When the Fit hits the Shan

Low and behold yet another club has erupted on the scene in the ET Zone like a ripe pimple on a 13 year old. This one has some history behind it which I haven't been able to confirm but starts with an ancient Indian burial ground and a horrific curse...

Ok maybe not but the original plot of land (land in Bangkok consists of old newpapers, plastic bottles, mulled concrete and soi dog carcasses) was home to a short-lived attempt to pick-up the Ekamai nightlife scene. Blog 9 was the first mega-club on the strip and I have to give them credit for quite literally trying to set the bar for the area. Prior to its arrival Ekamai nightlife consisted primarily of Santika and Nang Len and it's freaskishly embarassing cousin Escobar. There were smatterings of smaller bars that looked like they could have been motorcycle repair shops or noodle houses during daylight hours but nothing that really attempted to redefine the area. Blog 9, which I deduced later was probably supposed to be Block 9 since it's on the corner of Ekamai Soi 9 and not some uber trendy concept bar like I originally hoped, had high ceilings, decent decor, lots of mushroom seating, pool tables, and a reasonable turn-over of musical talent. (Note: after 4 years in Bangkok I now consider purchasing a small appliance in under 1 hour a talent so sure....my expectations have changed.)

Unfortunately the Blog 9 concept was a bit premature and like a school boy throwing his rice during opening credits of Sweater Meat 2 had nothing left to do but close its doors.

Enter Thai logic...

If a business at any location fails, opening a similar business at the exact same location can only yield better results.

And so after 3 months of renovations and at least 4 opening delays (yep I even saw the dude re-painting the opening date sign a few times), Fit has hit the Shan with the fanfare of a girl guide tuba ensemble. That's right...after 4 delays it opened its doors to the most uneventful first night since Titanic 2. Granted the exterior has changed; thank god the rich in Thailand have nothing better to do than keep construction crews continuously employed; but the interior format is the same in all its Smurf-land glory.

Where I grew up we had a place called pizza corner. On 3 of the 4 corners were pizza places, the fourth occupied by a library, apparently owned by the same family. I can only assume their logic was that by creating a "pizza district" they were increasing awareness for their product. This principle somewhat holds in Thailand where rather than having a venue that is unique or in an area where it is greatly needed...instead any new business becomes a duplicate of the existing establishments because obviously if the first guy was successful why wouldn't the second, and third, and fourth, and....you get the idea.

Fit even by name just screams "let me in...I'm just like you...please!" Unfortunately, Ekamai has reached saturation (for clubbers this is the point at which you piss as much as you drink) and can no longer sustain unoriginal venues offering the same slice of pizza as the guy across the street. Sorry guys but you've got your work cut out for you if you really want to Fit in around here.