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In terms of nightlife, Bangkok may have not yet found its place on the map, but when it comes to world-famous DJ acts, the local crowd is well treated enough to wear out its dancing shoes.

 Especially in 2009, Bangkok enjoyed the return of many big names, the debuts of aspiring stars and conceptual events and festivals that even extended to other places like Pattaya and Phuket.

Will there be more in 2010? Only the promoters can tell.

Last year most clubs and promoters got back on the track after the mess between the red and the yellow. Club-music fans filled their social calendars almost every weekend with acts like Goldie, the Satanton Warriors, Martin Solveig, Armin Van Buuren, Tiesto and Roni Size.

Assorted as it seemed, 2009 lent itself most generously to hip-hop and electro acts.

"Globally, for the younger crowd, it's really been about huge bass lines and equally big beats," says David Milligan, founder and director of Bangkok's latest promotion agency, Champion Sound.

"Names such as the Bloody Beetroots, Fake Blood and Jack Beats have really dominated the dance floors. On a more commercial tip, there's this radio-friendly electro and hip-hop crossover from the likes of David Guetta and Chuckie.

"On the more sophisticated and mature side of things, there's been a huge techno renaissance - it seems to have shifted from minimal to fuller sounding stuff, which in my book is a really good thing."

Launched just over a year ago, Champion Sound has brought acts like Sinden, B Traits, Layo & Bushwacka, Goldie and DJ Kraze and DJ Klever.

Milligan tells us about his plans for 2010.

"With Bed Supperclub, we're doing Spoilt every Thursday, featuring exciting DJs and clubs acts. The programme is really varied: On February 4 we have man of the moment DJ Chuckie. Also in February we have Canada's No 1 electro-house DJ, Jelo, as well as the incredible Claude Von Stroke, plus Grammy winners Dirty Vegas."

One of Bangkok's longest-running clubs, 10-year-old Q Bar on Sukhumvit Soi 11, intends to maintain quality hip-hop in the hood.

"I'm hoping to see a resurgence of good hip-hop," says entertainment director Denis Hemakom. "Last year saw some great hip-hop albums released from a new wave of MCs, along with established vets, so I'm hoping to see that trend continue."

Q Bar started 2010 with Brandon Block and Joey Negro and was the first venue to host regular UK house label Hed Kandi's acts, most of the time blending DJ acts with live instruments.

Looks like we'll get a lot of hip-hop, electro and techno in the coming months, but don't underestimate the good old house music - of every sub genre - which still dominates the dance floor.

Most clubs will still keep house on their "comfort food" menu, plus there has been an abundance of house remixes of '70s, '80s and '90s tunes. No doubt we'll get enough of that, too.

"A lot of people will be looking for something new and unique, but returning to where it's comfortable, too," says Bed Supperclub general manager Justin Dunne.

"In the coming months we will see LTJ Bukem & MC Conrad and Rasmus Faber, among others. However, the biggest act for Bed this year is our pending renovations, which are tentatively set for July. I won't spill any secrets, but the changes will be impressive."

Bollywood music still holds strong and tends to keep growing.

"The Bollywood and bhangra nights are now becoming more and more popular, even with non-Indian crowds," enthuses Gaurav Sehgal of Rise Productions.

"I see Indian nights becoming more popular with the amount of people who are now organising them, and also because Indian artists are now tapping more into mainstream non-Indian markets."

Bhangra is, indeed, the new salsa.

For O&P Worldwide Thailand, it's all about concept events. So far the firm has presented club-night festivals featuring sensational acts like Tiesto, Armin Van Buuren, Sandy Riviera and MSTRKFT, and extended into Pattaya and Phuket.

"First up is Tiesto, who's coming back to Bangkok to promote his new album," says managing director Patrice Potuznik. "On February 20 we'll do a music festival in Pattaya headlined by Tiesto as well as featuring another 15 international DJs.

"And for April we've scheduled the next Edition Bangkok festival, which should host an even bigger line-up then last year. Furthermore, we will expand into some other fields of music and plan to continue the successful ElectroCrash parties."

With the partygoers willing to participate and the promoters willing to bring in great acts, Bangkok's nightlife this year looks exciting. The only hang-up is probably the early - and occasionally inconsistent - closing hour.