Stories tagged with entertainment
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End of Washington Square?
It has been rumoured that Bangkok’s Washington Square on Sukhumvit soi 22 is to be cleared by its owners.
Washington Square is located across from Sukhumvit soi 33 not far from the Emporium shopping centre, with the Dubliner Irish pub at the entrance.
This rundown but relatively quiet bar area of Bangkok’s bustling Sukhumvit road has long been the haunt of Vietnam War veterans in search of cheap booze and food, good music and a laid back atmosphere. There is also a distinct lack of the yobbish farang culture that can be seen in other parts of the city, namely Nana Plaza and Soi Cowboy.
Some bar owners have received a court letter detailing that the owners of the Square have been granted the right to terminate leases in early January, 2009. Consequently, the court will enforce tenants' departure by then.
There has been no word on what, if anything, the owners of the square plan to do with the land, but with the price of prime land in Bangkok currently sky-rocketing it would certainly favour land owners to make better use of it. Condo projects and shopping developments would bring in a much better return than bar leasing, for example.
Other popular tourist entertainment areas, such as Nana and Soi Cowboy, are also located on prime land and perhaps it is only a matter of time before these end up being moved on.
More on Bangkok Nightlife
Posted by: Andrew on 29 Apr 2008, 04:35 -
City Hall OK’s longer opening hours
Pattaya is known as a party town. The majority of tourists that visit the seaside resort city are here to cut loose and enjoy the many entertainment venues that are available in the city- booze and girls figuring prominently on the radars of many visitors. Such is the reputation and clientele of Pattaya.
Recently the city has been making visible attempts to clean up its image, but one of the initiatives –one which capped the hours of operations at entertainment venues at 2 am- is being appealed by local businesses. Club and bar owners made their voices heard at Pattaya City Hall, claiming that a 2 am last call will harm their businesses. And City Hall is listening.
The 2 am cut-off is implemented at the behest of the Interior Ministry, but local Pattaya officials are sympathetic to bar owners who claim Pattaya’s particular status and reputation warrants an exception to the rule. The case is being put forth that with the 2 am closing time, tourists are leaving without spending their money and hurting the local economy unnecessarily. If asked, tourists would most certainly sign a petition of their own.
Posted by: DaveB on 06 Apr 2008, 12:17 -
Guitar Heroes UnPlugged concert in Bangkok
On November 8th, Bangkok will host eight well known guitar players for the Guitar Heroes UnPlugged concert. Organized by AMI Events, the show will feature world-class acoustic guitar playing showcasing the range of styles that Thai talent can master.
The line up is impressive. O-Olarn, a pioneer in Thai rock, will showcase his signature works. O-Olarn is the only Asian chosen by guitar company Fender for a signature series guitar. Fender’s Stratocaster O-Larn Signature Model was named for him.
Golf T-Bone is well known for his Ska and Reggae music but his real talent lies in the performance of jazz. When not performing creative, skilled compositions on stage, Golf teaches at the College of Music at Silpakorn and Mahidol University.
Once a mechanical engineer, Pop Chakarin captures the spirit of a younger Thailand with his speed metal guitar fingerings. Boonchob Thanomwongthana is a renown guitarist and teacher who will be demonstrating his skill and agility with fingerstyle pieces.
Although Chai Somchai loves playing songs by the Beatles, he is most known for his Latin jazz and has earned praise from Filipino audiences for his work. Hucky Eichelmann is a German expatriate living in Thailand who has made a name for himself playing the King’s compositions on acoustic guitar. At the concert, he will play classical and world music.
Ohm Chatree Kongsuwan will be playing pop pieces that made him, and those who played with him, famous. He has a unique guitar signature and a lively personality that make him great to watch on stage.
Finally, Wanchai Tangtipanit , otherwise known as Chai Blues will be performing Blues pieces at the concert, drawing from over three decades of Blues experience.
Tickets are available for purchase online or through Thai Ticketmajor outlets. The show will take place at Mahisorn Hall, SCB park at 20:00. Tickets are already on sale and range from 800 baht to 1,200 baht.
Posted by: Jen on 08 Nov 2007, 04:28 -
The Best of South East Asian Photos on Display
Although many tourists may be unaware of the fact, Bangkok is a hub for photographers working in the South East Asian region. Although it may not be possible to see the entire region on one visit, or even most of Thailand, the current photojournalism exhibition at the Foreign Correspondent’s Club in Bangkok will allow visitors to get a taste of what’s been happening in the region over the last year.
The Club is hosting the first ever Photojournalism Contest and has invited both amateur and professional photographers to submit their photographs from around South East Asia. Hundreds of photographs have been submitted, showcasing the ethnic tribes of northern Vietnam, street children in Bangkok and earthquake victims in Pakistan.
The winners of the contest will be announced at a cocktail reception being held at the club on Friday November 2nd, beginning at 19:00. Many of the region’s top photographers and journalists will be in attendance. Visitors will receive a copy of the winning photos as published in a Dateline Magazine.
For those who can’t make the event, the photographs will be on display at the FCCT throughout the month of November. The club is located on the Penthouse Floor of the Maneeya Center in Central Bangkok.
Awards are being given for photographs in five categories: Spot News, Feature Photography, Sports, Photo Essay and Daily Life. Daily Life photographs are a great way to get an idea about what is happening in the area, as well catch glimpses of little seen expressions of local culture.
Posted by: Jen on 01 Nov 2007, 06:06 -
Copperfield cancels South East Asian Tour
An FBI investigation into the activities of renowned magician David Copperfield has led the performer to cancel his shows in Thailand and Singapore. Promoters who are less than happy with this turn of events are now threatening to sue the American man.
David Copperfield’s Las Vegas warehouse was raided by agents from the US Federal Bureau of Investigations last week. A digital camera memory chip and a computer hard drive were seized along with nearly $US2 million in cash.
According to the owner of Indonesian promoter Buena productions, Peter Basuki, promoters from Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore have hired an American lawyer to bring a lawsuit forward.
Copperfield was scheduled to perform in Malaysia on October 30th and 31st after launching the South East Asian tour in Jakarta on Tuesday.
ThaiTicketMajor has stopped selling tickets for the performances in Thailand which were scheduled to take place from November 8th to the 10th. Promoters have spoken with local press and said that they are discussing rescheduling with Copperfield’s management team.
"We still want him to pursue his shows in Thailand and other countries," said Boonperm Intanapasat of RSI-Dream, the company behind the Bangkok shows.
The seven shows scheduled for Thailand are already 80 per cent sold out. A decision has not yet been reached on whether to refund the tickets or not.
Posted by: Jen on 24 Oct 2007, 04:13 -
'Smile for your Father' concert in Pattaya
A series of free concerts is being held around Thailand in order to celebrate the 80th birthday of His Majesty The King. One of the ‘Smile for your Father’ concerts was held last Friday at the Bali Hai Port located at the southern end of the Pattaya Beach.
The concert was organized by the national TV Station TiTV. Over a thousand people came to the event which was opened by Privy Councilor Admiral Choomporn.
Some of Thailand’s most popular groups and singers performed at the live concerns including the Gan Kor Club, Palmy and T-Bone.
The police report that the event went smoothly and there were not significant problems
Posted by: Jen on 12 Oct 2007, 14:33 -
1st Pattaya International Magic Festival
The Tourism Authority of Thailand has teamed up with officials of Pattaya City in order to organize the 1st Pattaya International Magic Festival.
According to the announcement made at a press conference to launch the event, the Festival will bring together Magic Champions from over ten countries to perform on the same stage.
Among those scheduled to perform are American Franz Harary and his magic team. The Americans will be performing shows never before performed. Jeremy Pei, from Singapore will also be on stage in Pattaya. His performances have won him wide acclaim in Australia.
The Asian Magic Champion from 2006, Xio Run, will join the likes of Malaysian P J Wan, the International Magic Champion. Kaiko Muto from Japan and Ger Copper, the champion from the Netherlands will also perform.
On the schedule are three Thai magicians with impressive credentials. The champion of the Professional Magician Association for two consecutive years and the only Asian entrant into the Olympic Magic competition in Japan, Philip will be on stage during the event in Pattaya. Comedy magician, Mr Balloon and the 2006 Asia Magic champion Mr. Tuxedo will also perform.
From October 17th to 19th, free shows will be performed from 11:00 until 13:00 at the Central Festival Pattaya where magic products will be showcased and on sale.
Furthermore, tickets are on sale for performances at the Alangkarn Theater on October 20th and 21st from 14:00 to 17:00. Tickets range from 500 to 1,000 in price with part of the proceeds going to the Father Ray Association.
Posted by: Jen on 12 Oct 2007, 14:28 -
Music, Food and Good Times at Sudsanan Bar
Travelers currently staying in Chiang Mai should not miss out on the opportunity to sample local music, food and culture being offered by the Unique World Music show being held at Sudsanan Bar and Restaurant on August 31st.
Bands will be playing Thai favorites as well as international fare. Local groups such as Chang Stone, Boon Hugsa, Savier and Tip Folk Song will be performing as the music rolls throughout the night.
From 19:00 to 22:00 music will be accompanied by food and beverages, provided by the restaurant. Tickets for the event cost only 200 baht each and are available at the restaurant.
Sudsanan Bar and Restaurant is located on Huay Kaew Road, next to Coca Sukiyaki. The best place to being a trip to Sudsanan Bar if you’ve never been there before is on Huay Kaew Road, opposition Kad Suan Kaew. Walk towards Doi Suthep. When you see a sign saying ‘Take Off’, turn down the side street until you find the house at the end.
The bar’s location in a small house gives it a cozy feeling perfect for the jazz music pouring out of the place on most nights. The atmosphere is generally relaxed and friendly and the crowd is a mixed one with ex-pats mingling with Thai students, artists and hippies.
Sudsanan is open from 18:00 to 01:00 every night. The restaurant serves up dishes priced between 45 and 160 baht. At the bar you will find local and imported beers as well as the usual ingredients for most mixed drinks. Cocktails range between 55 and 85 baht.
Posted by: Jen on 28 Aug 2007, 06:44 -
Gwen in Bangkok
It’s not the best way to experience Thai culture, but travelers expecting to be in Bangkok on August 19th, may want to take advantage and see songstress Gwen Stafani perform live in Bangkok at the Impact Arena in Muang Thong Thani.
Tickets are already on sale and are available for THB600 to THB4,500. For those planning a trip to Thailand, seats can be reserved online through the online booking service Thaiticketmajor
Gwen Stefani came into the public eye as the singer for No Doubt in 1992 and with the group produced the album ‘Tragic Kingdom’ which sold more than 13 million copies across the world.
Gwen will be in Thailand promoting her newest album, ‘The Sweet Escape’ and will perform in Hong Kong, Singapore and Malaysia as well as Bangkok.
“It’s going to be a lot of fun,� said Stefani in a recent interview about the upcoming Bangkok performance. “Lots of costume changes and dancing. Nothing to be taken too seriously.�
The 90 minute performance will be held at the Impact Arena in Muang Thong Thani, a suburb of Bangkok. The Arena is approximately 30 minutes by road from Bangkok’s most northernmost sky train station, Mo Chit and shuttle buses operated by Impact are available to transfer passengers from the sky train to the venue.
Posted by: Jen on 04 Aug 2007, 07:33 -
See Thai Talent in Chiang Mai
From now until the first week of December, JJ Market in Chiang Mai is hosting a talent show. The show is designed to promote the talents of young performers in the city across a wide range of musical styles.
To see the show live, head to the central field of JJ Goodtaste Market on the second Friday of every month. If you can’t make the show, you can still catch it, broadcast live on T.I.T.S Radio 106.5 Mhz. Every night, four bands will vie for the chance to compete in the finals, to be held on 4 December.
For more information about how to enter to contest, head on down to JJ Goodtaste Market. The market is located on Ausadatorn Road and houses a number of gift shops, textile vendors and handicraft stalls under beautiful plazas. Stores in the market sell vintage clothes, antiques, and bath and spa products. The complex has its own parking spaces and is easy to get to just north of the old city before the superhighway.
The schedule for the talent show is as follows:
- 8th June: Grand Opening with pop music competition
- 13th July: Rock music competition
- 10th August: Jazz music competition
- 14th September: Hip hop music competition
- 12th October: R&B music competition
- 9th November: Thai country music competition
- 4th December: Final round
Posted by: Jen on 14 Jun 2007, 09:05