What’s up with Bangkok, Thailand?
Bangkok has become a cliché amongst travelers the world over. It has become famous for all the wrong reasons (sex, tuk tuks and stray dogs), and as such, visitors to this strange and unique place never get to see what Bangkok is really about.
If you ever felt like ditching the safe haven of our beloved Sheffield for somewhere a little more peculiar, there are few places more apt than Bangkok. The first real shock is the heat, which can be difficult to get used to taking into account Sheffield’s tendency to be dull and dreary. The second thing to notice is the bizarre amount of dogs (and we aren’t talking about ugly girls here) that are all over Bangkok. No less than 300,000 of the pesky mutts line the streets and get up to such shenanigans as trying to get on buses, walking into shops and attacking innocent passers by.
Thailand is the self-proclaimed ‘land of smiles.’ The Thais are some of the most friendly, inviting people you could ever meet. The Thai psyche, however, is incredibly complex and image is central. If everything is seemingly OK on the outside, then whatever is happening on the inside is apparently irrelevant. This logic is occasionally difficult to deal with and often results in problems never really getting solved. However, when you get to know the people on a personal level, they will open up to you instantly. The Thais can fall in love in the space of a day and can become quite obsessive. They are incredibly welcoming though, and will talk to you for no reason at all, even if they do not speak any English.
If there is one thing Bangkok is renowned for, it is shopping. The city is moving increasingly away from the image of ‘cheap and fake’ and replacing it with ‘new and exciting lifestyle choices.’ This translates into vast numbers of huge, elaborate shopping malls. Whereas Sheffield has Meadowhall, which can be difficult to deal with at the best of times, Bangkok has a multitude of Meadowhalls, enlarged and super sized to cater for every consumer need known to man. The chaos of the whole shopping phenomenon is something quite tiring, comparable only to the chaos of the surrounding traffic. What is striking about Bangkok is that there is little serenity. There are people everywhere and there are things being built on top of other things that are being built on top of even more things. The only places of real calm are the temples.
Bangkok nightlife can be a little monotonous if you’re looking in the wrong places. A night out on Khaosan Road (the backpackers’ haven) is akin to a night out at Kingdom or The Leadmill. It is lager fuelled, with occasional novelty hats, short skirts and a lot of shouting. Whilst on Khaosan Road, it is inevitable that the offer of a ride to Patpong will be given by one of the many scandalous tuk tuk drivers. Patpong is what it is. There are lady boys, sex shows, hookers and a lot of bars. Depending on your outlook on life, places such as Patpong, Nana and Soi Cowboy (the seedier spots) can be innocent fun and immeasurably good for just watching the oddities of Bangkok nightlife. The sex industry in Bangkok is something you have to see to believe because it is so vast and flamboyant.
Away from the tourist traps, however, are the real gems of Bangkok nightlife. The problems occur with the early closing times, with most places (including the bigger nightclubs) kicking out at 1 or 2 am. This law was first imposed in 2001 (and since modified) and has caused a stir amongst the clubbing communities ever since. Some places do stay open all hours, however, but these are the places that pay off the police so they can be a bit hit and miss.
Ratchada Soi 4 is a place most tourists fail to pick up on. This is how the Thais do clubbing and it is a lot of fun. Whiskey is ordered by the bottle (not Sangsom, nobody wants to be seen drinking that) and everybody drinks and dances to the latest commercial hip hop.
One curiosity is the Thai understanding of ‘pub.’ Thai ‘pubs’ are enormous, warehouse like buildings where every night, thousands of people dance around tables to young performers covering the most popular Thai songs with comedic skits, which I am assured are funny. The only downside of these pubs is the inevitable covers of This Love by Maroon 5 and Zombie by The Cranberries, the two most popular songs embraced from Western culture. Nobody is sure why.
RCA is another strip of simmering nightclubs and bars, but here is where the real clubbing begins. As well as the usual hip hop sounds and dancing around tables madness, there are more and more top DJs such as DJ Fresh, Carl Cox and Lil Louie Vega. passing through every month.
Towards the more sophisticated end of Bangkok nightlife are the places like Glow, Q Bar, Bed Supperclub and Titanium in the Sukhumvit area, where people go to be seen. If you like looking at gorgeous models who will never give you the time of day, Bar Koi on Sukhumvit 20 is worth a visit for the exquisite food and glamorous company. These places are in a similar vein to Crystal or Ruby Lounge.
Bangkok is an incredibly strange place and it usually scares off travelers after just a few days of aimlessness on Khaosan Road. Take the time to get beneath the surface though and you find one of the most interesting and entertaining cities in the world.
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