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GAY THAILAND
Thailand is a very welcoming place for gay
people and being a mainly Buddhist country same sex
relationships come without any moral concern, making it largely
a non-issue. Many Thais also engage in bisexual relationships,
without worrying about social pressure or comments, or on how to
label themselves. Homosexuality was decriminalized in the
country in 1956 and removed from a list of mental disorders by
Thai law in 2002. The military however lists gay and transgender
people as suffering from sexual identity problems. Thailand has an unique gay culture that
consists of commercial establishments, such as beer bars, go-go
clubs, saunas and massage parlors, as well as of establishments
that lend themselves to non-commercial encounters, such as
discos, pubs, snookers and karaoke bars. A lot of gay men can
also be found cruising in shopping malls and public parks or
amongst the staff of many hotels and restaurants across the
country.
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Put it up, gay boy, Bangkok (Thailand) |
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An obvious message (or
request) on this gay boy's trousers.
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BANGKOK (KRUNG
THEP)
Bangkok, also called Krung Thep, is a
metropolitan with around 13 million people. It is situated on the
Chao Phraya River, just a small distance North of where it floods into the
Gulf of Siam. The city is literally scattered with gay venues
and the most popular ones are in the areas of Silom and
Suriwong, Ramkhamhaeng, Ratchadaphisek, Sanam Luang and Victory
Monument.
DJ Station
Soi 2, Silom Road, Bangrak
District.
Most popular and trendy disco with loud
but hip music and a nightly kathoey and cabaret show.
Frequented by mostly expats and tourists. The locals come
either with Thai friends or alone to look for a foreign
boyfriend. Very crowded during the weekends.
G.O.D. (Guys On Display)
Soi 2½, Silom Road, Bangrak
District.
New kid on the block, situated in a small
soi off Silom road, between soi 2 and soi 4, at the address
of the former Freeman disco. Stays open until dawn
-after the normal government restricted opening hours- by
paying off corrupt police officials. Entrance fees are
therefore rather expensive and door staff is extremely
aggressive and unfriendly. Rip offs at the entrance seem to
be common practice. Make sure to get your change and
admission stamp!
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In Bangkok's G.O.D.
disco one might be dancing with the devil...
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G.O.D., Bangkok |
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Zees Zone
Soi 89/2, Ramkhamhaeng Road, Bangkapi
District.
Hip disco with a young crowd of mainly
Thais, many of whom are students at the nearby universities.
In the weekends it offers a lively dance and lip-singing
show with mainly male dancers and sometimes lady-boys. A real
plays both Thai and Western music. Crowded during the
weekends. Formerly called Finale.
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Finale dancers, Ramkhamhaeng, Bangkok (Thailand) |
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Zees Zone, a trendy gay disco
with a lively show, in the area of Ramkhamhaeng.
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Crazy
Soi 89/2, Ramkhamhaeng Road, Bangkapi
District.
The most trendy disco in the soi with a
DJ playing hip music and no remix. A good mix of both young
and older Thais, but little to no foreigners.
Popular in the later hours and in the weekends. It
occasionally has some male stage dancers, usually when the
crowd is large enough. Sometimes also lady-boys might
perform, the same team that also performs in other, nearby
establishments.
ICK
Soi 89/2, Ramkhamhaeng Road, Bangkapi
District.
Disco in the beginning of the soi visited
by a mainly young crowd, often students from the nearby
universities. The music is remix only, typically at too fast
a rhythm. Little to no foreigners. Often has long stage
performances of kathoey and other shows, as well as
contests.
CHIANG MAI
Chiang Mai, Thailand's second largest city,
is famous for its Night Bazaar and traditional handicrafts. A
bustling metropolis it still preserves its local heritage which
can be seen in both its architecture and the northern way of
living. The gay nightlife is not as thriving as that found in
the capital but the relaxed atmosphere in the cities many
open-air beer bars are a nice change. Besides those beer bars
and some mixed discos there are also plenty of gay saunas,
hotels, guesthouses, restaurants and beer gardens.
Night Bazaar Beer Bars
Soi, Chang Klan Road, Meuang
District.
A cluster of open-air beer bars at the
far end of the main shopping building of the Night Bazaar.
The bars are frequented by mostly expats and very young
boys, often with hill tribe ethnicity, tend to hang around.
Some bars have a snooker table. When staff of any of the
bars have something to celebrate, usually the whole soi will
join the party.
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Dancing in the street
at the Night Bazaar Beer Bars of Chiang Mai.
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Night Bazaar Beer Bars, Chiang Mai (Thailand) |
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PATTAYA
Pattaya, a coastal city with a population of
over 250,000 on Thailand's Eastern Seaboard is (in)famous for
being a great gay playground. Although this beach resort's gay
scene is mostly commercial, the sheer quantity of gay people
attracted to the city and living here to work in the tourism
industry also create more than a single opportunity to meet real
gay friends and many more trendy venues are beginning to spring
up that lend themselves to non-commercial encounters. With
virtually no intolerance of gays one will feel indeed a welcome
guest in Pattaya. Gay people and venues are found all over the
city but the largest concentration of gay venues are in South
Pattaya and Jomtien, especially in the areas of Pattayaland and
Boyz Town, Soi Day & Night, Soi VC, Sunee Plaza, Jomtien Complex
and Had Dong Tan (Tarn), Jomtien's gay beach.
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Yves and friend at Had Dong Tan, Jomtien (Thailand) |
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Had Dong Tan in
Jomtien is known as Pattaya's gay beach.
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PHUKET
Phuket is Thailand's largest island with a
population of well over 300,000. It is located off the southern
Thai peninsula, in the Andaman Sea, but connected to the
mainland through a bridge. Gay nightlife and venues are concentrated
in the Royal Paradise Complex of Patong Beach, the island's most
popular resort town. There are many bars, restaurants,
accommodation and shops here as well as some gay discos.
Boat Bar
125/20 Rath-U-Thit Road, Paradise Complex, Paton Beach District.
Very popular disco with a trendy Japanese
style design and good music. It attracts a large crowd
around midnight.
On the second floor one can overlook the dance floor and sit
somewhat secluded. There is also a nightly cabaret show.
Tangmo Club
123/6-7 Rath-u-thit Road,
Paradise Complex, Paton Beach District.
Go-go bar with a dance and variety show
featuring handsome guys and elegant transgender lip-synch
performers. There are two shows nightly.
Rendez-Vous Hotel
143/14-15 Raj Uthit, 200 Years Road,
Paradise Complex, Paton Beach District.
A stylish gay-owned hotel in the centre
of the Paradise Complex. It has a luxurious design with bold
architectural strokes, resembling an old colonial-style
hacienda. The marble decorated interior has an abundance of
teak furniture and terra-cotta tiled floors. Only five
minutes away from the beach. The hotel also offers tours and
excursions.
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The classy interior of
the Rendez-Vous hotel on Phuket.
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Rendez-Vous Hotel, Phuket (Thailand) |
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