Sukhumvit Soi 11 Is Not Fun Anymore

[angiud]

Many nonsense posts have been deleted.

Please keep on topic!

[ableguy]

Hasn't soi 11 been 'out of fashion' for quite some time now?

So why so many new places opened in the last 12 months?

I don't really see the point of the post. If you don't like soi 11 don't go there. Leave it to people who do enj

oy it.

The point is to share opinions with ppl who live in Bangkok, thats why it's called "forum" here.

Ok I'll join in because I'm bored at work, even though I don't live in Bangkok, I visit regularly.

- nothing new here

- how do you know they are working girls? and why does that bother you?

- choice is good isn't it?

- same in every major city in the world, again, why let it bother you?

- eat elsewhere

- again, why does this bother you? overweight? really?

- again, every major city in the world (what's 200 Baht anyway?)

- It's Bangkok.... sounds great fun to me.

Obvious you dont live in BKK as you do not understand what he is communicating.

[vijer]

Sounds like a great soi, I will have to check it out sometime.

[dantilley]

It is, and very varied with something for pretty much everyone.

Sent from my GT-I9300T using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[arthurwait]

Are the new kids laughing at your 'Dad dancing' ?

[supashot]

I agree with the OP, 100%.

Those VW Camper bars block pretty much every square inch of sidewalk real estate forcing people to take their chances dodging kamikaze motorbike taxis blasting up and down the soi.

The likes of Q Bar, Levels and others try to portray their venues as appealing to the more "sophisticated" and/or "discerning" punter but, in reality, are nothing more than hooker pick-up joints. I don't have a problem with hookers per se; it's the pissed up, boorish men who chase them around that I find utterly unbearable. Still, I suppose if a man thinks he's a big hit with the women by virtue of his ability to purchase a couple of drinks and inflate his chest, who am I to criticise? The playing field's been leveled and that's all that matters, right?

Everything on that soi is geared toward excessive consumption of alcohol. It's all about getting hammered and going back to your hotel with a skank. I can imagine that, for sex tourists and sexpats, it's heaven and that's absolutely fine but if you're not really into P4P and getting rat-arsed on watered down, overpriced drinks, it gets a little dull after a while.

There's this company that organises pub and club crawls on soi 11 and their promotional material always features images of their staff pouring hard liquor - straight from the strategically positioned-for-the-camera bottles of their corporate sponsors - down some wasted munter's throat. Quality image, eh??!! Frankly, whenever this company has one of their crawls, I make a point of avoiding soi 11 like the plague because I know there'll be fights over hookers, vomiting and neanderthal behaviour wherever they go. One does have to ask, though, are they really encouraging binge drinking or are they just giving their paying customers what they want?

I guess the point I'm trying to make is that BKK will never be a credible destination for those looking for a genuine, quality clubbing experience. Don't get me wrong - it probably shouldn't be because there are plenty of cities in Asia where the nightclub scenes are perfectly decent even if they are if some way off approaching the standards set by cities in Europe and the UK.

Bangkok in general and Sukhumvit soi 11 in particular are what they are and, if like me, one finds it all a little crass and formulaic, there's always places like Glow on Sukhumvit soi 23, Bar23 on soi 16 and Tapas in Silom where the emphasis is placed on creating a less booze-fueled, hooker-saturated atmosphere.

Thank you ! You got it right, I tough I was alone to feel that.

Adding to the list :Thong lor, Ekkamai with some great bar and clubs or even the Royal Sport Club with Falabella. Sorry guys real women don't do ST there.

Most comments I saw here were: soi 11 is great because many girls, and clubs, and great food.

Cheap guys get cheap girls, cheap girls get cheap guys.

I'm afraid I can't compete with this classy crowd

[supashot]

Central to what? Bangkok is a tentacular city with no real downtown! Soi 11 is central to nothing.

-proximity to sky train

-variety of pubs/clubs/bars within a short walk

​Great variety playing same music everywhere. Feel like listening MTV base. A walking distance if you can avoid the drunk people, the fake hill tribe vendors, the ladyboy gang in HIV terminal phase cruising between Levels, Bash and Qbar, the truck bars and my all time favorite garbage truck who always come around midnight to collect. Its so glamour.

-2 grocery stores within walking distance

-ability to get anything i want day or night

Right including STDs? About the same in most bangkok areas all areas have 7/11 and or even night markets, or Villa markets and Foodland.

-large garden

Large garden in soi 11? Where? Must a very very secret one.

-2 bedroom house

As far as I know there are no house in soi 11 just condos and hotels.

-ability to meet attractive foreign women

-variety of restaurants

-excellent pizza

-excellent thai food

-excellent fish and chips (snappers)

- decent tapas

-decent german

Most restaurants are over priced compared to real "trendy" areas such as Thong lor or Ekkamai and the food quality is average.

-good pool tables

-proximity to schools

-excellent community of vendors and motorcycle people

-NO stray dogs

-low crime rate (not heard of a burglary in the area in 15 years)

Well you should check with security from clubs or bars how many people got their bag or phone stollen! Crime rate is raising. I don't even mention people getting drugged.

[supashot]

I love Sukhumvit full stop. It’s a great place; I don’t need to go anywhere else when I come to Bkk. And you will always find what you need.

Once again soi 11 is not the center of Thailand, Sukhumvit goes from soi 1 to soi 109.

Maybe you’re getting to old.

Only kidding.. But complaining isn’t going to get you anywhere or change anything, just get on with it and try find a new place..

It's true Im getting older than yesterday^^

I'm just sharing point of view and glad to see that some locals share the same feeling.

[supashot]

"I don't phantasm every time a girl pass by with fake books..."

And when they mispronounce "Jean-Paul Sartre" - now that really annoys me.

You got me too late fixe the typo! ;-)

[supashot]

I like soi 11

I elaborate:

I love the German Beer place with wonderful Erdinger Weiss draft

I love the Thai garden with live jazz

I love the President Solitaire Suite hotel where I always go when in BKK

I love the small soi with Mexican, tapas and many more nice small restaurants

Nice night life

It's close to Nana BTS

There is a Villa Market

something more I forgot

I agree with the above plus:

Limoncello and Pomodoro Italian Restaurants

Australia Pub for AFL and Rugby, some good music too (but don't order the red wine)

Cheap Charlies (don't go there if you don't like cheap Charlies)

No "working girls" at the above 3 and the places listed in the previous post if that's what you prefer

Walk up to Sukhumvit for a cheaper taxi - but nowhere cheap after midnight.

I agree with the great live band at Australia Pub.

True no working girls there just spinners

.

[candypants]

Central to what? Bangkok is a tentacular city with no real downtown! Soi 11 is central to nothing.

-large garden

Large garden in soi 11? Where? Must a very very secret one.

-2 bedroom house

As far as I know there are no house in soi 11 just condos and hotels.

i give up, you have resorted to hyperbole and demonstrate ignorance.

your knowledge of soi 11 ends after the first few hundred meters. I also suspect you haven't been there by day.

there are a number of houses on soi 11 and i happen to live in one of them, with, you guessed it, a garden.

I'm alright with the fact that you don't like the place, but cut the crap.

and how much more central can you be in bangkok than sitting on the skytrain and mrt stations?

It isnt perfect, but it is most certainly not as bad as you make it out to be, though the bus bars are excessive.

i certainly don't recall any shootings on 11 recently, can thonglor make the same claim.

At least on 11 we don't have the thonglor police to deal with.

[Joe Mamma]

Now we know why they call them the GOOD OLD DAYS! Seems a bigger meaner and less fun crowd nowadays. And negative ,aggressive energy that stifles the kwan. The visiting folks seem to bring all the worst of attributes their home countries have deteriorated into.

[StaffsShot]

I'm in Bangkok next Tuesday, after reading this thread I'm looking forward to making my own mind up as anyone should about Soi 11

Cheers

[smokie36]

I'm in Bangkok next Tuesday, after reading this thread I'm looking forward to making my own mind up as anyone should about Soi 11

Cheers

I would.

Look forward to hearing your opinion!

[wellred]

Getting seriously bored of people who just think that soi 11 in the center of Bangkok night life.

-Side walks are totally unusable because of the street bars.

-Clubs are full of working girls no matter where club you go: Bed, Qbar, Levels, Bash and others. At least Climax is a known working girl place and not hiding it.

-Over saturated of noisy pubs opening and closing since I come in Bangkok more than 10 years ago.

-After hours clubs full of junkies going to the toilets to take a line of cocaine then touching their nose every 5 minutes.

-Street food where it's like playing Russian roulette if you eat there.

-Hords of "massaaaage Sirrrr" with a 2 bahts printed menu in the hand. Typical overweighed Issaan girls that can't anywhere else.

-Rip off/crook taxi who ask 200 to go 1 block away.

-Crowd that varies from: sexpats, lost tourists, 3rd class wanabe models from eastern europe, few nigerian girls that goes from drug dealer to prostitute or even wannabe playboy (on wealth fair from Europe or North America), Indian and Pakis who most of the time just walk around to look at booty.

The situation became so boring that clubs in soi 11 are giving 2 or 3 drinks their place. What's next paying girls to get them in the club?

I miss the great parties in Bangkok not so long ago, where people had real fun, clubs were open late without the cops knocking at the door randomly to shut down it.

Where is this little craziness? Sad to see that soi 11 is contaminating other soi and becoming a gross junkyard while there are so many other areas to discover in Bangkok.

Here's a tip. Stop moaning farang. And if you don't like it... Then move away from Sukhumvit. Or did you just fancy a whinge anyway?

As for me I know which soi I'm staying on next time. 555

[Forethat]

I lived on Soi 8 for a couple of years and the noodle place on the corner of 11/Suk was soo tasty. But then someone else took over the place late 2009 and the noodles went from top of the line to average. It was like the soup nazi of Bangkok. Loved to stop for a bowl of noodles on my way home from night golf, and one day the magic was gone. Damn that Soi 11, hate the place...

Edited April 27, 2013 by Forethat

[cgphuket]

sorry about that.

Me simple western guy with a good job before in Europe and even better in S-E Asia creating my own companies in the region. Not a sexpat profile if you ask.

Oh ... I thought you must have been one of those in the list. Are there others that you didn't include?

You name them ;-)

That would be "arrogant Euro-trash".

[Rooo]

I have altered the original post & deleted a paragraph which is against forum rules. I have subsequently cleaned up all posts including it in discussion.

Please be aware of the forum rules:

3) Not to post in a manner that is vulgar, obscene or profane.

7) Not to post slurs or degrading comments directed towards any group on the basis of race, nationality, religion, gender or sexual orientation.

[smokie36]

I have altered the original post & deleted a paragraph which is against forum rules. I have subsequently cleaned up all posts including it in discussion.

Please be aware of the forum rules:

3) Not to post in a manner that is vulgar, obscene or profane.

>

7) Not to post slurs or degrading comments directed towards any group on the basis of race, nationality, religion, gender or sexual orientation.

Thanks Rooo......its a good topic....let's not see it derailed again hopefully!

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

One of the nice things about Soi 11 is it has a little bit of something for almost anyone, and that doesn't have to include anything about nightclubs or hookers, whatever you may think of them.

Here's my list for Soi 11.

--located right at the corner of Nana BTS and a few blocks from Sukhumvit MRT

--One of the better stocked Villa Markets

--bank branches for Siam Comercial and Bangkok Bank

--a 24 hour coffee shop near the Grand Business Inn

--the pay per use fitness center which includes use of the large swimming pool at the Ambassador Hotel.

--the 99b American breakfast at the German Beer House, plus their regular food entrees and German beer.

--Sangria happy hour specials at the Tapas Cafe.

--fish and chips and other seafood at the New Zealand Snapper restaurant.

--coffee and bakery goods at Au Bon Pain.

--Italian food at Pomodoro and pizzas at Limoncello

--a quite good Thai seafood restaurant with a huge menu and outdoor garden called Rosabieng.

--American food and breakfasts at Angel City Diner.

--a pretty good Japanese and sushi restaurant called Uzuki.

--Indian food from Mrs. Balbir's and Bawarchi.

--Mexican food (allegedly ) from Charlie Brown's.

--Cheap Charlie's for Cheap Charlies.

--beer and pub food at The Australian

--hamburgers at The Firehouse

And that's all in the space of a couple of blocks, leaving out a bunch of other places there and leaving aside all mention of nightclubs, hookers, massage shops, etc etc.

[MarkCyr]

It sounds like the OP hasn't seen much of Soi 11 except the usual clubs. There's a lot more there to see and some very cool bars and restaurants all along there. It has gotten a LOT more pricey over the years with more Oskar type bars popping but, but I still dig Soi 11.

My only problem with Soi 11 is trying to get a taxi to pick you up to go home that isn't trying to charge 300B just to drive 5 minutes up to Ekkamai.

[itchybum]

but I still dig Soi 11.

Groovy

[Travel2003]

Getting seriously bored of people who just think that soi 11 in the center of Bangkok night life.

-Side walks are totally unusable because of the street bars.

-Clubs are full of working girls no matter where club you go: Bed, Qbar, Levels, Bash and others. At least Climax is a known working girl place and not hiding it.

-Over saturated of noisy pubs opening and closing since I come in Bangkok more than 10 years ago.

-After hours clubs full of junkies going to the toilets to take a line of cocaine then touching their nose every 5 minutes.

-Street food where it's like playing Russian roulette if you eat there.

-Hords of "massaaaage Sirrrr" with a 2 bahts printed menu in the hand. Typical overweighed Issaan girls that can't anywhere else.

-Rip off/crook taxi who ask 200 to go 1 block away.

-Crowd that varies from: sexpats, lost tourists, 3rd class wanabe models from eastern europe, few nigerian girls that goes from drug dealer to prostitute or even wannabe playboy (on wealth fair from Europe or North America), Indian and Pakis who most of the time just walk around to look at booty.

The situation became so boring that clubs in soi 11 are giving 2 or 3 drinks their place. What's next paying girls to get them in the club?

I miss the great parties in Bangkok not so long ago, where people had real fun, clubs were open late without the cops knocking at the door randomly to shut down it.

Where is this little craziness? Sad to see that soi 11 is contaminating other soi and becoming a gross junkyard while there are so many other areas to discover in Bangkok.

Here's a tip. Stop moaning farang. And if you don't like it... Then move away from Sukhumvit. Or did you just fancy a whinge anyway?

As for me I know which soi I'm staying on next time. 555

So where do you stay Mister Thai?

[atyclb]

I like soi 11

I elaborate:

I love the German Beer place with wonderful Erdinger Weiss draft

I love the Thai garden with live jazz

I love the President Solitaire Suite hotel where I always go when in BKK

I love the small soi with Mexican, tapas and many more nice small restaurants

Nice night life

It's close to Nana BTS

There is a Villa Market

something more I forgot

I agree with the above plus:

Limoncello and Pomodoro Italian Restaurants

Australia Pub for AFL and Rugby, some good music too (but don't order the red wine)

Cheap Charlies (don't go there if you don't like cheap Charlies)

No "working girls" at the above 3 and the places listed in the previous post if that's what you prefer

Walk up to Sukhumvit for a cheaper taxi - but nowhere cheap after midnight.

Except for the compensated dates that not infrequently accompany guys at otherwise fine Italian restaurants. Some hints on how to know the gal is a "compensated date" # despite a fine extensive italian menu (in thai also0 she orders pad thai noodles, or nam toke(Issan dish) # somehow she actually does have a plate of fine pasta but puts sugar, dried chilli, and fish sauce on it. # there are some other traits that would also suggest she is a compensated date but lets save it for a different post..

I went once to the new diso at Aloft hotel. Very nicely designed place. Was hoping to actually see a moderate % of middle class or higher thai gals BUT the place was overflowing with standard Nana girls perhaps dressed a bit better.

Soi 11 is in the heart of Nana so this is not a surprise. Everything the OP says is consistent with Nana area.

[HardenedSoul]

.I went once to the new diso at Aloft hotel. Very nicely designed place. Was hoping to actually see a moderate % of middle class or higher thai gals BUT the place was overflowing with standard Nana girls perhaps dressed a bit better.

Soi 11 is in the heart of Nana so this is not a surprise. Everything the OP says is consistent with Nana area.

You're talking about Levels and you're right, it is full of prostitutes.

The thing is, though, Levels is taking the likes of Q Bar and, to some extent, Bed Supperclub to the cleaners in terms of customer numbers.

Q Bar is struggling for any number of reasons; It doesn't impose restrictions on ladyboy numbers, it's drinks are seriously watered down and expensive (260 baht for a single shot and mixer), dodgy, seedy old men trawling for roadkill hookers, its location and its dreadful decor. It's at the point now where it's offering free entry and 2 or 3 free drinks to hooke . . . oops, sorry . . . "ladies" in an effort to provide more eye candy for high-spending, bottle-service sex tourists.

Whatever your feelings about Levels, the management do know how to run a club. They've got the location, the size, the decor and a younger, fresher crowd looking to party in much the same way they do back in Europe and other more sophisticated cities. They actually have queues to get in. They don't have a cover charge, the drinks aren't watered down and, because the place is big enough to avoid being too close to the Western whore-mongers, you'll actually see quite a lot of young, middle class, professional Thai people in there too.

Bed Supperclub is a genuine club and although they do bring some very good international DJs to BKK, they also charge upwards of 700 baht to get in. As I said before, BKK is not a destination for real clubbers - people don't come here for quality music; they come here to get smashed and to have sex with a prostitute.

[candypants]

.I went once to the new diso at Aloft hotel. Very nicely designed place. Was hoping to actually see a moderate % of middle class or higher thai gals BUT the place was overflowing with standard Nana girls perhaps dressed a bit better.

Soi 11 is in the heart of Nana so this is not a surprise. Everything the OP says is consistent with Nana area.

You're talking about Levels and you're right, it is full of prostitutes.

The thing is, though, Levels is taking the likes of Q Bar and, to some extent, Bed Supperclub to the cleaners in terms of customer numbers.

Q Bar is struggling for any number of reasons; It doesn't impose restrictions on ladyboy numbers, it's drinks are seriously watered down and expensive (260 baht for a single shot and mixer), dodgy, seedy old men trawling for roadkill hookers, its location and its dreadful decor. It's at the point now where it's offering free entry and 2 or 3 free drinks to hooke . . . oops, sorry . . . "ladies" in an effort to provide more eye candy for high-spending, bottle-service sex tourists.

Whatever your feelings about Levels, the management do know how to run a club. They've got the location, the size, the decor and a younger, fresher crowd looking to party in much the same way they do back in Europe and other more sophisticated cities. They actually have queues to get in. They don't have a cover charge, the drinks aren't watered down and, because the place is big enough to avoid being too close to the Western whore-mongers, you'll actually see quite a lot of young, middle class, professional Thai people in there too.

Bed Supperclub is a genuine club and although they do bring some very good international DJs to BKK, they also charge upwards of 700 baht to get in. As I said before, BKK is not a destination for real clubbers - people don't come here for quality music; they come here to get smashed and to have sex with a prostitute.

i havent been in qbar for at least a year now, but since they sold out to boiler room money, i have heard some very negative reports.

it is a shame, because i was there the day it opened and watched it grow into something very interesting before the decline.

back in the day, a black soda was so strong, you had to carry a pony of soda and top up until it was drinkable.

I had a lot of friends who were early qbar staff, and the place was quit a bit of fun.

Edited April 27, 2013 by candypants

[YeahSiam]

i havent been in qbar for at least a year now, but since they sold out to boiler room money, i have heard some very negative reports.

Yeah boiler room money is all over Sukhumwit.

Soi 11's Mulligan's, Bash, Q Bar, the Australian Pub and Insanity on soi 12 all have boiler room funding floating around in the background somewhere so it's no real surprise to hear they don't have much imagination for runing real businesses.

[HardenedSoul]

@ candypants

What other negative reports have you heard about it?

My gripe is with the drinks bacause, like you, I remember drinks being strong enough to strip paint.

Sure, they were more expensive than other places but you very much got your money's worth.

I find Bash is pretty much the same in terms of alcohol stingyness. Probably owned by the same people

[candypants]

on 11 you forgot ava pub

[candypants]

many of the same complaints you mentioned, the brass used to be at a tolerable level and there was a decent mix of people. the drinks are quite weak now, without any price reduction and the staff a generally regarded as quite snippy.

the music seems to have gone more towards the lowest common denominator as well.

in the last couple years anytime i have been there i have avoided the main room like the plague, if there is no room on the balcony we simply move on.

no one has yet mentioned Above 11 in the Fraser suites, which can be a great place for a sunset drink, the food ok, though overpriced, best urinal in Bangkok.