MIDNITE HOUR - December 2004

This month MIDNITE HOUR will showcase a wide selection of Bangkok's Night Entertainment Venues that can legitimately claim the right to the name "Pub". (Forgive us in advance should we miss any venues, and should you observe same, please send us a photo and an address, and we will publish it in an upcoming edition.)

The Pub, or the 'Public House', as most 'Britishers' and 'Commonwealthers' have known since they were knee-high-to-a-grasshopper, has a long and variegated global history. Evolving in England's 'middle' history (Early Modern Europe) alongside 'alehouses' and 'taverns', the Pub provided for a wide spectrum of social activities in virtually all townships and cities. (Rural folk often had to travel miles to reach such oases.)

(Hold cursor over photo for details)

ANNIE'S PUB AND BAR
Located in the Rajah Hotel compound,
on Sukhumvit Soi 4.

CHEQUERS BRITISH PUB
Located on Sukhumvit Soi 4
near the Dynasty and
Nana Hotel.

A Public House differed from a tavern or an alehouse in that it (usually) was located on the ground floor of the town's inn, and as might be expected, run by the innkeeper. The Pub was a place where the townspeople came to test their skill at checkers, backgammon or chess (and yes, darts), where musicians either soothed or irked the custom, where politicians frothed forth with or without their soapboxes, and there are even many recorded instances where in the smaller townships, circuit judges would hold court therein. But most importantly, it was a place where folk from all social strata could go for an ale and a solid meal, usually the innkeeper's plate of the day.

THE IRISH X CHANGE
Located on Soi Convent
about 75 meters in from
Silom on the left.

O'REILLY'S
Located on Silom Road
at the entrance to
Soi Thaniya.

Many Pubs - as they began to stratify socially - also often developed a less than acceptable aura, becoming notorious as meeting places for underworld figures, as they hatched their plots and planned their ill-deeds. These down-market Pubs also became venues for heavy drinking and fighting, usually over the available lasses within - giving rise to the (at least partially justified) stereotyping of the "lower class Brit" as 'one going out of an evening for a fight and a pint'. This, in most cases sooner than later, brought about some swift town council action, and the local privy councils did their very best to regulate the Public Houses within their respective jurisdictions. (Many a tavern and alehouse escaped this regulatory enthusiasm, however, as they were often located in waterfront, or other similarly seedy areas.)

JOOLS RESTAURANT & BAR
They don't advertise as a ''Pub'',
but that's what they are. They are
located on Soi 4 Sukhumvit, past the
Nana Hotel - on the other side of
the street.

MOONSHINE PUB
Located in Queen's Park Plaza
Bar Beer area on Soi 22.

Those of you from the USA think of the Pub as some kind of an English lounge with a dart board - something almost foreign - like, say, soccer. But this is not historically accurate, as Public Houses were 'brought' to America very early in her history by immigrants from those very same Isles. A few of these original American Pubs still exist to this day - with most rich and colorful histories. It is of some historical note that the founders of the US Constitution met most evenings, after official Constitutional Convention machinations ended, at a Public House, usually over a brandy, to rehash some of the finer points of the day's proceedings - or so quoth James Madison.

BULLY'S PUB
Located near Sukhumvit
Soi 4 on the main road
as you walk to Soi 2.

BLACK SWAN
Located on Sukhumvit Road
near the Rachadapisek
intersection under the Asoke
Skytrain (Near Soi 14).

But the Pub's 'manifest destiny' was that of expansionism - it was almost immediately found to be operating in identical format throughout the Commonwealth, finding ready homes in far-flung Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, and so on. Today, there are very few cities in the world where the Pub, or at least the pub concept is not found - Bangkok being no exception.

Very early in Bangkok's Night Entertainment history, venues were appearing on the Night Scene with the appellation 'Pub'. But almost none of these was a true Pub, or even operated in the true pub concept. (The one very notable exception to this was, and is Bobby's Arms Pub & Restaurant. Bobby, having come from Hong Kong has had 'the real thing' cooking since 1975.) These other wannabe non-pubs caused much confusion in the minds of locals, tourists and residents alike as to what a 'Pub' actually was - often being just lounges, or the clichéd 'lounge with a dart board'. Visiting Englishmen scorned these misnamed establishments as preposterous travesties. But all that was about to change.

DUBLINER IRISH PUB
Located on Sukhumvit Road
near Soi 22, at the front
entrance to Washington
Square.

ROBIN HOOD
Advertised as an English Pub
Located on Sukhumvit Road
and Soi 33/1.

As the 1970's segued into the '80's there were already a few Nightspots that were at least adhering to the true concept of the Pub, often with the word as part of their name. True enough there were no such Night Entertainment Venues that were part and parcel of local 'inns', but there were in fact a few establishments which adhered to the form and function of the true Pub.

FLYERS
On the corner of Sukhumvit
and Soi 22 -- Not advertised
as a ''Pub'' but has all the
amenities.

LONDONER BREW PUB
Corner of Sukhumvit Road
and Soi 33 - in the basement.

But it wasn't until the early 1990's that Bangkok saw the opening of Pubs such as the English Pub on Soi Convent (now called the Irish X Change) that the pub-dweller finally began to feel at home. Here, in these new 'complete' Pubs could be found the 'pub lunch', here could be found the evening's musicians making too much noise to converse (should one be seated too close to the elevated musicians' corner), here could be found the imported beers and ales, including such new arrivals as Guinness Stout. These new Pubs were ideal venues for business lunches, small business gatherings, after-sports gatherings and even an ideal spot to celebrate New Year's Eve or for that matter, a quiet game of snooker - space providing. The Pub also provided for the first time an 'acceptable' social outlet for Bangkok's ever-growing female farang population - no longer were husbands and boyfriends obliged to occasionally take their farang better halves to see how 'the depraved other half' spent their evenings...Ahhhennnnnhhh!. It goes without saying that this new 'non-threatening' environment has attracted the unattached female farang as well - as is currently observed at virtually all of Bangkok's Pubs on any weekend afternoon or evening.

BOBBY'S ARMS
Silom Soi 4 - Soi Katoey
( Also accessed by the
Foodland parking lot,
Patpong 2.

(Hold cursor over photos for details)

The MIDNITE HOUR definition of "Pub" is that it serves alcoholic beverages, it has other recreation besides drinking, it serves meals made on premises and it is a place where the music and/or television is not so loud that conversation becomes difficult or impossible. We are not going to hold to the original concept that it be part of a local 'inn' or hotel, or whether or not the venue has the word "Pub" in the name. To be sure, this will not quell some elements from the British Isles that insist the venue must be "an English" pub, or "an Irish Pub", - as we are after form and function. -After all, even Merry Old England's Pubs have changed more functionally since they went 'international' than before that time. Having said that, though, the stranger to Bangkok has more assurances of finding a real Pub if it is from the Isles, than not - there are still a number of Night Entertainment Venues around that claim to be Pubs, but do not in fact qualify as true Pubs...

What does the future hold in store for Bangkok's 'Pub' scene? While not everyone's cup of tea, their "future looks bright ahead", as they say. New Pubs are opening almost monthly, and I can't in recent times recall seeing an empty Pub on either a Friday, Saturday or a Sunday.

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Nightspot Loy Krathong - BRINGING THE MOUNTAIN TO MOHAMMAD Loy Krathong is one of Thailand's most important and popular Festivals. The fact that it does not warrant a day off as an official holiday does not diminish the Thai's enthusiasm in celebrating. The celebration is always on the full moon of the 12th lunar month - usually falling in mid to late November. In the evening, after the full moon has risen, men, women and children of all ages, often dressed in their traditional finest, will make to the nearest body of water, be it river, khlong, pond, or swimming pool, and Loy (float) their incense and candle laden Krathong onto the waters, always wishing good luck for all. (Sometimes a coin is hidden within to ensure prosperity.)

The Loy Krathong Festival is said to have roots in India's ancient Deepavali ceremony - a Brahmin festival of lanterns and floats paying respects to Trimurati - Hinduism's three Supreme Gods. Thailand's Loy Krathong Festival, however, is to ask Mae Kong Kha, the Goddess of the River, for forgiveness for polluting her bounty, and to give thanks to her for providing her life-sustaining waters for all our needs.

Bangkok's Night Entertainment Scene workers, however, find themselves in the unenviable position of having to work during the festivities - only able to depart in the wee early hours of the morning, provided they are not too tired, and can find safe transportation to somewhere not too distant.

But with spirits undampened, they have decided that if they cannot go to Loy Krathong, they will, instead, bring it to work and celebrate there. Virtually all the young women (dancers excepted) working in the Lounges, the A-Go-Go's, the Pool Bars, etc, come to work in their finest traditional Thai dresses and other finery. There are always a few bars that place an inflatable kiddie-pool outside, encouraging one and all to come to launch their krathongs. A good time -if slightly modified to suit conditions- is had by all.

Taxi In - Walk Out

Sometimes we get a better 'flavor', a better idea of what is going on by reading the Thai language signs. Ever wonder why it is so hard to get a taxi from the Nana Hotel in the evening? This sign is located on the new wall at the Soi 4 intersection - and is apparently meant to help prevent taxi louts hanging out in front of Nana Plaza. The sign reads :-

To maintain order
and to prevent traffic problems,
Taxis without passengers shall not
enter Soi 4 (Nana Tai Rd)
from 23:00 (p.m) - 02:00 (a.m.)

Lumpini Police Station

December 2004 • NANA PLAZA •

Nightspot hours
'confirmed' - Same-Same Only Different Hours Deputy Interior Minister Pracha announced last month that the Benevolent Autocracy's policy of early closing would remain in effect. Apparently in response to some outlying Provinces saying they were going to set their own hours, he, as lackey of The Autocracy, kindly allowed that the outlying areas would be allowed to hold meetings to determine if they wanted to extend Night Entertainment operating hours. How generous.

Night Entertainment Workers hold a protest rally in Muang Thong Thani, where the Powers-That-Be were holding an extraordinary cabinet meeting this November. The sign reads -

"Do Night (working) People have rights, Sir?"

The "Sir" in question is the Benevolent Autocrat, of course. The 'heart' in the photo is an appeal to roll back closing times of Night Entertainemt Venues to the previous 02:00 hours.

Photo excerpt: Bangkok Post

        Minister Pracha reminded one and all that the Regulations - as they were originally implemented, are still in force - they are thus :

        1.   "Nightclubs in the designated Zones are allowed to open at 9:00 pm. and close at 2:00 am."   (Many in 'The Zone' are opening at 6:00 pm. - or have even earlier 'happy hours' - and are forced to close at 1:00 am.)

        2.   "Those Nightclubs outside the Zones also open at 9:00 pm, but must close at midnight."   (Many are open during the day, and with a little white envelope to the Men In Too-Tight Uniforms, turn their lights out and stay open until 1:30 - or if in a low profile area (not much Expat visibility) - even later.)

        3.   "Massage Parlors inside the Zones may open at 12:00 noon, and close at midnight."   (Many Massage Parlors have hours posted as closing at 1:00 am. and will serve customers for two hours, or more, if they are inside the door by closing time.)

        4.   "Massage Parlors outside the Zones may open at 6:00 pm. and must close at midnight."   (Many Massage Parlors outside the Zones have girls come in the early morning to take care of 'reservations' by guests of nearby hotels.   Even if they close at 12:00 midnight, this doesn't even begin to address the call-out service, which often runs into the wee hours of tomorrow.)

        5.   "Karaokes and Discos within the Zones can open at 6:00 pm and must close at 1:00 am."   (Karaokes & Discos within the Zones are easier to control than Massage Parlors, however, many are open until 1:30, with full Men In Tan participation. ) (Ahennnh..!)

        6.   "Karaokes and Discos outside the Zones can open at 6:00 pm, and must close at midnight."   (Same thing applies to Karaokes and Discos outside the Zones - they just have a lights-out policy until they actually close - again with Bangkok's Finest supervision.)

        7.   "All Entertainment Venues serving food and liquor with live music shows are allowed to open at 6:00 pm. and must close at 1:00 am."   (Many such venues open for lunches as well - closing again at around 2:00 pm. as posted on their signs out front.)

        Wouldn't it be nice if the Benevolent Autocracy "brains" knew what was going on?   Wouldn't it be nice if there were free-market forces at work ? - and people worked when they wanted to ?   And wouldn't it be nice if Bangkok's Finest weren't taking advantage of the current Draconian situation, just as in the bad old days ?

        And wouldn't it be nice if . . . . . .

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Japanese dessert - SOME RESTAURANTS HAVE
A HAPPY ENDING

         Through an exclusive interview the MIDNITE HOUR has been made aware of a new practice by several enterprising Night Venue owners which, at least so far, has kept them below the Benevolent Autocracy's radar screens.   Several restaurants, both in and outside Bangkok have been proselytizing young women away from the smaller steam & cream massage parlors to come to work for them.
         Recruitment tactics are the usual; recruiters create unusually high expectations of working conditions and earnings.   For example, the potential recruits are promised exclusively Japanese clientele (while reminding the prospective employees that the Japanese are "less-endowed, faster, and tip more"). --(Approx. translation).   The young women are told stories of other girls earning as much as 3,000 to 4,000 baht per 'short' (short-time) - if they take good care of their customer.   They are also reminded that they need not be twenty years of age to work in a 'restaurant'.   Many of the young women see these offers as too good to be true, or in some cases, do not want to relocate out of Bangkok, but there are many others who, as did our interviewee, decide to "give it a try for a month".
         The second part of our MIDNITE HOUR interview was conducted almost one month to the day after the first.   The interviewee explained that she actually worked in a restaurant, but in the back, the owner had constructed what could best be described as a 'modified fishbowl' where patrons could at any time make a selection of any of the young women to take out after the meal.   She said, however, that most of her johns came to her by referral and by introduction.
         As anticipated, the pie-in-the-sky stories of 3,000 - 4,000 baht per short were hype, but even the reality is better than our interviewee and many others were getting before they went to work at the 'restaurant'.   Their take-away service is available to all at a set flat fee - 2,500 baht, of which the girl gets 1,500 and the owner takes 1,000 baht.   Nor are the clientele all Japanese, as promised, (actual figures are estimated at 95++ %  Japanese) but this doesn't seem to make any difference to the interviewee and her friends working with her.
         Not only is "the system working" in this instance, it appears to be an ever more popular trend.   MIDNITE HOUR has personally interviewed young women working in similarly run Night Entertainment Venues in Nonthaburi and in Phu Khet.
         As we have stated on several occasions, the Night Scene appears to have become a hot tar roof of the Benevolent Autocracy's own creation.   When the Authorities step on any of the bubbles, they pop up somewhere else - sometimes even as an after-dinner sweetener.

(A note to several of our readers - as we are not in the business of promoting these venues, we will not be releasing the names or locations of the 'restaurants' in question. For obvious reasons, the interviewee wishes to remain unidentified. For those interested in our publishing policy, please visit our "About Us" page on this site. -Ed. )

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Spas double-whammied - OWNERS STEAMED

         Owners of Spas in Surat Thani Province are getting a little steamy under the collar - it seems the Thailand Excise Department has unilaterally deemed these venues to be sex-oriented businesses, lumping them together with other Night Entertainment Venues such as the steam-and-cream massage parlors.   The Excise Department has gone ahead with this re-categorization despite the fact that Surat Thani Province has an examination committee already in place to evaluate these businesses and said committee has already verified that the establishments in question are actually "alternative health treatment venues", and not sex venues.

         As a result of this heavy-handed unilateral action by the Excise Department, about 100 Spa owners from Krabi, Phu Khet, Phang Nga, and Koh Samui, all members of the Federation of Southern Spa Operators, have submitted official protests to several Surat Thani Provincial offices.

         The representatives of the Federation of Southern Spa Operators are hoping for relief, but not really expecting it.   As noted, the reclassification was made unilaterally and entirely arbitrarily at the hands of the Excise Department - and they had their reasons - they were then able to hit up these supposed "sex oriented venues" with an additional ten percent surcharge tax.   (Hey, when in doubt, follow the money.)

         The Spa operators have jointly complained that they have been double-whammied - not only have they and their businesses been falsely besmirched with the stigma of being "sex oriented", they are also now required to pay for the privilege.   Why, it's almost as if the Authorities don't really care that they are creating an apparently larger sex industry for all the world to see - as long as they are going to be making more money out of it...

Email me at bangkokeyes@bigfoot.com - - Click Here

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"Rumor Of The Month"

Where there's

"Rumor" is defined as "no-fault confabulation, chain-reaction speculation...." Nevertheless M IDNITE HOUR again presents the most outrageous / prevalent rumor to cross our desks this past month:

"Bangkok's Finest Special Branch are installing cameras at the entrance to Expat Night Entertainment Areas in order to document which farang are regular carousers."

MIDNITE HOUR includes as part of our Rumor Of The Month an ongoing evaluation as to the accuracy of said rumors since the inception of the award.

As of 01 December 2004, the Rumor Accuracy Quotient remains at - 0%
See our Archived Rumors at their worst : click HERE.

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December's

Follies
begin here
MIDNITE HOUR presents the NEWS on the Bangkok Night Scene; - the 'history-in-the-making' for all major Night Entertainment Areas - for the month ending 1 DECEMBER, 2004 :

• PATPONG I • .
MAP

A little over a month ago, we saw construction crews beginning to gut the old second storey La Costa steam & cream massage parlor (across the lane from Electric Blue on Patpong II) - and as it had been closed for two years, (October 2002), no one gave it much thought. But when they began to tear out the insides of the ground floor Thien Thien Restaurant which runs clear through to Patpong 1, our eyebrows were raised just a smidgen. This restaurant has been a (daytime) landmark on Patpong since before we began keeping records. It seems that there are big plans for all that square-footage - Downstairs will be, at least in part, an open-fronted venue similar to the Muzzik Café, and upstairs will be a Disco, reportedly with origins in Pattaya. There are also plans for a short-time hotel - hmmmm. As there is already a large short-time hotel just across the lane above the Patpong Cafe and Crystal Palace (accessed by the Cosmos stairwell), we wonder about the advisability of same. --At least, these are the plans as they stand at this juncture. As yet no name(s) being bandied about for the new Night Venue(s). • PATPONG I •

• PATPONG II • .
MAP

- Hiring -
Dancers
No forced 'Off' /Drinks
Baht 7,000 /month
with signing bonus.

"Doorman"
two positions
Baht 4,000 /month
with 4 days off /month
Experience Required

• December 2004 - PATPONG II •

Once again we often learn more about the 'trends' from reading the signs we can't read. The Electric Blue is yet again advertising for staff - but this time around, there are no forced "offs" or mandatory number of 'lady drinks'. It is these sort of hiring practices that will make it hard for the nay-sayers in and outside the Benevolent Autocracy to refer to Bangkok's Night Entertainment Venues as "brothels". Electric Blue, and the few other Night Entertainment Venues who also have this practice are to be commended.
The only worry we at MIDNITE HOUR retain is that signs like this will become "boilerplate" - something that everyone must have in front of his bar as part of their 'package of compliance' - something they feel they have to show any would-be inspectors - (but who, in reality, operate just as they had in the past.) But once again, taking nothing away from Electric Blue - they have done well. We hope to see more bars (really) falling into line on this one. • PATPONG II •

• NANA PLAZA • .
MAP

The Pretty Lady have offended the Benevolent Autocracy's Morality Police by showing more skin than can be covered by see-through string bikinis. While the A-Go-Go itself is closed for 30 days, some of the skin-showing lasses from inside have changed to their street-togs and moved outside to the bar beer area to beckon passers by (yes, their bar beer is still open). Shake it don't break it, gang, you know as well as we that Khun Noppadol, the current Deputy Secretary General needs to keep an ever-growing list of 'offenders' with which to update Big Daddy. And you know as well as we that Khun Noppadol is only going to get brown-nose points for 'high profile' busts (read: 'farang-oriented' busts). Like a motorcycle cop hiding behind a billboard, Khun Noppadol has to make his quota - and he now boasts he has put the boot into 62 Night Entertainment Venues since the beginning of the year....two of those venues are closed "indefinitely".) • NANA PLAZA •

It's going on 3 months and the Crown Group's third floor Carnival has as still been unable to get their neon mural to work. That's a shame, because it was a good idea. ...But so was the 'cascade' in front of their Cascade A-Go-Go - which they attempted to repair for a full year before just giving up. We hate to say this, but fountains and blinking neon signs are not any longer considered rocket science...maybe they should consider a change of contractors? Nevertheless, it's what's on the inside that counts, and Carnival looks to be returning to it's glory days... • NANA PLAZA •

Vixen's Nightclub closed in July of 2001, having sold out to Rock Hard (out of Clinton Plaza). They in turn, reopened a month later under both names:- Rock Hard - Vixen's - and spluttered along until finally closing in October of 2002 - and it's been laying fallow ever since. Since that time, MIDNITE HOUR has reported a couple, three flurries of contractor activity, which have resulted in absolutely nada. However, according to what we read on the 'boards, the latest flurry of renovations should result in the opening of the multi-level 'Bahama Nana' in a couple of months, or so. Best of luck - we all here at BANGKOK EYES like the name - reminiscent of Boney-M's hit 'Bahama Mama', of course. • NANA PLAZA •

  The Saloon Bar (Air Conditioned Private VIP Rooms) located just behind Spirit House bar beer looked darker than a poisoned well when we passed by the other night.   We'll check back, but it looked like we'd already missed the final curtain call.   • NANA PLAZA •

  • SOI COWBOY • .
   MAP

On the 18th November, having paid their debt to society -or at least to society's bloody-minded minders- the Suzie Wong once again pumped up the volume on the Rock 'n Roll. Welcome back to the night circus. • SOI COWBOY •

Special mention to Sheba's - their young lasses turned out in full Loy Krathong regalia last Friday - outshining any of the other Night Entertainment Venues in any of the Expat Night Entertainment Areas. Some of the photos appear above. Keep on keeping on. • SOI COWBOY •

• COWBOY ANNEX • .
MAP

Last month we gave a brief mention to the Bitchy Bar on Sukhumvit Road. But no sooner had we done so, than the construction crews moved in and demolished the interior of the building. Renovations are under way, however we doubt seriously that the Bitchy will be back...RIP. • COWBOY ANNEX •

• SOI DEAD ARTISTS (Soi 33) • .
MAP

Those of you poolside at the Timbevati Boutique Lodge & Steak House on Loy Krathong will have heard the announcement that the Timbevati, after a brief 6-month run, is now closed for renovations, and will be opening in about a month - with a new name. No one poolside or at the adjacent Sahara Sports Bar (which won't be closing down during renovations) knew what the new name would be. We'll keep you posted. • SOI DEAD ARTISTS •

Opened in August 2001, Madame Claude Bar & Lounge Bachelor Club (in the rear of 33 Complex) has gone up in a puff of smoke. When the smoke clears, in it's place will be the Blue Heaven Sports Bar - look for it to open around the first of the year. • SOI DEAD ARTISTS •

As we passed by Papa a couple of nights ago, only darkness shined out from within. They have posted a discreet sign saying they are in the process of renovating. --And we believe them - sacks of Portland cement are stacked out on their balcony; the interior stripped nearly clean. Papa opened only in March of this year, so a renovation seems a little premature - even so they say there is no name change in the offing. Smart money, however, says otherwise... • SOI DEAD ARTISTS •

Sa Thai Massage, one of three slightly ambiguous traditional massage parlors at the deep end of the Soi has switched off the lights and slipped the key under the door. They have, however, done this in the past - so we'll check back and see if they don't come back to life again. • SOI DEAD ARTISTS •

• EASY SQUARE • .
MAP

Missing from the roll call this month is the Thawan Thong Karaoke Club. Never very busy, it attracted, with very few exceptions, only local custom. A bright, shiny bronze padlock has sealed it's sliding glass doors for what appears to be the long haul. • EASY SQUARE •

As Easy Square continues it's dreary implosion, it looks like it's all over but the wailing and the gnashing of teeth. The tiny Ja Jeem Jum has not only rolled up it's red carpet and headed on down the road a piece, it's premises have been demolished - the ragged edges of a few concrete blocks are all that remains. • EASY SQUARE •

Some Like It Nice

BANGKOK EYES file photo

Easy Square's seminal bar, Nice Bar is this month's recipient of MIDNITE HOUR's Door Art of the Month award. It's neon representation of the iconic 'Marilyn' may not be long for this world, however, as Easy Square continues to self-extinguish to make way for yet another major Bangkok construction project.

• EASY SQUARE • December 2004

• EASY SQUARE • WIDTH=50%

• " SOI KATOEY " • .
MAP

We don't know what Noriega's is doing right, but they are doing it right again. We are witnessing good crowds milling around inside, or sitting outside - as they listen to good live music (on the weekends), and/ or select something to eat from the light menu. But then, with SuperStar Frank at the helm, this is not really any big surprise, right? Let the good times roll. • SOI KATOEY •

Opening in a dazzle of glass and stainless steel is the single shophouse Café 4. Welcome to the big uphill. • SOI KATOEY •

It looks like the The Den has stuffed the last chit in the last cup. Relative new kids on the block, they opened in December of 2001 - we really don't have any idea why they called it quits, they looked reasonably busy most of the time. • SOI KATOEY •

• QUEEN'S PARK PLAZA•
MAP

The Banana Bar, this time not crying, "Wolf !", has scribbled out it's last check-bin. One of the 'founding' bars, they have had temporary closures in January and June of this year. Greener pastures, gang. • QUEEN'S PARK PLAZA •

Taking over the reins and the lock and the stock and the barrel from the Banana Bar is the Kangaroo Bar. And just in case we didn't know where kangaroos come from, they have an Oz flag draped near the entrance. Bar beer remains the modus operandi. We wish them luck as they throw their dice against the pitted wall of chance. • QUEEN'S PARK PLAZA •

After a very short run (8 months), Luna Club closed in August of this year. After shopping around for a buyer -and finding none- they reopened again this November. Welcome back to the rough-and-tumble. • QUEEN'S PARK PLAZA •

• WASHINGTON SQUARE • .
MAP

Wagging tongues once again are floating the imminent closure of Washington Square. The 'rumor' -based in truth- does not, however, take into account what is going on behind the scenes re: the two and a half year extension option. We will print the full story here once it is cleared, but don't look for the Square to disappear in the next couple of years... • WASHINGTON SQUARE •

• TOBACCO ROAD • .
MAP

The Lucky Lukes Bar (not to be confused with Nana Plaza's original bar beer of the same name) have, it appears, hit themselves in the backside with their own door. Opening originally in August of 2000 as 'Lucky Luke', they quickly changed it to Nui Lucky Bar the following month due to a wrangle over use of the name. They kept that name until November 2001, when they went back to 'Lucky Lukes Bar'. But this time 'round, it looks like a wrap - we hope we are wrong, but things looked nailed up and buttoned down fairly securely. • TOBACCO ROAD (SOI ZERO) •

• THERMÆ & "13 NIGHT MARKET" • .
MAP

The Today Airport Bar 2 has absorbed one lok from it's nearest neighbor, the BB Bar Beer, leaving both about the same size.   As neither have their neon shingles nailed up, I guess it doesn't matter at which you pull up a stool & crack a cool one.     • 13 NIGHT MARKET •

  • OTHER NIGHT VENUES OF NOTE •
        Although MIDNITE HOUR is not yet carrying regular updates of the new Soi 1 Plaza, we note that the short-lived The One Bar has winked out of existence after only one month, and the brand new Night Night Joop Joop has burst forth on the scene with a vengeance all their own.   Aside from a 'too-cute' name, they are a very comfortable Pool Bar.   We wish them luck as they come onto the firing line.

  • The No-News-Is- Good-News Department • (No news !)

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--- Datzit Fernow





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