Advice Needed
 

I am vacationing in Bangkok and Phuket this November. Can anybody advise me of places to go/see, good restaurants, and clothing requirements etc. Also I heard that you can take pictures of clothes to tailors and they will make it up for you within 24 hours - is this true and can anyone recommend a tailor and what do they normally charge? <BR>What is the average costs for meals, transport etc and where can you find a bargain? <BR> <BR>Thanks <BR>

In Bkk, it is true that you can have your clothes done within 24 hours, i have read many advertisements for them from the THAI airways inflight magazines, and there are many tailors doing so. But i don't know the quality, they may charge you from $US70 to more than 200, depending on what your order would be. <BR>As a thai national, for ordinary meal for me is less than 1 GBP (60bahts), buses can cost from 4 to 12B(20pence) and Taxi from airport to city centre should be around 2-3 pounds. <BR>tell me more what kinds of bargain you are looking for. <BR>sorry cannot help with Phuket, haven't been there for years. <BR> <BR>Have a good time.

Thanks Pat <BR> <BR>I am looking for clothes, presents etc. <BR>Can you advise me on restaurants or can I chance my luck with street vendors?

Janice <BR> <BR>Visited BKK and Phuket for the past 2 years (best holidays we've ever had). <BR> <BR>Bangkok :- <BR> <BR>'Good' resturants are quite hard to find in BKK and are normally quite expensive and hotel based. We went to a place called 'Cabbages and Condoms'which was excellent but generally we ate were most of the local ate. Also try the top floor of the World Trade Centre, many resturants, good food and very cheap. <BR> <BR>Phuket:- <BR> <BR>Depends where you are staying, we stayed at the South Sea Resort on Karon Beach the first time and then the Kata Thani on Kata Beach the second time. Both were minutes walk from bars and resturants. Recommended resturants are :- Islanders (Kata and Patong), The Sunset (Karon). These are just 2 of many good places that we ate in. <BR> <BR>As for your tailor question, it's true that you can take pictures of clothing for the tailors to copy. My wife and I had 2 ladies suits, 2 blouses, 1 mans suit and four mens shirts for £190. <BR> <BR>Hope you have an nice time, I'm very jealous. <BR> <BR>John. <BR>

Janice <BR> <BR>Visited BKK and Phuket for the past 2 years (best holidays we've ever had). <BR> <BR>Bangkok :- <BR> <BR>'Good' resturants are quite hard to find in BKK and are normally quite expensive and hotel based. We went to a place called 'Cabbages and Condoms'which was excellent but generally we ate were most of the local ate. Also try the top floor of the World Trade Centre, many resturants, good food and very cheap. <BR> <BR>Phuket:- <BR> <BR>Depends where you are staying, we stayed at the South Sea Resort on Karon Beach the first time and then the Kata Thani on Kata Beach the second time. Both were minutes walk from bars and resturants. Recommended resturants are :- Islanders (Kata and Patong), The Sunset (Karon). These are just 2 of many good places that we ate in. As for prices we never paid more than £6 per person for 2 courses and drinks. <BR> <BR>As for your tailor question, it's true that you can take pictures of clothing for the tailors to copy. My wife and I had 2 ladies suits, 2 blouses, 1 mans suit and four mens shirts for £190. <BR> <BR>Hope you have an nice time, I'm very jealous. If you have any more questions please mail me. <BR> <BR>John. <BR> <BR>ps. If you can drive take your driving license as they drive on the left( an air conditioned jeep £20 per day)

I am at home now, so i can give you some details of the ads that i mentioned to you. But still i've no ideas about the quality. Mainly they (tailors) are in Silom/Sukhumwit area, and offer free transportation or they will go to your place to measure the size. <BR>1. Patrick's Fashionway 79USD for ladies <BR>:1 winter suit, summer suit,2 dresses, skirts, blouses, and 1 Kimono. Tel 6510069, 6512111 <BR>2.New Bkk Intl also 79$ for ladies <BR>:2 suits,3 blouses, 1Kimono, and 5 MTS silk (?) 6503008-9 <BR> <BR>Let me know more the area in bkk you are going to stay, so i will seek for some local restaurants for you. It is true that in big deparment store there are always some restaurants inside, and also food centre (like cafet) near the supermarket. Big names are Chaopraya, Bann KhunLaung, etc. I have heard about the one John mentioned "Condom and Carbages" but i don't really have experience for that. <BR> <BR>For presents: I recommend Jim Thompson for thai silk, and Chitlada shop (the royal project of HM the Queen) for handicrafts. <BR>Clothes are on sale everywhere, you will see, the main are are Pratunam (Watergate). <BR> <BR>Yin-dee-ton-rab (Welcome) to Thailand <BR>

Pat - thanks very much. <BR>Is it 79$ for all those items or each? <BR> <BR>We are staying at the Asia Hotel in Bangkok. <BR> <BR>Also thanks to everyone for their replies and recommendations - I do appreciate it.

Suggest you review the May 1999 Gourmet article on Bkk restuarants. Many are associatde with hotels, but that's the way it is, I'm afraid. However, decent guidebooks will identify smaller restaurants, many next to the river, where you can dine for very little money. From what I hear here are many, many very good places to eat in Bkk, and Thai food is so excellent you'll find, I'm sure, a number of excleent places. We are going to be in Bkk the first half of November, and are looking for a small group for a day trip south to good floating markets. Let me know if your group would be interested; my plan is to share the cost of hiring a hire a driver with a car, someone who speaks english and can take us to and from. If interested, please e-mail me. Joseph

Hi- <BR> <BR>Pat, since you live in BKK, perhaps you can help me as well. <BR> <BR>We are leaving for BKK in 2 weeks and am interested in fabric and beaded fringe. I make Victorian style lampshades with exotic fabrics (silk or whatever), and trim them with fringe made of glass beads. Do you know of anywhere I can find trimmings and fringe in BKK? Also, I hear Jim Thompson's is very expensive for silk, do you know of a cheaper place to buy silk cloth? <BR> <BR>I'm interested in the good local food as well. We will be staying around the silom and river areas. <BR> <BR>Thanks for any help you can offer. <BR> <BR>:-)

Joseph <BR> <BR>What dates will you be in BKK? We will be there 17-20 Nov. Sounds interesting. <BR> <BR>Janice

Janice: As far as i understand from the ads, the price i told you shouldbe for everything, you can check again when you are here. Asia hotel is great, and in the heart of shopping area, you can go out shopping in a walking distance. MahBoonkrong centre has a big floor for food centre, World Trade centre also has many restaurants on the top floor, Siam Discovery also has many shops, i am not sure whether there is one Chitlada shop there or not. Ponglee restaurant (a bit chinese) is near Victory Monument. <BR> <BR>Lynn: I think around Silom/Sukhumvit area has many shops that sell silk, but i don't really know whether it would be cheaper than Jim thompson or not. Cannot help with the trimmings.

Message for Janice: <BR> <BR>Janice: Thanks for your reply. Unfortunately, we'll be back in the States by the 16th - we're leaving D.C. this Saturday. Just a short trip this time, so soryy we cannot hook up with you. But do let me share with you a few restaurants tips, based on friends who have been there recently, people who are excellent cooks and know Thai food. They liked Celadon in The Sukhothai Hotel - but I do not know the price range. Also Benjarong in the Dusit Thani. These are not small out of the way places, and they may be relatively expensive. I am sure your hotel also can give you tips. Everyone has warned me to order everything "mild" - that the food's so much hotter than in Washington where we have it very hot. Two folks I know who really do know food recommended these Italian restaurants, for a change of pace: Trattoria da Roberto (37/9 Patpong, Soi 2), and Gianni's (sorry, don't know the address). We hope you have a wonderful trip. Take care - Adria and Joseph

Message for Janice: <BR> <BR>Janice: Thanks for your reply. Unfortunately, we'll be back in the States by the 16th - we're leaving D.C. this Saturday. Just a short trip this time, so soryy we cannot hook up with you. But do let me share with you a few restaurants tips, based on friends who have been there recently, people who are excellent cooks and know Thai food. They liked Celadon in The Sukhothai Hotel - but I do not know the price range. Also Benjarong in the Dusit Thani. These are not small out of the way places, and they may be relatively expensive. I am sure your hotel also can give you tips. Everyone has warned me to order everything "mild" - that the food's so much hotter than in Washington where we have it very hot. Two folks I know who really do know food recommended these Italian restaurants, for a change of pace: Trattoria da Roberto (37/9 Patpong, Soi 2), and Gianni's (sorry, don't know the address). We hope you have a wonderful trip. Take care - Adria and Joseph

Hi Janice, <BR> <BR>My family and I have just returned from a holiday in Bangkok and Phuket. The best tours in Bangkok were the floating markets and canal boat tours and the Bridge on the River Kwai. Ayuthaya was also very good, - the one where you cruise back down to Bangkok on the river. We didn't find any special eating places in Bangkok, most tours included full lunches so we just snacked at tea time. We stayed at the Indra Regent Hotel in the Pratunum area, the markets there are excellent for ready made clothes and cheaper than anywhere else. They close about 6p.m. so you have to go during the day. <BR> <BR>Phuket was brilliant, the best tour, by far was the Sea Canoe trip to Phang Nga Bay (we went with Singa Sea Canoe), we only had 11 tourists on board, so it was small and personal (some have many more). We paid 900B for this trip, whereas in the brochure we were given when we arrived and also here in Australia they quoted 2700B. All tours can be booked in the stalls around the main street, they are cheaper and you can also bargain a little. I don't know where you are staying in Phuket, we stayed at the Holiday Inn in Patong. We found a lovely little restaurant just along the road, it's very popular, very cheap, and good food - Thai and western. It's just behind MacDonalds (on the beach road) in a little side alley. The place is called Sabai Sabai - we found ourselves eating there regularly - 6-8pm you will probably have to queue but not for long. Sorry I can't help with tailors (other than to say they were a bit of a nuisance on the main beach road in Patong). I didn't have anything made as I haven't been too happy with the stuff I have had made in other parts of Asia. <BR> <BR>If I can help with anything else, feel free to email me. I will be away for the weekend. <BR> <BR>Have a great holiday. <BR>Teresa.