Who Remembers Soi Zero... And The Great Bars Under The Bridge

[xen]

I can remember bars in that area in the mid to late 80's and Buckskin Joes was the first bar that you could see from Sukhumvit as you walked over the railway lines .

I also remember Country Road on the corner of Asoke as my brother in law was the "electrician " in the place.Didn't say much for the standard of electrical safety in the place.

The memories are getting fuzzy nowdays tho.

[ExpatOilWorker]

Can someone refresh my memory where Clinton Plaza was? I'm sure I was there at some point, recognize the name but I can't recall,,,at all.

Thanks in advance,

Cheers

Between Suk soi 13/15.

The only bar I remember is The Dollhouse.

Where the still to be opened new Sofitel is located.

[CelticBhoy]

First bars I ever drank in back in '92. I remember the Emu Bar well - it was run by Brett and his wife Praew. There were some characters that drank there!

[IMA_FARANG]

Well sort of but just for kicks and giggles....does anybody remember the old Thermae?

You have to love an "after hours" place where you had to enter through the toliet...front door saying "place is closed" and locked.

But that was long ago...not sure how many people on this forum even remember it.

Really showing my age now!

[chiang mai]

Only too well, like the bar from Star Wars but with more character.

[luckyluke]

Between Suk soi 13/15.

The only bar I remember is The Dollhouse.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The Monica Bar was there also.

I(my wife) had a business in Soi 10, vanished in a couple of hours.

[mackayae]

There was a bar in Patpong 2 throughout the 70s called "The Other Office". I don't ever remember seeing too many GIs there, it was popular with expat construction workers though. It had a one room massage parlor on the right on the way in - always had dust in the bath tub, I don't think there were too many actual massages going o

Bill Malloy.

[Bakseedaa]

Place had character, added to the local color of Bangkok. It's really too bad it's gone.

If you want a trip down bar memory lane, then check out "The Old Office" in Pat Pong. It is most likely the oldest bar still in existents in Bangkok. The owner is in her 60's and still remember GI's drinking at her bar. Worth a drink and just enjoy the old interior decoration and pictures.

The bar is about 50 years old and started out as the "The New Office", but changes names later.

Nothing quite like Buckskin Joes and the ramshackle that was old Asoke corner... Fun and cheap girls galore... those places were the reason many of us made up our minds to stay here .. cheap and very cheerful.... not an African to be seen..!

[Sateev]

Definitely remember the old Thermae, having to enter through the bathrooms. It was a new upstart while the Grace coffeeshop was the grand dame of after-hours pickup joints...

[PattayaParent]

Definitely remember the old Thermae, having to enter through the bathrooms. It was a new upstart while the Grace coffeeshop was the grand dame of after-hours pickup joints...

Became acquanted with the old Thermae 18 years ago when working in Bangkok, never did like the new one as much.

[tombkk]

Definitely remember the old Thermae, having to enter through the bathrooms. It was a new upstart while the Grace coffeeshop was the grand dame of after-hours pickup joints...

Yes, now the old Thermae was something! Who just made the comparison to the Star Trek bars? Absolutely right.

Incidentally, the new one doesn't come close but appears to be successful too.

The Grace coffeeshop still exists, at least I've been there two years or so ago. Has changed a bit from 20 years ago, but still has flair.

[rocketmanbkk]

watched the happenings of 9- 11 there in 2001, just sat there with a beer. I'll Never forget it!

[EyesWideOpen]

I used to love Soi Zero !!! You could ride your big bike in and park right in front of the bar. Cannot remember the name, but I would go to one of the bars on the left, about half way down. Met and went with one of the best girls I have been with in Thailand.

[rotary]

I remember it well and even knew a couple of bar owners very well. Good prices,good parking at the end, and loads of fun sometimes.

[cattoc]

Bri9646, the Country road that used to be above Foodland has relocated, still in Soi 5 just as you turn into the alley between Soi 5 and 7 it is right on the corner, easy to miss I think. Fairly sure that is where you will still see Bob but be prepared for a shock, Country Road has pushed prices the through the roof, about 120 baht a small beer. This is throughout the franchise - even in Pattaya and Jomtien, shame, they do good live music (except Jomtien).

I just heard - to be validated... that the Country Road (is it third time) relocated across the road from Foodland side on Soi 5 to the other side at the entrance to the tunnel...... just closed down.. whether this is permanent or not please correct me. Now Fooodland is open again - maynbe they wil go back to their previous haunt... we have to wait and see. I own a bar just 5 doors up from it and we are all under the threat of that next block being redeveloped (same owner as Foodland site). This would mean part of the Tunnel would go and the Heineken Beer garden is also part of the same plot.

[cattoc]

Wow.. Buckskin Joes - I had forgotten - they had a huge indian sign. I remember coming out of the JW Marriot just after the 1997 crash - to find rows of luxury cars lined up on the other side of the small Soi 2... with newly destitutes selling their belongings out of the rear trunks. stumbling over to Buckskins for my cheap beer and master class lessons in micro finance from the incredibly focussed bar girls. ... I remember I made a niaive bangkok Newbie comment to one of the girls. about the Northeastern girls in this bar area being poor.... she said quite insightfully no you are only poor in ISSAN when your family buys its first TV. (and see how the other half lives)!

[boggle]

My favorite was Det One, alot of my buddies who were involved with Cobragold hung out there and muuuuch fun was had! I am happy to date myself for those were some of the best times I had in BKK and I am particularily fond of the 42 bht to to the USD during those times,...Oh well, everything must pass I reckon.

I also really miss the huge beer bar area that was just off of the Nana station, Soi 6 ,I think? One night a huge tractor just came in and leveled the place and the land is barren to this day and I never really new the story why that went down that way, maybe somebody on the forum can recall and drop a line.

Also at that time, the corner of Asoke and Sukhumvit just had a bunch a beat up chairs and couches and even more beer bars were you to cut through diagnally towards the Soi Cowboy end 23,....the whole of Sukhumvit really felt more like Pattaya to me at that time and ass we all know there has been alot of progress and gentrification,...which I guess was inevetible but still sucks as I wax nostalgically.

Glad to have been there at that time and I wish I was there right now!

The area you mention "off soi 6" was actually at Soi 10, where CHEWIT PARK is now. I was staying in the Miami Hotel and watched from the roof that January '04 night when around 3am, several hundred off duty police and soldiers suddenly showed up and totally trashed the place. It had many small beer bars, restaurants and massage parlors and by the time they were through, absolutely nothing remained. They also severely beat up several business owners who showed up trying to protect their property.

Chewit was the well known "Massage Parlor Millionaire" who had bought the land to build a major retail complex. The previous owner had given legal, long term leases to all the small businesses in the parcel and they wouldn't budge when Chewit ordered them out so he did it the traditional Thai way. There was a huge uproar and he faced criminal charges. He also had major political ambitions so instead of developing the land, he built the private park that occupies the space now.

He ran for PM several years ago and came in 2nd or 3rd.

In fact Chewit had leased the land to a company that had in turn rented space to all the bar owners, the problems arose when the leaseholder continued to collect rent from the bars but failed to pay Chewit. It was not Chewit's chice that apark be built there, instead it was more of a penalty that was imposed upon him, ironic justice I always felt, a bit like owning a white elehphant.

I also heard at the time Tuksin offered to buy it from Chewit and he told him where to go I would rather build a park then sell it to you.

There is still qeens park plaza on 22. Not the same on know but still ahs a bit of the feeling.

[boggle]

Can someone refresh my memory where Clinton Plaza was? I'm sure I was there at some point, recognize the name but I can't recall,,,at all.

Thanks in advance,

Cheers

Between Suk soi 13/15.

The only bar I remember is The Dollhouse.

Monika's right at the back.

[boggle]

I can remember bars in that area in the mid to late 80's and Buckskin Joes was the first bar that you could see from Sukhumvit as you walked over the railway lines .

I also remember Country Road on the corner of Asoke as my brother in law was the "electrician " in the place.Didn't say much for the standard of electrical safety in the place.

The memories are getting fuzzy nowdays tho.

Upstairs top floor after country road closed open to all hours. Mrs Boggle jump on my shoulders coming down the stairs after a very wet night and she went head over tit. I watched her land head first on the stairs and end up in the street unconsious. Pretty scary shit. Very lucky to get away with just a big cricket ball on her head.

Edited March 25, 2012 by boggle

[bangkokburning]

I remember BSJs well although thankfully not vividly. I like the cheap booze and ability to be outdoors, that was about it. Some times it rocked and other times it was just sad. Towards its later years it was all just sad. Thermae 1 was my preferred shithole. I never liked Patpong must do vividly remember Star of Light 2. Never stepped foot in Clinton, by then I had started to use Pattaya as a base as BKK grew crazy expensive and lacked a beach. Pattaya was dirt cheap a decade ago and was great to hole up there during the rainy season until I could go travel again.

Thailand turned into an industry around turn of the milennia. The Internet opened up Thailand to all sorts of lonely guy and portly all-mod-con types. Down hill ever since.

That's what all these old school places were great for. It is really what edgy Thailand offered and if you could not deal, don't come. Now it all looks like Disneyland and so everyone wants a go at it.

[dddave]

Thailand turned into an industry around turn of the milennia. The Internet opened up Thailand to all sorts of lonely guy and portly all-mod-con types. Down hill ever since.

So, are we to assume that you do not count yourself among the lonely and portly types? Just what special type were you?

[CheckInn99]

First bars I ever drank in back in '92. I remember the Emu Bar well - it was run by Brett and his wife Praew. There were some characters that drank there!

Preaw got a little sick towards the last year before the closed down Soi zero.. Emu bar was my absolute favourite ending location after a night on the town. Never met Brett he was working offshore (Philippines?).