As you may or may not know we used to be in Nana Plaza. I won’t rehash all of that here but I will say that it was tough to run a bar in the plaza. Simple as that. One of the reasons it was tough was that being on the second floor in the corner is not what I would call pole position. So LITTLE things like a working escalator were pretty important. For the last 4 months of our stay in the plaza the escalator was broken most of the time and the last 2 months it did not work at all.
In theory this all may not sound like a big deal but it does give u some insight into how all the players work. Of course we would complain to our landlords and show them how business would be down without the escalator working. They would pretend to care and say they were doing everything in their power to fix it. Right.
We were told by Nana Castle, the idiots who manage the plaza, that no one was fixing it because it cost too much money. It seems towards the end the escalator could not longer be repaired and a new one would be needed. When we went to our landlords to talk about this they said no way that it would be fixed
Keep in mind during all this we were also negotiating rent and of course we would mention that how could they raise rent with a broken escalator and no promise of fixing it. They replied that at the end of the day the escalator was not really their responsibility and essentially mattered little to them as landlords. Of course it mattered a great deal to us as tenants.
One day I was talking to one of the Nana security drones who was escorting some construction guys around while they measured some things. Turns out the plan was to rip out the escalator and put in some stainless steel stairs. When we went to our landlords with this info they figured we would be excited about it because the stainless steel would be stylish and new. Idiots. How could stairs ever be better than a working escalator? Their logic was that stairs were better than a broken escalator.
There were also some rumors that the escalator would be removed to make way for a bigger downstairs bar or a new bar. Of course we griped about that as well since we would not only lose the escalator but compete with a new bar blocking the back stairwell. Once again our landlords were too preoccupied explaining how much our rent would go up and were not interested in discussing how the lack of an escalator or a new bar would affect our business.
Hopefully people get a sense of why it was pretty easy to make the decision to leave the beloved plaza.
Btw - our old space is still available if anyone wants it. I am sure they are asking more for it now than when we moved out since that is the standard Thai landlord logic. Hell - I think it may even be a standard clause in those rental contracts you can buy at Office Depot.
But how do you really feel?
Seems the owners of Rainbow IV would have a vested interest in a working escalator too. Perish the thought of all those pretties having to continue to use the stairs in the back.
I’m not one to doubt the word of a “Nana security drone,” but are you sure its not being repaired?
The signs guarding the escalator say “Otis,” one of the biggest elevator/escalator companies in the world.
Reminds me the of the rumor I read here about the Subway/Coffee World next to the Post Office closing….
View all comments by Mr. Kotter
m k - I feel fine. thanks.
Owners pay rent to the landlords. Not nana castle so it makes it hard to push on things like the escalator.
my reference to the drone was months ago and this is when a decision was made to go with the stairs. they told that they need the otis cranes to get the thing out since it is one piece.
maybe they are lying and will fix it. which would be the best thing for everyone. not that it means much to me anyway.
well - I think we preface a rumor cause that is what a rumor is. something we cannot verify. the subway comment came from the subway owner who told me that if they did not get a better deal they would move and had already scouted some new spaces. maybe they got the better deal and stayed which is cool.
We tried the same with our landlords and they never budged so we moved. looks like subway had more reasonable landlords. good for them. Things tend to happen like this in thailand. people threaten and then sometimes it gets worked out and other times it does not. Our landlords are pretty lame at this game and hence they still have an empty spot.
View all comments by smitty
mk: Care to bet on the Subway leaving? Not sure of the exact date but it’s coming soon. I was in there a few weeks ago and the Manager told me they were updating the wifi connection. I asked why since they were leaving soon. He didn’t know why but confirmed they were leaving soon. Will try and find out for sure since it’s a pretty significant loss for me living in the area.
On the escalator, R4 has never been a big voice when the escalator was down since they pack the place no matter what, although they did jump in when the escalator was down a few months last year after Songkran vandalism. GSpot and Fantasia are Crown group bars and couldn’t be more apathetic. Temptations also don’t care since they “specialize”. The bars most concerned will be the Mandarin bars but not sure they can do anything about anything. The way to get things done in the Plaza is to have a strong consensus in the form of a group complaint or if you have more than 2 or 3 bars. I’ve been asked everytime I’ve made a complaint to go around and get a letter signed by all the bars that want my complaint addressed. Consensus building is not exactly a Mandarin owners strength and getting consensus in the Plaza is not so easy but we’ll see I guess. Another reason we are glad to be out of the Plaza, it’s not exactly a “group hug” environment.
A final note, I was shown the plans for the stainless steel staircase that was supposed to replace the escalator by our landlords. Not sure if those are still the plans but 3-4 months ago it was.
View all comments by pmmp
I would also add that maybe they are doing complete replacement which I was told was the only choice if they wanted an escalator. I will stop by again tomorrow to see.
I was merely bringing this up to explain to people how nana works and the shit some of the bar owners go through. Whether the mango had to deal with it or not I had always thought it would be unfair of the plaza management to get rid of something convenient for customers like the escalator to make more bar space thus forcing the current tenants to suddenly compete with a new entrants.
That was actually the point I wanted to carry across.
View all comments by smitty
I should just admit that the only reason I wrote this post was to get a google search where the blog was the first hit.
my bad folks…
http://www.google.com/search?q=nana+escalator&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a
View all comments by smitty
The last time I went into the Nana Plaza(3 years ago) the escalator was broken. To be honest, I would’nt go in there if they had a magic carpet taking me upstairs.
That entire Soi has turned into just another tourist ripoff zone.
View all comments by khun j
kj: Having lived on the soi for a few years I would have to respectfully disagree with that. I certainly wouldn’t have lasted this long in Patpong.
Let’s take a stroll down the soi shall we. We start with Morning Night. Classy owner who also owns the Hilary bars and Spice Club. The loyalists to Morning night and the Hilary bars would certainly not categorize these bars as ripoff bars. I’m not a big fan of Morning Night but many are and keep filling the place every night. The Hilary bars are even more loved and I actually do like them.
Nana Plaza, I agree, has gone downhill, but there are still some gems in there. Big Dog’s is the best pirch on the planet followed by the back row of Lucky Luke’s. I can sit at these bars for hours. Pretty Lady, Mandarin, the Rainbows, and Carousel are quality gogo’s. If you’re into Ladyboy’s Nana Plaza is meat and potatoes heaven.
Continuing down the soi you have a big Irish pub and a couple of smaller pubs that cater to many happy regulars. You also have massage places, a karaoke/coyote swan bar, and some of the best Pool in Bangkok at the Ball in Hand. You also have the Sin Club rooftop, Metro Bar, and the Swan bars. All are great bars with reasonable prices.
In addition, you have many different levels of Hotels on or around the soi. You can spend less than 1000/night easy and get a nice clean room. The king of the hotels on the soi is Nana Hotel. Golden Bar out front is a great deal and also has some great views. Nana Disco is a bit pricey at 400 baht entry but always packed with freelancers. Nana parking lot is a marvel of it’s own as well.
I could go on since there are even more quality offerings on and within five minutes of the soi but I think I’ve made the point. The soi is safe and never boring. Calling it a tourist ripoff zone is ridiculous. Please feel free to elaborate on exactly why you think it is a ripoff zone.
I will echo what smitty was asking in the VEDD post, where is JD, the Defender of all things Soi 4?
View all comments by pmmp
Let’s start with that Morning/Night Bar.
The worst girls in the city. Hard core, unfriendly.
I always get the feeling they hate their customers in there.
I know K Meow.. she takes nice country girls and turns them into hustlers…how to get the most out of her customers for the least effort instead of teaching them how to provide a good service at a fair price. (That would be a unique business model I admit)
I know some of the Hillary girls..always wanting more, more ,more, for less effort…..constantly moaning about how slow business is lately…
It goes downhill from there.
Every Thai on the Soi.. looking to overcharge the next Farang that walks by.
View all comments by khun j
Wow, great defense.
“The worst girls in the city”
Have you been to the second floor Patpong or even the first floor for that matter? I’m sure there are many other places that land below the MN girls that folks can chime in about.
Overall though, the tourist rip-off place is Patpong. The place is rammed with tourists that are only here for a short while and stumbled onto the place via clueless guides like Lonely Planet and Trip Advisor.
Soi 4 caters to mostly ex-pat’s and sex-tourists that keep coming back. That is the bottom line. I know MANY guys that make Morning Night their first spot when they come into town. The Hilary Bars are the same. Guys keep coming back.
Maybe they are stupid and you are all-knowing? I doubt it. It really boils down to the tourist rip off statement you made. Soi 4 like I said is mostly guys living here or guys who have been to Thailand many times and who keep coming back. If they were being ripped off would they really be coming back?
What about the rest of the places I mentioned and the proximity to the other soi’s? Have you been to Ball in Hand? Sin Club rooftop? The little and big pubs on the soi that all have many regulars? Do tell.
View all comments by pmmp
I agree.
There are a few business left on Soi Nana4 that I don’t consider tourist ripoff joints.
View all comments by khun j
Escalator was/is a massive fire hazard hope its gone for good. I was in nana 2 weeks a ago and it definately looked cleaner on the bottom floor. Still feels like a fire trap though.
View all comments by wentworth
w - I don’t think a working escalator is a hazard in and of itself. I think it is all the crap around it.
View all comments by smitty
Nobody thinks about how the escalator fells, do they? I’m starting a “Save The Nana Escalator!” fund. When enough cash is raised, I’m going to have it moved to Lumphini Park as a fitting memorial to all the business its seen over the years. “Esky” (as I like to call it) has had a thankless job over the years, with the only upside (ho ho) being a constant view up the skirts of the working girls, or at least those few who still wear them. Esky has, uncomplainingly, lifted hundreds of metric tonnes of sweaty farang meat up to the first floor, and what thanks does he get? Whining, complaints, litter and vomit … I hope you’re all beginning to feel ashamed of your machinist attitudes.
Contributions may be made at the Duke - I’ve disguised the collection box as “Pants Elk’s Whore Relief Fund” but don’t let that put you off helping to find a retirement home for this unsung hero of Nana myth.
View all comments by Pants Elk
Uh … “feels” - but I guess “fells” may be appropriate …
View all comments by Pants Elk
It seems the escalator is getting more attention than some of the bars, so far in the last 2 days I have heard 3 different replacement items for the escalator, 1) was a new escalator, 2) a Spiral Chrome staircase ( Dont think that would be good for heavy drinkers walking down at night ) And 3) was to rip it out and add a beer bar.In a day or so we should be able to figure out there direction so lets see.
On the other comments about soi 4 being total Rip-Off joints, Come on are you kidding? Ok maybe you had a bad night in a bar, mistakes can happen ,music to loud to understand what is being said, service staff brought you the wrong drink ect, But most of the places I visit on the soi are pretty good at sorting out any problems.
On one other point about a particular bar owner on that soi , are you saying you think Khun Meow teaches her staff to Rip us off?
have you been ripped-Off in Morning/Night ,Hillary 1 or 2, Metro bar, X-Box or Spice Club? ( ok that one is soi 11 ).
From what I have seen in the past is very different from the comments made so I will be sure to also look closer.
View all comments by Jboy_bkk
j - we were told the plan was a staircase. this was from the plaza management. This was months ago. Then I was told by another owner that he was vying for the space as a new/expanded bar. That one I could never confirm. I was also told repairing it was out of the question so a replacement was the only option. I was just laying out what I saw and what I heard. I was always baffled as a tenant as to why we as rent payers could not get a straight answer.
I always find it funny how people get upset if we discuss things as we see it even if we can’t get a straight answer. Believe me it is not for lack of trying.
I am staying out of this soi 4 discussion.
View all comments by smitty
pe - i got 10 baht.
View all comments by smitty
The Save The Nana Escalator! fund now stands at 10 baht! This is a very encouaging start!
As to the Nana debate raging on this thread - if you can’t have the time of your life on Soi Nana, try Disney World.
View all comments by Pants Elk
A related note on the fascinating topic of the Esky, one tactic that failed miserably when trying to explain to the moronic slug Manager of Nana Plaza why the escalator should be fixed and is so important to business was to compare the situation to a Mall.
I pleaded with him “Have you ever seen a Mall escalator out of order for more than an hour? The businesses that relied on the escalator would scream bloody murder if it was out because business would die. Think of Nana Plaza as a Ho Mall. In fact, we probably pay more rent than a shop in a Mall so should get similar service. No?”
I left out the Ho Mall part but it was like trying to explain to a dog that the pole he is humping is not a female dog.
pe: I’ll do better than smitty and pledge 1000 satang
View all comments by pmmp
pmmp - put your money where your big mouth is and ante up 10 baht.
“Ho Mall” I like. Cabdrivers would pronounce it “Homer”.
View all comments by Pants Elk
Okay … the fund now stands at 10 baht and 1000 satang. That’s a shitload of money, folks! At this rate, we’ll reach the five trillion baht required to relocate Esky in …. (taps calculator) … exactly four thousand and seven hundred years!
View all comments by Pants Elk
pe: okay, 1001 satang. Does highest contributor buy me the honors of smashing a bottle of Leo on the rubber hand rail during the opening ceremony?
View all comments by pmmp
I’m glad the escalator doesn’t work… I once fell down it. I was tumbling for 3 hours.
View all comments by Daywalker
Ok I will throw in 20bt for the fund as well..( you got pay-pal
)
Smitty, I wasn’t trying to say that any of your info was incorrect, I should have said while I was walking around the other night and while in the plaza I asked about it and got 3 different responses,Not trying to imply that I got wrong info from your post
View all comments by Jboy.bkk
@Daywalker: *rimshot*
Back to Esky. He didn’t want to get the Nana gig. His brother landed a sweet job at Emporium, and his cousin works out at MBK. If it’s not enough he’s the black sheep of the family, he gets all youse fuckwads whaling on him and dropping rubbers between his treads. He tells me he never broke down - he’s on strike. “A mechanised people-transporter can only put up with so much,” he said, eyeing the workmen approaching with a bag of wrong tools. “Sure, I’d love to retire out at Lumphini Park. Then all the farangs could run right up me and fall into the fucking lake, I could care less.”
View all comments by Pants Elk
No, I’m not saying the Hillary/Morning Night owner teaches them to ripoff customers.
…..More like teaching them how to be aggressive and impolite.
Pull that crap in a bar with Thai customers sometime?
View all comments by khun j
if ya’ll think Nana and Pat Pong are bad these days…GO TO PATTAYA! that place has gone to shit in a MAJOR way. it has set the bar HIGH on bad attitude, not to mention steep prices for bad service. BKK is 50 times better than Pattaya now.
u can still get the GFE (Girl Friend Experience) in Bangers, but good luck in Pattaya. Pattaya is like diamond mining now. not saying it’s impossible to find a good girl, but it’s RARE.
there is just way too much cock in Pattaya now and the hot girls are way fewer. the rest are older and fatter. NONE of the girls are hungry anymore. truly, they are fat and don’t care. they don’t care if u are slim, handsome, fun, speak Thai, whatever. it doesn’t matter to them anymore. if u don’t pony up, they know there is an endless supply of roosters that will. short time used to be something the CUSTOMER wanted…now it is THEIR standard operating procedure. sure u can get the fat, old, ugly girl to stay long, but u will pay dearly for the superstar…and then get bad service.
to rejuvenate your appreciation for Bangkok, just go spend a weekend in Pattaya…
View all comments by kevdank
kev - interesting you mentioned that. My last trip to pattaya I found some of this to be true. Also with the lack of nudity and the early closings, I found little reason to go other than a simple change of venue. If the pattaya crackdown continues then I see pattaya being worse than bkk given the crowds that tend to congregate there.
Some people say pattaya is cheaper but saving some baht on a random beer does not make a difference for me.
I always say if u want the GFE - get a gf.
View all comments by smitty
hey Smit-
i hear ya, but WHO THE HELL WANTS A GIRLFRIEND?!? ;-D
the GFE just used to be part of the package…it just happened. it wasn’t thought about by either party…it just came with the very fair prices of days LONG past. sadly, those days are OVER.
now bad attitude and bad service are the standard and going for premium prices, while the quality of the girls has nosedived. too much ink in Pattaya too and extra kilos. the place is in freefall and has been for a couple years now.
u are correct…the ONLY things cheaper in Pattaya now are beer and hotels. thazzit…kd
View all comments by kevdank
mr kotter -
This was on stick this past week - just to remind you that we are not spreading BS about the things we know about Nana or the Subway. thx -
The Nana Subway outlet will be around for at least another two months. Apparently the landlord has been unsuccessful in finding a tenant with the level of inelegance willing to pay half a million baht a month for rent and Subway has been offered the premises at the existing rental until May. One can only wonder how this semi drama of greed will end. Perhaps the landlord has been talking to the owner of the still vacant spot that once hosted The Big Mango?
View all comments by smitty
Just to close the loop on Subway Soi 4, they now have little flyers by the register that indicate they will be moving to soi 7/1. Weird that they say they are moving since a Subway already exists there and is the same owner but nonetheless. I am probably saddened by this news more than anybody. I love Subway Soi 4. Damn the greedy landlords to hell!!!
View all comments by pmmp
pmmp - I think if u read the fine print on the bottom of the flyer it says it is a rumor - started by management just to make the blog look good.
Thank god…
jd we still love u
View all comments by smitty
so how much is the rent there and for what kind/ size price?
thanks
View all comments by g