Overview of Bangkok's
Silom & Sathorn Area
The area
between the roads of Silom and Sathorn is the closest Bangkok gets to
Wall Street, with glistening skyscrapers all boasting the names of
financial institutions. After nightfall the character of the place
changes considerably though: the small sois between Silom and Surawong
come alive with people out for a good time, including the infamous
short little alley of Patpong.
What to see in
Bangkok's Silom Sathorn Area
Tourist sights are rather rare on the ground in the Silom/Sathorn
district.
Catch a Thai
kickboxing (Muay
Thai) match at
Lumphini Stadium
(Rama IV Road; Subway Lumphini). Matches start at 18.30 on Tuesday and
Friday and 16.30 and 20.30 on Saturday, seats are 1500 baht for 2nd
class and 2000 baht for 1st class (there is said to be a 3rd class
too, but it was not available when I visited; someone should confirm
this). Take note that thes are “foreigner prices” charged of tourists
and not of the local population.
The Traditional
Thai Puppet Theatre Company
has performances each
night from 19.30-20.45 in their theatre located in the midst of the
Suan Lum Night Bazaar (Subway Lumphini). Admission is 300 baht for a
regular seat and a little more for a V.I.P. seat, but there is not
much difference between the two, and you can get a regular seat in the
front if you buy your ticket early. The show is in Thai with
translations into English, and there is a segment where the puppets
interact with audience members that is popular with children.
The gay bars and discos of Silom soi 2 and Silom soi 4.
Street and Night Markets in
Bangkok's Silom Sathorn Area
The Patpong Night
Market features
all the usual Asian knock-offs and assorted tourist goods. Prices are
considerably inflated compared to most any other market and shopping
areas and isn't really recommended, as it will take you a half an hour
just to bargain down that 500 baht T-shirt to the 50-100 baht it would
cost you elsewhere.
The new Suan Lum
Night Bazaar
(Subway Lumphini) is a less chaotic option offering much the same fare
and then some, including a lot of artsy pieces that might actually
look good back home. The quality of goods and displays are generally
higher than Chatuchak Weekend Market, but so are the prices. However,
the stalls are modern, thoroughfares are wider, and there are many
good dining options here. A money changer and ATM is located right in
the middle of the market area, but it closes two hours earlier than
the rest of the market does. The bazaar is open nightly until
midnight.
Klong Toey
Market: Klong
Toey (just south of Queen Sirikit Convention Center MRT). A huge and
surprisingly centrally located definitely off the tourist trail: the
stalls sell goods for Thais, at Thai prices. Open 24 hours, but best
experienced in the early hours of the evening.
Silom Village:Silom
21/1. A Touristy theme market, but still a good place to look for
handbags and furniture. Be mindful that many items are fakes.
Bangkok's Infamous Patpong Area
You might want to take a deep breath and a few
shots before heading into the insanity of Patpong, which in fact
consists only of two small sois (Patpong 1 and Patpong 2) a short walk
from BTS Sala Daeng station, deserted by day but jam-packed and
overflowing in all directions by night. The throngs of middle age
tourists shopping for sarongs and chopsticks just makes the sex shows
going on in every open door that much more surreal.
Prepare to be harassed by touts armed with
laminated 'menus' of acts you can order up. If you follow the touts,
you might end up spending a ton of money on drinks to watch ladies
perform X-rated acts with various accessories (lawn darts, ping pongs,
etc etc) in one of the upstairs bars.
If you instead try one of the bars on the
lower level, you can safely watch girls dancing on stage, but will
occasionally be asked by one of the girls if you could buy her a
drink. She will get upwards of 50% of the drink price as a bonus and
will join you at your table for some conversation in exchange. As a
rule of thumb, only trust bars that already have a fair number of
customers; a drink should not cost more than 100 baht or so.
Bangkok's
Gay Nightlife Area
Sois 2 and 4 are the center of gay nightlife
in Bangkok, although these days Soi 4 packs in a mixed crowd with
plenty of bars that aren't gay by any stretch of the imagination. On
weekends Soi 4 is cordoned off and valid ID is (theoretically)
required to enter.
DJ Station,: at
the end of Silom Soi 2 (just beside Sala Daeng BTS). The most famous
gay nightclub in Bangkok and busy almost every night, starting with a
reasonable Ladyboy show at 11.30pm. Admission is between 100-200 baht
which includes one or two drinks.
GOD
Club: Short for
Guyz on Display. Usually open until the early hours.
Home: Silom Soi
4. Home is another famed hip-hop bar spread over three floors, yet
somewhat small. For a first time visit or once-in-a-while visitor,
this place is a good find. However, if you go there too often, you may
find their repertoire of songs somewhat repetitive. Cocktails are not
remarkably special and prices are about average for the area. People
who come here are typically in their 20's. Comfy seats downstairs as
well as on the third floor. Or take a seat outside, where tables make
a good spot for people watching.
Speed:
80 Silom Soi 4. Put Speed on the top of your list if hip-hop is your
scene; this is where you come to witness young Thais in baggy clothes
getting down with 50 Cent and his ilk. Several floors but the ground
floor is where the action is.
Tapas: 114/17
Silom Soi 4. On your left immediately as you enter the soi, this is
more of a groovy club than a Spanish snack joint, with two stylishly
decorated floors and a people-watching terrace.
Bangkok's
Silom &Sathorn Area: Things to See & Do