What Its Like As A Black Man In Thailand?

I’m from the US, and in 2018, I visited Thailand right before everything closed down worldwide.

My trip was quick, like how most Americans do it on their first go, just around three weeks.

It was supposed to be a trip with friends, but they canceled at the very last moment, so I ended up going by myself.

After my long 23-hour flight, I dove into the action right away, but honestly, I didn’t have a clue about where to go.

Despite all my research, I felt overwhelmed by the noise, the people, and everything happening around me.

I was what they call a “farang,” which I later found out means a foreigner in Thai slang.

I Was The Complete Foreign Stereotype In Thailand

I was living up to all the stereotypes of not knowing what’s right and wrong. However, as time passed, I made a genuine effort to fully embrace the wonderful culture and show respect to the Thai people.

I stayed on Khao San Road, but the hotel wasn’t as great as it looked in the pictures online. When I got there, I quickly left my bag and headed straight to the bars.

I partied all night, and it was an amazing adventure.

I met a girl, and she came back to keep me company. We didn’t sleep, and after just an hour or two together, it was time for me to catch my flight to Koh Samui.

Getting to the airport was a bit of a struggle, and my new girlfriend seemed interested in joining me.

But I thought, “Why bring sand to the beach?” So, I decided to go on my own.

The flight went well, but as a foreigner, I was quite anxious about taking my first domestic flight with Thai Airways.

Heading To Koh Samui After Bangkok Antics

I wasn’t sure about their safety standards at the time, but I’ve since learned that they are excellent.

I arrived in Koh Samui around 7:00 AM and was completely exhausted from my previous international flight and the night of partying in Bangkok.

Once I got to Koh Samui, my next challenge was figuring out how to catch the boat to Koh Phangan.

It was a confusing adventure, but I can’t stress enough how kind the people were. I have a deep appreciation for Thai people.

When I reached the boat waiting area, I noticed two incredibly beautiful Thai girls.

I wasn’t quite sure how things worked there, so I tried not to stare but couldn’t help noticing they were looking at me too.

Back in the United States, I had watched videos about Thailand that made me concerned about robbery and pickpocketing, so I had this little wallet vest and wore clothes with extra pockets, just in case someone had wandering fingers.

By the way, I also traveled with a book, like many backpackers do, and it turned out to be a fantastic decision.

After arriving on the island for the full moon party, I was still feeling pretty dehydrated, and things didn’t quite feel normal yet.

I managed to do a quick walk around to get to know the area. The Bay had a stunning beach, almost like a paradise on Earth.

When I got back to my hotel room, I planned to take a short nap, but it turned into a long one, and I ended up sleeping well into the evening.

That’s when I made a decision not to drink again until midnight, as I had realized how quickly it could become an issue.

Saving Energy For What Thailand Night Life Has To Offer

I’m usually a very cheerful and friendly person, especially after a few drinks. However, I decided it would be best to save that energy since the party was going to last all night.

Around 8 p.m. that evening, I woke up feeling refreshed and decided to grab some food. I was amazed at how delicious Thai food was and how affordable it was.

After my meal, I took a walk to familiarize myself with the area. My hotel was very close to the beach.

While I was walking around, I spotted those two stunning girls I had seen on the boat earlier.

The less attractive one approached me and said, “Hi, do you remember us? We were on the boat. My friend likes you,” referring to the more attractive one of the two.

I smiled, and they asked if I’d like to join them in their hotel room for drinks. It didn’t take much thinking to figure out my response.

I was well-rested, and the party hadn’t started yet. Plus, I wasn’t too concerned about the usual worries like getting into trouble or being harmed, considering I’m a fit man under 40.

Since it was my first night, I was a bit overly cautious.

Two Girls, 1 Guy

I waited for the girls to have the first sip of the drinks they made before I took mine. As they drank and I started feeling more at ease, it became clear that their purpose wasn’t just to hang out and have a drink – these girls were working, and their goal was to make money.

I accepted what was offered, and it was an incredible experience.

By now, it was 10 p.m., which seemed like the perfect time to head to the beach.

We left together, planning to spend more time since we had become quite friendly. Being alone, I was happy to have some company.

But, as someone once told me, in Thailand, you’re only alone if you want to be. I found this to be true for the rest of my trip.

We went to the beach together and tried to stick together, but the crowd was just too massive.

In that sea of people, I got separated from my two new girls. Nevertheless, I continued to enjoy myself with a few drinks, as planned, when midnight rolled around.

I danced the night away, fueled by alcohol, with a burst of energy.

Partying All Night At The Full Moon Party

At one point, I found myself dancing with someone, and we managed to find a somewhat private spot. It was around 2 a.m. by then.

I continued to party through the night, and as you can probably imagine, there were people passed out on the beach, families with children, and folks from the UK, Australia, and the US, with kids on their shoulders, all enjoying the party.

The event was a bit all over the place with a mix of music I liked and music I didn’t care for, but I had a fantastic time.

As the night turned into day, I found myself around 5 a.m. or 6 a.m., with the sun rising. At this point, my decision-making abilities were seriously none existent because of the buckets of alcohol I had drank.

I can’t remember how much I drank, but it was more than enough. Trying to pace yourself in such a situation is a difficult task.

I vaguely recall stumbling back to my room. When I woke up, I had a terrible hangover and was greeted by the sight of a very beautiful girl in my room.

I spent the first hour of the day with her before she left. After she departed, I went back to sleep and tried to recover by drinking lots of water between naps.

Later that day, I caught the boat to Koh Samui to get a good night’s rest before my flight back to Bangkok.

The next morning, surprisingly, the girl from the boat sent me a WhatsApp message and mentioned that she lived in Koh Samui.

Spending Time With One of The Thai Girls I Met

She came to visit, and we spent some time together. However, she didn’t want to stay overnight, perhaps because I hadn’t chosen a better hotel due to my poor planning.

All This happened just two days into my three-week trip.

To my surprise, she worked in a bar, which made me realize that while there was a sense of adventure and connection, my thoughts of anything more like a serious connection was just a fantasy.

The next morning, I felt refreshed once more, and I boarded my flight back to Bangkok.

I would definitely come back to the Full Moon Party. My biggest concern when I arrived in Thailand was how people would treat me as an African American, even though I’m an American.

The Thai people were incredibly warm and welcoming, which was quite different from the treatment I sometimes face in the United States.

I’m really eager to return to Thailand, and why wouldn’t I be? It’s important for people of color to know that Thailand is a welcoming place if you’re a kind person and not a complete idiot. You need to have some money, but you don’t have to be wealthy.

I Know… Its Just Business

I completely understand that the girls and businesses have to make a living to support their families, so it’s important not to be overly cautious, but also not to be reckless with your money in Thailand.

You may feel like a big shot, but that’s only as long as your money lasts.

I went back to Bangkok, and I had a feeling that this trip was going to be amazing. If the first three days were any indication, it certainly was.

I returned to the same hotel on Khao San Road, and they gave me a much better room than I had during my first trip.

I needed a day to unwind, but if you’ve ever been to Khao San Road, you know that there’s no chance of getting any sleep before midnight.

I had a strong desire to explore Bangkok, but I thought it might be best to stick around the local area.

I ended up visiting a few of the bars, and before I knew it, I became a regular and a familiar face on Khao San Road.

After a day or two, I ventured out into the city and explored other night life areas.

One of the places I checked out was Pat Pong, and it turned out to be neither as good nor as bad as I had expected.

I spent about an hour at Pat Pong, which was long enough to get a feel for it, but you really need to experience it to understand.

What surprised me the most was that being an African American, the Thai people didn’t treat me any differently.

It didn’t matter if I was white, yellow, or even blue; everyone was incredibly friendly and accepting, which caught me off guard.

As A Black Man, Thailand Made Me Feel At Home

This was quite different from my experiences in the United States, where people aren’t always as friendly towards me.

I don’t have a race complex, but that’s just how I experienced the Thai people – very warm and friendly. It was the first time I felt truly, 100% happy.

With this new excitement of adventure, I decided to visit one of the famous soapy massage parlors that we Westerners often hear about.

I headed to a large parlour not far from where I was staying and was amazed when I walked in.

They had about 50 girls all lined up, just like in the movie Rush Hour. I had never seen anything like it.

It was absolutely overwhelming, and I had a hard time making a decision.

After some hesitation, I eventually chose one of the higher-class girls and one of the not-so-high-class girls for a dual experience.

The massage was incredible, a great experience.

I would highly recommend trying a Thai soapy massage if you’ve never been to Thailand before – it’s a very relaxing experience, to say the least.

Both of the girls that I chose at the soapy massage had great attitudes, and to be honest, that made the experience even more enjoyable for me.

I’d prefer spending time with someone who might not be considered conventionally attractive but has a outgoing attitude and is a lot of fun over someone who is attractive but very self centred any day.

Thai Girls Loved That I Was A Black Guy

I’ve heard the advice that you shouldn’t mention it’s your first time in Thailand, but I found that I sometimes received a bit more attention when I would say that I was an African American man on my first trip to the Land of Smiles.

That night, I returned to Khao San Road to hang out for a while. Later on, I had the chance to meet a mixed-race Australian girl who was both black and white.

She was out with her guy, and I was just happy to have some company and enjoy a good evening outside of my hotel room.

Her boyfriend, or whoever he was, left around midnight, and the girl stayed to chat with me until about one or two in the morning.

We had both had a bit too much to drink, and she ended up coming back to my room. We had an exciting three hours together.

In the heat of the moment, it may have seemed like a good idea, but once she left, I genuinely regretted what had happened. I felt guilt towards the boyfriend who had trusted me to accompany his girlfriend for a few more drinks, and I realized I had taken advantage of that trust.

The next couple of nights were a bit of a blur, and I mostly hung out on Khao San Road again.

I met some Danish girls who were incredibly attractive, but I couldn’t seem to make anything happen with them.

They thought of themselves as average, but to me, they were absolutely stunning.

It’s true that Bangkok can be a lot like how athletes describe football – after about five days, the game starts to slow down.

At that point I wanted to go somewhere chill like Ayuttaya, I decided to call one of the girls from the soapy massage to see if she wanted to meet up and come with me.

She agreed, and she took me from Khao San Road to a discount tourist vendor.

This vendor was much cheaper than the one I had talked to earlier in the week.

Before she told me to buy two tickets for both of us, I began to suspect a scam or hustle, but as it turned out, there wasn’t one.

I purchased two tickets, and they instructed me to be ready at 6 a.m. the next morning for a trip to Ayutthaya.

Taking A Girl On A Date To Ayutthaya

After that, she went back to work, leaving me on my own. She promised to meet me at 6 a.m. the following morning, so I waited to see if she would keep her word.

In the morning, I stumbled to the pickup point, not really expecting her or the ride to be there.

To my surprise, they were waiting, along with a group of people.

Thai people are generally very trustworthy, so I felt comfortable with them. Of course, you should still be cautious, but there’s often a bit more trust than what I’m used to in the West.

This turned out to be a good trip, I had spent around $80 USD on various things, which wasn’t too expensive.

The girl with me helped negotiate prices and took pictures that I wouldn’t have been able to capture on my own.

I really enjoyed the trip.

Afterward, she joined me for dinner and then went on her way, leaving me on my own, but in good spirits.

Honestly, it was a good experience that I still think about to this day.

Finally, I mustered the courage to go to Soi Cowboy.

It was once again something I didn’t expect, just when I thought I had things under control.

I moved from bar to bar and ended up spending way too much money.

Trying To Bar Fine In Soi Cowboy Was Not Easy

I struggled to negotiate a bar fine in Soi Cowboy. Looking back, I can see how your entire bar tips would come into play in such a situation.

That’s right, in places like Soi Cowboy, the bars often don’t want you to leave, and they might not be eager for you to take the girls away, If you’re spending money in the bar by buying drinks, they mainly want you to stay and continue spending.

In the next couple of nights, I made attempts to visit Soi Cowboy and even tried to find Nana Plaza.

If I were to rank them in order, I would go to Nana Plaza first, followed by Soi Cowboy, and then Khao San Road.

Khao San Road is cool, but I wouldn’t recommend staying there for more than one or two nights.

If you meet a Thai girl, they usually don’t want to go to Khao San Road, and the ones you meet there might take a bit more effort and time, which can be a lot for a vacation.

On my last night before heading to Pattaya, I was in Soi Cowboy. I can’t recall the exact name of the bar, but it might have been something like Penny Black or Country Road.

It was a bar with a band inside, kind of like a live music bar. I met a bartender there, and at that point, I was just being friendly.

I felt that I had already experienced everything that Thailand had to offer, so I wasn’t in a rush to do much more.

This happened about seven to ten days into my three-week trip.

She was stunning and wanted to show me around. By this point, I had partied quite a bit, seen the shows, and had a few soapy massages.

So, I was actually able to just focus on our time together and enjoy her pleasant company.

I bought her drinks at the beginning, but I think she caught on to my party trick, and then she flipped the script and started buying me drinks for the rest of the night.

Attracting All The Girls With No Time To Spare

While at the Penny Black upstairs bar, I met another attractive Danish girl who was with a guy. She gave me some good looks and smiles, so I decided to give it my best shot. I approached her when her guy went to the bathroom, and we really hit it off.

However, the best I could manage was to get her phone number.

She shown interest in meeting up, but she was on vacation with her guy, and I only had a short window of time in between spending time with the Thai girl. It was probably risky due to the cultural context, but I really wanted to see her again.

This experience convinced me that I must visit Denmark to see what it’s like over there.

The Thai girl bartender and I had several drinks and danced the night away with my friends and some random people who joined us.

I was just happy to be around people who wanted to be with me, and I had my party trick to keep the fun going, so there were no worries.

Finally A Bar Fine In Soi Cowboy

I hadn’t made a move on the Thai girl, but I was giving her all the signs of interest. Eventually, we went back to my place, and from there, well, you can probably guess the rest.

She was amazing. I had initially planned to go back and find her, but given the current world situation at the time, the idea of seeing someone again seemed like a wild dream.

It was my check-out day, so I gathered my things and found a cab to take me to Pattaya.

I was completely worn out, and I was more than willing to pay the $60 USD for the ride, just so I could relax, sleep, and recover during the journey.

The trip to Pattaya turned out to be smooth and enjoyable.

I would definitely recommend the $60 taxi fare if it’s within your budget.

It was a quiet ride, and the driver dropped me off at my hotel.

The place I stayed was pretty basic but nice and conveniently located right across the road from the PP Massage Parlor.

When I arrived, I told the hotel staff that I would be staying for three days, thinking, “Why do I need to waste my time in Pattaya when I’m already having a great time in Bangkok?”

Little did I know that the things I wanted to do were actually in Soi Six, Walking Street, and Beach Road.

Now Its Time To Experience Pattaya

As I walked around Pattaya, I found the area to be alright, but in my mind, I longed for Bangkok.

After experiencing a soapy massage in Bangkok, well, you just aren’t the same man, and it’s hard to find that feeling elsewhere.

As I explored along the streets, the street food in Pattaya was amazing, and the catcalls from the locals were quite encouraging.

I noticed there were more ladyboys than I had anticipated, but being a chatty guy, I had a beer and a chat with them.

When I made it to Soi Six during the daytime, I received a lot of attention from the ladies there.

I was eyeing a beautiful Thai girl in a bar as I passed by, and I wanted to take her to my hotel for some one-on-one time. However, she suggested that I come back the next day.

As you can imagine, the next day in Pattaya is quite unpredictable.

I continued further up the Soi, talking to bar girls and having some beers. I was starting to get the hang of how Pattaya worked.

Soi 6 Time

Inside one bar on Soi 6, I asked a younger guy for recommendations on where to go for a good time outside of the girlie bars.

The guy recommended I check out “808.”

Later that night, I hopped on a Baht bus and arrived at Walking Street and Oh my God, I was even more blown away than when I had visited Soi Cowboy.

Trying to keep my bearings, I continued to walk up and down Walking Street

I took some time to walk around a bit more and take it all in.

I passed by bars like ibar, the Russian bars, and some Marina Club, but when I finally reached 808, it felt like home.

The music was good, there were girls everywhere, and you could easily join almost anyone for a drink.

All the girls at 808 were excellent dancers, and if you preferred, you could just sit at the bar.

Soon, the place got packed, and it was hard to walk around.

Experiencing Walking Street In Pattaya

The drinks were a bit pricier than I had imagined, especially after getting used to the prices on the Soi.

However, the quality of the experience at 808 was well worth it.

Some of my friends told me I overspent, but these were essentially prices similar to what you’d find in the United States.

I can’t really put into words just how much fun I had, because at some point, it all became a blur.

I do remember that after 808, I went to Club Flex with some girls.

Flex is a late-night hotspot that I highly recommend. It’s like a nightclub with pool tables and plenty of female company if that’s what you desire.

There’s a lot of room to move around inside. I stayed there, dancing and drinking with three girls until the sun came up.

Then, me and another girl hopped on the back of a motorbike and rode off to watch the sunrise.

After returning to my hotel, I took a shower and fell into the deepest, most peaceful sleep I’ve ever had. In fact, I slept nearly through the next day.

I remember waking up and wondering what day it was, how long I had been out for, and even had a brief worry that I might have slept away the remainder of my holiday and missed my flight back to the States.

Each day seemed to follow a similar pattern with very little variation over the next 10 days.

I found myself going down to the hotel desk six times to extend my stay, and they were very nice about it.

I Was Never Alone In Thailand

I had different friends to hang out with every evening, and each night became a blur of what had happened the night before.

On my second to last night in Thailand, I was still in Pattaya, and I could see how you could just get lost in this hazy mix of everything that’s fantasy and feels unreal, unlike anywhere else in the world.

It’s easy to lose track of time and reality in such an exciting and vibrant place.

Well I hope you enjoyed my story, thanks for listening.