The nightlife in Bangkok had a reputation in the past for having an element of rowdiness. Besides being the capital of Thailand, Bangkok has been recently reported as having a historic drop in its crime rate.[1] Bangkok's crime fighting program will eventually be adopted by Bangkok's neighboring cities and communities in the near future.[1]
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It has been mentioned in popular culture in Murray Head's song One Night in Bangkok with the infamous quote "One night in Bangkok can make a hard man humble." While the choruses extol Bangkok's reputation and exciting atmosphere in the song, the American in the music video would denounce the city, including its red-light district, "muddy old river" and "reclining Buddha". Bangkok is also well known for their massage parlors and the popular Eden Club; which is the only club in the world to offer "professional sexual services."[2] One of the few rules of the Eden Club is to take two ladies that are equally skilled in pleasuring each other as the male client.[3] Unmarried males can find sexual companionship amongst the local prostitutes.[2]
Bangkok has also been discovered to be one of the safest and relaxed cities in the world.[4] Their nightlife ranges from live music in jazz clubs to world-class restaurants.[4] The once sleazy image of Bangkok at night has been virtually eradicated in the past 30 years.[4] Bangkok is the only place in the world with pink taxi cabs that cater towards the LGBT tourists and residents.[4] Even unescorted women can enjoy Bangkok safely and without any problems.[4] Each bar has a different show of girls and bar games and a variety of stereos competing for the attentions of the patrons.[5] Cabaret shows in Bangkok have a tendency to feature transgendered performers.[5] Drug violations are often handed out more severe penalties than in the Western world and statutory rape is completely frowned upon.[6]
The price of domestic beer in Bangkok ranges from $1.09 USD to $2.66 USD while the cost of imported beer ranges from $1.85 USD to $2.89 USD.[7] The price of taxi service for a 1-kilometer drive ranges from $0.17 USD to $0.25 USD.[7] Due to the lower prices for alcoholic beverages as opposed to the major cities of North America and Europe, the majority of the customers are the local students who are attending university.[6] The Lamsalee sub-district caters more to the local crowds than international tourists; with their dance clubs catering towards their regular stream of customers.[6] Tourists are more likely to head towards the Si Lom sub-district (with Soi 2 being more for the young adult crowd with nightclubs playing dance music and Soi 4 being more easy-going with a variety of restaurants and places to drink alcohol).[6]
Thailand has the most convincing transgendered and transvestite performers in the world; they are known as either kathoeys or simply as "ladyboys.[8]" In fact, it is the most cost-effective place to acquire sex reassignment surgery along with having the highest standards of surgeons trained in performing these kind of operations.[8] Most of these performs already had breast implants and typically perform before completely transitioning into womanhood by undergoing surgery on their genitals.[8] All sorts of feminine legends are celebrated here from Hollywood divas to legendary female disco artists and even mythical creaturess from Thailand's glorious past.[8] These transgendered people are accepted even in rural Thailand.[8] However, they are not legally recognized into their new gender and suicide rates amongst ladyboy show performers are higher than the national average.[8]
Some of the "ladyboys" that do not perform for a living enjoy regular employment in Thailand like nurses, secretaries, and even as popular television celebrities who perform on a regular basis.[8]
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