From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

A view of Patpong at sunset

Patpong (Thai: พัฒน์พงษ์, "Phatphong") is an entertainment district in Bangkok, Thailand, catering mainly, though not exclusively, to foreign tourists and expatriates. While Patpong is internationally known as a red light district at the heart of Bangkok's sex industry, the city in fact has numerous red-light districts that are far more popular with Thai men. A busy night market aimed at tourists is also located in Patpong.

Location and layout

Patpong (location: 13°43′42″N 100°32′00″E / 13.72833°N 100.5333333°E / 13.72833; 100.5333333Coordinates: 13°43′42″N 100°32′00″E / 13.72833°N 100.5333333°E / 13.72833; 100.5333333) consists of two parallel side streets running between Silom Road and Surawong Road and one side street running from the opposite side of Surawong. Patpong is within walking distance from the BTS Skytrain Silom Line's Sala Daeng Station, and MRT Bangkok Metro Blue Line's Si Lom Station.

Patpong 1 is the main street with many bars of various kinds. Patpong 2 also has many similar bars. Next to these lies Soi Jaruwan, sometimes referred to as Patpong 3 but best known as Silom Soi 4. It has long catered to gay men, whilst nearby Soi Thaniya has expensive bars with Thai hostesses that cater almost exclusively to Japanese men.

History and ownership

Patpong gets its name from the family that owns much of the area's property, the Patpongpanich (or Patpongpanit), immigrants from Hainan Island, China, who purchased the area in 1946. At that time it was an undeveloped plot of land on the outskirts of the city. A small klong (canal) and a teakwood house were the only features. The family built a road - now called Patpong 1 - and several shophouses, which were rented out. Patpong 2 was added later, and both roads are in fact private property and not city streets. (The so-called Patpong 3 and Soi Thaniya are not owned by the Patpongpanich family.) The old teak house was torn down long ago and the klong was filled in to make room for more shophouses. Originally simply an ordinary business area, the coming of the bars eventually would drive out most of the other businesses.

By 1968, a handful of nightclubs existed in the area, and Patpong found some use as a R&R (Rest and Recuperation) location for U.S. troops serving in the Vietnam War, although the main R&R area was actually along New Petchburi Road. In its prime during the 1970s and 1980s, Patpong was the premier nightlife area in Bangkok, and was famous then for its sexually explicit shows. In the mid 1980s the sois hosted an annual Patpong Mardi Gras, which was a weekend street fair that raised considerable money for Thai charities. By late 1980s, however, the Patpongpanich family had begun to rent out small lots in the middle of Patpong 1 for a night market.^[1]

Today, the nightlife areas of Nana Plaza and Soi Cowboy provide strong competition for Patpong. However, Patpong is the only one within the official entertainment zones decreed by the Thai government in 2004. In recent years, there has been a move away from the traditional sex venues in Patpong. Twilo hip hop bar boasts two live bands every night, and is very popular with both tourists and local Thais. Also, Muzzik Cafe has been completely renovated and is a very popular live music bar playing a mixture of Rock, Hip hop and Pop.

Next to Twilo is Funky Dojo with DJs regularly playing both club and house music. Park Bridge, another high class music venue, has just opened across Patpong 2 and is accessible from either the Foodland car park or the opposite building from the third floor. Radio City and Lucifer are also being refurbished, which will mean by November 2008 Patpong will be one of the main live music areas in Bangkok.

Sex-related businesses

A dancer at a go-go bar along Patpong

Most Patpong go-go bars feature women dancing on a stage. The dancers (and even occasionally the serving staff) are generally available to customers willing to pay a bar fine to take them out of the bar; the fees for sexual services are negotiated separately. Some establishments advertising "massages" are in fact disguised brothels, and a few famous "blowjob bars" offer oral sex at the main bar or in back rooms.

Several upstairs bars still feature (technically illegal) sex shows, with women performing various creative acts. Perhaps the most notorious of these features women performing exotic feats involving their genitalia and projectile table tennis balls. Some of these second-floor bars are run by scam artists who lure tourists with offers of low prices and later present a wildly inflated bill along with a threat of physical harm should the bill go unpaid. The Tourist Police, usually stationed at Patpong 1 and Silom Road, can help in these situations.

Some establishments in Patpong employ kathoeys (or "ladyboys") either exclusively or as part of a mixed gender staff. As of 2005 the King's Corner bar on Patpong 1 was known for doing so. Unlike the kathoey bars in Nana Plaza, many of the staff at these Patpong bars are post-operative trans-sexuals.

With one or two exceptions, the gay bars in the Patpong area are not go-go bars, but simply traditional gay pubs, such as Telephone and The Balcony, which cater to both Thais and tourists. The commercial gay oriented go-go bars are mainly on Surawong Road or in small streets leading off Surawong.

Today, however, there are signs that parts of Patpong are turning away from the sex industry and providing other kinds of entertainment. There are now a number of live music bars that attract regular Thais and tourists as well as a number of very good restaurants. A new hotel has also opened on Patpong 2 offering very nice rooms at budget prices.

Night market

In recent years, Silom and Surawong have been taken over by the Patpong night market, making movement in the area difficult and filling the area with farang tourist couples and backpackers. Men selling pornographic DVDs have become an increasing nuisance in the area, as have touts who try to direct tourists into the bars offering sex shows. This night market is very touristy which means you are likely to pay a lot more than you would in a non-touristy market or have to bargain very hard to get a good price.

EMPOWER

EMPOWER is a non-profit community organization that operates in Patpong (and elsewhere) and serves women working there by offering classes in language, health, law and pre-college education, as well as individual counseling. It also lobbies the government on behalf of the women, in an attempt to extend regular labor protections to sex workers. Since the dancers and other female bar employees are invariably under-educated young women from rural areas, EMPOWER's work is appreciated by the women, if not necessarily by all the bar owners.

Books and popular culture

Many western films have featured Patpong, including the award winning The Deer Hunter (1978), starring Robert De Niro. The final part of the popular musical Miss Saigon (1989) is set in the bar scene of Patpong.

The movie Baraka features several shots of strippers in Patpong.

The 1994 book Patpong Sisters: An American Woman's View of the Bangkok Sex World (ISBN 1-55970-281-8) by Cleo Odzer describes the experiences of an anthropologist doing field research in Thailand.

Patpong: Bangkok's Twilight Zone (2001, ISBN 0-9537438-2-9) by Nick Nostitz is a personal photographic depiction of aspects of the Patpong night life.

The 2008 book Ladyboys: The Secret World of Thailand's Third Gender gives an intimate portrait of Thailand’s Kathoeys. It is a collection of authentic stories about journeys of self-discovery by those who have struggled with gender identity while trying to maintain normal lives and careers. The book features some of Thailand's celebrity ladyboys such as Boxer Nong Toom as well as the life of a magazine columnist, a cabaret performer, a prostitute and others. Some of them also tell about their experiences in Patpong. The book was written by Susan Aldous and Pornchai Sereemongkonpol and published by Maverick House Publishers.

Patpong opera is a collection of songs written by Paul Wood manager of Radio City to tunes of modern rock songs. Together they tell the story of the people in Patpong. Copies are available from Radio City.

See also

• Prostitution in Thailand

Sources

External links

• Patpong Area Photo Guide
• Ajarn article on Patpong
• Thailand.com article on Patpong.
• Excerpts from Patpong Sisters. Urban Desires, Volume 1, Issue 1, December 1994

From Wikitravel

Gluttony and lust, Patpong

The area between the roads of Silom and Sathorn is the closest Bangkok gets to Wall Street, with glistening skyscrapers all boasting the names of financial institutions. After nightfall the character of the place changes considerably though: the small sois between Silom and Surawong come alive with people out for a good time, including the infamous short little alley of Patpong.

The riverside district of Bang Rak (Bangrak), adjoining Silom and home to many of Bangkok's top luxury hotels including the Oriental, is also covered in this article.

Get in

Almost all of Silom can be handily reached by the Skytrain's Silom Line. The MRT's Si Lom station is an interchange with Skytrain Sala Daeng.

Bang Rak is served by the Skytrain's Saphan Taksin station, which acts as an interchange to the Central ferry pier of the Chao Phraya River Express.

See

Tourist sights are rather rare on the ground in Silom.

• King Rama VI Statue (พระบรมราชานุสาวรีย์พระบาทสมเด็จพระมงกุฏเกล้าเจ้าอยู่หัว). Located in front of Lumphini Park, the statue was sculpted by Professor Corado Feroci, or Silpa Bhirasri as he was called by his Thai name, who gave it a final touch on 7 June, 1941. It was open on 27 March, 1942. Open: Daily, Admission: Free

• Lumpini Park (สวนลุมพิน Suan Lumphini), between Rama IV, Ratchadamri, Wireless (Wittayu) and Sarasin Rds. A rare expanse of public greenery in the heart of the city, it was once property of King Rama VI, who issued a royal command to turn the area into a public park as a gift to Bangkok's residents. The park's symbol, a statue of its creator Rama VI, stands at the main entrance at the southwestern corner, right opposite MRT Si Lom station. (MRT Lumphini is at the southeast corner.) The park has a lake with boats for rent and with a cycle track around it, and is popular among early-morning fitness enthusiasts, but there's little reason to wander in during the daytime heat. The Bangkok Symphony Orchestra does, however, put on occasional performances in the winter. 5AM-7PM.

• M.R. Kukrit's Heritage Home.

• Queen Saovabha Memorial Institute (Snake Farm) (สถานเสาวภาสภากาชาดไทย) Located near Chulalongkorn Hospital on the corner of Henri Dunant Road and Rama IV Road, this institute contains a collection of poisonous snakes which are “milked” daily for their venom in order to produce invaluable anti-snakebite serum. Open: Mon–Fri from 8.30 a.m.to 4.30 p.m.; Sat, Sun and Public Holidays from8.30 a.m. to 12 noon. Venom extraction: Mon-Fri at 11 a.m. and 2.30 p.m.; holidays at 11 a.m. Slide presentation in English: Mon-Fri at 10.30 a.m. and 2 p.m.; holidays at 10.30 a.m. (30 minutes before venom) extraction. Admission: Adult 200 baht; Child 50 baht Tel: 0 2252 0161-4.

• Catch a Thai kickboxing (Muay Thai) match at Lumphini Stadium (Rama IV Road; Subway Lumphini). Matches start at 18.30 on Tuesday and Friday and 16.30 and 20.30 on Saturday. Foreigners pay 2000/1500/1000 baht for ringside/near ring/tiered seating, while Thais can squeeze in for 230 baht.

• Chalerm Krung Royal Theatre (เฉลิมกรุงรอยัลเธียเตอร์), 66 Charoen Krung Road (Near the Old Siam Plaza.), ☎ 0 2225 8757-8, 0 2623 8148-9. Thai dramas and plays are usually held while Khon or Thai musical dance drama is a special event that is staged occasionally.  edit

• Traditional Thai Puppet Theatre (นาฏยศาลา หุ่นละครเล็ก), 1875 Rama IV Road (In the Suan Lum Night Bazaar, subway: Lumphini), ☎ 0 2252 9683-4, [1]. each night:19.30-20.45. The establishment of this theatre was inspired by Sakhon Yangkhieosot or Joe Louis, who wished to preserve the art of operating Hun Lakhon Lek puppets. In operating the puppets, the puppeteers require basic skills of Khon performance as they will have to also move their footsteps and hand gestures to coincide with those of the puppets. Each puppet is operated by three puppeteers, lending it lifelike movements. Hun Lakhon Lek usually performs the story of Ramakian, the Thai version of the Ramayana epic. Sakhon Nattasin is currently the only performing troupe of Hun Lakhon Lek in Thailand. The show is in Thai with translations into English, and there is a segment where the puppets interact with audience members that is popular with children. There is also a corner inside the theatre where Khon mask making is demonstrated, with a gallery of the Hun Lakhon Lek puppets and their background. 3000 baht.  edit

Buy

The shopping around Silom is a little lacklustre compared to Sukhumvit.

• The Patpong night market features all the usual Asian knock-offs and assorted tourist goods. Prices are considerably inflated compared to most any other market so be prepared to fight for a bargain.

• Suan Lum Night Bazaar (Subway Lumphini) is a less chaotic option offering much the same fare and then some, including alot of artsy pieces that might actually look good back home. The quality of goods and displays are generally higher than Chatuchak Weekend Market, but so are the prices. However, the stalls are modern, thoroughfares are wider, and there are many good dining options here (see Eat). A money changer and ATM is located right in the middle of the market area, but it closes two hours earlier than the rest of the market does. The bazaar is open nightly until midnight. Note: The market is presently under threat of demolition (Still open as of January 2010). Check locally.

• Klong Toey Market, Klong Toey (just south of Queen Sirikit Convention Center MRT). A huge and surprisingly centrally located definitely off the tourist trail: the stalls sell goods for Thais, at Thai prices. Open 24 hours, but best experienced in the early hours of the evening.

• Silom Village. Silom 21/1. A touristy theme market, but still a good place to look for handbags and furniture. Be mindful that many items are fakes.

• Tailor Excelsior Suriwongse Road opposite Le Meredien Bangkok's most popular tailor discover the art of hand tailored clothing at reasonable price

• Central Department Store.

• Jim Thompson. 9 Surawong Road (walk through Soi Thaniya from BTS Sala Daeng), 2632-8100. The flagship store of the famous Thai silk brand, offering well-designed pieces of high quality at equally high prices. Spread on four floors, unlike the small hotel shops this store offers the full range of Thompson's products, including lengths of raw silk.

• Robinson Department Store, 2 Silom Rd (MRT Saphan Taksin), ☎ 0-2238-0052-61 (fax: 0-2235-2467), [2]. Mon. - Fri. : 10.30 am. - 10.00 pm. Sat. - Sun. & Holidays : 10.30 am. - 10.00 pm..  edit

• The Savile Row Company, savile Row, make luxury clothes and have great deals to complement their ranges. From a Swiss Cotton shirt to a Crease Resistant Italian suit, Savile Row Company has it. The Savile Row Company has an extensive range for men and women with great price. (Behind le meridian on suriwong road, inside Rose hotel)

• Chamchuri Square (MRT Sam Yan), Silom's newest shopping mall feels quite empty. It has all the big chain stores.

• Silom Complex (Silom Rd, connected to BTS Sala Daeng) is Silom's largest mall. A bit quiet, but the restaurants and TOPS supermarket in the basement aren't bad. Central (department store) is at the rear of the complex and is accessible at every level of the complex. The top floor of Silom Complex has a large electrical goods retailer and a well-stocked office supplies retailer.

• Thaniya Center / Thaniya Plaza (Silom Road, connected to BTS Sala Daeng) are two connecting malls which run along Soi Thaniya, a street which is populated predominantly by Japanese restaurants and hostess bars. The Thaniya Plaza consists almost exclusively of golf equipment shops (except for a few Japanese restaurants) and the Thaniya Center also has its share of golf shops, as well as a few other tourist-oriented outlets.

Eat

Cafes, noodle shops, and fancy restaurants line the streets around Silom. For authentic Japanese food at reasonable prices, pop into one of the many eateries on Soi Thaniya.

• Food Fusion. 4F Robinson Silom (corner of Silom and Rama IV Rds). A modern food court with a twist, with stalls offering Thai, Chinese, Italian, Japanese and Vietnamese food. On entry you receive a barcoded baton used to record your orders, and you pay the sum on exit. Prices are moderate at 50-100 baht for mains. Open daily from 10.30 AM to 10 PM.

• Suan Lum Night Bazaar. The stadium-sized beer garden here also offers reasonably priced Thai eats (most dishes 30-50B) and free concerts by Thai cover bands. If there is an official drink of Suan Lum, it's beer: the place is full of beer vendors (Erdinger, Paulaner, et al.) offering a wide selection of imported and local beers.

Mid-range

Thai

• Nooddi. Borth side of Silom Rd (near BTS Sala Daeng). A trendy chain of noodle eateries, offering a variety of styles (Thai, Chinese, Japanese) in air-conditioned surroundings for around B60 a bowl. Try the iced tea; the "glass" is big enough for two!

• Silom Village Trade Center. 286 Silom Rd. The last traditional Thai village on Silom Road. Silom Village is comprised of 15 teak houses as well as 3 buildings that were constructed in 1908. The compound has been converted to a restaurant and Thai handicraft shops. A great place to buy souvenirs. Recently an affordable hotel has also been constructed on the premises. The restaurant offers Thai as well as fresh seafood. Moreover, in the evenings you can catch an authentic performance of various forms of traditional Thai dance.

International

• Takoemon, (one soi down from Thaniya towards Rama IV). Specializes in amazingly good takoyaki (Japanese-style octopus dough balls), especially when given that they cost 30B per box of 6. Ramen and udon noodles in the 30-60B range also available.

• Ichimonji (一文字). 9/34 Soi Thaniya. Buried in the depths of the soi, this is a typical Japanese-style pub and eatery. Set meals in the 150-250B range are decent value, English menu available.

• Cafe India. 460/8 Surawongse Road (near Patpong). Has been serving up amazing Indian food since at least the war years. Many other old GI bars and restaurants in and around Patpong are still in business and worth visiting. Beware of some of the wraith-like vets who never made it home however. Some of these can be very disturbing to encounter.

• The Duke of Wellington. Silom Road, near Convent Road. For the truly surreal, try this authentic English style pub. The beers and food are a little pricey by Thai standards, but the place at least has free Wi-Fi.

Splurge

The Chao Phraya riverside hotels (see Sleep) have the usual monopoly of restaurants but at rather steep prices, although the Oriental's dinner buffet (B1000+) is acclaimed.

Drink

There's more to Silom's nightlife than just Patpong, but can a visitor say they've been to Bangkok without at least a quick peek into the 'Pong?

Soi Patpong

You might want to take a deep breath and down a few shots before heading into the insanity of Patpong, which in fact consists only of two small sois (Patpong 1 and Patpong 2). It's a short walk from BTS Sala Daeng station, deserted by day but jam-packed and overflowing in all directions by night. The throngs of middle age tourists shopping for sarongs and chopsticks just makes the sex shows going on in every open door seem that much more surreal.

Prepare to be harassed by touts armed with laminated 'menus' of acts you can order up. If you follow the touts, you might end up spending a ton of money on drinks to watch sad looking girls perform unhygienic acts with various garden-party accessories (lawn darts, ping pongs, etc etc) in one of the upstairs bars.

If you instead try one of the bars on the lower level, you can safely watch girls dancing on stage, but will occasionally be asked by one of the girls if you could buy her a drink. She will get upwards of 50% of the drink price as a bonus and will join you at your table for some conversation in exchange. As a rule of thumb, only trust bars that already have a fair number of customers; a drink should not cost more than 100 baht or so.

• King's Castle III. Patpong 1 (left side). The place to go gawp at kathoeys (ladyboys) strutting their stuff. Prepare to tolerate a few invasions of personal space, but it's all in good fun. Drinks B100, no surprises on the bill.

• Lucifer. Patpong 1 (left side, above Radio City). A rarity in Patpong, a "real" nightclub without girls in bikinis. Decorated to look like Hell, most customers are partygoers here to listen to the club's brand of hard techno. Cover charge B150 on weekends, including one drink. Check out the Heat nights on Wednesday when leather-clad dancers whip it up. Open until (at least) 2 AM.

Note: All the go-go bars in Patpong close by 1 AM sharp!

Silom Soi 2 and 4

Sois 2 and 4 are the center of gay nightlife in Bangkok, although these days Soi 4 packs in a mixed crowd with plenty of bars that aren't gay by any stretch of the imagination. On weekends Soi 4 is cordoned off and valid ID is (theoretically) required to enter. Soi Surawong, across the street from Patpong, is Bangkok's largest gay go-go bar strip.

• DJ Station, at the end of Silom Soi 2 (just beside Sala Daeng BTS). The most famous gay nightclub in Bangkok and busy almost every night, starting with a reasonable ladyboy show at 11.30PM. Admission is between 100-200 baht which includes one or two drinks. Opening hours vary but usually closes around 03.30AM.

• GOD Club. Short for Guyz on Display and there's many of them! Usually open until 5 am.

• Home. Silom Soi 4. Home is another famed hip-hop bar spread over three floors, yet somewhat small. For a first time visit or once-in-a-while visitor, this place is a good find. However, if you go there too often, you may find their repertoire of songs somewhat repetitive. Cocktails are not remarkably special and prices are about average for the area. Comfy seats downstairs as well as on the third floor. Or take a seat outside, where tables make a good spot to people watch.

• Tapas. 114/17 Silom Soi 4. On your left immediately as you enter the soi, this is more of a groovy club than a Spanish snack joint, with two stylishly decorated floors and a people-watching terrace. Entrance B100 (no drink), open 8 PM to 2 AM daily.

Soi Thaniya in the harsh glare of day

Soi Thaniya is Patpong for the Japanese; you might be excused for thinking you've ended up in Shinjuku when you see the plethora of signs in Japanese and kimono-clad girls beckoning you in. Most bars and clubs are off-limits to Westerners, but some of the restaurants aren't bad for a serve of Japanese food and some beer or sake to wash it down.

Superhip

Note that fairly strictly applied dress codes apply to all of the following, so no flip-flops, shorts or sleeveless shirts.

Bamboo Bar, Oriental Hotel

The Dome, State Tower

• Bamboo Bar, 48 Th Oriental (Oriental Hotel). Jazz lovers will want to stop by the Oriental's famous bar, which is surprisingly small and intimate, for classy colonial surroundings, live music and a Cuban cigar. Needless to say, at B250 a Singha here will be the most expensive beer you'll find in Bangkok. Dress code applies: no shorts, sleeveless shirts, slippers or sandals.

• The Dome. 63F State Tower, 1055/111 Silom Road, 2624-9576 [3]. The world's tallest rooftop bar/restaurant, a few meters higher up than Vertigo — but due to its slightly off-center location, the views are arguably not quite as stunning. This is in fact a complex of a number of expensive restaurants, including the Mediterranean-flavored Sirocco, but the cheapest option for just a drink is the fully outdoor Sky Bar (200B+/drink), complete with a live jazz band most nights.

• Hu'u. 1F Ascott Sathorn, 187 South Sathorn Rd (BTS Chong Nonsi; cross pedestrian bridge and turn right). The latest branch of the superhip bar-restaurant from Bali, offers Bangkok's tallest bottle rack and a 30-page menu of bizarrely named but well made cocktails. Expensive at over 200B for most drinks.

• Vertigo. Atop Banyan Tree Hotel, South Sathorn Rd [4]. This aptly-named named bar and restaurant is actually located outside on the roof (61 stories high), giving you an absolutely staggering views of Bangkok at night. Drinks at the bar are fairly expensive (beer: 240 baht, cocktails: 300 baht, plus 10% service charge), but it's definitely worth the experience. Dinner at the restaurant, on the other hand, is not worth it — a course of pretentious European food will set you back around 4000B/head.

• Pan Pacific Hotel.

• Ramada Plaza Menam Riverside.

• Royal Orchid Sheraton Hotel & Towers.

There are a number of hotels in the Silom area, although the cheaper ones tend to be the kind that rents rooms by the hour.

• HQ Hostel, 5/3-4 Silom Soi 3, Silom Road, Bangruk (Next to Bangkok Bank Headquarter), ☎ 662 2331598, [5]. checkin: -; checkout: -. HQ Hostel Bangkok is a boutique accommodation for backpackers and budget travelers ideally located in the middle of Bangkok's city center, within a walking distance to all major attractions, and a super transport network. Starting price only 380 baht.  edit

• Lub d Bangkok, 4 Decho Road, Suriyawong, Bangrak, [6]. Lub d Bangkok hostel is designed by famous hotel designers. It offers 8-bed dormitories, ladies-only dormitories, private rooms for 1-2 people, normal double bed hotel rooms with a private bathroom. All rooms have air conditioning. Safety, Friendly and fun atmosphere. Facilities are superbly clean, the rooms are comfortable. Free WIFI and free use of 9 internet terminals and luggage storage. Do-it-yourself laundry services (~60 baht). Modern bathroom, hot shower with soap and shampoo provided. Colorful bar offers breakfast, snacks, beverages until midnight (2 beers for 100 baht). DVD/TV Room. Hostel is cheaper if booked via the web compared to walk in.  edit

• Take A Nap, 920-926 Rama IV Road, Suriyawong, Bangrak, [7]. Extremely clean and comfortable hotel/hostel. Located on main road, which can be noisy at night. Not a party hostel. Free WIFI and free use of 2 internet terminals. Laundry services (200 baht), luggage storage. Modern bathroom, hot shower.  edit

• Silom City Hotel, 72 Soi Prachum (Silom 22), Silom Road, Bangrak, ☎ 66-2-635-6211, [8]. Silom City Hotel is in the Bangrak district of Bangkok, about 38 kilometers from the Suvarnabhumi Airport. Located in the famous Silom Road, the hotel is in the midst of one of the most cosmopolitan areas in Thailand. The 70 guest rooms are fully equipped with air-conditioning , international direct dialing , personal safe, PC/fax connections, bedside control panel, in-house music system, 21" colour TV with UBC cable programs, refrigerator and minibar, private bathroom with bathtub and bathroom toiletries.Best rate & best deal on official website; www.silomcityhotel.com  edit

• Montien Hotel, 54 Surawongse Rd [9]. Built at the same time as the Dusit and looks like it. Some rooms offer a clear view (and muffled noise) of Patpong, immediately opposite, a fact which seems to account for much of the clientele. Rooms somewhat overpriced at US$60 and up.

• Silom Village Inn, 286 Silom Road [10]. Located in the Silom Village Trade Center. Convenient location for tourist on a budget. No breakfast or wifi included and in some rooms the smell is pretty nasty.

• Bossotel Inn, 55/8-14 Soi Charoenkrung 42/1 [11]. Located close to Silom Road and the River it is only a short walk to the BTS Station Taksin and the Express Ferry. Rather quiet deadend street (ends at the Shangri-la Hotel). Nice clean rooms with A/C, fridge. Hotel has a pool and spa, and the prices include breakfast THB.1800 and up

• Elegance Suites Bangkok, [12]located at 88 North Sathorn Road, Silom Area, Soi Jaras-wiang, Bangrak 10500. Managed by The Quality Group having been in the hotel and tourism industry for more than 15 years. Bangkokbooking.org is its sister company help promoting via online channel to promote this boutique hotel in Central Business District.

• Tenface Bangkok, [13]. A boutique hotel / serviced residence in Bangkok. A high-designed concept of Tenface is inspired from the 10-faced giant of the greatest epic Ramayana.

• LUXX, [14] offers the holistic concept with it's 13 individually designed rooms and suites. Rooms are designed as studio units equipped with Cable TV, Coffee & Tea making facilities, mini bar and our signature heavenly beds. Suites are structures as one bed room units with stylish outdoor views, LCD TV, personalized DVD players, mini-kitchen and sofa corners. All rooms have wireless hi-fi internet, hot and cold water in unique Fun Bathroom concepts. 6/11 Decho, Bangrak, Bangkok 10500

• Mandarin Plaza Hotel, 178 Surawongse Road, Bangkok 10500, Thailand, ☎ 022351760-79, [15]. The Mandarin Plaza Hotel is an inexpensive Bangkok accommodation. This three-star hotel has 175 air-conditioned rooms, all of which have a cable TV, refrigerator, and mini-bar. It has a restaurant named Bua Luang that serves authentic Thai cuisine. While staying in Thailand, you might want to visit some of their tourist spots namely Patpong, Klong Toey Market, and Lumphini Park. Best rates on official website start at THB 1299.  edit

• Banyan Tree Bangkok, 21/100 South Sathorn Rd [16]. A five-star spa resort in the middle of the city, worth visiting if only for the Vertigo bar and restaurant up top (see above). Rates US$160 and up.

• Dusit Thani. Corner of Silom and Rama IV Rds (next to Subway Si Lom exit 2) [17]. One of Bangkok's grand old hotels, with an excellent location in Silom featuring both Skytrain and subway access. The 21-story tower with a distinctive golden spike was Bangkok's tallest when opened in 1968, and has aged gracefully with frequent restorations. Rooms start at US$150.

• Lebua at State Tower, [18]. Formerly Meritus Suites, an all-suite hotel with rooms ranging from large (66 sq.m.) to huge (266 sq.m.). The spectacular Dome rooftop restaurant/bar (see #Drink) is in the same building.

• Sathorn Ville Serviced Apartments, [19] is a quality accommodation, providing studios and 1-3 bedrooms with built-in kitchen ("35 sq.m. 45 sq.m. to 140 sq.m") for business and leisure travel. Room starts at 10,000 Baht/per month. Sathorn Ville is at a very comfortable location. (just 1 minute walk from Surasak BTS skytrain station.") (Monthly rate only)

• Sofitel Silom Bangkok. Located on middle of Silom Roads (close to Skytrain Chong Nonsi station and 10 minutes away from Subway train,Silom station) [20]. 38-story property on the lower reaches of Silom Rd. Rooms have a safe deposit box, minibar, satellite/cable TV and in-room highspeed internet with a fantastic view of Bangkok from ceiling to floor window. Rooms start at US$145.

• Triple Two Hotel, [21] is an innovative and unique boutique hotel of just 75 luxury rooms providing high quality, individual service in a relaxed atmosphere for both leisure travelers and business with 5 fully equipped 15 -20 seat conference rooms. Triple Two Silom is located at 222 Silom Road, Bangkok 10500.

• Bally’s Studio Suites, ☎ +66 (2) 2666465-72, [22]. Bally's studio Silom is in the heart of Bangkok surrounding of main business and entertainment area Silom, Surawong, Pat Pong, Thaniya. It offers 53 units of bally's superior and bally's suites fully finished apartment. 10 Silom Road Soi 2, Surawong, Bangkok 10500 Thailand. Rates start at BAHT 2,400.  edit

The southern part of the river near the Sathorn Bridge has some of the world's best hotels, and not a few lesser lights.

• Oriental Bangkok, 48 Th Oriental, tel. +66 2659 9000, [23]. Ranked highly amongst the finest hotels in the world, it is known particularly for its superlative service. Prices are consequently on the steep side; even the cheapest online rates are rarely below $300 a night. Sumptuously decorated in old-school Colonial style. The hotel is on the east side of the river with its own River Express stop (Tha Oriental).

• Lebua at State Tower, 1055/111 Silom Road, Bangrak, Bangkok 10500. 5 star hotel, All-suite luxury accommodation in Bangkok that give you a glimpse of the most dramatic views of Bangkok. The Skybar is one of the world's highest out door bars, overlooking a panoramic view of Bangkok and the Chao Phraya river.

• Shangri-La Bangkok, 89 Soi Wat Suan Plu, tel. +66 2236 7777, [24]. Definitely also a 5 star hotel but not quite as superlative as the Oriental or the Pen, the Shangri-La makes up for it partly with an excellent location next to both Skytrain and river boat. Prices start from $120.