Thailand’s red light districts are famous all over the world for the flashy neon lights and exotic bar girls. One of the most famous and well known red light district is called Patpong located in the capital city of Bangkok.
Patpong first appeared on the map as a major red light destination during the Vietnam War. It was visited mainly by US soldiers for rest and recreation. Back then the scene was more seedy and raunchy. Today Patpong is nothing but a shadow of its former self as millions of tourist from all over the world have replaced the soldiers that once occupied the bar stools. In 2004 Patpong was designated as an official entertainment zone by the Thai government thereby cementing Patpong as a must see destination.
Patpong is a fairly medium sized red light district located on two streets running parallel to each other called Patpong 1 and Patpong 2.
The most popular is Patpong 1 which has the best go go bars bearing the names King’s Castle and Queen’s Castle. Both of these establishments are basically run by the same management and have a reputation for honest business practices. There are plenty of other go go bars in Patpong located throughout, many of them have been around for many years.
Another reason why Patpong 1 is more popular is because every evening at 6pm the street is closed off to vehicle traffic and an army of street vendors setup the night market. Patpong’s Night Market has been a main attraction for thousands of tourist other than men seeking the company of a Thai bar girl. The night market is filled with knock off merchandise such as Gucci handbags to bootleg CD music and latest movies. There is also a higher concentration of live bands covering current popular music and they do draw a large crowd of tourist. There is just much more to do in Patpong 1 for a larger mix of tourist overall.
Patpong 2 on the other hand is like the neglected sister. It doesn’t have the same bright lights and noise as Patpong 1 and you won’t find the same crowd of tourist wandering there. Patpong 2 has more of an open air bar atmosphere where single men can sit and relax with Thai hostesses ready to keep them company in peace. The most well known go go bar on this street is Club Electric Blue A-Go-Go, which is run by a group of westerners.
All the go go bars in Patpong have a reputation to keep up and since the area has been designated as a entertainment zone by the Thai government safety is a big issue. Which means the establishments here are less likely inclined to cheat you and as for health it is mandatory for ladies working in clubs to test for sexually transmitted diseases.
Patpong of course has much more to see and do such as their traditional and non-traditional massage parlors. There is also popular gay scene with some very interesting clubs to check out. There’s even a street for Japanese only customers which is also an interesting stroll through even if you’re not Japanese.
If you’re planning on visiting any of Bangkok’s red light districts but don’t want that dirty feeling after-wards, it’s best to visit Patpong. The area has been so thoroughly commercialized with international shops and restaurants that you may not even feel like you’ve entered a red light district.