Recently we received a video clip from a long-staying farang showing over 25 Night Entertainment Venues in the Udorn area from the 1960s-1970s. More pix than we had ever seen, cumulatively, of 'The Scene' in and around Udorn during the Viet Nam War era.
The closest thing to an unbroken "Strip", from right - to left, was the Wolverine Bar, the Ciro's Bar & Restaurant (Ciro Bar), the Lido No. 1 Bar, and the Golden Horse (apologies, no full pic of Golden Horse currently available). The Wolverine has survived to the present, albeit at a new location and a slightly changed modus operandi. The Wolverine has another (historical) distinction - it was the first A Go-Go bar (some say, 'Only' A Go-Go) in Udorn during the Viet Nam War era.
UDORN THANI 60's - 70's
As the fates would have it, an old friend from that era was visiting Bangkok, and over a beer or three, he expressed complete surprise that there was even a US military presence in Thailand (other than G.I.s on R&R). I proceeded to give him the thumbnail rundown; the max strength of the US forces in Thailand during the 1965-1976 period was just at 47,000 personnel, mostly Air Force personnel - and this figure did not include the short-stay R&R numbers. He remained bewildered, and asked what were they all doing here? I noted that most were in support of Air Force activities in Viet Nam, to include bombing runs, but there was a number of other primary activities, such as the 'listening posts' at Doi Inthanon, and (in Udorn) Ramasun Station. There was also support for our unpublicized activities in Laos, mostly from Nakhon Phanom (NKP), to include most of the SOG missions into LaosandViet Nam.
The Oscar Bath & Massage was one of half a dozen massage parlors in the day. The Oscar, revamped, exists today in nearly the same location.
UDORN THANI 60's - 70's
My friend remained in a state of quiet amazement. Why hadn't he heard of any of this? His next question; "Why don't you write a book about this?" I noted that there was already a number of books on the subject. But no, no book, not this lifetime. Nevertheless, what with my newly received video tape of Udorn'sNightlife in hand, it dawned on me that there has yet to be a comprehensive compilation of the US Military Entertainment Scene in Udorn during those war years. The fire under me having been lit - I knew I would have to chase down as much as I could on Udorn'sNightlife during those years, and attempt to put it all in context.
The Champagne Room was one of the most-remembered of the 60s - 70sNightspots. How many of you checked out its "Special Super Secret Show"?
UDORN THANI 60's - 70's
This 'Udorn Quest', as I now call it, has consumed an entire month of bothering friends on their recollections, and researching the far extremes of the Internet. Much of what I found was repetition of what had already been sent to me, but I would often come across color pics I had previously downloaded in black-and-white. And I was also able to find an additional 10 photos - as well as a 'Night Entertainment Map' referencing a number of Venues for which I have yet to locate photos. I have included the map at the end of this article.
The Junpen Club proved to be so popular they opened the Junpen Two, which was more a supper / night club than the original.
UDORN THANI 60's - 70's
Udorn's primary 60's and 70'sNight Entertainment Area was in the Mak Khaeng District, about 4 to 5 kilometers due north from the airport - the then US Air Force Base at Udorn, which provided the bulk of the Nightlife customer base. If you didn't catch base-provided transport, the default mode of transportation was the three-wheeled pedal-samlor - which was a substantial bit of exercise for the driver. Additionally, servicemen from Ramasun Station and other outlying sites also made the journey into Mak Khaeng. (We note that Mak Khaeng remains a nominal center for entertainment to this day.)
A great pic of the Mona Liza Bar. Just next to it can be seen the Happy Bar and then the Crazy Horse (a better pic of these two bars to follow).
UDORN THANI 60's - 70's
The airstrip itself was built in 1950 as a Royal Thai Air Force (RTAF) base, however due to geopolitical and strategic considerations, in 1961 an agreement between the US and Thai governments was struck which allowed US military to jointly manage and independently utilize Udorn Air Base - along with four other Air Bases. Depending on who is doing the head-count, the other bases were Ubon, Utapao, Nakhon Phatom (NKP) and Don Muang, Bangkok (some would also add Takhli to this listing...). Even so, there was no significant influx of US military personnel into Udorn in support of the Viet Nam conflict until 1965, at which time an advance Signal detachment also arrived to kick off a satellite installation in the Udorn district of Nong Sung, 16 kilometers south of the Air Base. It would come to be known as Ramasun Station. (Ramasun Station actually closed in 1976, one year after Udorn Air Base. It and Utapao Air Base were the last two major US installations to be turned back to the Thais.) [[ For the record, Takhli remained in business, much under the radar, for quite a bit longer - ostensibly as a back-up transit point for US aircraft. And, of course, JUSMAGTHAI still remains to this day. ]] )
This is the New White Rose, not to be confused with its notorious namesake The White Rose across the river in Vientiane...
UDORN THANI 60's - 70's
So, it was 1965 before Udorn'sNight Entertainment entrepreneurs really got down to business, eventually providing a wide range of Nitespots in and around Mak Khaeng. ...And there was, indeed, a wide range; from Night Clubs, Dance Clubs, Supper Clubs, an assortment of Lounges and Hostess Bars, Massage Parlors, A Go-Go, all the way down to 'chicken shacks' along the roadside. As can be seen from the photos herein, most of the Venues were open during the day as well (as can be ascertained by the pedal-samlors waiting kerbside).
The Bavaria Club featured live music - in this instance, Miami, backed up by Heavy Mountain. Heavy Mountain (shown here) was a Golden Horse staple, and was said by many to be the best band in town, better even than the Philippine imports of the day.
UDORN THANI 60's - 70's
However, all things, good and bad, come to an end... eventually. In January of 1973, the Paris Peace Accord was finalized, and, at least for the US Armed Forces, the Viet Nam War was history. The US fighting man was rapidly returning home to CONUS (a contingent of US advisors and 'civilians' remained, both in Viet Nam and in Thailand). This, of course, greatly impacted the the Nightlife Scene in Udorn, as US troop strength in Thailand dropped to virtually zero by 1975 (but not quite zero).
The Bamboo (a little further out), and the Bamboo Bar (in town).
UDORN THANI 60's - 70's
With the rapidly dwindling customer base, Udorn's Nitespots could no longer keep their heads above water, and were closing down equally rapidly. By mid-1976 only a few die-hard Nitespots remained. Today, the Wolverine still exists, albeit in a new location and format; there is still an Oscar Massage, and the Paradise Hotel remains intact, but by definition, hardly a 'Nitespot' anymore. All the rest remain, at best, great memories of a long-gone era.....
The Asia, of the chicken-shack variety, nevertheless it had its time and place...
UDORN THANI 60's - 70's
In researching this complex and ever-changing Night Scene over its approximately 11-year life span, and from this far-distant 40-50-year in-the-future timeframe, we have raised as many questions as we have answered. For example, we do not know which Venues opened when, or when they closed - or to say the same thing another way, it is extremely unlikely Nitespots we have shown here could have existed all at the same time; some having closed before others opened. This gives rise to the likelihood that military personnel assigned to Udorn Air Base, Ramasun Station and the satellite installations (on one-year tours) would have widely differing memories of the Udorn Nightspots. Nevertheless, we will continue our research, hopefully making further discoveries, large and small, about this unique historical era - it is entirely within the realm of possibility that we will be able to piece together a more complete picture...
A photo-grab from a blurry video of the Blue Heaven Bar...
UDORN THANI 60's - 70's
This is the best photo of the Happy Bar and Crazy Horse we have come across to date. This is the original Crazy Horse, preceding Patpong 2'sFrench-ownedCrazy Horse by about two decades....
UDORN THANI 60's - 70's
Of course, there would have to be a Playboy. In fact, there were actually two Playboys. From our limited information base, we can't tell whether or not they existed at the same time, or if this is a case of a bar relocating to better digs...
UDORN THANI 60's - 70's
The Crown Turkish Bath & Massage was a favorite of many - often referred to as a place where, if you passed by, you would have to stop in... It didn't hurt the 'atmosphere' that the staff were dressed in fake little nurse uniforms. Udorn's closest parallel to Bangkok'sfish-bowl steam-and-creams.
UDORN THANI 60's - 70's
The Bar Paradise was just that, a bar. It was not related to the Paradise Hotel (also shown here), which also saw a lot of activity during the war years - including in and around the swimming pool... We note the Paradise Hotel is still in operation - and has a so-called 'bar' and 'lounge', but nothing you or I would go out of our way to visit....
UDORN THANI 60's - 70's
The Silhouette Nightclub was a class act. It was a sight-to-behold after dark, inside and out. We hope to come across additional pics of the Silhouette for a future time...
UDORN THANI 60's - 70's
The Venice Turkish Bath was in Udorn. Because of the similarity in name, many mistook the Venus Bar for the Venice. The Venus was actually in Nakhon Phatom (NKP) so never the twain did meet. NKP, with its own airstrip, was just over 240 km directly to the east, on the Mekong River. Note: while NKP had its own smaller Nightlife Scene, when anyone had any serious kick-back time, say after a cross-border, they would head to Bangkok, space-A, for a few days at the Opera Hotel (Fred, Darrell, are you listening?).
UDORN THANI 60's - 70's
No review of Udorn's early Nightlife would be complete without detailed coverage of the Tip Top Bar & Restaurant. For starters, it was a 'restaurant' in name only; the Thais referred to it as a ramwong bar, and as some of you Thai-speakers may remember, Bangkok's own Thai Heaven was a ramwong bar. And the goings on were, coincidentally, identical. Many still remember Tip Top's afternoon 'Tea Dances' on the weekends. Those who stayed around long enough saw it eventually sell over to the Can Can, modus operandi unchanged. If nostalgia had a name, it would be 'Tip Top'.
UDORN THANI 60's - 70's
Not much has been written about the Sunny Club, but it was right downtown, and a long-stayer.
UDORN THANI 60's - 70's
The Sweetheart Bar, with the home-made sign, was one of many which was open both days and evenings.
UDORN THANI 60's - 70's
We were unable to locate the Lucky Star, it appears to have been an impromptu 'chicken shack' near the lake...?
UDORN THANI 60's - 70's
With no English language signage, the Yoong Thong Night Club (Golden Peacock) managed to attract more than its share of English-speaking off-duty personnel. Does anyone remember if this was also called the 'Yellow Bird'?
UDORN THANI 60's - 70's
The King Star was a restaurant, bar and night club.
UDORN THANI 60's - 70's
UDORN THANI 60's - 70's
The "Don'ts"
...OUTWEIGH THE "DO'S"...
While each photo is worth a thousand words, it takes the signage of the day (in the vernacular) to provide a feel for 'the scene' - as it was on-the-ground. Check out the 2-dollar bill....
UDORN THANI 60's - 70's
A rare shot of the Club 88 and part of the next-door The Cave (?) Note in the distance, on the left, we see once again the Wolverine,Ciro's,Lido No.1 and the Golden Horse.
UDORN THANI 60's - 70's
Two photos of the live music VenueGolden Palace Club, the lower being after the face-lift and new signage.
UDORN THANI 60's - 70's
A photo of what was called "The Elephant Cage". This outer fence screened off the sensitive antennae in the center. This was the nerve center of Ramasun Station's 'radio research' listening-post - located 16 km south of Udorn Air Base on the Mittraphap Highway. While it had its own small 'The Strip' (including Indian tailor shops, etc.) virtually across the highway, many of the 1,300 personnel would make their way (in just under a half-hour) into Udorn City for their Night Entertainment fix. Ramasun Station remained active from 1965 to 1976.
UDORN THANI 60's - 70's
Mom's Place, actually a respectable restaurant in its own right, was also a good place to stop off and sip a few...
UDORN THANI 60's - 70's
A rather blurred video-grab of the Dew Drop.
UDORN THANI 60's - 70's
A pic of Dominic's Supper Club - unfortunately, we couldn't find a shot with the signage plainly visible. The search goes on...
UDORN THANI 60's - 70's
The 69 Motel - would Udorn'sViet Nam Era "Scene" have been complete without it?
UDORN THANI 60's - 70's
Correct us if we are mistaken, but we believe the Happy Acre was one of the bars across the highway from Ramasun Station?
UDORN THANI 60's - 70's
This rare old map of the Mak Khaeng District Night Entertainment Venues is most useful as far as identifying and confirming the presence of many Night Entertainment Venues, however, it will need a lot of work - and a sharp eye to be able to clearly identify the locations of many other bars. Should a reader have a clearer copy, please email to us....
UDORN THANI 60's - 70's
Bangkok Eyes is an historically based news outlet, and as such, all graphic excerpts herein are considered, under current legal precedents and prevailing interpretations, 'Fair Use' under US and Intertational Copyright Law. Bangkokeyes.com is not the owner of the photography in the above article. Copyright of original photographs and excerpts in the above article reside exclusively with the photographer(s) / legal owner(s).
Reader : Greeting, Can you guys let me know the lists of Korean KTV with thai girls working where you can pick them for accompanying you in Sukhumvit Soi 12 or maybe near there?
Apreciate for your time. Thanks.
Midnite Hour:We do not know of a consolidated listing of KTV's - most of them existing outside of actual Night Entertainment Areas. Of course, "Korea Town" atop Sukhumvit Soi 12 is already known to you, but other than that, KTVs are generally where you find them. You may have noticed we featured a KTV on our most recent coverage of Rachada, and again our articles on Sri Nakarin South and Soi Than Tawan (see our Archives below).
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Reader : Speaking of Street Bars - your last issue, there used to be a Street Bar called Vagabond on Sukhumvit, which you mentioned moved back into Soi 11 (Ambassador). I was unable to locate it, is it still in existence?
Midnite Hour: It is still in existence. We did provide a map with the pic, so if you were able to follow the map, you would have been able to find the The Vagabond. Also it closes one night a week, but if you go on weekends you are sure to find it.
Reader : I'm researching the long term effects of the AIDS pandemic - and the AIDS response of Thailand to the pandemic. Do you have any articles relative to this? I seem to recall reading something in your Bangkok Eyes, but I can't find in your archives.
Midnite Hour:We did do brief coverage of an international AIDS conference back in August of 2004. You may not be all that pleased with our take on it, however...
Last month we noted that Shenanigans was about to open at the top of Patpong 1 and Surawong Road. Fait accompli - they have rolled out the red carpet, and business is just fine, thank you...
PATPONG 1
We've already had a pic up of the newly reopened King's Castle 1 / King's Castle 2, but they have since completed the exterior lighting on their joint-facade. Note: King's Castle 2 is at the left in the photo, while the entrance to King's Castle 1 is toward the center of the pic. Our pick-of-the-litter for Door Art Of The Month this month...
SOI COWBOY
The upstairs rip-off Happy Bar, which was replaced by the ABC Pool last month, has returned - the ABC is nowhere to be found. Oh, well...
The Tavern 3 has rolled down the steel shutters, and commenced all kinds of renovations. This is a wait-and-see item - are they closed (or are they changing names)? In any event, we shall advise next time 'round...
PATPONG 2
The Glamour, closed last month when we passed by, had sent all their dancers to the Bada Bing. Well, they have reopened, and the dancers have returned. Keep on rock-n-rolling...
A For-The-Archives pic of the latest (not new by any means) Soi Cowboy sign. We note with interest that Soi Cowboy (just over 30 bars) has a couple of Thonglor's Finest at each end of the Soi, while Nana Plaza (just over 30 bars) has 6 or 7bouncer-types at the entrance alone, and a phalanx of other muscle wandering the corridors... It's having the opposite of the intended effect (talk about unintended consequences...) : instead of reassuring customers they are safe, it makes customers wonder if they are expecting trouble. Oh, those big city nights... We wonder how Nana Plaza existed for decades without the plethora of bouncers....Ahennh!
The Obsession is the latest Nitespot to super-size their neon. While I look down on any signage that is not real neon, one must admit LED lighting is very economical - a lot of bling for the buck...
A For-The-Archives pic of the long-running Jersey Pub - located at the Soi 4 (Soi Nana) - Soi 6 junction. Let the good times roll...
SOI NANA
Welcome the Chaos 9 back to the tussle. They were, up until November 2016, located in the Rajah Hotel parking lot, but they, and several bars had to close at that time, as the Rajah commenced major renovations. They are currently located deep in Soi Nana near the Naree Massage.
The Anego Izakaya, having moved over from Soi Dead Artists (Soi 33), have set up shop in the compound behind the Wine Depot. An Izakaya is an informal Japanese pub - not usually holding much interest for anyone except Japanese patrons. Welcome them to their new digs.
The Cordonnier itself has been open for a couple of months, but this month they have opened The Bar Upstairs, and yes, it is upstairs. They are located deep in Soi Ambassador next door to the Apoteka. Welcome them to the neon jungle.
The Love & Service Mitsu looked darker than a poisoned well when we passed by last night. This is a wait-and-see item : they have closed unexpectedly before. Located in Sub-soi 4 We'll get back atcha if there is any change in status.
Gone but not gone, the Chill In Bar Restaurant has reopened (as we thought it might). Welcome back to the piranha pool...
SOI EDEN (Sukhumvit 7 / 1)
It wouldn't seem that Smile Hair Cut would come up on the Night Entertainment radar, however, the downstairs haircutting is little more than a front for the full (special) service massage parlor upstairs. Gotsta get paid.
SOI EDEN (Sukhumvit 7 / 1)
What was the New Wave up until a few months ago has now been occupied by three venues. The first two, Kawinya Massage and the Good Time Massage, we reported on earlier (without pix), and this month opening newly is the Good Time Bar & Restaurant. Welcome them all to the bright city lights.
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
August 1998
*Beer Bar Boys Bangkok took over the reins from Superman A Go Go. Located upstairs above the Thigh Bar. An unnamed rip-off bar now exists at that location.
*King's Castle 1A Go-Go was closed for renovations. It would soon reopen under the same name.
* The upstairs Sky closed its doors for good. It was located above today's King's Castle 2.
Patpong 2
August 1998
*Patpong Cafe newly opened. It is the namesake of the original Patpong Cafe of old on PP1, but no relation. It is still there today.
*Spice Girl, the upstairs bar above today's Top Less Pool bar, closed down. There is currently no bar at that location.
*The Be Be Pub & Karaoke reopened up on The Ramp. There is currently no Nitespot at that location.
*Khun Bua (Thai signage) opened newly up on The Ramp. It was located where today's Fresh Boys is parked.
*Family closed down for good. Located on the 2nd floor on Soi Bookstore.
Soi Cowboy
August 1998
*- No changes that month / year. -
Nana Plaza
August 1998
* Up on the 3rd level the XXX - Holly Wood Strip became the Carousel Bar
* (Both the Masquerade and Taboo were under construction, soon to open.)
Soi Katoey ( Silom Soi 4 )
August 1998
* The Boogienight 7 opened on both sides of the Soi, in what were the two halves of the long-extinct Rome Club..
Buckskin Joe Village (~ November 1988 to November 2006)
(Also known -originally- as Tobacco Road or Soi Rot Fai or, 'The Tracks', and later as Machim [Thai] and Soi Zero)
August 1998
*The Moon Bar reopened, but this time around, it opened in the old Up Country Bar digs.
Bangkok Eyes is an historically based news outlet, and as such, all graphic excerpts herein are considered, under current legal precedents and
prevailing interpretations, 'Fair Use' under Copyright Law. Copyright of any original artwork resides exclusively with the artists.
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The MIDNITE HOUR Graffiti Page is prepared by Staff Contributor "Boge" Hartman .
(Boge's photo, above, is not a graffitiper-se, although there are those who have insinuated....
-
Ed)
UDORN THANI 60's - 70's 
site !
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August's Nightlife News 
