Back in 2002, I heard quite a selection of music in the various Bangkok bars I visited. In 2004 it looked as if hip hop had all but taken over the clubs. What's up with that?

I posed this question to a number of bar manager / DJ types. They basicly told me they played the music their customers wanted to hear. Huh? When I look around the clubs, I see the average age of the guys to be in the late thirties early forties. Sorry Charlie, these aren't hip hoppin' playas you got here. Sure some clubs play a greater variety, but too many are playing recycled urban American crap.

I often requested a particular favorite Thai dance song from the DJ. When it comes on, the girls smile, laugh and actually start dancing (imagine that) instead of just shuffling their feet and looking bored. I had plenty of DJ's tell me they weren't allowed to play Thai music because customers wouldn't understand it. Huh? You mean some guys actually go to these clubs for the music?

Thank Dog some clubs take it upon themselves to play their own style of music. Epi took me to a club in Nana that played some sort of speeded up high pitch Asia pop. It took some getting used to, but now when I hear it I get horny. Kudos to them!

Your thoughts gentlemen ...

Hip Hop Music in Thai Clubs, Threat or Menace?

They were playing music?....

(Message edited by Hunterman on May 29, 2005)

What many bars fail to understand is that ALL bars should be providing good customer service. However a go-go bar is a very unique environment with many people to please. Bars sometimes have more complaints over music and sound levels than anything else. As KM will tell you guys used to flock to Safari Bar in Patpong, just to listen to great classic music. Thai DJ's are given loads of CD's and often refuse to play them. Thai DJ's like to impress the BG's and hope to get sex or GFE in return, so Bosses should be aware but often aren't. I have worked in bars and clubs in both the UK and Thailand, and my approach is to give as wide a selection of quality music as possible. Guys can be just as fussy about their music as their women. One guy will hate rock, yet another will love it, another will love pop but hate another style, the list goes on and on. A good selection can help to please most of 'em most of the time. One style of music all night will please only a very limited number of people. If you play hip-hop and techno all night, older guys will hate it and the noise alone could drive many people out. In the world of "boy meets girl" the couple must be able to communicate effectively.

To play Thai music at the end of the night does keep the natives happy, and if you have happy Thais you have a happy bar! One guy refused to enter a go-go because they dared to play a Thai song! What country is this moron in? Not allowed to play Thai songs in Thailand, now that just shows the racist nature of some assholes!

>To play Thai music at the end of the night does keep the natives happy, and if you have happy Thais you have a happy bar!

I believe it was Beach Club in Pattaya where they switched over to Thai tunes for about the last 20 minutes of the night. Suddenly the gals were reenergized, singing along and having fun. It was like somebody flipped a "start the party" switch. I wished they'd been playing that music all night.

>One guy refused to enter a go-go because they dared to play a Thai song!

What a moron. This idiot should just go back to the rock he crawled out from under. Guess they shouldn't serve Thai food in Thailand either.

Now, now Pheonixguy. Total putz's are people too!

We will start a fund to create a bar that only plays Elvis Presley, serves Big Mac's and has whiney, needy, bitchy American type girls for those who spend 23 hours on a plane to have an "Authentic" Thailand experience just the way they want it

Phoenixguy, you would be amazed at how fussy some guys are, they are often more critical of the music than the BG's in farang owned bars.

One of the most popular shows at Angel Witch is the funfilled and very lively "Ram Thai" or traditional Thai dancing show. The BG's are dressed up in an imitation Ram Thai costume and the show is very popular. Like you say some of these morons just want everything their way. Well that's tough cheese, because Thailand will always be unique in this aspect. BTW a lot of guys hate the music in the Rainbow Bars. However, currently both Rainbow 3 and Rainbow 4 are packed with punters, so Asians care a lot less for music. Mind you there are some stunning BG's in certain Rainbow bars. You go to a resturant for the food, so do you worry about the music? You should go to the LOS bars for the babes; if all the BG's are ugly as sin, who cares about great tunes?