Early 80s is when I spent a few years teaching english in BKK as a young guy in my mid 20s. I lived in Pratunam then moved to soi 22 sukumvite... I spent many an evening on Soi Cowboy and in the Thurmae coffee shop... The best years of my life. What little money I earned in those days (120 baht per hour) went a very long way about twice the distance compared to what a lot more money one might have today. In fact back then you could buy drinks, lady drinks barfine, and a long time and still have a few baht left out of a 1000 baht note However during the rainy season Sukumvite and soi cowboy became a flooded river and was a no go area. Somehow I think Thailand was much more of a fun place before the internet revolution made it into what it is now.... I miss those old days... I wish I could have a time machine that allowed me to return to them days
120 Baht an hour! That's pretty bad but what's that with inflation? Haven't seen t flooded in years, must have fixed the drainage all over that area! All these places were fun before the internet broadcasted it to everyone around the world.
Good chance you would have met my father a kiwi named Kevin, he ran the Milano bar (later the Tilac bar) Dad first took me up there when I was 16 back in 87 it was without a doubt the best time of my life knocking around the Cowboy and the Thermae cafe in it's hay day especially at such a young age before Thailand became a popular tourist destination. It truly was the wild west of the East. Very fond memories!
@@davegodkin9066 Tilac bar was one of my top 3 favourite hangouts around the late 80s had quite a few horizontal aerobic exercise instructresses from the Tilac .......
Allow me to add a little to the story. In 1974, for some reason, I was invited to the American Officers Club located in a hotel on Sri Ayutthaya Road (now known as the Sukosol Hotel and to this day still owned by the Sukosol family), where I met the barman - a Black American nicknamed Cowboy because he always wore a stetson hat. When the US military pulled out of Thailand in 1975, 'Cowboy' didn't want to leave so he set up a fairly dingy go-go bar by the name of Cowboy just off Soi 23,. I guess it opened in 1977. Trink knew 'Cowboy' and named the street after him and his venture. I used to frequent the area with my journalist colleagues at the Bangkok Post, Roger Crutchley and Tony Waltham. All of us are still here in Bangkok. And you're right - it wasn't the first bar in that street. Gold Label - at least I think that was its name - was the first. We called it the Arab bar because the owner was from the Middle East. I met his son at some swanky car showroom, where he was in charge of sales, a couple of years ago.
Thanks Colin, these are the little bits of info I'd love to know before I shoot these videos! Love hearing these stories, after I made the Nana video I got quite a few emails with stories, and I've also accumalated a lot more pics and footage, there could easily be a Nana Part 2! Cowboy drank himself to death in Manila 7yrs ago, so the story goes, but that's not the kind of thing I'd say anyway in a video. Sucky lost touch with him about 10yrs before he died.
I was a friend of ole Cowboy from 1976 for several years. I was in and out of here every 3-4 months for a 10-15 day stay from early 1976 until 1979 when I moved here until 1984. When Cowboy and his wife separated he opened his second bar on the street and named it "Loretta" after his daughter. he also had an investment in a bar/cafe around the corner on Sukhumvit about 1980 or so. I was spending most of my time on Pat Pong road 1 at the time.
I would hang out on Soi Cowboy most weekends from ‘87 - ‘96. It was so low key and relaxing, like a little village, I loved it. After around 2008 I started to dislike it and by 2019 absolutely hated it.; noisy, full of tourists with their phone cameras out taking selfies, expensive, unfriendly. It felt more like a zoo, and I would be one of the animals on display. If it does not recover from the pandemic, no great loss. Those of us who were there will still have pleasant memories. Great video Pat.
great video again Pat. My first visit to S. Cowboy was 1982 and we would catch a cab up from Khlong Toei where our Navy ship had berthed. Usually, by the end of the night, pissed and broke....it was a long walk back to the ship. It was a great place then....exciting, alluring and dangerous.....everything a 21 yr old sailor overseas for the first time needed. Thanks for adding to my memories
@@BangkokPat yeah it wasn't the best fun walking home....although more than one found somewhere to kip among the stalls at the K.T. markets Waking up hungover and seeing elephants in the street was just a little surreal
You continue to surprise me with your content Pat - good job! I lived in Bangkok from 89 - 97 before moving to Pattaya. Cowboy was my local watering hole, Tony's bar was probably the main drinking place for Oilfield trash like myself, good days, different world. Bangkok traffic was horrendous back then, there were few roads, they are all recent additions, no mobile phones, communications were atrocious, hotels and girls were cheap as was booze, everything a young fellow needed
89-97! The golden years! I went first time in 91. Just absolutely the greatest place in the world. Cowboy was a little slow, Patpong ruled the roost and Nana second. Pattaya and Patong were off the chain fun. The internet and movies like The Beach and Hangover Bangkok about ruined the place and the advent of dating apps about put the nail in the coffin. Bars like French Kiss in Patpong and Nice with Ice aka No Hands Bar would never be imagined in the States. Ahh the days!
I first visited Cowboy in 79. Pre Nana Plaza days. In 79 the places to visit included the original Therma, “stairway to heaven” on the juke box. Other places included The Blue Fox near the Hotel Malaysia and the Grace before it was overrun with visitors from the middle east. One place that has not changed, and I hope never will is the Atlanta hotel Soi 2, lot of history there from the Vietnam R&R Days.
Growth in Thailand will come from domestic consumption (Shinawatra) not waiting for the barbarians in the cowboys. It is a serious income for Thailand but it must put the Citizens to work productively and mainly to create jobs. To give money to the genuine Thai to work in the market and not to wait for all the barbarians (tourists). Is it possible to import .... rice?
My first vacation to Bangkok was forty years ago (1982), I thought the name of the street with all the bars was PatPong Road, there was a nice hotel at a T junction at the end of the street and all the sleazy bars on PatPong Road..
Thanks enjoyed that for the memories it brought up. So where to begin........... I first went to Soi Cowboy in 1986 as a fresh faced 16year old, my father was working in Thailand and lived in Soi 19. The first night before we went down to Cowboy he sat me down and said being a wise Scotsman " never forget son its all about the money, the f**king money"!!! Oh what a night......... I have so many stories of that time.
Sounds like you had a lot of fun and were already a wise man at the age of 16 Shaun. Your dad's a legend. My dad confiscated my magazines when he found them! I was 14!
Another EXCELLENT piece! Intelligent, informative. I'm so tired of seeing vlogs of street walks showing working girls, condo vids, or rants about what bugs the vlogger on a particular moment. Hats off to you Sir!
Thanks so much mate, kind of you. I set out to make my channel different in that respect, probably the reason why my channel grows so slowly, people love all that street walk/selfie talk stuff but my vlogs are about the area and not me so I try and stay away from being self indulgent or moaning about daily life.
Yes Bnk Pat,I have watched these 2 vids a few times.From Don Maung Airport it was always Taxi " Honey Hotel Soi Sip Cow" for orders - great days.A few Characters in the Hotel too.Taxi Drivers David McCallum & Sam.Clyde the Vietnam Vet - his gf cleaned him out & stayed/owned a fancy Apartment opp the Honey - believe paid for his Funeral & body returned to the US.Somebody should write a book about that place - funniest incident I ever saw - went into the Coffee Shop around 1000 one morning - got chatting to a Scottish guy who was on the P with two Thai Girls - he claimed was a Technician with the RAF based in Penang - around 1900 back in the Coffee Shop - the guy was legless and support by the two Thai girls made his way to the bottom of the stairs - manged about 6/7 steps and fell backwards - in the meantime an Aussie guy - shorts and long socks plus his huge dragon wife walked in to Reception to book a room - the two Thai girls took an arm each & began pulling this drunken guy up the stairs (about a 40 degree incline) backwards with regular "Noong Song Sam" - the Aussie couple were looking Gobsmacked and wondered what the hell is this Place ! The Reception of course just stayed calm and smiled !!!! Bnk Pat /Chris Moore start writing that book - Best Seller for SURE !
Amazing wish i was there in late 80,s,what your doing is priceless saving history which would be lost, may be a few private photos "here's some old photos of grandad in Thialand in the 80s", ha ha,you tube is priceless.
I went to high school in Bangkok in the late 80’s.. My classmates and I would go to Soi Cowboy, Nana Plaza & Pap Pong. We had the best times ever. My parents gave me an allowance of $20/week. This was more than enough to drink Singha and Clauster beers etc. all evening and end the night at a noodle shop.. both Friday and Saturday nights.. We would go from one area to the other area by tuktuks..many times hanging on the back of them going super fast… It’s a miracle that none of fell off.. lol😂
Hi Pat. My first time in Soi Cowboy was way back in 1992 and back then girls, beer, hotels were super cheap and stayed for a month. Those were the days.
It was a bit better before the internet, all these places were. Thailand was a secret that you only saw on the odd holiday programme, brochure or in books.
My first visit to Thailand was in June 2001 and sadly many of bars I visited then have now gone. Pat, you are doing a great job keeping Bangkok’s history alive.
Me to brother, I also stopped in Phuket while doing a port of all in the marines, but sadly those days are gone. Thailand is now a military dictatorship with a prime minister and king who could give two shits about their people. It will be interesting to see if their gamble pays off, there are not many countries that are monarchies with military dictatorships that are doing well.
Tony, my mate! My first trip to Bangkok back in 1995 & Pattaya in 1996.That was amazing ! It will be never the same but I will be back to Thailand sometimes this year & I will definitely have Great Time!
Old haunt of mine was the 'Ship' pub in Soi 23, truly gutted when that went it was a lovely little pub restaurant, thanks for a very entertaining vlog Pat.
I am a big fan of you and your channel, and I agree with Christopher.G.Moore that you have added a lot to the knowledge of those who are really interested to know the city with a different and broader perspective. It was another great vlog, you never disappoint me, keep it up.
Love all your videos, with all the old photos and video footages. Great learning about the history, of all the places I love in BKK. Just left Thailand last week, after a six week visit. Can’t wait to get back later this summer.
Another great video from Pat. Thanks for the map of those "ramshackle" bars in Asoke Plaza. Met my number 1 Bangkok lady in "Oh Yes" bar 2003. Saw her again 2004. It was a fun bar. 2005 had another good lady from "Sawasdee" bar, just around the corner. Great memories. Have always preferred the Nana complex ahead of Cowboy. Only barfined once from a Cowboy gogo on my first visit 2001. From Tilac and a good lady. A very good introduction to the Bangkok bar scene. Still enjoy it 20 years later. Thanks Pat for these bar area stories. Cheers.
Love your content Pat! Christopher Moore is a great author and I had the pleasure of meeting him around 2003 in the Thermae Coffee Shop. Except I didn't know it was him until a couple of years later when I saw his photo in an interview. Real unassuming gentleman.
“Good ol’ Soi Cowboy” is definitely the theme in everyone’s mind right now and though I made no memories there, it’s great that you put out this video to keep the spirit of that Soi alive. And good guests too, cheers to Christopher G Moore and Thailand Bound! Thanks Pat and a nice funky DJ picture or you as well! 😎
Thanks Liro, as I say at the start of the video, where there's history, stories and memories, I can make a video, regardless of it being that kind of place. This video was requested well over a year ago, so I finally did it! And of course got some great guys as guests too.
@@BangkokPat and that’s the great thing about your channel! You can make an interesting video out of a piece of wood so long as there’s even just a little bit of history behind it! Keep it up Pat! 💪
Great Vid Pat !! As a former U.S. Marine, I went to Cowboy in early 91. Wow what an experience . Great prices and great ladies. I seem to remember you could start drinking at about 2pm and closing was like 4am. then if you still wanted to party you just went to the street side bar set-ups, all up and down the Soi at Asoke. Best country in the world to party and have fun. As I have watched the changes over the last 32 years I totally agree with the other gents. The old days were the best !! Now things are way more commercial and you have to ignore some of the behavior. But the city will continue to evolve and we just have to change with it . I will miss staying out all night and into the morning at a street-side bar, drinking with friends and singing songs while the office people heading off to work pass by and look at us like we were crazy. Well maybe we are 5555555 !!! Cheers
@@BangkokPat yeah, in a way that crazy scene was a victim of it's own success as word spread to make it an internationally known fun spot. Don't think that would be possible now, fully expect Soi 7 annex to be crushed as 1000 youtube vloggers post footage.
I didn't discover Soi Cowboy until my second trip to Thailand in 1982. I remember being swarmed by the girls, much like what happens today in some bars in Phnom Penh. Prices were cheap and attitudes were great in those days.
Not a fan of PNH. I gave it a few shots, and I could see how it could be a lot like "BKK 20 years ago" but I just wasn't feeling it -even with magic pizzas! Siem Reap at sunset was interesting, but I can't say I was enraptured either. I wish they HAD been better, they were disappointing bucket list destinations for me.
The Offshore is definitely gone, for several years now. The owner moved back to the UK. Guppy’s now occupies the real estate. It was half open air fish and chips shop, and half enclosed pub. I used to hang out in the pub, it was almost a private club for people who had been around Bangkok for a while (old hands), a lot of them oil workers who worked offshore. Can’t remember exactly when it closed, but it opened in ‘83 and lasted for at least 30 years.
Thanks Pat another great vlog. Sorry but they are the best way to visit Bangkok for me. Great to see Christopher Moore picked up Pattaya 24/7 at the airport and have downloaded many since. Shame his books don't get more attention in UK. Thanks again Pat.
My first trip down Cowboy was in 97 I was returning home to London after 5 years in Pattaya and on my return moving down to Phuket where I now live, But those few nights I spent in Bangkok got me hooked so I spent 12 years rocking and rolling in the City on trips in and out especially Nana Coffe shop and Nana disco opposite Nana plaza,5 star for me was the best ber in Cowboy beautiful girls I bar fined many and a great Thai rock band that many customers used to Jam with and those were the days before 2am closing.
So nice to see a interview with Christopher G Moore Ads for his books used to be hanging above the urinoirs at go go's in nana plaza. ( at lollypop for sure) Liked pretty much all the Calvino ones, but besides the Calvino series, Chairs is definitely my favorite.
Wow! What a great video. Thanks for reminding me of Asoke Corner, that's where I first saw Lolita's which is now in Sukhumvit Soi 8, actually in a smaller alley of soi 8, which connects to Sukhumvit soi 6.
Another good video Soi Cowboy is a place everyone should visit, once. I found it on the first day of my first trip to Thailand in 1985. Became friends with a couple bartender girls at Tilac.
I was lucky enough to visit soi cowboy in 83 ....I remember going upstairs to his bar and was introduced to the cowboy himself ....a bit of BKK history
My father ran the Milano bar later the Tilac bar back in the early eighties, he first took me up there when I was 16 back in 87 without a doubt the best time of my life knocking around the Cowboy and the Thermae cafe, especially at such a young age. I've fantastic memories and some crazy stories from those days. On a side note the German beer garden in soi 23 has very fond memories for me as I used to go with a gorgeous waitress named Na that worked there. Great to see footage of it.
Thanks Dave, that sounds like a surreal experience for a 16yo, I would have given my right arm to be amongst all that at 16. Actually no, my left arm, as at that age I was using my right arm quite a lot.
@@BangkokPat well Pat I damned near lost both my arms from all the bar girls yanking on them everywhere I went. Lol My uncle used to complain that he, dad and their mates never got any pretty girls as long I was around. Needless to say I certainly wasn't an innocent teenager, dad still had many expat mates up there in those days so I partied with the best of them Scandies, Brits, yanks all took me under their wing. Best time of my life and great adventures for many years but pale in comparison to the stories dad has from working in the bars on the Cowboy. Glad I found your channel, maybe I can get dad to convey some of his stories to you sometime. Cheers
I remember Asok plaza 'annex' bars on that round corner in 2002, 2003 and 2004 when I came to Thailand for summer vacations. Those little bars would stay open almost all night long. There was no closing at a 1:00 am curfew. It was the older Thai women in their 40's who would sit at those bars touting guys passing by. The younger girls in their 20's and 30's were in the soi cowboy bars. I remember the bar fines in soi cowboy were 300 baht. Then the next year it was 400 baht, and every year it went up 100 baht more.
Hi Pat you managed to remind me of the past times when I often strolled through the Soi Cowboy and visited some bars. I still have memories of the happy times of the small bars in Asok Plaza. At that time I had an almost family feeling during the countless nights until dawn. Your video gave me an impressive explanation of how the whole thing came about. Thank you very much for these nostalgic feelings, and if you say that your videos are only niche topics then I can tell you that I really like these. Please continue like this because the present has arisen from the past and with it some things of today can be better understood. Greetings from Sattahip - Gerd 🌈🍀💖🌴🌈
Thanks again Gerd, glad you felt the nostalgia from this! Asoke Plaza always had a light on at all hours. I will of course continue these niche topics and content, I know no other way. Obviously with my increase of content I have to cover other things but they are still done my way, like the Surviving in Thailand or Street food/Park videos, I had a couple of comments suggesting I was following the mainstream!
The Offshore Cocktail Lounge was my base when I spent 2 months in Thailand in 1984. Great crack at the bar with the Oil Boys in those days! Loved Cowboy then, and in 83 on my first visit. Lived in Bangkok for a year in 1988, Cowboy was still great, but the girls had already started to become more commercial. Whereas l still enjoyed drinking on the street outside in recent years (last visit in 2019), many of the flashy bars had become rubbish. Lighthouse could still be a bit like the old days though (if you ignore the cost, that is).
A nice video of the days of yesteryear. I had the privilege to experience Soi Cowboy back in the 80's, all through the 90's, and the early 2000's. Don't quite get down there as often now.
As I remember Cowboy and Nong bought a pub in front of the soi and moved from his old bar which not in the Soi . Could not find that place now. Cowboy died in about 1997 as did his friend Bill who was our office manager in those days.
@@BangkokPat, I haven't heard of it re-opening anywhere, and there's nothing on the internet about it. Btw, I see you're approaching 10K subs...well deserved.
Hi Pete, Happy to buy you a Coffee and have a chat, I have lived in BKK for over 20 years, on and off since 1994. I remember the Öld Hands"in the old Thermae telling me that Soy Cowboy was also referred to as Soi Gold Star.
Gosh, I may have missed the "hey day" of soi cowboy but I still had a lot of fun there. Over the years I've grown fond of Baccara. It's nice to know the history of places in BKK. It's also a nice touch to have guests relate their memories and tell their stories. Keep up the good work - Cuz
One of things I have always wanted to do was join a Hash House Harriers run. Love these interviews as my first trip was 95... sort of the transition period for BKK so I got meet some of the old school expat crowd and yet have been able to experience the transition into the modern bkk of today where the red lights are slowly fading away..
My first time on Cowboy was 1990. Bare concrete walls in some places, almost no neon, mostly expats, very cool scene. Some of those girls were YOUNG, but so was I.
That was very interesting history about Soi Cowboy and how it got named. A black man from America! But having old footage is what makes your videos really cool. Also great commentary and smooth delivery of the subject matter 👌. Great job!
Pat seeing you spinning the discs on the 1s & 2s 💿💿 👌👌 I will check out Christopher books and I’m so glad he said how great your channel is, I look forward to your secret 🤫 project. Such an interesting place and how it started 👌. Peter has so much knowledge and his channel is really good. Love the video clips from the 80s 👏👏
Great Video Pat. Nice first interview. I did like that your questions were typed. Made that interview perfect. Those 4 buildings always interested me when I was at The Windsor Suites. And loved seeing Peter in there. Nice to see you both chatting.
Thanks Joey, glad you liked the Chris interview, it turned out like that because my mic was too low so my asking the questions werent at the same level as his mic. But as you say it worked well. Peter is a great guy, we get on like a house on fire, a chat show dream! Sucky was also a good talker, we ended up talking for almost an hour, and on the strength of that I'll be doing a second Patpong video which will lift the lid on the more risque parts of that area.
Enjoying your videos a lot. Very interesting to see and hear about the history of all these different areas. And you're pleasant and easy to listen to. Hope to see many more.
I was S'pore based1970 to 86 & always made a point of visiting Soi Cowboy & Cowboy in his bar.His wife was always glued to the Cash Register Machine ! Based myself at Honey Hotel.Jo Duncan had a bar (forget the name) almost next door to the Honey.His daughter (Thai Mother) was killed by a Thai man.An investigation put a few in Jail.Jo & his Wife moved down to Trang for his own safety I believe. The Honey (Soi19) two great Waitresses in the Coffee Shop VEEli & Napa -where are they now? How I miss the whole scene !
Excellent guest Pat. Will definitely be having some of those novels on my night time reading table. Christopher expressed the contribution your channel makes perfectly.
Actually, I think I used to drink and play dice with T.G. upstairs in one of those bars. Downstairs was just dancing, upstairs a little quieter. Its a little hard top be specific, because everyone just used to go by Buddy/Mate. But he was kinda unique, so I'm guessing it was him.
Cheers mark, I doubt you would forget a guy like him, in Bangkok there are many characters you come across in the most unusual of places. I met a few Vietnam Vets who had been in Thailand since the end of the war and had never gone back home. Most were very happy about that too!
Hi Pat, new subscriber, just came over after watching Peter: Thailand bound,. Pleased that we did. Your video is "Mainstream quality"! looking forward to going through your back catalogue. Take care, Mike & Moira from Nottingham UK
Thank you so much, great video, I lived at Sukhumvit 17 in the 90ies, can only double that, what Christopher says and it was Toni Lepper, a friend of mine that days, who changed the style of Soi Cowboy, Tiruk followed by Suzie Wong etc., he also had a small hotel in Soi 3 called Taverne, please try to make a video on the old Thermae....
Thanks, I covered just about all there is to find on the old Thermae in my Nana video. There is no other footage or photos available to the places I search at. So I would suggest having a look, the link is at the end of this video!
@@BangkokPat thank you Pat, yes saw the part of the Thermea, great, just thought more material would be available but from 10 years as a guest there, I know few pics were taken🤔😉📸, will follow the link later, have a great evening, keep the stunning work, really love the narration as well. ✌️✌️
Great Collaboration, Pat. Good to hear it first hand from Peter of how Soi Cowboy/ Sukhumvit used to be... I really enjoy getting the background & history of the various districts & tourist spots of Bangkok.
I walked through Soi Cowboy in 2011, 2012, 2019 and nowadays. Now it's still a graveyard comparing to the other years but the wildest one was for me 2012. Its sad that in the 80s, 90s, early 2000s mobile cameras and photography wasn't a big thing. If I read the comments from others it must be crazy in these times.
I wasn't a visitor to Cowboy really in the old days, I'd eat nearby in restaurants but it was too loud and as a DJ I usually avoided loud clubs and bars on my nights off. Went twice in all those years, both times with visiting mates.
@@BangkokPat I went never into the bars but I walking through the street. I remember the night in 2012 was so packed with people that it wasn't easy to go there without bumping into people
Another great video full of old stories and information, that you are very good at producing. Without saying too much I used to drink in the George & Dragon, then Ship Inn before heading into Cowboy and my favourite was moonshine. Keep up the good videos.
As always great video mate 👍really enjoyed it. You put lots of work into these videos you deserve a pat on the back for this one. BTW, I'm subscribed to only four or five RUclips channels, yours is one of them.
I must go visit soi Cowboy. Nice to see you catch up with Peter. I dont know now who I started watching first anymore but I do know all of the people in my top 5 are known to eachother and seem to pop up on eachothers vlogs .
Great perspective! My wife and I do go down there on occasion, not for the girl bars but to enjoy a drink and some music at Country Roads on the corner there. You also just can’t beat the people watching there! Most places you’d have to buy a ticket for such entertainment! Lol One time we did decide to go into a ladyboy bar there just for shits and giggles and was that an experience! Lol Bought the two ladyboys who came to sit with us a few drinks, shared some funny banter then went on our way! My wife teased me for weeks! “Handsome man want ladyboy mai !” I’d tell people that if they come here they got to at least take a walk down it to experience the vibe even if girls aren’t on your list! Nana on the other hand is just too much for us. We don’t ever go down there. Patpong? Couldn’t even tell you where it is.
Hi Pat, great videos. Allow me to also add some details, I've been here since 1996 and around 2003 I spent a lot of time around Cowboy. I knew Sam really well who ran Joe's bar. I knew Howie who ran the B52 beer bar (he actually was a pilot). Howie used to dress up cute Thai girls and bring them on his charter flights as stewardesses. I used to always hang out in the afternoons at the Beer House on Soi 23. Frankie, the German guy who ran the place became one of my best buds and still is a good friend. That place was great, it was mostly all outdoors like a beer garden. One day we (Frank and I) were sitting outside, me with a Sangsom & soda, him with a beer and we heard this massive crashing sound. They were building the new tower on the lot next the BH and the top of the steel crane came off crashing down. We thought it was going to hit the restaurant. We ran out there and as the crowd gathered we could see the Thai construction guys placing 3 or 4 guys in the back of a pickup. We heard later they didn't survive...Anyway, lots of good memories of the Cowboy. It has changed a lot since them. Cheers!
For a Thailand lover like me, finding this channel has been an absolute treasure …nice work and very different contents ….proper info on the city beneath the glitzy surface
Another great upload...... Good to see Peter, i've recently subscribed to his channel after his colab with Ed Sweeney. So you were a DJ?..... Never would have guessed...... You certainly make some interesting videos, i watch them all with interest (i can at least see some warmth as i sit up my Welsh mountian!) although i like the transport ones the best......
Cheers, I've got the Skytrain History video lined up and I'm still compiling old photos of the construction and I hope to talk with an old acquaintance who is the architectual advisor to the BTS to get some insider knowledge and stories of the early days and construction.
good video Pat. I have also been watching some old Thai Vlogs called Thaifaq channel. Was interesting to see how vloggers saw Bangkok 11 or 12 years ago
I went there on my 2 visit to thailand i do remember long guns suzie wongs and at the start of soi cowboy there was a couple of bars opposite each other with live music country and western music somtimes forigners would sing in them they were good fun dont know if there still there
Thanks Darren, that bar is probably still there, under some different name, many places, sounds like one on the left was Country Road, and opposite was Piccolo.
Thanks for another great chapter! While acknowledging the undeniable pleasures of the old days, it's still a better place than most to sit outside, sip a Chang or two and watch the soi in action. [Well, hopefully again soon...fingers crossed for November.] Cheers!
Check out Soi 22. It's been around for ages, much more low key and spread out as it's a huge Soi, but there's some quieter bars that might interest you, especially down the sub sois of 22 not far from Sukhumvit itself. Cowboy is good for a "welcome back" beer and a quick look IMO but I'm getting too cranky to be bothered with the malarkey now!
New sub and not disappointed. Saw your history of Thailand in WW1 on the Thaiger and one of your followers mentioned your underrated channel and here I am.
Nice work.I partied in Bangkok from 1995-2009 before moving to Pattaya for my vacations.Massive amount of great memories from Soi Cowboy.I remember when it was just small bars with the strings of colored lights across the street.....It really started to get bigger when Clinton Plaza closed around 2002 and several bars relocated to Soi Cowboy (Dollhouse was the big one.) Shark also opened around that time.Pretty soon most of the bars were bigger and glitzier.Long Gun had a large number of good looking girls for a long time.
First time I've been in Thailand was in 2018 for 3 months so nothing to reminisce but enjoy listening to history. Thanks for that Pat, coffee coming up. 😊
Great video as always Pat mate. And the pic of you on the ones and two’s from back in the day….. amazing! I’m seriously considering trying to get a few gigs when I come out in November? It’s just knowing where to go and who to ask? No boxes of vinyl though. It will just be an external hard drive… how times have changed eh!? 🤣👍🏻
Don't think you will find any paid DJ work. Many 'tourist' DJs ruined the scene and worked for cheap/free in the late 2000s and also many laptop "DJs" have cheapened the whole credibility of being a DJ
Early 80s is when I spent a few years teaching english in BKK as a young guy in my mid 20s. I lived in Pratunam then moved to soi 22 sukumvite... I spent many an evening on Soi Cowboy and in the Thurmae coffee shop... The best years of my life. What little money I earned in those days (120 baht per hour) went a very long way about twice the distance compared to what a lot more money one might have today. In fact back then you could buy drinks, lady drinks barfine, and a long time and still have a few baht left out of a 1000 baht note However during the rainy season Sukumvite and soi cowboy became a flooded river and was a no go area. Somehow I think Thailand was much more of a fun place before the internet revolution made it into what it is now.... I miss those old days... I wish I could have a time machine that allowed me to return to them days
120 Baht an hour! That's pretty bad but what's that with inflation? Haven't seen t flooded in years, must have fixed the drainage all over that area! All these places were fun before the internet broadcasted it to everyone around the world.
Good chance you would have met my father a kiwi named Kevin, he ran the Milano bar (later the Tilac bar) Dad first took me up there when I was 16 back in 87 it was without a doubt the best time of my life knocking around the Cowboy and the Thermae cafe in it's hay day especially at such a young age before Thailand became a popular tourist destination. It truly was the wild west of the East. Very fond memories!
@@davegodkin9066 Tilac bar was one of my top 3 favourite hangouts around the late 80s had quite a few horizontal aerobic exercise instructresses from the Tilac .......
@@JohnMitch yep you and me both John, crazy times and adventures, very fond memories 👍
Allow me to add a little to the story. In 1974, for some reason, I was invited to the American Officers Club located in a hotel on Sri Ayutthaya Road (now known as the Sukosol Hotel and to this day still owned by the Sukosol family), where I met the barman - a Black American nicknamed Cowboy because he always wore a stetson hat. When the US military pulled out of Thailand in 1975, 'Cowboy' didn't want to leave so he set up a fairly dingy go-go bar by the name of Cowboy just off Soi 23,. I guess it opened in 1977. Trink knew 'Cowboy' and named the street after him and his venture. I used to frequent the area with my journalist colleagues at the Bangkok Post, Roger Crutchley and Tony Waltham. All of us are still here in Bangkok. And you're right - it wasn't the first bar in that street. Gold Label - at least I think that was its name - was the first. We called it the Arab bar because the owner was from the Middle East. I met his son at some swanky car showroom, where he was in charge of sales, a couple of years ago.
Thanks Colin, these are the little bits of info I'd love to know before I shoot these videos! Love hearing these stories, after I made the Nana video I got quite a few emails with stories, and I've also accumalated a lot more pics and footage, there could easily be a Nana Part 2! Cowboy drank himself to death in Manila 7yrs ago, so the story goes, but that's not the kind of thing I'd say anyway in a video. Sucky lost touch with him about 10yrs before he died.
Wow thats a cool story! 🙏
I was a friend of ole Cowboy from 1976 for several years. I was in and out of here every 3-4 months for a 10-15 day stay from early 1976 until 1979 when I moved here until 1984. When Cowboy and his wife separated he opened his second bar on the street and named it "Loretta" after his daughter. he also had an investment in a bar/cafe around the corner on Sukhumvit about 1980 or so. I was spending most of my time on Pat Pong road 1 at the time.
I would hang out on Soi Cowboy most weekends from ‘87 - ‘96. It was so low key and relaxing, like a little village, I loved it. After around 2008 I started to dislike it and by 2019 absolutely hated it.; noisy, full of tourists with their phone cameras out taking selfies, expensive, unfriendly. It felt more like a zoo, and I would be one of the animals on display. If it does not recover from the pandemic, no great loss. Those of us who were there will still have pleasant memories. Great video Pat.
Yeah, I went back in 2015 and it was depressing.
great video again Pat. My first visit to S. Cowboy was 1982 and we would catch a cab up from Khlong Toei where our Navy ship had berthed. Usually, by the end of the night, pissed and broke....it was a long walk back to the ship. It was a great place then....exciting, alluring and dangerous.....everything a 21 yr old sailor overseas for the first time needed. Thanks for adding to my memories
Good times eh! You walked from Cowboy to Khlong Toey, good going, and sober you up!
@@BangkokPat yeah it wasn't the best fun walking home....although more than one found somewhere to kip among the stalls at the K.T. markets Waking up hungover and seeing elephants in the street was just a little surreal
You continue to surprise me with your content Pat - good job! I lived in Bangkok from 89 - 97 before moving to Pattaya. Cowboy was my local watering hole, Tony's bar was probably the main drinking place for Oilfield trash like myself, good days, different world. Bangkok traffic was horrendous back then, there were few roads, they are all recent additions, no mobile phones, communications were atrocious, hotels and girls were cheap as was booze, everything a young fellow needed
Sounds like I should have been born a decade earlier Chris.
89-97! The golden years! I went first time in 91. Just absolutely the greatest place in the world. Cowboy was a little slow, Patpong ruled the roost and Nana second. Pattaya and Patong were off the chain fun. The internet and movies like The Beach and Hangover Bangkok about ruined the place and the advent of dating apps about put the nail in the coffin. Bars like French Kiss in Patpong and Nice with Ice aka No Hands Bar would never be imagined in the States. Ahh the days!
I first visited Cowboy in 79. Pre Nana Plaza days. In 79 the places to visit included the original Therma, “stairway to heaven” on the juke box. Other places included The Blue Fox near the Hotel Malaysia and the Grace before it was overrun with visitors from the middle east. One place that has not changed, and I hope never will is the Atlanta hotel Soi 2, lot of history there from the Vietnam R&R Days.
You just never disappoint. Another great historical episode. Appreciate all the time and effort you put into these Pat.
Thanks Deborah, glad you like this one, the guests of course made the video great!
Growth in Thailand will come from domestic consumption (Shinawatra) not waiting for the barbarians in the cowboys. It is a serious income for Thailand but it must put the Citizens to work productively and mainly to create jobs. To give money to the genuine Thai to work in the market and not to wait for all the barbarians (tourists). Is it possible to import .... rice?
Thats so true dude..I love it and live since 12 years in Bangkok...take care and all the best for you..hope yeaaaaaah 2 see u 1 day
My first vacation to Bangkok was forty years ago (1982), I thought the name of the street with all the bars was PatPong Road, there was a nice hotel at a T junction at the end of the street and all the sleazy bars on PatPong Road..
Thanks enjoyed that for the memories it brought up.
So where to begin........... I first went to Soi Cowboy in 1986 as a fresh faced 16year old, my father was working in Thailand and lived in Soi 19. The first night before we went down to Cowboy he sat me down and said being a wise Scotsman " never forget son its all about the money, the f**king money"!!!
Oh what a night.........
I have so many stories of that time.
Sounds like you had a lot of fun and were already a wise man at the age of 16 Shaun. Your dad's a legend. My dad confiscated my magazines when he found them! I was 14!
Another EXCELLENT piece! Intelligent, informative. I'm so tired of seeing vlogs of street walks showing working girls, condo vids, or rants about what bugs the vlogger on a particular moment. Hats off to you Sir!
Thanks so much mate, kind of you. I set out to make my channel different in that respect, probably the reason why my channel grows so slowly, people love all that street walk/selfie talk stuff but my vlogs are about the area and not me so I try and stay away from being self indulgent or moaning about daily life.
I hate those silent street walk vlogs too Its bum Cam at its worst.
Love his books, read A Killing Smile almost when it first came out and fell in love with Themea Coffee shop, great interview with the guy himself
Yes Bnk Pat,I have watched these 2 vids a few times.From Don Maung Airport it was always Taxi " Honey Hotel Soi Sip Cow" for orders - great days.A few Characters in the Hotel too.Taxi Drivers David McCallum & Sam.Clyde the Vietnam Vet - his gf cleaned him out & stayed/owned a fancy Apartment opp the Honey - believe paid for his Funeral & body returned to the US.Somebody should write a book about that place - funniest incident I ever saw - went into the Coffee Shop around 1000 one morning - got chatting to a Scottish guy who was on the P with two Thai Girls - he claimed was a Technician with the RAF based in Penang - around 1900 back in the Coffee Shop - the guy was legless and support by the two Thai girls made his way to the bottom of the stairs - manged about 6/7 steps and fell backwards - in the meantime an Aussie guy - shorts and long socks plus his huge dragon wife walked in to Reception to book a room - the two Thai girls took an arm each & began pulling this drunken guy up the stairs (about a 40 degree incline) backwards with regular "Noong Song Sam" - the Aussie couple were looking Gobsmacked and wondered what the hell is this Place ! The Reception of course just stayed calm and smiled !!!! Bnk Pat /Chris Moore start writing that book - Best Seller for SURE !
Always stayed at Honey hotel, recover with a Kloster beer around the little pool. All gone now, good times.
Amazing wish i was there in late 80,s,what your doing is priceless saving history which would be lost, may be a few private photos "here's some old photos of grandad in Thialand in the 80s", ha ha,you tube is priceless.
I went to high school in Bangkok in the late 80’s.. My classmates and I would go to Soi Cowboy, Nana Plaza & Pap Pong. We had the best times ever. My parents gave me an allowance of $20/week. This was more than enough to drink Singha and Clauster beers etc. all evening and end the night at a noodle shop.. both Friday and Saturday nights.. We would go from one area to the other area by tuktuks..many times hanging on the back of them going super fast… It’s a miracle that none of fell off.. lol😂
It's true. You teach me so much more than anyone else vlogging on Thailand
Thanks John. Plenty of knowledge to spread mate!
Hi Pat. My first time in Soi Cowboy was way back in 1992 and back then girls, beer, hotels were super
cheap and stayed for a month. Those were the days.
It was a bit better before the internet, all these places were. Thailand was a secret that you only saw on the odd holiday programme, brochure or in books.
My first visit to Thailand was in June 2001 and sadly many of bars I visited then have now gone. Pat, you are doing a great job keeping Bangkok’s history alive.
Me to brother, I also stopped in Phuket while doing a port of all in the marines, but sadly those days are gone. Thailand is now a military dictatorship with a prime minister and king who could give two shits about their people. It will be interesting to see if their gamble pays off, there are not many countries that are monarchies with military dictatorships that are doing well.
Tony, my mate! My first trip to Bangkok back in 1995 & Pattaya in 1996.That was amazing ! It will be never the same but I will be back to Thailand sometimes this year & I will definitely have Great Time!
Cheers Tony, it's a tough job, all this research but I love it.
Very interesting video. Peace from Louisiana, USA. (John 3:16)(Romans 5:8)
Yep same here Feb 2001 Apache bar Suzy wongs etc and the English boozer ,Ship inn just round the corner
Old haunt of mine was the 'Ship' pub in Soi 23, truly gutted when that went it was a lovely little pub restaurant, thanks for a very entertaining vlog Pat.
I love these kinda of videos,I was in Bangkok in 1988,1994 and then 2001 to 2010.Washington square,Clinton plaza
I am a big fan of you and your channel, and I agree with Christopher.G.Moore that you have added a lot to the knowledge of those who are really interested to know the city with a different and broader perspective. It was another great vlog, you never disappoint me, keep it up.
Thanks very much for the kind words, I appreciate it. I do my best and put 100% into every video I make.
Love all your videos, with all the old photos and video footages. Great learning about the history, of all the places I love in BKK. Just left Thailand last week, after a six week visit. Can’t wait to get back later this summer.
Another great video from Pat. Thanks for the map of those "ramshackle" bars in Asoke Plaza. Met my number 1 Bangkok lady in "Oh Yes" bar 2003. Saw her again 2004. It was a fun bar. 2005 had another good lady from "Sawasdee" bar, just around the corner. Great memories.
Have always preferred the Nana complex ahead of Cowboy. Only barfined once from a Cowboy gogo on my first visit 2001. From Tilac and a good lady. A very good introduction to the Bangkok bar scene. Still enjoy it 20 years later.
Thanks Pat for these bar area stories. Cheers.
Love your content Pat! Christopher Moore is a great author and I had the pleasure of meeting him around 2003 in the Thermae Coffee Shop. Except I didn't know it was him until a couple of years later when I saw his photo in an interview. Real unassuming gentleman.
Thanks Bill, he's a legend in his own right, a step above the other guys writing about Thailand.
“Good ol’ Soi Cowboy” is definitely the theme in everyone’s mind right now and though I made no memories there, it’s great that you put out this video to keep the spirit of that Soi alive. And good guests too, cheers to Christopher G Moore and Thailand Bound! Thanks Pat and a nice funky DJ picture or you as well! 😎
Thanks Liro, as I say at the start of the video, where there's history, stories and memories, I can make a video, regardless of it being that kind of place. This video was requested well over a year ago, so I finally did it! And of course got some great guys as guests too.
@@BangkokPat and that’s the great thing about your channel! You can make an interesting video out of a piece of wood so long as there’s even just a little bit of history behind it! Keep it up Pat! 💪
Great Vid Pat !! As a former U.S. Marine, I went to Cowboy in early 91. Wow what an experience . Great prices and great ladies. I seem to remember you could start drinking at about 2pm and closing was like 4am. then if you still wanted to party you just went to the street side bar set-ups, all up and down the Soi at Asoke. Best country in the world to party and have fun. As I have watched the changes over the last 32 years I totally agree with the other gents. The old days were the best !! Now things are way more commercial and you have to ignore some of the behavior. But the city will continue to evolve and we just have to change with it . I will miss staying out all night and into the morning at a street-side bar, drinking with friends and singing songs while the office people heading off to work pass by and look at us like we were crazy. Well maybe we are 5555555 !!! Cheers
My god Pat do I got Soi cowboy stories!!! Back in the day. During the 90’s it was out of control. Great video brought back fond memories!
Great to hear that John, we all had a years ''off the radar'' so to speak!
@@BangkokPat yeah, in a way that crazy scene was a victim of it's own success as word spread to make it an internationally known fun spot. Don't think that would be possible now, fully expect Soi 7 annex to be crushed as 1000 youtube vloggers post footage.
@@BangkokPat great way of putting it 555 👍
I didn't discover Soi Cowboy until my second trip to Thailand in 1982. I remember being swarmed by the girls, much like what happens today in some bars in Phnom Penh. Prices were cheap and attitudes were great in those days.
Not a fan of PNH. I gave it a few shots, and I could see how it could be a lot like "BKK 20 years ago" but I just wasn't feeling it -even with magic pizzas! Siem Reap at sunset was interesting, but I can't say I was enraptured either. I wish they HAD been better, they were disappointing bucket list destinations for me.
The Offshore is definitely gone, for several years now. The owner moved back to the UK. Guppy’s now occupies the real estate. It was half open air fish and chips shop, and half enclosed pub. I used to hang out in the pub, it was almost a private club for people who had been around Bangkok for a while (old hands), a lot of them oil workers who worked offshore. Can’t remember exactly when it closed, but it opened in ‘83 and lasted for at least 30 years.
Thanks Pat another great vlog. Sorry but they are the best way to visit Bangkok for me. Great to see Christopher Moore picked up Pattaya 24/7 at the airport and have downloaded many since. Shame his books don't get more attention in UK. Thanks again Pat.
Thank you Pat it’s a real pleasure listening to you as this was my old stomping grounds
My first trip down Cowboy was in 97 I was returning home to London after 5 years in Pattaya and on my return moving down to Phuket where I now live, But those few nights I spent in Bangkok got me hooked so I spent 12 years rocking and rolling in the City on trips in and out especially Nana Coffe shop and Nana disco opposite Nana plaza,5 star for me was the best ber in Cowboy beautiful girls I bar fined many and a great Thai rock band that many customers used to Jam with and those were the days before 2am closing.
So nice to see a interview with Christopher G Moore
Ads for his books used to be hanging above the urinoirs at go go's in nana plaza. ( at lollypop for sure)
Liked pretty much all the Calvino ones, but besides the Calvino series, Chairs is definitely my favorite.
Great man he is, and it's a continuing education working with him, creativity and imagination are just two very strong points of many!
First time in Soi Cowboy 1982 ))
Wow! What a great video. Thanks for reminding me of Asoke Corner, that's where I first saw Lolita's which is now in Sukhumvit Soi 8, actually in a smaller alley of soi 8, which connects to Sukhumvit soi 6.
Another good video Soi Cowboy is a place everyone should visit, once. I found it on the first day of my first trip to Thailand in 1985. Became friends with a couple bartender girls at Tilac.
Probably your best video. Superb. The legend CG. Moore. I am lucky enough to have been a cowboy visitor since 1996. I still love it there now
Good to hear that mate, still going strong there after 26yrs!
I was lucky enough to visit soi cowboy in 83 ....I remember going upstairs to his bar and was introduced to the cowboy himself ....a bit of BKK history
Pat your one of my favorite channels now. I look forward to every one of your videos.
Wow, thanks Louis, so glad you've found me! There are many other videos to catch up on!!
My father ran the Milano bar later the Tilac bar back in the early eighties, he first took me up there when I was 16 back in 87 without a doubt the best time of my life knocking around the Cowboy and the Thermae cafe, especially at such a young age. I've fantastic memories and some crazy stories from those days. On a side note the German beer garden in soi 23 has very fond memories for me as I used to go with a gorgeous waitress named Na that worked there. Great to see footage of it.
Thanks Dave, that sounds like a surreal experience for a 16yo, I would have given my right arm to be amongst all that at 16. Actually no, my left arm, as at that age I was using my right arm quite a lot.
@@BangkokPat well Pat I damned near lost both my arms from all the bar girls yanking on them everywhere I went. Lol My uncle used to complain that he, dad and their mates never got any pretty girls as long I was around. Needless to say I certainly wasn't an innocent teenager, dad still had many expat mates up there in those days so I partied with the best of them Scandies, Brits, yanks all took me under their wing. Best time of my life and great adventures for many years but pale in comparison to the stories dad has from working in the bars on the Cowboy. Glad I found your channel, maybe I can get dad to convey some of his stories to you sometime. Cheers
@@davegodkin9066 Cheers Dave, I love hearing stories from the old days mate.
Great video. Brought back some memories. First place I ever went to was Long Gun, and ate at Offshore fish & chips a few times.
Offshore was quite nice but pretty filthy though.
I remember Asok plaza 'annex' bars on that round corner in 2002, 2003 and 2004 when I came to Thailand for summer vacations. Those little bars would stay open almost all night long. There was no closing at a 1:00 am curfew. It was the older Thai women in their 40's who would sit at those bars touting guys passing by. The younger girls in their 20's and 30's were in the soi cowboy bars. I remember the bar fines in soi cowboy were 300 baht. Then the next year it was 400 baht, and every year it went up 100 baht more.
Cheers Tony, there was always a light on in Asoke Plaza at all hours, whenever you went past. I first thought it was a market when I arrived.
Hi Pat
you managed to remind me of the past times when I often strolled through the Soi Cowboy and visited some bars. I still have memories of the happy times of the small bars in Asok Plaza. At that time I had an almost family feeling during the countless nights until dawn.
Your video gave me an impressive explanation of how the whole thing came about.
Thank you very much for these nostalgic feelings, and if you say that your videos are only niche topics then I can tell you that I really like these. Please continue like this because the present has arisen from the past and with it some things of today can be better understood.
Greetings from Sattahip - Gerd 🌈🍀💖🌴🌈
Thanks again Gerd, glad you felt the nostalgia from this! Asoke Plaza always had a light on at all hours.
I will of course continue these niche topics and content, I know no other way. Obviously with my increase of content I have to cover other things but they are still done my way, like the Surviving in Thailand or Street food/Park videos, I had a couple of comments suggesting I was following the mainstream!
Great couple of guests and insights on the Soi, thanks Pat
Cheers Mick, those guys were a great source of stories on this one, they made the video.
The Offshore Cocktail Lounge was my base when I spent 2 months in Thailand in 1984. Great crack at the bar with the Oil Boys in those days! Loved Cowboy then, and in 83 on my first visit. Lived in Bangkok for a year in 1988, Cowboy was still great, but the girls had already started to become more commercial. Whereas l still enjoyed drinking on the street outside in recent years (last visit in 2019), many of the flashy bars had become rubbish. Lighthouse could still be a bit like the old days though (if you ignore the cost, that is).
Blooming marvellous stuff 👍
Another great deep dive into Bangkok history. Thanks, Bangkok Pat!
A nice video of the days of yesteryear. I had the privilege to experience Soi Cowboy back in the 80's, all through the 90's, and the early 2000's. Don't quite get down there as often now.
Thanks for that, shakes out many memories of early Soi Cowboy and a few cold Klosters.
Great to have these nostalgic history lessons, the place had a lot more character back then, thank you very much
@@clivebaxter6354 you forgot to mention MacDonalds , MacDonalds, KFC and Pizza Hut
That's Thailand summed up pretty much, Clive, not just Cowboy.
As I remember Cowboy and Nong bought a pub in front of the soi and moved from his old bar which not in the Soi . Could not find that place now. Cowboy died in about 1997 as did his friend Bill who was our office manager in those days.
I miss the Old Dutch, decent food with good prices, and a great place to sit outside and watch the world go by.
It was, I had many lunches/dinners there and also went to a couple of private parties upstairs, shame it didn't reopen anywhere else, or did it?
@@BangkokPat, I haven't heard of it re-opening anywhere, and there's nothing on the internet about it. Btw, I see you're approaching 10K subs...well deserved.
The Offshore Bar was my favorite, and the Old Dutch .
Quality again Pat. Thanks.
Hi Pete, Happy to buy you a Coffee and have a chat, I have lived in BKK for over 20 years, on and off since 1994. I remember the Öld Hands"in the old Thermae telling me that Soy Cowboy was also referred to as Soi Gold Star.
Fantasitic production quality again Pat. I hope this will be your most viewed video if the Nana video is anything to go by. Cheers
Gosh, I may have missed the "hey day" of soi cowboy but I still had a lot of fun there. Over the years I've grown fond of Baccara. It's nice to know the history of places in BKK. It's also a nice touch to have guests relate their memories and tell their stories. Keep up the good work - Cuz
Thanks mate, the guests definitely made this video great!
Ahh Baccara, look up lad look up!
@@joebloggs1460 Ha! Well said Joe!!🙃🙄
Great video. Great memories.Thank you.
Brilliant piece about the history of Soicowboy.
Thanks a lot Jim.
One of things I have always wanted to do was join a Hash House Harriers run. Love these interviews as my first trip was 95... sort of the transition period for BKK so I got meet some of the old school expat crowd and yet have been able to experience the transition into the modern bkk of today where the red lights are slowly fading away..
Never Hashed in Bangkok but I have many holidays to Pattaya. On On
My first time on Cowboy was 1990. Bare concrete walls in some places, almost no neon, mostly expats, very cool scene. Some of those girls were YOUNG, but so was I.
Sounds interesting GB. I was a young teenager in 1990!
That was very interesting history about Soi Cowboy and how it got named. A black man from America! But having old footage is what makes your videos really cool. Also great commentary and smooth delivery of the subject matter 👌. Great job!
Please do a longer retrospective with Mr. Moore. IMHO
Pat seeing you spinning the discs on the 1s & 2s 💿💿 👌👌 I will check out Christopher books and I’m so glad he said how great your channel is, I look forward to your secret 🤫 project. Such an interesting place and how it started 👌. Peter has so much knowledge and his channel is really good. Love the video clips from the 80s 👏👏
Thanks Jimmy, I'll send you a couple of links to a sneak preview.
@@BangkokPat nice one Pat appreciate that 👌👌
Great Video Pat.
Nice first interview.
I did like that your questions were typed.
Made that interview perfect.
Those 4 buildings always interested me when I was at The Windsor Suites.
And loved seeing Peter in there.
Nice to see you both chatting.
Thanks Joey, glad you liked the Chris interview, it turned out like that because my mic was too low so my asking the questions werent at the same level as his mic. But as you say it worked well. Peter is a great guy, we get on like a house on fire, a chat show dream! Sucky was also a good talker, we ended up talking for almost an hour, and on the strength of that I'll be doing a second Patpong video which will lift the lid on the more risque parts of that area.
My 1st time in soi cowboy was 1992. Been going there ever since. Love bar Baccara but you can easily get a stiff neck if you stay to long😉
Enjoying your videos a lot. Very interesting to see and hear about the history of all these different areas. And you're pleasant and easy to listen to. Hope to see many more.
I really like your delivery in your videos . Fair . And right to the point .
I was S'pore based1970 to 86 & always made a point of visiting Soi Cowboy & Cowboy in his bar.His wife was always glued to the Cash Register Machine ! Based myself at Honey Hotel.Jo Duncan had a bar (forget the name) almost next door to the Honey.His daughter (Thai Mother) was killed by a Thai man.An investigation put a few in Jail.Jo & his Wife moved down to Trang for his own safety I believe. The Honey (Soi19) two great Waitresses in the Coffee Shop VEEli & Napa -where are they now? How I miss the whole scene !
Honey Hotel is no longer, this gy was also a regular. His channel has a couple of videos on it: ruclips.net/user/old45s
Very nice to see Pat. Same as you, i visit many times the Old Dutch for a beer and a Dinner. 🙏
Excellent guest Pat. Will definitely be having some of those novels on my night time reading table. Christopher expressed the contribution your channel makes perfectly.
I remember Soi Cowboy from 41 years ago. First visited in September 1981
Actually, I think I used to drink and play dice with T.G. upstairs in one of those bars. Downstairs was just dancing, upstairs a little quieter. Its a little hard top be specific, because everyone just used to go by Buddy/Mate. But he was kinda unique, so I'm guessing it was him.
Cheers mark, I doubt you would forget a guy like him, in Bangkok there are many characters you come across in the most unusual of places. I met a few Vietnam Vets who had been in Thailand since the end of the war and had never gone back home. Most were very happy about that too!
Hi Pat, new subscriber, just came over after watching Peter: Thailand bound,. Pleased that we did. Your video is "Mainstream quality"! looking forward to going through your back catalogue. Take care, Mike & Moira from Nottingham UK
Thank you so much, great video, I lived at Sukhumvit 17 in the 90ies, can only double that, what Christopher says and it was Toni Lepper, a friend of mine that days, who changed the style of Soi Cowboy, Tiruk followed by Suzie Wong etc., he also had a small hotel in Soi 3 called Taverne, please try to make a video on the old Thermae....
Thanks, I covered just about all there is to find on the old Thermae in my Nana video. There is no other footage or photos available to the places I search at. So I would suggest having a look, the link is at the end of this video!
@@BangkokPat thank you Pat, yes saw the part of the Thermea, great, just thought more material would be available but from 10 years as a guest there, I know few pics were taken🤔😉📸, will follow the link later, have a great evening, keep the stunning work, really love the narration as well. ✌️✌️
Outstanding From Start To Finish
Another excellent vlog.. very interesting indeed.
Thanks Jim, glad you liked it mate.
Still have a beer coaster from Tilac bar from back in the day. lol
I've read a number of Moore's books. Thanks for introducing us to this legend.
My pleasure. Keep updated here as our project is being shown later this month. A whole new Calvino story for 2022.
@@BangkokPat Subscribed with the bell clicked for all notifications -- cheers!
Great Collaboration, Pat. Good to hear it first hand from Peter of how Soi Cowboy/ Sukhumvit used to be... I really enjoy getting the background & history of the various districts & tourist spots of Bangkok.
Cheers Paul, the guests on this video made it great!
I walked through Soi Cowboy in 2011, 2012, 2019 and nowadays. Now it's still a graveyard comparing to the other years but the wildest one was for me 2012. Its sad that in the 80s, 90s, early 2000s mobile cameras and photography wasn't a big thing. If I read the comments from others it must be crazy in these times.
I wasn't a visitor to Cowboy really in the old days, I'd eat nearby in restaurants but it was too loud and as a DJ I usually avoided loud clubs and bars on my nights off. Went twice in all those years, both times with visiting mates.
@@BangkokPat I went never into the bars but I walking through the street. I remember the night in 2012 was so packed with people that it wasn't easy to go there without bumping into people
@@frankoseven ... I think you missed out on 90% of the fun and action by never going into the bars. Oh the memories! So many memories!
Another great video full of old stories and information, that you are very good at producing. Without saying too much I used to drink in the George & Dragon, then Ship Inn before heading into Cowboy and my favourite was moonshine. Keep up the good videos.
I liked the ship in
Cheers Richard, I usually only went as far as the Old Dutch!
@@BangkokPat fantastic channel
Mostly happy memories of "Cowboy ", good video, thanks .
As always great video mate 👍really enjoyed it. You put lots of work into these videos you deserve a pat on the back for this one. BTW, I'm subscribed to only four or five RUclips channels, yours is one of them.
Thank you ka @Thailand Bound 🙏❤️😺
Thanks Peter, this video wouldn't have worked so well without your input mate. It was a good thing we bumped into eachother after all!
I was drinking there in the early eighties it was cheap and a lot of fun! I still come to Bangkok but no longer go to entertainment areas!
I must go visit soi Cowboy. Nice to see you catch up with Peter. I dont know now who I started watching first anymore but I do know all of the people in my top 5 are known to eachother and seem to pop up on eachothers vlogs .
Great perspective! My wife and I do go down there on occasion, not for the girl bars but to enjoy a drink and some music at Country Roads on the corner there. You also just can’t beat the people watching there! Most places you’d have to buy a ticket for such entertainment! Lol One time we did decide to go into a ladyboy bar there just for shits and giggles and was that an experience! Lol Bought the two ladyboys who came to sit with us a few drinks, shared some funny banter then went on our way! My wife teased me for weeks! “Handsome man want ladyboy mai !” I’d tell people that if they come here they got to at least take a walk down it to experience the vibe even if girls aren’t on your list! Nana on the other hand is just too much for us. We don’t ever go down there. Patpong? Couldn’t even tell you where it is.
Hi Pat, great videos. Allow me to also add some details, I've been here since 1996 and around 2003 I spent a lot of time around Cowboy. I knew Sam really well who ran Joe's bar. I knew Howie who ran the B52 beer bar (he actually was a pilot). Howie used to dress up cute Thai girls and bring them on his charter flights as stewardesses. I used to always hang out in the afternoons at the Beer House on Soi 23. Frankie, the German guy who ran the place became one of my best buds and still is a good friend. That place was great, it was mostly all outdoors like a beer garden. One day we (Frank and I) were sitting outside, me with a Sangsom & soda, him with a beer and we heard this massive crashing sound. They were building the new tower on the lot next the BH and the top of the steel crane came off crashing down. We thought it was going to hit the restaurant. We ran out there and as the crowd gathered we could see the Thai construction guys placing 3 or 4 guys in the back of a pickup. We heard later they didn't survive...Anyway, lots of good memories of the Cowboy. It has changed a lot since them. Cheers!
For a Thailand lover like me, finding this channel has been an absolute treasure …nice work and very different contents ….proper info on the city beneath the glitzy surface
Thanks Rishi, glad you found the channel and long may you enjoy it!
@@BangkokPat oh yes definitely….m totally gonna soak up ..pls keep them interesting contents coming 😊🙏
Another great upload...... Good to see Peter, i've recently subscribed to his channel after his colab with Ed Sweeney. So you were a DJ?..... Never would have guessed...... You certainly make some interesting videos, i watch them all with interest (i can at least see some warmth as i sit up my Welsh mountian!) although i like the transport ones the best......
Cheers, I've got the Skytrain History video lined up and I'm still compiling old photos of the construction and I hope to talk with an old acquaintance who is the architectual advisor to the BTS to get some insider knowledge and stories of the early days and construction.
good video Pat. I have also been watching some old Thai Vlogs called Thaifaq channel. Was interesting to see how vloggers saw Bangkok 11 or 12 years ago
Soi Cowboy was always a good night out, especially music at Country House
There was another Country Road at the start of Soi 19, much bigger, always good music.
I went there on my 2 visit to thailand i do remember long guns suzie wongs and at the start of soi cowboy there was a couple of bars opposite each other with live music country and western music somtimes forigners would sing in them they were good fun dont know if there still there
Thanks Darren, that bar is probably still there, under some different name, many places, sounds like one on the left was Country Road, and opposite was Piccolo.
I'm a big fan of crime fiction and Thai-themed novels, and I'll look out for Christopher's books now.
Thanks for another great chapter! While acknowledging the undeniable pleasures of the old days, it's still a better place than most to sit outside, sip a Chang or two and watch the soi in action. [Well, hopefully again soon...fingers crossed for November.] Cheers!
Check out Soi 22. It's been around for ages, much more low key and spread out as it's a huge Soi, but there's some quieter bars that might interest you, especially down the sub sois of 22 not far from Sukhumvit itself. Cowboy is good for a "welcome back" beer and a quick look IMO but I'm getting too cranky to be bothered with the malarkey now!
Matt and Thailand Bound series was so good.
Great video. It's interesting to understand the history of these areas.
New sub and not disappointed. Saw your history of Thailand in WW1 on the Thaiger and one of your followers mentioned your underrated channel and here I am.
Thank you and glad you've decided to give my channel a try, there's a lot to catch up on! Cheers!
Nice work.I partied in Bangkok from 1995-2009 before moving to Pattaya for my vacations.Massive amount of great memories from Soi Cowboy.I remember when it was just small bars
with the strings of colored lights across the street.....It really started to get bigger when Clinton Plaza closed around 2002 and several bars relocated to Soi Cowboy (Dollhouse was the big
one.) Shark also opened around that time.Pretty soon most of the bars were bigger and glitzier.Long Gun had a large number of good looking girls for a long time.
Thanks mate, with Pattaya being turned into a family resort, maybe you would consider returning to Bangkok?
@@BangkokPat You got it.I'm coming March 21st and it will be Bangkok and Phuket it looks like.Pattaya is finished.
Another great video from you showing what Bangkok looked like and the history that goes with it. Thanks Pat.
Another great vlog Pat. 👍👍👍👍👍
Cheers! It had been asked for a lot since the Nana video and I finally did it!
First time I've been in Thailand was in 2018 for 3 months so nothing to reminisce but enjoy listening to history. Thanks for that Pat, coffee coming up. 😊
Excellent video bought back memories.
Glad you enjoyed it Mikey.
Great video as always Pat mate. And the pic of you on the ones and two’s from back in the day….. amazing! I’m seriously considering trying to get a few gigs when I come out in November? It’s just knowing where to go and who to ask? No boxes of vinyl though. It will just be an external hard drive… how times have changed eh!? 🤣👍🏻
Don't think you will find any paid DJ work. Many 'tourist' DJs ruined the scene and worked for cheap/free in the late 2000s and also many laptop "DJs" have cheapened the whole credibility of being a DJ
History now. Walked through many times in the last months and it is now only a short cut between sois