MIDNITE HOUR - 01 January 2025

Traces of Bangkok's Early Years

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 the smaller Venues.

After a brief renovation, the Thai Yonok opened August 1968 as a coffee shop, taking over the reins from the Dew Drop. The Dew Drop was a well-known late-late freelancer Venue, so when the Thai Yonok opened, they made sure they would not be mistaken for same, but rather they should be known as a "24 hour Coffee Shop". It didn't work - it soon became an even more well-known freelancer Venue, rivaling the Thermae Coffee Shop and the Nana Hotel Coffee Shop. Note the alternate spelling; 'Thai Yo Nok'

August 1968

      The Aladdin Club was one of the earlier bars to open on Patpong 1 Road.   (Alternately pronounced ; 'Al Laddin'.)   Although popular in the '60's, very few, including the 'old hands' remember it today.

August 1968

      Dakota Staton was an American jazz vocalist initially finding international acclaim with her hit song, "The Late, Late Show".   The Leopard's Room at the Inter-Continental Hotel regularly had entertainment from the U.S. and Europe.

August 1968

       Those 'old hands' of our era need no introduction to The Ventures (their hit musical numbers listed above).   Carmen Pate�a, from the Philippines, was known as "Asia's Ambassador of Songs".   Her singing career peaked in the 1960s - 1970s.   She would frequently appear on Seeing Stars on IBC. (1970s.)   Later in life Carmen Pate�a would appear with the Golden Divas in the Philippines.

August 1968

      Austrian by birth, Paul Potassy was a prisoner of war in WWII, captured by the Russians.   His repertoire consisted of only a few tricks - such as the Sympathetic Silks, the Eating Razor Blades, and the Torn and Restored Newspaper - which he presented with charm and intelligent wit.   He performed mainly in top hotels and for exclusive events becoming an accomplished star of the international world of cabaret magic.   The Tropicana was in the Rama Hotel deep in Silom Road.

August 1968

      The Windsor on Surawong Rd (Not the hotel on Sukhumvit Rd.) had given over the management of their in-house entertainment to the popular Maurice Rocco.

August 1968

      They advertised themselves as The Original Platters, which in fact they were (at least 3 of them).   They thought it necessary, as through the years so many former Platters splintered off to start their own groups, and because there were so many imitation Platters popping up.   The Platters were formed either in 1951, 1952 or 1953, depending on the historian one chooses to believe.   They are still performing today as a group, however there has necessarily been many new members.   The Sani Chateau was located in the Gaysorn Night Entertainment Area.

August 1968

      The Montien Hotel's Montientong had live entertainment in the evenings, however in the afternoons they also had Tea Dances.   The "Tea Dance" has a couple of claimed origins; the first is the English claim that Tea Dances evolved directly from their traditional Afternoon Teas.   The second claim is the Tea Dance (th� dansant) was of French origin - a dance held in the summer or autumn in the late afternoon.   J. Pettigrew traces its origin to the French colonization of Morocco.   Take your pick.   It remains curious that the Tea Dance somehow became 'an enduring thing' during the 1960's here in Thailand...

August 1968

      This clipping from a one-off Bernard Trink filler.   We know of no Rofeno or Reservoir Nitespots - we will have to expand our explorations...

August 1968