What Was Thailand Like Years Ago

[Tony Clifton]

It must've looked very nice before the orgy of billboards, signs and banners began. What a mess.

[Swelters]

Here are a couple of pictures of my village south of Korat. I took them at exactly the same place, 1963 and last month.

[srisatch]

Remember that nice revolving bar-like a merry-go-round in Lamai-emblazoned with 'We make for you 500 Baht'?

[tracer5050]

Soi cowboy was in a different place in the 60s . I was there first as a young GI during the Viet Nam war. things more cheap then, but I still love LOS. People usally more freindly to us back then. I dont think they thought of us as a waling ATM then

[deon]

Just read all through this thread,took me well over a hour.Thanks everyone for all your great Memories.

And the pics, it sure sounded like a lovely place back them.Wish i was old enough to of been there back then.

[geronimo]

Being a relative newcomer to Thailand (2001) I was curious as to what life was like here back in the 60's, 70's, 80's, 90's and how it has changed. I'm sure there are aspects which have improved and others which haven't.

What was the redlight district on Sukhumvit like? Have processes such as visas, WPs and starting a business improved? Has the Thai attitude towards farang changed at all? How was it different before computers and mobile phones? Was it easier or more difficult to find work or stay in country? What was it like in the sticks? Were there as many farang here? What were prices for Chang, massage, general living? Did western money still stretch as far?

Were the women more beautiful?

Since quite a few TV members stretch back a few years, or eons, I thought there would be some very interesting stories to be told and heard.

I came here in 83 and Bangkok was a different place back then. I remember that feeling of constantly being stared at and my disbelief at how all Thais smiled all the time!!! The women are always beautiful for me, regardless of the era! I do feel that the Thais have hardened in their attitudes but I guess this is inevitable in an ever shrinking world. Have some wonderful memories though .... meeting a couple of bargirls whilst on a pub crawl and ending up staying with them for two weeks and I was broke!! Was no chaing beer then but generally life was cheap. I made 300 bt per hour teaching around sukhumvit (for an American called John Moriarty, anyone know what happened to him?) and that was very good money then. I think a packet of cigs was 10 bt and a beer was 18.

Traffic was absolutely horrendous!!! Negotiating rush hour sukhumvit was a nightmare!! I sometimes got off a stationary bus, walked 500 mtrs sat down and drank a small bottle of rum with coke and then got back on the same bus!!

[Maestro]

A nonsensical post about an unidentified toxin has been deleted.

--

Maestro

[brahmburgers]

I'm not an old timer, but I have some recollections from the late 1980's:

North of Ao Nang beach resort was a strip of beach about 1.5 Km long with two sets of funky little bungalos.

I took a hike along beaches at Ko Chang with a fellow farang, and didn't see a village for hundreds of meters. Then we found one which appeared to have never seen farang before.

Pai was a quaint little town with a few guest houses and a massage house with a sauna which was like a tall masonry jar. You went in a small hole in the side and the were no windows, only a palm sized hole way up high which was the mouth of the jar. Went to Pai last year and couldn't find the place because the town has been completely transformed - and I thought I had a good sense of direction.

Chiang Rai had one bridge over the Mae Kok river, now it has 3 from downtown. There were only 2 farang bars downtown, and both were sleepy little places katycorner to the SE corner of the Wiang Come hotel.

Stayed a week at an Akha village west of Mae Chan. As I was leaving with my Akha g.f., her grandmother called out (in front of the entire village, who were there to see us off) "Don't fuc_k my granddaughter before marrying her." Everyone cracked up. Grandma was great, she always had a white pipe in her mouth - upside down. In a neighboring village there were also a group of farang who stayed, lying on the sides, in one room smoking opium endlessly.

Main recollection of Bkk was being threatened by a gang of Thai toughs at an upstairs bar at Pat Pong. It was a grungy hole in the wall with only one purpose: ripping of farang. Well, at least one thing has stayed pretty much the same.

[rametindallas]

Well 10 years ago, there was no BTS, if you want to go back as far as the 1960's Bangkok did have an electric Tram System. Supposedly you can still see some of the tracks. It was finally closed in 1968.

Closing times of bars was incidental, mostly when there weren't enough customers to stay open.

The traffic certainly was worse, and a "Rainy Friday" was often too much to bear.

I think it was a little bit more friendly, and there were more smiles.

2bangkok.com did a whole series on the (niw defunct) tram and they have tons of archival pix too.

[kraxlhuber]

If you want to get a visual of what BKK was like, say, 50 years or so ago, go visit Vientiane in Laos and that might give you a pretty good idea.

but please hurry-up.the city is catching up rapidely with the rest of the (modern )world.

Sitting on the bank of the mighty(dry) Mekong river at night sipping Lao(33) beer and munching barbecued anything and everything and retreating to some laid-back beerjoints later in the night.

BUT ladies of the night are available,just dont let you catch with one intimate,could land you in the dungeon for a while.

Poeple are friendly and nice like Thais were before the 80s.

Thailand has cetrainly changed and the poeples as well Because of our Western culture/livestyle and strange attitudes and laissez fair.

I would not mind to live there with my small pension,which can reach far,a lot of Francaise poeple have moved there,french is the second language in Laos,btw.

[Tywais]

I've moved this topic to the Thailand and Siam history photos as it has many photos & links to era photos. This post is also to bump it to the top again for those who may have missed seeing it before.

[Tippaporn]

I've moved this topic to the Thailand and Siam history photos as it has many photos & links to era photos. This post is also to bump it to the top again for those who may have missed seeing it before.

Thanks, Tywais. :jap:

I just revisited this thread after 4 years and scrolled to the last page, pleasantly surprised that 3 new pages of posts, and a plethora of new photos, have been added since I last posted here. I'm more than a bit happy to see that this thread has given others as much enjoyment and enchantment as it has given me.

To all the posters, a most humble and grateful :jap:

Cheers,

Tip

[JRinger]

up country nothing has changed.

Hmmm. you sure? I have seen massive changes in Issan in 12 years. That maybe because of 2 visits in 26 years as a tourist

I wouldn't say Isaan has changed much over the past twenty years. The roads are better and 7/11's everywhere, otherwise not much change. The rice fields look the same and the cost of living hasn't changed much. Unlike Koh Samui & Koh Phangan. We bought 8 rai full of fruit .5km from the beach for 350k...beach front land was a hopefull million but negotiable. Beer was about the same price 25baht for a small singha. Bungalows were 50baht upwards (off season!) on the beach Haadrin, BanTai, Chaloklum

1970-71 a taxi around Udonthani was 5 baht (if memory serves !) You had to sign girls in before entering a bar or club. Prostitution & smoke were legal or at least encouraged. Charoean hotel was 100 baht/night surrounded by rice fields and buffalos.

just as a mention: (an honorable one)... zzaa09 has done an incredable job of posting old Thailand Photos on another part of the forum, definately warrants a look.

[AmeriThai]

up country nothing has changed.

Hmmm. you sure? I have seen massive changes in Issan in 12 years. That maybe because of 2 visits in 26 years as a tourist

I wouldn't say Isaan has changed much over the past twenty years. The roads are better and 7/11's everywhere, otherwise not much change. The rice fields look the same and the cost of living hasn't changed much. Unlike Koh Samui & Koh Phangan. We bought 8 rai full of fruit .5km from the beach for 350k...beach front land was a hopefull million but negotiable. Beer was about the same price 25baht for a small singha. Bungalows were 50baht upwards (off season!) on the beach Haadrin, BanTai, Chaloklum

1970-71 a taxi around Udonthani was 5 baht (if memory serves !) You had to sign girls in before entering a bar or club. Prostitution & smoke were legal or at least encouraged. Charoean hotel was 100 baht/night surrounded by rice fields and buffalos.

just as a mention: (an honorable one)... zzaa09 has done an incredable job of posting old Thailand Photos on another part of the forum, definately warrants a look.

1970 goes back before my time . Although not Issan, I agree and would say the same thing applies for much of the province of Saraburi over the last 20 years. Around Hin Kong (south of Saraburi) there have been a few changes, as you mentioned, but not much. Some of the roads have been improved, especially along the main highway between BKK and Saraburi. I remember 20 years ago when you got off the bus at Hin Kong, the sides of the highway by the facing local shops were mostly dust and gravel. Off the highway and back into the the residential areas, bumpy dirt roads full of pot holes were pretty common. While there has been some improvement over the last 20 years, there are still loads of dirt or gravel roads with high centers and pot holes to be found. Still plenty of neighborhood mom & pop shops, and plenty of make-shift do-it-yourself houses standing. At Hoykamin (where our house is located), the drive back to our place is just a dirt road. I can't think of any 7/11 shops in Hin Kong. I think there's one (or it might be a look alike) at Nong Khae. But around the talat and main shopping area of Hin Kong things seem pretty much the same, except for a more modern east/west highway and overpass where the motorcycle taxis and a few food vendors park under. There are now a few small housing projects scattered around the area here and there, but for the most part things haven't changed all that much. There are still many wooden houses built on stilts, and houses made of cinder blocks with corregated metal roofs. It still feels like it's out in the boonies. In the city of Saraburi, there have been a few changes, but around the area of the talat and bus terminal, it seems pretty much the same.

I also agree that zzaa09's photo collection is pretty impressive. A good number of those from the 80s to 90s bring back a lot of fond memories for me.

[Utley]

I took my first R&R in Bangkok while serving in Vietnamin 1969. The exchange rate at that time was 20 baht to the dollar; bar fines were 250 baht. The only P4P options I recall were the bars on Patpong or fish bowl massage parlors.

There were many more canals in Bangkok at that time and I remember the smell being even worse than Saigon.

My buddy, our Thai rental girl friends and I took a tour down the Chaya Praya to the Royal Palace. A German on board the small boat started mouthing off about how the American GIs were ruining Bangkok. Since we obviously looked like GIs having very short hair cuts, I assumed his comments were directed at us. I had had enough of his big mouth and decided to toss him off the boat to see if he could swim in the choppy river – after all I had nothing to lose. What were they going to do to me – cut off my hair and send me to Vietnam? Oh, that's right, they had already done that.

I got up and made my move towards big mouth but was stopped by my buddy and our two Thai companions. The German's face went very pale and he did shut up for the rest of the trip. Apparently he figured out that insulting two young soldiers who were soon returning to combat was not a very good idea.

I do recall that the 5.5 ton Golden Buddha at Wat Traimit was in a very small building in the middle of a school playground. No guards, no ticket takers, no vendors, just small children playing at recess.

Edited September 5, 2010 by Utley

[Utley]

<snip> there were the odd groups of special forces in the area <snip>

Nignoy, I'd be curious to know what role the special forces were playing in Thailand in the mid-60's. I've tried to get some info on the Internet but came up dry. If you happen to know, that is.

First to answer a previous question, VC specifically refers to the Viet Cong, the South Vietnamese rebel group (officially known as the NLF or the National Liberation Front of South Vietnam) whose purpose was to support the NVA infiltrating the south.

In order to eradicate the VC infrastructure which was very well established, the Phoenix program was started to gather intelligence and "neutralize"key NLF figures. While indigenous personnel were preferred, U.S. Special Forces did participate.

In Laos, Cambodia and Thailand however it was primarily MACV-Sog rather than the Special Forces.

Edited September 5, 2010 by Utley

[Joel Barlow]

In 1964

I lived on Soi SalaDaeng, a hip skip and jump from Patpang

which I frequently walked by going to the Coke factory, where they gave visitors free cokes.

Not much in the way of bars then - Turkish baths, barbers, restaurants, travel agencies,

a few antique places... a hair cut there was an interesting experience...

Went to school at ISB Sukhumvit Soi 15. Women still worked rice fields right on Sukhumvit,

usually dressed in just a sarong and bra.

No Soi Cowboy or Nana Plaza yet!

The khlongs stank, especially when it was hot (often)

and you could about set your watch by the brief early afternoon rains.

Women were usually a bit darker, and there were still people living on the water

(and lots more doing business on it).

The US was already bombing over a wide area, although you won't find that admitted to...

[nanoth]

I have been a lecturer at Thammassat University from 1966 to 1968!

I remember Patpong,but there was no red district on Sukhummwit!

I remember spending many afternoons at the coffe-shop of NANA hotel,which was surrounded by rice-fields!

Two wonderful places at that time:The Royal Sporting Club(swimming-pool) and Erawan Hotel!

It was a pleasure to drive!Each morning,I had to drive from Sathorn Thai Road to Thammassat:15 -20minutes,no traffic-jam!

Oh!Happy days!

[Sateev]

The best thing about those times were Yanks were few and far between, especially the snow drops from Shore patrol ,we decorated our club back in blighty with their helmets ,arm bands and nightsticks nignoy

And then you woke up...

[smokie36]

Wonderful thread. Thanks to all who have contributed. :jap:

Look forward to the next 13 pages!

[arco27]

my memories of my early childhood in Bangkok in the 1950 are somewhat fragmented. We lived near wireless road, in traditional Soi about where Soi Polo is now. All wooden Thai houses and lots of street stall, very colourful. Round the corner in Wireless Road was what my father called the fortress, the old US embassy, high wooden paling fence and big gates is all I recall. Lumpini park has not changed that much and I distinctly remember those plastic pedalo Swans in one of the lakes. Many years later when I returned to BKK and went for a walk in Lumpini, I instantly remember those swans. Unfortunately I don't have any photos of those days with me, but next time I visit my parents in Switzerland I shall search the old albums for some pictures of Bangkok in 1955

[Hermes100]

I came, by accident ( there was a storm and the plane was diverted ) for a few nights many a moon ago with my parent's.

My father was a keen photographer. He took lot's of street photo's and one thing that does not seem to change is the rather wonderful smile the local's have.

The surprising thing is that I have seen the nicest of smile's on the poorest of people's .

It is this smile that makes me keen to come back.It is simply beautiful.

[izdubar]

Much thanks, Vic. All done.

Pictorial of my border run is here:

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/index.php?s=...album&album=310

Hope this works - my first time posting from an album.

hi

[rleaton2]

Well, much too much to tell in a short post but will give you a little overview....I have lived in Thailand off and on for almost 50 years.....I have a Thai wife of 46 years, and still own a place in Chiang Mai......My first sojourn to Thailand was 1963 thru 1968 working for a U.S. company......like most places it was entirely different than today! Sukhumvit was not the place of nite spots as it is now.....actually the first location of small bars were a strip down New Petchburi Road. Patpong road was a strip of restaurants and some nice small clubs with singers and bands brought in from the Phillipines......the most popular singer of the day was a girl named Dulce Din. Over on what is now Patpong II were two small bars with hostess's. There were no pole-dancing places in Bangkok.

Pattaya was a beautiful curvature of beach with only one hotel....the Nipa Lodge. There was a small motel and restaurant, the Nipa Hut, on the south end of the beach. There were no bars on the beach....there was an open bar with a dirt floor located off the beach up in the woods....very primitive! The navy had a small detachment there along the center of the beach and showed outdoor movies in the evenings where you could walk in and sit on the grass to view.

I can give you more specifics if you like......but overall can say it was a much more enjoyable time and place.

[ccarbaugh]

Thanks for such a treasure of wonderful memories!

I first came to Thailand in 1973 as an Air Force

Postal worker. Fortunately, I was stationed in

Bangkok for the entire year and a half.

(Although I did do a couple of "Temporary DutY- TDY,

stints in Ubon, Tak-Li, and Utapao.)

I lived in the Villa Club- Sukhumvit Soi 33. There

were 54 U.S. Army, Navy and Air Force servicemen there.

All 54 of us were "kids-in-a-candy-store" with the

"free-flowing girls and smoke."

Patpong was heaven- no trinket-selling! Soi Cowboy

was just starting-up. The small Nana Hotel was a fishbowl.

Our usual "haunts" were the Grace Hotel Coffee Shop (Soi 3,)

and the ultimate- Thermae Coffee Shop! (100 Baht for any of the

large selection either on the sidewalk out front or, at the

tables inside.)

(Baht was 20 to the dollar and they had yellow 10 baht notes

and purple 5 baht notes.) Fried Rice (kow-pot,) was 7

baht. Goothieo-Luk-Chin, (Monkey-Ball Soup,) was 3 baht.

Taxi/Tuk-Tuk from Soi 33 to Patpong was 11-12 baht.

Thais seemed much MORE friendly. No AIDS, although

"the clap" was frequent. Guncha was available,

affordable, and tolerated by all- NO Ice, or

Meth!

Pattaya was quiet and pristine.

.....Just some ramblings from a (now) old-codger.....

[wandrinstar]

I remember going to Jomtien Beach, back in the Nam Era. There was Me and 2 stray dogs. Now look at it.. I still go back now and then.

[TigerWan]

The road to Pattaya always impressed me, 2 lanes and lots of bridges, built like a hump, you went up and did not know what to find on the other side. For sure there was a car in the middle of the road, you could see it only once on top of the 'bridge'.

Yes, and there was a road construction going on Bangna Trad Rd. that seemed to have lasted for ten years. In around 72 - 73, I've seen B52s landing and taking off from Utapao airport on its way to bombing mission to Vietnam when our family was heading to Rayong driving on Suk. Rd. If I remember correctly I believe I saw bomb laden trucks that I think were delivering bombs to Utapao air base. Bombs were visible from outside as they were in crate. I'm not sure if this is possible but believe that's what I saw and was told by my father that's what it is.

Later having lunch on top of the Dusit Thani (was invited) the view was fantastic from SO HIGH UP.

As a child I used to go up there every now and then to see the panoramic view of Bangkok from its toilet. Back then it was the second tallest building in Thailand after Chokchai building in Sukhumvit.

From 76 onwards, came on business, had to find an address in Sukhumvit and the taxi drove through rice paddies around the area where now Robinson is, near Asoke.

Really?? I've been living in Bangkok since '66 (born in 66 to be precise) but I don't remember ever seeing rice paddy in central Bangkok. Western side of Soi Asoke where tuk taew are now looked pretty much the same in early 80's as it is now, as far as I can remember. As a child I was a student at Japanese school in Bangkok which was then located at where Duty Free Shopper is now next to BTS Ploenchit station. Where Plaza Athenee Hotel now next to old Japanese school (and opposite US ambassador's residence) was a plain vacant field for a long time till around 1980.

We lived in the Dusit Thani when it was brand new 1970 or so... Pattaya was established as a US servicemen resort town with a theatre and bungalows for rent. I rode horses on the beach, poor things. I cringe now when I see Thai beach ponies being worked to death. Traffic was horrible all the time around Lumpini

[who]

.

Much thanks

---- Bangkok, early 60s - Large Singha = 20 baht; girl for the night = 100 baht (or less); the river side of the Oriental was a lawn with big comfortable chairs from which you could watch endless rafts of Teak logs being towed down river. (I stayed in a cheap fleabag hotel but spent most days at the Oriental having tea in the mornings and beer Sing thereafter.) Seems like yesterday ----

.

[RickThai]

I spent 18 months in Thailand while serving in the US Army. This was in 1974 and 1975. I was stationed at Camp Samae San. I thought most of the Thais were more accepting of "falongs" then than they are now. Prices were really cheap. I could get a bowl of "fok" soup with some duck, for about 25 cents US. This was in a little place called "kilo sip". I lived in a bungalow in "kilo sip" and although I don't remember the price, it was really cheap.

Baht buses (as they were called then) cost about 1 baht to go from "kilo sip" to Camp Samae San. For 5 baht, they would go "lao, lao" (i.e. not stop for other riders).

As I recall, there was no such thing as a "bar fine", you just talked with the girl and agreed to a price. The cost was usually around $2.00 USD for a short date.

The girls seemed to be more "down-to-earth" and would take you to their home and sometimes cook you a meal. Although there was some "buddha stick" and tar opium around, drugs were not that common or seemed to not cause any problems (i.e like yaa baa, etc.).

The girls did put flour on their faces (many Thais still do this) to protect their skin, but I always thought it was cute.

Pattaya was kind of primative, with just a few restaurants and not a lot of hustlers (some, but not like today). The big thing back then was that Playboy supposedly had a mansion in Pattaya (I never did see it or find out if this were true.)

Vietnam was still going strong, and as other posters' pointed out, B-52s took off regularly from Utapao Airbase. A U2 also took off very regularly, and I remember laying in a hammock, drinking a large Singha and watching it circle up like a jet-powered buzzard as it gained altitude before heading over Vietnam. Fond memories.

I might have some pictures somewhere, but I'd have to digitize them. I'll look around.

Great topic!

RickThai

[3SoiDogNight]

I was told that the extremely high car tax didn't exist until 1992.

Expats were allowed to bring in their cars and not have to pay the 328% car tax that is in place today.

Can anyone verify this?