Gay Thailand: disver everythg travelers need to know - KAYAK

Contents:

• DISVER THE BT 10 STATNS TO ENJOY GAY THAILAND
• A GUI TO BANGKOK'S RED LIGHT DISTRICTS SOI COWBOY | ©GWOEII / SHUTTERSTOCK LLIE FLAY 24 DECEMBER 2019 COPY LK FACEBOOK EMAIL TWTER PTERT RECENT MENTS OM GAMBIA’S TOURISM MISTER UNTENTNALLY SHONE THE TERNATNAL SPOTLIGHT ON A HHED AND ILLIC DTRY THAT HAS BUBBLED BENEATH THE SURFACE THAILAND FOR CENTURI. “WE ARE NOT A SEX STATN,” MISTER HAMAT BAH TOLD GAMBIA’S FREEDOM NEWSPAPER A JANUARY TERVIEW URGG VISORS TO NOT E TO THE WTERN AIN NATN UNR SUCH PRETENS. “IF YOU WANT A SEX STATN, YOU GO TO THAILAND.” VIEW ALL TRIPS IT WAS THE LATTER REMARK THAT LNCHED A FLURRY OF DIPLOMATIC MEMOS THAT RULTED THE ERNMENT’S FORMAL APOLOGY TO THE KGDOM, AND PROMPTED THAILAND’S OFFICIAL TOURISM BODY TO GO ON THE RERD THAT “STRONGLY OPPOS ANY FORM OF SEX TOURISM.” TAKE A SP TO FD YOUR PERFECT SMALL-GROUP TRIP STATN PASSPORTS READY? YOUR NEXT STATN IS... VIEW TRIP SP ECUADOR ICELAND JAPAN BALI MEXI CROATIA TURKEY SOUTH AI SPA INDIA EGYPT THAILAND MOROC GREECE OPPOSED OR NOT, THAILAND’S SEX TOURISM DTRY IS VALUED AT $6.4 BILLN A YEAR REVENUE AS OF 2015, SPE OF S GG ILLEGALY. EXPERTS WARN THAT THE DTRY HAS BEEN SO TOLERATED THAT IS TODAY EPLY ENTRENCHED, AND EFFORTS AT REGULATN SHOULD BE ATTEMPTED LI OF TOTAL SHUTDOWN. SUDN RTRICTNS, THEY CLAIM, WILL LIKELY MOVE THE DTRY UNRGROUND, CREASG RISKS LIKE DISEASE, D, AND EXPLOATN AMONG BOTH WORKERS AND PATRONS ALIKE AND ULD ENURAGE HUMAN TRAFFICKG. REGARDLS OF WHERE YOU STAND ON THE ISSUE, THE SEX TOURISM DTRY THAILAND IS A SIGNIFINT, IF TANGENTIAL, PONENT OF THAILAND’S VIBRANT HISTORY, AND ALL ROADS LEAD TO BANGKOK – HOME TO THE MOST ACTIVE RED LIGHT DISTRICTS THE LAND OF S. CARIBBEAN COLOMBIA DISVER COLOMBIA’S CARIBBEAN AST, OM CARTAGENA TO PALOMO VIA JUNGL, RIVERS AND ISLANDS. VIEW TRIP SEX TOURISM THAILAND THE AYUTTHAYA KGDOM THRIVED ACROSS SIAM OM 1351 – 1767 AND AT THE TIME WAS THE LARGT AND WEALTHIT TRADG CENTRE THE EAST. ITS EMENCE AS AN TERNATNAL HUB HELPED POPULARIZE A SEX TOURISM TRA VERY EARLY ON, AS WISPREAD PROSTUTN WAS LEGAL AND TAXED PRIMARILY THROUGH STATE-N BROTHELS. THE VELOPMENT OF THIS DTRY PERSISTED THROUGH THE VIETNAM WAR WHEN THAILAND BEME THE GO-TO STATN FOR MANY AMERIN SOLDIERS ON R&R, ENURAGG THE GROWTH OF GO-GO BARS. THAILAND’S LONG-PERVADG BUDDHISM ALSO PLAYED A ROLE THIS TREND. STRICT TERPRETATN OF BUDDHIST DOCTRE PLAC WOMEN AS LSER NTRIBUTORS TO SOCIETY, AND CULTURALLY CHILDREN ARE TASKED WH TAKG RE OF AGG PARENTS. WHILE THIS STIGMA HAS EASED TODAY, THE PRSURE FOR WOMEN TO ACHIEVE FANCIAL STABILY FOR THEMSELV OR THEIR FAI HELPED NORMALIZE THE DTRY OVER TIME. BEE A CULTURE TRIPPER! SIGN UP TO OUR NEWSLETTER TO SAVE UP TO 40% ON OUR UNIQUE TRIPS. SIGN UP SEE PRIVACY POLICY. THEN UNR PRSURE OM THE UNED NATNS, THE THAI ERNMENT FORMALLY LED PROSTUTN ILLEGAL 1960 THROUGH A POLICY LATER REPLACED BY THE PREVENTN AND SUPPRSN OF PROSTUTN ACT OF 1996. THE ACT ACKNOWLEDGED THE ILLEGALY OF PROSTUTN JURE, BUT WAS WRTEN WH SPECIFIC EMPHASIS TO CRIMALIZE CHILD PROSTUTN AND TRAFFICKG, AND WOULD ONLY OCSNALLY POLICE THE OPERATN OF OTHER VENU AND ACTIVY TERG TO “SEXPATS” AND TOURISTS. SOI COWBOY, BANGKOK, THAILAND | ©ADAM SELWOOD/FLICKR INTO THE 21ST CENTURY BANGKOK’S MOST PROMENT RED LIGHT DISTRICTS CLU SOI COWBOY, NANA PLAZA, PATPONG, AND SOI TWILIGHT – ALL ADJACENT TO ONE ANOTHER THE CENTRE OF THE CY. THE WORKERS ARE TYPILLY WOMEN HAILG OM RAL AREAS OF THE UNTRY THAT MOVED TO THE CY TO FD WORK, BUT WH LIMED TN AND THE ABSENCE OF OTHER CRENTIALS REQUIRED THE CREASGLY GLOBALIZED CY, TAKE WHAT WORK THEY N GET. THE DISTRICTS BOAST WELL-KNOWN AND OFTEN HIGH-END TABLISHMENTS THAT ARE NOT THE PRODUCT OF ILLEGAL TRAFFICKG OR FORCED WORKERS – THEIR HIGH PUBLIC VISIBILY GREATLY RC SUCH A PRENCE, ALONG WH THE WATCHFUL EYE OF THE STATE, SELF EAGER TO AVOID TERNATNAL BACKLASH FOR SUCH ETHIL VLATNS. SOI COWBOY, BANGKOK, THAILAND | ©WRY2010/FLICKR PATPONG THIS AREA OF SILOM IS WHERE GO-GO BARS FIRST GAED POPULARY DURG THE VIETNAM WAR ERA, AND TODAY S TWO MA STREETS – PATPONG SOI 1 AND PATPONG SOI 2 – REMA A HUGE ATTRACTN FOR VISORS CUR ABOUT THE CY’S ILLIC NIGHTLIFE. THE MOST FAMO TABLISHMENTS CLU KG’S CASTLE I AND II, KNOWN FOR S MOSTLY POST-OP TRANSSEXUAL PERFORMERS, AND BARBAR FETISH CLUB, THE AREA’S MORE, LET’S SAY, NICHE, GO-GO BAR. THE SAFARI BAR BRGS WANRG TOURISTS WH S BLARG OLDI CLASSICS OM THE LIK OF ELVIS OR THE BEATL, WHILE THIGH BAR IS A TOURIST-IENDLY STAPLE WH SOME OF THE LOWER DRK PRIC AVAILABLE. PATPONG | ©PONGMOJI / SHUTTERSTOCK NANA PLAZA IN THE EARLY 1990S, PATPONG TRODUCED A POPULAR NIGHT MARKET. THE NEIGHBORHOOD’S NEWFOUND FAY-IENDLS CHANGED S LATE-NIGHT ATMOSPHERE, AND TH “THE WORLD’S LARGT ADULT PLAYGROUND” EMERGED NEARBY NANA PLAZA. THIS THREE-STORY PLEX HAS A RNIVAL-LIKE ATMOSPHERE AND HO DOZENS OF GO-GO CLUBS AND KATHOEY, OR “LADYBOY” BARS, ALONG WH SEVERAL SHORT-TERM HOTELS THAT RENT ROOMS BY THE HOUR. ANGEL WCH IS KNOWN FOR S GRANDSE THEMED ROCK SHOWS, AND BILLBOARD AGOGO BAR FEATUR A HIGH-ENERGY ATMOSPHERE ON S ROTATG DANCE FLOOR AND A JACUZZI TO BOOT, WHILE CASANOVA IS KNOWN TO BE A MORE RELAXED HANGOUT. THE GROUND FLOOR LEVEL HAS TONS OF OPEN-AIR BARS AND AN ALMOST PUB-LIKE ATMOSPHERE, PLETE WH SPORTS BROADSTS, LIVE MIC, AND PLENTY OF PEOPLE WATCHG. NANA PLAZA, BANGKOK, THAILAND | ©MARK FISCHER/FLICKR SOI COWBOY EMERGG POPULARY AROUND THE SAME TIME AS NANA PLAZA, THIS AREA WAS NAMED AFTER A WBOY HAT-WEARG AIN-AMERIN WHO OPENED THE FIRST BAR BACK THE 1970S. TODAY, THE NEON-SOAKED ENERGY N BE TIMIDATG, BUT THE BARS – SOME 30+ OF THEM – HAVE AN OVERALL GOOD REPUTATN AND LOW CINCE OF SMS. LIVE MIC SHOWS EMBRACE CUR VISORS AS THEY ENTER THE MA STREET, AND POPULAR TABLISHMENTS CLU SIE WONGS, FAMO FOR S BODY PATG, TILAC BAR, BACRA, AND THE EPONYMO CRAZY HOE. SOI COWBOY | ©PL SULLIVAN/FLICKR SOI TWILIGHT THIS NARROW, FLUORCENT STREET JT NORTHEAST OF PATPONG NIGHT MARKET AND EXCLIVELY OPERAT AS BANGKOK’S LOLE FOR GAY GO-GO BARS – AND THEY LIVE UP TO THE HIGH BAR SET BY BANGKOK’S VIBRANT GAY NIGHTLIFE SCENE. CLASSIC FEATUR UNRWATER MERMEN AND A SWIMMG SHOW, WHILE TAWAN PUTS ON AN IMPRSIVE STAGE SHOW ROTATG ACTS LIKE DANCE PERFORMANC, DRAG EDY, AND MORE. SOI TWILIGHT, OR “SOI PRATUCHAI” | © BLEMISHED PARADISE/FLICKR WHAT TO KNOW IF YOU GO LIKE ANY UNREGULATED DTRY, BANGKOK’S RED LIGHT DISTRICTS ARE FLH WH SMS APLENTY. MANY OF THE LSER-KNOWN, OFF-THE-BEATEN-PATH TYPE PLAC – LIKE THOSE “REMEND” BY YOUR T-T OR TAXI DRIVERS – ADVERTISE EE SHOWS, BUT VISORS N ENUNTER ENORMO BILLS FULL OF HIDN STS WHEN THE SHOW ENDS, WH SECURY GUARDS ON THE READY TO MAKE SURE YOU PAY FULL. THIS IS PARTICULARLY PREVALENT AMONG THE “PG-PONG” AND OTHER LIVE SEX SHOWS TRAMARK TO PATPONG. THE WORKERS THE TABLISHMENTS ARE OFTEN PENSATED THROUGH A VARIETY OF PAYMENT STCTUR THAT VARY OM BAR TO BAR. OFTEN THERE’S A SET SALARY, SUPPLEMENTED BY MISSNS EARNED BY METRICS LIKE THE NUMBER OF DRKS BOUGHT BY CTOMERS FOR THE EMPLOYEE. AS A RULT, THE ATMOSPHERE OF THE BARS IS OFTEN LIBERATELY SET UP TO PRSURE S PATRONS TO BUYG MORE AND MORE DRKS FOR THE WORKG GUYS AND GALS, AND EVEN IF YOU’RE PAYG FOR A TOP-SHELF CKTAIL, THEY’RE ONLY ACTUALLY HAVG A SODA WATER. MOST REPUTABLE PLAC MAKE SURE YOUR TAB IS KEPT RIGHT ONT OF YOU, HOWEVER, SO YOU N KEEP AN EYE ON AND ENSURE TRANSPARENCY OF PRICG. INDIVIDUAL WORKERS ARE ALSO EE TO MANAGE THEIR OWN TIME THROUGH A MON PRACTICE KNOWN AS A “BAR FE.” IF A DANCER OR BAR WORKER WANTS TO LEAVE FOR THE NIGHT WH A GUT, THEY PAY THEIR “MAMASAN,” THE EQUIVALENT OF THEIR MANAGER, A FEE FOR THEIR ABSENCE. THIS N RANGE ANYWHERE OM A FEW HUNDRED TO A UPLE OF THOAND BAHT, AND IS SEPARATE OM WHATEVER PRICE NEGOTIATED WH THEIR “GUT.” WHAT’S NEXT FOR THAILAND THE TOURISM AUTHORY OF THAILAND (TAT,) LLED THE GAMBIAN MISTER’S MENTS ON THAILAND’S SEX TOURISM DTRY “BASELS,” BUT NEVERTHELS THE PRIME MISTER PRAYUT CHAN-O-CHA HAS PLEDGED TO CHANGE THE UNTRY’S IMAGE OF BEG A SEX TOURISM STATN. RAIDS ON TABLISHMENTS PROMOTG SEX TOURISM ARE ALREADY RELATIVELY ROUTE BANGKOK, BUT ARE ALMOST EXCLIVELY FOCED ON THE DISVERY OF UNRAGE OR ILLEGAL WORKERS. IT’S ANYONE’S GUS WHAT THE PRIME MISTER’S PLEDGE WILL MEAN FOR THIS DTRY AND THE RED LIGHT DISTRICTS, BUT THE JUNTA’S HARDLE APPROACH TO CRACKG DOWN ON ILLEGAL IMMIGRATN AND DG TRAFFICKG RECENT YEARS DIT CHANG MAY BE STORE. IN THE MEANTIME, PATRONIZG TABLISHMENTS LIKE GO-GO BARS OPERATG BANGKOK’S RED LIGHT DISTRICTS IS NOT STRICTLY ILLEGAL – ALMOST ALL OF THEM ARE SIGNATED UNR LAW AS “ENTERTAMENT ZON” – AND SOME BOAST SHOWS RANKED AMONG THE HIGHT QUALY THE CY. PROSTUTN IS LS BLACK AND WHE. WHILE WILY TOLERATED TO DATE, CREASG PRSURE ON THE THAI ERNMENT ULD MEAN MORE ENFORCEMENT THE NEAR FUTURE. AS A VISOR, UNRSTAND THAT YOU’RE EXPECTED TO ADHERE TO THE LOL LAWS – JURE OR OTHERWISE – AND MT ACCEPT RPONSIBILY IF YOU’RE UGHT RED-HAND THE RED LIGHT DISTRICT. VOLNIC ICELAND EPIC TRIP MEET OUR LOL INSIR HANNA HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN A GUIDE? 2 YEARS. WHAT DO YOU LOVE ABOUT YOUR JOB? IT'S THE PERSONAL NTACT, THE PERSONAL EXPERIENC. I LOVE MEETG PEOPLE OM ALL OVER THE WORLD... I REALLY LIKE GETTG TO KNOW EVERYONE AND FEELG LIKE I'M TRAVELG WH A GROUP OF IENDS. WHAT DESTINATION IS ON YOUR TRAVEL BUCKET-LIST? I HAVE SO MANY PLAC ON MY LIST, BUT I WOULD REALLY LOBE TO GO TO AI. I NSIR MYSELF AN “ADVENTURE GIRL” AND AI FEELS LIKE THE ULTIMATE ADVENTURE! EVERY CULTURE TRIP SMALL-GROUP ADVENTURE IS LED BY A LOL INSIR JT LIKE HANNA. SEE OUR CULTURE TRIPS KEEN TO EXPLORE THE WORLD?
• 40 BT GAY DTATNS WORLDWI, ACRDG TO TRAVELERS
• GAY THAILAND
• THE 5 BEST BANGKOK GAY CLUBS & BARSGAY CLUBS & BARS BANGKOK
• GAYS THAILAND: IS A LGBT IENDLY UNTRY FOR TOURISM?
• THAILAND GAY TRAVEL

DISVER THE BT 10 STATNS TO ENJOY GAY THAILAND

Although the ma gay scene is ncentrated Bangkok, the equally betiful getaways Phet, Koh Samet, and Pattaya are also worth a vis for LGBTQ travelers.

If you’re travelg to Thailand as a gay uple, wh your gay iends, or by yourself, you n expect a fun, welg atmosphere and loads of great parti. While gay travelers will generally have no issu travelg here, LGBTQ rights Thailand for lols rema a work progrs.

A GUI TO BANGKOK'S RED LIGHT DISTRICTS SOI COWBOY | ©GWOEII / SHUTTERSTOCK LLIE FLAY 24 DECEMBER 2019 COPY LK FACEBOOK EMAIL TWTER PTERT RECENT MENTS OM GAMBIA’S TOURISM MISTER UNTENTNALLY SHONE THE TERNATNAL SPOTLIGHT ON A HHED AND ILLIC DTRY THAT HAS BUBBLED BENEATH THE SURFACE THAILAND FOR CENTURI. “WE ARE NOT A SEX STATN,” MISTER HAMAT BAH TOLD GAMBIA’S FREEDOM NEWSPAPER A JANUARY TERVIEW URGG VISORS TO NOT E TO THE WTERN AIN NATN UNR SUCH PRETENS. “IF YOU WANT A SEX STATN, YOU GO TO THAILAND.” VIEW ALL TRIPS IT WAS THE LATTER REMARK THAT LNCHED A FLURRY OF DIPLOMATIC MEMOS THAT RULTED THE ERNMENT’S FORMAL APOLOGY TO THE KGDOM, AND PROMPTED THAILAND’S OFFICIAL TOURISM BODY TO GO ON THE RERD THAT “STRONGLY OPPOS ANY FORM OF SEX TOURISM.” TAKE A SP TO FD YOUR PERFECT SMALL-GROUP TRIP STATN PASSPORTS READY? YOUR NEXT STATN IS... VIEW TRIP SP ECUADOR ICELAND JAPAN BALI MEXI CROATIA TURKEY SOUTH AI SPA INDIA EGYPT THAILAND MOROC GREECE OPPOSED OR NOT, THAILAND’S SEX TOURISM DTRY IS VALUED AT $6.4 BILLN A YEAR REVENUE AS OF 2015, SPE OF S GG ILLEGALY. EXPERTS WARN THAT THE DTRY HAS BEEN SO TOLERATED THAT IS TODAY EPLY ENTRENCHED, AND EFFORTS AT REGULATN SHOULD BE ATTEMPTED LI OF TOTAL SHUTDOWN. SUDN RTRICTNS, THEY CLAIM, WILL LIKELY MOVE THE DTRY UNRGROUND, CREASG RISKS LIKE DISEASE, D, AND EXPLOATN AMONG BOTH WORKERS AND PATRONS ALIKE AND ULD ENURAGE HUMAN TRAFFICKG. REGARDLS OF WHERE YOU STAND ON THE ISSUE, THE SEX TOURISM DTRY THAILAND IS A SIGNIFINT, IF TANGENTIAL, PONENT OF THAILAND’S VIBRANT HISTORY, AND ALL ROADS LEAD TO BANGKOK – HOME TO THE MOST ACTIVE RED LIGHT DISTRICTS THE LAND OF S. CARIBBEAN COLOMBIA DISVER COLOMBIA’S CARIBBEAN AST, OM CARTAGENA TO PALOMO VIA JUNGL, RIVERS AND ISLANDS. VIEW TRIP SEX TOURISM THAILAND THE AYUTTHAYA KGDOM THRIVED ACROSS SIAM OM 1351 – 1767 AND AT THE TIME WAS THE LARGT AND WEALTHIT TRADG CENTRE THE EAST. ITS EMENCE AS AN TERNATNAL HUB HELPED POPULARIZE A SEX TOURISM TRA VERY EARLY ON, AS WISPREAD PROSTUTN WAS LEGAL AND TAXED PRIMARILY THROUGH STATE-N BROTHELS. THE VELOPMENT OF THIS DTRY PERSISTED THROUGH THE VIETNAM WAR WHEN THAILAND BEME THE GO-TO STATN FOR MANY AMERIN SOLDIERS ON R&R, ENURAGG THE GROWTH OF GO-GO BARS. THAILAND’S LONG-PERVADG BUDDHISM ALSO PLAYED A ROLE THIS TREND. STRICT TERPRETATN OF BUDDHIST DOCTRE PLAC WOMEN AS LSER NTRIBUTORS TO SOCIETY, AND CULTURALLY CHILDREN ARE TASKED WH TAKG RE OF AGG PARENTS. WHILE THIS STIGMA HAS EASED TODAY, THE PRSURE FOR WOMEN TO ACHIEVE FANCIAL STABILY FOR THEMSELV OR THEIR FAI HELPED NORMALIZE THE DTRY OVER TIME. BEE A CULTURE TRIPPER! SIGN UP TO OUR NEWSLETTER TO SAVE UP TO 40% ON OUR UNIQUE TRIPS. SIGN UP SEE PRIVACY POLICY. THEN UNR PRSURE OM THE UNED NATNS, THE THAI ERNMENT FORMALLY LED PROSTUTN ILLEGAL 1960 THROUGH A POLICY LATER REPLACED BY THE PREVENTN AND SUPPRSN OF PROSTUTN ACT OF 1996. THE ACT ACKNOWLEDGED THE ILLEGALY OF PROSTUTN JURE, BUT WAS WRTEN WH SPECIFIC EMPHASIS TO CRIMALIZE CHILD PROSTUTN AND TRAFFICKG, AND WOULD ONLY OCSNALLY POLICE THE OPERATN OF OTHER VENU AND ACTIVY TERG TO “SEXPATS” AND TOURISTS. SOI COWBOY, BANGKOK, THAILAND | ©ADAM SELWOOD/FLICKR INTO THE 21ST CENTURY BANGKOK’S MOST PROMENT RED LIGHT DISTRICTS CLU SOI COWBOY, NANA PLAZA, PATPONG, AND SOI TWILIGHT – ALL ADJACENT TO ONE ANOTHER THE CENTRE OF THE CY. THE WORKERS ARE TYPILLY WOMEN HAILG OM RAL AREAS OF THE UNTRY THAT MOVED TO THE CY TO FD WORK, BUT WH LIMED TN AND THE ABSENCE OF OTHER CRENTIALS REQUIRED THE CREASGLY GLOBALIZED CY, TAKE WHAT WORK THEY N GET. THE DISTRICTS BOAST WELL-KNOWN AND OFTEN HIGH-END TABLISHMENTS THAT ARE NOT THE PRODUCT OF ILLEGAL TRAFFICKG OR FORCED WORKERS – THEIR HIGH PUBLIC VISIBILY GREATLY RC SUCH A PRENCE, ALONG WH THE WATCHFUL EYE OF THE STATE, SELF EAGER TO AVOID TERNATNAL BACKLASH FOR SUCH ETHIL VLATNS. SOI COWBOY, BANGKOK, THAILAND | ©WRY2010/FLICKR PATPONG THIS AREA OF SILOM IS WHERE GO-GO BARS FIRST GAED POPULARY DURG THE VIETNAM WAR ERA, AND TODAY S TWO MA STREETS – PATPONG SOI 1 AND PATPONG SOI 2 – REMA A HUGE ATTRACTN FOR VISORS CUR ABOUT THE CY’S ILLIC NIGHTLIFE. THE MOST FAMO TABLISHMENTS CLU KG’S CASTLE I AND II, KNOWN FOR S MOSTLY POST-OP TRANSSEXUAL PERFORMERS, AND BARBAR FETISH CLUB, THE AREA’S MORE, LET’S SAY, NICHE, GO-GO BAR. THE SAFARI BAR BRGS WANRG TOURISTS WH S BLARG OLDI CLASSICS OM THE LIK OF ELVIS OR THE BEATL, WHILE THIGH BAR IS A TOURIST-IENDLY STAPLE WH SOME OF THE LOWER DRK PRIC AVAILABLE. PATPONG | ©PONGMOJI / SHUTTERSTOCK NANA PLAZA IN THE EARLY 1990S, PATPONG TRODUCED A POPULAR NIGHT MARKET. THE NEIGHBORHOOD’S NEWFOUND FAY-IENDLS CHANGED S LATE-NIGHT ATMOSPHERE, AND TH “THE WORLD’S LARGT ADULT PLAYGROUND” EMERGED NEARBY NANA PLAZA. THIS THREE-STORY PLEX HAS A RNIVAL-LIKE ATMOSPHERE AND HO DOZENS OF GO-GO CLUBS AND KATHOEY, OR “LADYBOY” BARS, ALONG WH SEVERAL SHORT-TERM HOTELS THAT RENT ROOMS BY THE HOUR. ANGEL WCH IS KNOWN FOR S GRANDSE THEMED ROCK SHOWS, AND BILLBOARD AGOGO BAR FEATUR A HIGH-ENERGY ATMOSPHERE ON S ROTATG DANCE FLOOR AND A JACUZZI TO BOOT, WHILE CASANOVA IS KNOWN TO BE A MORE RELAXED HANGOUT. THE GROUND FLOOR LEVEL HAS TONS OF OPEN-AIR BARS AND AN ALMOST PUB-LIKE ATMOSPHERE, PLETE WH SPORTS BROADSTS, LIVE MIC, AND PLENTY OF PEOPLE WATCHG. NANA PLAZA, BANGKOK, THAILAND | ©MARK FISCHER/FLICKR SOI COWBOY EMERGG POPULARY AROUND THE SAME TIME AS NANA PLAZA, THIS AREA WAS NAMED AFTER A WBOY HAT-WEARG AIN-AMERIN WHO OPENED THE FIRST BAR BACK THE 1970S. TODAY, THE NEON-SOAKED ENERGY N BE TIMIDATG, BUT THE BARS – SOME 30+ OF THEM – HAVE AN OVERALL GOOD REPUTATN AND LOW CINCE OF SMS. LIVE MIC SHOWS EMBRACE CUR VISORS AS THEY ENTER THE MA STREET, AND POPULAR TABLISHMENTS CLU SIE WONGS, FAMO FOR S BODY PATG, TILAC BAR, BACRA, AND THE EPONYMO CRAZY HOE. SOI COWBOY | ©PL SULLIVAN/FLICKR SOI TWILIGHT THIS NARROW, FLUORCENT STREET JT NORTHEAST OF PATPONG NIGHT MARKET AND EXCLIVELY OPERAT AS BANGKOK’S LOLE FOR GAY GO-GO BARS – AND THEY LIVE UP TO THE HIGH BAR SET BY BANGKOK’S VIBRANT GAY NIGHTLIFE SCENE. CLASSIC FEATUR UNRWATER MERMEN AND A SWIMMG SHOW, WHILE TAWAN PUTS ON AN IMPRSIVE STAGE SHOW ROTATG ACTS LIKE DANCE PERFORMANC, DRAG EDY, AND MORE. SOI TWILIGHT, OR “SOI PRATUCHAI” | © BLEMISHED PARADISE/FLICKR WHAT TO KNOW IF YOU GO LIKE ANY UNREGULATED DTRY, BANGKOK’S RED LIGHT DISTRICTS ARE FLH WH SMS APLENTY. MANY OF THE LSER-KNOWN, OFF-THE-BEATEN-PATH TYPE PLAC – LIKE THOSE “REMEND” BY YOUR T-T OR TAXI DRIVERS – ADVERTISE EE SHOWS, BUT VISORS N ENUNTER ENORMO BILLS FULL OF HIDN STS WHEN THE SHOW ENDS, WH SECURY GUARDS ON THE READY TO MAKE SURE YOU PAY FULL. THIS IS PARTICULARLY PREVALENT AMONG THE “PG-PONG” AND OTHER LIVE SEX SHOWS TRAMARK TO PATPONG. THE WORKERS THE TABLISHMENTS ARE OFTEN PENSATED THROUGH A VARIETY OF PAYMENT STCTUR THAT VARY OM BAR TO BAR. OFTEN THERE’S A SET SALARY, SUPPLEMENTED BY MISSNS EARNED BY METRICS LIKE THE NUMBER OF DRKS BOUGHT BY CTOMERS FOR THE EMPLOYEE. AS A RULT, THE ATMOSPHERE OF THE BARS IS OFTEN LIBERATELY SET UP TO PRSURE S PATRONS TO BUYG MORE AND MORE DRKS FOR THE WORKG GUYS AND GALS, AND EVEN IF YOU’RE PAYG FOR A TOP-SHELF CKTAIL, THEY’RE ONLY ACTUALLY HAVG A SODA WATER. MOST REPUTABLE PLAC MAKE SURE YOUR TAB IS KEPT RIGHT ONT OF YOU, HOWEVER, SO YOU N KEEP AN EYE ON AND ENSURE TRANSPARENCY OF PRICG. INDIVIDUAL WORKERS ARE ALSO EE TO MANAGE THEIR OWN TIME THROUGH A MON PRACTICE KNOWN AS A “BAR FE.” IF A DANCER OR BAR WORKER WANTS TO LEAVE FOR THE NIGHT WH A GUT, THEY PAY THEIR “MAMASAN,” THE EQUIVALENT OF THEIR MANAGER, A FEE FOR THEIR ABSENCE. THIS N RANGE ANYWHERE OM A FEW HUNDRED TO A UPLE OF THOAND BAHT, AND IS SEPARATE OM WHATEVER PRICE NEGOTIATED WH THEIR “GUT.” WHAT’S NEXT FOR THAILAND THE TOURISM AUTHORY OF THAILAND (TAT,) LLED THE GAMBIAN MISTER’S MENTS ON THAILAND’S SEX TOURISM DTRY “BASELS,” BUT NEVERTHELS THE PRIME MISTER PRAYUT CHAN-O-CHA HAS PLEDGED TO CHANGE THE UNTRY’S IMAGE OF BEG A SEX TOURISM STATN. RAIDS ON TABLISHMENTS PROMOTG SEX TOURISM ARE ALREADY RELATIVELY ROUTE BANGKOK, BUT ARE ALMOST EXCLIVELY FOCED ON THE DISVERY OF UNRAGE OR ILLEGAL WORKERS. IT’S ANYONE’S GUS WHAT THE PRIME MISTER’S PLEDGE WILL MEAN FOR THIS DTRY AND THE RED LIGHT DISTRICTS, BUT THE JUNTA’S HARDLE APPROACH TO CRACKG DOWN ON ILLEGAL IMMIGRATN AND DG TRAFFICKG RECENT YEARS DIT CHANG MAY BE STORE. IN THE MEANTIME, PATRONIZG TABLISHMENTS LIKE GO-GO BARS OPERATG BANGKOK’S RED LIGHT DISTRICTS IS NOT STRICTLY ILLEGAL – ALMOST ALL OF THEM ARE SIGNATED UNR LAW AS “ENTERTAMENT ZON” – AND SOME BOAST SHOWS RANKED AMONG THE HIGHT QUALY THE CY. PROSTUTN IS LS BLACK AND WHE. WHILE WILY TOLERATED TO DATE, CREASG PRSURE ON THE THAI ERNMENT ULD MEAN MORE ENFORCEMENT THE NEAR FUTURE. AS A VISOR, UNRSTAND THAT YOU’RE EXPECTED TO ADHERE TO THE LOL LAWS – JURE OR OTHERWISE – AND MT ACCEPT RPONSIBILY IF YOU’RE UGHT RED-HAND THE RED LIGHT DISTRICT. VOLNIC ICELAND EPIC TRIP MEET OUR LOL INSIR HANNA HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN A GUIDE? 2 YEARS. WHAT DO YOU LOVE ABOUT YOUR JOB? IT'S THE PERSONAL NTACT, THE PERSONAL EXPERIENC. I LOVE MEETG PEOPLE OM ALL OVER THE WORLD... I REALLY LIKE GETTG TO KNOW EVERYONE AND FEELG LIKE I'M TRAVELG WH A GROUP OF IENDS. WHAT DESTINATION IS ON YOUR TRAVEL BUCKET-LIST? I HAVE SO MANY PLAC ON MY LIST, BUT I WOULD REALLY LOBE TO GO TO AI. I NSIR MYSELF AN “ADVENTURE GIRL” AND AI FEELS LIKE THE ULTIMATE ADVENTURE! EVERY CULTURE TRIP SMALL-GROUP ADVENTURE IS LED BY A LOL INSIR JT LIKE HANNA. SEE OUR CULTURE TRIPS KEEN TO EXPLORE THE WORLD?

Silom Soi 2 is where you’ll fd gay clubs and parti, and Silom Soi 4 is where you’ll fd more relaxed bars and dg optns. Silom Soi 2 is home to most of Bangkok’s gay clubs, and the whole street is almost like a club plex, so you need to pay to get to the street self.

40 BT GAY DTATNS WORLDWI, ACRDG TO TRAVELERS

There aren’t any gay-specific bars and clubs, but there are numero gay-popular spots where you n meet LGBTQ travelers and lols.

Jt unr 2 hours om Bangkok by r, Pattaya is a popular beach rort statn wh a few excellent hotspots for gay travelers.

Don’t miss out on Thailand’s biggt New Year’s gay ftival, Whe Party Bangkok, which is also one of the largt LGBTQ gathergs the world. Baan Souy Rort is one of the only official gay hotels Pattaya (of urse, straight people are also wele), and s staff n give you sir tips on the cy’s gay scene.

GAY THAILAND

For queer travellers pecially, Thailand is the perfect retreat, populated by go-go boys, gay-iendly wellns retreats and alternative culture by the bload. Gay marriage Thailand is still not formally regnised, but, spe this, many same-sex upl travel to the natn to have their unn blsed by Buddhist East tly meets Wt, Bangkok melds tradnal Buddhist ways of life wh outrageo hedonism, creatg a vibrant atmosphere ripe for exploratn1.

Dpe beg one of Thailand’s more expensive ci wh s fair share of htlers, Bangkok is still among the most affordable ci the world, where t-ts tout for the price of a sandwich and hip boutique stor pete on verable pal of ‘Gay Asia’, Bangkok is the first ll for gay parti across the ntent, boastg an famo party scene to make even Ru Pl blh. While some Bangkok gay bars and clubs are more rpectable than others, if ’s plh sophistitn you’re after, the cy n provi.

Popular among Bangkok’s middle and upper class, as much as the ternatnal gay muny, Koh Samet serv laid-back parti a tropil paradise, wh crowds and pric peakg on the weekend. For one of the bt beach gay Thailand travel straight to Ao Phai, home of the Silver Sands Bar and open-air nightclub and neighbour to Ao Tubtim, Koh Samet’s unofficial gay beach. Straighter and more Thai-style than what’s on offer Phet or Pattaya, nightlife on Koh Samet is for tourists and Bangkok gays keen on beachsi karaoke and Thai pop Ragnar Vorel3.

THE 5 BEST BANGKOK GAY CLUBS & BARSGAY CLUBS & BARS BANGKOK

For gay-iendly beach days, try the popular Dongtan and Jomtien Beach, before headg to the Walkg Street entertament district for barets, clubs, bars and r karaoke ssns. The Boyztown district se the majory of gay bars, massage shops, rtrants and gay-oriented acmodatns, send only by Sunee Plaza for go-go clubs and more massage. For a more chilled optn, try Karon Beach to the south jt below Patong or Bangtao Beach, a short drive north, where the popular gay hangout spot known as Dream Beach Club Max Liew5.

GAYS THAILAND: IS A LGBT IENDLY UNTRY FOR TOURISM?

One of Thailand’s partyg pals, a short boat ri om the full-moon parti of Koh Phangan, Koh Samui offers extravagant, gay-iendly nightlife wh the add bon of cheaper drks and fewer crowds. Lamai Beach is another one to explore, known as the island’s bt gay beach wh watersi rtrants and street food optns.

Gay Chiang Mai ed to be centred on Santham and Chang Puek, but today the ht offergs lie along Gay Soi 6 (Soi 6 Charoen Prathet Road), wh a smatterg of gay karaoke bars, snas and massage shops remag Sas Tipchai8. Thanks to the island’s regular flux of gay visors, you’ll be good pany when the eveng beckons, particularly the area around Sairee Beach where most clubs and bars are Derek Owens10. Outsi of the full moon, Koh Phangan rts style, s beach – notably Bottle Beach, Haad Yao Beach and Salad Beach – terg to a strong gay crowd lookg for chilled out fun.

The island’s small number of gay bars lie beachsi, wh more nightlife and gay-iendly offergs the ma town of Thong Sala. It’s gag a reputatn as a gay party town wh Las Vegas-style drag shows, techno nightclubs, and beachsi pal of Jalis, Guadalajara, is often lled the “Gay Capal of Mexi” due to s embrace of the queer muny. The natn’s Great Barrier Reef jt off the ast of Queensland is rightfully on many travelers’ bucket lists — and Sydney is unniably a gay hot spot.

THAILAND GAY TRAVEL

Also worth a vis is the Royal Botanil Garns, the gay Oxford Street LGBTQ+ district, and the Sea Life Aquarium to observe Sphen and Magic (aka Sphengic), the world-famo gay pengu uple. Walk the cliffs outsi Bondi Beach and Manley, where at least 80 gay men were killed the latter portn of the last Queensland the Great Barrier Reef may be the most famo tourist statn, but the state is also home to Datree Rart. It would be difficult to name every gay bar and LGBTQ-welg tablishment Malta, but there are a few that top our list.

On the cy’s pestrian-only streets the gayborhood Silom, you’ll fd gay bars cludg Circ, Balny, and Stranger Bar (nsired the epicenter of Bangkok drag culture).

Gay tours are abundant, for example, Out Of Office offers numero optns om island hoppg to culary tours to a New Year’s celebratn on a gay beach. There the Patong neighborhood plays home to gay bar and baret club Zig Bar/Zag Club and the Patong beach where Phet Pri is held each year. Enjoy your own refuge at gay-owned Six Sens Samui Thailand which featur an fy pool overlookg the gulf of Thailand — and your own tree hoe.