I'm in Surat Thani for a few days business and wondered if anybody could please advise where expats hang out, bars, massage, live music venues etc. I'm mobile so no restrictions on area. Thanks.

Maybe more attention in the Southern Thailand forum.

Moved to there and leaving link the the travel forum.

Tried it twice, nothing for farangs, only local Karaoke Bars.

However, depending on your hotel, the concierge may arrange some room service for you...

If anyone elso knows better, I appreciate any suggestions

 

Surat is just the ferry port for the islands. There were some "coffee shops" but not been for years so you might need to esquire, ask the night manager, they usually know what's going on.

Thanks for your advice. I ended up googling the question and got some rather over descriptive reports. However it did identify the massage venues around Talad area and the 'VIP' (?) in Chongkasem soi 14, but they all appeared extremely seedy, and I didn't fancy getting eaten alive by the inhabitants of the mattresses.

The Day & Night and the Crossroads restaurant / bars (along the 401) were quite pleasant with live music later on.

It's very much a Thai city, catering for Thais, and tough luck for the tourists transiting the port.