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The Night Scene & the Riots
- AN OUTLAW EX-PRIME MINISTER'S LEGACY
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The Midnight Hour rarely takes an interest in Thailand's political matters - and then, only when these matters affect our local Night Entertainment Scene. This month we will discuss the recent Songkran riots with a long-time observer of Bangkok's nighttime activities; a person we will call Somchai. MH: The Nation (newspaper) headlined the recent rioting as 'Songkran Inferno'. Whether or not this language was on the slightly-hyperbolic side, the news and photos of the unfolding violence reached around the world. Do you feel that this news had a negative impact on Thailand's, and specifically, Bangkok's expat Nightlife Scene? S: Answering that will be easy, however answering without bias will be difficult - especially when I have spent a number of days at the several hotspots around town, including the final day of Red Shirt rioting at Government House. There was, by the way, enough real fire to go around -and I don't mean gunfire- as well as the threat of a wholesale 'inferno' - I'm sure there are some individuals, some neighborhoods, out there that would buy into The Nation's headline. Remaining as objective as possible, we can look to hotel occupancy rates as an indicator of how tourism in general was affected, and from that, extrapolate that the Night Life Scene was affected proportionately. Generally, hotel occupancy is lower in Bangkok during the Songkran holidays, however several hotels noted that this year's Songkran occupancy was slightly lower than anticipated - but all by single-digit drops, I might add.
MH: Did you get any indication from bar owners or managers as to whether the Songkran riots hurt business? And if so, which areas were affected? S: Talking with bar owners is not usually a reliable source of information - some will try to tell you what you want to hear, some will tell you that business was great, so that you will, in turn, report that they have the most successful bar in the Universe, and there are even some that will tell you the truth - an old Night Owl truism. We should remember that this is Central Thailand's 'hot season', and traditionally tourism -including Nightlife tourism- is down. However in recent years, as Thailand's tourism industry has matured, there has been less of a drop-off in tourism during the 'hot season'. But, in direct answer to your question, there was, as expected, no consensus among the several bar owners as to whether there was a drop-off in business. The only thing we can be sure of was the Nightlife Scene did not shut down during the days of civil unrest - and both Cowboy and Nana were celebrating Songkran in the usual manner from morning till night.
MH: But wasn't tourism already depressed since the earlier "Yellow Shirt" riots and closure of Suwannaphum International Airport? Should we not take this into account also? S: Of course, tourism dropped off quite suddenly and quite drastically when the rioters closed the Airport. And while the level of tourism stayed depressed for several days, it made a relatively quick recovery. Taking hotel occupancy again, as well as other indicators, things seemed to return to normal about three weeks after the Airport reopened. MH: So, then, let me expand a little - taking into account both Red Shirt rioting and Yellow Shirt rioting, you do, or you don't, foresee any far-reaching effects of the recent protest demonstrations? S: Actually -if we are referring to just tourism and the Nightlife Scene- the effects of these highly-illegal civil insurrections were, in themselves, actually quite minimal in the short term. And, in a sense, this is self-defining - the disruptions to tourism didn't last long - that's why we call them "short-term". What Thailand, and Thailand's tourism industry should be concerned about are the long-term, or as you called them, 'far-reaching' effects. The closure of the Suwannaphum airport and the attack on the ASEAN delegations in Pattaya have given Thailand a black eye in the international community - it is, quite rightly, seen as a break-down in law-and-order here in Thailand, and it appears to the outside world that any violence-prone minority can make a mockery of rule-of-law. It is entirely conceivable that these two events have hurt Thailand in the long-term, both in the area of foreign investment and in the tourism and Night Life Scene. It is a little too soon to measure these effects accurately, however.
MH: You note that these protest movements were 'civil insurrections', and that they were illegal. But aren't you overstating the case here? Do not the citizens of Thailand have the right to protest? S: OK, if you want to go there.... Perhaps you are suffering under the same over-simplified view that the protesters themselves are harboring. I believe that you will find there are the local equivalents to "the right of assembly" and "the right to free speech". I do not believe you will find "the right to protest" in the Constitution, or anywhere else. This is not just a semantical exercise, or a 'spin' - it is essential to understanding exactly what rights the people - all of the people - do have. This is not mootable, it is not a 'grey area' - the protesters believed they had the right to be out on the streets, and to violate others' rights by prohibiting others' free movement, or by prohibiting children from attending school, or going to a public park, or visiting Government House, or etcetera - whatever. The protesters believed that they had the right to destroy public property, to threaten neighborhoods with horrific gas explosions, to burn public busses, to disrupt the right of the citizenry to travel on public transportation to wherever they wanted or needed to go. They believed that their cause was just, and that this gave them the right to attack our Prime Minister in his official vehicle. -As an aside, had they tried that in the U.S. or in China, for example, there would have been a blood-bath of the first order. However, the rioters' freedom to assemble, their freedom to speak as they wish, did not, and does not include the right to stop even one small child from going next door to visit another. This goes all the way back to the very roots of "freedoms from" and "freedoms to"; no individual or group has a 'freedom' which allows them to suspend, or trod on the freedom of others. The Yellow Shirts and the Red Shirts were plainly guilty of civil insurrections. The Nation newspaper called the recent Red Shirt activity "Urban Terrorism". The threat to ignite three large gas trucks and gas-powered busses in an highly populated urban area - if carried out, would have consumed the entire area; buildings, people, vehicles - everything. Recall if you will, the holocaust at the Petchburi Road flyover a few years back, when just one gas truck overturned and burned. These are terrorist tactics in anyone's book.
MH: So, what is the answer? If these protests, at least all of them so far, always lead to excesses, civil disobedience, and insurrection, do we bar these and other groups from congregating in the future? S: Not at all. Denial of the rights of assembly and free speech is not freedom - by definition. But what we have seen taking place over the last several days is actually most encouraging. In past times, civil disruptions of this magnitude have precipitated coups d'etat - such as in '92 - and this was certainly Thaksin's intention, according to several sources. However, it did not happen. Under the current Abhisit government, the military was called out to put down the rioting. The key element here, is that they remained under the incumbent government's control - something unique in our recent history. 'Part Two' to the story is the military employed the concept of "minimum necessary force". The threat of force was there, but they didn't actually have to use it. This was something that was noted by the locals, and in fact, hailed by the locals. When out on the streets, I was witness to private citizens bringing Coca-Colas, Krating-Daengs (Red Bull energy drinks), water and snacks to the soldiers on duty and on patrol. There were several such reports of the peoples' kindness in the Press. This is the first time since '92 that the military has been looked upon with favor by the citizenry. All of this is in an indication that rule-of-law is returning to Thailand. I also note that they, the military, mobilized Humvees instead of tanks this time around. On a further positive note, the local populace actually became enraged at the Red Shirts, both in the Din Daeng and Nang Lerng areas. This resulted in many confrontations between the two - the population is showing increasing signs of tiring of these attempts to "govern from the streets". The people are no longer buying wholesale into having their lives being disrupted by an unrepresentative thuggery - no matter how often or gloriously these rioters attempt to 'wrap themselves in the flag' - their frequent cries of 'Prachatipatai' (Democracy) are starting to ring hollow - people are seeing them for what they are - a mob.
MH: We also noted the abundance of new Humvees put into action. Much more maneuverable, of course, not to mention that they had a much less Draconian, much more Schwarzeneggarian presence. But convicted fugitive and ex-Prime Minister Thaksin reported to CNN, and we quote, "They (the military) trapped the people. Many people died. They even took the dead bodies up on the truck and took them away." We note that there were several stories similar to this surfacing immediately after the riots. We don't want to appear unduly skeptical, but certainly this is not application of "minimum necessary force"? S: "Schwarzeneggarian"? Well, first of all, we wouldn't want to leap into believing the word of a convicted fugitive from justice, but we must understand that he was not there in the streets with us, or even in Thailand. So he either made it up out of whole cloth, or was told this by his henchmen. Remember that all the venues of riotous activity were covered by the legitimate foreign and local Press, and I'm excluding the media-whores at CNN here.... The population was out in the streets as well. There was not even a single report, or photo, or video by a single responsible individual or media organization of an instance where the military shot even a single Thai citizen. But let's put Thaksin's lie to the test - if there were a truckload, or truckloads, of bodies hauled off, where are the weeping widows? Where are the wailing children? Where are the distraught parents? Where are the missing-person reports, and the list of names - as was produced in '92- when there really were dead protesters hauled away in army trucks. There are none of these, of course, because no one died at the hands of the military this time around. The Red Shirts have not only shown their disregard for the law, they have shown their disregard for the truth.
MH: So, then, with at least the promise of a return to a rule-of-law society, doesn't this equate to a better long-term outlook for tourism and for the Thai Nightlife Scene? S: Yes, but we shouldn't take it for granted at this point. These Red Shirt-Yellow Shirt riots have divided the Thai nation politically in unprecedented fashion. Before, politics used to be a bunch of good-old-boys at the top, all corrupt, all waiting for the next election, waiting for their turn to dip from the well. The guy with the most 'canvassers', and the most 'red ones' to hand out had it in the bag. Now with the dawning of the age of colored-shirt adversaries, many enemies have been made, people are actually getting arrested and prosecuted. The bad blood hasn't disappeared, and it is likely to be around for the long haul. As you know, political fortunes can reverse, and the strangest of arrangements can actually come to pass. For example, who would have thought five years ago that Samak could become Prime Minister? No one took him for anything but a loud, vulgar, minor politician getting all he could, while he could. If we want to examine the possibilities downstream for Thailand's tourism and Nightlife, the very worst that could happen would be if Thaksin were to succeed in his attempts to return and once again become Prime Minister. Remember, despite his recent protestations of wanting "rule-of-law" and wanting "Democracy" for Thailand, his record is something entirely different. When in office he went on record as saying specifically that Democracy was not his objective. As for rule-of-law, 2,500 people were extrajudicially executed in the streets and by-ways of this nation - on his watch, and under his oversight - this should never be forgotten or diminished in any way. You will recall that the blackest days, or should I say, 'nights' in Thailand's Nightscene history were also on his watch, when he had Khun Purachai crack down on the Night Entertainment Industry across the board, creating politically expedient Entertainment Zones, and threatening to close down entire Night Entertainment Areas. If you at Bangkok Eyes want something to keep you awake at night, that's it. That's the one. MH: We remember the bad old days of the Purachaian era very well, and would like to thank you for your 'historical' perspective and outlook on the future of Thailand's Night Entertainment Scene.
TOP
PATPONG I
The venerable Madrid has a new sign above the door - which reads "Madrid 2009". This however, does not signify a change of ownership or the friendly service within. Keep on keeping on.
PATPONG I
Mike's Place is reported to have a new owner (Lolitas is out). A quick visit inside reveals a comfortable, if smallish lounge type bar. Other services not defined. They intend to keep the original name (until such time as they change their mind...) Welcome them to the big uneasy.
PATPONG II
The (Unnamed Short-Time Hotel), up one flight of stairs in Cosmo's Stairwell has locked the door and switched off the lights. Ashes to ashes - so be it, then.
PATPONG II
SOI COWBOY
THERMAE ANNEX - NEAR SUKHUMVIT SOI 15
NANA PLAZA
Another 'for-the-archives' shot, this time of the Pretty Lady. Again, this neon almost invisible from ground level, although the bar is on that level.
NANA PLAZA
SOI KATOEY - SILOM SOI 4
SOI DEAD ARTISTS - SOI 33
The Villa Italia had it's soft opening a couple of weeks back. Not exactly a bar-restaurant, it is definitely a Night Entertainment Venue. The Italian owners would like to categorize it as an Italian Lifestyle Venue - a place for young and old to get together for a glass of (Italian) wine, and enjoy the large selection of antipasti and other free snacks. It is located at the end of Sub-soi 7 (much further into Soi 33 than most of us have been) in a large and comfortable converted villa. Welcome them to Sin City.
SOI DEAD ARTISTS - SOI 33
Legends Sports Bar & Grill, which had their soft opening last month (see our April issue), had their 'formal' grand opening this month, as scheduled. In the meantime, as promised, they nailed up their new neon - (might we, however, suggest a couple bits of sticky-tape?) Keep on rockin'.
SOI DEAD ARTISTS - SOI 33
The Music Station Bar & Pool has added an outer "sound barrier" around their once-open frontage - it seems the neighbors were complaining about the noise. (Or perhaps jealous of the Music Station's success?) Whatever.... let the good times roll.
SOI DEAD ARTISTS - SOI 33
We noted last month that the Papa pub was poised to reopen at any time, and reopen, it did. In the process, they got some additional neon - all is well. Welcome them back to the same old millstone.
SOI DEAD ARTISTS - SOI 33
If, on 24 April, you had mistaken Soi 33 for a motorcycle B-movie set, you would be forgiven. The Renoir Club 1849 - (just the 'Renoir' to you and me...) was hosting the Harley-Davidson crowd who were in town (and will be through mid-May). If you are an aficionado of two-wheel steel, that was the place to be - some fine machines....
SOI DEAD ARTISTS - SOI 33
WASHINGTON SQUARE
The Sportsman Bar & Restaurant, now occupying the old Studio 22 digs (below the now defunct Mambo) had it's soft opening a couple weeks back. They will be having their official opening on 7 May, and will have some brand new neon (and the rest of the decor) in place. We suspect the sign will be similar to the below, but we will be back next month with photos, in any case.
WASHINGTON SQUARE
QUEEN'S PARK PLAZA - SOI 22
SOI EDEN - SOI 7/1 SUKHUMVIT
Tarntip Massage & Spa have some new neon out at curbside with their current 'menu' of prices. The Tarntip is a legitimate massage / spa. Keep on a slippin' and a slidin'.
SOI EDEN - SOI 7/1 SUKHUMVIT
The J-Hong (a 'working-name') has opened in the recently closed-down Tequila Dragon digs. They will have some new neon up one day soon, so, we shall return and get some more photos at that juncture. Welcome them to the big uphill.
SOI EDEN - SOI 7/1 SUKHUMVIT
The Bai Fern has offered massage for a couple of months, however their earlier sign indicated "Bell's Massage". They now have some new curbside neon (below), however the same massage services are found within. The young woman greeting customers at the front said they were calling it simply, "Bai Fern Massage".
SOI EDEN - SOI 7/1 SUKHUMVIT
SOI TWILIGHT
OTHER NIGHTSPOTS OF INTEREST
Bangkok Rocks promises to be a first-class live R&R venue. Their promo material has indicated an opening date of 1 May, which would be right about ...now. However, knowing Thai tradespeople as I do, I'm inclined to go with their sign (below) - "opening early May". Unfortunately we had to go to press before opening night, but we will definitely follow up in the next issue.
SOI 19 - SUKHUMVIT ROAD
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