Keithoven

The Big Mango off Soi 4 Nana turn left as you go down soi 4. Very friendly place no bar girls.Heineken 99 baht a pint.

The Londoner Soi 33 Bit pricey, but nice food and good home brewed ales.

Soi 8 Bar (not surprisingly on Soi 8 Sukhumvit Nana) No hassle from bar girls.

Hanrahans Soi 4 Irish pub nice can sit outside and watch people walking by but no bargirls inside.

I'm sure your parents would approve of all 4 premises.

That's what I was looking for, Thanks for that..

Can anyone recommend some good pubs in Sukhumvit area that would be safe to bring my parents for a drink and some music but not full of Bar Girls etc?? Thanks

7.5yrs for stealing a bag is a lot of time for such a crime!

I agree and have to say that If my bag was stolen but I got it back I certainly would not want to see anyone going to prison. Its happened to me before and it sucks but 7 years does not match the crime..

Reading threads like this convinces me that it is better to stay away from the marriage scene for our own sake.

Remember: you never marry a girl - you marry into the whole family (and sometimes also their neighbours and neighbours' neighbours ). I love the expression 'extended family'.

I am married but agree that if you marry a girl you marry her family. My Thai Wife lives In my country with me and I like her to be part of my family for better or Worse same as she expects me when we are in Thailand. For most people family is the most important thing to them so respect on both sides is essential for a happy marriage.

In my humble opinion Thailand has one of the best cuisines in the world, one of the most friendly relaxed cultures I have ever encountered, some of the most beautiful people and without a doubt some of the most sublime landscapes I have ever seen. I love Thailand deeply, thats why I live here. Whether it's the friendly locals, a beautiful sunset or a fried egg on top of my curry, I'm in love with the place but as a music lover, DJ and musician I have to say it's hel_l.

Thais only seem to like Western music if it was made in the last four years and featured heavily on MTV or Hotel California and Bob Marley, nothing else is allowed apart from Thai soft rock and cheesy Thai balads.

If they hear music that doesn't fit in to that tiny narrow band of popular music they just switch off.

They don't really know how to party either, sitting down, drinking whiskey and singing cheesey karaoke yes but dancing until the wee hours of the morning to great music they have never heard before? NO

I know it sounds racist to generalize like that about a whole nationality but in Thailand it really is true and they will tell you so themselves. It's just not cool to be different or sophisticated. No rebelious music allowed just Top 10 pop pop pop all night long please. One of the things I get told most by Thais is that when it comes to music "If we don't know it we don't like it"

I always reply how do you know any music at all then? But their minds are firmly CLOSED

In addition to the Thais the majority of farangs that visit Thailand are just as closeminded. The younger ones just want Lady Gaga and Akon back to back and will evacuate a bar as soon as the music changes. The older farangs seem to want nothing more than Hotel California repeated over and over by an out of tune Fillipino band.

I never thought I would encounter Brits and Americans who grew up in the 60's who would not like to hear The Beatles and The Stones more than a badly sung cover of The Eagles but in Thailand the old farangs seem to prefer the out of tune cover of the same track than the stuff that really rocked the 60's and the 70's.

It doesn't make any sense.

I have traveled the world and always been able to find real music lovers. Whether it's South America or Germany. There is always a trendy neighbourhood with a plethora of specialist record shops and different music venues packed to the rafters with their different tribes from rockers to ravers.

Whether it's the UK, Europe, America or Brazil from as far back as the 40's there have always been counter cultures. From beatnics to Mod's and rockers, skinheads to hip hop, house music, rythm & blues, funk and soul, heavy metal etc etc

In Thailand there is almost no market for any edgy or sophisticated music it just ain't welcomed by the Thais or the fanrangs.

Why is that? Any thoughts?

I have to agree the Majority of Thai music is very very bad but they seem to love it. Same in Europe the music scene is dross but there is people who love it so What can you do?? On a brighter note I did get to see Larry Carlton in Bangkok so There has to be some people who are interested in different types of music.

In my humble opinion Thailand has one of the best cuisines in the world, one of the most friendly relaxed cultures I have ever encountered, some of the most beautiful people and without a doubt some of the most sublime landscapes I have ever seen. I love Thailand deeply, thats why I live here. Whether it's the friendly locals, a beautiful sunset or a fried egg on top of my curry, I'm in love with the place but as a music lover, DJ and musician I have to say it's hel_l.

Thais only seem to like Western music if it was made in the last four years and featured heavily on MTV or Hotel California and Bob Marley, nothing else is allowed apart from Thai soft rock and cheesy Thai balads.

If they hear music that doesn't fit in to that tiny narrow band of popular music they just switch off.

They don't really know how to party either, sitting down, drinking whiskey and singing cheesey karaoke yes but dancing until the wee hours of the morning to great music they have never heard before? NO

I know it sounds racist to generalize like that about a whole nationality but in Thailand it really is true and they will tell you so themselves. It's just not cool to be different or sophisticated. No rebelious music allowed just Top 10 pop pop pop all night long please. One of the things I get told most by Thais is that when it comes to music "If we don't know it we don't like it"

I always reply how do you know any music at all then? But their minds are firmly CLOSED

In addition to the Thais the majority of farangs that visit Thailand are just as closeminded. The younger ones just want Lady Gaga and Akon back to back and will evacuate a bar as soon as the music changes. The older farangs seem to want nothing more than Hotel California repeated over and over by an out of tune Fillipino band.

I never thought I would encounter Brits and Americans who grew up in the 60's who would not like to hear The Beatles and The Stones more than a badly sung cover of The Eagles but in Thailand the old farangs seem to prefer the out of tune cover of the same track than the stuff that really rocked the 60's and the 70's.

It doesn't make any sense.

I have traveled the world and always been able to find real music lovers. Whether it's South America or Germany. There is always a trendy neighbourhood with a plethora of specialist record shops and different music venues packed to the rafters with their different tribes from rockers to ravers.

Whether it's the UK, Europe, America or Brazil from as far back as the 40's there have always been counter cultures. From beatnics to Mod's and rockers, skinheads to hip hop, house music, rythm & blues, funk and soul, heavy metal etc etc

In Thailand there is almost no market for any edgy or sophisticated music it just ain't welcomed by the Thais or the fanrangs.

Why is that? Any thoughts?

Being Irish and married to a Thai Woman I would say the major difference between gaining and Irish Visa and a UK one is the volume of UK/ Irish people, Obviously there is more people from the UK looking for visas so you can expect a more rigorous process.But I do believe that once all the proper procedures are in place, and everything is done by the book there should be no problem. The Thai Visa Service is a little bit french, and likes the bureaucratic side of things well organized. But I think personally, because I was prepared, it made life a lot easier, and I have to say that I was treated well and I was quite taken by the people working in the Irish embassy in the Q lumphini tower in Bangkok where the Irish embassy is at. Anyway this is my first post and I would be more than delighted to help with any other queries you may have and hope you can answer a few of mine. Best regards Keithoven

I want to fly to Thailand around march or April from Dublin, Can anybody let me know the cheapest way of doing this. Thanks