Bars/disco closing time

[shocky2004]

Just wondering when do you guys think bars/disco will go back to normal regarding the closing time? Is it even gonna go back like it was before (closing at 4-5-6am) or is it gonna stay like it is now? (closing 1-2am max)

[Chicog]

You're drinking in the wrong places.

[true blue]

quite a few discos,for thais close at 4am

[WinnieTheKhwai]

1am-2am IS normal for Chiang Mai.

It's been ages since many places had the freedom to stay open until dawn.

I cannot see this changing for the usual spots.. The tourist bars, Zoe, Spicy, Hot Shot / Bubble, and also most of the local-oriented venues.

2:30am really is the maximum I've seen the last couple years. After that you can find something here and there, mostly because the place is a restaurant (in name or really more restaurant than anything else) or very hush-hush indeed, no music, most staff gone.. so not very entertaining.

As for places outside of the tourist zone.. Not sure if there are any that consistently stay open. Places like Tamnan Folk perhaps? That's a place I see come up on Facebook now and then in check-ins by off duty bargirls.

So I'm only really interested in places where off-duty staff from the tourist scene might hang out. A local oriented place is sometimes okay when you're with a group, but not all that fun for people without friends, like me.

Edited September 22, 2014 by WinnieTheKhwai

[Chicog]

1am-2am IS normal for Chiang Mai.

It's been ages since many places had the freedom to stay open until dawn.

I cannot see this changing for the usual spots.. The tourist bars, Zoe, Spicy, Hot Shot / Bubble, and also most of the local-oriented venues.

2:30am really is the maximum I've seen the last couple years. After that you can find something here and there, mostly because the place is a restaurant (in name or really more restaurant than anything else) or very hush-hush indeed, no music, most staff gone.. so not very entertaining.

As for places outside of the tourist zone.. Not sure if there are any that consistently stay open. Places like Tamnan Folk perhaps? That's a place I see come up on Facebook now and then in check-ins by off duty bargirls.

So I'm only really interested in places where off-duty staff from the tourist scene might hang out. A local oriented place is sometimes okay when you're with a group, but not all that fun for people without friends, like me.

Speak Thai no good?

[northernjohn]

1am-2am IS normal for Chiang Mai.

It's been ages since many places had the freedom to stay open until dawn.

I cannot see this changing for the usual spots.. The tourist bars, Zoe, Spicy, Hot Shot / Bubble, and also most of the local-oriented venues.

2:30am really is the maximum I've seen the last couple years. After that you can find something here and there, mostly because the place is a restaurant (in name or really more restaurant than anything else) or very hush-hush indeed, no music, most staff gone.. so not very entertaining.

As for places outside of the tourist zone.. Not sure if there are any that consistently stay open. Places like Tamnan Folk perhaps? That's a place I see come up on Facebook now and then in check-ins by off duty bargirls.

So I'm only really interested in places where off-duty staff from the tourist scene might hang out. A local oriented place is sometimes okay when you're with a group, but not all that fun for people without friends, like me.

Are you saying

but not all that fun for people without friends, like me

It won't work unless are friend's are like you?

[WinnieTheKhwai]

1am-2am IS normal for Chiang Mai.

It's been ages since many places had the freedom to stay open until dawn.

I cannot see this changing for the usual spots.. The tourist bars, Zoe, Spicy, Hot Shot / Bubble, and also most of the local-oriented venues.

2:30am really is the maximum I've seen the last couple years. After that you can find something here and there, mostly because the place is a restaurant (in name or really more restaurant than anything else) or very hush-hush indeed, no music, most staff gone.. so not very entertaining.

As for places outside of the tourist zone.. Not sure if there are any that consistently stay open. Places like Tamnan Folk perhaps? That's a place I see come up on Facebook now and then in check-ins by off duty bargirls.

So I'm only really interested in places where off-duty staff from the tourist scene might hang out. A local oriented place is sometimes okay when you're with a group, but not all that fun for people without friends, like me.

Speak Thai no good?

My Thai is just fine; it's not a language thing.

Going to Thai oriented pubs means chatting up drunk Thai chicks who are all lying about being single but inevitably have love interests, toy boys, sugar daddies, or whatever else around. And besides it'd be like a dog chasing a UPS truck: if I caught one I wouldn't know what to do with it. (Being happily married and everything). I'd much rather hang out with hookers. No expectations, and actually less BS. Going out is for fun after all, I'm challenged enough at the office.

[Chicog]

Fair enough. How does your missus feel about you hanging out with hookers?

[WinnieTheKhwai]

Fair enough. How does your missus feel about you hanging out with hookers?

Not really an issue; she's much more concerned about hanging out with office girls. She's seen what bargirls are like in Chiang Mai and I guess she decided they're not much of a threat.

Anyway we go to bars together often enough and she has a pretty good sense of what goes on there. Unlike some of her Thai friends who are in NGOs and Christian/missionary type organizations that claim to be working to help people in the sex trade, but actually really don't have a clue.

Edited September 22, 2014 by WinnieTheKhwai

[AnotherOneAmerican]

Two funny posts in a row, you on a roll Winnie!

Edited September 22, 2014 by AnotherOneAmerican

[Wallich]

Tamnan Folk closes at 1am.

All Loi Kroh Bars and Boxing Bars close at Midnight.

[BlackArtemis]

Differ, Fabrique, and Bangkok bar were all after hours places. Sometimes the Zoe area is open, sometimes it isn't. Infinity is open to about 3 isn't it?

What about Eve bar and all those small places back near Old old new spicy?

I don't recall ever really having a problem finding a bar open til 4-5am, now that I am back in the US my liver is thanking me.

[Chicog]

Tamnan Folk closes at 1am.

All Loi Kroh Bars and Boxing Bars close at Midnight.

Is that the same as "put the shutters down"?

[WinnieTheKhwai]

Heads up for tonight (Friday): looks like Carnival Bar on Loy Kroh might go late.. They're having another one of their parties that feature imported Coyote Dancers (imported from Lamphun) as well as the inevitable BBQ.

Won't be crazy late, but later than usual.

It's between the moat and the Raming Lodge Hotel, on the left when coming from the moat.

[Tokay]

quite a few discos,for thais close at 4am

One I know of stays open until 10am. The Thai bars seem to do whatever they want.

The bars for foreigners are closed early for their own protection, I'm sure.

[Trujillo]

She's seen what bargirls are like in Chiang Mai and I guess she decided they're not much of a threat.

Considering their average age is about 40+ and the rest look like they have been chasing parked UPS trucks....

[dave2]

re

Heads up for tonight (Friday): looks like Carnival Bar on Loy Kroh might go late.. They're having another one of their parties that feature imported Coyote Dancers (imported from Lamphun) as well as the inevitable BBQ.

i was in another bar not far away when i read this last night and decided to wander over to see what some coyote dancers from a one eyed town like lumphun looked like

the bar was quite busy . the bbq was there but the dancers were nowhere to be seen or heard !

the only thing that made the walk worth it was i saw and played with marcos cat coz shes a stunner

maybe they were having a break or hadnt arrived yet but i was there at 11 ish

dave2

ps ... the police and army have almost gone from thaphae gate and chiang puak gate now so theres only a very small token show of power now but i dont think loi kroh bars will ever be allowed to open to open late like they used to

[scd]

A few bars and discos around the place are returning to their old ways. One or two well known one's are now opened much later than, say a month or so ago.

[Beetlejuice]

She's seen what bargirls are like in Chiang Mai and I guess she decided they're not much of a threat.

Considering their average age is about 40+ and the rest look like they have been chasing parked UPS trucks....

Ha, ha, ha, what you said just about sums up the whole of the Chiang Mai adults entertainment scene.

For us westerners in Chiang Mai who enjoy a bit of wine, women and song the Loi Kroh Road is about all there is, virtually nothing else outside that area. I am sure Chiang Mai is known as the ancient city because of the age of it`s hookers.

As for the early closing times of bars and such like, the situation will only become progressively worse, as it has done over the last 10 years or so. There will not be any vibrant new array of nightlife coming your way soon. But of course if anyone knows better, please speak up now?

[WinnieTheKhwai]

I think it became progressively better over the last 20 years or so. Number of bars is way up, number of staff is up, higher diversity of places even within the tourist scene, and actually better looking girls, although that could be me as I like tall and curvy. If anyone tells you otherwise ask to see their old pictures of 10-15-20 years ago and show how the girls looked better. (Hint: they didn't. But memories sure get better over time). Or if you don't know anyone from that time then there's plenty on a Google image search of Thailand bars in the 1980s and 1990s.

The only area where you might objectively prefer the old days is in closing times. Without getting into too much detail, also the earlier closing times can be a very good thing for many people. Remember when you had to pay the bar to take a staff member to a club, disco, etc? That pretty much went away as most staff are curb-side not too long after midnight.

Edited October 7, 2014 by WinnieTheKhwai

[dave2]

re

better looking girls, although that could be me as I like tall and curvy.

and .... are curb-side not too long after midnight.

outside chiang mai comercial college ?

winnie ... i had no idea

just joshin !

dave2

[terminatorchiangmai]

quite a few discos,for thais close at 4am

One I know of stays open until 10am. The Thai bars seem to do whatever they want.

The bars for foreigners are closed early for their own protection, I'm sure.

Hi Tokay, please pm me for the location of the place that stays open till 10:00AM.

I usually wake up at 6 so that would be perfect for me on my day off, unless you mean Lucky then i will give it a miss.

Thanks.

[WinnieTheKhwai]

quite a few discos,for thais close at 4am

One I know of stays open until 10am. The Thai bars seem to do whatever they want.

The bars for foreigners are closed early for their own protection, I'm sure.

Hi Tokay, please pm me for the location of the place that stays open till 10:00AM.

I usually wake up at 6 so that would be perfect for me on my day off, unless you mean Lucky then i will give it a miss.

LOL, I've done that once and it's *incredibly* weird. That was way back when Thermae went on into the morning, and I decided to go there fresh off the bus to Bangkok. Bus got in like 4:30am, then took a taxi straight to Thermae.

But it really doesn't work, as you hit a place ueber-sober after your morning coffee, and let's just say that the surrounds work better when you're in a similar state to the rest of the asylum.

It's almost as weird as watching the Super Bowl at that hour.

What does work for me is daytime clubbing like you get (got?) on Sunday afternoons in Hong Kong. Philippina maids & nannies literally went straight out of church into the daytime clubs that were well underway early afternoon.

Edited October 7, 2014 by WinnieTheKhwai

[Konini]

So I'm only really interested in places where off-duty staff from the tourist scene might hang out. A local oriented place is sometimes okay when you're with a group, but not all that fun for people without friends, like me.

Odd - that's exactly what my husband does, he knows lots of the little places where staff from hotels and bars relax before making their way to bed, and likes talking to them.

And from earlier comments from others; my husband goes out during the day and at night and he talks to bar girls. I have no qualms about this. Everything is up front, he's not interested in boom-boom and if a potential customer comes in, conversation over until the next time he sees her (or him, he doesn't discriminate between bargirls and lady boys, they all have their stories to tell, some of them quite interesting). I know a couple of other expats living here with their farang wives who they've been married to for 30-odd years who do the same thing. And like me, the wives aren't worried or disgusted or anything. And although it's always said that women are gossips and talk too much etc, I've found that men seem to be more social than women.

I've always been a loner staring at a computer screen or a set of figures, but Mr K worked in machine shops and workshops and factories from leaving school, surrounded for at least 8 hours every day by lots of men. When we retired, he really missed the company of having people around him. He still does. He needs to go out and be with people, talk to people, and he does. He needs to because he would get bored if he didn't and start drinking during the day, which I believe is the start of the slippery slope. He's drinking soda water and talking to girls or boys or both. I don't feel threatened in the slightest, and although I don't know any Thai women who's husband does this, I do know Australian, American, Canadian and English women who are just like me and have a husband that does it, and just like me, they don't mind in the slightest.

A lot of people don't get it, some even tell me that he's out there doing the boom-boom thing behind my back with my seal of approval, but he isn't, and it's really not a problem.

Better than him slowly turning into an alcoholic and drinking himself to death like so many expats we know and see daily being a step closer to the grave. I think seeing these men helps to keep him off drinking too much. I try not to pity them, they don't want pity and it would be condescending anyway, but the truth is that they have no family that cares about them, nothing to do, nowhere to go, nobody to go home to; they're lonely and the booze is the only real friend they have. There are quite a few I know from living at Smith's Residence for a long time who I go and spend maybe an hour with every now and again, not to be patronising but because I want to talk to them. Unlike most people they talk to I don't pretend, I don't ignore the elephant in the room. They know and I know that they really are just waiting to die, and I think they appreciate the honesty of my not saying things like 'You'll be back to your old self soon' because they won't be. Some are in better health than others, one in particular who probably won't last much longer, but they have one thing in common; they are all very, very lonely, and very, very bored, and the booze is the only thing they have left.

In a way, it's good that there are (and always will be) men like this around, because they keep men like my husband on their toes; a constant reminder right in their faces that if they start drinking during the day or drinking every day or drinking too much, they will eventually drive their wives away and they'll end up being one of these unhappy, lonely men.

Sad, but true.

[JulieM]

Is there a particular bar which is good for daytime drinking? I mean I'd like to find a place where I can find a crowd and share some gossip.

But as the above poster mentions, I don't think drinking while the sun is still up is a good idea at all. Maybe once a year at most.

[Chicog]

So I'm only really interested in places where off-duty staff from the tourist scene might hang out. A local oriented place is sometimes okay when you're with a group, but not all that fun for people without friends, like me.

Odd - that's exactly what my husband does, he knows lots of the little places where staff from hotels and bars relax before making their way to bed, and likes talking to them.

And from earlier comments from others; my husband goes out during the day and at night and he talks to bar girls. I have no qualms about this. Everything is up front, he's not interested in boom-boom and if a potential customer comes in, conversation over until the next time he sees her (or him, he doesn't discriminate between bargirls and lady boys, they all have their stories to tell, some of them quite interesting). I know a couple of other expats living here with their farang wives who they've been married to for 30-odd years who do the same thing. And like me, the wives aren't worried or disgusted or anything. And although it's always said that women are gossips and talk too much etc, I've found that men seem to be more social than women.

I've always been a loner staring at a computer screen or a set of figures, but Mr K worked in machine shops and workshops and factories from leaving school, surrounded for at least 8 hours every day by lots of men. When we retired, he really missed the company of having people around him. He still does. He needs to go out and be with people, talk to people, and he does. He needs to because he would get bored if he didn't and start drinking during the day, which I believe is the start of the slippery slope. He's drinking soda water and talking to girls or boys or both. I don't feel threatened in the slightest, and although I don't know any Thai women who's husband does this, I do know Australian, American, Canadian and English women who are just like me and have a husband that does it, and just like me, they don't mind in the slightest.

A lot of people don't get it, some even tell me that he's out there doing the boom-boom thing behind my back with my seal of approval, but he isn't, and it's really not a problem.

Better than him slowly turning into an alcoholic and drinking himself to death like so many expats we know and see daily being a step closer to the grave. I think seeing these men helps to keep him off drinking too much. I try not to pity them, they don't want pity and it would be condescending anyway, but the truth is that they have no family that cares about them, nothing to do, nowhere to go, nobody to go home to; they're lonely and the booze is the only real friend they have. There are quite a few I know from living at Smith's Residence for a long time who I go and spend maybe an hour with every now and again, not to be patronising but because I want to talk to them. Unlike most people they talk to I don't pretend, I don't ignore the elephant in the room. They know and I know that they really are just waiting to die, and I think they appreciate the honesty of my not saying things like 'You'll be back to your old self soon' because they won't be. Some are in better health than others, one in particular who probably won't last much longer, but they have one thing in common; they are all very, very lonely, and very, very bored, and the booze is the only thing they have left.

In a way, it's good that there are (and always will be) men like this around, because they keep men like my husband on their toes; a constant reminder right in their faces that if they start drinking during the day or drinking every day or drinking too much, they will eventually drive their wives away and they'll end up being one of these unhappy, lonely men.

Sad, but true.

That's why the dolly mixtures dried up then....

[WinnieTheKhwai]

Is there a particular bar which is good for daytime drinking? I mean I'd like to find a place where I can find a crowd and share some gossip.

Not in the tourist scene in Chiang Mai before 4pm. Even in Bangkok I don't know of anything really appealing. (S.7 Beer garden maybe but I don't really like it.)

Pattaya is a good place for that though.

[JulieM]

I see. So are the daytime drinkers doing it at home, or outside the tourist scene...? I honestly thought the answer would be "John's Place" but that shows how little I get into town in the daytime.

Edited October 7, 2014 by JulieM

[heybruce]

Last century/millennium I participated in some all day drunk beach volleyball tournaments in California, and had a few all day drinking beach weekends with friends in Mexico, but these were not every day, or every weekend, events. I don't recall any all day drinking sessions that didn't involve a beach, and can't think of why I'd want to do it a bar, or anywhere except a beach. Well, maybe a few days camping near a good trout stream, but I think all day drinking sessions are definitely outdoor activities.

[Beetlejuice]

So I'm only really interested in places where off-duty staff from the tourist scene might hang out. A local oriented place is sometimes okay when you're with a group, but not all that fun for people without friends, like me.

Odd - that's exactly what my husband does, he knows lots of the little places where staff from hotels and bars relax before making their way to bed, and likes talking to them.

And from earlier comments from others; my husband goes out during the day and at night and he talks to bar girls. I have no qualms about this. Everything is up front, he's not interested in boom-boom and if a potential customer comes in, conversation over until the next time he sees her (or him, he doesn't discriminate between bargirls and lady boys, they all have their stories to tell, some of them quite interesting). I know a couple of other expats living here with their farang wives who they've been married to for 30-odd years who do the same thing. And like me, the wives aren't worried or disgusted or anything. And although it's always said that women are gossips and talk too much etc, I've found that men seem to be more social than women.

I've always been a loner staring at a computer screen or a set of figures, but Mr K worked in machine shops and workshops and factories from leaving school, surrounded for at least 8 hours every day by lots of men. When we retired, he really missed the company of having people around him. He still does. He needs to go out and be with people, talk to people, and he does. He needs to because he would get bored if he didn't and start drinking during the day, which I believe is the start of the slippery slope. He's drinking soda water and talking to girls or boys or both. I don't feel threatened in the slightest, and although I don't know any Thai women who's husband does this, I do know Australian, American, Canadian and English women who are just like me and have a husband that does it, and just like me, they don't mind in the slightest.

A lot of people don't get it, some even tell me that he's out there doing the boom-boom thing behind my back with my seal of approval, but he isn't, and it's really not a problem.

Better than him slowly turning into an alcoholic and drinking himself to death like so many expats we know and see daily being a step closer to the grave. I think seeing these men helps to keep him off drinking too much. I try not to pity them, they don't want pity and it would be condescending anyway, but the truth is that they have no family that cares about them, nothing to do, nowhere to go, nobody to go home to; they're lonely and the booze is the only real friend they have. There are quite a few I know from living at Smith's Residence for a long time who I go and spend maybe an hour with every now and again, not to be patronising but because I want to talk to them. Unlike most people they talk to I don't pretend, I don't ignore the elephant in the room. They know and I know that they really are just waiting to die, and I think they appreciate the honesty of my not saying things like 'You'll be back to your old self soon' because they won't be. Some are in better health than others, one in particular who probably won't last much longer, but they have one thing in common; they are all very, very lonely, and very, very bored, and the booze is the only thing they have left.

In a way, it's good that there are (and always will be) men like this around, because they keep men like my husband on their toes; a constant reminder right in their faces that if they start drinking during the day or drinking every day or drinking too much, they will eventually drive their wives away and they'll end up being one of these unhappy, lonely men.

Sad, but true.

Sorry to say this and my intentions are not to try and make of light of what you have said, but the way you have described Mr Konini`s situation is as if he is bored out of his mind and could be on the brink of going astray or becoming an alcoholic. Reading between the lines I think you are aware of this also.

I too miss the companionship of my old work colleges, having been fully retired now for the last 3 years and I do admit at times I start to wonder what my purpose in life has become and too feel extremely bored on occasions and as I get older my friends are starting to dwindle away.

But there are dangers to this and self control and cautions are advised. Firstly, drink is very cheap in Thailand and it is easy if not careful to become a chain smoking alcoholic in no time, sometimes it`s harder not to, and as regarding the bar scene and women of ill repute, this is no longer a cheap pass time in Thailand, not even in Chiang Mai. One could easily get through 80000 baht per month if regularly involved in the bar scene, I kid you not. There are still those who believe, especially the guys who are advancing in years, that once they plonk themselves in Thailand it will be like an elixir of life for them, that somehow the clock will be turned back, they will be perceived by the Thai women as young hansum men and can have another swing at sowing their wild oats, but this is a great miscomprehended, because it rarely works out that way for one reason or another.

Over my time here I have seen many guys that have gone astray, taken to booze, taking on women and a social lifestyle that they can’t afford, often breaking up with their spouses and have been left destitute, in ruin and have even died. So if you do have any doubts regarding the contentment of your husband living in Chiang Mai, tell him to read this post that may enlightening him a little bit.