A Newbie's Guide to Love and the Bangkok Nightlife

Growing up, one of the preconceived notions you might have about love is that it always involves fateful encounters. There’s nothing more romantic than the idea that finding The One is just a matter of time — at least, according to the movies and books that you’ve read. Unfortunately, that’s not always the case. Sometimes, you meet the people that will mean the most to you when you’re out and about looking for love. And what better place to look than the lively and fun Bangkok nightlife scene.

Bangkok is well-known for its bustling community and spectacular tourist sites. Its nightlife is also worth seeing, with the lively atmosphere making for a unique and enjoyable experience. It’s the perfect place for meeting new people. Here’s how you can make the most of it.

Exploring Bangkok: Know the best places to be

Exploring the Bangkok nightlife is enjoyable in itself, but if you want more romantic encounters, then you’ll need to learn where you can best find them. Bangkok is a wide place, with each street brimming with its own distinct personality. You’re sure to find the perfect place—as long as you know where to look.

When talking about nightlife, nightclubs are one of the first things that come to mind. Take a break and cut loose by going to the Royal City Avenue, the best clubbing hotspot in Bangkok. There you can find clubs of various themes, from the usual street-party feel to more European vibes.

Drink tasty beverages–and the view–with Bangkok’s rooftop bars. You can watch the sunset over the city skyline or perhaps go for a nighttime drink. Just make sure to search about the bar’s opening hours and required dress code if you don’t want to be left at the door.

Finally, if you’re looking for all that Bangkok offers, you should explore Khao San Road. It features numerous guesthouses, bars, restaurants, massage parlors, bookshops, and more. The market stalls lined along the street are hectic but lively, perfect for enjoying the Bangkok nightlife at its busiest.

Celebrate their occasions

For a more memorable stay, try to plan your trip’s timing so that you can catch their festivals and their other unique events. The Songkran, in particular, is something that you should experience at least once. It is a Buddhist celebration held from April 13 to April 15, although some cities celebrate it for ten days straight. It involves a lot of water splashing, alcohol, and loud music. The best places to celebrate Songkran are Chiang Mai, Pattaya, and Phuket.

Learn more about Thai culture

If you want to be successful in dating in Bangkok, learning more about their culture is necessary. The rich culture of Thailand may have similarities to your country’s culture, but they’re sure to have unique points of their own too. If you’re knowledgeable about your date’s cultural differences, you’re sure to increase your appeal–and lessen the chances of embarrassing yourself in public.

Appearance matters, for Thais even more so. Practicing proper grooming is essential if you’re interested in dating Thai women. If you don’t look decent, no one will spare you a second glance. While you don’t always need to dress to the nines, you should at least present yourself at the best that you can manage.

Work on your dating profile

If traditional dating requires physical preparation, online dating requires profile preparation as well. Both greatly influence how your romantic prospects will perceive you, so make sure to properly work on the latter.

Choose a picture that shows you at your best, as well as one that you’re comfortable uploading. Make sure to work on your description too. Don’t lie and exaggerate facts about yourself, though! If your match finds out that you were lying, you can kiss the relationship goodbye.

Use the profile filters properly

Automatic matching is one of the greatest perks of using online dating apps. Unlike traditional dating, there’s no more need to extensively talk to someone to see if you have some common interests. Dating apps will pair you with singles that are sure to have something in common with you—provided that you’ve given the right information.

Make sure to be as detailed as possible when choosing your preferences. This will not only give you more accurate matches but also tell people more about you.

Having a preference is good, but you shouldn’t let it limit your romantic prospects severely. You never know where you can find love, after all. Instead, focus on thinking about your relationship deal-breakers. That way, you can avoid getting invested in a date that raises red flags while still meeting a wide variety of people.

Learn when to take a break

After dating Thai women or men for a while, there may come a time that you’ll get into a slump and get continuous rejections. Instead of stubbornly continuing to get one match, you should get off the app and take a brief break from dating.

It can be hard to let go of your phone, but you should remember that breaks are always needed once in a while. Don’t worry. When you get back, you’re sure to have a fresher and more positive state of mind. Eventually, you’ll be able to get a match again—this time without the stress and pressure of your past rejections.

Online dating certainly has many advantages, but make no mistake: it only serves as a bridge for traditional dating. Meeting offline is definitely a must if you want your relationship to become deeper. If you want to continue impressing your date online, here are a few things you should keep in mind.

Learn to read between the lines

Saving face is one of the most important parts of Thai culture. If you ever have disagreements with your partner, confronting them in public about it is a big no-no. Especially not when out and about experiencing the Bangkok nightlife. Trying to discuss it in private may also be difficult, as Thais aren’t used to expressing their feelings verbally.

These problems can be minimized if you start to learn about nonverbal communication. In fact, that’s the main way Thais tend to communicate. If you know how to read between the lines, you’ll be able to figure out what your partner is actually feeling. You’ll also learn to convey your feelings better. That doesn’t mean that verbal communication is off the table, though.

Learn to read and speak Thai

While English is a common language in Thailand, there are just some things that can only be expressed in Thai. If you learn to speak Thai at least, you’ll understand better how your partner speaks, may it be in English or Thai. As a plus, your partner will see this as a form of commitment to the relationship since you’re making an effort to learn something for them.

Get close to your partner’s family

Thais are one of the most family-oriented cultures in Asia. They’re close to both their immediate and extended relatives. If you’re dating to marry, you should know that getting introduced to the family means your partner is seriously considering the relationship.

For those unfamiliar with Thai culture, meeting the family might be a daunting idea to consider. Worry not. There are only a few things to remember if you want to stay on their good side. It would help if you always respected their elders. Avoid acting too familiar with them, as they’re likely to take offense to it. Also, make sure to respect the hierarchy of the family. Thai families are usually patriarchal, so you should avoid displeasing the head.

Dating in Bangkok isn’t as difficult as you think, but it isn’t a walk in the park. Fortunately, as long as you note the important points in this guide to navigating the Bangkok nightlife, finding The One won’t be hard. If you ever get discouraged, always remember that love rarely falls into one’s lap. Instead, it takes time, effort, and patience. A lot of patience.