Patong's "new" unopened beer bar complex

[maxbass]

Hi guys,

 

I'm curious about the new, poorly built, open air beer bar complex in Patong Beach.  It directly across from the back entrance to the Yorkshire Inn, near the entrance to the Expat hotel, and one block behind (away from water) Taipan Nightclub.  Last year it was under construction.  This year is seemed to be completed (speakers, bars, lights, etc) but thankfully had no activity as it was steps from my hotel.

 

If you follow Bangla Rd 3 blocks inland and jog slightly north (1/2 block), then continue inland 1 block, you'll find the complex.  The beer bar complex in question is very poorly built.  It has steep concrete stairs, no protection from the elements, and currently sits empty.

 

Does anyone know what's going on with this complex?  I hope they never open as they'll ruin the neighborhood for the Expat hotel & Yorkshire Inn.  I wish I had a picture but I do not.  And Google Street view shows pre-construction views of the lot.

 

Thanks

 

[plahgat]

Yeah I saw it as well in April/May this year, only have a picture from the entrance of the soi with the new complex visible to the left.

It's called Soi Sunset and was once upon a time a busy nightlife strip that even had their own gogo bar Extasy a GoGo,

maybe they are trying to revive it by making it an "Entertainment Zone" called "Bangla 2"?

 

Plahgat

 

[maxbass]

That is the place.  It's the large two story complex on the left.  I saw them building in it in late November 2012.  In late November 2013, it seemed semi-completed.  This used to be a cool little area with street stalls, restaurants, and a lot of vendors under canvas awnings.

 

From my perspective, it's an extremely poorly built facility.  The concrete steps are narrow & steep.  I don't recall seeing any hand rails.  Unlike a beer bar complex like Tiger that has noticable effort put into it's design, this place seems like a few iron support beams, a concrete roof (1st floor) and open roof for most of the 2nd floor, and a tin angled roof over what must be a future nightclub.

 

Patong Beach traffic is extremely troublesome and getting worse.  Four new hotels are being built a block further inland including the Best Western.  This complex will further aggravate the human vs vehicle congestion around Taipan.  Patong already has lacked even the most remedial urban planning.  The two major north south streets are further aggravated by Bangla Rd (walking street), the private Sois (such as the Royal Paradise hotel compound), and many other dead end streets.  There is currently construction on the third inland north / south st (Sai Kor Rd?) that is further aggrevating traffic problems at the moment.  At this point, it's a dirt road.

 

Opening this complex will likely cause great damage to the Expat hotel, Yorkshire Inn, and the moderately high end condo development directly to the north.  Who wants to stay or live near a late night loud venue?  It will cause further conjestion near Taipan where humans & cars fight to cross the intersection.  A simple pedestrian bridge over the street near Taipan would help.  And it will displace hundreds of Scooters who currently park on the street.

 

Patong city planners if they exist are playing a dangerous game.  They are pushing development at all costs without much thought for the impact.  What will happen to the hundreds of Scooters that park on this street?  More land is being eaten up by the new development without appropriate expansion of streets, parking facilities, and public transporation.

 

The solution seems to be for the government to turn a number of dead end streets into one way streets connectings the three major north / south roads.  The ambition to develop the town will never succeed if they don't address traffic & parking problems first.

 

And permits for large new beer bar complexes are fine provided they account for traffic, parking, and affect on neighboring businesses.  Simply look at Google Maps near Bangla Rd (walking street) and look at all the dead end streets in and around the area.  This is not a sustainable plan.  And if it isn't addressed soon, it will become a much more difficult problem to solve.

 

Thank you for the picture.  That is defintely the place in question.  If anyone happens to be in Patong Beach and wouldn't mind taking a few daytime photos of the complex from various angles, please post them here.

[Yahooka]

Yeah I saw it as well in April/May this year, only have a picture from the entrance of the soi with the new complex visible to the left.

It's called Soi Sunset and was once upon a time a busy nightlife strip that even had their own gogo bar Extasy a GoGo,

maybe they are trying to revive it by making it an "Entertainment Zone" called "Bangla 2"?

 

Plahgat

 

New Entertainment Zone.jpg

Soi Sunset was simply brilliant,but should have been called Soi Sunrise,remember many early mornings in Vienna Bar which was located where the entrance to Tai Pan is now...............aaaaaahhh memories ;-).

 

Lets hope this area can claim some of it`s former fame back.

[Stillearly]

Soi Sunset was simply brilliant,but should have been called Soi Sunrise,remember many early mornings in Vienna Bar which was located where the entrance to Tai Pan is now...............aaaaaahhh memories ;-).

 

Lets hope this area can claim some of it`s former fame back.

Yes , back in the nineties , there were loads of Bars around by the Expat , Saloon Bar was open 24/7 and lots of Beer Bars , they even had a catapult bungee up there