Unfortunate impact of removing Sukhumvit Night Market

[Kinnock]

I'd not been to the lower Sukhumvit bars for a while, but a friend from US was visiting, so we met At T21 and walked to a few old haunts in Soi 11 - but the area has changed significantly since the night market stalls were moved - and not for the better.

 

There was always a few dodgy characters peddling drugs around Nana, and some 'imported' girls along lower Sukhumvit, but now there seems to be an unbroken line of (I assume) Nigerian hookers, pimps and dealers from Asoke down to Soi 3, and up Soi 11 as well.  Sitting in the middle of them is a Police desk, with two BIB playing on their phones - their only job it seems is to move the market traders.  I mentioned this at work today, and the girls in the office say they no longer feel safe walking along that stretch of Sukhumvit, so they use the BTS and avoid the whole area.

 

Never thought I'd miss the fake handbag, T-shirt and knuckle-duster sellers, but they are preferable to the current recreation of a Rotterdam red light district.

 

 

[bkk6060]

You are right walked it last night.  I have been offered Coke, weed and Yaba from those Black dudes.  The girls look gross but, whatever.

[shadowofacloud]

Well, I suppose that nowadays you simply avoid these areas completely or as much as possible, unless you're a less discerning tourist.

 

I cannot really grasp the concept of living in Nana (or even Asoke), being a dedicated Thong Lo / Ekkamai guy, but need to visit the Soi 13 area on a regular basis as my yoga studio is in the area. Still, will most likely look for a different studio once my current pass expires, as walking next to the tuktuk touts, the sad drunks in the bar (tequilla storm?) on the corner of Soi 13 etc makes me quite sad.

[Minnehaha]

This too shall pass

[dg1980]

3 hours ago, shadowofacloud said:

Well, I suppose that nowadays you simply avoid these areas completely or as much as possible, unless you're a less discerning tourist.

 

I cannot really grasp the concept of living in Nana (or even Asoke), being a dedicated Thong Lo / Ekkamai guy, but need to visit the Soi 13 area on a regular basis as my yoga studio is in the area. Still, will most likely look for a different studio once my current pass expires, as walking next to the tuktuk touts, the sad drunks in the bar (tequilla storm?) on the corner of Soi 13 etc makes me quite sad.

LOL. The discerning yogi has spoken.

 

An Ekkamai guy huh? want to try a little harder? 

 

Did you have anything to add to the discussion about the sukhumvit night market situation or was your post entirely meant to advertise your self proclaimed "high tastes"?

Edited June 27, 2017 by dg1980

[shadowofacloud]

31 minutes ago, dg1980 said:

LOL. The discerning yogi has spoken.

 

An Ekkamai guy huh? want to try a little harder? 

 

Did you have anything to add to the discussion about the sukhumvit night market situation or was your post entirely meant to advertise your self proclaimed "high tastes"?

I am sorry if my post ruffled your feathers, that was definitely not my intention.

 

Om shanti from my high Ekkamai perch, LOL.

[LALes]

Wanton Thai greed at its worst.  Is it really worth what this new batch of miscreants is paying off while a once cool neighborhood goes down the drain?   Where's the Law and Order brigade when you need them?  Oh, I forgot.  TIT.

[jvs]

I mentioned a while ago that the reason people went to that night market

is also the reason why people complained about it.Now all is gone.

Now you have lots of room to walk but no reason to walk there.

It was part of the uniquie feeling Bangkok would give you.

The last night spend in Bangkok on your way home and buying T-shirts and souvenir

things for the folks back home.

I do miss it and don't go there anymore.

[ThailandLOS]

6 hours ago, shadowofacloud said:

the sad drunks in the bar (tequilla storm?) on the corner of Soi 13 etc makes me quite sad.

The "bar" you are referring to is actually a restaurant and has some of the best burgers in town. I would say most of "the sad drunks" out on the balcony, with some exception, are the same tourists you would find in your precious Ekkamai.

Edited June 27, 2017 by ThailandLOS

[bangkokairportlink]

Really, no more street sellers at all ? I didn't walk there for years !

 

And now they are all selling drug instead ?

 

 

Edited June 27, 2017 by bangkokairportlink

[alt]

Well, bugger. We normally stay Soi 2 and enjoyed walking up / down the main street for a look / some beers / buy some bits. Is it really gone that bad? I love the craziness of it all.

 

Maybe we'll choose to stay somewhere else in BKK for a change.

[tryasimight]

9 hours ago, LALes said:

Wanton Thai greed at its worst.  Is it really worth what this new batch of miscreants is paying off while a once cool neighborhood goes down the drain?   Where's the Law and Order brigade when you need them?  Oh, I forgot.  TIT.

Thai greed? Really?

I would have thought African greed......a lot of the girls are from Uganda not Nigeria...or so I have been told.

[Deli]

The guys in green ruined the place with removing the market.

Loved to stroll between the booths, without buying most of the time. But the atmosphere was BKK, now it's a kind of crap.

[Kinnock]

5 hours ago, bangkokairportlink said:

Really, no more street sellers at all ? I didn't walk there for years !

 

And now they are all selling drug instead ?

 

 

Ironically, the only street sellers left are the ones selling fake drugs.  Bizarrely, the fake Viagra stalls also sell fairy lights - I've never understood the connection between Viagra and fairy lights, unless you put the lights around your ..... well let's leave it there ......

[shadowofacloud]

9 hours ago, ThailandLOS said:

The "bar" you are referring to is actually a restaurant and has some of the best burgers in town. I would say most of "the sad drunks" out on the balcony, with some exception, are the same tourists you would find in your precious Ekkamai.

 

Well, Ekkamai is mostly a residential area, often chosen by expats such as myself - as it is quiet, green and not too far from business areas. There are some good restaurants and bars (but that's more of a Thong Lo specialty), nothing, however, with the cheap and sleazy atmosphere of Nana. So I have to disagree - tourists are a rare sight in Ekkamai. Especially the low sort of sex- and alcotourists you stumble upon in Soi 4 and thereabouts.

 

As for burgers - wouldn't know, as I am a plant eater.

Edited June 28, 2017 by shadowofacloud

[mikiea]

18 hours ago, bkk6060 said:

You are right walked it last night.  I have been offered Coke, weed and Yaba from those Black dudes.  The girls look gross but, whatever.

one would think this is a duty free drug zone by its looks  ....where are the popo ?

 

[InMyShadow]

19 hours ago, shadowofacloud said:

Well, I suppose that nowadays you simply avoid these areas completely or as much as possible, unless you're a less discerning tourist.

 

I cannot really grasp the concept of living in Nana (or even Asoke), being a dedicated Thong Lo / Ekkamai guy, but need to visit the Soi 13 area on a regular basis as my yoga studio is in the area. Still, will most likely look for a different studio once my current pass expires, as walking next to the tuktuk touts, the sad drunks in the bar (tequilla storm?) on the corner of Soi 13 etc makes me quite sad.

Sad drunks? that restaurant is a part of the sunrise taco group and does good food and the "sad drunks" you see are through your depressed vision. I see happy tourists people watching

 

This thread is misleading. In its prime there were at least 30 Nigerian drug dealers sitting in the street bar and hanging around 7-11 at the end of soi 13 alone and many more that were able to blend in to the crowds and the many street bars.

Now they have been flushed out and there numbers dropped by 70%,the difference of course is they are far more visible so its an illusion there are more.

I live between Asoke and nana so Im not depending on 3rd hand info about "what a friend said"

The other comment about office workers being to scared to walk lower suk is absolutely hilarious! where are the news reports of muggings and rapes? any links to newspaper articles? ....yep exactly ..no city is crime free but lower suk would be the safest red light district on the planet.

 

TV the hub of never let truth get in the way of a good story lol

Edited June 28, 2017 by InMyShadow

[Kinnock]

1 hour ago, InMyShadow said:

Sad drunks? that restaurant is a part of the sunrise taco group and does good food and the "sad drunks" you see are through your depressed vision. I see happy tourists people watching

 

This thread is misleading. In its prime there were at least 30 Nigerian drug dealers sitting in the street bar and hanging around 7-11 at the end of soi 13 alone and many more that were able to blend in to the crowds and the many street bars.

Now they have been flushed out and there numbers dropped by 70%,the difference of course is they are far more visible so its an illusion there are more.

I live between Asoke and nana so Im not depending on 3rd hand info about "what a friend said"

The other comment about office workers being to scared to walk lower suk is absolutely hilarious! where are the news reports of muggings and rapes? any links to newspaper articles? ....yep exactly ..no city is crime free but lower suk would be the safest red light district on the planet.

 

TV the hub of never let truth get in the way of a good story lol

Interesting ... with all that detailed 'first hand' knowledge of the history of central Bangkok - and yet this is for your first post on TV ... lol.  Wouldn't be connected to the Sunrise Tacos Group by any chance?  I also live next to this area - and in my view there's been a significant increase in numbers, and when the night market was there, they would have been just as visible, and generally 'in the way' - but now there's no competition for space on the sidewalk.

 

I think there's tiny minority of people who would use their services, and a big majority of people who would feel uncomfortable being approached by drug dealers and hookers, which is a shame, as this was a multi-cultural tourist area.

[shadowofacloud]

2 hours ago, InMyShadow said:

Sad drunks? that restaurant is a part of the sunrise taco group and does good food and the "sad drunks" you see are through your depressed vision. I see happy tourists people watching

I am sure the place being a part of sunset tortilla inc makes all the difference!

 

It adds this unmistakable style, class and maybe even sophistication to the way you nurse your hangover with a couple pints at 1000 am.

[ThailandLOS]

6 hours ago, shadowofacloud said:

As for burgers - wouldn't know, as I am a plant eater.

OK, say no more :)

[korkenzieher]

1 hour ago, Kinnock said:

Interesting ... with all that detailed 'first hand' knowledge of the history of central Bangkok - and yet this is for your first post on TV ... lol.

So what? I read TV articles every day, and have done for pretty much a decade. While it isn't my first post, I don't feel the need to get involved very often. If InMyShadow wants to go public for the first time to correct what he sees as an un-truth, where's the beef with that? Everybody has a first time, whether they are a seasoned lurker or not.

[InMyShadow]

I am sure the place being a part of sunset tortilla inc makes all the difference!
 
It adds this unmistakable style, class and maybe even sophistication to the way you nurse your hangover with a couple pints at 1000 am.

What are you babbling on about lol. What a bizarre post. It's plain to see your recovering alcoholic

Here's some advice brother, if the sight of tourists drinking and having a good time in bars upsets you then stay away from tourists areas. How easy was that.

Sent from my Redmi Note 3 using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app

[InMyShadow]

Interesting ... with all that detailed 'first hand' knowledge of the history of central Bangkok - and yet this is for your first post on TV ... lol.  Wouldn't be connected to the Sunrise Tacos Group by any chance?  I also live next to this area - and in my view there's been a significant increase in numbers, and when the night market was there, they would have been just as visible, and generally 'in the way' - but now there's no competition for space on the sidewalk.
 
I think there's tiny minority of people who would use their services, and a big majority of people who would feel uncomfortable being approached by drug dealers and hookers, which is a shame, as this was a multi-cultural tourist area.

Nah your wrong. The Nigerians had a captive audience in the street bars with tipsy tourists wanting some help to kick on into the wee hours.

Now the dealers are flushed out in the open their job is way harder.

Supply and demand champ, and I for one am thrilled at the drop in Nigerian numbers

Sent from my Redmi Note 3 using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app

[bkk6060]

On 6/27/2017 at 6:11 PM, shadowofacloud said:

Well, I suppose that nowadays you simply avoid these areas completely or as much as possible, unless you're a less discerning tourist.

 

I cannot really grasp the concept of living in Nana (or even Asoke), being a dedicated Thong Lo / Ekkamai guy, but need to visit the Soi 13 area on a regular basis as my yoga studio is in the area. Still, will most likely look for a different studio once my current pass expires, as walking next to the tuktuk touts, the sad drunks in the bar (tequilla storm?) on the corner of Soi 13 etc makes me quite sad.

I have an Apt.in Nana and love it.  The Ekkamai and Oh Nuter´s are like the Jomtien people in Pattaya.  They rave about Jomtien but spend all day and evenings in Pattaya.  Not much going on in Ekkamai.  Sorry you have to catch the Skytrain for your Yoga.....

Edited June 28, 2017 by bkk6060

[lvr181]

8 hours ago, shadowofacloud said:

 

Well, Ekkamai is mostly a residential area, often chosen by expats such as myself - as it is quiet, green and not too far from business areas. There are some good restaurants and bars (but that's more of a Thong Lo specialty), nothing, however, with the cheap and sleazy atmosphere of Nana. So I have to disagree - tourists are a rare sight in Ekkamai. Especially the low sort of sex- and alcotourists you stumble upon in Soi 4 and thereabouts.

 

As for burgers - wouldn't know, as I am a plant eater.

Have you ever heard the squeals from cabbage as you cook it or the groans as you pull a carrot out of the ground? 

 

Or, have you ever had a test for iron levels in your blood? Anemia not uncommon in vegetarians.

[shadowofacloud]

15 minutes ago, bkk6060 said:

I have an Apt.in Nana and love it.  The Ekkamai and Oh Nuter´s are like the Jomtien people in Pattaya.  They rave about Jomtien but spend all day and evenings in Pattaya.  Not much going on in Ekkamai.  Sorry you have to catch the Skytrain for your Yoga.....

Not much going on - exactly the point. I am actually woken up by birds every morning and can spend my evenings looking at a garden - all this in central Bangkok. People actually chose areas such as Ekkamai exactly because there is not much going on. Some of us have don't need to fill emotional voids with cheap sex and booze, LOL.

 

Also sorry about the trips to Nana - the place really hurts my eyes (as well feelings of general aesthetics, good taste etc). But not for long, my usual studio in Thong Lo recently re-opened after renovation and the universe is back in balance. ;-)

[shadowofacloud]

Just now, lvr181 said:

Have you ever heard the squeals from cabbage as you cook it or the groans as you pull a carrot out of the ground? 

 

Or, have you ever had a test for iron levels in your blood? Anemia not uncommon in vegetarians.

Oh yes, I love to feel their pain!

 

Never said I was vegetarian. But don't worry, my blood test results are perfect. And a balanced nutritional intake is key, whether you are a carrion eater or a plant eater - anemia also occurs in the former.

[InMyShadow]

I have an Apt.in Nana and love it.  The Ekkamai and Oh Nuter´s are like the Jomtien people in Pattaya.  They rave about Jomtien but spend all day and evenings in Pattaya.  Not much going on in Ekkamai.  Sorry you have to catch the Skytrain for your Yoga.....

That's the truth!
The main reason expats live in the back streets of bangkok is cheap rent compared to Sukhumvit Asoke or Nana. But no one wants to admit they are poor and instead like our friend here end up commuting to Nana nightly for errrm "yoga" a good as an excuse as I have heard lol

As they say money talks and BS walks, well at least in this case it catches a bus to the outer suburbs [emoji3]


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[Thai Ron]

21 hours ago, LALes said:

Wanton Thai greed at its worst.  Is it really worth what this new batch of miscreants is paying off while a once cool neighborhood goes down the drain?   Where's the Law and Order brigade when you need them?  Oh, I forgot.  TIT.

Cool neighbourhood?

No, "cool" is not an adjective I'd use to describe that part of the Sukhumvit ghetto.

 

What people need to remember is that it was the THAI pedestrians and business owners who wanted them gone . The pedestrians had had enough of these often abusive deadbeats routinely blocking the pavement forcing them to dodge traffic if they wanted to get somewhere and the business owners (who all pay business rates) had to put up with the hawkers blocking the entrances to their shops pretty much all day long.

They were just hawking counterfeit rubbish that you could pick up in any of a million locations anywhere in the country.

It wasn't a "market" - it was "Shakedown Alley" and I definitely don't miss it.

 

Tourists might miss the "spectacle" (if that's what you wanna call it) but BMA don't really care what tourists think.

[dg1980]

2 hours ago, shadowofacloud said:

Oh yes, I love to feel their pain!

 

Never said I was vegetarian. But don't worry, my blood test results are perfect. And a balanced nutritional intake is key, whether you are a carrion eater or a plant eater - anemia also occurs in the former.

I must apologize. I believe I badly misjudged you earlier in this thread.

 

Your trolling skill is superb.