Welcome to the girls only club!
By Ashima Sethi
Let’s face it, smashing the patriarchy is exhausting and sometimes all you want to do is have a big girls’ night out with your best ladies, a bottle of rosé, and no mansplaining, misogyny, or reminders of salary inequalities anywhere. Thankfully, in the last few years, the Kingdom has seen a rise in women’s only spaces where you can feel empowered to be your best self and find a sisterhood of kindred spirits while doing so! Here are our picks:
Gyms and Fitness
Several gyms around the country have designated zones just for women. One example is Fitness24Seven, which has a dedicated Women’s Gym Area equipped with cardio machines, weight machines, free weights and a stretching area.
Beyond just gyms, there are a plethora of classes you can join that can help you keep your fitness up. A few examples include burlesque with Madame Rouge; Krav maga self-defense courses; pole dancing at Fly Me to the Moon Studio or Elegance Pole and Fitness Studio; belly dance, heel dance, and other types you can learn at rumPUREE; and boxing and Muay Thai classes you can organise for private or group sessions. The same also applies for other classes with freelance coaches such as yoga, Zumba, aqua biking, and others.
Travel and Retreats
To get around, ride-hailing services Grab and Bolt have introduced women’s only pick-ups. For long haul drives, plenty of private vehicle rentals are also staffed with female drivers. If you’re travelling by train, some routes headed towards destinations like Chiang Mai offer female only carriages for women and their children.
If you’re looking to escape and focus on yourself, Thailand’s islands have several women’s only retreats you can join for a few days or even a few months. Previously, The Sanctuary on Koh Phangan offered a five-day transformational retreat that focused on embracing one’s inner wisdom, beauty and power, and involved yoga, guided visualisations, ecstatic dance, and more. Similarly, Alive Wellness also run several retreats on the islands throughout the year and are soon to be introducing a women’s only, all-inclusive yoga retreat that combines dance, meditation, relaxation, healthy food, journaling circles and so forth.
In regards to accommodation while travelling, several hotels around the country actually have designated women’s only floors for added safety and peace of mind! Some that we could find include Grande Centre Point Sukhumvit 55 and Baiyoke Sky Tower.
Creative Activities
There is no shortage of activities you can sign up for if you’re looking for new creative outlets. Here’s some that caught our attention.
The Female Film Co. is a community that aims to amplify the voices of women in world of film photography. They organise meetups and photo walks through the city’s streets. Untitled is perfect for lovers of art. Their workshops, which include things like body casting and ceramics, offer the opportunity to experiment with new materials, listen to music, enjoy tasty food, and feel present through creative expression.
You can also book a makeup class or tutorial from one of the many talented freelance makeup artists working in and around Bangkok and beyond. Moreover, places like Bangkok Soap Opera offer courses on how you can make your own soaps and body scrubs, so you can get a group together and sign up for a fun afternoon. A great place to look for things to do is classbento.co.th
Health & Wellness
Many of the country’s private hospitals house women’s only clinics or services tailored just for women, whether that be in gynaecology or hormonal health. Some examples include Bangkok Hospital, BNH Hospital, Bumrungrad International Hospital, and Sukumvit Hospital.
The city is also home to holistic health specialists well-versed in women’s only health concerns. One clinic offering these services is Miskawaan Women’s Health Center that is staffed by a team of women doctors specialising in fertility.
In regards to pampering, Thailand is known for its many award-winning spas, many of which offer massages and therapies tailored for women to improve blood flow, aid with hormonal imbalances, pre and post-natal massages, massages to adjust posture, and more. Some of these spas also have separate women’s only Onsen facilities and baths.
Events
Women’s collective Maison Rouge hosts several events throughout the year that are aimed at showcasing female talent and empowering women. Examples of events they’ve hosted in the past include For Tits and Giggles, a comedy evening feature a full female run-down, held in a women-owned space; and Lipstick Rouge, an event for queer women to meet and mingle.
The Bangkok Hilarious Comedy Club also hosts a Lady Laughs night that features an all-female line up of comedians. Other popular events included the monthly Swap ‘Til You Drop meetups as well as the Female Founders Farmers Markets, which puts the spotlight on female entrepreneurs. Furthermore, prior to the pandemic, Bangkok also saw several networking evenings for women in business and we’re sure that once restrictions ease up some more, we can expect even more of them!
How can I stay in the loop?
Below are some resources you can use to stay updated on events, activities, meetups, and retreats happening around the country!
The F Word: is a multifaceted media platform focused on modern womanhood in Thailand. Beyond interesting op-eds showcasing honest and empowering perspectives on women-related topics, the platform has interviews, poems, columns, and more.
Bangkok Rising: is a volunteer-based community organisation focused on tackling gender issues.
Wonder Women Group: aims to help women foster strong friendships and bonds through various meetups. Activities include eating, drinking, arts and crafts, dancing, team sports, and more.
Bangkok Boss Babes: is a Facebook group that was set up to support female entrepreneurs. Members can grow their social media following and engagement through ‘threads.’
Meetup: is a website you can use to filter through meetup groups. There are several targeted at women residing in Thailand.
Farang Girls in Bangkok: this Facebook group functions as a lot of things: a marketplace for second hand items, a great place to ask questions, you can market your business, plan to meet up with likeminded women, offer warnings about safety issues etc.
Bangkok Women’s Collective: is a group on Facebook that is a resource for meeting up and making connections, for promoting women-owned businesses, and to ask for any help.
