Soi Cowboy (ซอยคาวบอย) is a red-light district in Bangkok, Thailand. A short street with some 40 bars, it is similar to Nana Plaza and Patpong and caters mainly to tourists and expatriates. Its only about 300 meters long and runs between Ratchadapisek road and Sukhumvit 23. It is conveniently located next to the Asoke skytrain and underground stations.
Soi Cowboy entrance from Ratchadapisek Road
Prior to obtaining its current moniker the street was known as "Soi Gold Label". The new name was coined by the Night Owl Bernard Trink and named after an African American airman bar owner. The "Night Owl's" column was still running in the Bangkok Post the first couple of years I came to Thailand. Stickman has a very interesting interview with him here.
According to Wikipedia: Bernard Trink (born 1931) is a former columnist for the Bangkok Post. A native New Yorker, Trink came to Bangkok in the mid-1960s and taught English at various universities before taking over the "Nite Owl" column in 1966 at the now defunct Bangkok World, Bangkok's evening English-language newspaper. Trink's popular "Nite Owl" column ran weekly for the next 37 years, covering Bangkok's night time entertainment (go-go bars, nightclubs, pubs and massage parlors). He also wrote restaurant reviews as Friar Tuck and did regular film and book reviews and interviews under his own name.
Originally, Trink's "Nite Owl" was an informative three page illustrated section that appeared in the World every Friday afternoon. However, when that newspaper was bought out and shut down by the Bangkok Post in the mid-1980s, Trink's column was shortened to just one page and the photographs were eliminated. The Post also restricted what Trink could write about and his column became decidedly tamer. However, he continued to have his dedicated fans and when the Bangkok Post tried to stop his column in the late 1990s, a letter-writing campaign persuaded the paper to change its mind. Nevertheless, the column was further reduced to just half of a page.
In December 2003, Trink's column was dropped without fanfare by a new editor, who decided it was time for Trink to go. There was no announcement that it was ending, nor any farewell party for the longtime columnist. The "Nite Owl" column simply vanished. Trink still writes occasional book reviews for the Post and for a time did his own website, but he is now more or less retired.
Over the last decade the street has transformed from an obscure local expat hangout to the neon jungle that you see today.
Soi Cowboy Street Scene
There is such an immense competition from the other businesses in the area. Other nightlife districts in the city are finding it difficult to compete with the conveniently located & well lit tourist attraction.
The go-go bars follow the pattern common in Thailand: alcoholic drinks are served and women in bikinis dance on a stage. Topless or even nude dancing occurs in some bars, even though illegal. (The police are paid to look the other way.) Most of the dancers are also prostitutes and will go with a customer if he pays a "bar fine" to the bar and a separate fee to the woman. Sexual services take place in the tourist's hotel room.
The soi was given its name by longtime nightlife columnist Bernard Trink, after the late T. G. "Cowboy" Edwards, a retired American airman who opened one of the first bars there in 1977. A tall African-American, Edwards got his nickname because he often wore a cowboy hat.
Nothing says, Christmas like Tilac Bar
The view of Soi Cowboy from across Ratchadapisek Road just before it intersects with Sukhumvit at Asoke.
The view looking towards Sukhmvit 23 from Soi Cowboy
One of the more popular red light districts in central Bangkok, Soi Cowboy has drawn the attention of big budget Hollywood movies. Loads of new neon has gone up here over the last decade.
View looking west towards Ratchadapisek road across Soi Cowboy from Sukhumvit 23
The view from Sukhuvit Soi 23 looking towards Asoke / Ratchadapisek Road
Ratchadapisek & Sukhumvit Roads Intersection at Asoke
The intersection of Sukhumvit & Ratchadapisek Road
Sunset over Asoke
The view looking towards Asoke from the 23rd floor of the Hawaii Apartments on Soi 23.
Erawan Musuem (พิพิธภัณฑ์ช้างเอราวัณ) on Visakha Bucha Day. Photographers don't forget your wide angle lens. If only the grounds were as wide as the statue is tall. This statue of a three headed elephant is truly amazing.
Vesākha is an annual holiday observed traditionally by Buddhists in South & Southeast Asia.
Devout Buddhists circle the Erawan Museum three times during "Wian Tian" just outside of Bangkok in Samut Prakan.
The fire produced by candle light.
The monks led the worshipers three times around the temple.
There are many different stories within the elephant ranging from large staircases, museums, shrines and the upper section has a celestial inspired stained glass ceiling.
It is very difficult to portray an accurate scale of this statue. It is amazing.
Sukhumvit Road as it passes through Samut Prakan on its way to the Cambodian border.
The Elephant of the Universe. This three-headed elephant (Airavata) was born of Khun Lek Viriyapant's ideas and imagination. It was inspired by his wish to preserve his collection of antiques as a contribution to Thai cultural heritage. Many of these were priceless objects of art; they were also held as sacred objects for people of ancient cultures. According to ancient traditions, they were believed to bring blessing and prosperity to the land and its people, and therefore must not be lost to outsiders. It had been Mr. Viriyapant's concern to find a way that would keep these objects safe and that would also be suitable to their traditional functions. One day he had a visit from a Westerner who, during the course of the conversation, suggested the idea of constructing the most important building in the town in the form of an apple which, according to Western traditions of belief, played a crucial part in the shaping of human destiny. This suggestion was warmly welcomed by Mr. Viriyapant. He nevertheless thought it more appropriate to adhere to Eastern traditions and thus decided on the heavenly elephant Airavata of Hindu mythology.
