The law requires that bars and nightclubs close at 2 AM, but Bangkok never sleeps, and many restaurants and street stalls stay open for late-night carousing. The city is awash with bars catering to all tastes, from the Oriental Hotel’s classy Bamboo Bar right down to the sleaze of watching sex acts while you drink.
Watch out for scams if you indulge, including aggressive hostesses,
touts that promise a lot for little money, and the copying of credit
cards (it’s best to pay with cash).
Soi 55 (also called Soi Thonglor), off Sukhumvit Road, has several good
bars and nightclubs. Soi Sarasin, across from Lumphini Park, is packed
with friendly pubs and cafés that are popular with yuppie Thais and
expats.
The most lurid forms of nightlife are geared to the male tourist. Live
sex shows, though officially banned, are still found in three areas of
Bangkok. Patpong is the biggest, and it includes three streets that
link Suriwongse and Silom roads. Patpong 1 and 2 are packed with go-go
bars; sex shows are generally found one flight up. Patpong 3 caters
mostly to gays but also to lesbians. Note that Patpong is quite safe
and well patrolled by police.
Soi Cowboy, off Sukhumvit Road at Soi 21, is a less raunchy, more
easygoing version of Patpong. The bars are considerably tamer; some
have go-go dancers; others are good for a quiet beer. Nana Plaza, at
Soi 4 off Sukhumvit Road, is popular with expats. The plaza is packed
with three floors of bars.
There’s plenty of other kinds of entertainment in Bangkok — jazz bars,
cabaret, theater, and dance. Thai classical dance is tremendously
graceful. Themes for the dance drama are taken from the ancient Indian
epic, the Ramayana. The performance is accompanied by a woodwind called
the piphat, which sounds like an oboe, and percussion instruments.
For a relaxed evening, try a boat cruise. Boats built to look like
traditional Thai houses or refurbished rice barges serve a Western or
Thai dinner while cruising the Chao Phraya River. Hotel staff make
reservations, as these two-hour evening cruises are usually strictly
for tourists.
The English-language newspapers, the Bangkok Post and The Nation,, have
good information on current festivals, exhibitions, and nightlife.
TAT’s weekly Where also lists events. Monthly Metro magazine has an
extensive listings section and offers reviews of new hot spots.
touts that promise a lot for little money, and the copying of credit
cards (it’s best to pay with cash).
Soi 55 (also called Soi Thonglor), off Sukhumvit Road, has several good
bars and nightclubs. Soi Sarasin, across from Lumphini Park, is packed
with friendly pubs and cafés that are popular with yuppie Thais and
expats.
Only in Bangkok would you ever find a phenomenon like Royal City Avenue
(called "RCA"). This area is packed with drinking and music joints, as
well as several good dance bars.
The most lurid forms of nightlife are geared to the male tourist. Live
sex shows, though officially banned, are still found in three areas of
Bangkok. Patpong is the biggest, and it includes three streets that
link Suriwongse and Silom roads. Patpong 1 and 2 are packed with go-go
bars; sex shows are generally found one flight up. Patpong 3 caters
mostly to gays but also to lesbians. Note that Patpong is quite safe
and well patrolled by police.
Soi Cowboy, off Sukhumvit Road at Soi 21, is a less raunchy, more
easygoing version of Patpong. The bars are considerably tamer; some
have go-go dancers; others are good for a quiet beer. Nana Plaza, at
Soi 4 off Sukhumvit Road, is popular with expats. The plaza is packed
with three floors of bars.
There’s plenty of other kinds of entertainment in Bangkok — jazz bars,
cabaret, theater, and dance. Thai classical dance is tremendously
graceful. Themes for the dance drama are taken from the ancient Indian
epic, the Ramayana. The performance is accompanied by a woodwind called
the piphat, which sounds like an oboe, and percussion instruments.
For a relaxed evening, try a boat cruise. Boats built to look like
traditional Thai houses or refurbished rice barges serve a Western or
Thai dinner while cruising the Chao Phraya River. Hotel staff make
reservations, as these two-hour evening cruises are usually strictly
for tourists.
The English-language newspapers, the Bangkok Post and The Nation,, have
good information on current festivals, exhibitions, and nightlife.
TAT’s weekly Where also lists events. Monthly Metro magazine has an
extensive listings section and offers reviews of new hot spots.
