The best night clubs in Bangkok

Tucked away on a quiet soi off Thonglor, 12 x 12 doesn’t shout – it whispers. And those listening tend to be the sort who know their breakbeats from their Balearic. DJs rotate, records spin, and if you’re lucky, a live act or two might steal the night. The couches are as inviting as the cocktails – particularly the ‘Oatsan’, a smoky, almond-laced concoction that feels halfway between a nightcap and a séance. By the time the final set rolls in, the dancefloor hums with a warm, world-music glow. It's less a bar, more a living room for the fashionably nocturnal.

After a stint in the shadows, Beam has returned to reclaim its spotlight. Specialising in house and techno – but never too purist to flirt with funk – it remains a mainstay for anyone who prefers their nightlife with fewer heels and more hedonism. The dancefloor is deliberately unbroken by tables, giving dancers space to interpret the beat as they will. And with the revered VOID sound system reverberating through your ribcage, you won’t just hear the music – you’ll feel it. Add LED lights and theatrical visuals to the mix, and the whole thing veers satisfyingly into sensory overload.

If Beam is your weekender’s warehouse, Beam Cube is its sleeker sibling. Housed on the sixth floor of Mahanakhon Cube, it pairs high-altitude views with low-slung beats. There’s an elegance to its interiors – blackened floors against pale hinoki walls, like a Bauhaus daydream set to a disco soundtrack. It’s not the place for sweaty chaos. It’s for sipping something stiff, nodding to a finely curated set, and being grateful you remembered to wear leather. By midnight, it simmers. By two, it sizzles.

It’s rare to encounter sound systems so rare they come with a backstory – but here, the vintage 1975 speakers (apparently one of ten sets globally) aren’t just conversation starters, they’re the conversation. The interior is a fever dream of burnt orange and wood panelling, equal parts retro and resplendent. The design is as much function as form: think perforated walls recalling music studios, trapping both the sound and the energy. Somewhere between sustainable design and Studio 54, Siwalai is where fashion kids and audiophiles overlap on the Venn diagram.

What happens when a long-abandoned warehouse decides to swap dust for disco? Clutch Bar. Situated above a Talad Noi cultural complex that already houses everything from barbers to tattoo artists, this second-floor haunt feels less like a bar and more like stepping into your eccentric uncle’s record collection. Concrete walls echo with basslines, while a menagerie of antique furniture and mid-century speakers complete the time-warp fantasy. Order a cocktail, stake out a velvet settee, and soak in the analogue ambience. Nostalgia, but make it nocturnal.

Part 70s Tokyo loft, part sonic sanctuary, Midori is a snug hideaway for those who measure their nights in grooves rather than hours. Think warm lighting, soft seating and an analog sound system whispering soul and funk from another era. The cocktails follow suit – traditional recipes twisted just enough to surprise. There's something ineffably cool about this place, as if it knows it’s cooler than you, but isn’t too smug to let you sit in on the session.

Decommune doesn’t dress up. Located in a repurposed room in Liberty Plaza, it revels in its minimalism. Bare walls, stripped-back design, and music that comes at you sideways – it’s not for the faint-hearted. A refuge for the experimental and the offbeat, this venue functions as both club and cultural space, hosting everything from live gigs to film nights. The drinks? Surprisingly budget-friendly, a rarity in these parts. Consider it a playground for the creatively restless – or just anyone who enjoys dancing to something they can’t quite name.

A club with a bold fusion of modern aesthetics, featuring neon lights and industrial elements for a striking atmosphere. Its impressive sound system provides deep house, techno and electronic dance music, along with occasional hip hop nights, guaranteeing an energetic atmosphere. Each week, local and international DJs bring high-energy sets, keeping the dancefloor packed. The venue has two rooms – Blaq Lyte Rover, the main space with three large low-end boxes and precise mids and tops aimed at the sweet spot in front of the booth, plus supporting speakers near the bar and seating areas for clear sound throughout. Blaq Lyte 11, in the back room, features a smaller Void setup that delivers impressive audio in an intimate setting with leather couches. Blaq Lyte Rover opens Friday and Saturday, while Blaq Lyte 11 operates Sunday, Wednesday and Thursday. Both run from 9pm to 3am.