Whats Wrong With Sukhumvit Soi 4 "nana" ?

[bkkjames]

Actually there's a push to upscale Soi 4 by some of the larger property owners to a high end boutique district,

Some of this is already evident with new properties like the Darwin Hotel, etc, even the Omni is no longer with the Ascott Group.

The ultimate goal of course is the removal or relocation of NP and all the rift raff associated with it.

Whether it ever becomes a high end tourist district with up scale venues we'll just have to see.

Remember before the over priced art bars on Soi 33, few can argue that the character changed significantly when you charge 3x the amount for a drink, that really filters out the low end.

Time will tell, but one axiom remains true, Location, Location, Location.

33 is way down on the list of places to hang out. I see the Novotel Lotus is no longer a Novotel. Starting to look like it would fit in nicely in patpong area, the soi that is.

[Briggsy]

What you are seeing is a direct result of a corrupt police force. The Lumpini police station officers make a fortune off having a large red light area in their jurisdiction.

[nasajsc]

whats wrong with that part of town?

so many rats in the gutters....

cockroaches all over the place....

suffocating carbon monoxide from 500 taxis and tuktuks crowding

onto a corner.

the worst riff-raff from around the planet looking for sleaze.

Edited February 5, 2010 by nasajsc

[ozzieovaseas]

Brits?

Generalisations?

Yeh funny that, next thing they'll say the place is over run with English teachers

Edited February 5, 2010 by ozzieovaseas

[blue eyes]

already now walking down the entrance part of soi 8 in high season you pass a crowd of the 'shaved heads- tattoos- sleevless beer chang shirts- walking with beer in hand' crowd.

The British blokes like to travel.

I'm surprised at you UG making such a stupid sweeping generalization

The truth hurts some times carmine.

[carmine]

already now walking down the entrance part of soi 8 in high season you pass a crowd of the 'shaved heads- tattoos- sleevless beer chang shirts- walking with beer in hand' crowd.

The British blokes like to travel.

I'm surprised at you UG making such a stupid sweeping generalization

The truth hurts some times carmine.

Nothing hurts as far as i'm concerned. I'm just stating the obvious that it's a stupid sweeping generalization

[Ulysses G.]

It seems that some people are just looking for things to whine about. How about, "There are a lot of Russians in Russia".

Edited February 7, 2010 by Ulysses G.

[carmine]

It seems that some people are just looking for things to whine about. How about, "There are a lot of Russians in Russia".

Interesting

[Ulysses G.]

Well at least you didn't rip my head off for that one.

[IanForbes]

What you are seeing is a direct result of a corrupt police force. The Lumpini police station officers make a fortune off having a large red light area in their jurisdiction.

You could be right, Briggsy. I first went there in 1997 and saw it slowly degrade each succeeding year. Too many bar owners fighting with each other and turning it into a shithole. When business went down, the Thai owners increased their prices to make up for the shortfall. Then, even more customers, including the long term customers, left. With fewer customers, the girls went elsewhere, which resulted in even few customers. I haven't been back in about 3 or 4 years. I get better value for my dollar in Chiang Mai. I won't pay the Bangkok hotel prices, and I only visit Pattaya once a year to visit my golfing buddies.

[carmine]

Well at least you didn't rip my head off for that one.

Would'nt dream of it UG

[whichschool]

It used to be far better down Sukhumvit when it had the rickity rackety bars on the street where theyve now built apartments, this area has always been edgy but was always pretty safe, now its anything but safe along here.

It does seem full of angry 45 year old plus fools these days, many thinking theyre a bit handy after reinventing themselves and fancying one last crack at the title, and theyre often rude as <deleted> to the girls as many of them have been ripped off by a similar type girl in the past .... wouldnt say Brits are worse then any other nation when in LOS ... but if you go to any town/city in Britain at the weekend youll see almost anyone but skinheaded tattood types looking for a fight ... its a dreadful place to live permanently which is why so many of us are in Thailand.

The Nigerians along soi 5 have made that area a no go area for anyone looking for a fun hassle free night out, Gullivers and the bars close to it used to be good for a night out, and the fat vile aggressive African prostitutes openly whoring themselves should be locked up and then deported, this would be a good start to sorting the area out.

Edited February 8, 2010 by whichschool

[StreetCowboy]

What you are seeing is a direct result of a corrupt police force. The Lumpini police station officers make a fortune off having a large red light area in their jurisdiction.

You could be right, Briggsy. I first went there in 1997 and saw it slowly degrade each succeeding year. Too many bar owners fighting with each other and turning it into a shithole. When business went down, the Thai owners increased their prices to make up for the shortfall. Then, even more customers, including the long term customers, left. With fewer customers, the girls went elsewhere, which resulted in even few customers. I haven't been back in about 3 or 4 years. I get better value for my dollar in Chiang Mai. I won't pay the Bangkok hotel prices, and I only visit Pattaya once a year to visit my golfing buddies.

I like Nana Plaza - its discretely off the main street but easy to find, and there's little reason anyone would be passing that way on respectable business. Soi Cowboy too, to some extent. I'd like to see the clearly illegal temporary bars cleared off the pavements, and the pickpocketing ladyboy hookers onb the south side of the street. The girls on the north side are less obtrusive, and could well be just friendly ladies waiting for a bus, for all I know...But I am sad to see respectable and honest businesses suffering because of the decline in the neighbourhood; that is sad, regardless of whether you disapprove of their business - and I agree to a large part it is due to a failure to enforce the laws that exist - and also to abject civic maintenance and dreadful standards of workmanship which make sukhumvit an obstacle course for pedestrians.

Notwithstanding that, I though ti was marginally improved compared to last time I was there, about four months ago...

SC

[ProfessorFart]

I love it when prats start rattling on about 'riff raff' like some Colonial throwback.

You get the odd arsehol_e but on the whole it tends to be blokes out for a bitof flange and a few beers and thats it. No harm no foul. If you don't like it, and it so upsets your tender sensibilites simply stay away. Far away. The USA maybe? Easy!

[MarkyM3]

I spent a bit of time in the area recently. Yes, it's seedy, edgy etc. but that's all part of the appeal. Of course you don't take your kids there!!

I can't see any problem whatsoever with having a few beers with your mates at one of the after-hours mobile bars on the street, generally it's really good natured. You get to meet some interesting characters and it's good for people watching. No harm done. FWIW, the only trouble I saw while I was there was a paralytic Euro guy causing mayhem (prior to collapsing in the gutter) and a group of American guys screaming abuse/threats at a Tuk-Tuk driver. Yes, there are plenty of brain dead chavs from the UK but also plenty from elsewhere (are you listening Ulysses G?).

What could be looked at imo is the huge numbers of hookers hanging around even b4 it gets dark (moreso on Sukhumvit Rd itself approaching Soi 5). If I owned the Indian restaurant they seem to congregate outside of, I wouldn't be too happy. Also, the assorted beggars and flower sellers are a total pain.

As for Soi 5, Gullivers is still a great place to kick off the evening, it was extremely busy most nights Iwent. Didn't encounter any hassle from the 419 guys but noticed they seem to have their own drinking den near the entrance to the Soi.

Edited March 2, 2010 by MarkyM3

[Skint]

Went to Nana May 09 it was pretty quiet and rammed full of girls, came back in Dec 09 and the place was dead, not as many customers and girls were not as pretty. Certainly Cowboy was very busy and had a better atmosphere.

[01322521959]

I live in the area and I must say, for all its craziness, for all the illegal activity, for the inablity to even walk down the street occasionally, for all those things, I wouldn't live anywhere else in town.

The proximity to everything I need to live - shopping, fitness club, pubs, BTS, and yes the items I mentioned above - makes it all worthwhile.

I honestly believe living here "mutes" the thngs most people / visitors dislike about the area.

Really? Shhhh, don't tell anyone, but Wippawaddee Road, few mins from the BTS, can be in Sukumvit in 25mins, the "Train Park" just round the corner and the condos are half the price of yours, I'll bet!

[davelec]

It's been downhill for years now and increasing speed lately. Still 10 years ago places like Ekamai was "out in the sticks" and now it is one of the prime area for nightclubs and entertainment. The scum is pushing it further and before you know it you are considering moving to Bang Na to get rid of the riffraff.

You would be too late, our condo is there and many many Nigerians, what are they doing here? They are not teaching and few Thai woman will have anything to do with them. They seem to mostly be dealing drugs or involved in internet scams from what I know. One works openly illegally in 'his' shop at the condo. last week went around the back alleys in Pratunam including the shacks along the railway-never seen so many Africans outside of London! All hanging about in the day with some even living in shacks against the rail track, why do they come here? can't be the weather or the cheap living compared to Africa surely, maybe it's easier to live a crimminal life here.

[reallyok]

It used to be far better down Sukhumvit when it had the rickity rackety bars on the street where theyve now built apartments, this area has always been edgy but was always pretty safe, now its anything but safe along here.

It does seem full of angry 45 year old plus fools these days, many thinking theyre a bit handy after reinventing themselves and fancying one last crack at the title, and theyre often rude as <deleted> to the girls as many of them have been ripped off by a similar type girl in the past .... wouldnt say Brits are worse then any other nation when in LOS ... but if you go to any town/city in Britain at the weekend youll see almost anyone but skinheaded tattood types looking for a fight ... its a dreadful place to live permanently which is why so many of us are in Thailand.

The Nigerians along soi 5 have made that area a no go area for anyone looking for a fun hassle free night out, Gullivers and the bars close to it used to be good for a night out, and the fat vile aggressive African prostitutes openly whoring themselves should be locked up and then deported, this would be a good start to sorting the area out.

My question is ..........How do these African poro's get work permits, if i tried to do building on my own land i could be kicked out for no work permit !

[chiang mai]

I had the misfortune to be walking down Soi 4, two blocks from Suky about three months ago when the Police and Immigration raided an entire Soi! SWAT Police armed to teeth and in large numbers came at the Soi from both ends and nobody got in or out until all the buildings had been swept and occupants turfed out onto the street. A little while later the Immigration folks set up tables and everyone on the street was processed, checked for ID/visa's etc - those that passed scrutiny were allowed out of the Soi (not back into the buildings) and those that did not were 'cuffed and sat in the back of a caged truck nearby. The Police had filled two trucks before I was eventually let out of the Soi, figure about twenty or so per truck and all appeared to be from African countries. An impressive operation.

Edited March 23, 2010 by chiang mai

[harrry]

[

Carefull now or he will accuse you of yanqui bashing and get's his mates over...

well don't the British bash themselves, or is that only football fans.

[ilovemangos]

imo.

seems many of the customers are younger 21-early 30s....

and that is a huge part of the problem.

[StreetCowboy]

imo.

seems many of the customers are younger 21-early 30s....

and that is a huge part of the problem.

Bloody young people! Lock them up!

They should leave Nana for the sad old gits like us...

SC

[soundman]

Posts and replies containing derogatory, & racial stereotype comments have been removed.

[StreetCowboy]

Posts and replies containing derogatory, & racial stereotype comments have been removed.

Where's the fun in that?

SC