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Hunter Thompson said it; "History is hard to know, because of all the hired bullshit...". Well, true, but there are other reasons history is hard to know - a primary one is the tendency to give history the 'broad-brush', leaving out the details. Or, to say the same thing another way, to simplify until simplistic. Another is the tendency to forget. This makes a reconstruction of even the most straightforward of chronologies difficult in the extreme. This month we follow the backtrail of one of Bangkok's true survivors.
 SOI 24 Sukhumvit Rd
'In the beginning', as they say, there was the The Copacabana, construction starting in 1957, and providing full services by 1958. It was located on Sukhumvit Road between the 'Nai Lert' sois 5 and 7. During the late '50's and early '60's - a number of years before the Bangkok nightlife scene became 'an item' internationally- it still had a substantial following with the Peace Corps volunteers, USAID employees and the US military 'advisers'; from Radio Research companies and other elements. The Copa - a Nitespot ahead of it's time - had a good run, but died a quiet death, leaving behind a fully functional Entertainment Venue - which laid fallow, in darkness and spider webs, for an extended time - untouched, awaiting new tenants. *.
SOIs 5 & 7 Sukhumvit Rd
Some years later in the mid '60's, in an entirely unrelated event, an 'off broadway' (off Patpong) bar opened on Silom Road called Club 99. It remained a popular expat bar through the buildup of the Patpongs, surviving at that location until 1992.
SOI 24 Sukhumvit Rd
Fast forward: in the mid '80's, a group of Danes pooled their resources and leased the Sukhumvit Rd premises which once housed the Copa, and began sweeping, mopping, dusting and painting, and not much else. They called their new Venue the Knold og Tot. Not the most attractive of names to native English speakers, but a very well known pop-culture name with the Danes. (Translated back into the English language, it would read The Katzenjammer Kids, a comics series that has lasted more than a century to the present day).
SOIs 5 & 7 Sukhumvit Rd
Nevertheless, the Knold og Tot just wasn't drawing enough custom -just not enough Danes in Bangkok at the time- so the name was changed in 1986 to Check Inn Garden. And the name-change was a success - the Nitespot was finally spinning a modest profit.
SOIs 11 & 13 Sukhumvit Rd
Fast forward again to the early 1990's, at the other side of town, the Club 99 saw their fortunes dwindling, and sought greener pastures. They found those greener pastures on Sukhumvit Road at the Check Inn Garden, which, at that time, was amenable to a merger. The merger was consummated in 1992, and the amalgamated name Check Inn 99 was adopted. (Although both names persisted in signage for some time after that.)
SILOM ROAD
The Check Inn 99 in it's early years continued to do a modest business, with the group of partners (Check Inn Garden and Club 99), all the while, working what was a kind of 'ponzi scheme' - where if one of the partners left the venture, the others would inherit his shares. New partners, when joining, would pay a new 'share', which would be divided up among the other shareholders. As it happened, the last shareholder in this scheme was an energetic Australian by the name of Chris C-Smith, so when the Check Inn 99 group decided to call it quits and close down, he took over the lease and began bringing the Check Inn 99 into the 21st Century.
Alas, 'the only constant is change'. Earlier this year, as the current lease agreement was running short at the Sukhumvit Soi 5 - 7 location, grand plans were made between owner-lessor and Check Inn 99 for expansions and diversifications. When the final days drew near, it was obvious that the owner-lessor was expanding his plans at a greater, and more grandiose pace than had been originally agreed. Mr Smith of the Check Inn 99 saw the handwriting on the wall and immediately began combing the Sukhumvit area for a new home.
When the Check Inn 99 closed on July 2 (or the wee hours of July 3...) of this year, a new home had already been found on Soi 24. And for consistency's sake, it would be another (soft) merger - this time with the Admiral's Pub & Restaurant. And for consistency's sake, yet again, both signages may be found on entering. It will be interesting to see what the final signage will read - but you can take it to your bookie that it will have a "99" therein....
* Note: This synthesis, this piecing-together of names and dates and places and photos would have been an impossibility without the direct input and coordination efforts of Chris C-Smith, for which we are infinitely grateful. When necessary, dates used above are 'not before' and/ or 'not after' dates from various old publications, and from a consensus of long-time Bangkok residents (and the setting aside of any conflicting dates, or dates which could not be confirmed).
Footnote: Although the 'lineage' of the "99" is from Silom Road to Sukhumvit Road to Soi 24 Sukhumvit, and although The Copacabana, having no direct successor, was not a part of that saga, there is currently a Copacabana namesake just off Rachadapisek Road, just behind the Poseidon Massage. It is a sprawling Mega-Entertainment Complex (200 meter frontage) owned by none other than Mr Hot Tub himself, the ex-Godfather of Steam-&-Cream, the ex-politician, the recently convicted Chuwit. Needless to say, there is no relationship between the earlier, historic Copacabana and current one.
Let the August 2016 Follies begin...
BANGKOK EYES' Expat Night Scene.
In the latest incidence of extra-judicial street justice meted out by the Men In Too-Tight Uniforms, the Kiss A Go-Go has been gifted a 2-month holiday for employing age-deficient dancers. Keeping in mind a couple of years ago, they exacted a similar 2-month closure of the Pussy Collection, which stretched into more than two years before they were finally forced to close. These are not good vibrations....
PATPONG 1
The Bada Bing has lost their battle with the Sign Gestapos after all. Commencing this last month, they have started posting the registered name Twilo on their Patpong 2 half of the facilities (and stopped putting up temporary Bada Bing banners). The front Patpong 1 portion remains Twilo Live.
PATPONG 2
The 9501 Studio Bar was closed down like Alcatraz when we passed by the other evening. We did get a promise it would be reopening this month, however. We'll slide by later and check it out....
PATPONG 2
A for-the-archives pic of the venerable Toy, one of Soi Cowboys older single-shophousers.
SOI COWBOY
A 'Focus On Straps'... A few pics 'For-The-Archives' of the bar most closely resembling the Nana Plaza bars of old.....
SOI 22 (Sukhumvit)
NANA PLAZA
We had heard the rumor that the G-Terminal had closed, and by golly, when we went upstairs to check it out, we were met by a big silver padlock on the door. I guess that means the rumor has been substantiated... They were located in the Rajah Hotel compound in the front out-building.
SOI NANA
Strikers Sports Pub has gone the way of the Dunkleosteus. And that is putting it mildly. Nothing is left except scorched earth, as the Rajah Hotel prepares the digs for some new permanent construction. Strikers first opened at the front of the Nana Plaza on March 2009, moving later to the Rajah Hotel compound in July 2012. May they find things more to their liking a little further on down the road a piece.
SOI NANA
Eat. Drink. Man. Women. (EDMW) may take the prize for the most unusually named Nitespot in Bangkok. Nevertheless, a local suds-maker decided to present them with some new neon to light the way....
SOI KATOEY (Silom Soi 4)
Cave Club had actually been open for almost three months, but they did so without letting anyone know (they now understand why they have very few customers). Located next door to their noisy sister, Bangkok Betty, in the Holiday Inn, they are at last beginning to be discovered by outside crowds.... The curriculum vitae is that of disco-pub-karaoke, depending perhaps on the crowd. Welcome them to Bangkok's piranha pool.
SOI 22 (Sukhumvit)
Last issue we noted that the Kiss Bangkok Massage appeared to be readying for an opening. And ready they were. Welcome them to the slippery slope.
SOI 22 (Sukhumvit)
The Exotic Massage, open again, closed again, is now open again. Keep at it, old sons. And daughters....
SOI 22 (Sukhumvit)
Bit Style Fantasy Massage Club has reopened. As it is wont to close on a whim, and reopen on another, we will, in the future only report on this Venue should it be closed permanently.
SOI 22 (Sukhumvit)
Located on Soi Starlight, the BKK 48 Massage has reopened after a brief closure last month. Welcome back to the grind.
SOI 22 (Sukhumvit)
Also located on Soi Starlight, Taffy's Faulty Towers has closed for good this time. "Taffy" is moving up country and intends to kick back and enjoy life.... And more power to him....
SOI 22 (Sukhumvit)
Another (new) denizen of Soi Starlight, the Stronger Bar has rolled out the red carpet to one and all. Welcome them to the night circus.
SOI 22 (Sukhumvit)
And yet another new Starlighter, the Butterfly Bar & Restaurant has thrown open it's doors to the public. (Figuratively, that is - they are airconditioned...) This is the young sister to the Butterfly Bar in Queen's Park Plaza. May they persevere.
SOI 22 (Sukhumvit)
The Penguin / B2 Massage & Spa have been holding their own in the Honey Plaza compound. Another one 'For-The-Archives'.
SOI 22 (Sukhumvit)
Overground was darker than a poisoned well when we passed by on last Friday night. No sign saying, 'Out To Lunch', but that doesn't mean they weren't. We did see some LED lights from the power strips and coffee pot, so likely they are coming back.... They have closed without notice in the past, so if any regular customers came by that night, please don't despair - they will likely reopen soon. (We will be checking, of course, on our rounds at the end of the month.....)
SOI 22 (Sukhumvit)
The longer I pound the midnight streets surveying what the night can do (...don't you know what the night can do?), the less I am surprised by what I see. But I was in for a real surprise last Saturday. On previous surveys, I had walked past a sign saying Telefono a number of times, noticing a rather standard-looking telephone booth. And that was it. However, on Saturday, I saw two meeters-and-greeters standing outside the telephone booth, so I asked them what was up. They said the Telefono was a lounge bar. I said it was a telephone booth. They said go into the telephone booth and punch this number into the telephone. I did, and one interior wall of the telephone booth opened up - into a well-appointed lounge. Blown away, who knew?. Located across from the back of the old Q Bar, down a small and dark lane.... Don't leave town before you've seen it.
SOI AMBASSADOR (Sukhumvit 11)
Yet another one For-The-Archives, this view looking out toward the Soi, past the Butterfly Bar and the Hangout.
QUEEN's PARK PLAZA (Sukhumvit 22)
Last month, what was Love & Service / HIP'S moved into the old [H] Massage digs, and it looked like they were going to keep their old signage. Nope, they now identify themselves with the Mitsue Group symbol (only). If you don't know it, you won't know it. If you are Japanese, you will know it.
SOI DEAD ARTISTS (Sukhumvit 33)
The Chillax Spa have seen a higher calling, disappearing into the night. Taking their place this month, modus operandi unchanged, is the Top Thai Massage & Spa 2. Not even the prices have changed.... We hope they have a 'Happy Beginning'. ..... I'll bet you didn't see that coming.....
SOI DEAD ARTISTS (Sukhumvit 33)
We thought that Dr BJ's bars would be permanent fixtures on Soi Eden, but, well, wrong again. The Chrome Bar has taken over the reins of the Dr BJ's Nuru, and done it in style. Looking good. Wish them well in these bright lights, big city....
SOI EDEN (Sukhumvit 7/1)
Likewise the Dr BJ's Salon. Disappeared without a trace - to be replaced by the tastefully appointed Wood Bar. Quite suddenly; ...too suddenly up and gone.... We had seen quite a bit on the Dr BJ's bars on the Internet lately, unfortunately by the usual immature new arrival-types who were out to show the world all there is to know about living in Bangkok's gutters. That aside, wishing the Wood Bar all the best in the Big Uneasy.
SOI EDEN (Sukhumvit 7/1)
A For-The-Archives shot of The Boys Bangkok, one of the longer-lived bars in the Twilight Zone....
SOI TWILIGHT
This may be the last photo of the Country Road located in what is left of The Tunnel. By the time you read this, it will have closed. But not to worry, it is reopening on Soi 4 (Soi Nana) just past the Swan Bar. This leaves the Check In katoey pool bar as The Tunnel's last-man-standing... OK, poor choice of words... but you get my meaning....
(THE 'TUNNEL' Soi 5 - Soi 7)
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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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August's Nightlife News 
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