Washington Square, Bangkok

[Bamboo Grove]

End of an era, Washington Square, Bangkok, Sukhumvit Soi 22 is slowly closing down. I first visited the place in 1989/90 winter as I went to see a movie in a place, which later turned into a Mambo Cabaret. After the movie I visited a place, Texas Lone Staar, which about ten years later became a place where I briefly worked as night time manager.

Texas has closed down and so have Wild Country, Cat's and Bourbon Street. Yesterday it was the last night of Silver Dollar. All the leases are running out and I think the place will look totally different in a few years time. Fond memories from many places and of many Squaronians as the most famous of them, Mekong Kurt, likes to call them.

[hhfarang]

Yes Bamboo, that was the last bastion of the Viet Nam era Americans who stayed here in Thailand and opened up businesses. In the 80's it was booming and the places you mentioned; Lone Star, Wild Country, Silver Dollar, and Bourbon Street have left some fond memories with me too.

BTW, Bourbon Street (after 25 years in that location) has not closed entirely but moved to a bigger location. He bought a 5? story building about a block down soi Ekamai, 5 minutes walk from the Ekamai BTS station and it is already up and running as a restaurant with the same name and menu (first two floors) and the rest is a hotel.

[Bamboo Grove]

Also Ned from Silver Dollar is looking for another location to open up again. He has a place in Pattaya, called Moonshine and if I recall correctly also a Thai restaurant somewhere in Texas.

[Bamboo Grove]

hhfarang wrote:

BTW, Bourbon Street (after 25 years in that location) has not closed entirely but moved to a bigger location. He bought a 5? story building about a block down soi Ekamai, 5 minutes walk from the Ekamai BTS station and it is already up and running as a restaurant with the same name and menu (first two floors) and the rest is a hotel.

Are you sure it's Ekamai, not Thonglor?

[Johnnywastaken]

It's his brother Ted who owns Moonshine....soi 4 Jomptien..... and yes I also have many fond memories of Doug's Bourbon street locale....and years that I lived in Washington Square Yii sip song...I'm only sorry that I missed Lone Star's last night....

[PeteC]

I've been told that one Thai Chinese family owns the entire Washington Square compound, and I think they have since right after WWII. Probably bought for next to nothing and now I can't even imagine what the price would be selling to developers. Boggles the mind no doubt. Pete

[margaretcarnes]

It won't be long before that whole stretch of Sukhumvit is almost unrecognisable I'm afraid. A part finished building by Nana Sky Train station has been demolished as well, leaving another good sized plot for redevelopment. (I think the old skeleton of a building had been abandoned in the late 90's financial crisis.)
I used to love Ambassador Plaza with it's food stalls, rickety chairs and good live music - but it was always destined to go the same way - and has. And there used to be another little bar area where I think the new Sofitel now stands - it had a boxing ring inside one time. Lasted all of 4 or 5 years. That's progress

[squire]

hhfarang wrote:

BTW, Bourbon Street (after 25 years in that location) has not closed entirely but moved to a bigger location. He bought a 5? story building about a block down soi Ekamai, 5 minutes walk from the Ekamai BTS station and it is already up and running as a restaurant with the same name and menu (first two floors) and the rest is a hotel.

Are you sure it's Ekamai, not Thonglor?

It's definitely in Ekkamai. Doug completely gutted the original building and has done a great job with the renovation. I think Bourbon St may do better in Ekamai than the recent times at Washington Sq (which has been looking very tired in the last few yrs).
9/39-40 Soi Tana Arcade Sukhumvit 63 Ekamai, Bangkok, Thailand 10110

[hhfarang]

Here's a map to the new location:

[PeteC]

A little bit of sideline trivia. On that map directly next to the Ekamai BTS is a hospital. It now has a Thai name which I forget. During the Vietnam War it was 5th Field Army Hospital, built by the USA and staffed by same. They used to bring some badly wounded soldiers there to stabilize them before their trip Stateside. My son was also born there in Feb '72. Memories, memories. Pete

[Dr Mike]

My daughter lives in N'Awlins and I love the eating there---I generally avoid N.O type restaurants outside the Big Easy because the food is so phony---but Doug is an exception--he gets it right.

[hhfarang]

His red beans and rice with Cajun sausage and cornbread makes me think I am in N'Awlins again!

[simmo116]

what was the name of the bar on the soi22 entrance im thinking bamboo bar? used to do a crackin breakfast.

[PeteC]

I'm keeping an eye on these two as I'm overly curious what is going to happen to the WS land, and there isn't much other land left to build anything right on central Sukhumvit. Pete

http://www.bangkokpost.com/business/tou ... thai-hotel

"In the first deal, Hilton signed a management contract with TCC Land to operate a DoubleTree in Bangkok's Sukhumvit Road area.

DoubleTree by Hilton has been one of the fastest-growing mid-range hotel brands over the past decade.

Its portfolio has expanded by more than 40% since 2000.

The company now has more than 250 hotels with 65,000 rooms in nearly 20 countries.

Mr Hoeborn said the average room rate at DoubleTree will start at about 3,000 baht a night, 25-30% lower than the Hilton rate.

The chain will also open a new Hilton-brand hotel in Thailand _ the Hilton Bangkok Sukhumvit."

[Winkie]

An interesting Thread. I've been a (not so) regular visitor to Washington Square since moving to Bangkok in '93.

My Office in sin Ekamai, is next to new Bourbon St (I can see it from my window!)

Just by coincidence, I am making my first visit there tonight