Khao San Road Area

[pampal]

There are 3 or 4 areas in the LOS that are host to large numbers of farang. The Khao San area is one of them. I used to prefer the Sathorn and Sukhumvit areas but now find myself increasingly going to the Khao San road area. Food, clothing,used books, and most everything is cheaper in the area and there are large numbers of younger farang women travelling alone, ripe for the picking. Good after a fight with the local talent. The atmosphere is also more vibrant and there are less touts in the area. The transient 

nature of the area means the people in the area change very fast. Good if you like changing girlfriends often, and you can't beat 

the influx rate of new talent.

So Khao San Road, Good or Bad?

[rak sa_ngop]

There are 3 or 4 areas in the LOS that are host to large numbers of farang. The Khao San area is one of them. I used to prefer the Sathorn and Sukhumvit areas but now find myself increasingly going to the Khao San road area. Food, clothing,used books, and most everything is cheaper in the area and there are large numbers of younger farang women travelling alone, ripe for the picking. Good after a fight with the local talent. The atmosphere is also more vibrant and there are less touts in the area. The transient

nature of the area means the people in the area change very fast. Good if you like changing girlfriends often, and you can't beat

the influx rate of new talent.

So Khao San Road, Good or Bad?

Although I agree with many of your comments the thing that puts me off the KSR area is the atmosphere of mutual rudeness between farangs and Thais that's prevalent.

It's as if all the years of contact with rude farangs has brought the Thais in this area down to the same base level. I have had more bad experiences with Thais here than anywhere else in Thailand, maybe because I know that their bad service, rude manner and unfriendly attitude etc. is not typical of Thailand as a whole.

IMO it's therefore OK if you want to hang out with farangs, but not a good area for appreciating Thailand.

[Firefan]

I enjoy the place - a few cold brewskies sitting and watching the crazy mix of types (both refering to foreigners and Thais here) passing by. Few places in Thailand where "people-watching" (a big hobby of mine) is more fun! Cheers!

[The Dan Sai Kid]

The Thais in shops and restaurants don't need to be nice - a business on the KSR is basically a licence to print money!

[terry57]

koh san road is a cracking place for everything. its the travellers mecca with people constantly coming and going, trading stories and experiences.

the eye candy is incredible and its a toss up who is the most gorgeous. the thai girls or farang girls.

everybody is up for a good time and the conversation is about good times and travel.

what i really like about it is that its a thousand miles away from sukumvit were the sexpats gather and trade stories about there latest little thai girl conquest.

we never see them on the koh san as there aint nothing here for them. no go go bars or the like.

we love koh san road and also rambuttri st.

the travellers mecca of the world.

[donna]

i lived in the area for over 5 years. i rarely went down KSR when i first arrived, but towards the end of my time there, i actually liked going down there for the people watching and the festive feel of it. its like a big carnival every night!

i got to know some of the akha ladies, many of the sales people down there, and used to like grossing out the english tourists by eating grasshoppers with my thai friends.

a thai friend of mine goes down there almost every night for dancing. she loves it. as do many of the younger thais.

and i agree with terry57 about Rambutree. i love that street. i admit that i DID like it better when they had all the little seafood places stretching from one end of the street to the other.

phra arthit road is another great street in the area.

[The Dan Sai Kid]

I think that it is really popular with Thais - 5 years ago you would maybe see the odd group of Thais - now it is getting to be the other way round!

[pampal]

I also like the eye candy. Heineken for 60 baht. Everyone is up for a conversation and a good time.

No disrespect, but the lack of sexpats is a welcome change.

[terry57]

I also like the eye candy. Heineken for 60 baht. Everyone is up for a conversation and a good time.

No disrespect, but the lack of sexpats is a welcome change.

cricky's mate,

thats what im saying, keep the frigging sexpats on sukumvit, as we hate them on the mighty koh san road.

they should all be blown up.

i say that in a nice sort of way. i think.

[Firefan]

Pampal and Terry (and Donna if you can leave your tropical paradise! moderator now eh? )

Sounds like we should head there together and have a few brewskies one of these days!

Cheers!

[davidjtayler]

I also like the eye candy. Heineken for 60 baht. Everyone is up for a conversation and a good time.

No disrespect, but the lack of sexpats is a welcome change.

Pampal ... there are a few of us still enjoying the Khaosan area and its not unknown to find myself and young Terry sitting on Rambuttri (dog shit alley) drinking ice cold fresh frothies and putting the world to rights ...

[Poverty Packer]

I adore KSR, it is my favorite place in all of Thailand. I also like hanging out at Suk 11 though. I have a game I play with my bud about how many farangs hotties we can snag. I'm up to around 22: Euros, Israelis, Americans. We don't ever bother with Thais...ever. Just say no

[terry57]

Pampal and Terry (and Donna if you can leave your tropical paradise! moderator now eh? )

Sounds like we should head there together and have a few brewskies one of these days!

Cheers!

no problem mate but my time is nearly up and its back to the real world till may.

catch you next time round.

cheers.

ill be on my favorite road in all of bangkok and thats RAMBUTTRI ST with all my travelling mates.

[pampal]

Pampal and Terry (and Donna if you can leave your tropical paradise! moderator now eh? )

Sounds like we should head there together and have a few brewskies one of these days!

Cheers!

Sounds like a plan to me. I am available any time for a good drink fest. Let the Party begin

[donna]

davidjtayler...i thought it was only a select few people who call that alley 'dog shit alley'. maybe we know each other! its sort of like a secret handshake.

covered in the stuff it is.

the good thing is that KSR also has eye candy for women!

[pampal]

Pampal ... there are a few of us still enjoying the Khaosan area and its not unknown to find myself and young Terry sitting on Rambuttri (dog shit alley) drinking ice cold fresh frothies and putting the world to rights ...

I am glad to see I am not alone in enjoyment of KSR. You guys seem to have the handle on this place.

Tossing down a few on rambuttri is also one of my fave pastimes. Cheers to you and Terry

[terry57]

actually im getting very close to retiring full time to los.

ive been checking out places and areas in bangkok for years to settle in.

ive made a decision on this trip that i will rent a serviced department as close as i can to rambuttri st/ koh san road.

to be able to walk out into that backpacker vibe and the carnival atmosphere of koh san is worth a squillion quid.

20 years ago i arrived on the koh san rd and this will be my base.

from there i can go anywhere and the eye candy keeps my vision 20/20.

hale the great koh san road and postrate one's self before it.

cheers punters,

and a big hello to dave.

[pampal]

i lived in the area for over 5 years. i rarely went down KSR when i first arrived, but towards the end of my time there, i actually liked going down there for the people watching and the festive feel of it. its like a big carnival every night!

i got to know some of the akha ladies, many of the sales people down there, and used to like grossing out the english tourists by eating grasshoppers with my thai friends.

a thai friend of mine goes down there almost every night for dancing. she loves it. as do many of the younger thais.

and i agree with terry57 about Rambutree. i love that street. i admit that i DID like it better when they had all the little seafood places stretching from one end of the street to the other.

phra arthit road is another great street in the area.

donna,

KSR, Rambuttri, and phra athit road are great for a evening out. Sanitchaiprakan is also lovely at night times. Phra athit has a suprisingly good and affordable range of thai and farang eateries. Roti Motaba and the riverfront thai restaurants are my face. Good prices and good food. Hope to see you there sometime.

Cheers

[Billfo]

I reckon its a great place for the first time and/or lone 'traveller' to meet up with some like minded people. Great prices on books etc, a few competetive travel agents and some interesting little shops. And yeah, its good being reminded theres some pretty fine young farang ladies out there.

But after staying there about 4-5 times I don't really like it anymore, my own fault really for staying there everytime I was going through Bangkok. The thing I really don't like seeing though are a lot of stereotypical farangs - drunk, loud and rude to the Thai's there.

Give me a guesthouse down a Chiang Mai soi anyday!!

[rak sa_ngop]

For lovers (and haters) of KSR the follow-up film of Tony Jaa's from "Tom-Yum Goong" called "Ong Bak" has some interesting scenes filmed around KSR. I think the film's great, but make sure you get the DVD version with English (or more accurately Thaiglish) subtitles.

[terry57]

i lived in the area for over 5 years. i rarely went down KSR when i first arrived, but towards the end of my time there, i actually liked going down there for the people watching and the festive feel of it. its like a big carnival every night!

i got to know some of the akha ladies, many of the sales people down there, and used to like grossing out the english tourists by eating grasshoppers with my thai friends.

a thai friend of mine goes down there almost every night for dancing. she loves it. as do many of the younger thais.

and i agree with terry57 about Rambutree. i love that street. i admit that i DID like it better when they had all the little seafood places stretching from one end of the street to the other.

phra arthit road is another great street in the area.

donna,

KSR, Rambuttri, and phra athit road are great for a evening out. Sanitchaiprakan is also lovely at night times. Phra athit has a suprisingly good and affordable range of thai and farang eateries. Roti Motaba and the riverfront thai restaurants are my face. Good prices and good food. Hope to see you there sometime.

Cheers

you just about nailed it but what about that cracking little blues bar called " ad the 13th" ?

frigging georgia belting out soulful blues like theres no tomorrow. i love that woman and that place.

trouble is the hangover kills me.

actually i might just head there tonight as my mate cant come and play and im free.

anybody want to play tonight. ?

[pampal]

For lovers (and haters) of KSR the follow-up film of Tony Jaa's from "Tom-Yum Goong" called "Ong Bak" has some interesting scenes filmed around KSR. I think the film's great, but make sure you get the DVD version with English (or more accurately Thaiglish) subtitles.

RSN,

Where can I pick up a copy of that?

Is it available at Pantip and the street bazaars or can I but it at a retail outlet as it's a thai film and copyrighted in thailand?

[davidjtayler]

davidjtayler...i thought it was only a select few people who call that alley 'dog shit alley'. maybe we know each other! its sort of like a secret handshake.

covered in the stuff it is.

the good thing is that KSR also has eye candy for women!

Its like the freemasons .... Well Donna if you're coming through Bangers you make sure you PM me and we will take a wander along DSA until we arrive at a suitable drinking hole ... you'll get all emotional with the memories but I will make you laugh when I tell you all about Terry ....

I won't tell her everything though Terry ...

[Firefan]

Argh - can not tonight - travelling. For me it will have to be in a weeks time. But have a blast! Cheers!

[terry57]

davidjtayler...i thought it was only a select few people who call that alley 'dog shit alley'. maybe we know each other! its sort of like a secret handshake.

covered in the stuff it is.

the good thing is that KSR also has eye candy for women!

Its like the freemasons .... Well Donna if you're coming through Bangers you make sure you PM me and we will take a wander along DSA until we arrive at a suitable drinking hole ... you'll get all emotional with the memories but I will make you laugh when I tell you all about Terry ....

I won't tell her everything though Terry ...

thanks dave and thats why i like you as your a very discreet and respectful punter.

cheers mate.

PS dont forget to tell donna never to kick the soi dogs.

[jamman]

It's as if all the years of contact with rude farangs has brought the Thais in this area down to the same base level. I have had more bad experiences with Thais here than anywhere else in Thailand, maybe because I know that their bad service, rude manner and unfriendly attitude etc. is not typical of Thailand as a whole.

IMO it's therefore OK if you want to hang out with farangs, but not a good area for appreciating Thailand.

I don't like rudeness either.

New Jersey is an uncomfortable place for me. People are all edge.

A few steps away is New York, with bluntness that I appreciate. It is a multicultural bluntness. It is a blunt bluntness - not so ill willed and sharp. It is just direct.

Canadian bluntness is the best of all. Way better than British directness, which is all about teasing someone. Canadians just say what they mean, without even the intention of cutting you down, or building you up. We are naive and simple and take our fun with respect and straightforward no sht diplomacy.

Edited December 15, 2006 by jamman

[qualtrough]

Don't kid yourself. KSR has its sexpats too, they just dress differently.

[bkkmadness]

I think that it is really popular with Thais - 5 years ago you would maybe see the odd group of Thais - now it is getting to be the other way round!

That's so true, the area has changed so much. I remember when the only Thai clubs down there were Austin's and Susie's and had some top nights in both.

[dave111223]

The weirdest thing about KSR is you walk down it and theres like 80% farang. Then you walk like 2 streets over and it's down to like 5%.

That always bugs me, it makes me feel what the heck is wrong with my fellow farang, they dont even bother wandering out of the 1 or 2 street area...

[MiG16]

I have been hanging out in KSR for a longggggg time (way too long perhaps) have met all sorts from the friendly jovial to the crazy drunks...i quite enjoy khaosarn...in addition to everything others have mentioned...often i find young art students selling artsy tshirts, costume jewelry and the likes which are quite nice there

austin bar was good...but now theres something else there i think....

and terry that blues bar is my new fav hangout...have spent quite a number of friday nights there

but a few incidents that come to mind about KSR are:

yearssssssss ago I was with an aussie girl friend...this english guy starts talking to us...learns Im thai...so goes on to tell me....how he lovessssssssssss thailand....and that he had spent the past 2 weeks at that very same bar, lives in a guesthouse round the corner...and he absolutely LOVESSSSSSSSSSSSS thailand

the other were related event within weeks of each other where I had guys start talking to me in hebrew often at lava bar, but most recently an english guy at silk bar starts getting into conversation with me in hebrew too!! on switching to english they all tell me I look kinda jewish

so maybe thats where the interest comes from...or maybe its the other way around?

anyway. biggest advantage of KSR is I could almost walk to get there thats why Im there so often...friends that decide to go there or just drop by on some evening would call me up...find out if Im home and drag me out there so its kinda like the corner shop for me convenient