Bangkok Trip Report (Long but in Chapters)
Oct 29th, 2005, 11:02 AM
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Transportation
Skytrain – the Skytrain has deservedly gotten a lot of kudos. It is very clean and very efficient and the ability to avoid Bangkok traffic is hard to overstate. For between 10-50 baht you can scurry around a sizeable portion of the places in Bangkok you’d want to go. It does get crowded and the Thais have yet to learn the norms of metro riding, but all in all it’s great and odds are your hotel or serviced apartment will be close to one.
Taxis – underrated and not worthy of all the complaints I’ve read or heard over time. Fares start at 35 baht ($1) and you have to go a really long ways to get over 80 baht. If traffic is manageable, I’d recommend simply jumping in a taxi as opposed to the Skytrain – the latter of which almost always required a hike up 3 flights of stairs. Great for my quads though. On the taxis, given the 35 baht flat fare structure and a very slow progression beyond that, it's in the drivers' best interests to turn passengers as often as possible...so no danger they'll take you for an unnecesary long ride as that's not in their best interests.
River taxi – whether you’re on the river or not, take the river taxi just for fun. For 10-15 baht you can ride up or down the river and see a lot of the sights. It’s really quite fun and when I lived in Thailand I’d always take my guests on this little venture and they always loved it. Odds are you’ll be the only falangs on the ride, which is fine.
Skytrain – the Skytrain has deservedly gotten a lot of kudos. It is very clean and very efficient and the ability to avoid Bangkok traffic is hard to overstate. For between 10-50 baht you can scurry around a sizeable portion of the places in Bangkok you’d want to go. It does get crowded and the Thais have yet to learn the norms of metro riding, but all in all it’s great and odds are your hotel or serviced apartment will be close to one.
Taxis – underrated and not worthy of all the complaints I’ve read or heard over time. Fares start at 35 baht ($1) and you have to go a really long ways to get over 80 baht. If traffic is manageable, I’d recommend simply jumping in a taxi as opposed to the Skytrain – the latter of which almost always required a hike up 3 flights of stairs. Great for my quads though. On the taxis, given the 35 baht flat fare structure and a very slow progression beyond that, it's in the drivers' best interests to turn passengers as often as possible...so no danger they'll take you for an unnecesary long ride as that's not in their best interests.
River taxi – whether you’re on the river or not, take the river taxi just for fun. For 10-15 baht you can ride up or down the river and see a lot of the sights. It’s really quite fun and when I lived in Thailand I’d always take my guests on this little venture and they always loved it. Odds are you’ll be the only falangs on the ride, which is fine.
Oct 29th, 2005, 11:04 AM
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Culture - dogs and pets
When I lived in Thailand in the late 1990s, not that many Thais owned pets and dogs were usually only found on the streets (soi dogs). Since then, the King has adopted a wonderful dog, Thong Daeng, and I firmly believe this has created a new love for dogs and pets in general. For me, this is great and I was so happy to see the change. In short, the Thai people have taken a real interest in pets and brought them into their families.
When I lived in Thailand in the late 1990s, not that many Thais owned pets and dogs were usually only found on the streets (soi dogs). Since then, the King has adopted a wonderful dog, Thong Daeng, and I firmly believe this has created a new love for dogs and pets in general. For me, this is great and I was so happy to see the change. In short, the Thai people have taken a real interest in pets and brought them into their families.
Oct 29th, 2005, 11:24 AM
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Great report so far Shade22182. I've written down most of your restaurant suggestions. We'll be in BKK next week.
Glorialf, do you remember the price of the luncheon buffet at Lord Jim's. I'd like to try one, and if it's a buffet, I'd rather try lunch so we can walk it off in the afternoon.
Glorialf, do you remember the price of the luncheon buffet at Lord Jim's. I'd like to try one, and if it's a buffet, I'd rather try lunch so we can walk it off in the afternoon.
Oct 29th, 2005, 11:29 AM
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Your report so far has been awesome. I look forward to the rest. I am surprised you got e-tickets for a frequent flyer award. Sorry to hear your experience was not so good on Thai - we have business class ff tix for February - same flight - saying it is as good as United is not a compliment. I love solid food but was it any good?
I appreciate your men's suit and jewelry recs - how much time do they need to do custom? We will be in and out of Bangkok over a couple of weeks.
Can you elaborate on what you had at Sirocco - ingredients, presentation, wine? $125 is awful steep for Bangkok but a bargain for a top US place. We look forward to Bed and the Face Thai restaurant.
Thanks for your help.
I appreciate your men's suit and jewelry recs - how much time do they need to do custom? We will be in and out of Bangkok over a couple of weeks.
Can you elaborate on what you had at Sirocco - ingredients, presentation, wine? $125 is awful steep for Bangkok but a bargain for a top US place. We look forward to Bed and the Face Thai restaurant.
Thanks for your help.
Oct 29th, 2005, 11:33 AM
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Granny-- I think the buffet lunch at Lord Jim is around $25 -- maybe a bit more or less but somewhere in that neighborhood.
Shade-- I'm also a big dog lover and bought the king's book about his dog. I also went to a wonderful doggie spa not too far from the airport. They do all kinds of healing treatments (stone, oil,water and massage therapy). I spent a wonderful day there learning some techniques to bring home to my dogs.
Shade-- I'm also a big dog lover and bought the king's book about his dog. I also went to a wonderful doggie spa not too far from the airport. They do all kinds of healing treatments (stone, oil,water and massage therapy). I spent a wonderful day there learning some techniques to bring home to my dogs.
Oct 29th, 2005, 11:34 AM
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Shade
Great report. Thanks for sharing your experiences in BKK with all of us. You mentioned some of my favorite places as being "great experiences" for you as well. I'm glad that others appreciate the good reviews I've given places such as Face and Bed Supper Club here on fodors. I don't take credit for being the first one to try these places, but I think I've been at or very near the front of the line, and have gladly shared my thoughts here. BTW, I also liked the Shangri-La dinner boat best, and I've done 3 now (S-La, Oriental, and River City).
I'm puzzled about your comment re
ky train "norms"... what did you mean by that? Just curious. Not trying to be picky!!! I don't live in a large city where we have public transportation, so I really enjoy the skytrain and have not had a problem at all.
Next time you go to BKK, you should try my favorite nightclub, Tawandang German Brewery. The Thai food is great, the beer is excellent, and the evening entertainment is always enjoyable!!
Again, thanks for sharing!
Carol
Great report. Thanks for sharing your experiences in BKK with all of us. You mentioned some of my favorite places as being "great experiences" for you as well. I'm glad that others appreciate the good reviews I've given places such as Face and Bed Supper Club here on fodors. I don't take credit for being the first one to try these places, but I think I've been at or very near the front of the line, and have gladly shared my thoughts here. BTW, I also liked the Shangri-La dinner boat best, and I've done 3 now (S-La, Oriental, and River City).
I'm puzzled about your comment re
ky train "norms"... what did you mean by that? Just curious. Not trying to be picky!!! I don't live in a large city where we have public transportation, so I really enjoy the skytrain and have not had a problem at all.Next time you go to BKK, you should try my favorite nightclub, Tawandang German Brewery. The Thai food is great, the beer is excellent, and the evening entertainment is always enjoyable!!
Again, thanks for sharing!
Carol
Oct 29th, 2005, 01:17 PM
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Overall Health in Bangkok (and staying out of trouble)
First, Bangkok can be really hot and humid so the key is staying pre-hydrated. As they used to tell me in survival school, if you're thirsty you waited way too long to drink water. Bangkok - and most of Thailand - is much the same. Dehydration is, in my opinion, really the main health risk assuming...
...you stay away from the food vendors on the side of the road. In over 2 years living in Thailand I only got sick twice and once was from my first visit to a food vendor. I was out for about a week. I mean completely out. Stay away from the vendors no matter what.
On getting in trouble in Thailand, it's very hard to do - you really have to try. If you ever find yourself in some sort of conflict, very unlikely, try smiling and that usually defuses almost any situation. Random violence is very rare. So enjoy a very safe big city all in all.
On shots, I saw a full thread on this. In my judgment, no need if you're just in Bangkok. Not sure I'd get them even if you're in the countryside but that's a personal call.
Anyway, drink a ton of water and don't go looking for trouble. Pretty much common sense.
First, Bangkok can be really hot and humid so the key is staying pre-hydrated. As they used to tell me in survival school, if you're thirsty you waited way too long to drink water. Bangkok - and most of Thailand - is much the same. Dehydration is, in my opinion, really the main health risk assuming...
...you stay away from the food vendors on the side of the road. In over 2 years living in Thailand I only got sick twice and once was from my first visit to a food vendor. I was out for about a week. I mean completely out. Stay away from the vendors no matter what.
On getting in trouble in Thailand, it's very hard to do - you really have to try. If you ever find yourself in some sort of conflict, very unlikely, try smiling and that usually defuses almost any situation. Random violence is very rare. So enjoy a very safe big city all in all.
On shots, I saw a full thread on this. In my judgment, no need if you're just in Bangkok. Not sure I'd get them even if you're in the countryside but that's a personal call.
Anyway, drink a ton of water and don't go looking for trouble. Pretty much common sense.
Oct 29th, 2005, 01:25 PM
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Craig -
I'm not sure how long custom jewelry would take, I suspect it varies by degree of customization. Simple fixes, such as putting a stone on a different ring are done in a day or so.
On suits, you need time for initial measurement and selection, 2 separate fittings, and final adjustments. To be completely safe, I'd look at 3 days between each, with the final adjustments really only taking a day or so. I also think it's very important to know what you like in fit and what to look for for tailoring before you go in.
On Sirocco, we don't drink so all the prices on the thread are usually with an interesting non-alcoholic drink (such as a mango delight of some sort) but no wine. Ingreidents were great as was the presentation, but I'm not a food conniseur to be honest so not much more I can add. It tasted great
Well worth the money for the memory alone. I'd go again in a heartbeat. Same for most of the restaurants except the RTC.
I'll bet you have a different TG experience. Let us know. When we boarded the crew all had the look of 'don't expect great service from us' that I'm so accustomed to from UAL. They looked really tired. Not sure if there was an overscheduling issue.
Shade
I'm not sure how long custom jewelry would take, I suspect it varies by degree of customization. Simple fixes, such as putting a stone on a different ring are done in a day or so.
On suits, you need time for initial measurement and selection, 2 separate fittings, and final adjustments. To be completely safe, I'd look at 3 days between each, with the final adjustments really only taking a day or so. I also think it's very important to know what you like in fit and what to look for for tailoring before you go in.
On Sirocco, we don't drink so all the prices on the thread are usually with an interesting non-alcoholic drink (such as a mango delight of some sort) but no wine. Ingreidents were great as was the presentation, but I'm not a food conniseur to be honest so not much more I can add. It tasted great
Well worth the money for the memory alone. I'd go again in a heartbeat. Same for most of the restaurants except the RTC.I'll bet you have a different TG experience. Let us know. When we boarded the crew all had the look of 'don't expect great service from us' that I'm so accustomed to from UAL. They looked really tired. Not sure if there was an overscheduling issue.
Shade
Oct 29th, 2005, 01:28 PM
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Carol -
I'm being a bit picky about the Skytrain norms. But...since you asked. Would be great if folks who are going to walk briskly to the incoming train stand to the right of the escalators allowing the folks who want to make a run for it to briskly make their way up or down the escalator. Another one would be to wait until people get off the train before trying to force your way on. Minor stuff, but noticeable. No big deal...
Shade
I'm being a bit picky about the Skytrain norms. But...since you asked. Would be great if folks who are going to walk briskly to the incoming train stand to the right of the escalators allowing the folks who want to make a run for it to briskly make their way up or down the escalator. Another one would be to wait until people get off the train before trying to force your way on. Minor stuff, but noticeable. No big deal...
Shade
Oct 29th, 2005, 01:36 PM
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EGV Gold Class Theater
Located at the Discover Center is an EGV theater that will always have 2 U.S. movies showing in Gold Class theaters at any given time. This is a fantastic experience. There are two prices - 500 baht and 600 baht. The 600 baht seats seemed better and worth the extra 100 baht, plus they're in the back row and provide a better angle.
On Gold Class, imagine a theater where your seat is a fully electronically adjustable high end lazy boy! There are only about 30 seats in the entire theater and you can order snack food (e.g. satay) or drinks. A lot of fun and actually very relaxing in the afternoon after a hard day of shopping but before heading to one of Bangkok's great restaurants. We saw Red Eye and then later went back for Sound of Thunder. Worth the 2 hours for sure. Go for seats A3, A4, A5, or A6 for the very best seats in the house.
Shade
Located at the Discover Center is an EGV theater that will always have 2 U.S. movies showing in Gold Class theaters at any given time. This is a fantastic experience. There are two prices - 500 baht and 600 baht. The 600 baht seats seemed better and worth the extra 100 baht, plus they're in the back row and provide a better angle.
On Gold Class, imagine a theater where your seat is a fully electronically adjustable high end lazy boy! There are only about 30 seats in the entire theater and you can order snack food (e.g. satay) or drinks. A lot of fun and actually very relaxing in the afternoon after a hard day of shopping but before heading to one of Bangkok's great restaurants. We saw Red Eye and then later went back for Sound of Thunder. Worth the 2 hours for sure. Go for seats A3, A4, A5, or A6 for the very best seats in the house.
Shade
Oct 29th, 2005, 01:41 PM
#32
Really enjoyed your report Shade. It was also very easy to read.
Gloria, I've eaten dinner at Sala Rim Naam several times. We've never seen the dinner show. You can sit outside instead and order a la carte. The food was wonderful and very inexpensive. We had a feast and paid less than half what Shade paid and that included several beers. This was a few years ago however so the prices may have really gone up.
Gloria, I've eaten dinner at Sala Rim Naam several times. We've never seen the dinner show. You can sit outside instead and order a la carte. The food was wonderful and very inexpensive. We had a feast and paid less than half what Shade paid and that included several beers. This was a few years ago however so the prices may have really gone up.
Oct 29th, 2005, 01:43 PM
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Politics and the U.S.
I think it's safe to say that the U.S., and perhaps Western nations in general, have lost a bit of cache in Thailand across the past 5 years or so. The Chinese influence was much more palpable to me than in 1996-2000 and it was clear that the Thai are becoming more and more confident in their own culture. The idea that psychologically the falangs are of an elevated status seems to be eroding. Moreover, I always like to ask the taxi drivers what they think about the U.S. whenever I travel overseas. The consensus this trip was a polite we like the U.S. but...don't like Bush and think the war in Iraq was without a purpose.
All this has no bearing whatsoever on 99.9% of tourists or trips, merely making the observation for the long-term Bangkok/Thailand hands on the board. I can definitely see China stepping in in Thailand and I suspect other SE Asian countries as well. On the Bush issue, I do think the Iraq war, whether you support it or not, has eroded our influence abroad.
Shade
I think it's safe to say that the U.S., and perhaps Western nations in general, have lost a bit of cache in Thailand across the past 5 years or so. The Chinese influence was much more palpable to me than in 1996-2000 and it was clear that the Thai are becoming more and more confident in their own culture. The idea that psychologically the falangs are of an elevated status seems to be eroding. Moreover, I always like to ask the taxi drivers what they think about the U.S. whenever I travel overseas. The consensus this trip was a polite we like the U.S. but...don't like Bush and think the war in Iraq was without a purpose.
All this has no bearing whatsoever on 99.9% of tourists or trips, merely making the observation for the long-term Bangkok/Thailand hands on the board. I can definitely see China stepping in in Thailand and I suspect other SE Asian countries as well. On the Bush issue, I do think the Iraq war, whether you support it or not, has eroded our influence abroad.
Shade
Oct 29th, 2005, 01:48 PM
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Muay Thai at Ratchadamnoen -
What a great evening!!! We had the ringside falang tickets and it was incredibly entertaining. 10 fights in all. As entertaining as the fights were the gamblers in the fenced section which accounted for about 90% of the audience. My wife and I both loved the event. Ratchdamnoen stadium has air conditioning and was very comfortable, but bring your own bottled water if that's your drink of choice. Lumpini stadium is easier to get to for most travelers but didn't have air conditioning and wasn't on the right night for us. At any rate, a great event and a must see if you even remotely enjoy boxing or MMA. Not cheap...$50 per ticket but we were in the front row by the ring and in one of the corners. Really fun.
Shade
What a great evening!!! We had the ringside falang tickets and it was incredibly entertaining. 10 fights in all. As entertaining as the fights were the gamblers in the fenced section which accounted for about 90% of the audience. My wife and I both loved the event. Ratchdamnoen stadium has air conditioning and was very comfortable, but bring your own bottled water if that's your drink of choice. Lumpini stadium is easier to get to for most travelers but didn't have air conditioning and wasn't on the right night for us. At any rate, a great event and a must see if you even remotely enjoy boxing or MMA. Not cheap...$50 per ticket but we were in the front row by the ring and in one of the corners. Really fun.
Shade
Oct 29th, 2005, 01:53 PM
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Jim Thomson House -
When I lived in Thailand before I never understood the fascination with Jim Thomson products so I was reluctant to go visit his house. My tastes have changed!
First, the house tour is worth the visit and very well done - and only takes about 45 minutes. The guides are great and very informative.
On shopping, the gift store at the house is unbelievable. A shoppers dream. We bought a ton of stuff - shirts, souvenirs, silk, purses, cards, etc. Great stuff. Not sure why I didn't like it in the past. Only complaint...no extra long ties, or I would have bought about 10.
There is a Jim Thomson outlet over on Sukhumvit Soi 93. This seemed more geared to folks living in Thailand (e.g. spools of silk, more housewares, etc.)
The house is a definite go see and the gift store amazing.
Shade
When I lived in Thailand before I never understood the fascination with Jim Thomson products so I was reluctant to go visit his house. My tastes have changed!
First, the house tour is worth the visit and very well done - and only takes about 45 minutes. The guides are great and very informative.
On shopping, the gift store at the house is unbelievable. A shoppers dream. We bought a ton of stuff - shirts, souvenirs, silk, purses, cards, etc. Great stuff. Not sure why I didn't like it in the past. Only complaint...no extra long ties, or I would have bought about 10.
There is a Jim Thomson outlet over on Sukhumvit Soi 93. This seemed more geared to folks living in Thailand (e.g. spools of silk, more housewares, etc.)
The house is a definite go see and the gift store amazing.
Shade
Oct 29th, 2005, 02:00 PM
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Shopping - Replica Antiques
Lots of choices along Sukhumvit, Ploenchit, and other areas of Bangkok. We bought some great pieces at Triphum which is located on the 4th floor of Gaysorn Plaza (central shopping area). If you're looking for great replicas in the $100-$300 range (and higher) this is a great choice and one of the best stores I've seen anywhere in Bangkok.
For cheaper shopping, there is now a night bazaar across from Lumpini park which as stalls and stalls of tourist goods. It's essentially a night version of Chatuchak, though clearly smaller. Very easy to navigate through and open every night. Worth going to if you like that type of thing.
Shade
Lots of choices along Sukhumvit, Ploenchit, and other areas of Bangkok. We bought some great pieces at Triphum which is located on the 4th floor of Gaysorn Plaza (central shopping area). If you're looking for great replicas in the $100-$300 range (and higher) this is a great choice and one of the best stores I've seen anywhere in Bangkok.
For cheaper shopping, there is now a night bazaar across from Lumpini park which as stalls and stalls of tourist goods. It's essentially a night version of Chatuchak, though clearly smaller. Very easy to navigate through and open every night. Worth going to if you like that type of thing.
Shade
Oct 29th, 2005, 02:08 PM
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Grand Palace -
This, clearly, is a must see for anyone. All I can suggest is to get a guide on the outside of the palace to show you around and give you the history of the palace. This made our visit this time much more enjoyable than in past visits. Drink water! On the day we went it was hot and humid enough to bother even me - and I have lived in Saudi Arabia, the Mojave Desert, and as mentioned above Thailand before...but it was hot and open enough to really slow me down so take care of yourself.
Shade
This, clearly, is a must see for anyone. All I can suggest is to get a guide on the outside of the palace to show you around and give you the history of the palace. This made our visit this time much more enjoyable than in past visits. Drink water! On the day we went it was hot and humid enough to bother even me - and I have lived in Saudi Arabia, the Mojave Desert, and as mentioned above Thailand before...but it was hot and open enough to really slow me down so take care of yourself.
Shade
Oct 29th, 2005, 02:52 PM
#38
Great report shade! Keep it coming!
Funny you should mention Venus Jewelry...I was visiting my local jeweler/gemologist the other day and telling her how much I liked SJ. She said she used to do a lot of business in Thailand and likes them, but really prefers Venus. I made a mental note to find them next time I'm in Bangkok, and now here you come and recom them as well!
Funny you should mention Venus Jewelry...I was visiting my local jeweler/gemologist the other day and telling her how much I liked SJ. She said she used to do a lot of business in Thailand and likes them, but really prefers Venus. I made a mental note to find them next time I'm in Bangkok, and now here you come and recom them as well!
