nana plaza back in the day

[bandito]

On ‎1‎/‎15‎/‎2017 at 1:35 PM, GBK said:

 

I've never seen an Arab in the Nana Hotel and I still stay there sometimes.

 

I think we are talking about different times.

I refer to '76 and later when soi 4 was just that, a soi, and the Arabs were not here yet.

When they came most of them went to stay in the Nana Hotel and when Nana Plaza took off they shifted, to where I don't know, but not the Grace Hotel.

So you are right but you talk about now, 2017, 40+ years later.

I gave up the wild life long ago, old geezer, so what happens around these parts now I am unaware of.

[GBK]

37 minutes ago, bandito said:

 

I think we are talking about different times.

I refer to '76 and later when soi 4 was just that, a soi, and the Arabs were not here yet.

When they came most of them went to stay in the Nana Hotel and when Nana Plaza took off they shifted, to where I don't know, but not the Grace Hotel.

So you are right but you talk about now, 2017, 40+ years later.

I gave up the wild life long ago, old geezer, so what happens around these parts now I am unaware of.

 

OK, I didn't get here until 1988, so i don't know what it was like before that.

 

I wish I had been here earlier now though.  It's a bit like your schooldays, when you don't realise what a good time you are having until it's all long over.

 

I do remember nearly all the bars having the "No Arab to sit down here" signs though.  Kim of Jools, now of Jameson's Pattaya told me that the huge American guy called Spencer had seen his arse over them and gone pounding around all the bars telling them to take these "racist" signs down.  Maybe, being black, he saw them as a fellow oppressed minority.  Kim also told me that Spencer was killed in a bike crash an Pattaya a good few years ago.

[Saastrajaa]

28 minutes ago, GBK said:

 

OK, I didn't get here until 1988, so i don't know what it was like before that.

 

I wish I had been here earlier now though.  It's a bit like your schooldays, when you don't realise what a good time you are having until it's all long over.

 

I do remember nearly all the bars having the "No Arab to sit down here" signs though.  Kim of Jools, now of Jameson's Pattaya told me that the huge American guy called Spencer had seen his arse over them and gone pounding around all the bars telling them to take these "racist" signs down.  Maybe, being black, he saw them as a fellow oppressed minority.  Kim also told me that Spencer was killed in a bike crash an Pattaya a good few years ago.

 

Not defending those signs, which I think are wrong, but the reason they started putting them up was the highly disrespectful way that many Middle Easterners would treat the women who worked in the bars when they sat down in there.  You still see the signs in a few Pattaya bars.

[Ulysses G.]

1 hour ago, GBK said:

 

OK, I didn't get here until 1988, so i don't know what it was like before that.

 

 

1988 was pretty darned good though. I am pretty sure that Arabs were staying at the Grace Hotel back then.

[jonwilly]

In the early 80's The Kangaroo and the Rose where well known er  'Gobbling ' bars down Patpong.

I stayed on my holidays on Suk soi 8 with the Danish Group at first The Mermaids Rest and then after it closed The Stable Lodge, good people and very switch on, to BKK Nightlife, 100% respectable area until some one set up place for a 'Chew' on one of it's side soi's in early 90's.

Kim of Jools fame. Ran a decent bar though you had to be careful as if a newbie the clientele would take advantage, Pizz taking but could get expensive on Bell Rings, nothing nasty. Had the most informative Bog, what HM terms the Lavatory.

Saw a few Alcoholic Arabs in my time over there, strange people could be very generous but hypocritical in my practical experience.

 

john

[Prbkk]

4 minutes ago, jonwilly said:

In the early 80's The Kangaroo and the Rose where well known er  'Gobbling ' bars down Patpong.

 

 

john

 

And one of the great survivors is the 'restaurant' ( loosely defined) The Patpong Room ( it has been in the same place for more than 40 years).

[GBK]

12 minutes ago, Ulysses G. said:

 

1988 was pretty darned good though. I am pretty sure that Arabs were staying at the Grace Hotel back then.

 

Yes it was and it was instrumental in me coming back to live here.

 

I can remember going to the Grace with Matt Swire, except it was daytime.  I can't recall doing any nights there but I may have.  The years take their toll on the wee grey things.

[GBK]

13 minutes ago, jonwilly said:

In the early 80's The Kangaroo and the Rose where well known er  'Gobbling ' bars down Patpong.

I stayed on my holidays on Suk soi 8 with the Danish Group at first The Mermaids Rest and then after it closed The Stable Lodge, good people and very switch on, to BKK Nightlife, 100% respectable area until some one set up place for a 'Chew' on one of it's side soi's in early 90's.

Kim of Jools fame. Ran a decent bar though you had to be careful as if a newbie the clientele would take advantage, Pizz taking but could get expensive on Bell Rings, nothing nasty. Had the most informative Bog, what HM terms the Lavatory.

Saw a few Alcoholic Arabs in my time over there, strange people could be very generous but hypocritical in my practical experience.

 

john

 

Yes, it was difficult to get out of there without parting with a few grand, even back then.

 

I'm told that he has the same thing going in Jamesons except with a special table setup.

[freebyrd]

11 hours ago, Andrew Dwyer said:

A colleague of mine came to work near Bangkok for a while around 1990 ( I guess) and he told me tales of The Wank Bar and No Hands Restaurant.
Anybody remember, or heard of, these ??


Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect

 

No Hands was in Soi Cowboy. I took a flyer back in 1991 to show my lads - army. No idea about the less subtle one.

[upside]

15 hours ago, George FmplesdaCosteedback said:

So who do you claim "owned" the Hollywood bars?

All the bars in Nana as far as I know were leased or sub-leased if you really want to be picky. I am talking about the businesses.

Somebody also claims Johnny's name was Eric, but he has no proof, just what he calls "common knowledge."

I suspect you are doing the same...

 

 

No I know of Johnny, he was my dad's business partner in the Nana clubs or bars , whatever you prefer to call them. My father started and ran all the Hollywood bars in nana and the Hollywood that Kevin ran was given to Kevin to run because it wasn't doing the same amount of business the others were at the time.

 

I enjoy hearing my dad's stories over a few beers,  plenty of them and plenty are over the top but I don't doubt them, those guys lived in the thick of it 

 

The stories I'll tell all when the book comes out 

 

So you can put your little red card away now and save it for someone else 

 

Cheers 

 

 

 

 

[Wilsonandson]

Korat Airforce base 1966-67 RnR bars and girls

Edited January 17, 2017 by Wilsonandson

[Wilsonandson]

Toby Jug Pub, Bangkok 1980

[George FmplesdaCosteedback]

13 hours ago, upside said:

 

No I know of Johnny, he was my dad's business partner in the Nana clubs or bars , whatever you prefer to call them. My father started and ran all the Hollywood bars in nana and the Hollywood that Kevin ran was given to Kevin to run because it wasn't doing the same amount of business the others were at the time.

 

I enjoy hearing my dad's stories over a few beers,  plenty of them and plenty are over the top but I don't doubt them, those guys lived in the thick of it 

 

The stories I'll tell all when the book comes out 

 

So you can put your little red card away now and save it for someone else 

 

Cheers 

 

 

 

 

So your dad did all the work, yet was never seen? I wish I could find someone like that to do all my work and leave me to take credit.

It wouldn't surprise me in the least if Johnny had a "sleeping partner" as many had. They mostly put up a large investment, but had little to do with the running of the bars (clubs if you want). How I never met your dad is a surprise if he was as active you say as I knew most of the "owners and managers" at the time.

The red card seems to have done some part of opening up who you are and that you do know something of what was going on in the 90s Nana Plaza.

So, the big secret remains, who is your dad?

 

PS. Send me a PM if you don't want everyone to know.

[upside]

3 hours ago, George FmplesdaCosteedback said:

So your dad did all the work, yet was never seen? I wish I could find someone like that to do all my work and leave me to take credit.

It wouldn't surprise me in the least if Johnny had a "sleeping partner" as many had. They mostly put up a large investment, but had little to do with the running of the bars (clubs if you want). How I never met your dad is a surprise if he was as active you say as I knew most of the "owners and managers" at the time.

The red card seems to have done some part of opening up who you are and that you do know something of what was going on in the 90s Nana Plaza.

So, the big secret remains, who is your dad?

 

PS. Send me a PM if you don't want everyone to know.

 

The red card seems to have done some part in opening up who you are

 

 

Seriously that is the creepiest comment 

[bandito]

22 hours ago, GBK said:

I wish I had been here earlier now though.  It's a bit like your schooldays, when you don't realise what a good time you are having until it's all long over.

 

 

That's true, it was a time of intense living and anything goes.

Practically nothing was forbidden, aah the good times.

[tukkytuktuk]

I first went to Nana plaza back in 2003. My favourite bar was out past foodland. It had girls in White, silver and blue Cheer leading costumes and had lots of blue American pool tables. Two down stairs and you walk up a steel staircase to the top room that had about 6 pool tables. You had to play winner stays on and write your name on a whiteboard.
Is this bar still there?

[dbrenn]

On 1/17/2017 at 2:06 PM, Ulysses G. said:

 

1988 was pretty darned good though. I am pretty sure that Arabs were staying at the Grace Hotel back then.

I arrived in 1988. What a freewheeling blast the place was back then. Mind you, I was a lot younger.

[dbrenn]

18 hours ago, Wilsonandson said:

Toby Jug Pub, Bangkok 1980

I remember that place - a small pub on Silom sala daeng area, more or less opposite Thaniya. Vanished without trace a few years back.

[George FmplesdaCosteedback]

15 hours ago, upside said:

 

The red card seems to have done some part in opening up who you are

 

 

Seriously that is the creepiest comment 

It's you who is the creepy guy. You tell me I am wrong and then won't explain yourself. Why did you reply to me and nobody else on this.

And I say I am right about Johnny and you don't know what you are talking about. Count the number of other posts that agree with me...

Go play on Twitface or somewhere else, I can't be bothered with this moronic nonsense you come out with.

You are blocked.

 

[GBK]

On 17/01/2017 at 0:20 PM, upside said:

 

No I know of Johnny, he was my dad's business partner in the Nana clubs or bars , whatever you prefer to call them. My father started and ran all the Hollywood bars in nana and the Hollywood that Kevin ran was given to Kevin to run because it wasn't doing the same amount of business the others were at the time.

 

I enjoy hearing my dad's stories over a few beers,  plenty of them and plenty are over the top but I don't doubt them, those guys lived in the thick of it 

 

The stories I'll tell all when the book comes out 

 

So you can put your little red card away now and save it for someone else 

 

Cheers 

On 17/01/2017 at 0:20 PM, upside said:

 

 

 

 

I think the penny has just dropped as to who your Dad is now, I had forgotten all about him - very nice bloke.  Is he still in Thailand?

[George FmplesdaCosteedback]

34 minutes ago, GBK said:

 

I think the penny has just dropped as to who your Dad is now, I had forgotten all about him - very nice bloke.  Is he still in Thailand?

I have a suspicion as to who it could be, a nice guy indeed, and did do a lot for Johnny in the early years, but he never had a financial interest. I don't know why this kid is being so coy about who it is.

[thedemon]

On 1/17/2017 at 10:06 AM, Ulysses G. said:

 

1988 was pretty darned good though. I am pretty sure that Arabs were staying at the Grace Hotel back then.

 

They were. At least by 1990, according to my memory, the Grace Hotel was pretty much 100% middle Eastern though business fell on hard times about then because the Saudis stopped coming to Thailand after the Blue Diamond fiasco and their Embassy officials being shot dead.

 

However the Grace Coffee shop still had a mixed clientele, including westerners though I recall considering the place a bit of a dump with a fairly high percentage of fuglies - even by the (not so high) standard of it's competitors.

 

During the 90's the coffee shop became a place for Uzbek (& some Egyptian etc.) hookers to do their stuff. Apart from the Coffee shop there were always other nightclubs & bars within the hotel and they were exclusively Arab hangouts.

[teakman]

I don't remember the Belgian mercenary's name but could have been luke like the bar's name. as for soi zero,i think a few places opened around late '87 early '88.there were always vendors under the expressway serving the community there. my partner and I made a coffee stand for a thai buddy but didn't last long.the klong got paved over for the world bank meeting in summer '86 and I had to move to my landlady's house which didn't get expropriated.

  the date of the patpong pics are correct I'm sure but in 1980,there wasn't a Nana plaza. the first gogo bar there was Woodstock which was on the 2nd floor near the front stairs then moved to the back right corner with it's restaurant below. owned by Peter(not john as I earlier stated),he hired a Thai to paint a mural outside the entrance depicting the Woodstock era.does anyone have a photo of it? there used to be a newspaper called"bangkok world" that Bernard Trink aka the nite owl would post a gogo dancer's photo every Friday. being the lone customer in a Nana bar one night,i see him walk in with his Thai photographer.there were only two girls on stage so he didn't stay long. strange looking character with his pants almost chest high and a huge medallion dangling from his neck. 

     someone earlier mentioned the "no hands"place in soi cowboy but the only one I was familiar with was the "no hands"restaurant on Rama4 rd in the Galaxy complex. ate there with a buddy back in '85 and was a trip being fed by two ladies for each of us. it wasn't too expensive for the food and pampering but we didn't have any happy ending nor were we asked for it. there was also a supper club featuring live swing music Glen Miller style which had girls for rent to take on the dance floor. those 40-60 yr. old Thai guys really knew how to swing unlike most of the girls.fun watching and good sounds too! Thailand's best ever boxer was sponsored by this place hence the name "Khaosai Galaxy".a great fighter in the 80's who even topped Mike Tyson as boxer of the year then. on my last visit to   Bkk,i was surprised to see the place torn down.

   I lived in Thailand from '82-14(now phnom penh) and the '80's were truly remarkable.the country started to boom,village folk were coming to the city in droves and tons of beautiful women were filling up the bars. I always looked forward to the wet season since that was the time of really few tourists and loads of girls to ourselves. man heaven indeed!

   

Edited January 18, 2017 by teakman
wrong place

[upside]

7 hours ago, George FmplesdaCosteedback said:

I have a suspicion as to who it could be, a nice guy indeed, and did do a lot for Johnny in the early years, but he never had a financial interest. I don't know why this kid is being so coy about who it is.

 

It's more to do with who cares who my dad is And so what if he ran a few bars plus being an anonymous forum and all. Anyway his names Rick if you must know 

[GBK]

21 minutes ago, upside said:

 

It's more to do with who cares who my dad is And so what if he ran a few bars plus being an anonymous forum and all. Anyway his names Rick if you must know 

 

I thought so.

 

I'm assuming that if he blocked you, he won't see that. A bit ironic. :-)

[Wilsonandson]

It's all to do with bringing back memories. I've enjoyed my trip down memory lane. As for pictures and videos I've posted I thank everyones I have used. The seedy side of Bangkok and other parts of Thailand are also part of Thai history and culture. Great times I've spent and also not so great. It's nice to chat and remember these times before I kick the bucket. Great thread topic upside. Thanks to everyone for their contributions. Enjoyed so much.

[jonwilly]

There does not seem to have been any mention of the Golden Beer Bar, just outside of Nana Plaza and  what must have been one of the best 'People' watching spots in town.

I used to enjoy the place, many older girls who had been around and I will suggest where careful about about who they played with.

A mate who I have know for 40 years told me on his last trip to CM, that it is no more and is now part of a Hooters.

I miss the old style bars where you could have a drink , shoot some Bullpoo and young ladies where there for Your amusment, very sexist, Yes, but that was the BKK, Thighland of old.

Now all for the tourist, Gee look that girls not wearing knickers.

Oh My Buddha.

 

john

[tukkytuktuk]

2 hours ago, jonwilly said:

There does not seem to have been any mention of the Golden Beer Bar, just outside of Nana Plaza and  what must have been one of the best 'People' watching spots in town.

I used to enjoy the place, many older girls who had been around and I will suggest where careful about about who they played with.

A mate who I have know for 40 years told me on his last trip to CM, that it is no more and is now part of a Hooters.

I miss the old style bars where you could have a drink , shoot some Bullpoo and young ladies where there for Your amusment, very sexist, Yes, but that was the BKK, Thighland of old.

Now all for the tourist, Gee look that girls not wearing knickers.

Oh My Buddha.

 

john

You mean like Glastonbury festival that used to play original music and was full of hippies, now its an orderly precision timed television show full of yuppie kids and youtube bands. Big business ruins the scene again. I wonder if the girls at Hooters get a retirement pension and maternity leave.

Edited January 19, 2017 by tukkytuktuk

[George FmplesdaCosteedback]

19 hours ago, GBK said:

 

I thought so.

 

I'm assuming that if he blocked you, he won't see that. A bit ironic. :-)

Humm, I have just seen it. The block somehow left his replies open.

I would ask him if it's the same Rik who took over Hollywood Stars with Ken Warner as manager, and later took over management of Nana Disco?

If it is, I knew him well enough for 4-5 years or more, and I bet he would remember me too!

I never had a serious cross word with Rik, but I did give him some advice, which he always took an board and acted on it when he thought I had a good point. We were not great pals but always got on well. A nice guy.

I thought he might be Ken's son, as Ken managed for Johnny when he got started.

Anyway, sorry if I made you a go-between, but I was a bit annoyed Upside wasn't playing ball, just implying I was some sort of nut case.

 

[upside]

33 minutes ago, George FmplesdaCosteedback said:

Humm, I have just seen it. The block somehow left his replies open.

I would ask him if it's the same Rik who took over Hollywood Stars with Ken Warner as manager, and later took over management of Nana Disco?

If it is, I knew him well enough for 4-5 years or more, and I bet he would remember me too!

I never had a serious cross word with Rik, but I did give him some advice, which he always took an board and acted on it when he thought I had a good point. We were not great pals but always got on well. A nice guy.

I thought he might be Ken's son, as Ken managed for Johnny when he got started.

Anyway, sorry if I made you a go-between, but I was a bit annoyed Upside wasn't playing ball, just implying I was some sort of nut case.

 

 

You giving my dad advice lol 

 

 

Edited January 19, 2017 by upside
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