A museum tells the history of one of Bangkok’s notorious districts

more to Patpong than sex,” Michael Messner says. The district lies east of the Chao Phraya river in Thailand’s capital city; two parallel streets host night markets, bars, clubs and sex shows. People forget, Mr Messner says, that “theran its first Bangkok safe house here, while American corporations like Pan Am turned the street into the city’s main business district during the cold war. Tony Poe—theagent Marlon Brando’s Colonel Kurtz in ‘Apocalypse Now’ is based on—drank on this street.

Mr Messner, who was born in Austria, is the son of Ernst Fuchs, an artist and one of the founders of the Vienna School of Fantastic Realism. While Mr Messner was managing the Fuchs family’s private museum in Vienna in the 1990s, he frequently travelled to Bangkok on behalf of his father to have large bronzes cast. In 2001 he met his wife, Jittra, bought a bar in Patpong and befriended Praphan Poumchaosuan, better known as “Uncle Vijit”, a barber and prominent figure in the district.

As the exhibition on Sobhraj indicates, the museum does not shy away from the more sordid history of the neighbourhood. There is vintage imagery from the area’s many bars, of and the gay and fetish scene. Contemporary erotic art hangs on the walls. And the museum’s centrepiece is a replica of the Grand Prix, the first go-go bar to open in Patpong in 1969. If they so wish, visitors can enjoy a cold beer while watching dancers’ never-ending gyrations on a floor-to-ceiling screen.

The apartments where sobhraj stayed arent too far away from the museum

This is not the reason most people visit patpong.

Get the latest news and analysis on Israel and the Middle East

United Kingdom Latest News, United Kingdom Headlines

Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.

Mystery of how to say Dippy’s name is finally solved: focus on the docusBritain’s favourite dinosaur has returned to London's Natural History Museum, once again sparking an age-old debate 0
Source: The Telegraph - 🏆 41. / 63 Read more »

Federal agents DEFIED Uvalde police chief's order not to enter schoolFederal officers arriving on the scene of the Texas school shooting 'were told by the local police chief not to go into the building', but after a maddening 30 minutes overruled him and stormed the site When top leaders become mad, emotions of youth turn into firings and killings They waited too long too.
Source: Daily Mail Online - 🏆 135. / 51 Read more »

Laverne Cox makes history by inspiring the first trans Barbie doll“I hope that people can look at this Barbie and dream big like I have in my career.”
Source: GlamourMagUK - 🏆 2. / 98 Read more »

Laverne Cox makes history as Mattel's first-ever transgender BarbieLaverne Cox has made history as Mattel's first-ever transgender Barbie, just days ahead of her 50th birthday on Sunday.
Source: DailyMailCeleb - 🏆 1. / 99 Read more »

Laverne Cox makes history as the first transgender Barbie dollEmmy award-winning actress and activist Laverne Cox has been turned into a legendary doll with the launch of Mattel's first-ever transgender Barbie for its Tribute Collection.This was to honour and celebrate her achievements and contributions to the LGBT+ community.'I can't wait for fans to find my ... 🤔
Source: The Independent - 🏆 80. / 59 Read more »

Johnny Depp and Amber Heard in court as jury hears closing remarksJohnny Depp's legal team were first to give closing arguments in the libel lawsuit he launched against his ex-wife Amber Heard at the Fairfax County District Court on Friday
Source: OK_Magazine - 🏆 12. / 84 Read more »