After one of Patpong’s streets had been converted into a night market, Soi Cowboy took over as the leader of Bangkok’s no-holds-barred nightlife. However, between the two neighbourhoods, there are many similarities.
Like Patpong, Soi Cowboy is a high-octane nightlife centre, started in the 1970s, filled with vibrant, noisy bars. However, Soi Cowboy is known more for its laid back vibes. Entry to the bars is typically free, with drink prices fixed, and traps or scams are unusual. Also much like Patpong, Soi Cowboy is more popular with expats and tourists than locals. Those disinterested in Bangkok’s nightlife may turn their attention to the nearby Terminal 21 shopping centre.
Between Sukhumvit Soi 21 and 23, Soi Cowboy is closest to the Metro’s Sukhumvit station and the BTS Skytrain’s Asok station. Nearby landmarks include the Grand Millennium Hotel and the Terminal 21 retail complex.
Soi Cowboy owes its name to the founder of one of the neighbourhood’s first bars, retired American airman T.G. "Cowboy" Edwards who often donned a cowboy hat. While Patpong may have been the site of a James Bond foot chase, Soi Cowboy has received its share of pop culture accolades, such as inclusion in Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason and The Hangover Part 2.