It’s my turn to sing! Thai Karaoke Bar: Fun, Drinks, Girls & Violence
If you’ve ever been out and about when the sun goes down in Thailand–from lively zones in the heart of the congested capital to run down, shady narrow sois (sub-street) out in the middle of nowhere–you might recall passing by one of those simple yet glamorous joints adjourned with colorful lights, and perhaps some provocatively dressed eye candy awaiting to host you into a music pumping interior;
You might have even taken curiosity further and stepped in for a drink, perhaps invested some coin towards the prized music-box showcase. If you’ve taken time to listen and learn the popular local songs, managing to emulate a difficult country song, as a foreigner, you’re guaranteed to become an instant star and center of attention that will have pretty hostesses instantly preoccupied with your presence, and good spirited locals offering you toasts and free drinks throughout the night.
Karaoke is a hit everywhere in
When Karaoke becomes cultured, and beyond just one of those once in a long while smiles with/for close friends, than most of us seek something more economically serviced, that won’t invoke a heart attack when time comes to pay the bill. Particularly for stressed and lonely folks in the west, the local pub or bar featuring a sports game and perhaps even a live band for entertainment is norm. In
Among the highest classes of dwelling, to the lowest masses of swelling, you’re never more than a kilometer away from the typical ‘communal’ karaoke bar in Thailand, where even though you may have to share the spotlight of two song increment showcases with a handful of locals, the cheap beer and dark neon melancholic atmosphere will surely invoke your spirit before penetrating your wallet too deep. Besides, the ultimate yearning of a dedicated Karaoke star is to impress and woo an unfamiliar audience.
If you’re just dying to get a taste of the unique local Thai karaoke experience, prepare yourself to learn some local songs which will definitely benefit you’re speaking and listening of the Thai lingua. Buy some Karaoke VCDs and even Karaoke software such as Nick Karaoke Professional (midi karaoke database for PC, featuring thousands hit international and thai songs, available at IT hubs, Fortune and Panthip for about 10 dollars) to practice in the comfort of your own home, and when you think you’re ready, then confidentially woo the crowd at the local joint. (For more information regarding karaoke software in Thailand, see this link.
Be advised, however, while the local Karaoke shacks are usually full of group smiles, toasting, swaying, dancing and laughter, they also become the occasional scene for drunkard violence, particularly in late hours, where an imbalance of male-female demographics exist (i.e. outweighing testosterone)
Late last night-early this morning, yet another violent incident claimed the lives of a few young males whose initial intentions were to blow off some steam with song and drink in the late hours at Nong Bee Karoaoke in Samut Prakarn.
In this particular incident, two 23 year old factory laborers were blowing off some steam at the karaoke shack late at night when after several hours and drinks, a dispute gradually formed with a group at a nearby table. Apparently, the dispute was sparked fighting over the microphone queue for singing, erupting into a full on fist fight in which the former pair, unable to prevail with the larger group were chased off. Not much later, the pair returned with more friends and a machete, and as expected the microphone bout escalated, ending with both the two boys shot to death, and the 25 year old female owner of the joint (who was friends with the later prevailing group) sliced up , barely surviving in critical condition at the hospital.
Typically, karaoke joints implement a ‘two song per table’ rule that maintains harmony by giving every table equal share of the microphone. Often this rule is disregarded when a dominate group establishes presence. Whoever, gets their coins to the machine first wins and sometimes the queue for one table can get quite long and annoying, especially when one table/singer refuses to cancel extended queues of song.
If you plan on joining in the fun and surviving the harmony neon lights of communal karaoke, always be conscious of several things:
As good as you think you might sound, remember that others in the bar are also paying to ’sing’ not just ‘listen,’ so be patient and recognize the intoxication levels of others nearby. Be courteous of other tables, maintaining a balance of distance and closeness. If other tables’ queue is just too long and they seem too attached to the microphone, management indifferent, know when to pay your bill and peacefully get out. If others around you are ‘too loud,’ or even ‘too silent’ (silent can be deadly), it’s a sign that energy is filling up the balloon that can only eventually pop. One toast-cheers every few songs is normal, but if a stranger starts toasting you every two minutes, it suggests they are too drunk to think rational and a conflict is only a matter of time.
Note the amount of girls to guys ratio in the joint. Often, violence erupts when there is limited number of females and an abundance of males. In this sense, girls love the attention and whether they realize it or not, they’re subconsciously yearning for a fight to death over them. It’s simple science that can be avoided by choosing not to be part of imbalanced sexual ratios.
Be conscious if the hostess at your table is looking around at other tables often, or excusing herself to go to another table or different room all too often. This can suggest that she is tending to other guests who may have vested interests in her, even more than you. Even if a girl is not directly contributing to the competition factor, her scarce presence indirectly contributes to conflict in a pool of testosterone. On that note, one should be weary of bringing their own female friends and lady loved ones to a place with outweighing testosterone factor as well.
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December 16th, 2009 at 3:18 am
Interesting article with very valid pointers and advice.