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Last week, my Finnish buddy, an international student based in Bangkok, came down to Phuket for the first time in his four years living/studying in Thailand. The Siamerican Wanderer took this as his final opportunity to relax and get a change of scenery from being cooped up in the Inlaws’ house on Phuket’s east side. Here’s a few images and commentary from last week’s venture to Patong, Phuket’s thriving big beach town on the island’s west coast.

Patong has most of the trusty American icon chains–Macdonalds, Burger King, Subway, and Swensons, among others. What famed, commercialized international destination would be complete without a Starbucks? The author proclaims no association with Starbucks–in fact, has never consumed at a Starbucks in Thailand

Burger King, on the other hand is always tempting as they’re less abundant in Thailand as KFC, Macdonalds, Pizza Hut/Pizza Company, and Chester’s Grill–though make up for lack of restaurants with abundance in price–probably no cheaper than back home. On this particular day, the Phuket Vegan festival hadn’t yet finished, thus the Siamerican felt guilty for ordering a burger just yet. Nevermind–crispy hashbrowns, onion rings, and a diet coke (only canned soda available) would sate the fast food craving.

Some of Patong’s most popular girly beer bars are at the ground floor of Tiger Disco, right in the heart of the infamous entertainment zone at Bangla road. Before you charge the author as a pervert for snapping this picture, note the burly drunk guy dancing at the back pole–the intended target of this snap.

Nothing new for these eyes–been here, done that– just a liaison accompanying a friend on his dawning exposure to the nocturnal saga at Bangla road, Patong, Phuket–ever reluctant to pay400% markups on beer–typically 80-160 baht (2.50 - 5.00$USD) for a small bottle (320 ml) of locally brewed beer at the dancing table and pool bars. If it’s just the beer you want, it’s just as easy to cross the street and buy it for 25-35 baht (70 cents to a dollar USD), but for the exclusive views, you got to pay up. In the closed-from-street-view go-go’s that promise ’special’ shows, small drink charges are typically 400 baht (about 12$ USD) per small drink. Half of the revenue these establishments pull in is from customers drinks, while the other half, if not more, is drawn from lady’s drinks (where the customer buys an overpriced drink for one of the hostesses, dancers, or bargrils to closeup chit chat and possibly negotiate for ‘other’ services.

Here is Finnish Sonny and a 20 year old Bejing student tourist named Kiko we met on the street. She had never seen such a wild bar scene, as nid he, so we invited her along for the drink and view. She turned out to be a great deterrent from the pestering bar girls in seek of surcharged lady drinks.

In the morning, the cops are busy at the Beach road-Bangla intersection in Patong ticketing unlicensed / un-helmeted motorbike drivers; Dually enforcing the law and earning supplemental income for the force–rightfully doing their jobs at the very least.

Today’s a cloudy day at Patong bay, but that’s certainly not stopping the tourists from laxing out in their swim gear at the beach.

The View from the room at Lammai Hotel on Rat-Uthit road in central Patong, a few minutes from Jung ceylon shopping center/Bangla road, and about 5 minutes walk to the beach–low season price was 700 baht/night, reasonable for Patong standards.

For more travel information about Patong, see this Patong travel resource,

and the following link leads to various pictures / photographs of Patong and Phuket in general

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