Dream Boys

[ftj_taw]

Good morning. I have a quick question. Can someone tell me how late Dream Boys stays open? Do they close before 1200, at 1200 or are they open later. This is important, I have been to all the other hot spots but Bangkok is still my favorite and right now Expedia is offering every good packages on flights and hotels. I prefer to party at night and hate to get up early, so how late are the go-gos open?

[paborn]

I can't answer your question as I leave next week myself - after 19 trips - my opinion is that the curfew will be over soon. But, I have a question for you, what are the other "hot spots" that you consider comparable to Bangkok and why? I'm very interested.

[Manforallseasons]

There is a Dream Boys in both BKK and Pattaya , the one in Pattaya is closed.

[christianpfc]

Curfew aside, most Bangkok gogos close around 1 or 2 am (depending on number of customers). Around 2 am, you can expect Soi Twilight to be completely dark and empty.

Screwboys in Patpong ist the gogo bar that closes last, 3 or 4 or 5 am as far as I remember (usually don't stay there that long).

If your question wasn't restricted to gogo bars, I would mention GOD which gets busy when DJ closes (around 3 am). This is not a recommendation, I have been last year and found it as horrible as my last visit 3 years ago (smoking allowed inside, no number of cute boys can compensate for that, simply disgusting). There are some saunas and Thai places that stay busy long after midnight as well.

[Smiles]

" ... I would mention GOD which gets busy when DJ closes (around 3 am). This is not a recommendation, I have been last year and found it as horrible as my last visit 3 years ago (smoking allowed inside, no number of cute boys can compensate for that, simply disgusting) ... "
Just FYI: smoking inside enclosed bars, discos etc is in fact illegal in Thailand. I assume the only way that such places are OK with inside smoking is because they pay the police a lot of money for them to look the other way.
But in fact ~ and surprisingly under the circumstances ~ the great majority of enclosed bars now-a-days are smoke-free and thank christ for that. When the non-smoking laws were passed some years ago I must admit to laughing, and thinking "good luck with that" . . . but for the most part it has come true and the big barn-like music bars (like Tawan Daeng) are now a pleasure to attend and ones clothes no longer reek of smoke the next day. There will always be holdouts on this as there are always bar owners who are willing to pay the BiB, but in general Thailand's bars are much more enjoyable smoke-wise than they were 7 or 8 years ago.
The same dynamic has happened with the wearing of motorcycle helmets. When we first settled down in Hua Hin the use of helmets was extremely low indeed. Now, in 2014, almost everyone wears one, and the same can be said for Bangkok. In the countryside ... not so much.

[christianpfc]

We have to distinguish between gogo bars where some customers might smoke and GOD where it was rampant. I got the glowing end of a cigarette onto my skin (without injury, but had it been on my clothes it would have caused a hole).

Airlines have shown that the argument of losing customers is invalid. Are there people who don't fly because they can't smoke on a plane? (But a friend once mentioned that when he was a smoker, he couldn't fly directly from Europe to Thailand, he had to use a flight with stop in between to smoke).

Safety helmets in Bangkok and Pattaya still far below 50 %.

Straight venues not only show that it is possible to have a non-smoking environment; they have toilets, even in the toilets you can't smell that you are in the toilet.

[MiniMee]

(But a friend once mentioned that when he was a smoker, he couldn't fly directly from Europe to Thailand, he had to use a flight with stop in between to smoke).

Yeah, Jinks (RIP) used to say that too (QED).

[joe552]

I'm a smoker (in more ways than one) and use a Middle East stopover to indulge my cravings. But I also use nicotine replacement products which take the edge off the cravings. Here in Ireland we've had a smoking ban for years and it's totally respected. I have no problem going outside to smoke in bars and restaurants - I even do in my relatives homes. And I do the same in Thailand - there are usually some boys outside the bar to chat to while having a smoke.

[joe552]

Just to clarify - my reference to being a smoker in more ways than one did not refer to illegal substances, but rather to sexual activity and the use of legal nicotine products.

[scottish-guy]

Thanks for the clarification - did you fear the Garda would be kicking in the door of your hash den?

:))

[Smiles]

" ... Safety helmets in Bangkok . . . still far below 50 % ... "
Not to nitpick, but I doubt that guesstimate.
You can go and hangout on an overhead pedestrian walkway just about anywhere in Bangkok and look down ~ especially at stop lights ~ and you'll observe hundreds (thousands maybe) of motorcycle riders all gathering in the front to catch the next green. A petrie dish of motocy behaviour: far more than 50% compliance.
Pattaya? Not sure.

[lego]

Overall helmet compliance in Bangkok is certainly lower than 50%, just like christianpfc said. You're making a huge mistake by gathering your sample from an overhead pedestrian walkway on one of the main roads (where enforcement is much stricter and therefor compliance much higher): It's the endless labyrinths of many little sois where most people go "sans helmet", and that's also the place where many fatal motorbike accidents happen. Famous last words: "But I just wanted to pick up some ice cubes at 7/11."

[Smiles]

Overall helmet compliance in Bangkok is certainly lower than 50%, just like christianpfc said. You're making a huge mistake by gathering your sample from an overhead pedestrian walkway on one of the main roads (where enforcement is much stricter and therefor compliance much higher): It's the endless labyrinths of many little sois where most people go "sans helmet", and that's also the place where many fatal motorbike accidents happen. Famous last words: "But I just wanted to pick up some ice cubes at 7/11."
Well, the 'overhead' example was only a piece of the pie. And yes, I've seen a million small sois in Bangkok, none of which change my mind on this.
Agree to disagree with you and that other dude.

Just FYI: smoking inside enclosed bars, discos etc is in fact illegal in Thailand. I assume the only way that such places are OK with inside smoking is because they pay the police a lot of money for them to look the other way.There are places in my country where smoking is banned yet it goes on. The question is one of enforcement. The Nazis who run the management committee of my condo have banned smoking in the entire complex, even if you're sitting on your own balcony. It's subject to various disproportionate penalties, none of which have ever been enforced. Likewise it's up to the bar owners to enforce the ban and many simply don't care. The police likely have no interest in such behaviour.

[Smiles]

" ... The police likely have no interest in such behaviour ... "
Difficult to believe you actually think that.
The cops in Thailand will sniff out any and every opportunity to fill their pockets with baht. A new law, especially such as the ban on smoking in enclosed places/bars provides them with exactly that ... just another opportunity.
But I'll give you this: they certainly have zero interest in smoking in bars.

Just FYI: smoking inside enclosed bars, discos etc is in fact illegal in Thailand. I assume the only way that such places are OK with inside smoking is because they pay the police a lot of money for them to look the other way.
" ... The police likely have no interest in such behaviour ... "
Difficult to believe you actually think that. The cops in Thailand ... certainly have zero interest in smoking in bars.

[Smiles]

Just FYI: smoking inside enclosed bars, discos etc is in fact illegal in Thailand. I assume the only way that such places are OK with inside smoking is because they pay the police a lot of money for them to look the other way.
" ... The police likely have no interest in such behaviour ... "
Difficult to believe you actually think that. The cops in Thailand ... certainly have zero interest in smoking in bars.
Perhaps you did not read the gist of my post quite correctly: I agree with you that the cops have no interest in whether anybody smokes anywhere ... and that is because they have no interest in the law. Period.
But they certainly have an interest in any law which (perhaps naively) sets up the scenario wherein they an make money under the table . . . for that is the one-&-only part of their job which interests them in any way.