Amstardam Bar — Restaurant in Surat Thani Province

Thais are not allowed to enter, at this racist bar.

On the 18th of May, we (2 Thais women) was planning to go for the sunset at the bar. However, we were accosted by a guard at a parking lot immediately when my friend asked one of the taxi driver (in Thai) if we could park our scooter on the corner and make sure it won’t block the way for anyone.

Then the guard, said we weren’t permitted to enter BECAUSE WE ARE THAIS, saying he was only following instructions from his big boss. I was suddenly speechless and made me bloody boil.

I went immediately asked him that I have been to Koh Phangan and this bar several times in the past few years, both on my own and with my friends from aboard. Why never have I ever experienced this situation? NEVER IN MY LIFE THAT I’VE BEEN TURN AWAY AT ANY PLACE BECAUSE OF THE NATIONALITY.

Then I kinda understood if they’re probably confused by my appearances when I was here on my own and then let me into the bar because I usually got a question if im Hawaiian or even Latina. Anything but Thais.

So I asked the guard again that I’ve been here on my own and sometimes with my friends from aboard. You all never turned me away. But you did this time because I came with Thais friend?

He said, it won’t be any problem if I’m here with my foreigner friends. WOW, Do I really need those foreigner friends to get into the bar in Thailand.

We decided to leave, our plan for sunset at the Amsterdam Bar was cancelled and was a bleak reminder that racism, is alive and kicking everywhere. Even in my home country, Thailand.

This is disgusting. I don’t know how could people support this business. Thais people are probably not your majority customer but you’re doing this business in this country and you turned the local away. If there’s a problem, you should sort it out how to handle it.

Lastly, Every time I visited this bar I was impressed by how decent the staffs working at the bar or even the guard, I understand that they’re just doing their work.

Yes, I can’t change my race. Yes, I can go different places for sunset. But I won’t just let this happen to me and pretending that I’m fine.

Hopefully whoever runs this business would read this and able to give a better reasons when some Thais who’s visit your place...

The place is beautiful and has a really good vibe. It’s a nice spot to relax, enjoy a drink, some food, and even spend time by the pool – so if you come, bring your swimsuit. The menu is quite varied, which makes it easy to find something that suits your mood, whether it’s just a snack, a proper meal, or a drink at sunset.

We came planning to grab a beer while watching the sunset. However, there was a DJ playing that evening, and we were asked to pay 200 THB each as an entrance fee because it was considered a “special event.” Honestly, this was a letdown. We weren’t looking for a party, just a casual sunset drink, so paying 400 THB just to sit inside didn’t feel worth it.

As for the drinks, a beer cost 120 THB. That price is fairly normal compared to other places in the area – not cheap but not too expensive either. Still, when you add the entrance fee, the whole experience ended up feeling overpriced for what we got.

My suggestion is to check in advance if there’s an event happening before you go. If there is, decide whether the entry fee matches what you’re looking for. Otherwise, it’s a really nice place with good vibes, friendly energy, and worth visiting when the...

I remember a time it was one of the most famous bars in Koh Phangan. After legalization, everything has changed, this place has lost its uniqueness, the public has become noticeably smaller. And since Amsterdam Bar, probably the only public place on the island, with an introduced paid entrance of 100 baht, people stopped coming here in at all. Today I decided to go to an Amsterdam bar, at the entrance a bar employee with a stone face meaning “what are you doing here, a beggar", without greeting, just poked his finger at the sign “The entrance is 100 baht." The time was nearing sunset, only 2 people were seen on the large territory of the bar. I decided not to enter and left. That's how legends go, thanks to terrible management, bad attitude to customers and inability to adapt to a new reality. In the same time in no less legendary “420 Bar”, with a much better view, it's enough to just buy a 100 bath coconut or anything else (and on the second floor you can sit completely for free). A coconut that costs nothing, obviously, can be used as an entrance ticket for those who don’t want to order anything, same 100 baht, but how much more it’s...