Thonglor & Ekamai
Thonglor and Ekamai, two major streets that run parallel to each other off Sukhumvit Road, are not well-known to visitors, and even many locals are unaware of the area’s many clubs, pubs and bars.
Thonglor is a 2.5km-long tree-lined boulevard featuring wedding studios, flower shops, design studios and up-market boutiques. Set back from the street are luxurious condominium and apartment blocks. It’s a genteel environment.
In stark contrast, Ekamai, less than 1 km from Thonglor, is run-down and unfashionable, but in fact it is more interesting than Thonglor when it comes to nightlife. Together, the two streets house about 60 places of entertainment ranging from gentlemen’s clubs, to discos, bars, clubs and pubs.
But don’t expect these outlets to be all in a clustered row like Patpong or Soi Cowboy. They are spread-out over a large area and not all of them are within walking distance of each other. This is a zone where you need to identify beforehand what you are looking for and then go there directly.
The Thonglor Ekamai area is home to some very good pubs. There are three completely different styles of pub here: traditional European with good food, like Witch’s Tavern (near Thonglor Soi 10); Thai-country style pubs like The Log Cabin (Thonglor Soi 18), or Best Room (between Soi 20 and Petchburi; and thirdly there are the Thai contemporary-style pub-clubs like Song Saleung (Thonglor Soi 21), Raz Bar (Thonglor between Sukhumvit and Soi 2), Nung Len (Ekamai between Soi 5 and 7), Blog 9 (between Soi 7 and 9), Booze Club (off Ekamai Soi 7) and Y50 Pub on Ekamai Soi 21. All of these have live music, beer and whisky at sensible prices, and a local atmosphere. Foreigners are very welcome, but the pubs are not known as pick-up places.
Many of the growing number of gentlemen who have had enough of the seediness of go-go bars are nowadays heading for gentlemen’s clubs (G-Clubs) such as Sherbet (near Ekamai Soi 1) or the Piano Bar . These two establishments are within walking distance of each other and are under the same ownership.
The Piano has been running for ages, but Sherbet opened in March 2007 and is already considered to be one of best G-clubs in Bangkok. Both places encourage the customer to buy a bottle of whisky for about Bt4,000, the price of which includes mixers and ice. Both establishments have sexy but tasteful dancing shows at regular intervals throughout the evening.
Eye candy at Sherbet and The Piano is of a high standard and many of the elegantly-dressed young hostesses and scantily-dressed dancers speak relatively good English and may be prepared to carry on a conversation after the clubs close, usually 2am. There is another G-bar called Exotica and it tends to favour Japanese customers.
If you yourself want to dance, as opposed to watching young Thai girls do their stuff, you should head for Santika near Ekamai Soi 11. This is a big place, packed out every night with university students and young professionals and staffed by a friendly crew who are as happy to serve you with a bottle of soda water for Bt50 as they are a top-of-the-range bottle of Chivas for Bt3,500. The music is live, and loud. People don’t go to Santika for a quiet chat.
Another place with a dance floor is We-Za (Ekamai, between Soi 21 and 23). It’s more down-market and much smaller than Santika, but is a favourite with vocational-college students looking for loud music and beer.
The best live music in the Thonglor / Ekamai area is to be found at the Nung Len pub between Ekamai Soi 5 and 7. Be warned, the music is full-on and the place is absolutely jam-packed on Fridays and Saturdays. They do have a few seats but people stand on them in order to get a better view of the band which could be playing anything from Thai pop to hard rock or hip-hop.
As at November 2007 all nightspots in the Thonglor/Ekamai area are supposed to close at 1am but in practice they usually stay open until 2am or even a little later if there are plenty of paying customers.
For Thonglor take the Skytrain to BTS Thonglor (E6). Use Exit 3 and double-back before taking a taxi to your chosen venue. For Ekamai establishments get off the Skytrain at BTS Ekamai (E7) and take Exit 3.