If you're looking for more ways to spend time with your friends – and more excuses for grabbing a drink – this padel tennis facility offers just that.
Located on Rama IV Road, just behind Sukhumvit Soi 36 (closest to Thonglor BTS), Pad Thai Padel offers three courts – two indoor and one outdoor – and hangout areas where you can grab a few cold ones and get a little exercise in between.
Not to be confused with pickleball, padel, commonly known as padel tennis, is a racquet sport of Mexican origin that has been played for over a century. It uses the same rules as tennis, with a slightly smaller court, a lower net and is typically played in doubles.
Padel is played with a solid, perforated paddle, as opposed to a strung racket, and a lower-pressure tennis ball. It's also played in an enclosed court with a glass back where the ball can bounce off and the game can continue, like squash.
Unlike tennis, padel offers a less strenuous environment and doesn't require as many techniques. You can start playing after an hour of lessons. It's growing fast in Europe and now it's coming to Bangkok.
Renting a court costs B1,400 per hour. Pad Thai Padel also offers coaching sessions starting at B3,000 per hour for four or more people. Or if you need a one-on-one session, the rate is B2,000 per hour.
The court offers food and drinks to keep you well-fed throughout the games. From bikinis (hot pressed chicken breast sandwich with roasted peppers, B240) to salads and healthy bowls (B300-400).
Drinks include coffee (B100 for all), soft drinks (B60-180) and of course alcoholic beverages. All wines are B1,600 per bottle. A glass of Spanish beer, Mahou, will set you back just B100.
In the future, Pad Thai Padel plans to turn some of the space into a co-working space, so you can take your laptop there and squeeze a Zoom meeting in between a game or two. They are also planning to open a second location in Sathorn.