MIDNITE HOUR - 01 February 2018

BANGKOK EYES PRESENTS -

Robert 'Bobby' De Cozier

The New Year, we found out belatedly, wasn't all champagne toasts, fireworks and count-downs. One of Patpong's entrepreneurial architects, Robert "Bobby" De Cozier passed away from unknown causes. Some knew him as Bobby Dee, others Bobby 'D', but most knew him as just Bobby. And everyone who knew Patpong in its Halcyon years knew Bobby's Arms. ...Everyone.

A Bobby's 'handout'

Bobby, if one is to take him literally at his word.... began his professional years in the Hong Kong police force. To be sure, he was from Hong Kong of mixed Portuguese / Chinese heritage - that much, at least, can be verified. However, the remainder of his shadowed origins shall remain one of the Mysteries of the Orient. He moved to Thailand in the early 60's (actual date unconfirmed). In an apparent about-face, career-wise, he worked for a major hotel in the Silom - Suriwong Road area, polishing his culinary skills. But with his entrepreneurial zeal bursting at the seams, he decided to 'go it alone', and opened a hotdog stand in Patpong 1.

Bobby, a longtime Rotarian, contributed to the Mardi Gras effort for many years.

Bobby's initial foray into what was rapidly becoming planet earth's most notorious Night Entertainment Area was not as most of us remember - Bobby and Rick Menard agreed to allow Bobby to set up shop in one corner of Rick's now-legendary Grand Prix Bar. This non-monetary 'deal' would be win-win: Rick would have food on-tap for customers, and Bobby would, well, sell hotdogs. This arrangement would not last forever, however - as Rick had other ideas for the Grand Prix - ideas that not even Bobby's great hotdogs could overcome... Rick kicked Bobby out (they remained friends) and he, Rick, started a Thailand Revolution - he installed Thailand's first permanent A Go-Go stage (and as Tim Young would later say, 'The rest is history'.) ...But I digress...

In the Patpong heyday...

But Bobby 'getting the boot' by Rick didn't dissuade Bobby in the least - rather, it lit his fuse. He almost immediately obtained a small corner in Patpong 2 from "Old Man" Udom Patpongpanich himself, and opened (what else?) Bobby's Hotdogs. There was a silver lining to Bobby going it alone - the unintended consequence - most of the bars in the area, once they found out Bobby was right there in the middle of things, began allowing customers to send out for Bobby's hot dogs - as a means of keeping their customers on their stools longer. And the longer they stayed on their stools, the more chits would end up in the cup. However, Bobby didn't keep that name for long; it was soon changed to Bobby's Aroy Dee - most just referring to it as the 'Aroy Dee'. (He soon added hamburgers to the menu, and they were just as good, but we were particularly addicted to the chili dogs...) Bobby realized he had tapped into a 'goldmine' - he saw that, in spite of the mushrooming of new bars in the area, there were very few good places for expats to eat in the immediate area. He saw that even his diminutive 'hotdog stand' had, almost by default, become a roaring success.

Bobby's Arms Pub - The one we all knew - up in the parking lot...

In 1975 he opened his next venture , the one most remember Bobby for - Bobby's Arms British Pub & Restaurant. Had he followed the Golden Rule of restauranting (location, location, location), he would not have opened Bobby's Arms in the most unlikely spot possible - a considerable walk up through the Patpong carpark to an unused second-storey building on the far side. Geographically speaking, this property was located in a building on Silom Soi 4,which belonged to yet another private Bangkok family - not 'the Patpongs'. Silom Soi 4 was - and is a soi suan bukon (private soi), and has had a number of nicknames over the years, among them "Patpong 3" (which it most definitely was not), "Soi Katoey" (which was, by then a gay soi, no longer a katoey soi), and "Soi Bobby", (which, as we will see, has a modicum of merit...)

Bobby's Arms - the extension ... in the old Cafe De Paris

Bobby's Arms, virtually from opening day - and for most of the three succeeding decades, became a place that visiting dignitaries (the list is too long) found to their liking, and where staff from many different nations' embassies would invite visiting guests, and where, at the other end of the spectrum, the Patpong crawlers (such as yours-truly) could also be found. Bobby's Arms made its way into the international travel guides, the hotel reception-desk 'recommended venue' handouts, the newspapers (as advertisements, leisure-page puff pieces, and of course, Bernard Trink's Nite Owl column), but most importantly, it grew in popularity by word-of-mouth. Being a most proper British Pub, Bobby's Arms had a fiercely competitive team 'toeing the oche' weekly in round-robin darts competitions (teams ostensibly under the British Club of Bangkok umbrella). These weekly darts face-offs were often catered (snacks / finger food), FOC, by Bobby.

A successful branch, but all too short a run at the Hyatt.

At this juncture it would be tempting to say of Bobby, and Bobby's Arms, "...and the rest is history". But this is only the beginning, only the departure. Almost no one remembers Bobby was a Rotarian (Rotary Club Bangkok South). The Rotary and many of the Nitespots on Patpong Road would sponsor the Patpong Mardi Gras once each year through the '80's and into the 90's. The Patpong Mardi Gras raised money each year for various charity causes - and while Bobby remained a member, he was always front-and-center in those fund-raising efforts.

But the "Britishness" doesn't stop here - how many of you remember the annual Ploenchit Fair - a grand event for young and old, held in the grounds of the British Embassy (before the greedhead Englishmen decided to sell it for mere filthy lucre - I hope they choke on it). Not far from the 'Queen Vic' statue in the back of the manicured grounds (which the Thai ladies flocked to with incense and puang rit in hopes of having many healthy babies) was, inevitably, Bobby's Arms booth - ribs, hot dogs, the works. -Great eats along with great self-promotion.

It doesn't stop here either - The British Club would regularly have Bobby cater their bigger events - invitations Bobby couldn't refuse. Bobby also provided catering services to Bangkok's larger International School. The list goes on, but suffice it to say, in those heady years Bobby remained more than casually active in the expat community.

One of Bobby's less-than-successful outings on Soi Katoey

Bobby, being by chance at the right place, at the right time, historically speaking, knew well the 'other' stories of Patpong's Nightlife. We would often talk over my cup of coffee; Bobby relating the humorous along with 'the dirt' on a grand cross-section of Patpong's early 'players'. He told of the adventures of The Sportsman, and of Ladda of Patpong, and the origins of the Takara, and of the kings and queens of Silom Soi 4, and, well, on and on.... I would ask him why he wasn't writing a book on all this. His reply was always the same, "If I did, it would have to be published after I die, because it would surely get me bumped off. And if you publish any of this on your website, I'll kill you too." Of course, he wouldn't, but it certainly gives insight into Bobby's sense of decorum and his discreet nature.

A common item in yesterday's wallets...

Another of the commonly held misconceptions re; Bobby was that he was a restaurateur, but not really into the Night Entertainment Scene. For the record (and this will have some of you popping your eyeballs out) Bobby was into a number of ventures that even the oldest of "Old Bangkok Hands" will have forgotten. Follows is an eye-opening bit of Nightlife history.

'Bobby's Hotdogs' (not actually named)   - located in a corner of the Grand Prix Bar on PP1.

Bobby's Hotdogs   - soon to be renamed Bobby's Aroy Dee on PP2 next to Foodland.
   "Gotcha Hotdogs! Gotcha Hamburgers!"

Bobby's Arms Pub & Restaurant   - accessed from the PP 2 parking lot.
   "Just another English Pub - only it's in Bangkok"

Trattoria Da Roberto   - (Just say, 'Roberto's').   On the second floor PP2, across from Cleopatra A Go-Go.   A successful Italian restaurant in its own right, with a separate entrance from The Ramp.
   "Pizza, Beer and Hand-Made Gelate"

The Italian Connection- A predecessor to Cafe de Paris.
   - "Hard liquor - soft music."

De Knappe   - (The name being a play-on-words for the German customers....)
   "Achtung Veal and Port with Sauerkraut."

Cafe de Paris Bistro Bar   - on PP2 between Bobby's Aroy Dee and Roberto's. Successful al fresco dining and drinking and people-watching for a number of years.

(Another 'Trattoria de Roberto')   - an indoor-outdoor garden restaurant on Sukhumvit Soi 18, across from the Rembrandt Hotel.

Bobbys Arms (without the "Pub & Restaurant")   - A 'branch' in the basement of the Hyatt Hotel - lunchtime and after-work crowds.   An arm's length from Spasso, it proved to be quite successful, but a disagreement with the lessor on operating hours put the nix on it.   It was only open a few months.

Bobby's Arms (& Guest House)   - Ground floor, Silom Soi 4.   It was actually a pub - bar, and had what must have been the longest "Long Bar" in Bangkok.   (There was actually a non-public way to get upstairs through the back to the original Bobby's Arms.)   It was immediately successful - always full on weekends, and a good counterpoint to SuperStar Frank's Noriega's, just next door across the Soi.

Pool Boyz Club   - Ground floor, Silom Soi 4. It took over the premises of the "Bobby's Arms" on Soi 4.   When Bobby initially decided to close the Soi 4 Bobby's Arms and open a pool bar, I suggested that he was fixing something that wasn't broken.   With eyebrows quickly raised, and an impish wink, he replied, "Soi Katoey doesn't have a gay pool bar.   This will be the first of its kind."   This was one of Bobby's few not-so-hot ideas; it lasted less than a year.
   "Po' Boy Cafe"

Hideaway   - Silom Soi 4.   Bobby broke off a third of Pool Boyz Club to make Hideaway.   Another attempt to tap into the 'gay' crowd on 'Soi Katoey'.   Both Hideaway and Pool Boyz Club quickly became history.

Marco Polo   - Patpong 2 - a reopening of the Bobby's Aroy Dee.

Bobby's Arms Pub- opened in the then-closed Cafe De Paris digs.   This time around, live jazz on the weekends.

      As the years ate away into the new Millennium, Bobby's venues slowly disappeared, one by one, from the Nighttime arena.   We didn't see much of Bobby, so no one really got the full who, how and why he was no longer restauranting and running the occasional bar.   But just as we had given up on seeing him again, he opened a smallish Bobby's coffee shop at the top of a Silom Road side-soi near Soi Thaniya.   Its prominent feature was a long 'coffee bar', which likely came from the Bobbys Arms on Silom Soi 4.   It also didn't last long, closing for financial reasons - which (some say) were exacerbated by Bangkok's Men In Too-Tight Uniforms....

      Many have speculated that Bobby's fortunes rose and fell hand-in-hand with the rise and slow collapse of the Patpongs 1 & 2 - each having their 'days in the sun & deep clover' through those same years.   Others have said that Bobby's star began to wane when Udom Patpong passed away, and the Patpong family began to raise the lease prices.   Perhaps both are true, but we should not let ourselves confuse correlation with causation.   On the one hand, Bobby mentioned more than once that the rents were going up, but on the other hand, his real, oft-repeated lament was he was unable to keep responsible management and staff.    (Bobby's Arms Pub & Restaurant the exception, which up until almost the last day, had a great manager and an even better chef).   Bobby had expanded rather rapidly in the latter years, having a number of venues open at the same time.   This was something he admitted he couldn't manage alone.   Then again, perhaps all three of these are significant contributing factors to that final chapter - only the Devil knows for sure, and he isn't saying...

      In local parlance, Bobby was "a part of the fabric".   If ever there is a Patpong Walk of Fame comparable to Hollywood's, where bronze-edged terrazzo stars decorate the footpath, Robert "Bobby" De Cozier's star will be right there amongst them.

      Set a table for us Bobby, we'll be along by and by.

BOOKS ...worth a read !

( Click on book cover to order. ) ( Click on book cover to order. )

MIDNITE HOUR MAIL BOX

Reader : Hi Guys,
A probably very difficult question (but who else could answer it if not you): I am looking for a guy who was selling fake watches at the night market on Patpong for many years. He is rather small (1.60 m), some tattoos, speaks perfect English (British accent) and is very talkative in a good way (great salesman). His sales stall used to be directly in front of the 7/11 on the left side of the soi, directly at the beginning of the soi (when entering from Silom Road). When I was in Bangkok in March 2017 he wasn't there anymore. As I will be in Bangkok again soon, I was wondering if you could help me finding him. The quality of his watches were really outstanding (one still perfectly working after 8 years). Thanks a lot for your help.

Midnite Hour: Chances are if you do not find your watch seller in Patpong, he could have moved to almost anywhere. The stalls there are rented by the night, and vendors are known to come and go. I know a couple of watch sellers - as passing acquaintances - but they do not match your description. But they confide in me that they share common suppliers for their product, and that there are basically two grades of 'copy watches'. I would suggest that, should you not find your friend, you should get to know other dealers there, and talk with them at length, and they will eventually explain the difference between the standard and good grade of watches. Of course you will still have to bargain for the price - and the best way is not to hurry.
Sorry we couldn't help you in a more direct manner.

Did Bobby do a Huck Finn?

Reader: I have heard from several sources, I think even the Nation newspaper that Bobby from Bobby's Arms has died. Can you confirm this? I don't want to speak poor of the deceased, but he borrowed some money from me and another guy a long time ago. Is he faking his death to avoid people?

Midnite Hour: We can not confirm or deny Bobby's passing, however, we are relying on reliable sources we have known for decades who also knew Bobby personally (see our lead article this month). Search though we might, we were unable to ascertain the where and when of his funeral, but that is certainly not proof that he faked his own death. Anything, of course is possible, and were he still alive (highly unlikely) no one would be happier than I.

'Reader's Corner' moderator -

'Boge' Hartman
Historical Research

* Zootramp Publications

Let the February 2018 Follies begin-

One of the longest running pay-for-show bars, the bar holding the dubious record for the most photographed neon on Patpong 1, the Super Pussy, is very much conspicuous by its absence. Greener grass, gents.... (We note, however, the local touts are running a neonless rip-off bar in those 2nd storey digs while someone makes up his / her mind what they will do with the premises...)

Last month we noted that the original Pussy Magic had branched out, opening another Venue in the old SuperGirls, and that they had renamed themselves Pussy Special. That was true at the time, however they have reverted to their original Pussy Magic moniker - leaving Patpong 1 with two identically named pay-for-show bars.

Although not grandiose, dynamic or overly colorful, the stark black letters backlit in white are truly eye-popping. Our selection for "Door Art Of The Month". (Note: 'Bangyikhan' is the name of the sponsoring whiskey company.)

Sitting almost out of sight next to The Strip is an unnamed Bar Beer that has, for months, refused to go out of business. Let the good times roll...

Late shoppers
AT THE MOM & POP SHOP

A quick peek at just a small part of Rio's dynamic signage.... We will be including clips of Bangkok Nightlife's "dynamic" signage on a regular basis - let's face it, it just can't be captured by a still photograph....

Last month we noted that True Obsession had been usurped by its predecessor, Obsession, and promised a pic of their new signage. This time around we show some of that signage, and will continue to provide pics of future additions (which we see are on the way....) The prime agendum unchanged - may they endure the vicissitudes....

Another "For-The-Archives" of the Toh Roong located in front of the Rajah Hotel... Difficult to shoot in low light due to the high UV output of the blue sign; we will include more 'record' shots in the future. We wish them constancy.

Yet another pic of Soi Katoey for the Archives - this time shot from the back end of the Soi.

Kaede has taken a sharp turn Westward - from a Japanese flavor to Canadian. We don't know how that works, but it does. They also have sprung for some new neon... Do what you do, do well...

SOI 22 (Sukhumvit)

Deep in Soi 22, in Sub-soi 'Hanna', the Honey Bee Massage 2 opened newly (...their sister Honey Bee Massage remains one short step over in 'Sub-soi Lemongrass'...). Welcome them to the slippery slope.

SOI 22 (Sukhumvit)

The Stronger snapped out of its lethargy and rolled the red carpet back out onto Soi Starlight. Welcome back to the fracas.

SOI 22 (Sukhumvit)

The Luna Lounge is opening and closing like a banging storm shutter on a rainy night. At the moment, it is closed again. Prospects don't look good - the gaping maw of the Abyss appears ever nearer...

SOI 22 (Sukhumvit)

Zaks is in tatters - oh, don't you know what the night can do? We surmise that the Check Inn 99 moved out just in time to save themselves a huge headache... No info on the street as to what it will eventually become....

SOI AMBASSADOR (Sukhumvit Soi 11)

   The second "Massage Row" in the Ambassador Hotel has rid itself of the last of the shoe-box massage parlors.   It appears a major renovation is commencing....   In the wind this month are the :
      Kan Massage
      Harmony Massage
      Kawinya Massage
      S&S Massage
      The Best Massage
May they all find that home they've been looking for....

SOI AMBASSADOR (Sukhumvit Soi 11)

QUEEN's PARK PLAZA

After little more than a month into the thick of it, the Cherry Bar ran out of gas and came to a rolling stop. We wish them a soft landing, wherever.... They were, however, quickly replaced by their predecessor, Simple Bar 1.

QUEEN's PARK PLAZA (Sukhumvit 22)

SOI DEAD ARTISTS

The Check Inn 99 recently opened the long-awaited Pavilion Sports Bar on the 2nd floor. Great indoor-outdoor venue. Welcome them to the nightgames....