Having been involved in a number of conversations lately on Soi 33, and whether or not it is turning into "Nippon-Town", we decided to do something about it. We decided to look at the facts. Using our old and new maps, and the Zootramp databases, we decided to do a quick comparison between the year 2010 (when Soi Dead Artists was in it's heyday) and 2015. Have a look at the results below:
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SOI DEAD ARTISTS - Soi 33 Sukhumvit Rd.
The below chart lists the Nitespots in RED which are either geared entirely for Japanese trade, or are more favorably oriented to Japanese trade. There are of course a few Venues which are borderline, and on those, we made our best 'educated guess' based on knowledge gained over several years' surveys.
- Soi 33 Year 2010 Nitespot Names (Japanese Venues First)
1. Fusicho
2. Chip In
3. Hibari
4. Zoo
5. Srawberry Farm
6.Vanilla
7. Akane
8. Kocho Ran
9. Joy
10. Nyan Nyan
11. Asuka Club
12. Ran Maru Massage
13. Geisha Massage
14. Onna No Ko
15. Ran Hime
16. 33 Bangkang
17. Setsu Getsu
18. Yuki Hana 19. Rakuten
20. Dream Heaven Massg
21. Love Teen Massg
22. Napoleon
23. Tenderloins
24. Sawasdee Massg
25. Kiss
26. Livingstone's Beer Gdn
27. Livingstone's Sports Lng
28. Music Station
29. Blue Heaven (before not Nippon)
30. Bar Fly
31 Dali Club
32. Dali Coyote
33. Christie's
34. Bistro 33
35. Cyclone Club
36. Pheeran Massg
37. Po Massg
38. Teen 3 VIP Masg
39. Best Massg
40. Demonia
41. Santana
42. Tuk Tuk
43. Monet
44. Green Parrot
45. Beavers
46. Sweet Mango
47. Lookie Lookie
48. Wall Street
49. Bliss Massg
50. Gaugin
51. Papa
52. The Dew Msssg
53. Soulmate
54. The Office
55. Mojos
56. Cefle Massg
57. Degas
58. Renoir
59.Vincent Van Gogh
60. Simply Spa
61. MMS Massg
62. Jack & Betty Massg
63. Central Tour Massg
64. Londoner Brew Pub.
- Soi 33 Year 2015 Nitespot Names (Japanese Venues First)
Tsudoi
Vanilla
Ran-Hime Club
Honey
LB Club Mitu
Tomoe Club
Tsubaki
Blue Heaven
Ikemen 33
Japanese Karaoke
Omotenashi Club Mitu
Joy
Kocho Ran
Sakuranbo Snack
Soba Juban
Japanese Snack Bar
Yumeji Club
Bar Kizuna
Akane Fashion Massage
Asuka Club
Gate Barbecue
Nyan Nyan Massage Monet Club
Dali Club
33 Thai Sabai
Bar Fly
Tenderloins
Ocean Pool Lounge,
Ocean Gastro Bar, Spa
Fine Massage & Spa
Moulin Rouge
Love Teen Massage
Dream Heaven Massage
Thanks Massage
Survey Entertainment
Araya Massage
i Bar
The Office Bar & Grill
Mojos
Cefle Massage
My Therapy
Lips
Chillax Spa
Goya Club
Wall Street Bar
Fortune Club
Dark Side
Sweet Mango
Napoleon Club
No. 1 Massage
Demonia
Teen VIP Massage
Po Massage
Bistro 33
Rakuten
18 of 64 Total Nitespots were Japanese oriented Nitespots.
That is equal to 28 %
22 of 55 Total Nitespots are now Japanese oriented Nitespots.
That is equal to 40 %
The results of this thumbnail comparison are conclusive and quite interesting from a demographics standpoint. In 2010 there were more Nitespots, total, than this year, 2015, by a significant margin. In 2010, there were fewer Japanese oriented Nitespots than there are currently. The trend is obvious, any way you want to look at it, Soi Dead Artists is slowly, very slowly, becoming "more Japanese". However to say that the Soi is becoming, or has becomeJapanese is a stretch - to say the least. Of course, again from a demographics standpoint, it looks as though Soi Dead Artists has reached it's Zenith, and is on the downhill slope. (Dare we speak, as do the Nitespot owners themselves, of greedy landlords and outrageous lease prices?)
I expect this is a FAQ for you - I understand you are taking over for Stickman now that he is going back to his home in New Zealand. I have been reading Stickman for years, and I saw where in one of his editorials he linked to you at Bangkok Eyes. My question however is will you be continuing on with his emails from readers and the mystery photo of the week, and any of his other 'features'?
KKC
Greetings, KKC,
Thanks for reading and for writing in. Yes, this is a FAQ - a Frequently Asked Question. And we should take a moment here to set the record straight. A few months back, when Stickman was contemplating an unequivocal 'escape' from Bangkok, he kindly advised his readers to visit our Bangkok Eyes site. And a good many people did - we had a bonanza month as far as visitors to the site was concerned. And for this we are eternally indebted.
And while 'visitors to our site' remains on the increase, the Midnite Hour will not be changing our format - we will continue to present an ongoing history of Bangkok's Nitescene - a survey-generated review of old Night Entertainment Venues closing, and new Night Entertainment Venues opening within the major Expat Night Entertainment Areas. We will be retaining our other features, as found within. However, we will not be adopting any of the Stickman column features. And that will be for a couple of compelling reasons:
The first reason is that Midnite Hour is produced by 'volunteer labor' - we do not solicit advertising, nor do we make any money from other means from this site. This pretty much limits our 'level of effort' to approximately 4 days at the end of each month to prepare the coming issues. Then, after that, we return to living our lives - and earning our keep. Or, to say the same thing another way, we could not match Stickman's level of productivity. We have even mentioned to Stickman, over lunch, that we do not have any idea how he is able to produce a new issue of that volume, of that quality, each week. It is, in our estimation, a phenomenal effort on his part.
The second reason we will not be assuming any of the Stickman features on Midnite Hour, or otherwise 'taking over' from Stickman, is that Stickman - the website - is not going anywhere. He is still publishing<LINK> - and will continue to do so for the foreseeable future. And while we have personally urged Stickman - the person - to remain in Thailand, he has not finally committed one way or the other. (He is currently having a look-about in N-Zed.) But whatever he finally decides, his Stickman website will remain - with, perhaps at most, slightly modified content. -With emphasis on the "perhaps".
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.
A pic of the Surawong Road entrance to Patpong 1. Most do not realize that Patpong-at-night is no longer mostly Night Entertainment Venues. Patpong 1's glory days are now just a distant memory, it has become mostly 'big-bag shops' and Night Bazaar stalls selling imitation-branded goods.
All else aside, the Rio Club has, without question, some of the most outstanding, and dynamic (transforming / shifting) neon in Thailand. The Rio is a most obvious candidate for this month's Door Art Of The Month Award.
For some reason, each time we passed by in the past, the True Obsessions neon had something, or someone blocking our view. At last, a For-The-Archives record shot of that neon.....
NANA PLAZA
Late entry: The moment we went to press, Bubbles, on the 3rd floor closed it's doors, and the coyotes were released back into the wild. We will see if we can get additional photos next time. One of the possibilities discussed was not to rush into renovating Bubbles, but rather to finish off the renovations at Jail Birdz, across the way. Estimated time of completion: this June. As it stands, this is only discussion, and NOT a confirmed plan of action... We shall update again next issue.
After two months' renovation, the former One Night Only digs reopened as the indoor-outdoor L.L. Cafe - it remains to be seen if this is going to be a "Nitespot" or just a restaurant, but in the meantime, welcome to Partytown. (The One Night Only, however, lasted longer than that - they opened in April of 2012, having taken over from the B. B. House.)
SOI KATOEY - (SILOM SOI 4)
The For Fun is closed down for renovations to the 1st and 2nd floors. They should be reopening in June of this year. Note: the outside verandah is still serving.
The Hands Of Heaven Massage & Spa have just opened on Soi Lemongrass (the small soi just past the now-renovating Imperial Queen's Park Hotel). They are yet another massage venue with a menu that doesn't seem to quit. Welcome them to the machine. And while we are on the subject, if you can't find the exact massage you are looking for in any of the several massage parlors on that small soi, you are not likely to find it in Bangkok - you might as well try the Philippines.....
Last month we tipped off our readers that Lips was about to reopen, and that they would eventually have a name-change. Well, the first part happened - they reopened (rather softly). But for whatever reason (we smell a rat), they are now closed again. We'll keep an ear to the ground, and if we hear of any change of status, we shall duly report.
SOI DEAD ARTISTS - SOI 33
Could it be that My Theraphy Spa & Massage has fallen victim to ? Nevertheless, their new signage is a vast improvement over the old. My Theraphy is an 'ambiguous' massage parlor.
Last month we noted that the Aloft Hotel was home to three Nitespots. A reader reminds us that we listed only the one: the WXYZ Bar. The other two Venues are Levels and Crave. So, let the good times roll. See photos below -
The Down Under was battened down the other night when we passed by. We suspect this might have been a temporary closure - after all, what self-respecting Oz bar would leave without taking their wooden 'roo? We'll keep an eyeball peeled, and get back atcha if the status changes....
Since November of last year, the Hot Male and the Hot Male 2 have been combined as just Hot Male. As of this month, they have once again reestablished the Hot Male 2 as a separate entity. May they persevere.
Bangkok Eyes goes back in time to
see
Who was new - And who was through
in the Expat Night Entertainment world.
How many of these old 'oases'
do you remember ?
Patpong I
* No
changes that month / year.
Patpong 2
* The The Condom Club (previously Elixer - The Condom Club) dropped 'Elixer' from it's name. It was located on the 2nd Floor of the stairwell opposite Foodland. There is no Nitespot at that location today.
* The Body Talk Cafe Bar closed. It was located on the 4th floor of the stairwell across from Foodland. There is no Nitespot at that location today.
* Drop Koi Beauty Shop, and True Mark, from the reporting, as they were not Night Entertainment Venues. They were located on the 4th floor of the stairwell opposite Foodland. There are currently no Nitespots at those locations.
* The Imagine Bar closed after a brief one-month try at it. It was located above the Topless Beer Bar. No venue currently occupies that space.
Soi Cowboy
* The Surprise (Country 88) (the single shophouse previously sandwiched between Cowboy 1 and Cowboy 2 ) added a '9', becoming Surprise #9 (Country 88). Currently the location of the Spice Girls.
Nana Plaza
* No
changes that month / year.
Soi Katoey(Silom Soi 4)
* The Tapas Cafe opened newly in the previous Genesis Club digs. Tapas is still there today. We wonder if they are having a 20-year party?
* The Chilli House opened in the then-just-closed The Shooter Bar digs. It is no longer open & was located near today's Bas Living Room.
* The Speed opened newly next to today's Bearbie. it is no longer there.
* The Deeper took over the Deep digs - also located (upstairs) at the today's Bearbie.
* The Helen's Place closed. It would soon reopen as Helene's Place (with an 'e'), which is still there today.
* The Spago Party House opened in what is today the For Fun.
Buckskin Joe Village(~ May 1988 - 9
June 2006)
(Also known -
originally- as Tobacco Road or
Soi Rot Fai or,
'The Tracks', and later as Machim [Thai] and
Soi Zero)
Copyright Darryl Makes Comics. This excerpt is in conformance with Copyright Fair Use clauses.
Darryl McDaniels, rapper for Run-DMC, was, like many of us, an avid reader and collector of comic books when he was a kid. His favorite hero was Spider Man. A lot has changed since then – but not his passion for comic books. He has recently branched out from the world of music and reverted back to his childhood obsession : he has created his own comic book series – named (what else?) DMC – which stands for ‘Darryl Makes Comics. (Read all about them at dmc-comics.com < LINK > )
That in itself is story enough, but it is not OUR story. In Issue No. 1, where he becomes DMC, the superhero - not the rapper, there is a scene set sometime in the 1980’s on a New York subway, where we can see that the inside of the subway car is covered in graffiti (no surprise there….).
But this is not just any cartoonist’s simulation of graffiti, it is none other than actual graffiti, created and hand-selected by Mare 139 (the tag of Carlos Rodrigues, a well-known ‘street artist’ in New York circles). But this scene in the subway car is not the only place this authentic, real-life graffiti appears in DMC – it appears, and will continue to appear in various places throughout upcoming issues of the DMC comic book. All that graffiti, scribbled all over the place - for some "the reality is just too much" - but most see it for what it is - clever, original, and an accurate finishing touch.
It remains to be seen how DMC, the comic book, will fare on the kiddie market, but wise collectors had better be buying up every issue just in case....
Demographically Speaking:
SOI DEAD ARTISTS - Soi 33 Sukhumvit Rd. 
TOP
May's Nightlife News 
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