BANGKOK EYES PRESENTS -
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BANGKOK EYES PRESENTS -
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 Should nightlifers be planning a visit (or revisit) to the '1980s' Khao San Road in hopes of immersing themselves in the backpacker haven of guest houses, travel agents, 'Call Home' shops, money changers, silver shops and food stalls selling omelets, fried rice and smoothies, they are going to be sadly disappointed. Nor will Khao San Road be more than tangentially reminiscent of the Hollywood version (the DiCaprio film The Beach, Year 2000). However, if one is looking for a unique Night Entertainment Area, a vibrant, chaotic, crowded street unlike others found in Bangkok, you will have come to the right spot.
Khao San's last true "guest house" - in recent times, Dio Guest House took over the reins of the ancient Friendly Guest House & Restaurant.
 KHAO SAN ROAD
For better or worse, Khao San Road has become a 'Nightlife Bazaar', rather than a Nightlife Area as found elsewhere in Bangkok. By nightfall, it becomes a 'Walking Street' of open-fronted bar beers (some with streetside A Go-Go style dancing), restaurants, discos, clubs, lounges, cannabis shops, food carts, push carts selling deep fried insects, shops offering 'laughing gas' one balloon at a time, hotels and massage parlors. Should seating be short, shops will move folding chairs and tables out into the roadway, further impeding pedestrian traffic. Virtually every shop has its touts buttonholing passers-by to stop for beer and food (yes, one can almost without exception order out and have food delivered in).
KHAO SAN ROAD
But alongside the hyper 'Night-Market Scene' so readily evident, Khao San Road has been developing a solid Expat Night Entertainment base over the last few years. Therefore, as much as we at the Bangkok Eyes website dread the thought of surveying that human-zoo every month, we cannot in good conscience let it go unreported. Commencing this issue, we are launching a monthly Khao San update in our 'Follies' section below.
For those interested in an in-depth historical perspective on Khao San Road, see our Khao San Road Today < link>.
 
MIDNITE HOUR
MAIL BOX
Dave is BACK... 
Let the Follies begin-
Last month we mentioned that the space previously occupied by the King's Castle 2 was under renovation, and likely to open. They did just that, and are called 'King's Castle' - as indicated in our last issue. This is the second King's Castle, the first is still just a few shophouses down on the Surawong Rd side. However, we also note that the larger King's Castle sign at the right of the photo now perhaps applies to this new King's Castle and the King's Castle 1? Well, if you own the whole street, I guess you can call any bar by any name you like...
PATPONG 1
The Qeen Studio Bar up on The Ramp was darker than a poisoned well when we passed by the other night. But - as they haven't removed the chattel lock, stock and barstool, this may be a temporary closure. A wait-and-see item. (File Photo)
PATPONG 2
The area adjacent to the Penny Black didn't have any signage for several months. Although most people knew it was part of Penny Black, many didn't. This month we see some sponsored signage giving proof-positive that it is part of Penny Black. So if you were worrying, stop worrying...
SOI COWBOY
The area on the 3rd level at the right / back that has either been empty or S.T. rooms for years - is now the On Top, a most colorful lounge bar. Much dynamic eye candy.... Let the good times roll...
Kind thanks to J.B. for the graphic.
NANA PLAZA
At the Soi 6 junction, what was the Champs became the Chemistry last August. There must have been some bad chemistry, because the Champs Bar is right back where it started from. Check out the new signage... Welcome back to the piranha pool...
SOI NANA - (SOI 4 SUKHUMVIT) 
We saw no change in the inventory of Soi Katoey (Silom Soi 4) venues this last month, however we have never seen it so crowded - and this wasn't even on a weekend.
SOI KATOEY (Silom Soi 4)
Unique to Khao San Road, an open-fronted 'disco', The One, thump-thump-thumps away, complete with live and/or DJ music and all the laser gear. And just to make it more complex, it is built on a series of steps / stairways. And in spite of this, it has remained one of the more popular Venues.
VIDEO CLIP KHAO SAN ROAD
By the time you read this, the Kater Claw Disco will likely be open. See above map for location. We shall follow up next round...
KHAO SAN ROAD
The Tha Chang sign is in Thai language, but all are welcome. Located down a side lane.
KHAO SAN ROAD
The Wakanda Club is relatively new (since our visit in 2023), and seemingly popular later in the evenings.
KHAO SAN ROAD
KHAO SAN ROAD
The upstairs OK Bar was formerly just called Gospel.
KHAO SAN ROAD
The long-running 11 Degree does most of its business outside in the cooler evenings.
KHAO SAN ROAD
The Bucket, another long-running inside-outside bar...
KHAO SAN ROAD
The new Honey Bee Massage has taken over the reins of the twice-failed Absolute Bar. Located in Subsoi Lemongrass just past the Marriott Marquis. Rub-a-dub-dub...
SOI 22 Sukhumvit Rd
It looks like the Too Easy found a way out from under it all. It was located in Subsoi Titanium. Happy trails...
SOI 22 Sukhumvit Rd
A For-the-Archives pic of the 8 Fantasy Massage located deeper in the Soi. May they continue to slip-n-slide...
SOI 8 Sukhumvit 
The pic below is an LED dynamic sign - which is becoming more common throughout Bangkok's Night Entertainment Scene. Located in the Ambassador Hotel compound, the Aces Nightclub sign itself is about 35 feet high - easily seen from the main Soi.
VIDEO CLIP SOI AMBASSADOR
(Sukhumvit Soi 11) With the WXYZ Bar just reopening in the newly renovated Aloft Hotel, all three of their Night Entertainment Venues have now reopened. Welcome back to the same-old, same-old.
SOI AMBASSADOR
(Sukhumvit Soi 11) Bar Louie looked down-and-out last month, so we wondered at that time if it was in the process of going bust. This month it's confirmed - they're shuttered for the duration. They were located in the cul-de-sac across from the Aloft Hotel. Greener grass, gents... (File photo)
SOI AMBASSADOR
(Sukhumvit Soi 11) The Candy Club (x Bobo) has plummeted irretrievably into the abyss. It's hard to imagine why - they were a well-appointed Nitespot. Perhaps it was the "Bobo" that was scaring customers away...? (File photo)
SOI AMBASSADOR
(Sukhumvit Soi 11) 
The We For You (the one at the back) went out of business, becoming Best Friends in April 2024. Last month Best friends winked out, only to be replaced this month by We For You - leaving 7 Center Point once again with two Venues of the same name. And the beat continues...
7 CENTER POINT (Sukhumvit Soi 7) Bar Beer Aurora (RIP) has been absorbed by the Lucky Bar at the rear of the Bier Garten wing.
7 CENTER POINT (Sukhumvit Soi 7) No sooner did Long Time No See open, than it closed up shop. One might wonder if it ever opened fully... (Last month we gave it the benefit of the doubt, as it was the new year, and many shops remained closed.) But this month there is no doubt - they have gone the way of the Megalapteryx)... (File photo)
SOI DEAD ARTIST (Sukhumvit Soi 33)
The Sakaba Karaoke has closed yet again, however this time looks like they won't be coming out for the next round... Ashes to ashes, so be it, then... (File photo)
SOI DEAD ARTIST (Sukhumvit Soi 33)
Above even the 3rd level Lady Soda and the 2nd level Sono and the ground level Hoshizora is the new CEO Bar. And yet, all four Venues seem to be doing well... (However, we hope the municipal fire inspector doesn't wander down the street to perform his inspections..)
SOI DEAD ARTIST (Sukhumvit Soi 33)
Once again, we noted no new Venue openings or closings on Soi Eden. Below, a For-the-Archives pic.
SOI EDEN (Sukhumvit 7 / 1)
This month Midnite Hour continues to review Bangkok's Nightlife Scene offering live entertainment, both foreign and local, as found in the bigger hotels, as well as those entertainers performing in Night Entertainment Areas, and other locations within the City.
 
A The Esso Trinidad Steel Band was a steel band from Trinidad, active from 1942 to 1976. The group began in 1942 as the Tripoli Steel Band, named after a lyric in the United States Marines' Hymn.
Tacey Robbins was a B-movie actress (horror/ scif-fi) who had a pleasant singing voice. She never made "The Big Time" in singing either...
September 1968
The battle of Silom Road's Cellar Bars (which we didn't even know was 'a thing'...)
September 1968
From very early on, the Bangkok World's entertainment editor, Bernard Trink came under fire from his several detractors. Of course these verbal 'dust-ups' only increased his readership. This is a particularly entertaining example...
September 1968
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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 creators.
Bangkok's original
 site !
SINCE 2005 
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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--- Datzit Fernow 
William R. Morledge |
February's Nitelife News 
1989 - 2025