Bangkok’s newest go-go bar, Bad Beach Soi Cowboy, opens Oct. 1 in the spot that once was Lighthouse.
Management of the Crazy House group, which owns Bad Beach Soi Cowboy as well as Kazy Kozy and Five Star, said there will be a soft opening party on Tuesday to show off the lounge-like chrome pole palace located in the middle of the Neon Alley.
Redevelopment of the former Lighthouse a-Go-Go has moved at a leisurely pace throughout low season, but the tarp came up this week with the outside patio and plain-looking, single-door entrance wall exposed.
Bad Beach copies Lace Lounge look
In exclusive photos taken earlier by Digital a-Go-Go, as well as artist renderings, Bad Beach Soi Cowboy’s stage has a staged shaped almost identically to Lace Lounge, the Nana Plaza lounge upstairs from Tycoon aGoGo.
The red color scheme, cushy sofas and lack of stadium seating also make it obvious Crazy House bosses were among the many bar owners and managers who have visited and admired Lace Lounge since its opening a few months ago.
The lounge feel extends upstairs as well. The stage is quite small for the supposed “stupid pussy tricks” shows that many assumed would occur upstairs, given the history of the tawdry acts running in Crazy House and, previously, in Kazy Kozy.
In 2018 when Kazy Kozy opened, Crazy House fans thought it would become Crazy House II. While there were attempts to recreate the spirit of the anything-goes Soi 23 bar, it never really worked.
The upstairs bar rarely was opened and, downstairs, the entertainment was dominated by “stupid pussy tricks” shows. During the coronavirus pandemic, Kazy Kozy became, and remains, a live-music bar.
A similar script played out for Five Star after it was purchased by the group even before Kazy Kozy.
So don’t expect Bad Beach Soi Cowboy to be Crazy House II either. While half the ladies at the original have only birthday suits as uniforms, the full monty is in short supply at both Dollhouse and Suzie Wong. Most likely Bad Beach Soi Cowboy will see the majority of dancers in beachwear.
Also don’t expect it to fail and change to a music bar. Due to its location smack in the middle of Soi Cowboy near The Dollhouse and Suzie Wong, there’s no doubt that Bad Beach will start and always be a go-go bar.
Lighthouse Site Shines Again on Bad Beach
With Lighthouse, bar owners and customers long wondered how such prime property in Soi Cowboy remained vacant for so long. The answer was greed.
The older Thai woman who held the majority interest in the Lighthouse townhouse refused to cut or defer rental payments during Covid-19. When the lease expired, she demanded new key money. The bar bosses handed back the keys.
In June 2022, as Soi Cowboy revived with tourists, only the Lighthouse space remained dark as the owner stuck to her high demands.
The truth was more complicated, becoming public in 2024. The older woman didn’t have full control; her partners were holding out for unrealistic expectations. Lawsuit threats and cash settlements ended the deadlock, and the Crazy House group took over.
With the Crazy House group in charge, you can expect the bar will quickly become one of the most popular on Soi Cowboy.