Bangkok's Patpong Is Losing Its Sex Appeal

[webfact]

Bangkok losing its sex appeal

BRIAN CRISP

Patpong. File photo

Bangkok's Patpong red-light district is fast losing its appeal.

It used to be a tourist hot spot - a place where you could be shocked, and awed, as you wandered the parallel side streets in the area celebrated for its sex trade, found between Silom and Surawongse roads.

The strip joints and bars offering girlie shows flank the night market where you can buy a knock-off Gucci bag or a Polo shirt on your way home from watching one of the shows.

At one time this was all done with a sense of theatre. And a sense of fun. It was a "must see" part of the Bangkok culture for visitors to Thailand.

But it is definitely losing its lustre.

I was in Patpong on the weekend and yes I did end up at one of those girlie bars.

But I was dragged there on a hen's night when the bride-to-be insisted that she needed to see a "show" before taking her vows.

Dragged may be too strong a word - I admit I went along willingly in a group of five women and two guys.

What we saw though was not "fun", it was not even bad theatre.

The girls performing in the bar were nasty, angrily demanding money after every show.

It was like we had been sucked into a freak show and we were now part of the performance.

We were all uncomfortable and the women on stage looked bored out of their minds.

There were more women guests in the bar than men, something that surprised me. Most people had one quick drink, and left.

We were approached seconds after we set foot on the pavement and asked if we wanted to go to the girlie bar. [more...]

Full story: http://www.news.com.au/travel/travel-advisor/bangkok-losing-its-sex-appeal/story-e6frfqfr-1226217951630

-- news.com.au 2011-12-09

[South]

You've been here a while. It started losing its' appeal as soon as they changed the place into a 'market' with bars. That was a while ago and it has got worse ever since! In the last 20 years I have been there twice ... both times taking friends/visitors/tourists there, and believe me, I didn't want to be there!!

[chooka]

A hot spot for the sex trade?

" "It was a "must see" part of the Bangkok culture for visitors to Thailand." <deleted>........

The seady side of Thailand is a must see for visitors...... Isn't prostitution ilegal in Thailand? This article seems to be promoting the ilegal activity. Come to Thailand and visit our bargirls. Nope I think the Dancing man option is a better idea promoting the real cultural heart of Thailand.

[kurnell]

And how is this different from 20 years ago?

Edited December 9, 2011 by Scott
off-topic remark edited out

[Ulysses G.]

This is rather old news. It started to go downhill when Nana Plaza was much cheaper and low pressure.

[maidu]

I visited there twice in 1985. The first night, the club & show were ok. The 2nd night, the club & show were bad. Almost had to physically fight my way out of the 2nd story bar, because of being extorted $50 for a few $1 drinks. Actually, I was also there a few years later in the daytime, as part of a stroll around town. There were two Thai guys talking intensely to a small group of teenage girls (from Thailand, Laos, Burma?), telling them they'd get good salaries for working in a restaurant, when they were actually getting unwittingly lured in to the sex industry. I think about Patpong about as often as I think of burnt toast.

[KarenBravo]

Patpong was great in the early eighties. Started going down hill when they opened the night market.

[alstaxi]

Getting back to the topic ,Patpong is as slimy as Phuket, maybe worse.

Edited December 9, 2011 by alstaxi

[Briggsy]

The real money is the Asian market. Try walking up the street to Soi Thaniya, Brian.

Edited December 9, 2011 by Briggsy

[Scott]

One off-topic, inflammatory post has been removed. The thread is not about journalism or posters country of origin.

Another post has been edited to remove an off-topic remark.

[merijn]

Getting back to the topic ,Patpong is as slimy as Phuket, maybe worse.

There is no comparison between Phuket and Patpong.

Patpong is 1000 times worse then Phuket.

The sleazy part of Phuket is concentrated in a small area while the whole of Patpong is just rotten.

[bkkjames]

Wonder how long until pp will be demolished to make way for another shopping mall/hotel. We are short of these.

[meatboy]

i visited patpong last year the first time for over 20years,i took some friends who were visiting thailand for the first time,me&mrs.told them a few do's and dont's from the time we got there i felt threatened i never made eye contact but i knew someone was following us he tried to get my mate to buy something but he just politely said no,but still kept following,as for seeing anything which patpong is famous for forget it the walkway was jammed tight with traders definately not what it used to be.

[hyperdimension]

Baccara is in Soi Cowboy, yet the photo caption in the article says "The bright lights of Patpong in Bangkok, Thailand".

[apalink_thailand]

Getting back to the topic ,Patpong is as slimy as Phuket, maybe worse.

Phuket is slimier. No annoying Nepalese suit salesmen in Patpong and the taxis have meters. Having said that, the place went downhill many years ago. In the 80's and early 90's it was quite a spectacle.

[mijan24]

Did you ever stop to think it might be THAILAND that is losing its Appeal? One poster mentioned "slimy Phuket" another Nana before the prices and pressure raised its ugl head - Pattaya do you need any further hint when at least half the establishments are empty. As usual Thailand is the last to wake up Tourists like the frivolity, the mystique, etc they do not want the Scams, the Hassle, the one sided BiB - they are a moving to brighter and cheaper shores. (Sorry I forgot the most important SAFER)

Edited December 9, 2011 by mijan24

[Credo]

I lived not far from Patpong for a number of years about 20 years ago. I have taken friends to the night scene over the years. It seems to have deteriorated.

[Sharp]

Patpong never enjoyed it , Soi Cowboy and Nana ok some good fun but u cant compaire Patong with these places..

[whybother]

This is actually good news for Thailand. A tourist pointing out that there are other places to go rather than girlie bars.

[gk10002000]

I have been to Thailand 12 times and never felt inclined to even find where Patpong actually was and never went to it. Visited Nana once and that was it. I go on holiday for more pleasant things, a nice beach, some sleep, a pool, daily foot massage, good food ranging from street food to some pretty darn good German eateries. Always fun to have some drinks and chat with some bar hostesses, but I am a small butterfly. Sukhothai was one of my best trips ever. I kind of take the Mr Spock approach. Don't want to go on Holiday and exhaust myself.

Edited December 9, 2011 by Scott
formatting

[MunterHunter]

It has sex appeal? I think i must have missed that bar the last time i went there...

Arse end of the world, only marginally worse than Pattaya and Patong in Phuket.

Nana and Cowboy can be a bit of fun, with the right crowd of friends and if you dont take it too seriously, but Patpong is dire... it should be leveled and have a hotel/shopping mall/condo built on it!!!

[ydraw]

How did this article get published? It's terribly written, it's basically a series of bullet points. News.com.au travel section isn't real news, it's mostly advertorials.

[Payboy]

It was like we had been sucked into a freak show and we were now part of the performance.

Next time read that disclaimer on the immigration arrival card.

[KhunFred]

I have always felt that Patpong was one of the most depressing places I have ever visited. I have been there exactly twice over 20 trips and really loathe the place. I would much rather have a drink in one of the open-air bars where there is less cigarette smoke. Nana Plaza has deteriorated over the last ten years, as well. Of course....I have deteriorated too.

Edited December 9, 2011 by KhunFred

[drdoom6996]

A hot spot for the sex trade?

" "It was a "must see" part of the Bangkok culture for visitors to Thailand." <deleted>........

The seady side of Thailand is a must see for visitors...... Isn't prostitution ilegal in Thailand? This article seems to be promoting the ilegal activity. Come to Thailand and visit our bargirls. Nope I think the Dancing man option is a better idea promoting the real cultural heart of Thailand.

Wake up, American and European bands have sung songs about Bangkok and Patpong Road for more than 25 years. It is what it is, or apparently, it was what it was.

[drdoom6996]

Did you ever stop to think it might be THAILAND that is losing its Appeal? One poster mentioned "slimy Phuket" another Nana before the prices and pressure raised its ugl head - Pattaya do you need any further hint when at least half the establishments are empty. As usual Thailand is the last to wake up Tourists like the frivolity, the mystique, etc they do not want the Scams, the Hassle, the one sided BiB - they are a moving to brighter and cheaper shores. (Sorry I forgot the most important SAFER)

I think your spot on with that comment.

[sprq]

Patpong was great in the early eighties. Started going down hill when they opened the night market.

Exactly. All the 80s were good in PP. Then came the disaster of the night market -- a mainstream family tourist attraction plonked in the middle of a raunchy red-light district. How idiotic can you get? Inevitably Patpong went into decline from that moment as a fun place, though partially redeemed by the rise of the live music venues.

Of course, in money terms for the street owners (the area is privately owned including the streets) the night market was obviously a good move or it wouldn't have been there for 20 years now. But in raunch-cultural terms it was suicide.

And this article is 20 years late.

[geriatrickid]

Getting back to the topic ,Patpong is as slimy as Phuket, maybe worse.

Phuket is slimier. No annoying Nepalese suit salesmen in Patpong and the taxis have meters. Having said that, the place went downhill many years ago. In the 80's and early 90's it was quite a spectacle.

Balderdash. Phuket is a large island with plenty to offer. Although Phuket has Bangla Rd. in Patong, which is considerably tamer than Patpong, the Bangla ping pong shows offer harmless G rated displays of guys smacking a ball back and forth and not some harlot expeling the ball from a well used body orifice. as is the case in Patpong. Patpong is a depressing strip that represents all that is wrong with Thailand and it should have been bulldozed decades ago.People go to the Patpong strip with one sole goal,to participate in or to watch disgusting displays of depravity that would depress normal well adjusted adults. On the other hand, plenty of people that visit Phuket do not go near Bangla road let alone set foot in the Bangla Rd. bars.

Sheesh. How can one even compare Patpong,the sleazy fire trap of a strip filled with filth, with the big island of Phuket with all the attributes that a big island has?

Edited December 9, 2011 by geriatrickid

[jaapfries]

P A T T A Y A

That's why I have lived in Pattaya for the past 20 years ! !

Here in Pattaya, no seedy freak-shows and what's more:

THE SAILING IS GREAT ! ! !

[jalansanitwong]

When was the last time the owners put a coat of paint on Patpong ? The stains on the walls were there back in the 1970's. Do they ever wash down Patpong ? The owners simply made their fortunes and let the place go downhill.. Soon (maybe Thaksin ) a developer will demolish patpong and build a casino or whatever.Patpong has too many competitors ie Nana,Cowboy and the biggest 'Patpong' of all ..Pattaya City . Single men simply go straight from Suvarnabumi airport in a mini van straight to Pattaya. They never see Bangkok or patpong. The original poster gives the impression they went straight upstairs to a clipjoint. Thats an absolute no no !! The gogo bars are safer but full of plain looking hookers with tired old Asian and arab men sitting around oggling them. Boring stuff. Patpong died years ago .Never go unless i take o/seas guests who insist on seeing it. Probably the same for most expats.

Edited December 9, 2011 by jalansanitwong