Bangkok in two weeks
 

I'd like to take care of a few details before we leave for Bangkok. Our hotel is not far from Khlong Saen Saep. How feasible is it to use the canal for transportation? Do we need insect repellant when we are near the canals and rivers? Are ATMs located throughout the city? Should we use ATMs associated with a particular bank? Do 4-digit PINs work? Is there much of a problem with pick pockets in tourist areas? Must we carry our passports with us? Or should we leave them in the room safe? Do we need to confirm our return flights before we leave for the US (EVA and China Air)? I've never done this before and I'm not sure what to do! What language is spoken in Chinatown? I speak some Mandarin but I'm not sure if I will have a chance to use it.

I'm so excited about this trip that I can hardly wait! Thanks again to all the experts on this board!

I can't answer all of your questions. But here are some: There are ATM's everywhere they accept Cirrus Plus etc systems. Your pin should work fine.
You may want to carry a photocopy of your passport (first page relevant info) and leave the real thing in the hotel safe.
There are some pick pockets in crowded tourist areas....as in any big city, take care with your money etc. But you should not have any other security problems in Bangkok though one always need to have the usual big city precautions.
You sould ask Eva air when you check in at the airport, whether you have to re-confirm. But most major airlines nowadays do not seem to require reconfirmation.

Klong Saen Saep is quite polluted in certain areas. Many people use the ferry boat for transport on this klong but the smell emitting from the klong, especially after a boat has just sail by, is really bad. I'm not sure what section of the klong you'll be traveling on but I would not recommend this mode of transportation. Perhaps you can try a boat ride on the Chao Phraya river instead where the pollution is less severe.

Answers to your other questions:
Mosquito - They are around but not much around central Bangkok.
ATMs - the are everywhere in Bangkok.
Pick pockets - like most big city they are around so be careful in crowded area.
Passport - you can leave that in the hotel safe and carry a xerox copy instead.
Confirming flight - check with EVA.
Chinatown - Thai is spoken by all but the predominant Chinese ethnic group in Thailand are Taechiew, Hainanese and Khae. Mandarin is quite widely spoken now and many are learning as well.

atms are to be found in all major tourist areas and less so in other areas....
leave your passport in your safe if you feel the safe is safe otherwise i would leave it at the front desk security boxes....i don't know your hotel but some are less than trustworthy...

you can take a copy of your passport main page, but we do not...

thai is the main language with english as a second language...some folks are chinese but from a generation back usually...

near a polluted canal i would spray my room with insecticide and have deet handy...leave the windows closed at all times...spray when you go out...spray is available in bkk if the hotel does not provide it..

your 4 digit pin will work fine...machines usually have cirrus and other logos on them...use any machine...make sure you take more than one card with you....

never hurts to reconfirm flights, and to give them your phone number in bkk...if there is an "ok" pon the ticket in the status area then you usually do not need to reconfirm...ask upon arrival at eva desk...

i have only heard of one pick pocket scam in 6 trips to bkk and that was last winter at the P market...always watch out in crowded areas, i.e. skytrain and on their escalators, market places, etc....i try to have my back to a wall....my wife does not take a purse...we never use back packs...

use your commonsense and you will be fine...

I didn't think mosquitoes would be a problem in Bangkok, but was covered with bites after eating dinner outdoors at Baan Kanitha, Soi 23. Be forewarned and apply deet!

thanks cfw...i will make sure i ask for an indoor table