In's and Out's

Bars around the ET Zone change as often as a sweaty farang in the Bangkok heat so I thought it fitting to summarize the venues that have closed, opened or are expected to be opened by the end of 2007.

Thonglor
Escudo has been around for years but earlier in the year they closed for renovations which seemed to take forever and left plenty of followers wondering if this was its final exit. Well I'm happy to say that Escudo is about to unveil itself yet again confirmed by both a large banner hanging in front of the building and an ad I grabbed out of BK. Normally I'd feel a bit bad about reprinting an ad (actually no I wouldn't) but they clearly stole my color scheme and I'm sure they'd appreciate the extra attention.

In the same building the well established men's club Club Hoh Oh has rebranded itself as Obje Club presumably with a new set of curtains and hopefully steam cleaned sofas but likely with the same selection of bar company. This style of joint is not really my thing but that's not to say the changes aren't welcomed.

Just around the corner on the roof of J Avenue Heineken GreenSpace has opened for another season of live music and beer garden atmosphere. Assuming they maintain the same level of talent as last year this is a great place to share a bladder bursting 3 liters of beer with your friends.

Closer to Petchburi, Liberty House has welcomed a new joint to the scene called Bar Groove. This venue is a bit out of place with sleek finishings reminiscent of Q Bar or Escobar. Let's hope it can find it's following and avoid the death trap reputation of the building in which it resides.

Also on Thonglor but in the opposite direction Ice Bar has melted to make way for Raz Bar. One can only assume that the new red decor will entice the same pretentious crowd as before. Sadly missed by this Canadian will be the igloo coolness of the original Ice Bar which for me was the only attractive feature.

Ekamai
With the successful launch of Blog 9 the ET Zone welcomes a strong dance club competitor to the reigning king Santika. After several visits it's clear the crowd is picking up. Let's hope it can maintain this momentum after the new year when competition from the newly renovated Escudo, Raz Bar and newcomer Curve Bar open.

Looking for a smaller venue yet still in reach of the action on Ekamai? Ichi located directly across from Nang Len is a cozy two level bar with comfortable furnishings. Even without a unique following Ichi is likely to pick up plenty of fall-out from Nang Len and Escobar.

A little closer to Sukhumvit between Sherbet and Ban Kebtawaan, Curve Bar is getting ready to capitalize on the trendiness of Nang Len and Song Saleung. So far the building looks unique to say the least and given the excitement in the area it's sure to find its groove. Expect a follow-up preview of Curve Bar shortly.

Well we've got to say goodbye to the short-lived Cream. I kinda liked this place with two floors of fun and a large spacious main hall. I can only assume that Cream's closure was the result of something other than lack of patrons as it seemed to welcome a solid base.

Finally, a short walk past Santika a new complex is being built with promises of a wine bar, cocktail lounge and restaurant. Paradox, set to open this year, will be a welcomed venue that will hopefully further elevate Ekamai's reputation as the place to be.

Looking to the future
I've been asked to open the site to bars and clubs outside the ET Zone but believe me when I say there's enough of a changing landscape in the ET Zone alone to keep me busy. I'm sure we'll see even more changes next year as the half dozen condo towers will open and introduce more people to the area. Also, bar owners around here tend to be as ambitious and naivve as the Olsen twins back in the 90s (and look where they are now) so there's a good chance that some openings scheduled for this year will get pushed back to 2008.