Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
burn strong and bright on certain nights - a visit from a foreign DJ or the music flavour of
the month - then hibernate every other night.
What used to be a rotating cast of hot spots has slowed to a few standards on the sois
off Th Sukhumvit, Th Silom, Th Ratchadapisek and Royal City Ave (RCA) - the city's
'entertainment zones' - which qualify for the 2am closing time. Most places don't begin
filling up until midnight. Cover charges can run as high as 600B and usually include a
drink or two. You'll need ID to prove you're legal (20 years old); they'll card even the
grey-haired.
If you find 2am too early to call it a night, don't worry - Thais have found curiously
creative methods of flouting closing times. Speakeasies have sprung up all over the city,
so follow the crowds - no one is heading home. Some places just remove the tables and
let people drink on the floor (somehow this is an exemption), while other places serve
beer in teapots. If it seems strange…welcome to Bangkok.
For live music, traditional performances and Bangkok's infamous 'adult' entertainment,
see our Entertainment chapter (
Click here
)
.
Drinks
Bangkok is justifiably renowned for its food and nightlife, but markedly less so for its
beverages. Yet drinks are the glue that fuse these elements, and without them, that cabaret
show would be markedly less entertaining.
BEER
Advertised with such slogans as
'Ъrà·têht row, bee·a row'
('our land, our beer'), the Sing-
ha label is considered the quintessential Thai beer by
fa·ràng
(Westerners) and locals
alike. Pronounced
sĭng,
this pilsner claims about half the domestic market. The alcohol
content for Singha beer is a heady 6%. It is sold in brown glass bottles (330mL, 500mL
and 630mL) with a shiny gold lion on the label, as well as in cans (330mL). It's also avail-
able on tap as
bee·a sòt
(draught beer) - slightly tastier than either bottled or canned brew
- in many Bangkok pubs and restaurants.
Singha's biggest rival, Beer Chang, pumps the alcohol content up to 7%. Beer Chang
has managed to gain an impressive following mainly because it retails at a significantly
lower price than Singha and thus offers more bang per baht. Boon Rawd (the maker of
Singha) responded with its own cheaper brand, Leo. Sporting a black-and-red leopard la-
bel, Leo costs only slightly more than Beer Chang but is similarly high in alcohol.
Dutch-licensed but Thailand-brewed Heineken comes third after Singha and Chang in
sales rankings. Similar 'domestic imports' include Asahi and San Miguel. Other Thai-
