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Bangkok
Nightlife !
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Nudity in dancing and other forms of entertainment in Thailand has been around since Siamese times when, for example, going topless was not an affront to the eyes, was not something to be considered lascivious, and was not yet blamed on decadent Western influences. (We can remember buying postcards in the '60's of topless Siamese ladies - thinking how 'National Geographic' they were.)
Nevertheless, mores change, and along with them the dress codes. By the early 1960's there were very few one-off Nitespots which offered nudity - usually as tout-driven 'underground' shows. This lasted through the 1970's where a small handful of 'Show Venues' survived, for the most part, semi-discreetly through tour agency bookings - the Bangkok Nights at the top of Sukhumvit Soi 7 comes to mind. (Unfortunately, we kept no photographic history of this....)
The 1980's was, however, a brand new ball game. With the Golden Mile Night Entertainment Area on "Petchburi Tat Mai" having gradually dissipated, the big three Nightspot Areas for expats were the Patpongs 1 & 2, an ever-expanding Soi Cowboy and the new upstart Nana Plaza - none of which had any nudity in their A Go-Go or 'show' performances. But all that was about to change when the Wild Cat upstairs bar on Patpong 1 pulled down their old sign and stuck up the brand-new one that said Firecat.
The Firecat's instant popularity and the number of imitators on the Patpongs have secured it's place in Night Entertainment history as "the one that started it all" - at least in the form that we know it today. And (at least in round numbers) for the rest of the 1980's the Patpongs were the center of nudity on stage. And where were Bangkok's Finest, you ask? Good question - seeing as how nudity on stage was, and still is, technically 'illegal'. Well, with typical local candor, the Men in Too-Tight Uniforms from Bang Rak saw it as yet another 'crackdown' opportunity - another opportunity to perhaps supplement their meager monthly salaries. Ahemmmm...
By the 1990's (again we are talking approximate dates), other Night Entertainment Areas were seeing the light. Nana Plaza was the next to follow, when the Hollywood (downstairs) came out with Patpong-style full nudity. And as Nana Plaza's percentage of nudity grew, the Patpongs' slowly waned - leaving for the most part, just the King's Group Show Bars - (the three or four Queen's Castles), and a couple others (those others being rip-off bars). Nana Plaza being under the jurisdiction of Lumpini's Men In Tan, was, likewise allowed to operate in the nude -and likewise, just below the radar. Provided, of course, that they were willing to pay their way as they went.
The only thing that stays the same is 'change'; just as Nana Plaza supplanted the Patpongs as the center of nude entertainment in the 90's, so has Soi Cowboy slowly taken the reins from the NEP. In comparison to a decade ago, Nana Plaza is Victorian. Not so, "The 'Boy", however, as most of the bars, large and small, are offering nudity at least part of every night in one form or another. And if we were to mention that Cowboy is, instead, in the Thonglor Precinct, would you be able to guess the role this new lot of Gendarmerie are playing?
....And where it goes from here is anyone's guess - we think we will just lay back for another twenty years and observe.
Note:
-All photos taken with permission of bar management.
-None of the bars in these photos is open today.
-Dancers' faces have been obscured or changed in PhotoShop
- ed
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Let the April 2008 Follies begin...
BANKOK EYES' Expat Night Scene.
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Should anyone be looking in their windows, the Red Parrot Sports Bar looks exactly the same as the day it closed - lending credence, despite the rest of the building being renovated, that they will one day throw their doors back open, like they should be. -One of the better pool bars in Bangkok.
 PATPONG I
The Safari Disco-Go Go's sign is looking rather ragged - so we thought we'd better snap a quick 'for the record' shot before '''management' gets the notion to replace it. The rock 'n roll continues unabated within, however.
PATPONG I
The (mostly local) Bua Luang (in Cosmo's stairwell) has closed - and it looks like they are getting ready to prepare to get ready to do some renovations. We'll keep an eyeball peeled, and get back atcha if anything changes. Oh, and while they are at it, they might want to consider some new neon - with the name of the bar spelled correctly....
PATPONG II
The (entirely local) Sao Za On has got some new neon - not that it will help all you Farang wetbacks out there who haven't yet learned to read Thai.... They haven't seemed all that busy since they opened - let's just see where all this lamsing is going to take them....
PATPONG II
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Don't Worry - Be Happy-ending
Mike' Place (say: 'Lolitas') probably has the lowest afternoon / evening price for suds - if drinking beer is what you like to do when interacting with Lolitas' energetic oralists...
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After a couple of months in the penalty box for reasons real or imagined, Sisters - Take Two, and the joined-at-the-hip The Lift have shaken off the heavy hand of Bangkok's Finest and are back in full stride. Welcome back to the nightgames.
The Royal Salute Cocktail Lounge has reopened - but this time under new patronage. All else remains the same, however - a great place for a quiet drink. Welcome them to the darker side of bright-lights, big-city.
While the rest of Bangkok's Night Entertainment population is getting with the "program" (Save energy - Anti-global warming"), not so Soi Cowboy. No early "lights out" for them - they continue to bask in the most radiant of neon, right on past midnite, and up until the Men In Too-Tight Uniforms call 'time'.
SOI COWBOY
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Door Art Of The Month
Award
The Erotica has switched out the green, and switched back on their new 'hot red' look. An immense improvement on the outside - let's hope this translates to getting busier on the inside. Keep on truckin'....
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NANA PLAZA
The Milano Italian Barfood, the pizza and beer place, was only open a few months before plunging headlong into the abyss. The 'For Sale' sign in the window leaves little room for argument. Seemed like a good idea at the time, though....
SOI KATOEY
There was a large crowd around the Smirnoff's promotion booth the other night. We can't quite put our finger on it, but there's just something about free vodka and beautiful women that seems to attract....
SOI KATOEY
The Hitomebore was open only a few months before saying their final 'sayonara's. They got gobbled up by their next door neighbors, Ran-Hime Club, also of the Nipponese persuasion.
SOI DEAD ARTISTS - SOI 33
In case you hadn't noticed, the Bacchus has been entirely made over. Now a double-shophouse inside-outside affair, it is looking very good indeed. Let the rock continue to rock. (Editor's note: This item appeared late last month and is repeated here for those who regularly browse our site early in the month.)
SOI DEAD ARTISTS - SOI 33
Last month we noted that the Akane Fashion Massage was closed and was to reopen after a few days. Well, all the above came true; business as usual (and unusual, if that's your shtick). (Editor's note: This item appeared late last month and is repeated here for those who regularly browse our site early in the month.)
SOI DEAD ARTISTS - SOI 33
Closed since 2 February, at least as far as Soi Dead Artists is concerned, is the Nirvana Massage Centre. They have moved their massage girls over to the Soi 23 branch until such time as they open their new shop (location to be revealed). We'll check back and give you a come-back on their new location. (Editor's note: This item appeared late last month and is repeated here for those who regularly browse our site early in the month.)
SOI DEAD ARTISTS - SOI 33
Opening this month is the Sawatdee Massage - and if you don't count what happens when you go for an 'oil massage', it is one of the few 'legitimate' Thai massage parlors on Soi Dead Artists. (Editor's note: This item appeared late last month and is repeated here for those who regularly browse our site early in the month.)
SOI DEAD ARTISTS - SOI 33
The back row in Washington Square is becoming a fairly respectable bar scene - there are more expat bars there now than there have ever been. -And this, in spite of the old redevelopment rumor raising it's ugly head again. This time around, people on the ground are taking things a little more seriously - some bar owners are even holding off on otherwise 'needed' renovations -while they await further word on the Square's ultimate fate. More on this as we hear of it.
WASHINGTON SQUARE
The Penguin Bar, having run out of ideas, excitement and money (not necessarily in that order), have thrown the breaker and bolted the hatches. Not to worry, however, because the Bada Bing ! was there to scoop up what was left of the lease and have commenced to march. We don't have good vibrations on this however, as we noted the owner was spending most of his time entertaining the hostesses, instead of the hostesses entertaining the guests. But, hey, it's his bar.... Nevertheless, let's welcome them to the sharkpool.
QUEEN'S PARK PLAZA - SOI 22
Soi Eden seems to be more in step with the outside world, and Thailand's official-unofficial "program" ('Save energy - Anti-global warming'). Last night, both the Tequila Dragon (pictured below) and the Absolute 7 Bar were jumping with activity - lights or no lights. May they continue to rock.
All quiet on the Southern Front this month. In this instance, no news is good news.
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- In the LAND OF SMILES -
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This month's "Thai Smile" belongs to a young lady that, at least for the present, spends very little time in Thailand.
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Historical Minutiae Dept.
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ASK US (ALMOST) ANYTHING
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Sociopathy And Me
OUR MOST GRAPHIC
PERSONALITY DISORDER
IS HANGING OUT
Attn: William Morledge--
This email will not take much of your time and will have no influence on your behavior; but my compulsion to send it will make me feel good . . . to wit: your continued featuring of graffiti is without defense. You are presenting criminal behavior that defaces public and personal property without admonition or thought for civility. This make you an accessory to the crime. And you do not care. This is the final affront and the final push on the downward death spiral for all individuals and societies--indifference. Indifferent people can not be trusted--for anything. They have no moral compass, they adhere to no tribal limits, they are striving towards no measurable or trustworthy goals. Congratulations: your expat experience is complete--you are almost a Thai. You must be very proud.
Nothing should stop you now and we all wait with baited breath for your next cyberspace 'creative' efforts. How about featuring pedophiles and their favorite hobbies? Or maybe a monthly review of murderers and their favorite colors? Wait a minute--here is one you could defend as 'free speech' -- pictures of Thais urinating in public and call it Thai culture. Or how about videos of Thais littering and you could call them 'happenings' for that 60's New York art scene patina of respectability. Naw, none of these ideas have the power of your graffiti postings. So why not feature the faces of the graffiti 'artists' (you have no pride William) along with interviews. Yeah baby, that's the ticket--let us through the interview medium reach into the hearts and the minds of these 'artists' to find out what makes them tick. They should be happy to do this because; you know--they are 'artists'.
Dana
(Dana In America)
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Hello, Dana In America,
We note with interest that you point out your compulsive behavior - good for you, that's the first step. But this does not detract in any way from the fact that you are a person of strong convictions and an equally strong sense of responsibility toward the community and the world. ---And, we ask, who among us would not admire these traits?
And since you have such strong convictions on the subject of graffiti, we will make you an offer - send us some pictures of you removing graffiti from anywhere - Florida? Bangkok? - and we will post them on our website with any write-up you may want to include. You know, just to show that you have the courage of your convictions.... And - we will not edit out a single word. Can't get a better deal than that.
Sincerely,
'Boge' Hartman
(For : Will Morledge)
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? ASK
US (ALMOST) ANYTHING !
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We can answer virtually any (reasonable) question on the Expat Night Entertainment Scene in
Bangkok - be it Historical or very recent. Send us an e-mail and
we will do our best to answer you soonest.
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'Boge' Hartman
Historical Research
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* Zootramp Publications
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VICARIOUS ART CRIMES # 30
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MIDNITE HOUR's
- And now to
Bangkok's own brand of Graffiti....
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Graffiti #211
Dude Again
5 ft. high x 16 ft.
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Graffiti #212
Dude On Detail
5 ft. high x 4 ft.
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Graffiti #213
Big Toes
10 ft high x 22 ft
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Graffiti #214
Checkmate
5 ft. high x 13 ft.
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Graffiti #215
Tarot Cards
10 ft. high x 20 ft.
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Graffiti #216
Tripe All Over
5 ft. high x 12 ft.
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Graffiti #217
Sanay
5 ft high x 13 ft
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Graffiti,
Graffiti , and more Graffiti - Bangkok's original and ONLY graffiti Site !
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The
MIDNITE HOUR Graffiti Page is prepared by Staff Contributor "Boge" Hartman.
(Boge's photo, above, is not a graffiti per-se, although there are those who have insinuated.... - Ed)
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--- Datzit Fernow
William R. Morledge
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Copyright  2002 - 2008, BANGKOK EYES / bangkokeyes.com
Copyright Bangkok Eyes / bangkokeyes.com : 2002-2008
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April's Nightlife News 
PATPONG I 
