I'll be taking an Asia business trip and am taking a side trip to Bangkok for 3 days in mid July. Are there "must do's" or things I should see when I'm there? Appreciate your ideas, I'll be on my own (female).

Grand Palace, Wat Pho, Jim Thompson House, Teak Mansion, Night Market and the big shopping malls for shopping, Nara Phand (Government store for crafts and things).

Stay on the river. It's easier and you get to experience the "flow" of BKK without being stuck in mind-numbing traffic.

As you only have 2 days if you get a driver for those two days you can maximize your time and get to do/see more. I have used a driver there named Ratt. She charges about $5.25 per hour. You can tailor your day with her. She is able to get around all the traffic problems- saves you energy, etc. Just a thought!

WOW. from what i've read for some time.. It seems that Ratt has solved the laws of physics and with her Carola travel threw Bangkoks worm holes. just joking... but for some reason the rest of us do get stuck in trafic for what seems for ever.

I saw the news yesterday and it said traific is down do too higher fuel rates and the Euro 2004 tournament.

but I don't know if even Ratt wil be able too do her magic if you come durring the world Aids confrence being held in mid Jully.

Will only add a Thai massage to BillT's list. is a lovely stand alone massage place Ruen Nuad in Silom, very reasonable. Also, in case u are there on a Fri, Sat or Sun then the flea market, Jatujak. Another great place to browse is Central - their home floor has int stuff.

firstly i would stay on the river if i could: marriott resort and spa, peninsula or shangri-la and maybe the oriental...

i would visit the grand palace, the jim thompson hourse, v-mark palace, suan packard palace, wat po, marble wat, wat arun....don't miss a good river run on the boats...a tour of the klongs in thornburi by long tail boat is a good way to see the real bkk---2-3 hours...

Hi

I think that Bangkok is one of the most facinating cities that I have visited but I'm not sure that I'm able to give you a very good explenation why. It is just an amazing contrast from what I'm used to back home in Norway...Bangkok can be very hot, very loud, too much traffic, so many smells etc. And yet it is a place that I would like to go back to. The last time I was there I took a walk one morning from the Siam Square area to Grand Palace...by the time I reached Grand Palace I was soaking wet in sweat of course but it was great just to walk and see the city come to life for yet another day. I walked into temples that "only" locals went to and it was a great contrast to the tourist magnet that Grand Palace has become. Well, I have posted trip reports and pictures from my trips to Bangkok on my personal homepage gardkarlsen.com. Maybe you can find some useful information there. Have a great trip

Regards
Gard
Stavanger, Norway