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Bangkok 1995


Pom Michael

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Bangkok 1995

 

- Nana Entertainment Plaza was in it's Prime. Still had the car-park and a few restaurants (Matterhorn) and the video game room in the back.

- The 3rd floor was basically empty

- Angels Disco (Nana Disco) was also hoping - along with the Old Thermae.

- Clinton Plaza didn't exist yet - neither was the Soi 10 complex of bars - I believe there was still a gas station there (or a closed gas station).

- Soi 0 (Buckskin Joe's) was the beer bar area of Bangkok and was very popular.

- Annies was a "good" massage place. Could get away for an all in 2 hour experience for 1,000 baht - with a beer even.

- THB 25 to 1 USD was basically the fixed rate of exchange.

- Chavala (Sukhumvit Soi 34) was a good cheap massage with bath. Believe it was 200 baht for the 2 hour massage / bath.

- Bang Na Trad highway was just a highway (no overhead) and it had a two way lane - so half of the day there were extra lanes down to Pattaya, and the other half the lanes were used on the return trip.

- Sukhumvit being a traffic nightmare (worse then before) as they started piling work for the skytrain.

- Major flooding was common during the rainy season in downtown area

- Taxi flagfall was 30 baht

- JW Marriott / Ploenchit Center buildings were going up but not open.

- The major soi (Soi zero now) from Sukhumvit to Rama 4 was not open - it was basically there but not open due to Hopewell Construction.

- World Trade Center was actually known as the World Trade Center.

- Don Muang was the airport - and the overhead expressway ended about 2 kms before the airport (the extension to Rangsit didn't open until 97 or 98) - so there was always traffic jams getting to the airport.

- Soi Cowboy existed, but wasn't on the map like it is in the present.

- Nana Hotel/Dynasty rate was about 890 baht per night

- Drinks were in the THB 80 to THB 90 range - happy hour pricing was not prevalent.

- Patpong / Safari Bar, Peppermint were the "expat bars" at the time

- The Seafood Market ("If it swims, we have it") was on Sukhumvit Road at Asoke intersection

 

Any other memories of Bangkok 1995?

 

 

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The cinema situation was completely different. As I recall, the cinemas at Washington Square (30 baht) and Panthip still existed. This was mostly irrelevant as the films on offer were truly dire: few Hollywood hits were making their way here yet. Any decent films that did make it were usually massacred by the censors. Dubbing into Thai was even worse than today (yes, I know this is hard to believe).

 

Very few bars had pool tables. While blow jobs in the bars was tolerated, a quiet game of pool was considered too dissipated.

 

One change for the better since: in 1995, there were go-go bars that still had some 14 year old dancers. Especially (but not exclusively) away from farang nightspots, coerced prostitution was still in evidence.

 

Bus fares I believe were 2.50-3.50 baht (non aircon) and 6-16 baht aircon.

 

The Thai nightlife scene (for instance, Dara Cafe) was a lot more fun than today (or maybe I am just too old to enjoy it now!)

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<< Chavala (Sukhumvit Soi 34) was a good cheap massage with bath. Believe it was 200 baht for the 2 hour massage / bath >>

 

 

I think this was the original branch. I always went to the Chawala on Sri Ayutthaya. You weren't supposed to get any extra (except an HJ), but I had regulars and did get "special service". (The girls could be fired if they were caught.) The Chao Phaya - now CP1 - across the street was the place for soapies. 300 baht maybe ... plus a tip.

 

But the traffic was horrible in the city by then. The traffic was the reason I left for a while. I simply could not get home from work until hours later! :banghead:

 

 

 

 

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1995 and this was my first and life changing 3 weeks in Bangkok.

 

"- The Seafood Market ("If it swims, we have it") was on Sukhumvit Road at Asoke intersection"

 

Damn, I now realise it's gone!, I always thought that in my whiskey-soaked 1st trip, I'd merely lost it's actual location and that I would subsequently find it again on a later visit, I didn't realise it had actually gone and that I was looking in the right place!

 

Fond memories....

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My first time here was 1998, I guess I sorta liked the place, not left yet. First couple of nights was at the Hyatt Erawan, walked from there to within about 100 metres of Nana before figuring I should ask directions, got a great deal on a Tuk-Tuk for 200 baht :dunce: to take me all around and back down soi 3 :cool:

 

Still, the pound sterling had just hit 89 baht so what!

 

Learned a few things since mind.

 

 

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1995 and this was my first and life changing 3 weeks in Bangkok.

 

"- The Seafood Market ("If it swims, we have it") was on Sukhumvit Road at Asoke intersection"

 

Damn, I now realise it's gone!, I always thought that in my whiskey-soaked 1st trip, I'd merely lost it's actual location and that I would subsequently find it again on a later visit, I didn't realise it had actually gone and that I was looking in the right place!

 

Fond memories....

NOT gone. Just moved. On a sub-soi that runs between 24 & 36, down near Rama IV.

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Good list.

 

I remember the severe lack of ATMs, and having to wire money regularly. The wires took several days.

 

The ATMs that you could find were a crap shoot. They may or may not work on any given day. I found one that was pretty reliable, and I still smile at the silliness of it all when I walk by it, still being in the same spot and merrily dispensing cash today (next to QPP hotel on Suk 22).

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I think that's the one that was always getting into trouble over multiple pricing. City laws requires prices to be marked clearly, but the Seafood market would say something like "from 200 to 100 baht". Thais would be charged 200 baht, Farangs 500 ... and Japanese 1,000! It made the Bangkok Post whenever they got raided again.

 

And ironically it was very popular with Japanese expats. (The yen was so high they didn't care. Also, they'd compared prices to Tokyo and think a rip off was cheap.)

 

 

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1995 and this was my first and life changing 3 weeks in Bangkok.

 

"- The Seafood Market ("If it swims' date=' we have it") was on Sukhumvit Road at Asoke intersection"

 

Damn, I now realise it's gone!, I always thought that in my whiskey-soaked 1st trip, I'd merely lost it's actual location and that I would subsequently find it again on a later visit, I didn't realise it had actually gone and that I was looking in the right place!

 

Fond memories....[/quote']

NOT gone. Just moved. On a sub-soi that runs between 24 & 36, down near Rama IV.

 

Local knowledge you can rely on!

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