Can Bangkok stop the decline of its nightlife?

[iluvbeaches]

So there is obviously room for nitches in such a large city.

And the niches are catered to, there really is something for all types of people in BKK. It's just that you don't seem to like those places that is all. Many others do hence why most clubs are packed every weekend.

Sure but I don't see anything wrong with constructive criticism. If there was a better place maybe it would be more popular. This forum is for the exchange of ideas, my opinion is just that.

[Commander Tamson]

So there is obviously room for nitches in such a large city.

And the niches are catered to, there really is something for all types of people in BKK. It's just that you don't seem to like those places that is all. Many others do hence why most clubs are packed every weekend.

On the other hand, of course, nothing is perfect. I club with the GF and a varying amount of other friends (depending on whose in town & whose around). We like to stay out late and we like house. Sometimes you have to put up with the whore-filled open late clubs if you like a packed club with loud thumping music. Don't make eye contact with anyone (male or female) outside your circle and you are rarely if ever troubled.

I live in Thailand, and therefore can't [obviously] get to Berlin, London, Edinburgh, New York clubs. Bangkok nightlife is fine by me - we always find somewhere that suits our mood no matter the night of the week - not always on the first try, but after midnight there are always plenty of taxis around and the streets aren't too busy.

Thanks to all for some of the club suggestions - there are a couple in there that we haven't tried, but now will.

Shake that booty people!

[HardenedSoul]

.

And the niches are catered to, there really is something for all types of people in BKK. It's just that you don't seem to like those places that is all. Many others do hence why most clubs are packed every weekend.

On the other hand, of course, nothing is perfect. I club with the GF and a varying amount of other friends (depending on whose in town & whose around). We like to stay out late and we like house. Sometimes you have to put up with the whore-filled open late clubs if you like a packed club with loud thumping music. Don't make eye contact with anyone (male or female) outside your circle and you are rarely if ever troubled.

I live in Thailand, and therefore can't [obviously] get to Berlin, London, Edinburgh, New York clubs. Bangkok nightlife is fine by me - we always find somewhere that suits our mood no matter the night of the week - not always on the first try, but after midnight there are always plenty of taxis around and the streets aren't too busy.

Thanks to all for some of the club suggestions - there are a couple in there that we haven't tried, but now will.

Shake that booty people!

Yep.

I don't particularly like being surrounded by whores and, worse still, the mindless, pissed up morons chasing them around like dogs on heat but, unfortunately, I'm extremely music sensitive.

Indeed Bash, Bed etc are full of these people but if you go on the right night, they play the kind of house music that I, personally, find irresistible.

Sure there are places where there are no hookers or sex-mad tourists/expats but they're playing the musical equivalent of waterboarding, <deleted>.

Go to Demo, Muse, Funky Villa or Safe House and see how long you last listening to that drivel - stunning girls or not

[meom]

If you're so music sensitive why go to clubs at all?

A good sound system at home won't break the bank, invite some like-minded souls and get the party going.

Plus it saves you the hazzle of potential police check points on the way home, piss-testing etc.

[Commander Tamson]

If you're so music sensitive why go to clubs at all?

A good sound system at home won't break the bank, invite some like-minded souls and get the party going.

Plus it saves you the hazzle of potential police check points on the way home, piss-testing etc.

I think there's slightly more chance of a police raid at your condo, when the neighbors complain about the rave you have going on there!

[meom]

If you're so music sensitive why go to clubs at all?

A good sound system at home won't break the bank, invite some like-minded souls and get the party going.

Plus it saves you the hazzle of potential police check points on the way home, piss-testing etc.

I think there's slightly more chance of a police raid at your condo, when the neighbors complain about the rave you have going on there!

Not sure if it's the insulation or the neighbours were invited but I've been to a few let's say after parties where nobody seemed to care about the level of decibels.

In case your condo is not soundproof you can always rent one of those karaoke rooms with a couple of friends. Bring your own music, booze and anything else you like and let's party.

[Commander Tamson]

[

Not sure if it's the insulation or the neighbours were invited but I've been to a few let's say after parties where nobody seemed to care about the level of decibels.

In case your condo is not soundproof you can always rent one of those karaoke rooms with a couple of friends. Bring your own music, booze and anything else you like and let's party.

Sounds like there's an invitation somewhere in there Meom?

Edited August 8, 2013 by Commander Tamson

[HardenedSoul]

If you're so music sensitive why go to clubs at all?

A good sound system at home won't break the bank, invite some like-minded souls and get the party going.

Plus it saves you the hazzle of potential police check points on the way home, piss-testing etc.

Yeah sure.

Ok well why don't you try throwing a party like that on anything approaching a regular basis and let us know what happens.

If you're lucky, your neighbours will take the legal route to your landlord through the juristic person. Kiss your rental contract renewal goodbye

If you're unlucky, you'll have a break in and your sound system will end up fetching a handful of baht in Chatuchak somewhere.

Rest assured, no one will have seen a damn thing.

[meom]

There's always private parties going on at various condos, homes, hotels etc.

Some start early and some start late.

I mean you've been around long enough so surely you must've been invited sometimes to continue the party at somebody's place when it's closing time.

Bangkok has a vibrant "underground" scene and if you hook-up with like minded people it's not to difficult to find what you're looking for.

Sure I like good music but I don't need other people around me to enjoy it so I would not organize a party where music is the theme.

I've " organized" a few parties in Bangkok where playing rummy and other stuff were more important than the music. Sure music was there but nothing to wake up the neighborhood.

[TheSpade]

I'm quite content if the company is good. That's more important to me than music. If the company is good I can sit on the pavement for 12hrs and drink beer and not care...actually did that last week. Music being to my tastes helps but at the end of the day good music but terrible company or surrounded by undesirables makes it a not very pleasant experience.

Still you can find almost anything you're looking for in BKK and seeing as most nights of the week there are packed clubs and bars all over town they are obviously doing something right.

[humbug]

narz used to be narcissus as you ho down soi 23 its the first soi on the right side and about 200 meters on the corner bend from the start of the turning

honestly if the bed club wasnt going to close down these types of articles wouldnt exist claiming the end of western style nightlife

[Commander Tamson]

narz used to be narcissus as you ho down soi 23 its the first soi on the right side and about 200 meters on the corner bend from the start of the turning

honestly if the bed club wasnt going to close down these types of articles wouldnt exist claiming the end of western style nightlife

Bed is closing down??

[Trembly]

narz used to be narcissus as you ho down soi 23 its the first soi on the right side and about 200 meters on the corner bend from the start of the turning

honestly if the bed club wasnt going to close down these types of articles wouldnt exist claiming the end of western style nightlife

Comprehension FAIL.

The article wasn't claiming the end of western nightlife in Thailand, it was saying that it's a shame that Bangkok lacks the plurality of nightlife and depth of artistic talent (and appreciation thereof) of the west.

Edited August 11, 2013 by Trembly

[Benaud]

Great read

Only been here 2 months but haven't really been out to a decent club yet, just bars etc.

Might have to try this rooftop bar at Khao San Rd... always up for some mischief!

[TheSpade]

Whilst the Roof Top bar is one of the better farang orientated bars at Kowsan I wouldn't get too excited about it. It's a decent atmosphere but still packed full of drunken backpacker <deleted> drinking buckets and being far too rowdy. Pricey as well for a kowsan bar. Buckets are 500B compared to 200-300 elsewhere. Beers are over 10B for a small if I remember right.

[MilesofSmiles]

narz used to be narcissus as you ho down soi 23 its the first soi on the right side and about 200 meters on the corner bend from the start of the turning

honestly if the bed club wasnt going to close down these types of articles wouldnt exist claiming the end of western style nightlife

Bed is closing down??

Aug 31

[Commander Tamson]

polymere

Bed is closing down??

Aug 31

No great loss really. Was expensive and not really holding its own against places like Narz

[Rumblecat]

Yeah the lease was up and I think they were hit pretty badly popularity wise by places like Levels. They've got plans to relaunch it in a different area sometime in the future.

[Commander Tamson]

Yeah the lease was up and I think they were hit pretty badly popularity wise by places like Levels. They've got plans to relaunch it in a different area sometime in the future.

Just had a look at Levels Facebook page. - looks good! Any personal experiences/recommendations? Particularly the best nights to go?

[HardenedSoul]

Yeah the lease was up and I think they were hit pretty badly popularity wise by places like Levels. They've got plans to relaunch it in a different area sometime in the future.

Just had a look at Levels Facebook page. - looks good! Any personal experiences/recommendations? Particularly the best nights to go?

It's not good.

Music . . . awful

People . . . hookers and punters

You pay for the decor and the "cachet"

[TheSpade]

Indeed. Levels is a hooker and sex tourist filled club (with a few misguided 'hipster' locals who mistakenly think they are cool) masquerading as a high end and stylish venue. Over priced entry and over priced drinks. Terrible music. Terrible crowd. You'd be better off just going to Spicy at least it's not pretending to something it's not.

[Commander Tamson]

Thanks guys; so Levels stays off the menu

[HardenedSoul]

Thanks guys; so Levels stays off the menu

Wouldn't say that, CT.

Always worth having a look yourself but, personally, the last time I went was when they brought over Todd Terry about this time last year. I paid my dosh at the door, bought a drink and the legend performed as billed . . . for all of about an hour at which point the sound system decided to chuck its toys with an hour or more of the night to go.

The resident clowns got it working again only for it to pack up again 5 minutes later and so it went on until Mr. Terry just abandoned the decks and posed for photos with the audience.

The fact Levels didn't have anyone qualified on duty to fix the sound system on a night with one of house music's founding fathers should tell you where their priorities lie and, to add insult to injury, the stingy bastards couldn't even provide a partial refund or a few free drinks for the disappointed attendees. Say what you like about Bed Supperclub but they would've handled that SO much more professionally.

That pretty much cooked Levels' goose as far as I was concerned - haven't been back since.

[Metapod]

just go to RCA...

If you are a young bloke you don't have to party in the hooker clubs. Plenty of fun and action to be had at Thai venues.

[Commander Tamson]

just go to RCA...

If you are a young bloke you don't have to party in the hooker clubs. Plenty of fun and action to be had at Thai venues.

Read the whole thread man - it's as much about the music as it is about those who go! RCA has Flix - full stop

[samran]

I believe they should title this article "First World Problems". To be honest, I think the OP is growing up and finding the trends of the young hipsters are moving away from what she likes.

[Metapod]

just go to RCA...

If you are a young bloke you don't have to party in the hooker clubs. Plenty of fun and action to be had at Thai venues.

Read the whole thread man - it's as much about the music as it is about those who go! RCA has Flix - full stop

Slim and Route.

And who goes to club for music? Clubs are for getting laid. You go where the girls go.

[Briggsy]

I think this writer should move to Amsterdam or the Spanish islands. Nowt for her here. This is Thailand.

[HardenedSoul]

just go to RCA...

If you are a young bloke you don't have to party in the hooker clubs. Plenty of fun and action to be had at Thai venues.

Read the whole thread man - it's as much about the music as it is about those who go! RCA has Flix - full stop

Slim and Route.

And who goes to club for music? Clubs are for getting laid. You go where the girls go.

Sure use the clubs to get laid if you can't pull in any other setting but don't ask such an moronic question like "who goes to clubs for music?"

[TheSpade]

Sure use the clubs to get laid if you can't pull in any other setting but don't ask such an moronic question like "who goes to clubs for music?"

I guarantee he very rarely gets laid from girls he meets in either Route 66 or Fix / Slim anyway.