Sukhumvit Road Mai Sanook

[bkkjames]

Reading another forum about Chuwit Park has got me wondering about the future of Sukhumvit as a tourist spot.

Those of you who have been around awhile remember the vibrant nightlife along Sukhumvit road where one could stop and have a drink or two while taking in the ambience of this part of Bangkok.

Not anymore. As more and more hotels go up (at least 5 more being built in the Suk road area), I wonder what all these tourists will do besides look at t-shirts and copy dvds.

Take a look at Sukhumvit between Asoke and soi 1. Unless your looking for a Starbuck's, Subway, Coffee world or something else, there is nowhere to spend an evening outside just kicking back and having a beer / chat with friends.

I am not talking about those of us who don't mind to go to Nana or Cowboy but the others who would like to sit down OUTSIDE and watch Bangkok go by. Don't believe me check out the throngs of people sitting in the open air at 1 am having a beer on the sidewalk but that's another story altogether.

These little bar beers used to be so popular with so many people from what I noticed. It's really sad to see in my opinion. Sukhumvit Road used to be a place to go but now it's just a spot you pass by on the skytrain on the way to somewhere else.

[daleyboy]

I have to say sitting outside on suk, and soaking up all that carbon monoxide and other fumes aint my idea of fun anyway

[rio666uk]

i know what you mean - id finish my language class at Thong-Lor, hop on the BTS to Asok and then have a strole down that bit of sukhumvit and stop in one of the roadside beer bars and watch life go by...

backpackers clutching 5bht bottles of water in one hand and a lonely planet in the other - studying the map so they can go get a photo stood in cowboy.

first timers fighting off the following of tuk-tuk drivers, taxi men and those guys selling peanuts, watches, sunglasses and novelty lighters.

farrang chaps sitting with their new found love, knocking back bottles of carlsberg like its going out of fashion... or being educated by the wise old expat barflies on how thailand has changed since they arrived back in the 70's...

seeing guys sitting out on plastic chairs on the pavement of sukhumvit road soi7 at 3am, ordering another large chang whilst finishing their kaow pad gung and reaching for yet another marlboro.

the smell of food cooking - the drains and tuk-tuk fumes in the air.... and i loved every minute of it!

[Axel]

Now ^ this is poetry.

So romantic

[ProfessorFart]

Great post Rio666uk

Sadly it looks like those days are numbered and BKK is heading the same way as Singapore; soon to be a procession of malls, faceless chain hotels, and 'upmarket' aircon bars with all the ambience of a goldfish bowl.

There is room enough for every kind of bar in BKK. Why can't open air beer bars nestle side by side with the aircon places? You only have to see how busy the open part of Gullivers on Sukhumwit Soi 5, or the open air bars on Soi 4 are to see that people do like to sit outside and watch the world go by when in BKK no matter how bad the pollution is.

[RDN]

...the smell of food cooking - the drains and tuk-tuk fumes in the air.... and i loved every minute of it!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

You forgot the smell of chilli vapour mixed with oil. Better than tear gas.

[Spit the Dog]

Sadly it looks like those days are numbered and BKK is heading the same way as Singapore; soon to be a procession of malls, faceless chain hotels, and 'upmarket' aircon bars with all the ambience of a goldfish bowl.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

It does appear to be looking that way. Some would say for the better and some would say for the worse

There is room enough for every kind of bar in BKK. Why can't open air beer bars nestle side by side with the aircon places? You only have to see how busy the open part of Gullivers on Sukhumwit Soi 5, or the open air bars on Soi 4 are to see that people do like to sit outside and watch the world go by when in BKK no matter how bad the pollution is.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

At least now that the rainy season has nearly finished, expect to see Heineken/Leo/Singa etc, beer gardens appearing all over Bangkok. It is always another outdoor drinking alternative. It can be pleasant to sit at these beer gardens during the slightly cooler Bangkok evenings.

[ilyushin]

Sadly it looks like those days are numbered and BKK is heading the same way as Singapore; soon to be a procession of malls, faceless chain hotels, and 'upmarket' aircon bars with all the ambience of a goldfish bowl.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

It does appear to be looking that way. Some would say for the better and some would say for the worse

There is room enough for every kind of bar in BKK. Why can't open air beer bars nestle side by side with the aircon places? You only have to see how busy the open part of Gullivers on Sukhumwit Soi 5, or the open air bars on Soi 4 are to see that people do like to sit outside and watch the world go by when in BKK no matter how bad the pollution is.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

At least now that the rainy season has nearly finished, expect to see Heineken/Leo/Singa etc, beer gardens appearing all over Bangkok. It is always another outdoor drinking alternative. It can be pleasant to sit at these beer gardens during the slightly cooler Bangkok evenings.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I'm ready for the beer gardens!!! It's that time of the year!

I also miss those Sukhumvit outdoor bars. Easy to meet people and fall from one place to the next!

[HarryHacker]

...Soi 7/1 is there for you, chill man!

[stumonster]

...Soi 7/1 is there for you, chill man!

soi sannok - yes its my favourite soi to have a few drinks - catch a big game on television ( rob at down under has several sat feeds ) - play a game of pool with lee at john the kiwis bar - got plastered there last night

[HarryHacker]

...Soi 7/1 is there for you, chill man!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

soi sannok - yes its my favourite soi to have a few drinks - catch a big game on television ( rob at down under has several sat feeds ) - play a game of pool with lee at john the kiwis bar - got plastered there last night

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

...yep, enough down that Soi to satisfy all tastes.

[Diablo Bob]

Reading another forum about Chuwit Park has got me wondering about the future of Sukhumvit as a tourist spot.

Those of you who have been around awhile remember the vibrant nightlife along Sukhumvit road where one could stop and have a drink or two while taking in the ambience of this part of Bangkok.

Not anymore. As more and more hotels go up (at least 5 more being built in the Suk road area), I wonder what all these tourists will do besides look at t-shirts and copy dvds.

Take a look at Sukhumvit between Asoke and soi 1. Unless your looking for a Starbuck's, Subway, Coffee world or something else, there is nowhere to spend an evening outside just kicking back and having a beer / chat with friends.

I am not talking about those of us who don't mind to go to Nana or Cowboy but the others who would like to sit down OUTSIDE and watch Bangkok go by. Don't believe me check out the throngs of people sitting in the open air at 1 am having a beer on the sidewalk but that's another story altogether.

These little bar beers used to be so popular with so many people from what I noticed. It's really sad to see in my opinion. Sukhumvit Road used to be a place to go but now it's just a spot you pass by on the skytrain on the way to somewhere else.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

he outdoor beer bar is still open on Soi 19 in front of CountryRoad...... You can see Sukhumvitt if you are sitting in a bar stool! Well, I guess that depends on how long you have been sitting in the bar stool.......

[bkkjames]

Sad to say but the little bar beer at Country Road on Soi 19 days are numbered. That whole building including 7/11 is scheduled for demolition in 6 months. I wonder what is going to take its place...maybe a new "Toy's R Us" or some other uniquely Thai franchise like Prada or Lexus.

What would be really interesting and I bet financial feasible would be to open a night bazaar like the one over by Lumpini in Chuwit Park. It would be packed every night.

[taxexile]

but then it wouldnt be a park , it would be a collection of market stalls which was what there was before they knocked them down and turned it into a park !!

plenty of tat for sale on the other side of the road for those addicted to cheap shiny bits of plastic. its packed over there every night.

Edited November 7, 2005 by taxexile

[RDN]

but then it wouldnt be a park , it would be a collection of market stalls which was what there  was before they knocked them down and turned it into a park !! ...

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I thought it was more a collection of beer bars with accompanying accoutrements.

[taxexile]

it was a bit of a mixture , part meat market , part beer garden , part tourist gift type stuff.

it always looked out of place there and i wasnt sorry to see it go.

although the way it went was incredible.

he just sent in his stormtrooper mates with hammers and they razed it to the ground.

unbelievable !!

[stumonster]

it was a bit of a mixture , part meat market , part beer garden , part tourist gift type stuff. 

Don't forget the laundries - I have heard a few sob stories about people losing a fair bit of their wardrobe that day

[HarryHacker]

it was a bit of a mixture , part meat market , part beer garden , part tourist gift type stuff. 

it always looked out of place there and i wasnt sorry to see it go.

although the way it went was incredible.

he just sent in his stormtrooper mates with hammers and they razed it to the ground.

unbelievable !!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

...I agree, it was a bit of a pisshole but I do miss the 3 sisters who run a little coffee shop right in the middle of the place. Their after hour service was a little special and for sure they made best Irish Coffee at 3am. Memory tells me they had fairly rich Italian BFs

[dek_shai_khing]

Don't forget the laundries - I have heard a few sob stories about people losing a fair bit of their wardrobe that day 

Mostly shirts, one hears.

[snoophound]

Best part of SUK

Those Sisters that ran Brownies bar down the back were a hoot too.

it was a bit of a mixture , part meat market , part beer garden , part tourist gift type stuff. 

it always looked out of place there and i wasnt sorry to see it go.

although the way it went was incredible.

he just sent in his stormtrooper mates with hammers and they razed it to the ground.

unbelievable !!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

...I agree, it was a bit of a pisshole but I do miss the 3 sisters who run a little coffee shop right in the middle of the place. Their after hour service was a little special and for sure they made best Irish Coffee at 3am. Memory tells me they had fairly rich Italian BFs

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

[RDN]

it was a bit of a mixture , part meat market , part beer garden , part tourist gift type stuff.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

OK, there was the Internet shop in the south-east side, plus Jeab's tattoo, a shoe shop and a gift shop (5 baht anti-mozzy sachets and stuff).

Behind Jeab's were some more shops and a Thai food restaurant. These fronted on to Soi 10.

On the north-west side was a shop selling stuff made of wood and a few other shops, but I would say 90%, maybe 95%, were bars.

...the way it went was incredible.

he just sent in his stormtrooper mates with hammers and they razed it to the ground.

unbelievable !!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I lived opposite soi 10 - in soi 13, Sukhumvit Suites. I didn't hear a thing unfortunately. I took some photos after, but was a little nervous as there were plenty of BIBs watching what was going on.

Change of topic...

Maybe we could start a "Soi 10 Remembered" thread? Who can remember the names and locations of the bars?

I'll start with two: The bar nearest Jeab's tattoo was "Lovely Bar" and opposite it (next to the gift shop) was "Ying's Bar".

Any more?

Edited November 8, 2005 by RDN

[dek_shai_khing]

Soi 10 bars. prior to the bulldozers

Sweet Home Bar, was the first to open. Gemini bar was formerly named 'Wild Plum.

[RDN]

Thanks dek-shai-khing, certainly brings back memories - and corrects them - it was Tu's bar opposite Lovely bar. Ying's bar was further down.

[HarryHacker]

Soi 10 bars. prior to the bulldozers

Sweet Home Bar, was the first to open. Gemini bar was formerly named 'Wild Plum.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

...oh that is a great map, more than a few memories...

del_shai_khing? Are you Dekland, the Irish lad that had a bar in there?

[dek_shai_khing]

del_shai_khing? Are you Dekland, the Irish lad that had a bar in there?

Jaaasus to be sure to be sure thats not me. The money i spent in those bars though i could have bought one. Topatha mornin to ya though.