Saphan Kwai, Bangkok

[Wim888]

I will travel to Bangkok next week. Has anyone been to the Saphan Kwai area recently? Please provide a review of host clubs there.
I have not been to that area in many years. It used to have some of the best clubs in Bangkok. One great club from about 20 years ago, was Midnight Cowboy. It always had many handsome, athletic guys, and was managed by a British, transvestite [transsexual?] mama san. It used to be my favorite club in Bangkok.

[Marsilius]

The British mamasan was Camilla. Very pleasant character. I hear that she now teaches English as a foreign language in Bangkok.

[Wim888]

Yes, the British mama-san was a nice person.
But do you have any updates about the situation in Saphan Kwai?

[pong]

visit Th only wintertime, so its from then. Things have changed. MC had also a nice man from Singy who knew anything and was a great advicegiver. Decline came when they moved to around the corner into a kind of freezer.
Do not go out of your way to get there-whole scene has declined. Gayscout has fairly uptodate listings-and if you have time+courage, read cfs. Basically only 1 ''gogo';'left and 3-4 karaOKshops, one turned into massage+more (if still alive). All at end of a smelly narrow alley. Besides that BKK's longest surviving ditto: Charmming and an often changed names/hands massage, around the corner, beside BTS, a sauna (only 1 surviving) and 1 out of 3 BKks ''special groping ''cinema's. For98% Thai only, plus the odd long staying and knowing expat left.

[Manforallseasons]

Bee Hi gogo was the last remaining go go years ago was fun.

[llz]

When coming to Thailand, I usually stay in Saphan Kwai and go touring from there to Pattaya or elsewhere. That leaves me some evenings to visit the area which I like a lot.

However the gay scene in Saphan Kwai has become less interesting now : there have not been that many closures, but there are less boys, and the karaoke format that most bars have turned into during the sad Purachai era, is less convenient for us.

In Pradiphat soi 20, all places but 2 are now karaokes and although you will be welcomed if you enter, you will not have been touted into, probably more out of shyness or fear to have to speak english than anything else. So if you notice a boy you would like to know better, whatever he sits outside or inside the bar, you will have to firmly take things in hand (figuratively speaking). It is worth it as the guys here have a better attitude than in Silom, but they will likely speak poor english and have not so much experience. A pity as there are sometimes very cute ones sitting outside. Most Mamasans can speak english.

As said above, Be High is the only gogo-bar in the area (soi 20 too but on a small sub-soi, look for the sign) with reasonables prices. Boys will approach you even if there are not a lot of them, so you could not like it. Last June I have been said that new boys had just arrived from Viet Nam, and they seemed to be on the cute side but already busy with customers. Some farangs seem to come here on a regular basis.

Charmming is the only true host bar, with usually a fair number of boys but less than before : helpful mamasan. One of the few bars not located in Soi 20 but further west on Pradiphat Road (see Dreaded Ned site for map). Another bar outside soi 20 is Talent Karaoke (at the end of soi 10 on Phaholyothin soi 11), I did not go there since long but it is still open. Also a karaoke on Phaholyothin coming from BTS Station, I went there once, saw no boy and was ripped off so never went back.

The massage place mentioned above is located inside the Liberty Garden Hotel coumpound, and the last name I recall is Ima Spa but perhaps they have changed now. Another boy massage is curiously called Pruksa Bureau close to the north-west exit of Saphan Kwai BTS Station.

The Saphan Khwai area is almost farang-free and very friendly with a lively eating scene at night along Pradiphat Road. Boys are nice and usually very few ladyboys or fem boys to be seen. It brings a nice change from the outrageous prices and attitudes in Silom, so you could like it. Have a look at my blog for more.

[christianpfc]

I happened to be there yesterday. All easily reached by foot from BTS Saphan Kwai.

39 underground sauna brimming (18:50-20:40, counted 55 boys at 19:00, high turn over, locker room always busy).
(Phahon theater and some massage places with male staff in the same soi, and ZapZap karaoke.)

Once in the area, I checked location of Farose 1 sauna (Pradipat Soi 19, in the side soi on the right side), it is still open, will go another day.

In Soi 20 many karaoke with boys and one gogo bar (Be-High or Behigh). 21:30-22:10. Coke 150 Baht, 6 boys (in good shape, white/black Diesel briefs), 4 wait staff (?), 2 customers (me included), slow rotation (one boy on stage, other sitting). Boys smoke cigarettes in the bar.

Last year I took a boy from there, report here http://christianpfc.blogspot.com/2013/0 ... 92013.html (http://christianpfc.blogspot.com/2013/09/saphan-kwai-bars-update-17092013.html)

When I leave the soi, there are some customers in the karaokes bars (about one table occupied).

[Patanawet]

We went to Saphan Kwai a few months ago, really to see an old friend who owns Stax karaoke/host bar, but as it was early visited Be High first for old times' sake.
It was about nine thirty. We were greeted by the doorman/barman and sat in the empty bar. Actually, not completely empty ---- there was an aged katoey sat in the front row completely engrossed in a Thai soap on an ancient TV on the stage facing the audience.
There was one fully clothed boy in the bar who didn't avert his eyes from his mobile phone all the time we were there.
The barman assured us that new boys would be coming later. Well, later one boy came in and sat in a row behind us ----- he was closely followed and joined by a Thai and they left together soon afterwards without buying a drink. We left soon after.

How sad because, years ago, Be High was one of my favourite bars in Bangkok --- always great fun and with reasonably priced drinks.
Plus the bonus was 'number 12' (was it Lek?) voted best gogo boy in Bangkok on the of the boards.

We went onto Stax but it really was too early to visit a karaoke that probably stays open till about five or six. Beautifully decorated as are most bars around there.
There were plenty of boys there (including one or two Thais!) who seem to divide their time between the karaoke and the massage place next door (same owner).

[llz]

I thought that in Be High Bar the person sitting in front looking at TV was the owner, who reportedly is the wife of a policeman.

[Patanawet]

Could be --- I wasn't that tempted to enquire further.

[Wim888]

To llZ and Christian pfc:
Thank you very much for your detailed information about Saphan Kwai. I also looked through and very much enjoyed both of your blogs.
Thanks for all your information!

[christianpfc]

addendum:

39 underground now has a promotion: come 6 times, enter 7th time free. Card for stamps, but no name of customer (i.e. you could share the card with a friend). This is advertised in Thai language at the cashier, and I only got the card and stamp after asking for it.

I inquired about closing time at one of the karaoke: around 2:30 am.

One time I was in Be-High last year, there were only one or two boys, so I left without buying a drink. It seems they have good days (many boys) and bad days (few boys).

[lego]

Regarding Be High, your bad days might actually be their good days, if you get my drift. From what I've heard, it happens that some Thai customers come in early on and pick up their favorites, leaving only a few "leftovers" for those who come have a look later that night.