Bangkok - Thailand's Islands and Beaches - page 151

GAY & LESBIAN BANGKOK

Bangkok is so gay it makes San Francisco look like rural Texas. The website Utopia ( Click here ) is an evergreen
crash course in Bangkok's gay scene, while local listings mags such as BK ( Click here ) can point you in the dir-
ection of the bars and clubs that are hot when you're in town. The Lesbian Guide to Bangkok
( www.bangkoklesbian.com ) is the only English-language tracker of the lesbian scene.
Lower Th Silom is Bangkok's unofficial gaybourhood, and highlights include tiny Soi 2, which is lined with
dance clubs such as DJ Station OFFLINE MAP GOOGLE MAP ( www.dj-station.com ; 8/6-8 Soi 2, Th Silom;
admission from 100B; 10.30pm-3am; Si Lom exit 2, Sala Daeng exit 1), the busiest and arguably
most famous gay nightclub in Thailand. Virtually next door is Soi 2/1 where bars like G.O.D OFFLINE MAP
GOOGLE MAP (Guys on Display; ; Soi 2/1; admission 280B; 8pm-late; Si Lom exit 2, Sala Daeng
exit 1) are not averse to a little shirtless dancing. A more casual scene is found on Soi 4, home to longstanding
streetside bars Balcony OFFLINE MAP GOOGLE MAP ( www.balconypub.com ; 86-88 Soi 4, Th Silom;

5.30pm-1am; ; Si Lom exit 2, Sala Daeng exit 1) and Telephone OFFLINE MAP GOOGLE MAP

( www.telephonepub.com ; 114/11-13 Soi 4, Th Silom; 6pm-1am; ; Si Lom exit 2, Sala Daeng

exit 1).
Further out of town are a couple of smaller gay scenes, including the strip of mostly Thai-frequented bars
along Th Kamphaengphet such as Fake Club ( www.facebook.com/fakeclub.bangkok ; Th Kamphaengphet;
8pm-2am; Kamphaeng Phet exit 1) ; the slightly seedier knot of bars along Soi 8, Th Ratchada, including
the infamous G-Star (Soi 8, Th Ratchadaphisek; 8pm-1am; Phra Ram 9 exit 3) ; and at RCA, the new,
sleek Castro ( www.facebook.com/Castro.rca.bangkok ; Block C, RCA, off Th Phra Ram IX;
9.30pm-4.30am; Phra Ram 9 exit 3 & taxi).

Sukhumvit

WTF
OFFLINE MAP GOOGLE MAP
( www.wtfbangkok.com ; 7 Soi 51, Th Sukhumvit; 6pm-1am Tue-Sun; Thong Lo exit 3) No, not that
WTF; Wonderful Thai Friendship combines a bar and an art gallery in one attractive
package. Throw in some of Bangkok's best cocktails, delicious Spanish-influenced bar
snacks and a friendly, artsy clientele and as far as we're concerned, you've got
Bangkok's best bar.

BAR

Badmotel
OFFLINE MAP

BAR

GOOGLE MAP

( www.facebook.com/badmotel ; Soi 55 (Thong Lor), Th Sukhumvit; 5pm-1.30am; Thong Lo exit 3 & taxi)
The new Badmotel blends the modern and the kitschy, the cosmopolitan and the Thai, in