Patpong Night Bazaar
Patpong Night Bazaar is located in Bangkok's notorious nightlife district off Silom Road, world renowned since the late 60's. Patpong Night Bazaar is one of the most over rated markets in Bangkok. Overrated in regard to getting the best deal for your money. Good purchases can be had but the shopper will need to bargain seriously and have knowledge of the approximate value of the product.
That said the Patpong Night Bazaar is an interesting place to visit even if you are not shopping for something specific. It is one of the "must" night markets to visit if you are staying over in Bangkok. This market is frequented by foreign tourists staying over in hotels around the Silom area. The Silom area is always busy and chaotic especially in Patpong itself.
The Night Bazaar comprises four rows of stalls that are set up daily in the middle of Patpong Road. The stalls are flanked by cafes, go go bars, short time bars (Kangaroo Club), massage joints, a pub or two, V.D. clinics, tattoo shops, Seven Elevens, a discotheque, live music and some accommodation.
Items to Buy
Souvenirs, gadgets, DVD movies, gifts, replica watches, sunglasses, caps, hats, belts, clothes, Thai handicrafts, handbags, soaps, shoes and jewelry.
The vendors sell a lot of copy or fake items so be sure you know what the real item should look like if you intend to pay just 20% lower than the real item cost.
For most items at this market we recommend you bargain for a forty to fifty percent reduction on the asking price. If your first offer is too low for the seller then you can always offer a little more if you think the item is worth it.
Go Go Bars
Patpong is also internationally noted as being the "red light" district of Bangkok. This is true in that it caters mainly for foreigners but there are also many other red light districts in Thailand that cater for foreigners and Thais.
Some of the go go bars that have been operating in Patpong for years include; Kings Corner, Kings Castle 1, Kings Castle 2, Kings Castle 3, Queens Castle 1 (may have some inference) Queens Castle 2, Kiss, Pussy Go Go, Supergirls, Club Electric Blue (Patpong 2), and Superstar.
Avid night shoppers rub shoulders with keen nightlife punters who have no interest in what is on the shelves of the night market but rather what is dancing on the catwalk inside the go go bars or some other more raunchy feature.
This juxtaposing of people visiting the strip for completely different reasons also makes Patpong Night Market unique.
Safety
There have been reports of pick pocket thieves at this market. So be aware of what is around you. Take caution when walking through crowds of people in the area. Violent crime in the area is unusual.
Setting up the Patpong Night Bazaar
Setting up the stalls for the market begins every mid afternoon at around 2:30 pm. It is interesting to watch this labor intensive task take place.
This "building" of the stalls is performed daily. This is the labor intensive part of the Patpong Night Market preparation process and must be completed with in limited time. The entire street is shut down and then the building begins. Each rigger has a specific task to perform.
Using purpose built scaffold the rigger crew execute the task of erecting four rows of benches and display walls spanning the entire length of the street, approximately 250 meters. They then stretch a canvass roof over the whole structure. This whole setting up task is performed as a team in a very coordinated almost military like manner.
Take a look at my time lapse video of the set up.
Most of the vendors items are packed in steel trunks stored away in a warehouse on Patpong Road. Fork lifts and manual push trollies are used to transport the numbered trunks to their intended stall holder locations.
Most of the storage trunks are too heavy for just one man to lift and the young fit men work as a team lifting and pushing the heavy trunks onto the fork lifts or hand trollies. For the set up to run smoothly and finish on time the team work very hard to achieve their goal. Watching them "perform" is like watching a manual labor symphony.
After the market closes at around 1:00 am the vendors pack their unsold items back int the steel trunks. Later the fork lifts and trollies will appear again to take the stall holders packed trunks back to the warehouse. And the symphony begins again. The riggers will then have to dismantle the stalls and clear the street for normal day time business and traffic.
History
In 1946 a family of immigrants from Hainan Island, China purchased the undeveloped land on which Patpong now stands. The family is named Patpongpanich so you can see the name "Patpong" is derived from the family name.
On that patch of land in those days was an old teak house and a small canal.
The Patpongpanich family built a road which is now called Patpong 1. They also erected some shop houses along the road and a small ordinary business area was created.
Later the old teak house was demolished, the canal filled in and the family built some more shop houses. By 1968 several night clubs had opened for business in the area. It was the presence of these night clubs which caused some normal businesses to relocate.
During the Vietnam War Patpong was frequented by U.S. troops on R&R leave. More bars opened along the stretch and Patpong soon became the nightlife destination for many foreign visitors.
From 1970 through to the 1980's Patpong became famous for its sexually explicit shows, go go bars and sexual services. It was considered the prime nightlife entertainment area for foreigners.
It wasn't until the early 1990's that the owners of the property decided to turn the entire road and sidewalk into a night market renting out stalls to vendors. This decision greatly affected the overall feel of the place. It was no longer the raunchiest, high sexual energy, red light district in Thailand.
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Hotels Near Patpong Road
There is a hugh range of guest houses and hotels available in the Silom Patpong area. Room rates range from 450 baht up to 3,000 baht and more. Here is a list including photos and room rates of more than 100 hotels and guest houses to choose from.
Best deals on:
Hotels around Patpong Night Market
How to Get to Patpong Night Bazaar
Patpong Night Bazaar is located on Patpong 1 Road which runs between Silom Road and Surawong Road.
Traveling on the BTS (Skytrain) from Siam Central BTS station you get of the train at Sala Dang, the second station from Siam Central. While traveling on the train you should hear a recorded station name announcement in English and Thai just as the train is arriving at the platform.
When you get off the train at Sala Dang, exit the station so that you arrive on the right hand side of Silom Road traveling in the same direction as the train.
After that walk about 200 meters along Silom Road in the same direction that the train was traveling and you will come to Patpong Night Market on your right.
If traveling on the MRT you would use the MRT Blue Line and get off at the Silom Station.
Operating Hours
The Patpong Night Market opens at 6:00 PM and Closes at 1:00 AM.
It is open every night except important Thai Public Holidays like Songklan.
