Adams Apple in Chiang mai seems to be making a comeback

[a447]

Whilst I wouldn't go to Chiang Mai just for the gay scene,....

In my case, the only reason I went back to Chiang Mai was to have fun at Adams every night. At the end of the day, so to speak, it was the only option anyway.

Adams provided me with everything I wanted. It was a bit "classy" (everything's relative) and although I normally sat at the bar, the sofas were really comfortable. And the Shan guys were 100% my type.

The problem was the fact that it was stuck out in the middle of nowhere with nothing of interest nearby. The other gay venues- Circle Pub and My Way - were basically host bars, which I don't really like, and Thai for Thai, which meant the guys didn't speak enough English to be able to communicate.

Being so far out of town also meant it was always difficult finding a tuk-tuk. I needed to get into town to enjoy my daytime activity - a massage. I used to go to Two Brothers near the Mercure Hotel, and when that closed down, to House of Male.

So it was massage every afternoon and Adams every night. Perfect! I always stayed at the Lotus Hotel right across the street. From bar to bed in under a minute!

I'm quite happy to travel to a place in order to visit somewhere specific, even though it's quite far away. A few years ago I travelled to Budapest just to go to the Action Bar. I also made the trip to Prague just to go to the Escape Bar. I read about both places here on the forum.

BTW, are those photos on the website recent? I don't recognise any of the guys. Mind you, I haven't been for a while so that's probably not unusual. But it probably doesn't matter because Adams is the only bar I've ever been to where I would be happy to off just about every single guy!

They sure know how to pick 'em!

[Armando]

That is correct. Adam's Apple was twink paradise back in the 90s.....and, even better, its clientele from CM University was often equally cute. Other local gay bars also had their fair share. By about 2003, my last visit to the scene though certainly not my last to CM, they'd all gone. More or less. Why was that?

I'm guessing that Thaksin's Social Order Campaigns in 2001 had something to do with it. After all, Chiang Mai was his power base.

I first visited Chiang Mai in 1987 and thought I was in heaven. Just a gentle walk around the Night Bazaar was enough to meet up with a cute Thai guy looking for some time or a night with a farang and no money sought or offered apart from a drink or two and breakfast. I loved Adam's Apple and the House of Male sauna ( (but can't recall when I first visited either). H of M always had lots of students from the University not far up the road. I believe it still has a two-for-one offer for students on a couple of nights each week. Last time I was there about there years ago it was packed. Coffee Boy on the other side of the river was also fun with lots of cute hosts but it died decades ago. I hear a new Coffee Boy karaoke has now opened. As soon as I hear the word karaoke, I run a mile! Overamplified sound, screeching voices and cigarette smoke!

By the early-mid 2000s, for about ten years I started to have some great experiences in the gay massage spas. I found that by then it was mostly with boys who were not from Chiang Mai. My favourite was Two Brothers near the then new Meridien Hotel where my regular masseur gave great service. He came from Udon Thani. He ended up as a host in Yokka Dok but then that too died. For about 3 years His Club was also well worth a visit although it is quite a way out of the centre of town. On my last trip in November 2019 so many gay places had closed. It seemed that Thais only wanted to have fun in their own places rather than mix with farang.

I found the few remaining gay bars in their new location close to the Night Bazaar pitiful. A few expats and a few boys either playing pool in one or hooked on their phones. They seemed to show absolutely no interest in any new customers. Nowhere like the old Secrets Bar which was a fun bar with a good mix of Thais, farang expats and tourists.

[a447]

Two Brothers near the then new Meridien Hotel

You're right. I wrote it was the Mercure. My mistake.

Sorry.

[francois]

I visited Adams Apple about 20 years ago. I recall it being a death trap, if a fire, as it was on the second floor and no fire exits. Is it still the same?

[a447]

Unless they have remodelled it, which I doubt, then yes, it is definitely a fire trap as there is only one set of rather narrow stairs to the outside. But I guess I was always having so much fun there that it didn't occur to me.

Normally it is something I am aware of. For example, whenever I stay in a hotel I always check out where the fire escape is in relation to my room. And I ask for a room on a lower floor.

I was often uneasy sitting in Boyzboyzboyz in Soi Twilight. That bar was always full and in any emergency you'd be lucky to escape.

But the only place I actually felt scared in was the Otot-otot sauna in KL when they turned the lights off. It is like a maze inside and there is no way you could get out, even with the lights on.

To prepare for my up-coming trips to KL, I always practised escape techniques by visiting my local Ikea store!

[Nirish guy]

Nearly as Bad as being in DJ Station at the top of the stairs on the first floor, when it's RAMMED with people and you're standing beside the fire exit "just in case" only to find it chained and padlocked from the inside ! I actually brought this to the attention of the bar manager who I was friendly with in case it was an over sight and was told that "no it's ok, it's for safety to STOP people opening it and spilling out from the club, but dont worry if there's a fire our security man knows to go up and open the lock!" I should add that their security man at that point was a 70 year guy who stood at the bottom of the stairs and who would I think struggle to make it to the top of them even on a good day and in an empty club ! This actually went on for quite a long time and wasn't a one off event but "someone" in authority must have had word as I see the chain did get removed in the end thankfully. Even so based on the electrical fire they "almost" had in that whole Soi a year or three ago it's one place I wonder like to be trying to get out of in a hurry if needed !

[Adams Apple Club]

Thank you very much my friend, we all hope that we will survive this difficult time. We would be happy to see you again one day at Chiang Mai. See you hopefully soon, please stay healthy and optimistic.

[Adams Apple Club]

The other two Gogo Bars New My Way and Circle are temporally not open in the moment.

[Adams Apple Club]

Take care

[Adams Apple Club]

Much has changed since then. There was a total renovation in 2010. Now there is a fire exit, is now a regulation and has been approved by the responsible authorities.
We would be delighted to see you again one day at Adam's Apple Club Chiang Mai. See you hopefully soon, please stay healthy and optimistic.