Padel in Bangkok: A Local's Guide to Clubs, Coaches & Tips

Three years ago, it was a very small world. Everyone knew everyone, the whole scene centred on a handful of clubs, and there were no indoor courts with air conditioning.

Kross Padel On Nut introduced the play-and-socialise culture that brought everyone together. The Friday night socials and all-day tournaments were highlights of the early scene. Everyone was there to play and to have a good time.

Now, clubs are becoming places where you can spend an entire evening. We are seeing restaurants, wellness facilities, recovery services, and partnerships with major brands. More Thai players are joining too, including former tennis players, celebrities, and a growing local audience.

When upcoming club launches go live, we will have padel clubs all along the Sukhumvit corridor (Bangkok’s main road in the city centre, with the Skytrain overhead), from Nana to Bang Na, plus reaching out into other areas like Sathorn.

I started around two and a half years ago after being encouraged by friends from tennis. I was sceptical at first, but a coaching session on Koh Phangan completely changed how I saw the game.

I began to understand the strategy, the range of shots, and how much padel rewards thinking rather than simply hitting hard. I went through the beginner and intermediate stages and now play at an advanced level.

These days, I train twice a week and usually play another two or three matches. Padel takes up four or five days of most weeks.

My top two are Sterling and Pad Thai Padel.

Sterling is the most complete option. It is central, indoors and air-conditioned, and everything is done well. Padel sits alongside tennis, pickleball, spa and recovery facilities, so you can spend much more than a match there.

Specialist independent vendors run the food and drink, which means each offering is someone’s core business rather than an afterthought. 

Little things that Sterling gets right:

• Thicker towels than you'll find at other clubs
• Mahou Pale Ale, served large and properly cold
• Siux balls (red can), the best on court and only 180 baht
• Ground floor seating by the tennis court, good for working, with coffee from Bottomless, some of the best in the country
• The melted brie, ham and berry compote grilled sandwich, ordered from the bar upstairs and brought straight up

Pad Thai Padel has strong courts and one of the city’s best social settings. The couch area, cold beer, and food by local favourite Larder make it an easy place to stay after you finish playing. It gets the balance right between serious padel and a relaxed evening with friends.

Little things Pad Thai Padel gets right:

• Ask Noah at the bar for cartoon latte art, panda, snowman, whatever you fancy
• Mahou is served in small glasses, so it stays cold to the last sip
• A black button courtside calls butler service mid-match
• A new co-working space above the bar, quiet and air-conditioned
• Book the outdoor court after 3pm for shade from the surrounding buildings. One of the best courts in the city when the wind stays down

Baan Padel is another great indoor, air-conditioned option. The court quality is reliable, and it is also somewhere I recommend for technical coaching.

Kross Padel On Nut is culturally important to Bangkok’s padel community. The pool, neighbouring food court and weekend atmosphere gave the early scene much of its character. It’s still worth visiting; there’s something special about relaxing in a swimming pool after your game, watching on as others play in front of you.  

SET’s Bangkok collection takes a wider view of the clubs, coaches and communities shaping the city.

Bangkok isn’t a Playtomic-heavy city. Instead, download The Padel Society app before you arrive. It brings together events, communities, bookings and player information from clubs across Bangkok. 

Also be careful when arranging matches by level. In my experience, ratings in Bangkok tend to run generously, so a local 3.0 may not translate directly to the same level in high-level places like Bali or Dubai.

For beginners through to high-intermediate players, I recommend Salvi Perez at Baan Padel. He is particularly good for players who want to refine their technique.

Advanced and competitive players can train with Jose Mouliaa at Pad Thai. He coaches the Thai national team and has experience training leading Spanish professionals.

In my view, Bangkok’s elite training environment is still developing. Players travelling primarily for high-performance coaching may currently find greater depth elsewhere in Asia, like Bali.

Club identity is still finding its feet. Some venues have a strong sense of themselves; others feel like they're still deciding what they want to be.

Court quality can be an issue. I've played on courts that were only months old with dead spots or carpets starting to lift. The scene has grown fast, and the building hasn't always kept pace with the boom.

The work-from-club culture hasn't quite landed here yet either. With so many remote workers in the city, a few more laptop-friendly corners would go a long way.

1. Prepare for traffic. There can be a lot, especially during rush hour. At peak times, journeys take much longer than maps suggest. Use the BTS or a Grab bike where practical and leave earlier than you think you need to.
2. Bangkok is still mainly an evening padel city. The most popular slots are between 5pm and 8pm, and courts can fill quickly. Book in advance if you want to play during prime time.
3. Rainy season. From June to November, the weather is unpredictable. It rarely rains for hours, but when it comes down, it comes down hard. Uncovered courts can flood within minutes, so choose a covered or indoor club to be safe.

Ready to play? Explore SET's Bangkok collection for the full picture of the city's clubs, or browse all clubs on SET. You're all set.