THAILAND · DIARY 04
1 November 2026 · Patong, Phuket
One Last Dip into the Neon
For our Phuket finale, we returned to the island at its brightest and loudest: the notorious walking street of Bangla Road in Patong. Lights, neon, music, bars and people merged into one flickering commotion. Shady, noisy and sometimes distinctly strange – but unquestionably alive.
The advertising for erotic shows was so forceful that I found it rather off-putting. Even Anneliese was approached quite aggressively. A place like this calls for a thick skin and the ability to keep walking with a polite smile, without responding to every offer.
We chose the simpler option: sit down with a beer, relax and watch the people go by. That is often the most interesting show of all. While everything around us competed for attention, we had our own little box seat in Patong’s enormous theatre.
Afterwards we walked to the food market, passing mountains of lights along the way. It felt as if every restaurant owner wanted to pull us personally towards a table. The same method worked here: smile, keep moving and stick to your own choice. By then it was becoming a little too much for Anneliese – understandably, because the noise, lights and invitations never pause.
On the way home we passed more beer bars and massage shops. That, too, is part of Phuket’s reality. You do not have to like everything in order to notice it. Our farewell was certainly complete: no postcard scene, but one last evening of neon, noise, curiosity and a quiet beer right in the middle of it all.
