Patpong comings and goings

[neil]

Hi Paulsf.   I will be coming to BKK on 16th for couple of days.. Will you still be around?

[reader]

There have been some changes in the local massage scene since my last trip in July. One new shop has entered the scene to become the lone mixed (male and female staffed) shop in either Patpong 1 or 2.

Chaichana has opened on Patpong 1, nearer the Surawong end on the same side the original Madrid was located. When I stopped by the other night, it had three guys—two of whom I found attractive—seated outside with four young women. They offer all the traditional services, including neck and shoulder massage. Some of the public services are offered on the first floor. Thai and oil massage facilities are located on the lower level accessed by wide and easily negotiable stairs. There are three large massage suites, all with massage tables and en suite shower. One hour oil 500. Hours 3pm until midnight. Attire is red polo shirts.  

Meanwhile on Surawong, there has been some consolidation and (if memory serves me correctly) some space swapping.

The shop at the corner of the driveway for Tarntawan Hotel is now known as Avarin and has also taken over the space which appears to have been the long-time home of Green Massage a few shop fronts away. Green is now situated in smaller quarters between the twin Avarin shops. Avarin staff in maroon polos while Green continues to wear the inexplicable orange. Avarin one oil 590. Further up Surawong you’ll find Olivia’s encamped in a large quarters adjacent to the still more expansive Urban Male shop. All of the shops mentioned have male and female staffs.

Toured the new and Foodland market in the recently opened Park Silom building at Silom and Convent roads. Located on the lower level, it’s L-shaped layout is expansive, featuring a salad bar and prepared (7-11 style) take away meals starting at 49 bht. It also offers an expanded beer, wine and liquor shop. The attached Took Lae Dee restaurant was going quite strong at 10pm on Monday night with about 25 customers. Like the flagship Patpong location, market and restaurant open 24/7. And for those in need, you’ll find an immaculately maintained restroom on same level.

There’s a Dairy Queen outlet also on lower level that I think closed at 9.

[jason1975]

Thanks for update @reader so sorry I haven't written report on my trip close to 2 weeks ago. Been busy at work.

[reader]

In my post above about massage shops, I incorrectly referred to “Urban Thai” as “Urban Male”. 

============

While arriving at Saladaeng station this evening, I discovered that a new, 7-11 type convenience store has opened in a large space on the lower level platform. As you descend the central stairway, you’re greeted by the entrance to Turtle Cafe. It has about everything you expect to find in a 7-11 (including prepared meals) in addition to a McDonald’s style hot an cold beverage counter. Thais are masters of the retail trade.

[vinapu]

3 hours ago, jason1975 said:

Thanks for update @reader so sorry I haven't written report on my trip close to 2 weeks ago. Been busy at work.

at least you realize we are disappointed. As for being busy , it looks you belong to a better half. "how many people are working in this building?'', "About half"

[vinapu]

9 minutes ago, reader said:

In my post above about massage shops, I incorrectly referred to “Urban Thai” as “Urban Male”. 

 

Urban Male was at time popular massage shop with hunky guys in Sukhumvit soi 23

[10tazione]

On 10/17/2023 at 3:30 AM, reader said:

Green is now situated in smaller quarters between the twin Avarin shops.

That is weird. Green was doing extremely well last time I was in BKK and the chairs in the ground floor all occupied in the evening.

[reader]

13 hours ago, 10tazione said:

That is weird. Green was doing extremely well last time I was in BKK and the chairs in the ground floor all occupied in the evening.

You are correct. I passed by again this afternoon and took a second look. Green Massage is still operating in original location. I now think it was Olivia’s that moved (from second shop now run by Avarin) and into larger space further up Surawong.

[reader]

A new lady bar opened Friday night, promising Thailand’s most endangered species.

 

“Virgin” is situated directly opposite the Foodland restaurant.

Regardless of the nature of the business, always find it encouraging when any new venue opens in Patpong.

 

 

[vinapu]

11 minutes ago, reader said:

A new lady bar opened Friday night, promising Thailand most endangered species.

“Virgin” is situated directly opposite the Foodland restaurant.

 

Hope UNESCO will not remove Foodland's  World Heritage status because new neighbour 

[10tazione]

8 hours ago, vinapu said:

Hope UNESCO will not remove Foodland's  World Heritage status because new neighbour 

As long as the heels they are wearing are not too high, it should be no problem

[reader]

From a reliable source: a customer last week offed boy from Dreamboy and had phone and 18,000 baht taken from his hotel room. Boy never returned to bar.

[vinapu]

7 hours ago, reader said:

From a reliable source: a customer last week offed boy from Dreamboy and had phone and 18,000 baht taken from his hotel room. Boy never returned to bar.

Holly smoke ! That's disaster and almost unheard of.

Forget the phone but how he managed to have that much unsecured in the room.

I'm kind of trusting  and definitely not paranoid about possible theft but never would have more than 8000 available for a thief and even that only at daytime due to my patented system of cash distribution.

[paulsf]

The police decided Halloween would be a good night to roam thru Patpong checking for illegal workers.    Police came in from Surawong and workers ran out Silom side.    About 9 police gone and most workers returned. 
Also between about 7-8 there was a power failure.  Much of Patpong 2 in the dark.   And for those of you that don’t like loud music,  there was none for about an hour.    

[vinapu]

1 hour ago, paulsf said:

.  Much of Patpong 2 in the dark.  

that's  bonus for those in bar and boy's company already

[jason1975]

On 11/1/2023 at 1:04 AM, reader said:

From a reliable source: a customer last week offed boy from Dreamboy and had phone and 18,000 baht taken from his hotel room. Boy never returned to bar.

And because of him, all non Thai boys cannot work at Dreamboys and they scrambled to find work at the other boys.

[vinapu]

1 hour ago, jason1975 said:

And because of him, all non Thai boys cannot work at Dreamboys and they scrambled to find work at the other boys.

as I said somewhere else even some Thais were let go in the purge

[reader]

44 minutes ago, vinapu said:

as I said somewhere else even some Thais were let go in the purge

Owners may have used this as opportunity to slash expenses across board. Running a venue that size comes with big fixed costs (rent, utilities, upkeep), leaving variables like staffing easy targets. When Lucky Boy occupied same venue, it had 40-50 in rotation plus good show. But It never reopened after Covid. 

[PeterRS]

2 hours ago, vinapu said:

as I said somewhere else even some Thais were let go in the purge

I cannot recall your post about the purge and when it happened. The fact is that Thai boys have been leaving the go-go bars to be replaced by others from neighbouring countries for a considerable number of years. I guess the purge @vinapu refers to is something that happened post the government's Social Order campaigns at the start of the 2000s because I do not recall many boys being non-Thais even for a few years after that time. I do remember, though, (I'm guessing around 2008-10) there was a lot of chatter in Dick's Cafe about a very handsome young Vietnamese who worked in a beer bar (Scorpion?) a little futher up the Soi. But for whatever reason he was not affable!

On the other hand, the gradually booming economy made working in other jobs more attractive to many of the upcountry lads who were the usual recruiting ground for go-go bar boys. And my guess is that barring a desperate slide in the economy, bars will continue having to rely mostly on non-Thais.

[reader]

The Patpong Museum appears to have closed its doors. The marquee sign is unlit and entrance opposite Foodland dark.

Although it did a commendable job of documenting the history of the area, it steadfastly declined to acknowledge the existence of Patpong’s all-male bars scene.

[PeterRS]

Did it ever even mention Patpong 2 even though it was located there? I was only there once and all I seem to recall is bits of history and people related to the original Patpong, although there was some information about a ladyboy bar. Certainly nothing about the early gogo bars of the 1980s on the second level of  Patpong 2.

[reader]

Actually there was quite a bit about some selective venues, including a cage which visitors were welcome to experience.

I recall one scale model (architect type) of both Patpong sois with names of some of the bars (but no mention of gay clubs).

[Department_Of_Agriculture]

3 hours ago, reader said:

The Patpong Museum appears to have closed its doors. The marquee sign is unlit and entrance opposite Foodland dark.

Although it did a commendable job of documenting the history of the area, it steadfastly declined to acknowledge the existence of Patpong’s all-male bars scene.

Not exactly true. Saying that "it steadfastly declined to acknowledge the existence of Patpong’s all-male bars scene" suggest a deliberate refusal to acknowledge the gay presence in Patpong, which is far from the case.

The museum dealt only with Patpong proper, i.e. Patpong 1 and 2, and not with the wider "Patpong" entertainment zone, which would also include Soi 2, Soi 4, Soi  6 and Soi Twilight. There have been gay bars in Patpong proper since the 1980s, but there was never a cluster of them in one place until 2019 - and since the museum did not tell the history of every individual Patpong bar, except for the really iconic ones like Grand Prix and Superstar, there was no reason to expect mention of any of the gay bars. That was actually somewhat amusing considering that the Patpong Museum site was once home to a gay bar.

The Jew who owned the museum had previously owned the Bua Luang group of bars in the 90s that was very gay friendly, even having host nights and advertising in gay magazines. He was also, reportedly, looking at opening a male bar before the pandemic struck, in addition to that string of lady bars that he had on Patpong 2. Of course, that is not going to happen now that he is rotting in jail in Phuket.

Also, if you look at the second picture of the model of Patpong 2 that you have posted above, it does include the gay bars that moved there in 2019. The signs for Dream Boy, Lucky Boys and Fresh Boys are all clearly visible. The bars only moved there in 2019, after the model had already been built but it was updated to include the gay bars that had already moved to Patpong 2 before the model was put on display. Hot Male was the last to move and that was after the model had been updated and therefore is not included in that display. They did not update it again after that because they had plans to replace  or upgrade the entire thing with a more elaborate version that would include the actual interiors of all the bars.

Then came the pandemic and then the owner's arrest earlier this year before any of that could happen. The entire thing was a work in progress that has been cut short and the lack of information about gay bars in Patpong was not discrimination, it was just bad timing.

I repost that picture of the model, including the gay bars.

[reader]

Thanks for clarification. But what does the owner being a Jew have to do with anything?

[Marc in Calif]

1 hour ago, reader said:

Thanks for clarification. But what does the owner being a Jew have to do with anything?

A statement that starts with "The Jew who owned the museum... " is typical of anti-Semitic writing.

It connects religion and business/money in a common trope that has been associated with Jewish people since the Middle Ages in Europe.

No explanation or clarification can excuse this type of statement. But I'm eager to see the reactions and responses to my comment. We can only raise our eyebrows. 🙄