Nana Plaza

Nana Plaza (formerly Nana Entertainment Plaza) is an entertainment complex and red-light district in Bangkok, Thailand. Originally built as a shopping center, Nana Plaza occupies a three-story commercial building in the Khlong Toei District of Bangkok about 300 metres (330 yd) from the BTS Skytrain's Nana Station.[2][3] It describes itself as the "worlds largest adult playground".[4][5][6] Its name originates from the influential, property-holding Nana family, Lek Nana being the most prominent member.

Nana Plaza
Nana Plaza entrance sign, 2017
Nana Plaza entrance sign, 2017
Nana Plaza is located in Bangkok
Nana Plaza
Nana Plaza
Location within Bangkok
Address3-3/1 Sukhumvit Soi 4, Sukhumvit Road[1]
LocationBangkok, Thailand
Coordinates13°44′28.9″N 100°33′11.4″E
Public transitNana BTS station
OwnerPaul Hayward
Website
nanaplazabkk.com

Along with Soi Cowboy and Patpong, Nana Plaza is one of Bangkok's three most concentrated red-light districts. All attract primarily tourists.[2]

History

The plaza's U-shaped building is roughly square-shaped, with a single opening on the west side, and consists of a ground floor and two additional floors arranged around a courtyard.[2] It started as a restaurant and shopping center in the late-1970s. During the early-1980s, a few go-go bars appeared and gradually replaced the shops and restaurants. By the mid-1980s around twenty go-go bars had opened in the three-level court, taking advantage of the expansion of tourist hotels in the area.[6]

In 2012 Nana Plaza was sold to a Thai JVC company Nana Partners Co Ltd., co-owned by Fico corporation and Panthera Group (formally known as Eclipse group) – one of Thailand's largest bar and nightclub operators[7] – for a rumored US$25,000,000 after the land was inherited by seven sisters who wanted nothing to do with a red-light area. Panthera Group renovated the complex, becoming the landlord and providing the management and security services.[7]

Facilities

Three short-time hotels, one of which has been renovated, operate on the top floor.[8] Short-time hotels rent out rooms by the hour or more to patrons to take a bargirl for sex. Most bar girls in Nana Plaza will leave with customers upon payment of a bar fine. Smoking is banned indoors.[3] There are two elevators, one on the north side of the building and one on the south. The building closes at 03:00 and lies dormant until the following evening.[3] In 2016 two waitresses in the plaza's Bangkok Bunnies go-go bar said that they received monthly wages equivalent to £130 (US$165) and daily tips equivalent to £11–16 (US$14–20).[9] This compares with a 2016 average monthly wage in Thailand of around 13,800 baht (US$388).[10]

As of July 2019, Nana Plaza housed 30 bars and three "hotels".[8]

As of July 2019, there were seven kathoey ("ladyboy") bars in Nana Plaza;[11][12] Several other bars have a few ladyboys in their line-ups mixed with their regular go-go dancers.

  • Nana Plaza Shopping Center
    Entrance to Nana Plaza when it was a shopping center
  • Nana Entertainment Plaza
    Entrance to Nana Entertainment Plaza showing the old overhead signage
  • Nana Plaza, May 2004
    Nana Plaza, May 2004
  • Ladyboys, Cascade Bar
    Ladyboys, Cascade Bar
  • Nana Plaza, November 2015
    Nana Plaza, November 2015

See also

References
  1. "Contact". Nana Plaza. Retrieved 12 January 2019.
  2. "Nana Plaza: A Guide". What's on Sukhumvit. Retrieved 2018-11-29.
  3. Central Information Services, LLC (2006). Bangkok for Shy Guys: No-nonsense Travel Guide for Shy Independent Male Travelers. Central Information Services, LLC. p. 140. ISBN 9780978994303.
  4. Radu (2018-07-26). "Top 10 Go-Go Bars at Nana Plaza, Bangkok". Overseas Attractions. Retrieved 2018-11-29.
  5. "Nana Plaza". Nana Plaza. Retrieved 25 March 2018.
  6. Askew, Marc (2004). Bangkok: Place, Practice and Representation. Routledge. p. 259. ISBN 9781134659852.
  7. "After taking control of Nana Plaza our goals were simple". Panthera Group.
  8. "Maps". Nana Plaza. Retrieved 2018-11-29.
  9. Smith, Nicola (16 October 2016). "Thailand's red light district switches off to mourn the passing of King Bhumibol". The Telegraph. Retrieved 2018-11-29.
  10. "Thailand Average Monthly Wages - Forecast". IECONOMICS. Archived from the original on 2 December 2016.
  11. "Nana Plaza - The Worlds Largest Adult Playground". Deranged Society. 2017-12-25. Archived from the original on 2018-07-03. Retrieved 2018-11-29.
  12. "Nana Red Light District Guide with Map of Nana Entertainment Plaza". Bangkok Red Eye. Retrieved 2018-11-29.
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