Lop's Bar, Best Friends Complex Pattaya Beach Road

Not as obvious as you might think, the bar is located within the Best Friends Beer Bar complex on the Beach Road, 20 metres from Pattayaland soi 1, walking towards Royal Garden Plaza.
There are two bars next to each other which Lop runs, bar 8 and bar 9. They're just behind the Thai boxing ring in the centre of the group of bars.

Lop is an extremely friendly Thai guy, always keen to say hello. He's been running these two bars for 20 years, and knows the business backwards. He comes from nearby Chonburi, so you couldn't think he knows little about the immediate area.

Lop tends to be in the bar in the middle of the evening onwards, from about 8pm. He will normally sit there for the rest of the evening until the small hours looking after the bar and taking care of customers.

When he gets going, Lop is a real joker, enjoying poking fun (in a nice way) or having a laugh with customers and staff alike.
I always remember the time when one of Lop's staff was challenged to a chilli eating contest with a tourist. Unfortunately the staff came off worse and spent the rest of the evening rushing back and forth to the toilet, suffering a somewhat upset stomach.

The Thai boxing ring in the centre of the complex has nightly shows for the entertainment of tourists. Sometimes a tourist worse the wear for drink has convinced themselves they can take on one of these boxers in an impromptu match of skills (or lack thereof).

The outcome is always the same - the foreigner has to suffer the indignity of nursing various cuts and bruises to their face as well as their pride.

At Thai new year in April, the Best Friends complex is always popular with people wanting to indulge in the annual water-throwing ceremony (if that's what you can call it). No-one is spared the indignity of having cold water thrown on them for no reason other than it seems fun for the person throwing it. Many a frayed temper has been seen when on the receiving end of this ritual.

The staff have always come across as friendly, the prices are just about the fairest of all the Best Friends bars.

Sometimes things are just too much and come the small hours Lop can barely keep his eyes open - some customers are the same - see these two photos!

Map to find Lop's Bar