the early closing. We arrived late at the Thermae and all the girls, maybe 50 were standing out front on the sidewalk and up the plaza steps . I told my friend this isn't going to work. There's no way the cops are going to allow this many girls to stand around. Haha I guess things will work just fine... Thanks for the update. Haha.

[RDN]

I wonder how long soi "zero" will last - the 'soi' under the expressway? The area is total crap - the expressway above and railway alongside. I believe the land belongs to the expressway company and the bars rent direct from them or through a middleman. My ex has a 50% share in a bar down there. Hope they trash the place

[Jack Jones]

Agree, Soi Zero is another ramshakled place that looks as if it's been built with no forward planning. I had no objection to Asoke but used to walk straight past there into Cowboy, as the bars on Cowboy are contained in one street and don't spill out onto the general public.

[kreon]

Dickie,

  The fact that your decendents raped and pillaged the former "owners" a thousand years ago doesn't make it right.  Yeah we done the Native Americans wrong.  And your folk did what?

  It may not have been to everyone's taste (mine included) but violence and destruction of property should never be the method of choice for urban renewal.  This kind of sh# doesn't happen without the local politicos being well feathered first.  

  The Land of Smiles is rapidly becoming the Land of Sledge Hammers and Bulldozers.  Why any non-Thai would ever consider investing in this country amazes me.....  

~WISteve

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agree......they also raped pand pillaged the aussie abo's too

[kreon]

I was surprised to see the group of bars on the corner of sukhumvit and asoke rd.  Right on the sidewalk. Nothing set back there.  I figured they would be the first to go.  Are they still operating?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

i can see you're sabai..sabai

never mind i know dogs can't read posting topics

[kreon]

I didn't get down to the Thermae last time either.  Might as well ask...is it still operating?

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Yes, and it's still full of beautiful mobile phone thieves and run by the cops

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and it stinks like ######

obviously cats are after fluffy fluf's

[lowersmiths]

I get the impression some posters on here won't be happy until BKK is wall-to-wall McDonalds and Starbucks.

God help us

[samran]

I get the impression some posters on here won't be happy until BKK is wall-to-wall McDonalds and Starbucks.

God help us

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

God help us if Bangkok remains the world largest open air knock shop.

I think the point that most are making is that there is a time and a place for everything, and the corner of Asoke and Sukhumvit ain't one of them.

[aughie]

the owner of b52 ran and never came back

Ok I see we are talking about the same place. I never walk down that far. Well once.

[RDN]

I know one girl - Bee - who used to work in soi 10 - "Ying's bar" I think it was called. Then she went to work in a bar at Asoke after soi 10 got trashed. I wonder if her last name is "Jonah" (and I wonder where she's working now ).

[aughie]

I think the point that most are making is that there is a time and a place for everything, and the corner of Asoke and Sukhumvit ain't one of them.

I think the problem is these sort of things end up a push pull issue rather than a balance issue. If a person practices discretion people then say what are they hiding. The open bars on a major intersection surprised me but then you could look and see it wasn't wild debauchery.

In the case of Sukhumvit there is money to be made developing the area. Space is at a premium. Hence the bars move elsewhere.

-a

[charles]

If a person practices discretion people then say what are they hiding.  The open bars on a major intersection surprised me but then you could look and see it wasn't wild debauchery. 

In my opinion, in Thailand, and probably in the Far East generally, if a person practices discretion people will tend to leave it be and think it is that person's own private matter.

Certainly there was no wild debauchery, but it just looked a bit sleazy and low class, just the sort of thing that would make many Thais feel uncomfortable. To them, I expect wild debauchery discreetly held behind closed doors would be preferable!

[ProfessorFart]

If it looks sleazy and low class look away. So what?? Get over yourself! Go live in Surrey where every aspect is pleasing and only man is vile........

The fact that any 'respectable' Thai man prefers his pros behind closed doors and behind his wife's back dosn't mean the rest of the world share his hipocrisy.

Edited December 16, 2004 by ProfessorFart

[charles]

If it looks sleazy and low class look away. So what?? Get over yourself! Go live in Surrey where every aspect is pleasing and only man is vile........

The fact that any 'respectable' Thai man prefers his pros behind closed doors and behind his wife's back dosn't mean the rest of the world share his hipocrisy.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

It has been explained many times by many people but you don't seem to understand.

It is not a question of getting over oneself and going to live in Surrey. It is a case of discretion in everyone's best interest and ADAPTING to how things are done locally. Then those who want a bit of nightlife can have it, and those that don't want it or wish to pretend that it doesn't exist are not required to notice it. Makes sense dunnit?

Of course there is "hypocrisy" in Thailand, as everywhere else. But if you can't adapt to this, then perhaps you should be back in Surrey. It's not for you to come here and sneer at the "hypocrisy" of some "respectable" Thais while you sit in a ramshackle girlie bar on the corner of a main intersection in a major commercial district.

Personally, Asoke Plaza had little effect on me either way. But to reiterate, the trouble is the more Asoke Plazas you have drawing attention to themselves, the more trouble you might create for the better, more discreet areas like Nana or Soi Cowboy.

For example, Mr. Dep. Interior Minister might be sat in his motorcade waiting at Asoke for 15 minutes waiting for the red light to change , he sees all these girls accosting passers by at Asoke Plaza and he's on the phone to Thonglor police chief saying what the f*** are you doing with all this going on on your turf. Said police chief then has to make a show of putting things right, and before you know it everywhere is being hassled, closed down etc.

Then you could end up with nowhere for your beer and a "bit of company"

Edited December 16, 2004 by charles

[samran]

me thinks some people are resisting the reality that BKK is no longer their own little fantasy playland, like it once was in the 70's and early 80's. Times are-a-changin' in LOS.

[dr_Pat_Pong]

me thinks some people are resisting the reality that BKK is no longer their own little fantasy playland, like it once was in the 70's and early 80's. Times are-a-changin' in LOS.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Couldn't you add via the antipod to the Soapyland address, lest people think you to be a real dodger Samran.

[thedude]

If it looks sleazy and low class look away. So what?? Get over yourself! Go live in Surrey where every aspect is pleasing and only man is vile........

The fact that any 'respectable' Thai man prefers his pros behind closed doors and behind his wife's back dosn't mean the rest of the world share his hipocrisy.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

It has been explained many times by many people but you don't seem to understand.

It is not a question of getting over oneself and going to live in Surrey. It is a case of discretion in everyone's best interest and ADAPTING to how things are done locally. Then those who want a bit of nightlife can have it, and those that don't want it or wish to pretend that it doesn't exist are not required to notice it. Makes sense dunnit?

Of course there is "hypocrisy" in Thailand, as everywhere else. But if you can't adapt to this, then perhaps you should be back in Surrey. It's not for you to come here and sneer at the "hypocrisy" of some "respectable" Thais while you sit in a ramshackle girlie bar on the corner of a main intersection in a major commercial district.

Personally, Asoke Plaza had little effect on me either way. But to reiterate, the trouble is the more Asoke Plazas you have drawing attention to themselves, the more trouble you might create for the better, more discreet areas like Nana or Soi Cowboy.

For example, Mr. Dep. Interior Minister might be sat in his motorcade waiting at Asoke for 15 minutes waiting for the red light to change , he sees all these girls accosting passers by at Asoke Plaza and he's on the phone to Thonglor police chief saying what the f*** are you doing with all this going on on your turf. Said police chief then has to make a show of putting things right, and before you know it everywhere is being hassled, closed down etc.

Then you could end up with nowhere for your beer and a "bit of company"

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

very well explained charles. round of applause, pat on the back and all that. except there is no way Mr Dep. Interior Minister is ever going to be sat at the red lights for even a minute, they would've cleared the traffic way ahead for him. just thought i'd point that out.

[samran]

me thinks some people are resisting the reality that BKK is no longer their own little fantasy playland, like it once was in the 70's and early 80's. Times are-a-changin' in LOS.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Couldn't you add via the antipod to the Soapyland address, lest people think you to be a real dodger Samran.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Done Dr. P. Heaven forbid that I may one day enjoy trips to Blackpool.

Seasons Greetings to you as well, from dark, but not so cold, London.

[kreon]

me thinks some people are resisting the reality that BKK is no longer their own little fantasy playland, like it once was in the 70's and early 80's. Times are-a-changin' in LOS.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

now that little fantasy playland is phnom penn

but i am still not yet hungry in bangers

[mbkudu]

Thats entirely your choice. These things are never a zero sum gain. What replaces the bars will undoubtely help provide a livelihood to others too, and most likely provide more viable options for the future.

maybe you should tell that to the people who have just had their livelihoods destroyed. what about the familes of the girls that worked there? the owners? i'm sure they'd be very interested in your comments .............

Aah, no biggy. They'll just melt into Cowboy, Pat Pong or Nana. There's always a place for them. I won't miss the place, area, nook, whatever it was. It's a type of business that doesn't need to be so publicly in the open.

[lowersmiths]

Asoke is open for business!!! It's behind the old place, so is tucked away for all you puritans. It's also open until 1am now instead of 12. Many of the same girls there.........was busy last night

Edited December 17, 2004 by RDN

[kreon]

Asoke is open for business!!! It's behind the old place, so is tucked away for all you puritans. It's also open until 1am now instead of 12. Many of the same girls there.........was busy last night

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

yeah...looks even worse now with all that corrogated iron sheets

[mbkudu]

its hard to believe but never settle on land that does not belong to you.

The Americans did.

And the Aussies......? Weren't those 'Americans' who first landed, pisspoor, landless, starving Subjects of the British Crown, begging for food from the Pohawtons. They weren't Americans mate, they was just like you.

Edited December 18, 2004 by mbkudu

[WISteve]

"It is a case of discretion in everyone's best interest and ADAPTING to how things are done locally."

And "how things are done" happen to include 50 men with sledgehammers....

I'm not defending the place. It was an eyesore.

But if Thais insist on gaining "respect" through violent destruction of personal property and destroying the lives of the workers there, well they are well off the mark.

There are legal means of removing squatters, if that is what they were. And it sounds like any eviction notice, if it existed, was hardly disseminated to the workers involved based on some of the quotes here.

There is money to be made on Suk Av real estate so the law and humanity be damned!

~WISteve

[mbkudu]

There are always underlying circumstances that outsiders like ourselves will never be aware of. It is possible that they were given several eviction notices, but just kept on as long as possible, so then the hammers came out.

[lowersmiths]

yeah...looks even worse now with all that corrogated iron sheets 

It seems a bit bizarre to be sat in what looks like a car park with destroyed buildings all around sipping a beer (in the dark with no music after 12) - but that's just part of the unique ambiance I guess

[trajan]

Like it or not, it's just plain economics.....the corner of Asoke/Sukhumvit is prime real estate. Especially now that the subway station and connection to the skytrain has opened. I'm guessing that a new hotel (or possibly office building) will be developed on this corner. Alittle more higher yielding than sleazy beer joints.

The new Regent Hotel and Condos between Sukhumvit Soi 11 and 13 will further change this area. Just walk a few meters in off the main road...still lots of places for beer and jollies.