nana plaza back in the day

[akentryan]

Don't forget Washington Square with some pretty good bars and lots of characters. George Pipas at the Texxan, Bobby Toombs at the Moonshine and Doug over at Bourbon Street.  

[zd1]

Haven't been into Nana plaza since 95 but between 92 and 95 I frequented Patpong, Nana plaza, soi cowboy and ofcourse when everything else was shut the thermae. I used to live in soi sri bamphen at the time and quite a lot of the girls that used to work in these areas used to live around the soi as well. A Swedish friend of mine and myself used to take newbies to a katoey bar on the second floor of Nana most of the time they wouldn't know until we told them. The thermae was I believe at the time an illegal bar run by the police and you went in around the back through the urinals and down the stairs.

I often feel nostalgic about them times as I suppose they were the best of times in the best of places, back then Thailand was a different place and I loved it, I can't really go out in these areas anymore as the missus wouldn't be happy and I value my nuts highly.

For me I've got my memories of those crazy, fun mental times but now i'm over 20 years older and it probably wouldn't be the same, so i'll just have to hold on to my memories.

Edited January 13, 2017 by zd1

[drbill]

Do a search for Bernard Trink. He wrote a column on Bangkok nightlife for nearly forty years up until the first few years of this century that will tell you everything about Nana and the rest of Bankok.It was called Night Owl.

[tpaul1]

Nana was my favourite hangout in the early 1990s. Yes, it was much more open and laid back. There was the Lebanese restaurant on the open area in the middle and the rest was for car parking. I used sit there in the early evening at I think the only outside bar in the far right (forget the name) watching the parking attendants pushing the cars around to get them in or out. The bars were mostly upstairs on the second floor. The third floor on the right had a snooker hall almost exclusively for Thai guys. There was a shorttime hotel on the left. Prices were pretty cheap. I used to buy a coke for 35 THB but then I only earned 90THB an hour in 1990! Bar fines were 250 to 300 but I never paid and nor did anyone of my friend's as far as I remember. The girls were a bit more friendly than Patpong but that all changed when Patpong put their prices up and all the hardcore sexpats moved over to Nana and it boomed. Cowboy stayed more relaxed and reasonably cheap as far as I remember up to the turn of the century. By then though, for me the fun was mostly gone and I remember one evening in about 1995 or 1996 after getting so put off by the attitude in Nana, in desperation and disgust, I rode my bike down to Pattaya for the evening instead where things were more relaxed and friendly especially north of around Soi Yamato well into this century. Now Pattaya has changed too and all these night life places are a hassle. Even just trying to park your bike makes you want to give up before you've even stepped in the bar. The girls are just the same as they used to be in Pattaya, I mean , I think they are the same girls as they are mostly still my generation which would be ok but I'm now 50!  Good job bars aren't my thing anymore and thank goodness the attitude of Thai girls has changed. Back in 1990, it was almost impossible to date a 'good girl'. If any one was  brave enough to even walk with you, she'd get the most dirty looks from bystanders. I remember walking in Lumpini Park around 1994 with one of my English language students from Chula Uni. She was just a friend but we felt daggers from every direction, it was really medieval, the attitude in those days. You couldn't fit in in most Thai night clubs in Bangkok. Every month or so, we'd try our best but it was really hard work at having a good time but we stood out and didn't feel welcome or you'd get a bunch of drunk Thai dudes insiting we join their table, mostly to be nice but not necessarily what we wanted to do for an evening's entertainment what with language barriers and alcohol (and being hetrosexual LOL). There were a few places recommended in the guide books such as Brown Sugar, Saxaphone and the Hard Rock but apart from some pretty boring hotel night clubs, that was about it where foreigners could 'fit in'. Certainly no RCA or Ratchada in those days!  So in conclusion, compared to before, Nana sucks, Patpong always did as far as I'm concerned, Pattaya bar scene sucks big time but the good news is, you really don't need to resort to these types of places in Thailand in 2017, with the internet and changed attitudes, there are lots of lovely girls who are looking for their Romeo. I really can't see the attraction of ugly ignorant girls demanding money for poor service and all the hassle and aggressive attitude that goes with the bar scene. Forget the bars and find a real companion of that is what you want. That said, I do miss just rocking up to somewhere to chill out with friends and watch the World go by. It is just to frenetic these days.

[elgenon]

On ‎1‎/‎12‎/‎2017 at 11:34 AM, Ulysses G. said:

I always liked Patpong better in the late 80s and early 90s, but Nana was more laid back. The King's  Castle girls on Patpong were WAY prettier - some like movie stars -  but Nana was less expensive.

 

I remember Kings Castle had kind of a V stage. On the right were girls, on the left were LBs. I remember a guy taking one of each and wondered if he knew. Safari was my favorite. Pulled a lot of hot ones from there. A girl that used to dance there has been working at Big Dogs at Nana.

[Bangkok Barry]

21 hours ago, chiang mai said:

 

On the corner, next to Hogs Breath (nana plaza), first floor on the left.

 

Now Spanky's.

[Thingamabob]

The old Kings Castle on Patpong 1 was the best bar in Asia, if not the world, in the late '70s early '80s. Nothing has since matched it in Nana Plaza or anywhere else.

[Ulysses G.]

3 minutes ago, Thingamabob said:

The old Kings Castle on Patpong 1 was the best bar in Asia, if not the world, in the late '70s early '80s. Nothing has since matched it in Nana Plaza or anywhere else.

 

I concur on that. It was my favorite bar ever.

[TulipBulb]

I know a great deal about and spent a great deal of time in Nana Plaza from 1987 onwards. However, without substantial financial inducement I am unwilling to disclose any relevant information. Alternatively, crates of original Singha beer may be sufficient for me to blabber. PM me.

[Suitcase]

1 hour ago, Thingamabob said:

The old Kings Castle on Patpong 1 was the best bar in Asia, if not the world, in the late '70s early '80s. Nothing has since matched it in Nana Plaza or anywhere else.

 

Owned by Gordon Purdue, an Australian and two Thai partners.

A good friend of mine.

They also started King Castle 2 and Queen Castle.

[SteveB2]

I hit 'Lucky Lukes' at the entrance of Nana in '95. After a decade working in the Middle East.

 

The owners then beautiful gold on black centerpiece sign 'We don't want Arabs drinking beer and molesting the girls in this bar' made me smile, take a seat and drink many a beer sitting in this friendly chill out joint. Watching the world go by.  

 

He had a fresh from the farm Cambo girl washing glasses all night with a nice smile - she spoke no English and only a few words of Thai  - I needed a tour guide -  and somehow I ended up 'outing' her from the bar and spending a happy 5 years living with her on Koh Samui in its hay day - those were happy days.

 

Things seamed a whole lot more fun back then - I guess it's just the rose coloured glasses messing around with my memory.

 

Sadly, in 2017, the same rose coloured glasses don't work too well with the current crop of Bar Girls and pole molesters - they all look  fat-n-frumpy, are 10-20 years older,  have attitudes I can't tolerate, and just don't offer the RGE (Real Girlfriend Experience) anymore.

 

I guess that after 20 years+ full time in LOS, Thailand's rubbing off on me and affected the way I think - maybe, I now have my 'Thai head on'?

 

I now understand why you don't see any local Thai guys in the bars unless they're collecting debts,  selling drugs, working door or serving drinks - the Thai Girl inhabitants of our  drinking venues are presently not very endearing, need a complete change out (new for old) and are definitely not 'Mom Presentable'  

 

[Skeptic7]

Transitioned from Soi Cowboy to NEP in the early 90's. Pretty Lady Bar was my fave hangout as I knew the Thai manager. Fine dude name Preyoon. Beers and booze were a buck or two depending on your taste. Bar fines were ß300, if memory serves,  but raised to ß500 sometime shortly thereafter. Used to go into bars in Cowboy and Nana in the early and even mid-90's with a buddy or 2 and the ratio of girls to guys was 5:1. Many times there wouldn't be more than 10 customers in an entire bar, including us! Lots of supply with very little demand. Perfect.

 

There really wasn't any ST back then and LT was ß500 - ß700. No ST back then as the girls wanted to stay in a comfy bed, with air-con, hot water and TV. Literally had to ask them to leave sometime the following day. Nowadays, the girls all have more money than us, bigger and better rooms and TV's...all thanks to the Internet and their idiot "sponsors" and quality LT is a distant memory.  As for the girls, they were almost all smiling, happy, petite, young, slim, black-haired with no tattoos or piercings and provided true GFE! Very LIMITED ladyboys too. In most bars total nudity was the norm...or at least topless. Girls would finish their nude dance sets and just come and sit with customers without bothering to cover up...just have to take it off again next set! The exchange rate back then was fixed at approximately ß25 : $1. In 1997 the baht was floated on the market and went down considerably...meaning more baht per unit of foreign currency =  farang! 

 

From Pretty Lady, moved on to Rainbow 1 and ultimately Rainbow 2...both also on the first floor and to my knowledge, all 3 still there(?). Rainbows had the best girls, staff and music. The Hollywood Bars on the upper floors were good for shows. They truly had almost every show imaginable...including dart, razor blade, dildo (with actual penetration wherever possible) and even goldfish and BULLFROG! 555 Those were the days!  

 

 

Edited January 13, 2017 by Skeptic7

[Khon Kaen Dave]

What fabulous memories.i arrived in BKK in October 99,I stayed at the Asia Hotel for 6 months then met a guy who had a rooms to rent building.Stayed there for some years and then made my way to Pattaya.The memories of nana and cowboy are a bit hazy now.I preferred nana to cowboy,only because a girl in Andy's bar tried to rip me off,when she went to get ciggs for me and gave me change of a hundred when it should have been a thousand.I got my money back though and the girl was sacked on the spot,I feel bad for that,but apparently she had done it before to a couple of his customers.Knowing what i know now,i would have given her a hundred note.But i was green and the temptation for her was just too much i guess.

[chiang mai]

I don't remember the name of the bar but it was on the ground floor, right hand side about half way down, an inside and outside bar. Around 1996 or so it was managed by a Brit. called Richard who told tall tales about his days in the SAS, that notwithstanding he was a pleasant enough bloke. One day he went missing and was never seen again, shortly after he disappeared a number of expat customers at the bar started to complain they wanted their money back, it seems Richard had been selling shares/stakes in the bar (that he simply managed) and had done a runner with everyone's cash - rumour had it shortly afterwards that he was alive and well in Liverpool.

 

And then there was Bob at Hogs Breath who made great chilli for his customers once a week. a great guy who'd been around Bangkok a long time. He was one of the first westerners I met in Thailand and his advice was simple, when it rains don't touch anything metal, advice that has stayed with me and served me well.

 

On soi zero was the DET5 bar, the hangout for a lot of the US embassy folks. The pool table was a hand made affair and it took a trained and experienced eye to know exactly where the knot hole was on the plywood base, time your shot right and the ball would stop dead, resting in this hole in the middle of the table. All of the cues were as crooked as dogs legs but I learned to play pool on this table, the theory was that if you can play and win in these conditions you can play and win anywhere.

 

Finally there was Paul Johnson, an American who worked in Saudi in 2004 and was later beheaded there by terrorists, a giant man with a huge personality he enjoyed pool and a drink on Soi Zero when he came back to Thailand on rotation. He was a good pool player but a great personality and loads of fun, a man who would help anyone with anything, RIP.

 

[freebyrd]

On 1/11/2017 at 2:55 PM, teakman said:

I was living beside the klong at rail tracks when Nana plaza first opened. rents started at 4000baht/month and the first gogo bar was called Woodstock run by an American.after a few months he moved it to the corner of the plaza where he had a restaurant downstairs with the bar upstairs.i had my breakfast there everyday and John(the owner)and I were hockey fans so we used to watch taped games on his wall screen. after a few months,more bars started up and was giving patpong a run for it's money while soi cowboy with its few bars was ever so quiet. a bunch of us along with a bevy of bar girls used to hang out at the Nana hotel pool and one of the guys(a Belgian mercenary)decided to open the first beer bar at the entrance called Lucky Luke's.it was the only bar open during the day and remained there for years. John at Woodstock arranged the first dance contest and was won by my favorite girl at the time. too bad I still don't have the promo t-shirt which had aow(the eventual winner) in sillouette on it. beers were still relatively cheap then at 20baht at the beginning(exchange then @25b/$1) and bar fines @200b and the dancer was 200-300baht with no time restraints then like they are now. most of the time they would even wash your clothes for you and clean your place.real gf experiences then unlike now. different times indeed!

 

The 'Belgian mercenary' was a waffler. He 'trained the British SAS when he was a Colonel at age 26' - right?! I listened to his BS for 2 years when he was a member of a fitness centre that I managed circa 1994. As ex British army myself (no, not SAS), that was when I stopped believing all this mercenary crap from all and sundry that drifted through BKK.

 

In 1988, there was only Woodstock and Casanova. I haven't been to NP for a decade or more, however Voodoo that opened in December '94 was once a Lebaness - not a typo, restaurant. In the corner where Hollywood is was a restaurant called the White Rabbit I think. It was early 90's onwards that NP started to develop. IMO 'develop' meant it became a toilet, with too many bars and foreign losers who really believed they were 007 because they could have any woman they wanted.

 

Fortunately for me, I remember the days when working girls were a joy. A couple of cokes, no 'ow mut you give me?!' spat at you. Bar fine paid, back to the hotel, pleasant night. In the morning they would often give you a peck on the cheek, Wai when you gave them their stipend, put the money in their bag without checking how much it was. A last smile and they would bounce away happy with life which was all about Sanuk back then.

 

As an aside, the bloke I worked for remembers circa 1980 when Soi Cowboy had just 3 bars. The bar fine was 50 baht and girls averaged 200 baht a night. I'm fortunate that I enjoyed it while it was a happier place, Patpong 19 October 1988, no night market and scummy leeches crawling all over you.

 

I still visit BKK once a year, for a few days only as it has lost the plot in so many ways. The 80's up to the mid 90's were definitely the heydays.

Edited January 13, 2017 by freebyrd

[gemguy]

Wahhhh Ha Ha ....Let me tell you about the them days ..during the heydays of the mid 80's and the 90's

 

But, I can not...Very hedonistic, Too personal, and too much info as I fear your heads may explode if all was revealed ....lol

 

Cheers

Edited January 13, 2017 by gemguy

[freebyrd]

15 minutes ago, chiang mai said:

I don't remember the name of the bar but it was on the ground floor, right hand side about half way down, an inside and outside bar. Around 1996 or so it was managed by a Brit. called Richard who told tall tales about his days in the SAS, that notwithstanding he was a pleasant enough bloke. One day he went missing and was never seen again, shortly after he disappeared a number of expat customers at the bar started to complain they wanted their money back, it seems Richard had been selling shares/stakes in the bar (that he simply managed) and had done a runner with everyone's cash - rumour had it shortly afterwards that he was alive and well in Liverpool.

 

And then there was Bob at Hogs Breath who made great chilli for his customers once a week. a great guy who'd been around Bangkok a long time. He was one of the first westerners I met in Thailand and his advice was simple, when it rains don't touch anything metal, advice that has stayed with me and served me well.

 

On soi zero was the DET5 bar, the hangout for a lot of the US embassy folks. The pool table was a hand made affair and it took a trained and experienced eye to know exactly where the knot hole was on the plywood base, time your shot right and the ball would stop dead, resting in this hole in the middle of the table. All of the cues were as crooked as dogs legs but I learned to play pool on this table, the theory was that if you can play and win in these conditions you can play and win anywhere.

 

Finally there was Paul Johnson, an American who worked in Saudi in 2004 and was later beheaded there by terrorists, a giant man with a huge personality he enjoyed pool and a drink on Soi Zero when he came back to Thailand on rotation. He was a good pool player but a great personality and loads of fun, a man who would help anyone with anything, RIP.

 

 

His name was/is Richard Hodkinson, he was a Marine, not SAS - yawn! It was him that opened Voodoo and the helped star Playskool, He did a runner late 1998. Liverpool? It was also said that he was feeding the fish in Pattaya bay, who knows?

[freebyrd]

2 minutes ago, gemguy said:

Wahhhh Ha Ha ....Let me tell you about the them days ..during the hay days of the mid 80's and the 90's

 

But, I can not...very hedonistic, too personal, and too much info as I fear your heads may explode if all was revealed ....lol

 

Cheers

 

What are hay days? dreaming of summer? It's heydays - and that is the way it was.

Edited January 13, 2017 by freebyrd

[gemguy]

7 minutes ago, freebyrd said:

 

The 'Belgian mercenary' was a waffler. He 'trained the British SAS when he was a Colonel at age 26' - right?! I listened to his BS for 2 years when he was a member of a fitness centre that I managed circa 1994. As ex British army myself (no, not SAS), that was when I stopped believing all this mercenary crap from all and sundry that drifted through BKK.

 

In 1988, there was only Woodstock and Casanova. I haven't been to NP for a decade or more, however Voodoo that opened in December '94 was once a Lebaness - not a typo, restaurant. In the corner where Hollywood is was a restaurant called the White Rabbit I think. It was early 90's onwards that NP started to develop. IMO 'develop' meant it became a toilet, with too many bars and foreign losers who really believed they were 007 because they could have any woman they wanted.

 

Fortunately for me, I remember the days when working girls were a joy. A couple of cokes, no 'ow mut you give me?!' spat at you. Bar fine paid, back to the hotel, pleasant night. In the morning they would often give you a peck on the cheek, Wai when you gave them their stipend, put the money in their bag without checking how much it was. A last smile and they would bounce away happy with life which was all about Sanuk back then.

 

As an aside, the bloke I worked for remembers circa 1980 when Soi Cowboy had just 3 bars. The bar fine was 50 baht and girls averaged 200 baht a night. I'm fortunate that I enjoyed it while it was a happier place, Patpong 19 October 1988, no night market and scummy leeches crawling all over you.

 

I still visit BKK once a year, for a few days only as it has lost the plot in so many ways. The 80's up to the mid 90's were definitely the heyday.

Well if you really wanted to listen to the alcohol induced stories fly then you would be talking about Lucy's Tiger Den on Suriwong Road...the place to be for everyone what wanted to be, a Wannabe

Cheers

[freebyrd]

On 1/12/2017 at 6:49 PM, Fabricus said:

 

Wow! What a superb post.

 

Can you remember the Belgian guy's name?

 

Also, do you remember when Soi Zero opened?

 

 

Roy Halle, also known as Colonel (Retd) Royston Von Hallerstein, was a PhD waffler.

 

Soi Zero, actually called Buckskin Joe's, know affectionately as Foreskin Joe's. No idea when it opened or shut up shop. I went there just the once, bloody awful place.

[SupermarineS6B]

Brilliant !   Served me time in the old Thermae, Clinton Plaza, Soi Cowboy, Nana, and the real star used to be the Malaysia hotel at four in the morning when all the little bunnies used to re-group from the assorted pleasure palaces........  Soi 13 used to be good as well, especially about five or six in the morning when most of the girls used to turn the meter off and just opt for a bed anywhere......... I remember driving down Sukhumvit with two sisters in the pick up stark naked comparing the latest fashion in shaved tackle........  Also don't forget the PB short time palace, i had a season ticket in there, if those walls could talk !!!!  The best night out in the world.....   Sadly them days are gone........

[Denim]

The Woodstock bar was easily the best bar in Nana Plaza back then. Full screen videos, great food and friendly laid back girls. A lot of the customers were expats working in the city.

But then, like so many places, it got swamped by tourism and lost its niche. Pity....bit it was good while it lasted.

 

Jools went on to provide good food elsewhere but I guess work eventually sucks the fun out of everything.

[GBK]

18 minutes ago, gemguy said:

Well if you really wanted to listen to the alcohol induced stories fly then you would be talking about Lucy's Tiger Den on Suriwong Road...the place to be for everyone what wanted to be, a Wannabe

Cheers

 

30 minutes ago, freebyrd said:

 

The 'Belgian mercenary' was a waffler. He 'trained the British SAS when he was a Colonel at age 26' - right?! I listened to his BS for 2 years when he was a member of a fitness centre that I managed circa 1994. As ex British army myself (no, not SAS), that was when I stopped believing all this mercenary crap from all and sundry that drifted through BKK.

 

In 1988, there was only Woodstock and Casanova. I haven't been to NP for a decade or more, however Voodoo that opened in December '94 was once a Lebaness - not a typo, restaurant. In the corner where Hollywood is was a restaurant called the White Rabbit I think. It was early 90's onwards that NP started to develop. IMO 'develop' meant it became a toilet, with too many bars and foreign losers who really believed they were 007 because they could have any woman they wanted.

 

Fortunately for me, I remember the days when working girls were a joy. A couple of cokes, no 'ow mut you give me?!' spat at you. Bar fine paid, back to the hotel, pleasant night. In the morning they would often give you a peck on the cheek, Wai when you gave them their stipend, put the money in their bag without checking how much it was. A last smile and they would bounce away happy with life which was all about Sanuk back then.

 

As an aside, the bloke I worked for remembers circa 1980 when Soi Cowboy had just 3 bars. The bar fine was 50 baht and girls averaged 200 baht a night. I'm fortunate that I enjoyed it while it was a happier place, Patpong 19 October 1988, no night market and scummy leeches crawling all over you.

 

I still visit BKK once a year, for a few days only as it has lost the plot in so many ways. The 80's up to the mid 90's were definitely the heydays.

Agree with all, except I can remember a few more bars, like Farang Connection, DC10 and a couple of others and Peaches and the French place (was that the Rainbow??) on the opposite balcony, next to Woodstock, which was run by Peter, who had a partner/s that I never saw. His toilet was the most entertaining that I have ever been in, it was plastered with Far Side cartoons.

[gemguy]

18 minutes ago, SupermarineS6B said:

Brilliant !   Served me time in the old Thermae, Clinton Plaza, Soi Cowboy, Nana, and the real star used to be the Malaysia hotel at four in the morning when all the little bunnies used to re-group from the assorted pleasure palaces........  Soi 13 used to be good as well, especially about five or six in the morning when most of the girls used to turn the meter off and just opt for a bed anywhere......... I remember driving down Sukhumvit with two sisters in the pick up stark naked comparing the latest fashion in shaved tackle........  Also don't forget the PB short time palace, i had a season ticket in there, if those walls could talk !!!!  The best night out in the world.....   Sadly them days are gone........

Ahhh...you forget mention of the Grace Hotel...whether you liked it or not the Grace Hotel was all part of the Golden Triangle...Pat Pong area, Nana Plaza area and Soi Cowboy area ....1, 2, 3, ...lol

I truly believe the girls where cuter and prettier back then ...at least they were for me as compared to what I see now ...lol

Cheers

[KarenBravo]

1 minute ago, gemguy said:

Ahhh...you forget mention of the Grace Hotel...whether you liked it or not the Grace Hotel was all part of the Golden Triangle...Pat Pong area, Nana Plaza area and Soi Cowboy area ....1, 2, 3, ...lol

I truly believe the girls where cuter and prettier back then ...at least they were for me as compared to what I see now ...lol

Cheers

 

No it wasn't.

The Grace hotel was mainly used during the Vietnam era by GI's on R&R. By the mid-eighties, when there was only Patpong and Cowboy, the Grace was a relic; the only people staying there were Arabs.

[charmonman]

7 hours ago, Thingamabob said:

The old Kings Castle on Patpong 1 was the best bar in Asia, if not the world, in the late '70s early '80s. Nothing has since matched it in Nana Plaza or anywhere else.

I agree. I went there first in 1987 and was completely blown away by the number of beautiful women and their genuine friendliness. However, I grew to hate the King's Group later on in the early nineties when they changed their music policy to exclusively really bad dance/techno music and started taking over small independent bars like the Grand Prix and Butterfly (among others) and unimaginatively naming them Kings Castle 1, Kings Castle 2 etcetera. The original (great) Kings Castle was on the West side of Patpong (same side as the now also gone Goldfingers, Limelight, Lips/Kiss bar). There are currently NO go go bars on that side of Patpong, all replaced by handbag shops. Times sure have changed.

[charmonman]

I first went to Nana Plaza in 1987, it had only been home to go go bars for a few years at that point. Woodstock was the first place I went as a young greenhorn. It was a go go bar then, but became more of a pool bar/restaurant by the early nineties and I used to hang out there a lot.

As of 1990 the ground floor had maybe one go go bar, if that, and the third floor had only a large snooker hall and a guest house. All the go go action was on the second floor and it was pretty much all one shophouse or two shophouse bars. I remember the Egyptian restaurant on the ground floor in the back left corner. It later became the Voodoo, sometime around '93 or '94. I often used to sit outside there in '90 and '91 and eat dinner with a beer or two before heading up to the second floor. The escalator was usually not working but occasionally they would fix it and it would work for a few weeks. On the ground floor there was also a couple of other restaurants, a travel agency, and a VD clinic.

 

I almost never go to Nana Plaza anymore, since about the mid-2000s. I find the atmosphere harsh, annoying and unfriendly compared to the good old days.

 

If you want some more history do a search for bangkokeyes which has interesting histories of all the main nightlife areas going back to their beginnings.

[Saastrajaa]

8 hours ago, KarenBravo said:

 

No it wasn't.

The Grace hotel was mainly used during the Vietnam era by GI's on R&R. By the mid-eighties, when there was only Patpong and Cowboy, the Grace was a relic; the only people staying there were Arabs.

 

No, he's correct.  Sure, the hotel clientele may have become primarily Arab that long ago, but when I was first "on the scene" in the EARLY 2000s, Grace Hotel Cafe was still a place we would go after Nana Disco closed, where there were freelancers a-plenty, and where one could sit and drink all night.  In the early 2000s, there were middle easterners among the late-night cafe crowd, but they did not yet dominate...I'd say that by 2005, though, that's when it really changed, and nobody I knew went there anymore.

Edited January 13, 2017 by Saastrajaa

[chiang mai]

9 hours ago, freebyrd said:

 

Roy Halle, also known as Colonel (Retd) Royston Von Hallerstein, was a PhD waffler.

 

Soi Zero, actually called Buckskin Joe's, know affectionately as Foreskin Joe's. No idea when it opened or shut up shop. I went there just the once, bloody awful place.

 

Soi Zero was a great escape when nana became just too much, few tourists knew about it and passers by afraid to visit - good music, laid back, no pressure from staff, a train rolling down the tracks every few hours and before the renovations, great character buildings.

[Estrada]

A friend, who worked on Disney World in Florida, built the Mermadium bar around 20 years ago, complete with aquarium with mermaids swimming in it. He then went on to build Pharoahs in the centre in Ancient Egyptian style. Later the authorities said the bars in the centre obstructed fire brigade access and had to be pulled down. They are still there however.