Party like a Thai: a Chiang Mai night out, the local way

Most visitors go out in the same few places in Chiang Mai: the backpacker bars around the Old City moat, Loi Kroh, and the cocktail bars on Nimman. That's fine, but it isn't how most young Thais go out. A Thai night out is built around a table. You go as a group, get a table near the band, order a bottle with ice and mixers, share some food, sing along and stay for hours. People dance next to their table rather than on a separate floor.

This guide is one night out, in the order I'd do it. Dinner and a show at Tawandang near Nimman. Then a five-minute walk to Warm Up Cafe for Thai bands and the club room. Then a late finish at Buddy 12 or Sound Up, which often keep going until four or five in the morning. Every venue below has its own page on this site with hours, sources and a map link. Listed hours don't always agree with each other here, so check the venue's Facebook or LINE before you go.

How a Thai night out works

The basic unit is the table, and the basic order is a bottle. Groups usually order a bottle of whisky, and the staff bring a bucket of ice, soda, water and mixers, then keep everyone's glass topped up through the night. Beer comes in big bottles, often poured over ice, which Lonely Planet calls the Thai way. At the student clubs you'll also see big shared jugs of cocktail on the tables. Nobody really buys rounds at the bar.

The music is mostly Thai: pop and rock covers, luk thung (Thai country), pheua chiwit (songs for life) and, later in the night, DJs playing EDM and Thai remixes. You don't need to know the songs. Everyone else does, and that's half the fun.

Start with dinner and a show: Tawandang

Start the night at Tawandang. Its full name is Tawandang Mahason, and it's on the canal road a few minutes' walk west of Nimman. It's a huge dinner-and-show hall with a big stage, part of a Thai chain built around pheua chiwit music and folk culture shows. Food comes first, with a big acoustic band playing while people eat. Later there are dance shows from the four regions of Thailand and singers working through string, luk thung, mor lam and northern kham mueang songs, then bands and DJs. People get up and dance between the tables. It opens at 7pm. Book a table for about 8pm, eat, and stay for the show.

Tawandang also puts on concerts by well-known Thai singers, usually sold by the table, so check its Facebook page for what's coming up. On a normal night, reviewers say you can pick a seat around 8:30pm and it's full by 10pm, especially on Fridays and Saturdays. If you're a group, call or message on LINE to book a table.

Then: Warm Up Cafe

Warm Up Cafe on Nimmanhaemin Road is about a five-minute walk from Tawandang, and it has been the big Nimman night out for almost two decades. It has two sides. Thai bands play the main room, with every table stacked with bottles and ice and the whole room singing along. A DJ room runs EDM and hip-hop for when you want to dance. There's an outdoor area for a breather. Time Out describes the crowd as university students, young locals and regulars, and says it's busy on weeknights as well as Saturdays.

Get there around 10pm. At weekends a table inside is hard to find after that, so book ahead or arrive earlier. Start with the bands, then move over to the club room later in the night.

Finish late: Buddy 12 or Sound Up

When Warm Up starts to wind down, the night moves on. There are two places I'd finish, and both often keep going until four or five in the morning.

Buddy 12 is on Huay Kaew Road, in the 12 Huay Kaew complex, a short Grab ride from Nimman. It's younger and even more local. Reviewers describe a club full of university students, with Thai bands on stage and Thai-style EDM between sets. If Thai pop isn't your thing it can be a lot, but it's about as close as you'll get to a Chiang Mai student night. RED CNX, an underground house and techno room, is on the top floor of the same complex if you want a change of sound. Buddy's listed hours vary a lot between sources, so check its Facebook before you go.

Sound Up is on Moon Muang Soi 2 near Tha Phae Gate, about 3km from Nimman, so take a Grab or Bolt. It opens at 11pm and Time Out lists it until 4am. It's a big Thai-style club in the building that used to be the Mandalay, with table service, lasers, loud EDM and house, and a mixed crowd that includes plenty of the city's LGBTQ+ partygoers. Time Out calls it unpretentious, with reasonably priced drinks. It doesn't really fill up until after midnight.

Pick Buddy 12 if you want to stay with Thai bands and the student crowd. Pick Sound Up if you want a proper club and more room to dance.

Tips before you go

Timing

Thai nights start late and finish late. Tawandang opens at 7pm, Warm Up fills from about 10pm, and Buddy 12 and Sound Up are busiest after midnight. Weeknights can be lively, especially at Warm Up, but Friday and Saturday are the big nights.

Tables

A table is everything. Arrive early or book ahead by phone, Facebook or LINE. At Warm Up it's very hard to get a table inside after 10pm at weekends, and a booking may need a deposit. Standing around with nowhere to put your drink is no fun.

Ordering

Order a bottle for the table and the staff will bring ice, soda and mixers and pour for you. For two people, beer is fine. Ask what comes with a bottle before you order, as sets and promotions vary from place to place, and check the bill at the end.

Song requests

At many Thai band venues you can ask for a song. Ask your server how it works there, wait for a gap between songs, and don't be surprised if a request comes with a small tip for the band.

ID and dress

The legal age to drink and to get into bars and clubs in Thailand is 20, and the clubs check. Bring your passport or an official photo ID, as some doors won't accept a photo on your phone. Dress is casual but neat. Some clubs turn away flip-flops, beachwear or shorts.

Getting there and home

Grab and Bolt both work in Chiang Mai and show the price before you book. Tawandang and Warm Up are a short walk apart, Buddy 12 is a short ride from Nimman, and Sound Up is across town in the Old City. Expect higher prices at closing time. Don't ride a scooter after drinking.

Etiquette

Clink glasses with your table, and with the next table if they're friendly. Staff keep refilling glasses, so put a hand over yours when you've had enough. Stand if the royal anthem plays. Watch your drink, don't accept drinks from strangers, and keep your phone somewhere safe on a busy floor.

Dry days

Alcohol sales can stop on some Buddhist holidays and on election days, and many venues close for the night. Check the dates before planning a big night out.

For one Thai night, I'd book a table at Tawandang for about 8pm for dinner and the show, walk over to Warm Up for the bands around 10, move to the club room when it gets going, and then pick Buddy 12 or Sound Up for the last few hours.