MIDNITE HOUR - 01 April 2023

But it wasn't until the 60's that those travellers 'few-and-far-between' became a "human river" of so-called 'backpackers', a large part of whom flowed into and through Southeast Asia. Likewise, those once seldom-trodden paths were labeled the "backpacker trail" (synonymous with the "Hippy Trail") - each backpacker toting his copy of FEER's 'Golden Guide To Southeast Asia' (precursor to the Lonely Planet-type guidebooks). This writer arrived in Bangkok mid-60's, prior to the Khao San guest house scene. We found instead cheap Chinese hotels, usually in the Hua Lampong Train Station area, the Thai Song Greet being the most well-known. We backpackers hitch-hiked, train-ed, bussed and hiked, travelled by tramp steamer, and complained of an all-too-expensive air-hop across Burma. Those of us who had been on 'the trail' for any length of time feigned an 'air of superiority / snobbery' over those we perceived to be "pretend backpackers", those who flew in direct-flight, with an actual round-trip ticket paid for with "Daddy's money" and lugging around backpacks twice the size that could conceivably be considered convenient or useful.

There were no fast-food outlets in Bangkok - we found Thai dishes like khai jiew, khao phat, and phat thai to be just fine. And it was at mealtimes, either on the ground floor of our Chinese hotel, or one of the other local shops (ubiquitous and usually 24/7) where one would meet the Israeli couple, the Canadian, the lone Japanese travelling with only a day-pack, the Aussie... - where often animated conversations would ensue - comparing our personal experiences, the claims in our guidebooks - and where, really, to go and what to see. It was generally a time for community discussions and swapping of stories and the hazards found along the way. And then finding time late into the evening discussing the Night Entertainment scene on 'New' Petchburi Road, or an article someone found on 'Asia On A Dollar A Day'. No mobile phones or Internet cafes, we would trek on over in the cool of the mornings to the General Post Office on New Road to pick up any forwarded snail-mail at Poste Restante and send our short-stack of post cards to the envious, worried or unbelieving at home.

As backpacker tourism continued to grow, the Chinese hotels at Hua Lampong and nearby were no longer able to handle the influx of backpackers. In the early to mid-70's the sois in the area around JUSMAGTHAI on Sathorn Road began to see small shops, apartment buildings and restaurants spring up to catch some of the US military custom. The Malaysia Hotel on Soi Ngam Dupli had also become an inexpensive and popular stop for tourists. At the same time, "guest houses" began opening up on that soi and the adjoining Soi Sri Bumphen to house the newly arriving backpackers. But it wasn't long before even that area became saturated, as the backpacker set continued to arrive in the Kingdom in increasing droves. Khao Sarn Road was suddenly ripe for what was then called 'budget tourism'.

To be sure, Khao Sarn Road had a number of advantages, it was 400 meters long, so virtually able to expand to meet the demands of the swelling backpacker arrivals. It was near the then-Sunday Market at Sanam Luang, the Grand Palace and Wat Po. It was near the river and the old historic Rattanakosin Bangkok relics. By the year 2000, it was at, or near it's peak - as far as the backpacker activities were concerned. There were just on 26 Guest Houses on the main road and the immediate side-sois. And if one were to count those restaurants that had rooms for rent above, the number would be in the mid-30's. There were also 16 silver shops and 23 (or so) boutiques. In those early Khao San Road times, the same camaraderie, the same 'vibe' and 'energy' existed that the backpackers of the 60's had found. Again, it was at the Khao San restaurants where the travel stories and the 'adventures' and the cautionary tales were passed on to others: Which 1-baht ferry to take across the Chao Phraya to see the turtle wat. Which temples between Vientiane and Paksan would allow backpackers to overnight in the salas. Beware of the 'guides' outside Wat Po, and the number of the bus to the Khlong Toey docks. (The list was as endless as it was varied.)

By the early 80's Khao San Road's popularity, by word of mouth and through the travel guide books was known throughout the world, so it was no surprise that it became a major 'nexus' and waypoint for the backpackers / budget travellers. Every third shop one was met with a sign that read "Call Home", or "Cheapest Air Fare", or "Change Money", or "Travellers Checks Best Rate", or "Military ID cards / Diplomas", or 'Bus to Pattaya' Chiang Mai... ) ', or 'Visa Extend', or "Floating Market".... The local restaurants had 'Westernized' their menus over the 1960's Chinese Hotels - in addition to an expanded Thai menu, there were such delights as 'smoothies', and banana fritters, and pancakes and crepes, and mystery-meat kebabs, and faux-club-sandwiches and fake lightweight Chinese pastries. These times on Khao San Road were pre-water-bottle days, so most decided to play it safe - don't drink the water, don't trust the ice, have a Coke or a 7-Up. But this version of Khao San Road, this dynamic, 'alive' and thriving crossroads for backpackers, hippies and other strange travellers was not to last. This was the version of Khao San Road depicted in DeCaprio's The Beach - this was the version in which future visitors thought they would someday immerse themselves. They were wrong.

We hadn't covered Khao San Road since October 2018, so this month we approached our two-day survey with apprehension - would we be looking upon a Covid-induced ghost town? Or were they somehow able to struggle out of the pervading Pandemic darkness and once again be able to draw in the tourists, the resident expats and perhaps even some of the Yuppie Thais of the pre-Covid era? 'Gobsmacked' is actually a word in the English language, and that, by any measure, was us. By way of quick comparison, in 2012, when we lamented Khao San Road had become a "garish Night Bazaar" it had 33 Venues that would possibly be considered for entertainment purposes. Our 2018 survey revealed 35 such Venues. The other night we counted a total of 63 such Venues (inclusive of the recent exp

losion of Cannabis lounges).

Currently (2023) the garish bazaar atmosphere has not only returned, it has doubled-down. The bars, restaurants and clubs each push their chairs and tables out into the street to accommodate the late-night rush. Each with their own brand of street tout - some are attractive young ladies intently encouraging customers to sit for "a bucket", some are buzz-cut 'security' in paramilitary garb thrusting signs and menus in your face while waving a mini flashlight in your eyes, and others are 'freelance' touts coursing the roadway encouraging passers-by to try laughing gas, or to buy cannabis. The end result : Khao San Road after about 9:00 p.m. becomes a narrow gauntlet - more a challenge to visitors than any hoped-for 'memorable experience'. The bars and clubs in the central part of Khao San Road are in a perpetual hard rock / rap amplifier duel, rendering much of the 400 meter roadway unsuitable for conversation. As the daytime push-carts selling the usual bric-a-brac go off shift, the food seller carts take their place, further congesting foot traffic. No longer do you have the option of buying a dozen kinds of deep fried insects, they are now offering huge black scorpions and large black spiders each on a stick. But are they for eating? Don't ask us, we don't know either. As if in a time-warp, we see what appear to be the same wrinkled, black-toothed crones in full hill tribe colors selling the same wooden noise-maker frogs and beaded this-and-that. Most, but not all of the day-shift streetside clothiers had earlier wheeled their racks of elephant-pants and fake Hawaiian Songkran shirts inside - but not all of them. Those clothiers, closing late hoping to make the last sale, are busy pushing their racks through the crowds back to wherever they are to be stored for the night. Meanwhile, bar waiters and waitresses carrying plates of hot phat thai from roadside stalls at one end of Khao San Road back to customers at the other end, are zig-zag threading their way through the crowd, so make sure you don't bump into them as you attempt to remember why you came in the first place.

   The big news this past month on Patpong 2 was the crackdown on a number of bars in the Black Pagoda group of Venues.   Much was said on the local television stations and in the vernacular Press, however not many facts are actually known.   What is known is there was originally a crackdown on the Velvet bar in Phuket for having underage dancers.   In that there have been business discussions between the Velvet and one, or some of the persons associated with the Black Pagoda group, the Thai police thought it prudent to widen the investigation to include all parties.   Mid-month the Thai Police raided and closed the following Patpong 2 Venues :
         *   Black Pagoda
         *   Club Black
         *   Triple XXX Lounge
         *   Bar Bar Fetish
         *   Patpong Museum Annex -3rd Level - (No stairwell access due to Bar Bar closure.)
         *   The Strip Bangkok

Traces of Bangkok's Early Years

This month Midnite Hour goes back to July of 1966 for an in-depth look at the spectrum of Night Entertainment available for Expat consumption in Bangkok...

The Petchrama was Thailand's first (and only) Cinerama theater. And it was a 'big deal' - worthy of a Royal Command Performance on it's opening in July of 1966. Located on New Petchburi Road.

July 1966

Sam Scott quite successfully transitioned from his spot at the Drop-In Tavern (New Road) to the Yard of Ale, where he ran the show. Located immediately across Silom Road from Patpong 1 on the corner of Convent Road. July 1966

The Ramayana was the dine-dance Venue at the Rama Hotel on Silom Road.

July 1966

Although I-George has apparently been erased, or was entertaining under a pseudonym, Joey Hollingsworth's story is something yet again. He began dancing at 3 years of age, turning professional at five. In addition to his tour in Southeast Asia, he appeared on U.S. television, including The Ed Sullivan Show, the Tennessee Ernie Ford Show, and Mister Rogers' Neighborhood. He has since retired in his home country of Canada. He is 86 years of age.

Gaysorn Night Entertainment Area - July1966

      The Taratip Massage was one of the few advertising their prices (60 Baht/hour) giving us an insight into how much the massage (less 'extras' and tip) would cost a customer.             July 1966

      It didn't take much imagination to see that the Venice Turkish Bath was not emphasizing steam rooms or the barber shop.   Located on Rajprasong Road (today's Big C area).

July 1966

      As the U.S. R&R program got under way in Thailand, the Pretty Massage was one of the first massage parlors on Petchburi Road's "Golden Mile" to stay open virtually around the clock.         July 1966

      This 1966 photo of the Takara massage is the best we have on file.   It started out (1965) as a barber shop / onsen (or japanese bath house) in Patpong 2, but as the years went by, and the Takara migrated to Patpong 1, the emphasis was on 'massage' and the barber shop function quietly disappeared.   Historically, Takara was a Japanese manufacturer of barber chairs and related equipment.

July 1966

      Sukhumvit Road was still years away from becoming an entertainment hub, but it did have a scattered number of Venues during those years, to include Sorry About That on the corner of Soi 7.

July 1966

      While New Road's Starlight wasn't in competition with the "Big Three" as far as International Stars on their marquee, they remained one of the most popular live entertainment night clubs in Bangkok.   (The 'Big Three' ; Sani Chateau,   Cafe de Paris,   Tropicana.)
New Road Night Entertainment Area      July 1966