Pangina Heals (Photo: Courtesy of House of Heals)
2020 has been rife with disappointments: COVID, celebrity tragedies, stuff we can’t talk about and the sudden end of Gay Night at Maggie Choo’s (don’t think I forgot!). But when doors close, others open, and perhaps one of the openings giving us the most hope for the future of Bangkok’s nightlife is House of Heals.
House of Heals is the latest magic of Pan Pan Narkprasert, also known as Asia’s drag superstar Pangina Heals. It’s the ultimate drag show bar, and it just opened last Friday with a three-day shablam of an opening event.
The House of Heals is a longtime dream come true for the now 32-year-old co-host of Drag Race Thailand. “Ever since I was a little drag queen, I dreamt of one day having a place that I could call my own, my own bar and a place where famous drag queens from all over the world, when they travel through, can come and perform at. It’s a place for me to elevate other artists who I believe in, not just drag artist but singers, vocalists and comedians as well.”
Photo: Courtesy of House of Heals
We’re allowing you guys to see what’s going to happen in the future.
— Pan Pan Narkprasert (Pangina Heals)
You know you’ve arrived at the House of Heals if you see a giant sparkly high heel out front. Located very close to Victory Monument BTS station, there’s also ample parking. Peek inside and you’ll spot the competition-grade pole and raised stage in the middle of the dancefloor for 360-degree performances. The bar at the other end of the room takes the appearance of a sort of golden party plane that crashed into a fabulous jungle where creatures of drag and vocalists thrive on entertaining you—Pan’s words, not mine. Every single element of the venue, from the diamond-shaped tables to the ostrich feather lamps has Pangina written all over it, not to mention, once again, the stage.
“This stage is built for drag queens. It’s not going to be some stage where people thought last minute ‘let’s have a drag queen at this place to earn some pink dollars.’ No! This is a place conceived, birthed, created and envisioned by a drag queen for you!”
Annee Maywong (Photo: Courtesy of House of Heals)
House of Heals also marks Pan Pan’s transformation from drag performer to drag business owner, a milestone that is both exciting and daunting. “I’ve never had to use my mind at the capacity of a hundred like this before, but now I do. Because it’s not just thinking as a performer any more. It’s thinking as an owner, as an investor. It’s been so rewarding but super tiring, and on a scale of one to 10 of how big this is in my life, I would say that this is a 200.”
House of Heals
Ground Floor, Five Fifteen Victory Hotel, 5/15 Phayathai Road
Open daily 7pm-1am
099-336-6262, fb.com/houseofheals
