GSM Sauna
 

I remember reading about the demise of the GSM Sauna in a fire, and I see its website has disappeared.

Does anyone know if, phoenix-like, it will arise from the ashes, or has anything else taken its place?

No idea. I pass it often on the way to work. I REALLY regret I cannot visit it on the way back...

I've seen construction workers busy there on the ground floor. The ground floor is surrounded by covered fences, the usual stuff to prevent dust. On the higher floors the windows are open, as they were during or before the fire.

Hope to tell more in a few weeks. They might be busy clearing the rubble, or preparing to tear the place down.

New sauna
 

I’ve heard there is a sauna called GG Sauna, near a railway station called Samsen – not far from the Victory Monument – that has the same kind of clientele.

Haven’t been there yet, but will make a visit next weekend when I happen to be in the Land of Smiles.

GG (Grey Gymnastics) is nothing like GSM. Much smaller and dingy and smelly.

-- Today, (22nd.), mid-a'noon. I walked to look-at the former GSM SAUNA., on Tnn. Charoen Krung in ChinaTown.
- The GF., (street level), is hidden still behind CGI. and plastic sheeting.
- I walked-around to the back, but that is blocked off and entry was not possible without trying to push-aside the barrier; with three members of BKK's. Finest in the street outside I didn't feel like trying to force or whatever my way in.
- I didn't discern any activity occuring inside - all v. quiet.
-- Bibi. --

-- Today, (24th.), afternoon I drove past the former GSM. SAUNA in a 'bus..
- As far as I could see a certain amount of the black & plastic sheeting behind the CGI. sheets has been taken down. Again - as far as I could see - a number of reinforcing girders & supports have been installed on the ground floor, (street level.); in which case progress is being made, albeit slowly.
-- E&OE.. --

Thanks for the wonderful news!

-- Today, (07th.), afternoon I walked from my Tee rak's app't. into CHINATOWN.
- From Tnn. Charoen Krung's frontage, and if one is tall, one may look-over the CGI. sheets and see the progress being made insde the GSM. SAUNA's bldg..
- What I thought were reinforcing girders and supports are in fact decorative cladding for the walls & lintels.
- Inside a few men are busy painting and laying fresh concrete, the rest ... .
- I walked around and into the side soi, pushed OPEN the side door in the larger & CGI. gate and walked-in.
- Spying a couple of men sitting-down at a desk I asked them when the bldg. would RE-OPEN?
- 'Sauna?' the larger one enquired.
- "Yes.".
- 'Maybe after New Year.' was the reply.
- But it's 100%. for sure that instead of smoke etc. the place smells now of fresh paint and of wet cement - good news for a change!

An honour to be scooped by you Khun Sextile.

I was there a few days ago and took a couple of pics. Unofrtunately misplaced my card reader until this morning...

Can confirm the always informative KSx story with these photos.

All the windows open and renovating
http://s297.photobucket.com/albums/m...j75/suapa4.jpg
Looking up at fire damage but note the fresh cladding. Facing away from Tn Suapa up ?Tn Yommarat or Tn CK not sure.
http://s297.photobucket.com/albums/m...j75/suapa2.jpg
Sneaking peek over fencing looking towards lift. Advanced reno job.
http://s297.photobucket.com/albums/m...75/suapa1a.jpg

-- Khun TST.,
- As mentioned in another thread: 'One picture ... .'.
- We shall have to wait and see just how accurate this proposed re-opening date will be.
-- Bibi. --

I heard that the neighborhood government wants the building torn down. I heard that people are going to GG Sauna near the zoo. Has anyone heard of GG Sauna, or know where it is?

hello wantasian-welcome to the site-I just came back to BKK here 2 days ago-for just 1 week. This is [was??) the Grey Gymnastics place-actually nearer to SamSen train stop-station as the Zoo, near Sukhothai road (there is also Cruising 2 sauna there), never been there and unsure if it is actually still open. On a site like thailandscene.com you can find a useful and fairly uptodfate listing of all BKk-meet/play places-see there. If it is listed, it ha directions and a possible web-adress. Hope this may help you further.

Had a good walk around Suapa Bldg today. Black plastic is still hanging down covering all. Renovations look as though they are finished, upper floors clearly refurbished but not a sole in sight or on site...

Here's hoping!

-- Today., (05th.), forenoon at approx. 07.25hrs. I passed by this place.
- Rusting CGI. sheeting still in place, as are the plastic sheets hanging-down behind them.
- Walking around to look-at the backside I saw several windows still boarded-up.
- Peering-in through the goods' vehs'. gate I saw little if any signs of any recent activity: dust & debris in evidence. :(
- If they're keeping to their schedule then they'll have to work hard to meet it - not too long to the New Year, now.

-- An elderly farang who visits regularly and who's a long-time patron of ChinaTown's one remaining suck-cinema told me that he was in that cinema earlier today, (05th.), and a couple of other & regular Thais told him that they u'stood. that GSM. SAUNA would OPEN during february.
- We wondered wch. february - we've both seen somany february's in out lives! ;)

Goooo Gompaphan!!

-- Today, (27th.), a'noon. I passed-by GSM. SAUNA., in ChinaTown.
- On both sides visible from the streets the plastic sheeting and the CGI. are in place still.
- Peering-in at the goods' ent'ce. I saw some signs of progress since my previous visit - but progress looks to be s-l--o---w; possibly it's a good thing that TH. celebrates three different New Years per annum! I did see a couple of men moving about lethargically inside, possibly interior decorators?

-- Y'day., (25th.),as I happened to be passing through CHINATOWN I went to observe what progress - if any - had been made with GSM. SAUNA?
- I was both surprised and pleased with what I saw had happened since my previous visit approx. 3 mos. earlier:
1.- All CGI. & plastic sheeting has been removed;
2.- Most, if not all, of the gd. fl. windows that face the streets have been glazed and metal grilles are affixed;
3.- Indoors the Electricians, Interior Decorators & suchlike seem to be hard at work;
4.- After dark all of the GF. windows were covered by what looked like stainless steel & roller shutters;
5.- I spoke with a couple of O'seers. who gave me to u'stand. that possibly the Plaza should be ready for re-opening after some three months' time; but as for the GSM. SAUNA itself answer was there none.

Many thanks for the update.

-- Today, (19th.), a'noon., and being in ChinaTown, I walked-around to have a look-at the GSM. SAUNA's bldg. on Yaowarat rd., (one way tfc. going towards HUA LAMPHONG.),.
- On the ground floor, (st. level.), some owners were in and starting to set-up their outlets; in other shoplets interior decorators, painters and other workmen were applying finishing touches; a smell of fresh paint everywhere.

-- I took the new elevator UP to the 7th. floor and stepped-out into the Recept'n. space of the olde and familiar GSM. SAUNA. - at first glance it was as though nothing had changed.
- So I took a walk-around: a strange feeling indeed; the fire-main & assoc. piping & fittings all looked new; plenty of newly applied white paint in the hawng nahms; in other places wiring tails hanging-out of conduits and not yet connected-up.
- I confined my walk-about to the 7th. fl..
- Just before I left I met another man, carring a flashlight; so I enquired of him about an opening date? He fluttered his hands eloquently and implied that possibly another few MORE months.
- But at least things are looking-up considerably in that bldg. as a whole - so that is good news, indeed!

-- Y'day., (O9th.], while passing through ChinaTown I looked-in at GSM. SAUNA.; arr'd. about mid-a'noon..
- Three working types were leaning-on a counter while the fourth was watching TV..
- I was given to u'stand. that november 2553. might look like a possible OPENING time?
-- E&OE.. --

-- Y'day., (16th.), I de-bused. by the GRAND CHINA PRINCESS HOTEL - Yaowarat rd., and walked around to look-in at the GSM. SAUNA - Charoen Krung;
- A small army of women cleaners hard at work on the sauna's floors;
- As far as I could see from a brief walk-around its Recept'n.-level floor all of the electrical wiring and plumbing have been completed; still a strong smell of fresh paint;
- I was stopped from walking-around any farther by some sort of sec. gd. who shooed me back to the elelvator;
- Thus I'd judge that it seems to be well on its way to a scheduled RE-OPENING in nov. 2010..

-- On SUAPA PLAZA's GF. I saw that GSM. GH. has OPENED an office at stall #A23., not far from the e'vator.. Both before & after looking-in at the sauna I waited at the counter, but in vain;
- Rooms, (on 5 & 6fl.), are advertised at 400.Bh. still;
- Facilities offered: Air-cond., Cable TV., HW. Htr., ;fridge., single or dble. bed;
- tel.: (081)-422 5727,(Golf.); (081)-573 5672,(Wat.), (083)-236 1408,(Ann.),.

-- E&OE.. - Usual disclaimer.

-- Today, (09th.), a'noon. I went-to GSM. SAUNA.;
- I took the elevator UP to the 7fl. and wandered-around inside, but just at the Recept'n. Desk level, without seeing or hearing anyone else therein. Judging by that level the place seemed to be all ready for OPENING;
- On SUAPA PLAZA's GF. I enquired further at a little office just by the elevator, but despite pointing-at a calendar, uttering the Thai word for OPEN, (bput.), and making an opening gesture with my two hands, I achieved nothing - there seemed to be no interest shewn by the man at the desk. :(

-- "Oyez! Oyez!! OYEZ!!!" -

-- Y'day., (28th. - Advent Sunday.), my elderly, frequently visiting & American friend - having arr'd. in CHINATOWN before the movie-house had opened - had time to go and to check-out GSM. SAUNA. . He was info'd. of its projected OPENING -

>>> 10 january 2554BE./2011AD. <<<

-- E&OE. as reported speech.

maybe a hint for those seeking the most likely current replacement: that appears to be the GG=Grey Gymnastics Sauna near the SamSen train station (bus 9 ends there, routes 12,14,50,44,67 pass by very closely)
(see small report on utopia-asia updates)

I'll be there Jan 11th!! :D

Another opening date!
 

-- Being mindful of others and my own visits to GSM. SAUNA in attempts to find-out the expected opening date I took the precaution of having the following sentence: 'When will the sauna reopen?' translated into thai before setting out today, 12th.

-- I ascended to the bldg's. 7fl. and, as expected, saw little if any change: I walked around Reception's entire floor and saw nobody, a few electric lights were on, the CCTV. cameras had their red & power on lts. lit and the clocks were running reasonably to time.
- Downstairs I waited at the GSM. acc'n. desk until some man or other arrived. I shewd him the a/m. translation. After several moments he pointed to the calendar - 30 jan 2554.BE..
- Well - we shall see.

So much anticipation. Are there really that many panda lovers out there?

Ha!

That is more for those that has nothing better to do?:rolleyes:

The opening will hopefully attract a broader (not in the physical sense) cross section of Thai customers. Bangkok would benefit from the addition of another sauna that attracts farang admirers.

There are plenty of farang admirers in every sauna in Thailand.

If you are relatively young and relatively fit.

"If you are relatively young and relatively fit."
---------------------------------

It would seem that those qualifiers present somewhat of a limiting factor on this board.

Do you think those admirers would settle for just "relatively fit"?

Frankly, no.

You are not going to find some magical place full of 20 year-old Thai guys who are into farangs three times their age.

No one would reasonably expect to find that in their home country, so I'm not sure why they would expect to find it in Thailand.

Thai guys are mostly like guys everywhere else: into guys around their own age.

There are exceptions of course, but I have not found them to be any more numerous percentage-wise than they are anywhere else.

Those exceptions can mostly be found at Babylon.

Alas, I suspect you speak the truth, Icon.

Nevertheless, we mature readers are inclined to view the glass as half-full. We cling, against informed guidance, to believe that a non-Babylonian Shangri-La exists--or soon might--in our beloved LOS.

Keep your hopes alive, but your wallet handy.

Love that quote. The mantra of my life!

I wholly agree, Icon. We must keep hope alive, but be mindful of wisdom uncolored by wishful thinking--no matter how tantalizing.

-- A couple of days ago my Elderly, Well-dressed & American Acquaintance ret'd. to GSM. SAUNA..
- Guess what he managed to find-out, (despite speaking nitnoi Thai.)?
- The projected re-opening has been delayed yet again, this time to mid-february; (I wonder if I dare write-down the year?),. :rolleyes:

As it is nearing the end of February, maybe there might be some news about the Chinatown sauna?

-- Knowing that my Elderly, WYSIWYG. & American Friend would be going to CHINATOWN today, 23 feb., a'noon., (visiting both the Cinema and to buy some pharmaceuticals from the lady with the fold-up table* not far from GSM. SAUNA, on Charoen Krung.), I asked him to look-in at GSM. SAUNA. and to enquire about its OPENING?
- Well, any guesses as to the answer given to him? 'Next month.', was the reply - but haven't we heard that one before?
-- A Thai man who just hapened to be standing nearby suggested that my friend avail of the flg. web-site: > http://www.gsmsauna.com < ; I haven't done so as yet but mention it for what it might be worth.

--* See thread Cialis in BKK., posting #02..
-- :)