New York has East Village, London has Soho, Sydney has Oxford Street and Bangkok, of course, has Silom, the city’s most prominent go-to gayborhood. But is Silom really the only gay in the village? Honey, we doubt it. Bangkok is one sprawling metropolis and the Silom gaytto (including Langsuan, Sathorn and Surawong) just can’t accommodate the varied needs of the city’s pink citizens. Here, BK selects the best gay bars outside of the CBD.
OR TOR KOR
As Chatuchak vendors close up their shops for the day, the area on the other side of the road known as Or Tor Kor (the Thai initials stand for Marketing Organization for Farmers) stirs into life. The first gay establishment, ICQ (now defunct), appeared here around 8 years ago, and paved the way for a host of successors which now line the sidewalk. It’s not an exclusively gay vibe as you can tell from the distinctly mixed crowds.
Fake Club
The buzz: If the punters spilling out of its glowing purple entrance are anything to go by, Fake Club is hands down the most popular bar on this side of town. Its team of owners apparently put a lot of thought into the swish velvet and red décor. Wedged between two other gay bars, Fake Club really stands out with its semi-sophisticated fixtures and the choice of music played. Fret not if you can’t squeeze inside, an alfresco bar will keep you hydrated and it’s just as fun to hang outside.
The show/music: The music follows in the footsteps of DJ Station—predominantly remixes of international hits. Rest assured, all the divas are present.
The crowd: Older university students, well-dressed first jobbers and laid-back locals in their mid-twenties.
Hot: Friendly mixed crowds and decent music.
Not: The venue could do with more space as it tends to get suffocatingly cramped during peak hours. But other than that, this is our new favorite gay spot in town!
Or Tor Kor, Kampangpetch Rd., 08-9479-9262. Open daily 9pm-2am.
Obama Bangkok
The buzz: Somewhat isolated from the mania of other venues, this minimalist two-story shack is like a humble compromise between DJ Station and Bed Supperclub. The bar area, facing a small stage, runs the length of the first floor. The white paint and the high ceiling make the place appear a lot bigger than a lot of its rivals on this stretch.
The show/music: Cabaret shows by manic ladyboy Joanne, pageants and comic acts precede a mish-mash of Thai luk thung and overplayed K-pop and international tunes.
The crowd: People who can’t get into Fake Club, cabaret and pageant fans and a more mature crowd.
Hot: Its no-frills set-up and there’s room to breathe.
Not: Its small cardboard box-like stage and the generally unmotivated crowd.
Or Tor Kor, Kampangpetch Rd., 08-3835-2363. Open daily 9pm-2am.
CLUB TALK
Tobias Konrath
28, fashion designer/lecturer
Spotted at Fake club
Where’s your favorite nightlife spot?
I love Silversand Bar on Koh Samet, but in Bangkok I try to go to different places every weekend to avoid the gayja vu effect: Club Culture, 808 and Or Tor Kor.
Have you even been to DJ Station?
Of course I have, but the vibe there can be a little too aggressive. My Thai friends really like to go there. Sometimes I tag along, but eventually sneak off to the bar downstairs, Expresso.
What do you like about Or Tor Kor?
I like the crowd at Or Tor Kor. It’s also much more fun and relaxed. I like Asian pop music, especially K-pop, so Or Tor Kor is right up my alley. You can hang out outside or go inside the clubs to dance if it’s not too packed...and it usually is super packed, many students and just normal people come there.
Any particular joint in Or Tor Kor you always frequent?
I like Fake Club. It’s not too big and the music is pretty good. The whole strip is like one big club—you can just go around and check out different places.
Are there many foreigners in Or Tor Kor?
I don’t think many foreigners know about this area, because it doesn’t generally show up when you Google “gay nightlife in Bangkok.”
Is it weird to be the only farang in Or Tor Kor?
Not for me. I’m quite used to living in a foreign environment. Most of my friends are Asian and sometimes I wonder if I was born into the wrong race!
RATCHADA
With its myriad massage parlors, Ratchada is probably the last place people associate with a gay night out. Before the advent of RCA, this area was one of the city’s major nightlife spots, and witnessed the coming and going of previously popular venues like Dance Fever and the spacecraft-inspired Phoebus. But it’s recently made a comeback with a concentration of clubs and bars on Ratchada Soi 4 and 8, which is where you’ll find these two venues.
Ratchada Soi 8
The buzz: Though not wildly creative, its moniker couldn’t be more apt given its location right smack at the mouth of the soi. Illuminated in seductive red and black tones, this one-floor venue has a wooden patio area, seemingly designed for smokers and those who want to restore their hearing. Inside, there’s a stage, a raised bar area and a few chandeliers. The place has a friendly, attitude-free vibe, and people seem to be more interested in having fun with their friends than looking to get lucky.
The show/music: Slapstick cabaret kick starts the evening, with passable renditions of regular hits (it was Titanic’s theme song, “My Heart Will Go On”, the night we visited). Then coyote boys take to the stage before aspiring dancers follow suit, gyrating to The Pussycat Dolls and Wonder Girls. The playlist gets more and more intense as the night wears on, with accelerated remixes of radio hits.
The crowd: Fashion-following twentysomethings, university students and a few female punters.
Hot: The relaxed environment, friendly crowd and convenient location (a row of cabbies is only a hop and skip away.
Not: Order a bottle of whiskey or you better like beer and ready-to-drink mixers.
76/4 Ratchada Soi 8, Ratchadapisek Rd., 08-9231-0996. MRT Thailand Culutral Center. Open daily 9pm-late. www.ratchadasoi8.com.
G-Star Pub
The buzz: G-Star is as close to being a pub as DJ Station is a straight club. Dubbed a place for the “G generation,” it’s hidden behind a karaoke joint called Modern Club, just past an unlit parking lot and surrounded by a noodle shop and a small clothing outlet. But don’t let its low key façade fool you. Once you walk through the incense-filled reception area (which also houses a huge Ganesha shrine), you’ll be transported to a world of whiskey-guzzling gay locals and a mad rush of high tempo music.
The show/music: Innovative dance sets by the See-K Dance troupe nightly followed by an intense disco inferno, a marathon mix of everything from Thai to Western pop and K-pop to mo lam.
The crowd: Hormonal young locals (most of whom are surprisingly straight looking) and spiky-haired university students.
Hot: Its discreet setting, perfect for those still in the closet; the massive dance floor and the free booze promotions (show up alone before 9:30pm, Sun-Thu, and get a free bottle of whiskey—possibly a reward for being so ballsy/desperate).
Not: The music, which sounds like it’s being mixed by a DJ high
on speed. It’s so all over the place and so fast we challenge you to
keep up.
The end of Ratchada Soi 8 (turn off at Modern Club), Ratchadapisek Rd., 02-643-8792. MRT Thailand Cultural Center. Open daily 9pm-late. www.g-starpub.com.
CLUB TALK
Tao Suparasamee
27, self-employed
Spotted at G-Star
Why Ratchada?
I used to go to Silom and Langsuan a lot with overseas friends. But when they moved back home, I stopped hanging out in those areas. My uni friends told me about Ratchada a couple of years back. They like to go there because they like the music and Thai guys, of course.
What do you like most about Ratchada?
The shows! There’s a great variety, plus the dancers are young and cute, and they are really good at what they do. People are also very friendly.
Where’s your favorite place in the area?
My friends go to G-Star and Ratchada Soi 8, but I prefer G-Star because of its cool shows.
What do you think about the usual gayborhoods like Silom and Langsuan?
Well, I like the music at DJ Station, but I much prefer the atmosphere in 70’s Bar or The Room in Langsuan. I’ve found that people who hang out at Ratchada are predominantly Thai, therefore they’re very friendly. Whereas at Silom, you get a lot of tourists and while some are nice and respectful, others can be a bit obnoxious. We’re not all money boys, you know. That’s pretty much the main thing I don’t like about Silom.
RAMKHAMHEANG/LAMSALEE JUNCTION
Far removed from central Bangkok, it’s no wonder that the gay neighborhood in Ramkhamheang, a.k.a. Lamsalee junction, is pretty much a world of its own. Surrounded by a host of student dorms and apartments, it’s cleverly disguised behind a row of run-down shop houses and can only be accessed through a dodgy alley walkway. Imagine Silom Soi 4’s narrow stretch, but without the tourists and the high mark-up liquor, and you’ll get the idea. It’s where budget-conscious students go to enjoy themselves without having to sacrifice tomorrow’s lunch at the canteen. The strip sees a fierce competition among establishments, nearly as fierce as that between the flamboyantly-dressed punters.
ICK
The buzz: Although the fluorescent pink styrofoam cut-out entrance doesn’t really scream fabulous, ICK (pronounced I-C-K, cheeky isn’t it?) is still the oldest and most popular place in the soi. The inside is lined with mirrors and has a huge central stage. There are a lot of stainless steel poles which come in handy as the night progresses. The quintessential rainbow lighting will keep reminding you that you’re indeed in a gay environment. Climb onto the dimly-lit mezzanine level for a better view of the performance.
The show/music: Coyote boys and stand-up comedy rotate every night from 11pm. The music sees the usual speedy mix of already popular tunes.
The crowd: Make-up wearing students in the neighborhood, self-absorbed queens and aspiring ladyboys.
Hot: The free booze promotion (bottle of whiskey for a group of four people, Sun-Thu), the table-to-table snack seller and the anything-goes dress code.
Not: Its end-of-the-rainbow location, malnourished coyote boys, the in-your-face attitude of the crowd and the no-id-check policy.
Ramkhamhang Soi 89/2, Ramkhamhang Rd., 08-9113-0747. Open daily 9pm-late.
CLUB TALK
Pat Na Nakorn
26, Masters degree student
Spotted at ICK
Why do you like Ramkamheang?
Well, it’s mainly because I live in this part of town and it’s really convenient to get to and from.
Have you been to DJ Station?
Yes, I’ve been many times. A lot of my friends like to go there so I tag along.
Did you like it there?
I like the music, but it’s about time they changed the playlist—a gay man can only take so much of Rihanna!
What’s your favorite place in Ramkamheang?
I don’t really have a favorite. I usually check the vibe and the people first before deciding which place to go in. I enjoy sitting outside, because things get pretty intense inside.
What do you like most this area?
The location, of course, the laid-back crowds and the ridiculously cheap booze
Why Saphan Kwai didn’t make the cut
Saphan Kwai has no shortage of gay venues, particularly around Pradipat Road, which is home to more than a dozen host and karaoke bars, as well as massage parlors and a scattering of trashy saunas. But this uber gay neighborhood doesn’t count a single “regular” club or bar. The sleaze-o-meter is through the roof but the fun factor is rock bottom.
Alternative Clubbing
Although in Sathorn, Bradley Marchant’s Kaos Queer Underground party is light years from a gay night out in Silom.
How did the idea for Kaos come about?
Kaos started in London back in 2003. The local gay techno scene had evaporated so I teamed up with my clubbing-mate, Lee to start our own club night.
Why did you pick Bangkok as the second home for Kaos?
I moved to Bangkok a year ago and it seemed natural to start Kaos here. it’s a perfect city to throw a party as sanook is so ingrained in the Thai spirit. Thais are generally open to different types of music and techno goes down well, even though it’s new to many people.
Why Rain Dogs?
Rain Dogs has quickly become our spiritual home. Jum, Tor and the team at this place share the Kaos spirit and have invested a great deal of their personal energy into making it such an alternative underground space. The club is tucked away under the expressway just 100m from Rama 4. Being isolated from any other nightlife helps create an environment where people can dress up, express themselves freely and push their boundaries. All part of the Kaos experience!
The next Kaos Queer Underground party is in October. More details as we get them.
Rain Dogs, 16 Soi Phraya Phiren, off Rama 4 Rd., 08-1720-6979.
