Goodbye Dark Bar: Ekkamai venue another nightlife casualty

By Chayanit Itthipongmaetee, Staff Reporter

 

  

Photo: Dark Bar / Facebook

 

BANGKOK — An outpost of Bangkok’s once-vigorous late-night scene will soon go dark – or at least, darker than usual.

 

Dark Bar, for over two years an Ekkamai after-hours fixture, will close permanently because the venue is being forced to close at midnight, owner Nodnuanwan “Nod” Tatong said Thursday.

 

Full story: http://www.khaosodenglish.com/life/nightlife/2017/05/04/goodbye-dark-bar-ekkamai-venue-another-nightlife-casualty/

 

-- © Copyright Khaosod English 2017-05-05

 

Sounds like the owner has had enough and wants to close, otherwise he would just slip the BIB a few thousand a month and continue as usual.

Perhaps the real estate is wanted for some other purpose...? 

Damn.  What a shame they are closing. 

It's getting harder and harder to find a good place to go out late in Bangkok.

 

 

3 hours ago, seancbk said:

Damn.  What a shame they are closing. 

It's getting harder and harder to find a good place to go out late in Bangkok.

 

 

 

Agreed. One of the great things about Bangkok was the anything goes atmosphere. Bangkok is becoming more corporate by the day. I have a lot of fond memories of late nights out in the city.

5 hours ago, phantomfiddler said:

Sounds like the owner has had enough and wants to close, otherwise he would just slip the BIB a few thousand a month and continue as usual.

 

She's a "she", and since I know both her and the bar I can assure you she's struggled long and hard to try to keep it open since the midnight rule was enforced but it's just not tenable. I'm sure if it were the case that a "few thousand a month" would solve it, it would have been done. It was essentially a little tiny nightclub where people actually danced, and to music not heard elsewhere, and it attracted Thais and foreigners alike as well as provided a platform for up and coming musicians that weren't of the usual "guitars and cover song" variety. It wouldn't (and didn't) work as a traditional "bar" that closes at midnight.

In a sense you are right, she's had enough, but she's had enough of trying to negotiate with the authorities, not with running the bar. It's obvious knowing her and the place that it was a labour of love, it was tiny and would never lead to huge profits, but it was despite this (or perhaps due to this) a very special place.

I don't think it's about real estate, it's sat in the corner of a small and successful shopping centre where there are numerous other businesses (and bars), none of which are being edged out.

Was one of the best places in Bangkok, it's a huge shame. And yeah I echo your comments bkkgriz, it's getting boring here to be honest.

Edited May 5, 20179 yr by rwdrwdrwd

5 hours ago, phantomfiddler said:

Sounds like the owner has had enough and wants to close, otherwise he would just slip the BIB a few thousand a month and continue as usual.

I think that you mean" A few thousand more then he does now".

i wonder if bars are opening as fast as existing ones are closing it bangkok and greater thailand.

2 hours ago, bkkgriz said:

Agreed. One of the great things about Bangkok was the anything goes atmosphere. Bangkok is becoming more corporate by the day. I have a lot of fond memories of late nights out in the city.

The problem with an "anything goes" atmosphere is when those running it don't know when to stop !

Everything has a natural limit... it can go past saturation point followed by implosion.. which is what you're witnessing

sometimes less is more... not just pushing boundaries for the sake of it!

16 minutes ago, hotchilli said:

The problem with an "anything goes" atmosphere is when those running it don't know when to stop !

Everything has a natural limit... it can go past saturation point followed by implosion.. which is what you're witnessing

sometimes less is more... not just pushing boundaries for the sake of it!

I'm guessing you are not someone who lives in Bangkok and wants to regularly go to clubs with DJs and dancing, a good mix of Farangs and Thais and no hookers, and stay out well past midnight.

There is definitely no saturation of places like that.

 

 

Some police districts are enforcing the one year mourning restrictions more than others.  Tough for business's to ride out.