Bangkok Nightlife This Week: Lat Phrao Fire Toll Rises, Transport Turns 10, and New Venues Push West
The Lat Phrao nightclub fire death toll hits 38, Transport celebrates a decade, and a new wine bar opens west of the river. Bangkok nightlife news, Aug 14.
This Week in Bangkok Nightlife
It has been a week that sits somewhere between grief and celebration. The shadow of the Lat Phrao nightclub fire still hangs over the city, with the death toll climbing again as survivors remain in hospital. At the same time, the city's nightclubs and bars keep moving forward, with a landmark birthday party, a new wine bar west of the river, and a lively debate about what live music venues should actually feel like. Here is what mattered this week.
The Lat Phrao Fire: 38 Dead, 13 Still in Treatment
One month on from the Rong Beer Na Lat Phrao fire, the death toll has reached 38. A 29-year-old Thai woman, identified as Saimai Singchom, died this week after sustaining serious injuries in the July 12 blaze, according to the Bangkok Emergency Medical Centre. Thirteen other victims remain under medical care. This tragedy has reignited conversations across the industry about fire safety, emergency exits, and building compliance at nightclubs and entertainment venues throughout Bangkok. If you are heading out this week, it is worth taking a moment to clock the exits wherever you go.
Source: Thaiger Bangkok
Transport Turns 10 with Rainbow Disco Club and 12 Hours at Chang Chui
A decade is a serious milestone for any Bangkok nightlife collective, and Transport is marking it properly. The crew has lined up Japan's Rainbow Disco Club, a cult name in the international dance music circuit, for a 12-hour party at Chang Chui. If you have never seen Transport work a room, this is the show to start with. For a collective that has spent ten years warming up Bangkok's dancefloors, a full-day format with a guest of this calibre feels like exactly the right way to celebrate.
Source: Time Out Bangkok
Low Ceiling Opens West of the River for Wine Drinkers Willing to Cross
Bangkok's drinking map tends to cluster east of the Chao Phraya, so a new wine bar opening in Bang Yi Khan is worth noting. Low Ceiling, recently opened in that neighbourhood, is being described as a genuine challenge to the city's usual geography of good drinking. The Riverside and Thonburi sides of Bangkok have always been underserved for this kind of venue, which makes Low Ceiling an interesting opening for anyone who lives west or simply wants a reason to cross the bridge.
Source: Time Out Bangkok
Bisou Brings a Looser Kind of Fine Dining to Bangkok
A new French fine-dining restaurant called Bisou has opened and is being talked about for doing things differently, swapping the usual stiff formality for flowing wine and a more relaxed approach to the room. The beef wellington is getting particular attention. Bangkok already has strong options at the Riverside end of the fine-dining spectrum, but Bisou sounds like it is angling for a crowd that wants the quality without the occasion-wear energy.
Source: Time Out Bangkok
Bangkok Post Asks: What Does a Livehouse Actually Need to Be?
Bangkok Post's arts section this week ran a piece that gets to the heart of something regulars at live music bars already argue about. What actually defines a livehouse? Is it the room size, the proximity of the band, the sticky floor, the volume? The piece does not pretend to settle the debate, but it frames it well. Bangkok has seen a small handful of serious live music spaces come and go over the years, and the question of what separates a genuine livehouse from a bar with a stage is more relevant now than it has been in a while.
Source: Bangkok Post Life
Pink Symphonic Concert Brings Barbie's Soundtrack to Siam Square One in September
Two performances, a live symphony orchestra, and a programme built around songs tied to the Barbie cultural moment are coming to Siam Square One on September 20. It is not nightlife in the strictest sense, but for anyone in the Siam area looking for an evening event with a bit of spectacle, this is on the calendar. The format, a full orchestra playing pop and film music in an accessible venue, has proven popular in Bangkok this season.
Source: Time Out Bangkok
Royal Barge Procession Returns to the Chao Phraya This November
Fifty-two ceremonial barges and more than 2,000 oarsmen will take to the Chao Phraya River on November 6 for the Royal Barge Procession, with a series of public rehearsals scheduled in the weeks before. For bars and rooftops along the Riverside strip, this is one of the city's great spectator events. Venues like Vertigo and Sky Bar at Lebua will have elevated views of the rehearsals and the main event, so it is worth booking ahead if you want a spot with a proper vantage point.
Source: Time Out Bangkok
Not in the Roundup This Week
A book reviewing heritage hotels of Asia, a watch launch for a new IWC ceramic material, a film review of a dinosaur movie sequel, and a robbery near Makkasan Airport Rail Link are all in the broader Bangkok news cycle this week. None of them have a direct nightlife angle, so we have left them out here. The Makkasan incident is a reminder to stay aware of your surroundings when travelling between venues late at night, particularly around transport hubs.
If this week has you thinking about where to go, use our rooftops directory for views along the Chao Phraya ahead of the Royal Barge rehearsals, or browse by area if you are curious about what is opening west of the river. The Thonburi and Riverside pages are worth a look for anyone willing to venture beyond the usual Sukhumvit and Silom circuit.
Contributor at Bangkok Venues covering the city's nightlife, bars, and hospitality scene.