Useful travel and entertainment information on gay Bangkok (Part 1)

Posted by admin on January 22nd, 2008 filed in Living here, Nightlife

It certainly is true. The Thai capital is not exactly the pulsating city anymore it once was. Since the multi-millionaire Thaksin and his populist Thai Rak Thai (Thai love Thais) party won the 2001 elections, his newly installed government immediately created several laws that resulted in a much more tamed nightlife scene.

The first restricted rule was that bar owners from now on only could serve alcoholic beverages to customers above 20 years of age (before the legal age was 18), after that the city’s pubs and bar’s opening times were significantly shortened. About 50 percent of Bangkok’s night spots now must shut their doors at 01:00 while the other half is allowed to stay open just one hour longer. A number of massage shops and go go entertainment venues were raided by the police trying to forbid the highly popular erotic shows. The only sadomasochism club in the city was ‘visited’ by the police as well.

However, after a while it seemed that all these police raids hardly caused a negative impact on the nightlife scene. The cops still appear now and then but they soon realised that it is much more beneficial for them to fine drivers without buckled-up seatbelts and helmless motorcyclists! So the parties in the city still go on but after midnight usually continue in private properties. Also the erotic shows have returned but most of the performances are now less abundant.

The well-known Silom Rd is normally the spot where first time homosexual visitors go to. Positioned along Soi Four you can find numerous, heavily competing, straight and gay pubs. While turning off Silom Rd you should leave behind the many street stalls crammed with an abundance of illegal CDs, DVDs, computer games and souvenirs. Stroll past the male’s swimwear outlet and tattoo studio and ahead of you, you’ll soon experience an abundance of noise and sparkling brightly coloured neon-lights along with sidewalk tables and hospitable boyish waiters. The area is filled with international visitors as well as Thais of every sexuality and gender…

Complete gay & lesbian Bangkok online resource

Stay tuned for part 2!