NIGHT PROWL — Now that Bangkok’s upmarket nightlife has seen its most anticipated opening of the year come and go, will Ku De Ta’s buzz endure?
After months of delays and rumors of million-baht memberships, the extravagant lifestyle brand with clubs in Singapore and Bali has transplanted itself to Thailand. To celebrate, Ku De Ta threw just the sort of ambitious party to put the “grand” in grand opening. On a recent Friday night, over 2,500 guests – the most devoted partygoers, movers, shakers and socialites from expat and Thai circles – guzzled free champagne, slurped oysters and scarfed canapés all night long. There’s no doubt Ku De Ta made a splash, but after the goodies are all gobbled up, is its future so gilded?.
Located on two floors high up the glimmering commercial spire of Sathorn Square, Ku De Ta houses three restaurants, two nightclubs and seven themed bars. Not all the cards are on the table just yet – so far, only Ku Bar and the Club Lounge have opened. Ku Bar is right at the entrance. Its smooth lighting and beige-toned décor imparts a New York or Chicago feel. A troupe of at least a dozen, smartly dressed bartenders wield their martini shakers with authority inside a bar located at the center of the space. It’s a green game in the Club Lounge, where baroque vines and plants whisper “Eden.” The dance floor, ringed by VIP tables, is clearly contemporary with hanging neon lights that blink and change colors.
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Two more restaurants, Signature and Izakaya, are visible but inaccessible. Fresh sheets of plastic still cover unfinished elements. The rest of the lower floor opens at the end of the month, while the upper floor – exclusive domain of THB200,000 per annum members – has no firm launch date yet. Management claims it could be in December, though.
Overall, anecdotal evidence indicates the grand opening was a hit, with many rave reviews.
But some people expressed reservations about their likelihood to make future reservations. One complaint is the sheer scale of the place – after all, the 39th floor sprawls out across 3,000 square meters. With all the venues planned, will it feel like a nightlife mall? More complaints related to the premium pricing.
“It was awesome, I was smashed,” said one hard-partying patron. “But I heard that it’s going to be 25K for a table. That’s totally excessive.”
So is Bangkok ready for Ku De Ta? How much are people willing to shell out? If Ku De Ta succeeds and garners a diverse-enough crowd, it could set a new benchmark for the future of Bangkok nightlife and be a sign of more high-concept, ultralux clubs to come.
That said, the THB200,000, silk-ribbon membership might be misleading. Most drinks are priced around THB300, and weekday entry is free whereas weekends are THB500.
Ku De Ta’s “Member’s Club”
Club management must share some uncertainty, but are projecting confidence.
“If any place is going to succeed, it’s this place,” said a determined Dennis Hemakom, who’s in charge of the club’s entertainment. Hemakom confessed to initially turning down the job due to similar concerns, but was sold on its prospects as plans started coming together.
Anything can happen in Bangkok, but from what I saw at Ku De Ta, the pieces seem to be in place. The right people are on board in management – including alumni from Bed Supperclub and Q Bar – and the timing is good to shake up the ecology of the city’s nightlife. Of late it seems only two things separate Soi Sukhumvit 11 from Khao San: high heels and mini-skirts. And Bed’s closing left a demographic of party-goers ripe for the taking. Many are searching for a “go-to” nightclub and Ku De Ta’s timing could prove prescient.
What I am personally concerned about is the music. Ku De Ta is trying to spin a balance of commercial hits and more underground house. But so far the DJs have been playing mostly commercial stuff – dubstep remixes of Katy Perry songs and stuff like the rare ‘80s anthem. If the music stays too commercial, it runs the risk of becoming like so many other bland nightclubs in town, drawing only from the same, shallow Hi-So crowds. And crowds they’ll need – it will take a lot of bodies to make this place look full.
Ku De Ta’s next test will be Thursday, when its 39th floor is unveiled entirely at its first Halloween shindig and first post-opening event. It’s still too early to say what exactly lies ahead for Ku De Ta, but the challenge has been issued to change Bangkok’s nightlife landscape.
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Sathorn Square
98 North Sathorn Road
Bangrak, Bangkok, 10500
Correction: An earlier version of this article misstated the area of the 39th floor. It is 3,000 square meters.
