Patanawet

They were immigration police probably accompanied by the local Bangrak police.

I was chatting to a, no spring chicken, friend of mine and i mentioned D.J. Station as a 'DISCO'. He said "God how old are you? -- disco indeed".

I wonder why there has been no admin response to this thread.

I see no 'remember me' option anywhere.

This is Bangkok Bangrak district. Tonight, Friday, normal till midnight then midnight close. Tomorrow, Saturday, open but soft drinks only till midnight-- then at midnight normal service till closing. Sorry but don't know about gogo bars. DJ Station closed tonight but open again at midnight Saturday. Balcony will have it's usual cabaret show tonight that will finish before midnight. Sorry if this offends anyone in Pattaya as being irrelevant to them.

No you don't disappoint or surprise me. I hope you realise that there are many who did not have the forethought that you have had. Many others have been with companies that cancel policies after 70. Good on you for finding one that doesn't. I wonder what your premiums will rise to at 70.

I wonder what your opinion will be when you reach 70 years and cannot get or afford health insurance here. Most insurance companies refuse applicants over the age of 70.

What is a papasan? I thought it was a sort of chair.

The Stranger was only closed for two nights and was the open again looking just as busy as normal. It was closed again last night apparently because of some Drag Race Final somewhere. And for Will's question --- it is a small (one shophouse) bar - the ground floor being for customers and the upper mezzanine or minstrel's gallery as the stage for a troupe of three or more drag acts. The acts are live interactive patter with the audience and mime. There is a DJ. They quote free admission but a compulsory purchase of two drinks. The bar gets very packed (bursting to the seams) with many straight couples and gays . They have a very active presence on Facebook. Digressing a tad, Banana Boys (Freshboys -Twilight as was) started out last night with a sign outside saying 'any drink 250 Baht', later to be replaced with 300 Baht per drink.

All the bars on soi 4 are regularly (if not frequently) inspected by the fire department to ensure that there are sufficient illuminated exit signs and extinguishers installed. Perhaps there need to be stricter regulations.

soi 4 is NOT a death trap. One would hope that in the event of a serious fire that the family would open the gates to their compound giving two directions of escape.

Yes indeed, it was only closed for two nights and now seems to be as busy as ever. I wonder why you say that it is not popular with other soi 4 businesses. It brings lots of people into the soi, giving atmosphere.

Yes and soi 4 will be dry of water as last year. Last year soi 4 was packed from 17:00 till closing time. Everybody wanting a break all the madness a few metres away on Silom. For details, see The Balcony pub newsletter.

On what do you base your "may mean or etc..""? I can assure you that all bar owners that I know have heard nothing. Or are you basing it on the last election 69 years ago?

The 'mamasan' was Wirat. He went on to run his own bar next to Scorpion in Twilight. I saw him last week the day before he had to vacate his premises. His future? "I'll have to find a job".

It was so sad to see last night, the night of their anniversary, the performers and staff of Strangers sitting outside the closed bar for photos clutching anniversary bouquets. Strangers is a VERY popular drag show bar with shows every night. I fear they will have no work for a while yet. What happened? Early yesterday evening, before opening, smoke was seen billowing from the bar. Staff from other bars tried to enter with fire extinguishers but there was too much smoke. Not too long later the fire truck arrived with lots of firemen (and one fire-woman). A lot of excitement as they went in in gas masks and paraphernalia. Then after a while they took a powerful water drenching machine in. Completely doused the place and eventually left. At no time were there any flames to be seen and it looks like it might have been an electrical fault (only my guess due to the amount of lighting and audio equipment in there). Thankfully there was no sign of anyone being injured. Eventually several high hatted Bangrak policemen arrived and retired to upstairs in Telephone for what reason I know not. So last night, the bar was in darkness and cordoned off. I repeat again my sympathies to all the staff and management and hope that they are soon back in business.

I think X-boys moved to 'soi Wall St.' If so that bar is indeed big but through several incarnations was never successful. It originally started as a lady bar by the owner of the soi. Good luck to X-Boys.

Yes that's true, I remember and Wirat was a mamsan there. But talking of small -- have you been to Nature Boys? I suppose what I was saying about the new premises' being small was comparing the turnover for the owners compared to that of late.

From what I have seen of the new premises of the bars that have announced their new destinations, they are much smaller than their existing locations.

According to a poster (Trongpai on another board): Hotmail: There's a sign that they are moving to Patpong 2 on April 1. I was told it will be above Dreamboys but I don't see a second floor there? I was also told that it will take a month or two to outfit the new place. Expect an opining in May.

Really? So what will become of Banana on 4?

Yes he was a partner. At other times he could be seen alone in soi 4 , smoking and with his head buried in huge paperbacks.

Yes the 'small watering hole' never had a name. It was owned by Wirat the part owner/manager/mamasan of Solid. It was the only place in the soi where you could buy a beer for 100Baht. I first knew him decades ago in Garden Bar (above Harry's), then Charlies Bar, then a bar opposite Tawan and then Solid. A lovely bar except when the farang partner was in hogging all the boys or when an evil farang was in who took boys and only paid them if he could make them cry. I saw Wirat last Wednesday and he said that he'd been given till Friday to vacate. I asked what he will do now and he said that he'll have to find a job.

Sadly those premises have, over the years, been inspected as possible venues for something or the other (at one time even a gay hotel) but they were so decrepit they would need to be completely demolished and start again. I don't know how the family would react to that. And it wouldn't be feasible for yearly lease renewal without guarantee that the lease would be renewed the following year.

To be fair these excellent photos are taken in the daytime. Sadly, the view of the Dick's Cafe side of the soi may be similar in nightimes after next weekend.