#  >  > Travellers Tales in Thailand and Asia >  >  > Thailands Travellers Tales >  >  Bangkok Then And Now (1984-2011)

## Bobcock

Firstly I have to stress, these are not my pics, I did not take any of them.

I've mentioned my colleague Grumpy Bill before, these are his and as a long time TD lurker he is happy to share them with you. The first pictures are taken in 1984. Last weekend he went out and tried to take a picture from the same spot. I have deduced from looking at these pics that Bill is a foot shorter now that he was then.

The first picture is a legendary building.... Kanit House, home to Charles Sobhraj. It has now been demolished. We know he lived on the top floor and had two adjacent apartments.

*1984*



*2011*

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## Bobcock

The second pic is the Montien Hotel on Surawongse. Not much changed here at all

*1984*

**

*2011*

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## Bobcock

Taken standing in Patpong 1. Looking at it now, he's in slightly the wrong location. You can see the Goldfingers sign minus the Singha Beer addition further down the soi. Soma dditional storeys have been added to one of the buildings. We think the tall building at the end of the soi is the same but has been refurbished.

*1984*



*2011*

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## Bobcock

Next we have Patpong 1 taken from the surawongse end. Again the large building on the left side we think is the same building which has been refurbished and reclad. In 1984 there were several airlines along here, KLM can be seen in the right forground and in later pics we will JAL and Saudi Airlines. I also remember coming to Thai Airways on Silom years ago.

*1984*

**

*2011*

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## The Ghost Of The Moog

Great pix. 

Harold Stephens once bemoaned that why he first went to Bkk decades ago he took the usual photos of temples and Buddhas, (which are still there), but wishes that he'd simply turned around and taken pictures of the street life and ordinary buildings.

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## Bobcock

The next pic is taken on Silom on the corner of Soi Sala Daeng looking South. The building in the foreground hasn't changed much at all. Of course the big addition is the Sky Train on the right of the picture.

*1984*

**

*2011*

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## Bobcock

I have many many pictures like this, particularly in Phuket. Sadly my negatives are all in storage and I won't be able to access them until I return to the UK and take possession of my house.....

Grumpy Bill has been working through these pics and has many many more to go......

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## chitown

> The first picture is a legendary building.... Kanit House, home to Charles Sobhraj. It has now been demolished. We know he lived on the top floor and had two adjacent apartments.


That psycho married a 20 year old Nepalese girl a few years ago. I am waiting to read that he escaped from prison again.

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## Loy Toy

Nice thread Bob and I have a lot of memories of Bangkok then and now especially where I lived around the Onnut/ Pravait area. It went from a huge quite rice paddy into a overcrowded mess.

I especially remember being on the corner of Asoke and Sukhumvit at about 3 in the morning, the Seafood market on the corner with the big Neon sign.

How that area has changed.

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## Bobcock

> That psycho married a 20 year old Nepalese girl a few years ago. I am waiting to read that he escaped from prison again.


[sarcasm]he's great isn't he, one of the worlds great characters....[/sarcasm]

He definately looks like he could be DJ Pat's father....

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## chitown

> Originally Posted by chitown
> 
> That psycho married a 20 year old Nepalese girl a few years ago. I am waiting to read that he escaped from prison again.
> 
> 
> [sarcasm]he's great isn't he, one of the worlds great characters....[/sarcasm]
> 
> He definately looks like he could be DJ Pat's father....


I could see that - Charles spinning a few records with his long lost son  :Smile:

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## Bobcock

This is taken on Surawongse looking North from opposite Patpong One. You can see Pink Panther Bar on the corner of Patpong 2. How quaint that they have added a yellow box onto the floor to go with the zebra crossing so they have a choice of which to ignore....

*1984*





*2011*

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## Bobcock

From the same location. Note the second building on the left was being constructed at the time. Good view of the shitty old taxis of the day. Few and far between I never ever used one. In those days tuk tuk drivers were considered more trustworthy.

*1984*

**

*2011*

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## rickschoppers

Interesting pictures, especially since I spent a fair amount of time in Patpong between 1984-86. I didn't see myself in any the the shots, so I guess I am safe at the moment. 
Seriously, I did take some pics of my trips during that time and if I can find them, I will post a few.

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## Bobcock

Last one for a while, Bill will work on these whilst I am away and I'll add more when I return.

This one needs no 'now'. It would be impossible to stand where this was taken.

This is the Intercontinental Hotel on Rama 1 which was also used in a Stickman picture contest recently. It was knocked down in 2002 so they could build Siam Paragon. The white building on the left is where the actual rooms were, the interesting structure being just a reception area / restaurants. I remember going in there to meet a friend in 2000 and being very disappointed with the room quality. Did well to knock it down.

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## The Fresh Prince

> Taken standing in Patpong 1. Looking at it now, he's in slightly the wrong location. You can see the Goldfingers sign minus the Singha Beer addition further down the soi. Soma dditional storeys have been added to one of the buildings. We think the tall building at the end of the soi is the same but has been refurbished.
> 
> *1984*
> 
> 
> 
> *2011*


It was only last night that I was sat at a table and we were trying to figure out when the United Center (Building in the background) went up. The furthest back anyone at the table could remember was 1992 and they said it was there then.

So it must have gone up between 1984 and 1992.

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## mobs00

^ Funny how the Bond movie theme still persists, Pussy Galore in '84 and Gold Finger's in the latter.

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## BobR

Sadly Patpong is dying and seems to be a mere shell of what it was just 6 years ago, when I first came here.  Many of the bars have closed, the girls in those that are still open now wear full bikini tops and bottoms while dancing and the numbers of white male foreigners have gone down to a fraction of what it was.  
Then there's the mentality which says we have fewer customers so we need to thoroughly rip off those few we still have.

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## kingwilly

> The first pictures are taken in 1984. Last weekend he went out and tried to take a picture from the same spot.


I have a book that does just that. (currently forget the name, it might be something as obvious as Bangokok then and now.

Love the concept.




> I have many many pictures like this, particularly in Phuket. Sadly my negatives are all in storage and I won't be able to access them until I return to the UK and take possession of my house.....


Please do.




> Last one for a while, Bill will work on these whilst I am away and I'll add more when I return.


Tell Bill thanks! 




> Sadly Patpong is dying and seems to be a mere shell of what it was just 6 years ago, when I first came here. Many of the bars have closed, the girls in those that are still open now wear full bikini tops and bottoms while dancing and the numbers of white male foreigners have gone down to a fraction of what it was.


Why is that sad ? Is that all Bangkok is to you ?

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## kingwilly

> This one needs no 'now'. It would be impossible to stand where this was taken.


Take one standing slightly back from that location, (or one from the skytrain station overlooking it. Still worth the pic imho.

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## Boon Mee

> Sadly Patpong is dying and seems to be a mere shell of what it was just 6 years ago...


You gotta go back further than that like to when the Mississippi Queen closed down. 

The Vibe in Patpong changed around that time...

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## hillbilly

I love these kinds of pictures.  :Smile:  More please!

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## astasinim

Thanks Grumpy Bill, for the photo`s, and Thanks Bobcock for taking the time, and anyone else who contributes. Looking forward to more.

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## Bobcock

I've arrived in Wales.... Had an email from Bill already telling me he is working on more..... Probably have more ready when I return on the 10th.

Btw Saw the Burg Khalifa in Dubai earlier, just a short while after take-off, it is fucking incredible. I've seen many of the worlds tallest buildings, but that was breathtaking even from a distance.

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## sabaii sabaii

Nice pics Bob, apart from Sobrhaj

He's a fukkin serial killer,I hope he rots in hell. 

I never understood the fascination with scum. If it was your family would you buy the books ?

But he lives on through Pat's music, so i hear :Smile:

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## jizzybloke

Nice thread, Grumpy Bill should join and contribute instead of just lurking! :Smile:

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## Tickiteboo

Good effort Bobcock/Grumpy - facinating thread. Love the old pics, shows how much BKK has changed in what is a relatively short period. To think I was a young 21 year old back then and yet the cars look so old-fashioned.
Agree with jizzy, Bill should join up, I'm sure he's got some great tales to tell.

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## Looper

> Originally Posted by BobR
> 
> 
> Sadly Patpong is dying and seems to be a mere shell of what it was just 6 years ago...
> 
> 
> You gotta go back further than that like to when the Mississippi Queen closed down. 
> 
> The Vibe in Patpong changed around that time...


I don't remember the Mississipi Queen but they put glass across the front of the previously open plan pizzeria in Patpong 1 in 2010 and that was when the place started to go downhill for me  :Smile:

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## Benayahu

> Good effort Bobcock/Grumpy - facinating thread. Love the old pics, shows how much BKK has changed in what is a relatively short period. To think I was a young 21 year old back then and yet the cars look so old-fashioned.
> Agree with jizzy, Bill should join up, I'm sure he's got some great tales to tell.


Agreed! Thanks Bob. Although I am a bit young to have been walking the streets of Bangers in 1984, it is still fascinating to see the sometimes big differences, and in other pictures quite small differences between then and now.

Def notice a lot less tuk tuks now compared to back then with the introduction of the Sky Train I guess.

peace, MavenGuy

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## Bettyboo

> Grumpy Bill should join and contribute instead of just lurking!


Looks like Grumpy Bill was 'lurkin around' in 1984 too...  :Smile:

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## phomsanuk

I visited BKK in the late 70's, it was "dirty" then and still is but I love it.
They had "Soapys" then  and now to wash it off.

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## deepee

Can any of you guys remember when the Dusit Hotel was the tallest building in town ( in respect to the owners)and when taxi and truck drivers all sat side saddle in their seats - so Buddha could get to the wheel and be the driver ??

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## k1klass

nice pics, look forward to more

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## Phrakhanong

> Can any of you guys remember when the Dusit Hotel was the tallest building in town ( in respect to the owners)and when taxi and truck drivers all sat side saddle in their seats - so Buddha could get to the wheel and be the driver ??


The Dusit and Chokchai (Sukhumvit) buildings were built around about the same time... Chokchai I think came first... sometime during the Vietnam conflict (maybe 71?) because the US military occupied it.  Dusit I think came slightly after... maybe 73.  Anyway, Chokchai was the tallest building based on overall floors and Dusit Thani was the tallest building overall (taking into account the spire on top).

I can't remember which building then surpassed Chokchai and Dusit... I don't think the first Bayoke apartments were taller (built in the 80s), but there may have been some buildings around Silom/Sathorn in the early 80s that eclipsed them, and certainly some of the apartments in Sukhumvit in the later 80s.

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## FlyFree

Interesting thread.

I notice that there seems to be a lot more sunshine in 2011 than there was in 1984. Is this the effect of global warming?

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## Mozzbie47

Excellent, Noticable increase in the traffic since the first pics were taken.

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## kingwilly

Here's the book I mentioned, the title is exactly the same as this thread, so I assume that Bobcock was referring to it deliberately.

Steve Van Beek

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## kingwilly

> Interesting thread.
> 
> I notice that there seems to be a lot more sunshine in 2011 than there was in 1984. Is this the effect of global warming?


I'd say more to do with pollution and haze, nowt to do with so called global warming.

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## Bobcock

I was not referring to the book.

I also suggest the weather in the photos looks different because

A) random days how on earth can you compare weather from one day in 1987 to one day in 2011 in possibly different seasons

B) different cameras from different eras and Bill's a better photographer than he was then

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## khmen

> I have many many pictures like this, particularly in Phuket. Sadly my negatives are all in storage and I won't be able to access them until I return to the UK and take possession of my house.....
> 
> Grumpy Bill has been working through these pics and has many many more to go......


Excellent, really interesting thread Bobcock.

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## Shy Guava

> From the same location. Note the second building on the left was being constructed at the time. Good view of the shitty old taxis of the day. Few and far between I never ever used one. In those days tuk tuk drivers were considered more trustworthy.
> 
> *1984*
> 
> **
> 
> *2011*


Pleased to see that it looks like the Rose Hotel has disappeared. I had to negotiate a few short term loans in there in the early 70s. What a dump - it looked like a jail inside and slowly got overrun with farang poofters.
There was a nice little bar in behind the Saudia office called the Eden, but no relation to the one now in Sukhumvit 7/1. At least I don't remember any yellow lines but I was always pissed when I was in there.

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## IceSpike

Awesome!
So kool, the tuk tuk from Don Muang International would take 2-3 hours to Pussy Galore!
No Taxis!

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## FlyFree

> Originally Posted by FlyFree
> 
> Interesting thread.
> 
> I notice that there seems to be a lot more sunshine in 2011 than there was in 1984. Is this the effect of global warming?
> 
> 
> I'd say more to do with pollution and haze, nowt to do with so called global warming.


Interesting observation.

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## DJ Pat

Love these kinds of pictures, I could go through some of my older pics of Bangkok / Pattaya and visit the same spots to take a few ''now'' pics...Hmmm..and I land in 3 wks.

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## DJ Pat

I got a few pics of Bkk / Pattaya from a few years back, 1998..could be too soon for the 'now' pics but I land in 3wks....Hmmm

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## DJ Pat

> Nice pics Bob, apart from Sobrhaj
> 
> He's a fukkin serial killer,I hope he rots in hell. 
> 
> I never understood the fascination with scum. If it was your family would you buy the books ?
> 
> But he lives on through Pat's music, so i hear


What music?  ''Jailbreak'' or ''Murder on the dancefloor'' possibly.

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## khmen

> Love these kinds of pictures, I could go through some of my older pics of Bangkok / Pattaya and visit the same spots to take a few ''now'' pics...Hmmm..and I land in 3 wks.


Yeah, go for it if you get time. This is a great thread idea-the more the merrier I say! :Smile:

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## DJ Pat

> Here's the book I mentioned, the title is exactly the same as this thread, so I assume that Bobcock was referring to it deliberately.
> 
> Steve Van Beek


I took a look and the site likes opening up webpages left right and centre!!

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## sunsetter

> Sadly Patpong is dying and seems to be a mere shell of what it was just 6 years ago, when I first came here. Many of the bars have closed, the girls in those that are still open now wear full bikini tops and bottoms while dancing and the numbers of white male foreigners have gone down to a fraction of what it was. 
> Then there's the mentality which says we have fewer customers so we need to thoroughly rip off those few we still have.


went once, in 1999 on my first trip to thailand, loved it, picked a no 18, forget which bar!  since then, had a few wanders through with various visiting friends and family, stopped for a few rip off shows with them. walked through after visiting fresh prince early this year and wasnt even persuaded to stop anywhere,just didnt do anything for me at all

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## DJ Pat

Does anyone have any pre-Skytrain pics of Bangkok? I mean pics of the main roads before the skytrain went up along them? Love this kind of thing!

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## Bagwain

Loves these post about before and after.

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## Bobcock

OK, Grumpy Bill has been out and about and I'm back in Thailand so here is the next installment.

The first one is a single pic and quite interesting.....Bill did take a new picture, but it was from the wrong angle.

It is taken at the junction of Phayathai and Rama 1 from the southbound carriageway. It is looking diagonally across the junction at the building site of MBK. Also the Nimitbut Building, part of the National Stdium complex is being constructed in the background. Bill will endeavour to get a corresponding shot asap, but it will be dominated by the BTS going into National Stadium Station, the line coming south and turning into Siam Station and the associated overhead walkways.

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## Bobcock

Next on is in Chinatown and is a photograph of the Cartier Building taken in May 1984. It took Bill ages to find it, but he's tenacious and eventually found it. The Cartier letters are gone, but the buildings are the same.

*1984*



*2011*

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## Bobcock

Next is the spirit house at Pratunam, Baiyoke 2 is the obvious change

*1984*



*2011*

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## Bobcock

Next one is taken looking along Rama 4 towards the junction of Rama 4 and surawongse, probably taken from close to Jamjuree Square.

*1984*



*2011*

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## Marmite the Dog

That last one really got me as it is pretty much unrecognisable compared with now.

Good thread this.

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## Bazzy

Well done BC and Bill really enjoying this thread.

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## Bobcock

This one was difficult to find and isn't helped by all the vegetarian festival banners. If you look at the top of the building on the right hand side there is a sort of crown up there, behind it is some lattice work.

*1984*



*2011*

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## Bobcock

Again Chinatown, the newer pic is taken a little further back.

the key is the buildings on the right with a yellow colour and a slight overhang at the top. Also the building behind, white then and yellow / orange now is still visible

*1984*



*2011*

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## Bobcock

This is one most of you will recognise..... The corner of sukhumvit soi 3

*1984*



*2011*

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## DJ Pat

Keep them coming..

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## Bobcock

Yes Mas'er Pat Sir

This one is interesting.....it's the Station Hotel just over the road from Hualompong Station. As you can see the hotel has actually been cut back by (presumably) two rooms to accommodate the new MRT Station. Buildings in front have been cleaned up as well.

*1984*



*2011*

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## Bobcock

This is the same hotel again

*1984*



*2011*

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## Thaidan

Very impressive postings. Thanks

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## Cujo

The scary thing is, looking at those 1984 photos I don't feel like I'm looking a long way back.

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## Bobcock

This one is one that I posted on page one from Patpong. Bill got the angle wrong before

*1984*



*2011*

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## The Gentleman Scamp

Great thread, I'd love to have a 2 week holiday in Bangkok '84.

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## Bobcock

Bill has asked me to let you know that the Sukhumvit soi 3 pic is actually 1981 not 1984

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## DJ Pat

TRANSPORTATION IN THAILAND , 

^Don't be fooled by the title.....

Lots of old pics here of Bangkok.....pre-BTS too, they are on a couple of Thai forums but there are many many pages of great pictures if you're a nostalgiaphile, including the 1983 floods, BTS being built, Don Muang in the past (many different years)...many 'then and now' pics....Enjoy.

(Far too many for me to post here)

Bangkok in the past - SkyscraperCity

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## Rural Surin

> TRANSPORTATION IN THAILAND , 
> 
> ^Don't be fooled by the title.....
> 
> Lots of old pics here of Bangkok.....pre-BTS too, they are on a couple of Thai forums but there are many many pages of great pictures if you're a nostalgiaphile, including the 1983 floods, BTS being built, Don Muang in the past (many different years)...many 'then and now' pics....Enjoy.
> 
> (Far too many for me to post here)
> 
> Bangkok in the past - SkyscraperCity


Just scratched the surface, Pat.

There are tonnes of Thai [language] forums of sorts that offer a wealth of Bangkok scenes - 1960's - 1980's.

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## saxpression

I shot several rolls of film in 1981, but after looking at them realized there were none of these type of photos. I shot the temples, grand palace, klongs, and whores. That's why these photos are important. I never thought to photograph grubby old buildings. There's a guy on YouTube who collects this stuff and puts together slide shows. You can find it. One of my strongest memories from those days is the movie murals. When a new movie would come out giant billboards and murals would be hand painted as ads. When the next movie came to town these spectacular works of art would be painted over! I almost wanted to cry at the injustice. For an artist it must have been like getting paid to dig a hole and then to fill it in.

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## DJ Pat

This is quite good, like an old news reel. 1931. Love the comment about Thais never kissing eachother but instead they rub faces!

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## DJ Pat



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## Bilbobaggins

Superb thread, loving it, many thanks!

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## Bobcock

I should make the effort to finish it, I've. Got about 4 photo threads to do, but no time to do them

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