safety in chiang mai bars

[chiang mai]

Just now, montypython said:

can i rephrase??

im young and want to smash every sti riddled prostitute i come across

 

happy now??

 

Repeat after me, I must learn to develop a sense of humour whilst posting on TVF!

[montypython]

Just now, chiang mai said:

 

Repeat after me, I must learn to develop a sense of humour whilst posting on TVF!

ill shag you too if i see you      

[chiang mai]

1 minute ago, montypython said:

ill shag you too if i see you      

 

You just guaranteed that you wont.

[montypython]

2 minutes ago, chiang mai said:

 

You just guaranteed that you wont.

   lol

thats a good thing

 

Edited December 22, 2016 by montypython

[chicowoodduck]

Safe as can be.....I always go with my bodyguard just in case....good luck...??

[montypython]

thats a tasty looking apple in his mouth 

can i get his number???  

 

 

[Ace of Pop]

Funny everyone calls em Bouncers ,sad times for P C wimps


Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect

[Chip Allen]

The only danger is that you might die of BOREDOM, if you are accustomed to places like Pattaya. 

[Ondral]

When I was living in Chiang Mai last year I went to Zoe in Yellow many times and never saw any fights.  It is a lot of fun if you and your girlfriend like to dance.  And when Zoe closes its just a quick trip over to Spicy for after hours dancing.  Its all a matter of what you enjoy.

[mike324]

If you are the type that gets drunk easily and does not know what happens next, or aren't afraid to say fck you, or gets ticked off if someone bumps into you without saying sorry, perhaps best to avoid bars / clubs. Its really as simple as that.

[lvr181]

4 hours ago, chiang mai said:

Tip: if you're going to drink in bars, pay for you drinks as you get them, do not run a tab (or bin as it's called here) that way there can be no misunderstanding about who has to pay how much and when, the most common cause of problems in Thai bars. If you do that, plus stay civil and keep your hands off others people's girlfriends you'll get along just fine - and if a bouncer should punch you, smile and say thank you then walk away..

 

Good advice. DON'T challenge a bouncer unless your 7 foot high, 6 foot across the shoulders, built like a brick sh*t house, know military unarmed combat and packing a weapon. Even then you may still lose.

 

Otherwise just enjoy yourself 

[durian explorer]

Chiang Mai is a very safe place. I agree with others here who have said or implied that most people who experience violence here behaved in a way that brought it on themselves. I've only lived in Thailand for a few months so far, but have done a lot of reading and spoken with people and that seems to be the case.

 

Chiang Mai is extremely tame compared with Bangkok, Pattaya, Phuket, etc., with regard to sex, so it won't be in your face.

 

There are many, many bars in Chiang Mai.  If you like music, there is lots of live music, including folk, rock, and jazz, and Thai classical. If you want to speak with others, probably best to avoid a music bar because they're usually loud. Another differentiator is Thai/foreign. I don't go to many bars, but most I see have either a Thai or a foreign clientele.

 

It's probably best for you to stay inside the Old City, as there are a multitude of bars (and restaurants and other tourist oriented services) there to choose from that mostly cater to foreigners.

 

Lastly, welcome to ThaiVisa.  Unfortunately we have some people here who like to be nasty, but most are helpful and nice, and there's a lot of good information here.

 

[stephenterry]

Waste of time going anywhere near Zoe, apart from UN Irish pub and Archers (low cost) who both cater for sports-minded Farangs of all ages. Hit the moat area - lots of live music pubs, and anywhere down Loh Kroh road which is full of restaurants and bars, one or two good-looking girls, and fairly quiet - apart from a few bars in the Boxing ring entertainments centre who play music at high-volume.  But it could be worth trolling through from 7pm onwards. There's a couple of small quieter bars where drink prices are not excessive - and some larger bars where drink prices are excessive, IMO. 

 

Ninimini-whatever is full of Chinese tourists and out of the main city area, only suitable if you're renting in that location. And to echo  what one poster said, do NOT enter or let a tuk-tuk take you to any karaoke bar/club (particularly on Changklan road) unless you want to be fleeced - or get into trouble.

 

[Mousehound]

Chiang Mai is a very safe place generally compared with just about anywhere I know.  As stated keep away from the karaoke bars.  Dodgy bars are really pretty rare but you can usually pick them from the scruffy Thai Visa members that drink there. LOL.

 

TV posters will whine on about back packers all day long but I have met some really interesting ones among them.  Seriously the only problems I have ever come across have involved farangs and in particular ex-pats that have had too much to drink and think the world revolves around them, and only once has that occurred in CM.  On the few times I have witnessed unpleasantness it has been in BKK or Pattaya.  CM ex-pats are 99% a pretty good lot.  Theft is pretty rare here and violent crimes more so.  Just be street wise.  Settle prices for tuk tuks at night before you get in them.  Use Tuk Tuks only if you have to.  learn a few words of Thai - it helps a lot. Smile and speak a few words of Thai and CM can be a really fun experience.

[elgenon]

Don't get drunk and obnoxious and you will be fine. CM is the best city for music and art.

[NoshowJones]

2 hours ago, scottiejohn said:

Do not go into a bar that needs a bouncer! (anywhere)

I have been saying this for years, I am a non drinker and non monger, but I cannot understand anyone going into a bar where there are bouncers standing at the door just itching for an excuse to fight, I cannot understand why bouncers are needed, unless of course a bit of cheating goes on amongst the staff. Another reason to avoid that particular bar.

If any drunks start causing trouble, then let the decent drinkers sort them out, if a bar has nothing to fear, there is no need for bouncers.

[NoshowJones]

1 hour ago, Keith Bennett said:

Chiang Mai is a very safe place. I agree with others here who have said or implied that most people who experience violence here behaved in a way that brought it on themselves. I've only lived in Thailand for a few months so far, but have done a lot of reading and spoken with people and that seems to be the case.

 

Chiang Mai is extremely tame compared with Bangkok, Pattaya, Phuket, etc., with regard to sex, so it won't be in your face.

 

There are many, many bars in Chiang Mai.  If you like music, there is lots of live music, including folk, rock, and jazz, and Thai classical. If you want to speak with others, probably best to avoid a music bar because they're usually loud. Another differentiator is Thai/foreign. I don't go to many bars, but most I see have either a Thai or a foreign clientele.

 

It's probably best for you to stay inside the Old City, as there are a multitude of bars (and restaurants and other tourist oriented services) there to choose from that mostly cater to foreigners.

 

Lastly, welcome to ThaiVisa.  Unfortunately we have some people here who like to be nasty, but most are helpful and nice, and there's a lot of good information here.

 

Good post mate, especially the last paragraph.

[Americano555]

14 hours ago, KhonKaenKowboy said:

The trashpackers have been successful at transforming about 1/4 of the most area into Koa San Road, and making it resemble anything but the rest of Thailand.  I doubt the people mixing the bucket drinks even know what is in them.  I walked by there one night after cloising, and expected to see a party that had spilled onto the streets as reported.  Hardly...just a group's of 8 farang guys without a girl or a clue.  Thug, roidhead bouncers often comp!iment roidhead amateur bucket drinkers.  "F."

Did you read the question? 

[wump]

The reviews for Zoe in Yellow on Tridadvisor are pretty scary. If beatings occur that regularly and with such brutality the place should be closed down IMO.

[scottiejohn]

13 minutes ago, Americano555 said:

Did you read the question? 

Are you saying you expect 'KKK' to read a post and then make a positive comment?

[elgordo38]

14 hours ago, montypython said:

im not going to let it ruin my holiday

If you do not want your holidays ruined stay out of bars. Works for me. I have read to many of those "What the H am I doing here statements" when its 2 in the morning and a fight breaks out. Innocent people are usually the first ones to get decked. 

[Scott3000]

Hi Montypython,

 

Your question is valid -- you've got your reasons for coming to Chiang Mai, and if you want to go to bars at night, that's your prerogative. I began reading some of the replies, then stopped.

 

Many suggestions are worthwhile about Chiang Mai in general, others are not. But they do not address your specific question about Zoe in Yellow, and they are a bit hyped, and superficial. I will attempt to address YOUR question, as YOU have asked it.

 

First up, Zoe in Yellow is the central bar, in what can be considered a sort of open air complex of music-oriented bars and restaurants conveniently situated in the east side of the old town. These are not the girly bars. There may be some freelancers working Zoe in Yellow itself, but much less than the quasi late-night venue, Spicy, about 300 meters east, just outside the old town.

 

Zoe in Yellow is the central, most mainstream, pop-type (think Brittany Spears, Gangnam Style, Lady Gaga, etc.) dance club of the mix. It's also open air. There are several different options to choose from, including more chill-type bars like Havana. There's a hard core heavy metal bar with live music; an electronic/trance bar; a reggae bar with live music; a ska bar with live music; an Indian restaurant within the complex and several more on the street; another restaurant with a pleasant, big wooden deck & tables & chairs on the corner; a smaller dance bar across from Zoe in Yellow -- with air conditioning, packed during the hotter months; plus an array of pushcart food vendors selling pizza, kebabs, that kind of thing. Just pick which one or ones you like.

 

As for dangers, just keep your wits about you, especially as the night wears on, and drink responsibly. Zoe in Yellow is not the only bar there, but it is the central, main bar, the center of attention, and its mainstream style makes it the biggest draw of the lot, the most crowded by far. I find it to be the most likely location of a few people becoming drunk & stupid later on in the night. But by all means, I have never seen any person or persons anywhere in the complex looking menacing as they stalk some or other unwitting victim. NEVER. It could happen, and Zoe in Yellow would be the most common location for it, but it's no more likely to happen there than anywhere else in the world.

 

As for drinks, I get the impression the different bars have some sort of arrangement among themselves. If you buy a drink in one bar and wander over to another with your drink in your hand, that has never been a problem, as far as I can tell. I would tend not to buy a drink at Zoe in Yellow itself, as it does strike me as a sort of cash generating machine. The reggae bar, Roots Rock Reggae, strikes me as the best place to buy a drink, for price and service.

 

I do not frequent these places, but I do go there sometimes, usually to ska or reggae or trance, and over the course of several years, so I know what I'm talking about. Zoe in Yellow is the one I like least of the bunch -- pop is just not my style. The other surrounding bars & restaurants within the complex do seem much less likely to host a violent outburst, without a doubt. The biggest danger that I am mindful of is to keep an eye out for a drunk motor bike driver speeding thru the complex to the parking lot, which is inconveniently located as far from the street as possible.

 

Finally, FYI, "Zoe in Yellow" is pronounced, "Yello Bah" in Thai English, if you want a tuk tuk or song taew driver to take you there ;-)

 

Enjoy!

[Scott3000]

2 minutes ago, elgordo38 said:

when its 2 in the morning and a fight breaks out. Innocent people are usually the first ones to get decked. 

 

There is no 2 in the morning in Chiang Mai bars.

 

Even the girly dance bars close at 2AM.

 

Everything else except 7 Eleven is long closed before then!!

Edited December 22, 2016 by Scott3000

[elgordo38]

Just now, Scott3000 said:

 

There is no 2 in the morning in Chiang Mai bars.

 

Even the girly dance bars close at 2AM.

Just goes to show you how long its been since I entered one of these Dens of Iniquity. 

[lkn]

1 hour ago, stephenterry said:

[…] do NOT enter or let a tuk-tuk take you to any karaoke bar/club (particularly on Changklan road) unless you want to be fleeced - or get into trouble.

 

About a year ago there were some Malaysian people (I think) who complained about being ripped off, shortly after two bars got closed (I believe the official reason was a missing license), the bars on Changklan then went through periodically being closed, and now, all bars I know on Changklan Road (5 in total) are all closed, one of them with a “for sale” sign (in Thai) outside.

 

I was aware of two other bars with girls out front on Sridonchai Road, these also seems to be closed.

 

So something seems to have happened.

 

I stayed at The Shine which is just opposite one of these bars, and I very very rarely saw any people go into the bar, and there must have been 15 girls outside, so it could also be that the owner(s) of these bars just realized that it was not profitable to keep running these bars.

[Scott3000]

1 minute ago, elgordo38 said:

Just goes to show you how long its been since I entered one of these Dens of Iniquity. 

Fair enough -- before the coup of May, 2014... 

 

:-)

[elgordo38]

3 minutes ago, Scott3000 said:

Hi Montypython,

 

Your question is valid -- you've got your reasons for coming to Chiang Mai, and if you want to go to bars at night, that's your prerogative. I began reading some of the replies, then stopped.

 

Many suggestions are worthwhile about Chiang Mai in general, others are not. But they do not address your specific question about Zoe in Yellow, and they are a bit hyped, and superficial. I will attempt to address YOUR question, as YOU have asked it.

 

First up, Zoe in Yellow is the central bar, in what can be considered a sort of open air complex of music-oriented bars and restaurants conveniently situated in the east side of the old town. These are not the girly bars. There may be some freelancers working Zoe in Yellow itself, but much less than the quasi late-night venue, Spicy, about 300 meters east, just outside the old town.

 

Zoe in Yellow is the central, most mainstream, pop-type (think Brittany Spears, Gangnam Style, Lady Gaga, etc.) dance club of the mix. It's also open air. There are several different options to choose from, including more chill-type bars like Havana. There's a hard core heavy metal bar with live music; an electronic/trance bar; a reggae bar with live music; a ska bar with live music; an Indian restaurant within the complex and several more on the street; another restaurant with a pleasant, big wooden deck & tables & chairs on the corner; a smaller dance bar across from Zoe in Yellow -- with air conditioning, packed during the hotter months; plus an array of pushcart food vendors selling pizza, kebabs, that kind of thing. Just pick which one or ones you like.

 

As for dangers, just keep your wits about you, especially as the night wears on, and drink responsibly. Zoe in Yellow is not the only bar there, but it is the central, main bar, the center of attention, and its mainstream style makes it the biggest draw of the lot, the most crowded by far. I find it to be the most likely location of a few people becoming drunk & stupid later on in the night. But by all means, I have never seen any person or persons anywhere in the complex looking menacing as they stalk some or other unwitting victim. NEVER. It could happen, and Zoe in Yellow would be the most common location for it, but it's no more likely to happen there than anywhere else in the world.

 

As for drinks, I get the impression the different bars have some sort of arrangement among themselves. If you buy a drink in one bar and wander over to another with your drink in your hand, that has never been a problem, as far as I can tell. I would tend not to buy a drink at Zoe in Yellow itself, as it does strike me as a sort of cash generating machine. The reggae bar, Roots Rock Reggae, strikes me as the best place to buy a drink, for price and service.

 

I do not frequent these places, but I do go there sometimes, usually to ska or reggae or trance, and over the course of several years, so I know what I'm talking about. Zoe in Yellow is the one I like least of the bunch -- pop is just not my style. The other surrounding bars & restaurants within the complex do seem much less likely to host a violent outburst, without a doubt. The biggest danger that I am mindful of is to keep an eye out for a drunk motor bike driver speeding thru the complex to the parking lot, which is inconveniently located as far from the street as possible.

 

Finally, FYI, "Zoe in Yellow" is pronounced, "Yello Bah" in Thai English, if you want a tuk tuk or song taew driver to take you there ;-)

 

Enjoy!

I had to give you a like Scott what a detailed epiphany. If this in detail road map does keep him on the straight and narrow we cannot blame you. WOW

[elgordo38]

1 minute ago, Scott3000 said:

Fair enough -- before the coup of May, 2014... 

 

:-)

You would have to turn the clock back a bit more. 

[elgordo38]

How safe is safe? Wear a tinfoil hat and hope that a meteor does not strike the place and your good to go. 

[Grubster]

14 hours ago, montypython said:

im coming for day time excursions, treks, animal sanctuarys and cooking classes but would also like to have a few beers at night time (not gogo bars, regular bars )

You are going to love it and you don't have to worry about the stuff you hear, Thais are really friendly and you sound like a guy with a smile on your face,  that smile earns a lot of respect here.  Don't even worry about it, you will have a great time. Just remember that Thais do not like confrontation.  If your bill is a few baht more than expected, you can kindly point it out but don't argue. It is ok to barter a price in markets though. Cheers