The dangers of Patong nightlife

There was another attack on a foreigner riding a motorbike in Patong last week. These attacks are happening more and more frequently. Patong nightlife is a whole lot of fun, but with these frequent attacks, the Patong scene is becoming an ugly place.

This latest attack happened on Nanai Road. Add this to one on the beach road and a handful of other attacks dotted around Patong and you have to wonder how safe it is to ride a motorcycle anywhere in Patong after dark.

On a personal level, we won’t ride a motorbike in Patong after midnight any more. It’s just not worth the risk. Patong nightlife is great and all, but it’s not so fantastic that it’s worth risking being mugged for.

While we aren’t sampling Patong nightlife as much as we used to, Phuket Town is still a safe place to ride around at night. There is almost never any trouble in Phuket Town after dark and we have never heard of attacks on foreigners riding motorcycles at night.

If you’re out enjoying the charms of Patong nightlife (and the Patong girls!), it might actually be worth enlisting the services of the tuk-tuk drivers rather than riding a motorcycle. The attacks are happening all over Patong and they are happening to foreigners, locals, expats and tourists.

Patong nightlife video

If you’ve never been to Patong, then you might be unsure what to expect from Patong nightlife. We’re not going to lie to you: Patong nightlife is seedy and it’s obnoxious. It will either be your idea of heaven or hell. And don’t forget the Patong girls, who are pretty much everywhere.

The draw of Patong nightlife is that it’s cheap. You aren’t going to find any cosmopolitan places to wine and dine — those places are located at places such as Surin Beach and Mai Khao Beach — but you can find all-night parties, cheap beer and places to dance until your feet are sore.

We don’t head over to Patong all that much, but when we do, we try and do it in style, usually ending up Club Lime or BYD Lofts. Soi Bangla is always worth a look for some bargain drinks and to watch the traffic. The Patong girls are based around Bangla and they’re a rowdy bunch, but they’ll leave you in peace if you aren’t on some sort of pickup mission.

If you really have no idea what to expect from Patong nightlife then take a look at this video. It sums up Patong. We’re indifferent about the whole scene, but this is the way it is and you can’t escape that.