Chiang Mai Night Bazaar - End of an Era

[BonTong]

If you are visiting Chiang Mai in the coming weeks you might want to take note of the following:

From 1st April 2014 Secrets Bar and CU Bar will be leaving the Night Bazaar and moving to a new location on the moat near Thapae Gate at Somphet Gold Place. Full story:Chiang Mai Gay News: Night Bazaar тАУ End of an Era (http://www.gayinchiangmai.com/News/2014/night-bazaar-end-era/)

I hope they are very successfully at the new location. Pon from CU Bar has also recently taken over managing Barocco Karaoke bar which is keeping him busy and seems to ve doing well.

[Oliver]

I looked in at these bars a few weeks ago; the immediate environment was not very welcoming. I'm not surprised they are moving.

[RonanTheBarbarian]

Could you clarify what you mean, Oliver?

The last time i was in the bars in the Night Bazaar area of CM, I thought the area was handy, if you were a tourist you could pop in after a bit of shopping in the Bazaar.

Had a look at the new area on Google streetview, it looks pretty hard to find, not particularly close to anything else of note other than the Moat, it seems you will have to walk through a bit of a maze of back-lanes to get to the new bar area from the Moat road (hard to stay exactly as the lane the entrance seems to be off is so small that the streetview car did not traverse it).
Perhaps a handy spot to get to for expats, but not easy at all for tourists to find, i think.

[BonTong]

Had a look at the new area on Google streetview, it looks pretty hard to find, not particularly close to anything else of note other than the Moat, it seems you will have to walk through a bit of a maze of back-lanes to get to the new bar area from the Moat road (hard to stay exactly as the lane the entrance seems to be off is so small that the streetview car did not traverse it).
Perhaps a handy spot to get to for expats, but not easy at all for tourists to find, i think.
Actually, the location couldn't be easier to find. It's about 400M north of Thapae gate on the outside of the moat, opposite Somphet Market, there is a footbridge across the moat right there. It has the Jack Van bar in front of it (at night), is next door to North Wheels and 100M away from Spicy. The bars themselves will be located only just off the street (Maybe 30M) in a mini outdoor pedestrian mall style development with two entrances. Not exactly a maze!

The google street view pictures are confusing since, Jack Van is not there in the day time, and there is a coke truck parked obstructing the view. Also the street view photos are quite old now. Not sure what businesses are there now but its changed a bit since then.

There's also many other tourist bars and restaurants along the moat there, as well as along Ratvithi Rd just inside the moat (e.g. Zoe in Yellow, the reggae bars, Loco Elvis, UN Irish Pub, to name a few).

It will actually be easier for tourists via tuk-tuk than an ex-pat driving as parking is limited there. Time will tell how they do up these places, but they have the potential to be quite smart, including air-con spaces if the owners decide to go that way. Anyway, much nicer than the ugly shed they are in now.

[focusedinthai]

I'm not sure when the last time you were in Chiang Mai was, but my guess is that your fond memories of the area are certainly a distant past. I now live in Khon Kaen, but lived in Chiang Mai back in '02-'05. At that time, the bar area was thriving, was not that seedy (although it's always been a bit seedy - which is part of the charm certainly), and many bars were open. Around '04 ('BonTong can correct me on the exact year), the bars behind the Peak were torn away, leaving just the strip behind the D2. Even that was ok, however, as the area was still full of bars with long-time owners. Gradually over the years, however, the bars changed owners and interest in keeping it up gradually died. The toilets, for example, became a cesspool and breeding ground for diseases and pedophiles (not necessarily in that order!). One by one, beginning is about 2010, the bars began to shutter, with two of them (the ones now moving), moving to their own location just slight down the soi. As I visit Chiang Mai regularly because bf and I still have friends there, we don't even bother going. So, long story short, the area you remember is, sadly, no more. To be honest - it is a sad end. I will always have fond memories of the 'way it used to be', and it certainly is a handy location for tourists, but in the state it's been in for the past few years, it is good to now have another section of town that is much more kept up and clean to go and enjoy a night our drinking and talking with friends. In addition - I suppose it should be pointed out - the gay scene in Chiang Mai is much more reserved than much of the rest of Thailand and is generally geared for expats that either live in the area or come quite frequently enough to be considered 'part-time residents'. Would you agree BonTong? There are quite a few gay expats living in and around Chiang Mai and they, not tourists, have kept the limited gay establishments in business over the years. I am sure quite a few of my friends are looking forward to getting out of the night bizarre area and over to the more energetic and alive Moat area. Interestingly enough, from my perspective, it is not just the gay bar area behind that night bizarre that has deteriorated - it is the entire area. There are simply other areas of Chiang Mai that are much more developed and worthy of spending the majority of ones time in.

Cheers,



Could you clarify what you mean, Oliver?

The last time i was in the bars in the Night Bazaar area of CM, I thought the area was handy, if you were a tourist you could pop in after a bit of shopping in the Bazaar.

Had a look at the new area on Google streetview, it looks pretty hard to find, not particularly close to anything else of note other than the Moat, it seems you will have to walk through a bit of a maze of back-lanes to get to the new bar area from the Moat road (hard to stay exactly as the lane the entrance seems to be off is so small that the streetview car did not traverse it).
Perhaps a handy spot to get to for expats, but not easy at all for tourists to find, i think.

[BonTong]

I completely agree with focusedinthaiтАЩs assesement. Last year I wrote an opinion piece on how the gay scene in Chiang Mai has changed: where did all the nice boys go (http://www.chiangmaicitynews.com/news.php?id=2852) which says much the same thing. We also did an article on the history of the Night Bazaar bars (http://www.gayinchiangmai.com/News/2013/whatever-happened-part-2/) which some might find interesting if they havenтАЩt seen it yet.

One correction on the dates: I lived next door to the Night Bazaar for a few months in 2005-6 which was probably when the Peak was at its best. It went into rapid decline thereafter and closed in November 2009 according to my records. I have to say, it was fun whilst it lasted, but I became very burnt out on that whole scene night after night and have held a very jaundiced view of the Night Bazaar area ever since :ymsigh: .

As focusedinthai points out, it is not just the bars, but the whole Night Bazaar area that has declined. The Night Bazaar building itself is deserted and the stalls along Changklan road very quiet. Meanwhile, other areas of Chiang Mai around Nimmanhaeminda and Chang Puek have exploded.

I also agree that the CM gay scene is very much ex-pat oriented. One problem for all the bars is they are defined by their customers; I still see a lot of the same regular faces that were around 5-10 years ago and nobody is getting any younger. :(

From my observations, tourists often come here for just two or three nights. They do the tourist things which are absolutely the reason people SHOULD come to Chiang Mai. They try a couple of restaurants, take in a go-go show and maybe go to a massage place or two. The social scene bars donтАЩt seem to figure too highly in their priorities. I see many more younger gay tourists coming here too. Often couples, they have little interest in places where the clientele is mainly elderly ex-pats. They want to go to the trendy places, not specifically gay, where the young crowd go and party. :-o

Of course, the death of the тАЬgay sceneтАЭ is a phenomena not restricted to Chiang Mai or Thailand The Advocate - Op-ed: RIP Gay Clubs and Their Affirming Debauchery (http://www.advocate.com/commentary/neal-broverman/2014/03/20/op-ed-rip-gay-clubs-and-their-affirming-debauchery).

On the bright side, Chiang Mai now has a booming gay scene for young Thais with plenty of fun places to go. Yet you still see very few foreigners in the places Thais go.

[Patanawet]

from my perspective, it is not just the gay bar area behind that night bizarre that has deteriorated - it is the entire area.
Very good focussedinThai ---- "bizarre" certainly described some of the clientele at the time.

What always surprised me was the sight of many of the urchins playing chess -- something I could never master.

Am I right in thinking that the downward spiral of the area started with the 'Peak' burning down?

[christianpfc]

Misleading headline: the night bazar stays, but two bars are moving out of the area.

[Patanawet]

Misleading headline: the night bazar stays, but two bars are moving out of the area.
Pedant!

[lego]

No, I think in this particular case christianpfc isn't being pedantic. The subject of this thread is deliberately misleading.

[focusedinthai]

Actually - you would both be incorrect. If you would take the time to go back to the original post for this thread, it is referring to an article written by 'BonTong' with a title of the same name. The title of this posting, in other words, is meant to reflect the title of the article HE wrote. Last time I knew, writers are able to title their work anyway they wish, but if you feel the title of this posting was misleading, then you obviously did not read the post in the first place.

What is the point anyway? You got the message of what he was trying to say, so are you both just trying to draw attention to yourselves because some intelligent comments were actually being made about the topic for once?


No, I think in this particular case christianpfc isn't being pedantic. The subject of this thread is deliberately misleading.

[BonTong]

Nothing misleading at all, the title says exactly what I meant. =;

There have been gay bars at various locations around the Night Bazaar for twenty years or more. First the Snake Pit, then The Peak, Sleaze alley and finally the adjacent area CU and Secrets bar have just vacated (see link to Night Bazaar history earlier in the thread). As of today there are no longer any gay bars at those locations - none, they've all gone. Hence the colorful Night Bazaar Era of Chiang Mai's gay history has come to an end.

I never stated or implied the Night Bazaar was coming to an end, even though, in the not too distant future, that might also turn out to be true.

[lego]

What is the point anyway?
My point was that I read the title of the thread thinking, "Holy shit, Chiang Mai's famous Night Bazaar will close for good!". Then I opened the thread and what I found was a discussion about the fate of some bars I've never had any interest in. Do I think it's terrible that I was tricked into reading this thread I'm not really interested in? Certainly not. 8-|

[Khor tose]

Actually, the location couldn't be easier to find. It's about 400M north of Thapae gate on the outside of the moat, opposite Somphet Market, there is a footbridge across the moat right there. It has the Jack Van bar in front of it (at night), is next door to North Wheels and 100M away from Spicy. The bars themselves will be located only just off the street (Maybe 30M) in a mini outdoor pedestrian mall style development with two entrances. Not exactly a maze!

The google street view pictures are confusing since, Jack Van is not there in the day time, and there is a coke truck parked obstructing the view. Also the street view photos are quite old now. Not sure what businesses are there now but its changed a bit since then.

There's also many other tourist bars and restaurants along the moat there, as well as along Ratvithi Rd just inside the moat (e.g. Zoe in Yellow, the reggae bars, Loco Elvis, UN Irish Pub, to name a few).

It will actually be easier for tourists via tuk-tuk than an ex-pat driving as parking is limited there. Time will tell how they do up these places, but they have the potential to be quite smart, including air-con spaces if the owners decide to go that way. Anyway, much nicer than the ugly shed they are in now.

I recently returned from a visit of a couple of month in the USA, and I went last night to the new location of these bars. Bon Ton's has given us a very good report on the progress and location of these bars I think given a couple of month to remodel and settle in these will be great place to go to when visiting Chiang Mai. They have larger and nicer spaces and very good privacy. As Bon Ton states they are located in an area with many good restaurants, and near other gay friendly places like the disco Spicey and not that far from "Zoe in yellow" with its many clubs and gay friendly dance places that cater to a younger crowd of mostly backpackers. Until the signs go up in the streets it may be hard for some to find. My best suggestion is to tell the red cab (or whatever) to take you to Spicey and then walk from Spicey against the flow of traffic until you come to the crosswalk with signal light and the wooden foot bridge over the moat (about one block). As you face the crosswalk and the bridge the bars are behind you down a small dead end soi. My compliments to Bon Ton on his excellent write up.

[Khor tose]

The sign is up. I just did not notice it. See how close it is to the near-by 7-11.

[attachment=0:37vmiui6]SignSecrets&CU2.jpg[/attachment:37vmiui6]

[dab69]

gees a picture of the sign makes it almost too easy to find.

[gaymandenmark]

I am delighted that they are moving to this area, close to some of my favourite places in CM, Spicey and Zoe in yellow.
It is also not that far away from the nice, but sometimes very quiet, gay bar Yokka Dok.

[lukylok]

It's been a while since you were in CM. Yokka Dok is closed !

[BonTong]

Yep, Yokka Dok is gone! But places come and go quite often here 8-| .

New favourite in town is Orion Bar (http://www.gayinchiangmai.com/News/chiang-mai-gay/bars-pubs-restaurant-cafe/#orion-bar) at the Kalare Night Bazaar (opposite side of Changklan road from the old Night Bazaar bars - near Porn Ping Hotel). Its run by a very popular ex-Adam's Apple boy and is more mixed than most places with a great friendly atmosphere. Amazingly for Chiang Mai, there are actually some gay Thai boys there too, as well as some younger farang customers which makes for quite a refreshing change =P~ .

[gaymandenmark]

It's been a while since you were in CM. Yokka Dok is closed !

Yes, around one year ago.
Thinks change fast, and I will give Orion a try next month. ;;)

[paulosussex]

It hasn't been closed that long, I was there over Loy Krathong and although it was quiet it was certainly open.
Orion looks promising, I had a friend who ran a bar called Mango which was also opposite the Indian restaurant so must be in the same sort of place. It's a nice buzzy spot and easy to send out for food in that area.
Cheers

[Khor tose]

Yep, Yokka Dok is gone! But places come and go quite often here 8-| .

New favourite in town is Orion Bar (http://www.gayinchiangmai.com/News/chiang-mai-gay/bars-pubs-restaurant-cafe/#orion-bar) at the Kalare Night Bazaar (opposite side of Changklan road from the old Night Bazaar bars - near Porn Ping Hotel). Its run by a very popular ex-Adam's Apple boy and is more mixed than most places with a great friendly atmosphere. Amazingly for Chiang Mai, there are actually some gay Thai boys there too, as well as some younger farang customers which makes for quite a refreshing change =P~ .
Went there last night with friends and even before 1200 there was a good crowd. Nice friendly bar.

PS I need to correct myself about how to find CU and Secrets bars. From Spicy you walk about 10M with (not against) the flow of traffic. You will see an alley and you walk down that.

[BonTong]

Seems to be the start of a new era! CU Bar had their opening party on Monday, Orion Bar's opening was on Tuesday see the pictures online at Chiang Mai CityNow (http://www.city-now.com/comment.php?cid=582214&lang=English&page=1#rank582214)

May 20 is Secrets turn. Read the details here Chiang Mai Gay Events Calendar - Secrets Bar Grand Opening (http://www.gayinchiangmai.com/News/event/secrets-bar-grand-opening/)

[BonTong]

Just a reminder if you are in Chiang Mai - Secret's grand opening party is tonight.