I am going to BKK for the 1st time and want to know if this itinerary is too ambitious. Day 1, Wat Keow, Wat Pho, the nat'l museum and grand palace, Day 2 the royal barge museum, and wat arun and maybe jim thompson house and klong trip. The 2nd day I'll be staying at the airport amari, so I'll have to shlep into the city. How does this look?

The first day is very ambitious, but the second is certainly doable. I would do the Grand Palace early on the first day so you can avoid the worst heat and appreciate the beauty.

It's an ambitious schedule, though do-able if you aren't jet-lagged. You do make it more difficult for yourself by staying at the Amari. I find the Amari to be a very mediocre and outrageously over-priced hotel. I'd highly recommend that you stay in town. You'll pay much less and you'll be in a more convenient location to the sights as well as being in a lovely hotel.

It's doable unless you are jet lagged in which case I would skip the national museum. Day 2 is ok.

I would definitely stay in town. For the same money you can have a wonderful and much more convenient hotel. The Amari is a real dump and with the new airport opening soon I am sure they have let it go even more than before.

stay in town...it only adds 30-45 minutes to your early morning travel...

skip the nat'l museum totally...

start with grand palace..can take a boat over to wat arun quickly also at that point...then the other two...

all very easy if you are not jet lagued as suggested above

I agree that Grand Palace should be gone in the morning because it's closed pretty early (around 4pm).

Also, try to take BTS/underway (MRT) when travelling around BKK to avoid traffic jam.

With only 2 days the best advice would be to use Ratt for the entire two days- you will be able to go/see more places in that short timeframe and you will use less energy doing so. Just reserve her service for 8 hours each day (or longer) and have her take you everywhere. It will be money well spent.