PATPONG AREA,В Patpong Area Map

Silom Road area, as well as being the main business district of Bangkok, contains probably the most well-known red light district in the world as well as being about the most well known area of Thai Nightlife :

Patpong. Many terms could be used to describe Patpong. A t-shirt used recently to promote a conference on world sex workers sported a logo, "Patpong - more than just a street". This phrase is not only very apt, but makes us think a little more about this street (actually 3 streets) in Bangkok.

Despite never having been promoted officially, Patpong has become one of the worlds most famous (or if you prefer, infamous) tourist attractions. Almost everyone you speak to about Thailand conjures up at least one image of this most famous of streets.

In recent times, the image many people have had of Patpong is the one propagated by TV documentaries and travel programs, an image that would have us believe Patpong in Bangkok is nothing more than a seedy rundown red light area run by pimps and gangsters. This is an image created by TV producers to make their programs more appealing to a mass audience of gossip and scandal hungry TV viewers. Despite this image, Patpong remains one of the major tourist attractions in Thailand.В 

Today Patpong, with its night markets, has become an area frequented by all types of visiting tourists, including families. The go-go bars and beer bars still survive and still operate as they always have done. In fact, today they are as busy as they always have been, and if you really want to see the prettiest girls working in a go-go then Patpong is where you must go.

Patpong attracts males, and some females, from all over the world into what many describe as a fantasy world full of exotic girls and bright lights. Every night you can see the madness on the streets of people braving the touts and crowds of the night market to find their own little piece of magic in this 'field of dreams'.

Patpong to the many that work there has come to represent a distinct area separate from the rest of Bangkok. To many girls working here, it's a sort of home from home where they can relax and feel comfortable amongst friends. Where else in the world would you find employees arriving at their place of work 4 hours before they start just so they can talk, eat and relax together before the day begins? Many tourist and expatriates find themselves drawn to Patpong with no other reason than they to feel at home here.

Patpong, a continual favourite night time haunt to many, is once again recapturing some of its former glory as the number one nightlife area in Thailand. There have been a few contenders to this crown. Still, Patpong reigns supreme despite the competition and the image portrayed by the world's TV.В 

More than just a street it surely is. To some it's life itself, for others a playground. To many it's a place of employment, but most of all it's a place like no other.

To get into a bit more detail, the main two areas are Patpong 1 and 2, two roads running adjacent to each other. Patpong 1 is home to the night market. The crowds that the night market attracts are the main reason that a lot of long time residents stopped coming into the area. If, however, you just ignore the throng of people and get yourself into a bar you will find the highest concentration of beautiful girls in any of the farang orientated nightlife areas. Two of the bars in particular, King's Castle 1 and King's Castle 2, always have a great selection of girls.

The next road over is Patpong 2, home to the famous Rififi, the Rififi bar is as famous as any bar in Bangkok, the bar stools could tell thousands of stories, this is one of Bangkok's legendary bars. There is no night market here and you can also find some 24-hour beer bars. Another go-go located here that cannot go without a mention is Pink Panther which seems to attract a steady flow of good looking girls, certainly as many as most of the better known go-go bars.

Soi Thaniya truly is Bangkok's "Little Tokyo", mainly catering to Japanese clientele. It really helps if your Thai's in good shape to explore any of these bars.

A lot of people seem to think that a farang speaking Japanese would be preferable but as these girls are Thai you can soon lose them if your Japanese is really up to scratch.

If business is quiet, then it's possible for a farang to enter one of the hostess bars along this soi quite easily. Prices vary but most of the establishments that are not KTV bars are the usual hostess type arrangements. You pay for a girl - and there are some beautiful girls here - to sit with you and drink. What you will be charged for is "lady drinks" but that's not what you are being charged for. A lady drink is usually a block of time anywhere from 30 to 45 minutes depending on the bar. Expect to pay between 300 - 750 baht depending on the bar and your language ability for each of these time increments.

As far as barfines go, if the girl is willing to go out the barfines are in the region of 1000 - 2500 baht and some of the bars have short time rooms on the premises. What you pay the girl is between you and her in some bars and an all-in price with an optional tip in others.

Basically, Soi Thaniya is not recommended unless you really know the scene well or are accompanied by someone who does. You could really run up an astronomical bill without trying here.


PATPONG NIGHT BAZAAR
Mention the word Patpong almost anywhere in the world and most people will think of BangkokРІР‚в„ўs famous red light district. But in the evening it has one of the best tourist markets in town.

If you visit it in the day time it's just a simple insignificant street that links Silom and Suriwongse Road. Around about 5pm the transformation begins. Out of nowhere or so it seems, come large metal trunks on wheels with all the stock.

Team of workers are frantically putting together two aisles of stalls, metal frames slotted together, board laid on them to make the counter, cables thread between them for the light, vendors busily displaying their goods to maximum advantage. By around 7pm the show is ready to begin. Patpong is more about theatre than anything else, everything an illusion, nothing is real.

In the warm balmy night, tourist will see an array of exotic watches, its says Rolex, it looks like a Rolex but is it? And then what price should I pay. The vendor will tell you a tale that itРІР‚в„ўs the latest model, the mechanism is special and will start the bidding high. It now up to you to cut him down in price. He asks 1,500, counter with 600. If you speak a few words in Thai it helps but if you donРІР‚в„ўt just mutter Peng, too expensive, and be firm.

A mistake that a lot of visitors to Thailand make is they convert the price being asked into their own currency and then consider how does that compare with what I would pay at home. Of course itРІР‚в„ўs cheaper but you are in Thailand and need to think in terms of local prices if you are ever to get the best deal.

I was once buying a shirt with an asking price of 800 Baht and I negotiated to 200 Baht. Standing next to me was another foreign visitor who was happy to pay 600 baht for the same shirt.

Patpong has an excellent selection of clothes, watches, leather goods and shoes. For the tourist who is in town for a couple of nights it's possibly the most convenient and user friendly place to shop. ItРІР‚в„ўs not the cheapest anything you can buy in Patpong can be bought about 40% cheaper in Pratunam market just off Phetburi Road but the shopping experience is not as easy and will take twice as long. That the choice, time versus money.

Beware of the taxis waiting either end of Patpong, they always have some tale that there metre isnРІР‚в„ўt working or itРІР‚в„ўs a fixed fare to wherever you want to go. I just won't take them, either use a taxi thatРІР‚в„ўs moving in the street or if you are staying close to a skytrain station take the BTS home.