Asia After Hours

Funky Villa, Thonglor, Bangkok : May 2011

I was a bit lazy carrying around my assistant light. My camera alone doesn’t make me that flexible anymore and the lighting in addition was just often too much to bare for me. Sorry for the dark shots but sometimes I like to enjoy a few things also without my camera stuff.

Funky Villa is a very unique place in Bangkok. It is the only place at the moment that is able to bring them all together. They score on diversity : you see sexy people, ugly people, rich people, poor people, stylish people, etc…

Everyone knows that they are the undisputed #1 of Bangkok’s nightlife sector and they know it too. They don’t charge entrance fees but the beer and alcoholic beverages prices are very high for most Thai people. It is also one of the only places where they request passport copies for foreigners at the entrance. At least in Bangkok you don’t run into any passport scam shit like taxi drivers are currently pulling it ugly at a few clubs in Jakarta.

I would wish that the main room would play not so much mainstream music but only that way you can draw such crowds. Demo next to it was also always packed now when I went there. Nung and Boy established here an extremely successful and trend-setting club. Congratulations.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e2KBSt0m1nE

Popularity: 1%

Flirt&Cry : Funky Villa+Bangkok Invaders+Thaitanium+Global Nanpa

Funky Villa is simply THE most-talked music club of Bangkok. On weekends the main room gets so packed, that there is no room left to move and it gets hot. They know they are the best that’s why they charge higher drink prices than anywhere else, but hey, nobody gets forced to buy – they set the rules.

I am feeling more drawn into Club Demo which seems to becoming a lot popular now than a few months ago. They are not playing more popluar hiphop stuff like in the main complex. They often have more electronic music and the people/crowd tends to look more creative/friendly in general too like that dude above. You are actually able to dance at Demo which is not possible in the main room at weekends. I can understand why not many older people hang out there, it feels like the steam room. Most of the time I chatted with people at the outside lounge areas which are created really nice. I especially like the lighting around there.

The picture above with Dandee (Bangkok Invaders) and German friends actually got taken at Cosmic Cafe at RCA. I still wanted to integrate it in the video. Below you see Yusuke at Flix, RCA. Dandee and Yusuke will be performing at an upcoming Global Nanpa event. Looking forward seeing you guys in the helicopter…

Below is Num, a Thaitanium DJ.

On the picture below you see Nung from Funky Villa. Alright, let’s check out the video.

Flirt&Cry :

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rOoKIKLV3DU

Popularity: unranked

Twopee (Southside Phuket/Bangkok Invaders) @ Funky Villa, Bangkok, August 2010

From my point of view Twopee is the most talented, young music artist currently around in Thailand. By chance I bumped into him and his girl-friend at Funky Villa. I like the picture above. His latest video really kicked ass. He is telling that it was actually Dandee (Bangkok Invaders) who released his very first mix tape.

“What’s up” (Southside Phuket/Thaitanium) :

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qiVmqWtQw1M

His new album “Welcome to the South” is out soon. I tried the best to cut out my own voice in this video but failed to get it done without feeling pretty embarrased. I was too fucked up at that point I guess. Still an interesting and fun chat. Have an eye on that guy, he is taking the Thai music world by storm and he really deserves it :

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EJSu85fKUuw

Popularity: unranked

Funky Villa, Thong Lo; St. Moritz, Sukhumvit Soi 11 and the updated Bar/Club guide Bangkok

So here are more videos of 2 heavyweight champions for the updated Bar/Club guide Bangkok :

http://www.globalnanpa.com/blog/?p=30

Funky Villa is currently without doubt, the hippest and most talked club in town. The reason is simple : They are a magnet for sexy chicks and have an excellent location. The music taste of Thais is sometimes not my thing though, I am more an Indonesian music listener. At Club Demo which is located just next to it they play more independent stuff but it is sadly a lot less popular. The owner is super-successful with this place, lives a lavish lifestyle and drives a white Lamborghini. Respect. The only way to get my business respect is to create something original, to work hard on it and to leave an impact in the end. That criteria got fulfilled by the Funky Villa and the St. Moritz owner as well who is an incredible friendly guy furthermore as well, Vann (Bangkok Electro) surprisingly turned out to be a good friend of him which I didn’t know before. Funky Villa and St. Moritz are 2 of the most innovative forces shaping Bangkok’s world-celebrated nightlife business.

I am not impressed of people who inherited the money (like more than 90% of the cases) and also not impressed of people who only speculated with money (hedge funds, etc.), creating nothing in the end. Private Equity and Venture capital I am fine with because the people stick for a longer period of time with a company and help improving it, so real value is created.

The cat of Matcha japanese green tea is really sweet. I also love the lighting of the trees in this area.

Funky Villa video :

http://vimeo.com/12148345

St. Moritz video :

http://vimeo.com/12141287

Popularity: unranked

Krung Thep : Glooom, Boom, Doom

This video got shot around mid of March 2010 shortly before the Bangkok crisis turned violent. In the next 2 months almost 100 people on both sides died, the military “ending” the red shirt protest with an armed crackdown on May 19th, storming the red shirt base camps. Beside from the human tragedy of people losing their lives, getting wounded or suffering emotional pain from family victims, Bangkok lost its largest shopping mall Central World which had been the biggest of South East Asia. It got burned by the red shirts shortly before the military crack-down happened. If the red shirts had not fled the sites many more might had been killed, it was doomed. The Dusit Thani hotel has large holes in 2 of their flors which got targeted by the red shirts with an RPG. A military sniper had shot Seh Daeng from there before, the international press having been right there. A few more sites got damaged. It is important to mention that resistance from the government was strongest to protect the city’s wall street and Bangkok Bank which didn’t got harmed. The key institution was protected best. Do you believe in the system ?

A military crack-down cannot solve problems. The conflict isn’t ended, it only disappeared into the non-visible like before. One thing is for sure : who controls the army, controls Thailand. The real decisive moment of Thailand’s future will come when the king dies. His son and Thaksin will then become the figures to look at again.

In the video you see a beginning scene at Lumpini park, it was shocking to see before the video from K. Todd Ruiz, reporterinexile, when the heavy armed Thai troups marched through the gate during the crackdown, May 19th.

Bangkok now probably gets a break from visible conflicts for a while which is good for business and tourism, not sure if you can call it justice. Everyone can/should have his own opinion. It is sad but pretty clear that the events of the last 2 months will hurt Thailand’s tourism, the country’s money machinery, for approximately maybe 2 years. This was worse than the tsunami, December 26th, 2004. People tend to forget natural desasters faster than political ones.

I still hope for Thailand that it recovers quickly, the land of smiles has so much beauty to offer. Like always, the conflict is hurting the wrong people. Bangkok, Krung Thep, is the world’s coolest city in my eyes. You cannot destroy its spirit. I will always love this town and its people…

http://www.vimeo.com/11983890

Popularity: unranked