Nam
Phla: literally "Water Fish," but meaning "Fish Oil, "
which the Thais use ubiquitously, in much the same way as Chinese, Japanese, and
Koreans use soy sauce
N
Nai: "Place"
or "Location"
Nam: "Water,"
and "Liquid" or "Fluid" when used to mean something other
than water – for example, "Nam Som" = "Water Orange," or
"Orange Juice"
Nam
Phla: literally "Water Fish," but meaning "Fish Oil, "
which the Thais use ubiquitously, in much the same way as Chinese, Japanese, and
Koreans use soy sauce
Nao: "Cold,"
in a physical sense, except when wants to refer to food or drink, for which a
different word is required ("yen")
Naow: "Cold";
this is a less popular romanization than is "Nao" of the Thai word
Nana Disco: This is a
popular basement disco in Nana Hotel [see entry for "Nana Hotel below],
located on Sukhumvit Soi 4 opposite the gate of Nana Plaza [see entry for
"Nana Plaza below]. It is a constellation [after-hours meeting place] where
many bar girls go after their bars close. Reasonably priced drinks, and often
hopping in the wee hours.
Nana Hotel: A popular
hotel located on Sukhumvit Soi 4 opposite the gate of Nana Plaza [see entry for
"Nana Plaza" below] and home of the popular Nana Disco [see entry for
"Nana Disco" above]. Conveniently located adjacent to the Nana Plaza/Sukhumvit
Sois 3-4 entertainment area, Nana Hotel is a popular gathering place for the
expatriate community, and increasingly popular with tourists as more of those
shift away from other entertainment areas to the area around it. Buckskin
Joe’s Village [see entry for "Buckskin Joe’s Village" above],
located under the Airport Expressway adjacent to Sukhumvit Soi 1, is a very
short walk away. Various other venues are within walking distance east along
Sukhumvit Road towards Soi Asoke. The Skytrain puts the more remote venues of
Patpong, Thaniya, Phayathai, Phahoyonthin, Clinton Plaza, Sukhumvit Soi 33,
Washington Square, Sukhumvit Soi 22, and Soi Thonglor all within easy, fast
reach.
Nana Plaza: This
is probably the most popular entertainment venue after the world-famous Patpong,
from which it has stolen considerable thunder, according to many. It is
undoubtedly the most concentrated venue, with numerous bars concentrated in a
tiny area covering several floors. It’s former car park is now packed with
several open-air bars. Food is served in some venues, and pool and darts are
available in a number of the Nana establishments. Nana Plaza is located
immediately on the east side of Sukhumvit Soi 4 a short block south of Sukhumvit
Road.
Nana [Soi]: This is
Sukhumvit Soi 4, and is the site of Nana Plaza, Nana Hotel and Nana Disco, and
numerous bars and restaurants. It ends on its south end at the grounds of the
Thai Tobacco Monopoly. Its "companion soi," Sukhumvit Soi 3, runs
north from Sukhumvit Road and is an area popular with many Middle Easterners, as
that area is dominated by Middle Eastern restaurants, shops, etc.
Napolean Club [Sukhumvit
Soi 33]: Part of a group of bars managed by a single group on Soi 33, this
hostess bar is the last of the "Great Painter Bars on one’s left moving
into the soi from Sukhumvit Road. A large bar, it offers a bar, private bar
tables, sofas with low tables, CD/tape music early, with live music after about
2030 daily except Sundays, and pool and darts in the back room. Open 1600-0200
daily, except until 0100 Sundays. Happy Hour 1600-2100.
Nation Web Site [Local
English-Language Newspaper]. http://www.nation.nationgroup.com
This is one of Thailand’s two leading English-language newspapers, and is
must-read daily for many resident expats and English-reading Thais.
National Lottery: The
national lottery is Thailand’s only legal gambling, though very many Thais
gamble passionately in every conceivable form. The (legal) lottery takes place
twice monthly, and is number-based; one buys tickets, each with a series of
numbers on them. Prizes range from 1,000 baht to 3,000,000 baht. The drawing of
the winning numbers is done live on national television with great fanfare, and
many businesses grind to a virtual halt as employees gather around television
sets, most in possession of at least one lottery ticket and dreaming of The Big
Payoff. (Since it’s possible to buy two tickets bearing the same series of
numbers, the effective payoff can be as much as 6,000,000 baht.) The winning
numbers are drawn on the 1st and 15th of each month.
New Cowboy Bar [Sukhumvit
Soi 22]. Relatively isolated though it is, deep into Soi 22, on the right as one
comes from Sukhumvit Road, this bar nonetheless remains a perennial favorite
with old-timers, especially for its food – it also is a restaurant. It also
has a bit of a connection with Bangkok bar history; its name comes from
"Cowboy," the Afro-American who opened the first bar in what was
destined to become Soi Cowboy [See entry for "Soi Cowboy" below].
Cowboy himself never owned this bar, but he did move from Soi Cowboy to
Washington Square, where he ran a bar in what now is New Square One Bar [See
entry for "New Square One Bar" above]. We’re a little murky about
the exact connection, but apparently, after Cowboy returned to America having
bailed out of the bar business, people connected with him opened this bar,
bestowing upon it his name. EARLY morning-2:00 A.M.
New
Square One Pub [Washington Square. The seventh bar, on your left, if you
entered from the Sukhumvit Road side then turned left – or the first bar on
your right as you enter from the Soi 22 side. The oldest surviving Square bar,
located near the back gate (i.e., the Soi 22 side) of the Square, this bar was
called, simply, "Square One" from its establishment until early 1999,
when the Welshman "Taffy" and his Thai wife "Ray" bought it
from its former owner, the friendly Thai-Indian Vichai (who now is one of the
owners of Studio 22 Club – see entry for "Studio 22 Club" below].
After experimenting with several different formats, Taffy and Ray have settled
on a straight bar format offering darts, pool, music, and television. Very
friendly staff. 10:00 A.M.-2:00 A.M.
New Year [Chinese.] [See
entry for "Chinese New Year" above.]
New Year [Thai]. [See
entry for "Thai New Year" below.]
New Year [Western]. [See
entry for "Western New Year" below.]
"Nite Owl" [Local Newspaper Nightlife Column by Bernard Trink]. This column was discontinued, the last issue coming out a few days before the end of December, 2003; it was a controversial move on the paper's part, and even made a headline in the Asian edition of TIME.
But Trink wasn't about to just
fade into the sunset; he started his own subscription web site. [Note: his
online column is free as of early 2005.] Trink
covers the bar scene at his web site and himself is something of an
institution in Thailand, where he arrived decades ago.
Nightclubs. These are
numerous throughout Bangkok, concentrated in the city’s various entertainment
venues. Upscale hotels often include a nice nightclub.
Ni: "Here"
or "In This Location/Place"
No Bra Bar [Sukhumvit
Soi 22]. This is a tiny bar beyond B-52 Bar [See entry for "B-52 Bar"
above] on the right as you come from Sukhumvit Road. Started and owned by a
group of bar girls who formerly worked in various Soi 22 bars, this is an
open-on-two-sides beer bar, though some spirits are available. The bar itself is
a very small L-shaped affair, and there are a few cocktail tables and chairs
around the edges, spilling towards the sidewalk. In pleasant weather, this is a
very pleasant little bar in which to relax. The ladies are especially friendly,
and warmly welcome customers both old and new.
Nom: "Breast"
Nongkai: Provincial
capital of a border province in the Northeast, Nongkai serves as a gateway to
neighbouring Laos, the capital city of which, Vientiane, lies across the Mekhong
River and some 20+ kilometers away. The Friendship Bridge links Nongkai with the
road to Vientiane, and is open daily 0700-1700. As we understand it, foreigners
need to have a Laos visa already to be able to cross into Laos, as no
visa-on-arrival is available (unlike at the airport in Vientiane).
North Korea: This
impoverished country lies some 6-7 hours northeast of Thailand by air, though
one cannot fly directly from here, instead having to route through Beijing. The
scene of startling political developments recently as relations have improved
between North Korea and South Korea, it may become possible to fly directly to
the world’s last Stalinist stronghold on the not-too-distant future, though reasons
to go there remain rather scarce.
Northwest Airline (USA): This currently is the only U.S. carrier directly connecting Bangkok and the U.S. With its extensive U.S. domestic network, Northwest is the carrier of choice for many. It’s rates are competitive.
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