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Patpong is the most famous, or infamous, entertainment area in Asia. Remember that Thai beer is very strong. Thai women are generally beautiful, always sweet, and smile continuously. Don’t
leave your brain at the airport. This is all business.
At night, bars are open on both sides of Patpong 1 and 2 and Patpong 2 has shopping stalls filling the whole street. This is night life at its most intense. Boy or girl? Be careful as Patpong is
also the world headquarters for Lady Boys, or Katoeys in Thai. Some of these Katoeys have been surgically fixed, and can pass for women. Always check the Adams apple, the
hands, and the voice, then if you are still not sure if it is a lady, walk away.
Touts, with laminated cards, will try to lure you in to the bars, a few beers later you are a lot more worldly wise but with a lot less money in your pocket. Never go upstairs. Most of these bars are rip-offs
with cover charges of up to 2000 baht a drink. If you have problems contact the tourist police. If in doubt trust the Kings Group bars. These provide the best value for money on the street.
Go once for the experience but try out other areas of Bangkok as well. The Sky Train makes this easy.
For Patpong from the Sala Daeng Station, exit on the Thanniya side of the street and walk down about 100 meters. Next stop on our tour is Buckskin Joe Village. After your one night in Patpong, reboard the Sky Train, change to the Sukhumvit line at Siam Square, and then exit at the Pholenchit station. This is the
Buckskin Joe Village stop.
The editors at this time can recommend Patpong only for the most adventurous. For more fun with less hassle try, Nana, Soi Cowboy, or the Editors Choice, Washington Square.
But for Patpong here goes-
Bars-bars in Patpong
Hotels in Patpong
Food in Patpong-
Rooms in Patpong
Thaniya
Editors Picks
From The BangkokAtoZ Guide
Patpong. Located in the very heart of Bangkok, Patpong Road – which is really two
parallel roads (“Patpong 1” and (Patpong 2”) between Silom Road and Suriwong Road, not far south (towards the river) of Rama 4 Road – is one of the most famous red-light
districts in the world; people who know absolutely nothing else about Thailand may well have heard of this area of frenetic night life.
Founded by one family in the 1960’s – the founding patriarch passed away a few years ago – Patpong rose to challenge Petchaburi Road, which in those days was the center of night-life and was the red-light district of Bangkok. (Nowadays, Petchaburi Road is nothing in either regard,
with but a sprinkling of bars and massage parlors randomly situated along its considerable length.) Before many years had passed, it had risen to dominance. It became a major center for
just about every vice imaginable, though in recent years the much smaller Nana Plaza has become more popular with resident expats (and is gaining popularity with tourists as word of it spreads).
Despite the upstart Nana Plaza, if tourists go to any one concentration of night-life in Bangkok, this is it; it remains a must-see on most tours.
But not all is vice. At night, Patpong becomes a vast open-air night market in Patpong 1, the larger or the two streets, with stalls and booths spilling into lanes connecting the two Patpongs.
Just about every personal good imaginable, up to the size of household furniture, is available, in greatly varying price and quality. Clothing, jewelry, sunglasses, souvenirs, watches, purses,
wallets – the list is endless. Unsurprisingly, the sale of fake goods abounds, from “Rolex” watches to “Gucci” handbags.
Which prompts the question, “How does so much illegal activity go on here?” The short answer is simple: corruption. The established businesses in Patpong pay “tea money” to the various
authorities for both their legitimate (if any) and illegitimate (if any – but likely) activities, as do the street vendors. This “tea money” is above and beyond governmental licenses, and can reach
enormous amounts in the case of the larger and more successful discos, bars, a-go-go’s, etc.
Perhaps the biggest downside to the night market is that it is a fire-trap of major proportions. Though disaster has not yet struck, the feeling among locals is that it is only a matter of time. It is
difficult even to walk through it – and to bring in a fire truck an impossibility, unless accompanied by a squadron of bulldozers manned with drivers who hold human life in contempt – which would
defeat the purpose of saving people!
Patpong is enormous. Though each street isn’t really very long, at about two standard blocks, there are several floors; it would take days just to have a drink, even of non-alcoholic beverages,
in each one. Incidentally, conventional wisdom has it that in general Westerners should avoid any but the ground-level establishments, as many of the upstairs’ ones are clip joints in which you can
get into serious trouble, quickly. There are legitimate businesses upstairs, but you would be well-advised to ask among Old Thai Hands first which they recommend.
The best-known, best-run establishments fall into two main groups: those owned by the King’s Group (their logo, a crown, appears on all of their businesses), and certain individual ones, such
as The Madrid. Cosmos, and Crown Royale. The King’s Group operates a number of a-go-go’s, and if a-go-go’s are to your liking, you can feel safe in any of them, as you can in any
King’s Group establishment. They often have many of the most attractive dancers around.
Patpong has the major advantage of being near other major entertainment areas. Both Silom Road and Suriwong Road and their adjacent sois have many bars, nightclubs, etc. of their own
(see the entries for “Silom Road” and “Suriwong Road” below). Convent Road and Silom Soi 4, two further centers of entertainment/night-life, are nearby (see entry for “Convent Road”
above and for “Silom Road” below). Parallel to and just north (towards Rama 4 Road, away from the river) of the Patpong area lies Thaniya Road, the single major area of Japanese
entertainment and food (with Japanese prices, by the way) in Thailand. Thanks to the Skytrain, numerous other places are within a few minutes’ reach. North and west one can find Nana
Plaza, Soi Nana (Sukhumvit Soi 4), Sukhumvit Soi 3, Clinton Plaza, Thermae, Soi Cowboy, Sukhumvit Soi 22, Washington Square, and Sukhumvit Soi 33 (see entries for each either above
or below). Phaholyothin Road and its continuation Phayathai Road lie northwest – and the Skytrain runs their lengths (see entries for Phaholyothin Road and Phayathai Road below).
Patpong is eclectic, electric, frantic, frenetic, and vibrant all at once. If you love large crowds, a carnival atmosphere, a vast array of goods and activities in a concentrated space – and are not
too uncomfortable with the open vice all around (particularly sex, but also drugs, fake goods, etc.) – then Patpong is the place for you.
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