What's all this about "The Arab"?

[Wallenda]

Nana is a tough call er sort of. On one hand, yes the land is worth something. However, if NEP were to go away, there most likely would not be the draw to that area. Years back, it was a shopping mall of sorts, and there were those who came and went, could be that way again, but with out the "entertainment venues" Lower sukhumvit serves little purpose for attracting tourists.

 

As for Cowboy, I hope it lasts forever. The issue you state, that all are individually owned...I am not so sure of. most of the bars are leased from the property owner(s) if I have it right. I seem to think if the price were right, any problems with city streets down th middle etc would magically go away. Hope I am wrong and the place lasts forever.

 

If they can erase an entire street and sell it to a developer, has that kind of thing been done before in Bangkok? Before it'd be considered, the developer would surely need to own all those different properties. My guess is that it's a patchwork of owners, but I'm just guessing. OK they're leased but that doesn't negate that someone owns them, and its almost surely not all owned by one person. Anyone know?

 

From what's been posted about Nana, it seems as if another factor in play is status quo -- the tendency of the way things are continuing to be the way they aer -- as long as there's no huge push to eliminate anything/everything redlight, it means there may not be much interest in real estate development at Nana (no one wants their company HQ next to girly bars). But if so, then the question must be asked: why did Clinton get pushed out? Presumably the same dynamic would have also protected that area from that fate. Why did Clinton disappear while Nana has remained?

 

[Pom_Pom]

Somehow I don't think Peter will be selling Suzy Wong's to The Arab in a hurry... Suzy Wong's is still Peter'e i.e. part of the No Name Group.

 

Its easy to mistake Suzy Wong's for one of the Arab's bars since they started charging 150 Baht for a beer.

[x0x0x]

One thing is that the whole Suk Soi 4, etc. is what it is because NP is where and what it is.

 

There's a suitable amount of space w/in the NP complex to raise a hotel or office building as high as is allowed.

 

Any businesses around there that depend on sex/thrill seekers would fail, but the whole area could easily become just another tourist hotel/normal-business-hours area.

 

The only reason the whole area is scurvy and filled with sketchy late-night denizens, dives and doxies is because NP is the engine for that.

 

Some wise old hand on the gone-but-not-forgotten nanapong board opined 6 or so years ago that BKK sanuk as it existed then had +/- 10 years to go.

 

That estimate seems prescient now. It ain't what it was then, it sure as hell ain't what it was before then and it's hard to see how it can continue as it is.

 

 

 

[simie]

I always thought that The Office was one of the Soi 33 bars that didn't raise its prices after 9pm.

From what I saw the girls wouldn't raise a dick either.

 

Bust, if thats a recent observation then another sign of decline, as years ago there where loads of tastey birds in there.

Simie.

[Old Hippie]

You seem to forget or ignore what others here have pointed out regarding cowboy, and that is, the Asoke Plaza went to office space, and so *could* (I hope not) Cowboy. The demand for office space is increasing. Cowboy sits at a major intersection, with MRT and BTS stops "right there." Who owns what doesn't matter in a place like BKK where money makes laws and zoning (as it does in most places). Buying the buildings/street would not take much more than money in that case.

 

Money makes things happen. Police crack downs would disrupt and destroy business, and the bar owners would leave, the land owners would then be desperate to sell. Could happen very easily. All it would take is an interested developer with enough money. The cops who get their income now from Cowboy would either be bought off, or they would derive their income from a new venue.

 

Also keep in mind "who" might want it closed down. Every been on SC when "anyone of importance" passes by along Asoke? The lights go out on the street and SC sign, the police clear any scantily clad women out of view and salute as the motorcade passes by. A few seconds later all back to normal. So all it could take is for the "right person" to say "get rid of it." Which I can't see happening, but it is a possibility, though a distant one.

 

The only down side I could see or "negative selling point" would be the size of the street. A lot has been built up around it, and I would think any new super size building might be difficult to build, but who knows?

 

"...why did Clinton get pushed out? Presumably the same dynamic would have also protected that area from that fate. Why did Clinton disappear while Nana has remained?..."

 

CEP, depending on who you talk to was either poorly managed, or a cluster fuck/scam from the start. Basically, as I understand it, 1-2 groups owned the land. A developer built the plaza, leased out bars...the bars were then sub leased and sub leased again and again.

 

Down the line, bars went out of business, didn't pay rent what ever...also, the various middle men were not paying the rent they owed, so the guy at the top was coming up short every month. He got pissed and sold the land to a developer, who then started trying to kick the bars out, which took some time. Eventually, we got what we have now.

 

There were supposedly some similar type things going on with the Soi 10 complex across the street. The owner supposedly turned it into a park to show he was a "nice guy."

 

 

[ozpharlap]

I have always wondered if Nana would relocate to that newish building on the corner of Soi 2 and Sukhumvit Road proper (the for now, shopping complex), and then become somewhat of the equivalent of Singapore's 4 floors of whores.

 

Opps, don't tell the Arab unless I get commish!

[Old Hippie]

That is a dream idea! Though it was tried briefly at Soi 1, the small mid rise was what 4 floors of bars and short time rooms...too bad it failed...what is there now? a disco or something?

[radioman]

Being turned into a boutique hotel, I think.

 

[STFORME]

Jeffrey, aka Cyrus, was born in the US. His parents migrated from Iran. The term " The Arab," was first used by Tim in his Baronbonk column. The name was meant to be an insult, due to Tim not liking him buying up bars and raising prices in Cowboy. The man in question had a computer chip manufacturing company in Aythuya for several years. After taking part in barfining many ladies in CB, he closed (not sold) the factory and decided to buy gogo's. He owned Spanky's in Nana, but not having much luck there,as well as being pressured by some of the main operators of Nana sold out to Mark, the current owner. The sale did not go thru without Jeffrey having being dragged to court. Where all the money comes from to keep buying bars in CB is a mystery to all, since none of his bars are that profitable.

 

I saw a mention of John, aka Boss Hog. He without doubt is one of the lowest pieces farang slime that ever came to Thailand. He has fucked over so many people that the joke was if you want to wack him, get on the line. Happily, most of his businesses went to shit here and he spends most of his time in the US. His last standing venture him, Bully's continues to operate.

[Old Hippie]

Where's Bully's? I want to boycott it. I once saw that asshole yelling and screaming at an older Thai woman in a very demeaning manner. He had watched her unload several cases of beer, then told her he didn't want it. He was also involved in the "Cathouse caper" as I recall.