Bangkok (CNN)
Prostitution, the CIA, the Vietnam War and Chinese immigration are all on display in a new museum dedicated to one of Bangkok’s most famous red light nightlife zones, Patpong Road.
Alongside “Triple X,” “fetish” and kinky cabaret exhibits are tamer displays highlighting David Bowie’s 1983 visit to Bangkok, as well as other bits of pop culture, including a nod to “The Deer Hunter” — a 1978 war drama starring Robert De Niro that included scenes reportedly shot in former Patpong bar Mississippi Queen.
But documenting Patpong’s unofficial ties to the US Central Intelligence Agency’s deadly activities in Laos during the US-Vietnam War in the 1960s until 1974 is the museum’s most fascinating purpose
History of Bangkok’s ‘soi of sex’ Todayonline
Patpong: the rise of Bangkok’s most famous red light district charted at new museum, complete with mock-up bar room and ‘X-rated’ area - South China Morning Post
“I love Patpong,” says Michael Messner, founder and curator of the recently opened Patpong Museum in Bangkok.
The Austrian entrepreneur, 42, and five partners have invested more than US$1 million in the museum, a well-researched showcase of art, artefacts and information that charts the history of a neighbourhood that gave birth to one of the world’s most notorious red light districts.
He is keen to stress, however, that the museum does not just focus on the sex industry.
History of Bangkok’s ‘soi of sex’ at Patpong Museum now open in Bangkok’s famous red-light district - Yahoo
The epicentre of Thailand’s go-go bar culture and Bangkok’s most famous red-light district in Patpong now has a museum which documents its colorful history.
The entertainment district, with its two parallel side-streets between Silom and Surawongse Roads now boasts a home housing featuring an array of paraphernalia and historical objects from Patpong’s past.
And you thought Patpong was only about Go-Go bars and shopping? - Trip Advisor
And you thought Patpong was only about Go-Go bars and shopping? The mythos of this little street in Bangkok has developed over a hundred years, morphing from a rice paddy to the entertainment district of today, with its Go-Go bars, Ping Pong shows and ladyboys. The CIA set up shop there, and David Bowie as well as a lot of other celebrities explored these streets. The Patpong museum provides you with a rich, detailed view of the history, offering exhibits as well as multi-media, interactive games and re-enacted shows. History can and should be fun as well!
Secret History of Sex: Relive Patpong’s 70 vivid years at new museum - Coconuts Bangkok
How did Patpong get its name? Who introduced go-go bars to Thailand? Where did David Bowie stay when he was in town? Which celebrities were Patpong patrons and who got the happy ending?
PATPONG GETS ITS OWN MUSEUM - The Big Chilli
Called the Patpong Museum, it features memorabilia, maps, photos and neon signs, along with cuttings from newspapers and magazines dating as far back as the days when this part of town was rice fields. There’s even a giant model of the area as it is today.
The museum is the brainchild of Patpong aficionado Michael E. Messner, an Austrian whose passion for the street dates was ignited some 20 years ago when he opened his first bar in the neighbourhood.
From CIA agents to David Bowie, there’s more to Bangkok’s most notorious red light district than meets the eye. - Bk Magazine
Located at the heart of Bangkok’s most notorious red light district, this museum takes you on a whirlwind journey of the area’s history—and it’s not what you’d expect.
Knowledgeable and energetic guides will take you on a personal tour through Patpong’s 140-year history, from its humble beginnings as a banana plantation, to a high-powered business district and a hub of CIA activity during the Chinese Civil War and Vietnam War eras. An interactive wall of fame introduces you to the colorful characters that make up the area’s rich story, from action movie star Van Damme and pop sensation David Bowie, to the unscrupulous US marine and CIA agent, Tony Poe—said to be the inspiration for Apocalype Now’s Colonel Kurtz.
