Any info on when His Excellency ex-Massage King Chuwit's Park will open (cnr Suk soi 10)? What facilities will there be? At the moment there are only two strips of grass inside and a narrow concrete trough for fountains (not a mega hot tub as someone else hoped!). Oh, and a concrete "Cleopatra's Needle". Will it only be open to Thai children?

Whenever it opens, I'll bet you it's overrun with ladyboys the first night.

I'm not sure what is the bigger travesty, this eyesore or the Soi 6 shanty-town.

any green open space on sukhumvit is a welcome addition.

If somebody could convince Chuwit to hold debates with political adversaries there every night, it'd be a whooping success. He's the best Thai comedian I know.

can somebody tell me what Sukumwit Square used to look and be like? Any Clinton Plaza stories also?

Sukhumwit Square was a large area of beer bars. Some good, some not so good but none of them really had a chance to get going. There were also a few A/C places and small businesses (a tattooist, an internet cafe etc)

It certainly had potential and made a welcome change from NEP.

Sadly for me as an inveterate people watcher, Sukhumwit Beer Bars are becoming history which is a great shame as I find them far more pleasant than sterile A/C places.

can somebody tell me what Sukumwit Square used to look and be like? ...

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This is what it looked like the day after Chuwits thugs smashed the place up (Jan 2003):

And this is what it looked like in July this year:

I see no park.

Nice pond! when are they putting the Koi in?

And he's never been punished for doing this. He even ran for Prime Minister! Ah, to be a rich, well-connected Thai...you can get away with anything.

Apparently the park will be open soon...

BUT mngmt reserves the right to kick your @ss out anytime they like and are NOT responsible for any valuables you may leave behind in a hurry

And he's never been punished for doing this. He even ran for Prime Minister! Ah, to be a rich, well-connected Thai...you can get away with anything.

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His original plan was to build a hotel on that property. His punishment was in being forced to abandon those plans in favour of a park. His bad decision about the demolition will cost him hundred of millions of baht, all because he didn't clear it with the right people first.

To suppose that he ever would be punished for treading on the rights of a bunch of inconsequential people is just not credible. He was punished because he didn't do things the right way and he embarassed the wrong people.

And you may also safely assume that some day in the future, when the political winds have shifted and his enemies bought off or otherwise mollified, he will be allowed to build that hotel. The park will be condemned as an eyesore or health-hazard or other nuisance and shortly thereafter construction will begin.

Chuwit is not very well-connected and in relative terms not very rich. His inclusion in the party list at the last elections was not bought nor a favor, it was the party cynically capitalising on his fame. He's viewed as a very vulgar outsider by the people who really count in Thailand.