title: Utopia Guide to Thailand: the Gay and Lesbian Scene in 18 Cities Including Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Pattaya & Phuket
author: John Goss
description: "an informative guidebook...packed with information on clubs, hotels, shopping venues, restaurants and spas all around Thailand that are gay-friendly." -- <i>BK Magazine, March 10, 2006</i>
zlib_text: ![](Images/image00104.jpeg)
  
  RIDE THE BEAST
  
    
  
  By Don Pendleton
  
    
  
  CHAPTER 1
  
    
  
  Bangkok, Thailand The Patpong district of Bangkok has something for everyone.
  The city's original red-light district, it consists of four parallel streets.
  Patpong 1 and 2 are lined with girlie bars, where entertainment ranges from
  nude dancers to the "live shows" upstairs, with smiling "hostesses" available
  to any customer with time and inclination, plus the ready cash in hand. On
  Patpong 3, the clubs are mostly gay bars, with transvestite shows in place of
  dancing girls, while Patpong 4 is proud of its exclusive Japanese restaurants
  and massage parlors, highly selective in whom they admit.
  
    
  
  With an estimated 500,000 of the city's female population presently employed
  in "entertainment-related activities," Bangkok has gained a reputation as the
  Brothel of the East-- perhaps the Brothel of the World. It was a favored stop
  for GIS taking RandR from Vietnam, and modern package tours deliver some thre