Thailand (Lonely Planet, 13th Edition) - China Williams [126]
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GAY & LESBIAN BANGKOK
Bangkok is so gay it makes San Francisco look like rural Texas. With out-and-open nightspots and annual pride events, the city’s homosexual community enjoys an unprecedented amount of tolerance considering attitudes in the rest of the region. It should be mentioned, however, that recent years have seen a sharp rise in HIV and other STDs among gay men in Bangkok; when in town, be sure to play it safe.
Utopia (www.utopia-asia.com) is an online resource for the Southeast Asian gay community, listing Bangkok entertainment venues, news and views, and providing travel services. Dreaded Ned (www.dreadedned.com) and Fridae (www.fridae.com) also have up to date listings and events. The Lesbian Guide to Bangkok (www.bangkoklesbian.com) is the only English-language tracker of the lesbian scene.
Gay women and men are well advised to visit Bangkok in mid-November, when the city’s small but fun Pride Festival (www.bangkokpride.org) is in full swing. Dinners, cruises, clubbing and contests are the order of the week. For details visit the website.
Bed Supperclub (Click here) hosts a hugely popular ‘pink’ night on Sundays, and other posh locales often play host to weekend-long ‘circuit parties’. Visit G Circuit (www.gcircuit.com) to find out when and where the next one is.
All of Soi 2 on Th Silom is lined with dance clubs, such as DJ Station (Map; 0 2266 4029; 8/6-8 Soi 2, Th Silom; 10.30pm-2am; Skytrain Sala Daeng, Metro Silom), where the crowd is a mix of Thai guppies (gay professionals), money boys and a few Westerners. Just half a soi over is G.O.D. (Guys on Display; Map; 0 2632 8032; Soi 2/1, Th Silom; cover 280B; 11.30pm-late; Skytrain Sala Daeng, Metro Silom), which as the name suggests is not averse to a little shirtless dancing. Traipse on over to Soi 4 to find the old-timer conversation bars, such as Balcony (Map; 0 2235 5891; 86-88 Soi 4, Th Silom; Skytrain Sala Daeng, Metro Silom) and Telephone (Map; 0 2234 3279; 114/11-13 Soi 4, Th Silom; Skytrain Sala Daeng, Metro Silom). The gay men’s equivalent of Patpong’s go-go bars can be found on nearby Soi Anuman Ratchathon, also known as Soi Twilight.
Th Sarasin, behind Lumphini Park, is lined with more loungey options, such as 70s Bar (Map; 0 2253 4433; 231/16 Th Sarasin; no cover; 6pm-1am; Skytrain Ratchadamri), a small dance club that resuscitates the era of disco, and Kluen Saek (Map; 0 2254 2962; 297 Th Sarasin; Skytrain Ratchadamri), both part of a strip of formerly ‘hetero’ bars that are becoming gayer by the day.
Further out of town is a more local scene, where a little Thai will make you feel more welcome. Several of the bars along Th Kamphaeng Phet, including ICQ (Map; 0 2272 4775; Th Kamphaeng Phet, Chatuchak; Skytrain Mo Chit, Metro Kamphaeng Phet), are favourites for loud and lushy behaviour.
After all these years, Bangkok finally has something of a lesbian scene. E Fun (Map; Royal City Ave/RCA, off Phra Ram IX; no cover; 10pm-2am; Metro Ram IX) and Zeta (Map; 0 2203 0994; 29 Royal City Ave/RCA, off Phra Ram IX; no cover; 10pm-2am; Metro Ram IX) are both easy-going clubs for the girls with a nightly band doing Thai and Western covers. E Fun tends to attract an older crowd, while young tom dees stick to the flashier Zeta.
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Siam Square & Pratunam
Diplomat Bar (Map; 0 2690 9999; Conrad Hotel, 87 Th Withayu/Wireless Rd; Skytrain Ploenchit) This is one of the few hotel lounges that the locals make a point of visiting. Choose from an expansive list of innovative martinis and sip to live jazz, played gracefully at conversation level.
To-Sit (Map; 0 2658 4001; Soi 3, Siam Sq, Th Phra Ram 1; Skytrain Siam) To-Sit epitomises everything a Thai university student could wish for on a night out: sappy Thai music and cheap, spicy eats. There are branches all over town, but the Siam Square location has the advantage of being virtually the only option in an area that’s buzzing during the