I'm going to Thailand for business and I'm being asked to estimate what my costs will be. I've been able to figure out flight and hotel costs but am having trouble finding estimated daily average costs for meals. Can anyone help?

Well I would say that if you stay away from the hotels you could get by on say $75/day per person. The range in BKK is so wide that you could set your daily meal budget at almost any level and meet it.
If you do eat at hotels then I would say figure on maybe $100/day per person. Others will chime in with their take on the issue.

Since you are going for business, I'd say go with Bill's estimates. If you plan to drink wine, it's very expensive. A mediocre bottle of wine will cost you US$80-90 in a restaurant.

you could eat much cheaper but a good buffet breakfast might be $15-20 in a nice hotel, but rolls or a la carte might only be $10....lunch at mcdonalds is 1/2 of what you pay in the usa....a nice lunch of asian food might be $10-15...dinner for one would range from $10-35 without booze...it all depends on where you eat and how much you eat...it is basically cheap by western standards....western food is very reasonable also...pizza and pasta for instance can be very cheap...

try to get the hotel buffet included in your room price....

remind them that you also will need a little money for gold, rubies and sapphires

If you're meeting up with Thai companies, chances are you'll be 'entertained' at their expense - that's a heavy cultural requirement. If a Thai invites you out to eat, they will pay. Period. No arguments. And, as you might imagine, 'entertainment' can extend to things beyond a simple meal.

As for paying your own way, you'll be hard pressed to spend more than $10 on a meal for yourself, unless you eat every meal in hotels. You can go to any shopping mall in Bangkok (and there are A LOT) and find anything from western fast food to good, clean Thai casual dining restaurants.

if you don't know it michael is american and has lived in bkk for a number of years....he is an excellent resource...

Thank you so much for all your replies. You guys are great. I'm sure that my hosts will take me out for many of my meals as that has been my experience with vendors from China (especially since I'm a woman traveling alone). I put my estimated meal expenses in as $75/day per BillT's recommendation. We'll see. I rarely drink, so that won't be upping my budget. I'll try to get the hotel to include breakfast. That would definitely be convenient. My husband will visit me for a week, and when he's there we'll probably eat more at hotel type restaurants since this will be his first trip outside the US and he's never even eaten Thai food!
I'm planning on staying at the JW Marriott, but when I tried to figure out how much internet access would cost I was shocked! They only have an hourly, daily, or weekly rate, and however you look at it, it works out to $200-$300 for the 17 days I'm there. Should I look at another hotel? I like to stay in Marriott hotels to get points that I can use in the future. Thanks again for all your help!

You may want to look for another hotel. That is ridiculous.

... well, quirkles, desirous of that low, low, internet fee ... (just between us, fellow Bangkok business traveller : turn it up a notch with the KW Shangri-La and its 'free' access ... (and do remember the brand new 'masseuse' at the SL's 'Health Club' ... such a sweet little firecracker ... (and, as always, please don't tell the SQ-forever mrs. m) ...

... savour your time, riverside...

macintosh (robert)


... "I must go! I'll get in trouble!" ...

(Room ____, Shangri-La Bangkok, October 200_)

I think I have an easier time understanding Shakespear than AskOsena.

Many hotels around SE Asia, particularly in Thailand, still charge an arm & leg for internet access (of course, I'm just back from the US, where I was again shocked that the Red Carpet club doesn't have free Internet).

You could check out the Westin & Sheraton Grande, which aren't far from the JW. Not far in the other direction are the Intercontinental and Holiday Inn. Not sure which ones, if any, have free internet.

Michael, some Red Carpet Clubs have free access some do not. Apparently, they'll all have free access once the old contracts for internet access expire.

I always stay in the Towers at the Royal Orchid Sheraton. A room in the Towers gives you Club access for breakfasts, evening drinks and canapes, afternoon tea, some laundry services and free wi-fi in the Club. You ask at club desk for an access code.

I would expect that other hotels with Club floors offer similar benefits. If you want to be along Sukhumvit rather than by the river, consider the Sheraton Grande Sukhumvit.

Thanks Kathie - just my luck that LAX, SFO and PDX are all still cost-based. PDX is the really weird one, since there's free wi-fi throughout the airport, except the Red Carpet Club!

there are many decent places to access computers in the area of the JW....just down on soi 4, sukhumvit (the marriott is next door on soi 2) there is a very nice access point... it is just past the nana hotel on the same side of the street....an internet sign hangs over the door and out over the sidewalk...you can't miss it...

other cheaper places are around also...

the marriott is fantastic....great gym, small pool, good but expensive restaurants, but lots of good restaurants in the area....across the street is the plenochit center and in its basement is a nice little grocery store... down soi 2 is the majestic grande hotel and it has a really good restaurant....there are many good restaurants within several blocks...

i must warn you that soi 4 is the center of one of the adult entertainment areas....but you will be fine....the men only are interested in asian women...haha

i have a restaurant listing is you are interested, just ask: [email protected]

have you considered a serviced apartment in the area? they would give you more room and almost all the activities of a hotel