The Nightlife in Patpong

Infamous Nighttime Entertainment in Patpong

Patpong is an official government sanctioned tourist zone in Bangkok, Thailand, that is famous for providing notorious adult-entertainment bars in addition to nightclubs, restaurants, and shopping.  The name “Patpong” is derived from the name of the Thai family who bought and developed the four-acre area back in the 1940s.  The area grew into a major red-light destination for American troops in the late 1960s and later became one the hottest nightlife destinations for tourists interested in adult entertainment. Patpong has even been featured as a backdrop for scenes in movies and plays such as The Deer Hunter and Miss Saigon.  The Patpong tourist area consists of three main streets, Patpong 1, Patpong 2, and Patpong 3 (also known as Silom Soi 4 or Soi Kathoey) which are in walking distance from both a main Skytrain and subway station.  Go-go clubs, brothels, massage parlors, and traditional gay bars are the main attraction for mostly foreign tourists visiting Bangkok.  

Shopping and Eating in the Patpong Bazaar

Although known mostly as an adult entertainment district, Patpong is a shopper’s haven for the experienced bargainer who is looking for deals on watches, clothes, shoes, CDs, DVDs, leather goods, and handicrafts.  The streets are transformed into a busy market at night where one can munch his way through a wide selection of food from stall vendors while bargaining for goods or people watching. For those tourists who crave a break from the traditional Thai fare, excellent French, British, and Italian restaurants located in the Patpong district will more than satisfy the palate and give walkers a chance to rest their feet in air-conditioned comfort.  The Patpong district is an entertainment experience not to be missed for shoppers, club-hoppers, and gourmands visiting Bangkok.