"I Feel Fat" or a So-so Trip Report from Bangkok
Feb 4th, 2008, 10:25 AM
#102
Join Date: Feb 2003
Posts: 4,204
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
ET,
I might be a risk taker in some ways, but when it comes to transportation, DH's driving is more than enough risk IMO.
"You should try the scooterbike at least once when you come to Thailand!"
This is WAY BEYOND my risk level!
I might be a risk taker in some ways, but when it comes to transportation, DH's driving is more than enough risk IMO.
"You should try the scooterbike at least once when you come to Thailand!"
This is WAY BEYOND my risk level!
Feb 9th, 2008, 11:36 PM
#104
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2003
Posts: 17,106
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Hi, all! Finally back int he good ole US of A! 
Have so many Chinese New Year dining celebrations to attend on return that I'm late posting the final few posts on this thread!
ON SHOPPING
CHATUCHAK WEEKEND MARKET (JATUJAK)
It's really easy to reach this weekend market on the skytrain. I took "my" line all the way to the last station, the Mo Chit Station. Took Exit 1, then walked across the elevated walkway to the other side of the road. At the bottom of the stairs, just followed the crowd and about 50-100 yards later, turn to the right and there's this huge market.
There are hundreds and hundreds of little stalls all jam-packed with merchandise. The Thais themselves shop at this market, so this is a good sign. However, I do believe that the prices quoted to the Thais are different from the ones quoted to non-Thais (with my expertise in counting from 1 to 10 in Thai, I can make such a sweeping claim - LOL!)
Without knowing what is a reasonable price for any merchandise, I just kept asking what it would cost for any one type of merchandise. If one merchant would quote me the cheapest price for that item, then I would start bargaining with that merchant. Usually could get the price down by about 20-30%. I'm not a hard bargainer because, after a while, getting the price down by another 20-30 cents (even a dollar) becomes a meaningless exercise and a waste of time for me.
I found one woman who gave me really reasonable initial prices and by telling her that I would buy a lot of from her, she voluntarily reduced her prices and I just went with her reduced prices. She cleaned me out of 3000 baht but I have a picture of my "haul" - the items covered my entire bed!
I buy a lot of the inexpensive clothing for the kids in my family because they like those things the best. One year I brought back fairly expensive velvet little girls' dresses from Hong Kong as well as some Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles T-shirts. The T-shirts were a BIG hit and no one even looked at the expensive dresses. So I learnt my lesson.
Another year I brought back a suitcase full of Calvin and Hobbes T-shirts from Singapore and I was the most popular member of my family for awhile!
I went to Chatuchak Market on both Saturday and Sunday and spent about US $150, mostly at this one woman's stall.
GENERAL COMMENTS ON SHOPPING
I find on this trip that the prices in Bangkok were more expensive comparatively to my last "shopping" trip to Bangkok. At that time I could pick up a pair of jeans for $5, a simple suitcase for $5 and a fancier one for $10. Not any more. Some of the quoted prices - even at Chatuchak Market - I could have gotten the same item in the States (say at a less expensive store) for the same or lesser price, so bargaining is really important.
The prices were best at Chatuchak Market - with a lot of careful comparative shopping and bargaining. The next best prices were along the street where Chang had his opticals store (not as far as Khao San Road).
There are some clothing items items at MBK which I couldn't find at Chatuchak and, on the final night in Bangkok, I found that none of the merchants in MBK would bargain.
On Thai silk, I'm afraid you'll have to look to the postings from other Fodorites, as I have purchased my fill of silk in India and China.
Next post: JT International and jewelry.
Have so many Chinese New Year dining celebrations to attend on return that I'm late posting the final few posts on this thread!
ON SHOPPING
CHATUCHAK WEEKEND MARKET (JATUJAK)
It's really easy to reach this weekend market on the skytrain. I took "my" line all the way to the last station, the Mo Chit Station. Took Exit 1, then walked across the elevated walkway to the other side of the road. At the bottom of the stairs, just followed the crowd and about 50-100 yards later, turn to the right and there's this huge market.
There are hundreds and hundreds of little stalls all jam-packed with merchandise. The Thais themselves shop at this market, so this is a good sign. However, I do believe that the prices quoted to the Thais are different from the ones quoted to non-Thais (with my expertise in counting from 1 to 10 in Thai, I can make such a sweeping claim - LOL!)
Without knowing what is a reasonable price for any merchandise, I just kept asking what it would cost for any one type of merchandise. If one merchant would quote me the cheapest price for that item, then I would start bargaining with that merchant. Usually could get the price down by about 20-30%. I'm not a hard bargainer because, after a while, getting the price down by another 20-30 cents (even a dollar) becomes a meaningless exercise and a waste of time for me.
I found one woman who gave me really reasonable initial prices and by telling her that I would buy a lot of from her, she voluntarily reduced her prices and I just went with her reduced prices. She cleaned me out of 3000 baht but I have a picture of my "haul" - the items covered my entire bed!
I buy a lot of the inexpensive clothing for the kids in my family because they like those things the best. One year I brought back fairly expensive velvet little girls' dresses from Hong Kong as well as some Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles T-shirts. The T-shirts were a BIG hit and no one even looked at the expensive dresses. So I learnt my lesson.
Another year I brought back a suitcase full of Calvin and Hobbes T-shirts from Singapore and I was the most popular member of my family for awhile! I went to Chatuchak Market on both Saturday and Sunday and spent about US $150, mostly at this one woman's stall.
GENERAL COMMENTS ON SHOPPING
I find on this trip that the prices in Bangkok were more expensive comparatively to my last "shopping" trip to Bangkok. At that time I could pick up a pair of jeans for $5, a simple suitcase for $5 and a fancier one for $10. Not any more. Some of the quoted prices - even at Chatuchak Market - I could have gotten the same item in the States (say at a less expensive store) for the same or lesser price, so bargaining is really important.
The prices were best at Chatuchak Market - with a lot of careful comparative shopping and bargaining. The next best prices were along the street where Chang had his opticals store (not as far as Khao San Road).
There are some clothing items items at MBK which I couldn't find at Chatuchak and, on the final night in Bangkok, I found that none of the merchants in MBK would bargain.
On Thai silk, I'm afraid you'll have to look to the postings from other Fodorites, as I have purchased my fill of silk in India and China.
Next post: JT International and jewelry.
Feb 9th, 2008, 11:59 PM
#105
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2003
Posts: 17,106
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
JT INTERNATIONAL AND JEWELRY.
First off, Kathie, many many thanks for referring this jewelry store to Fodorites.
I went three times - got a story on the third trip!
The first time I called them and they sent a van with a driver AND a slim young lady in a pink suit to escort me back to the store. We zipped through Bangkok traffic and I felt like A VERY IMPORTANT PERSON. We could have crushed any number of motorscooters in this huge van that could seat 12 passengers with no problem! Yes, very important person, me!
I asked for Lily and she was there, all smiles, to greet me! That trip, I still had stitches around my eyes and tape holding the stitches immobile, looked a mess, but Lily was nevertheless very gracious.
We looked at several trays - one has to ask for progressively bigger or more expensive pieces to get a real good picture of what one desires in any particular price range, as the selection is huge.
Surprisingly there isn't as much coming out of Myanmar. The rubies are mostly from Sri Lanka and the sapphires are from various other SE Asian sources.
Some pieces are absolutely exquisite. If you go, take your time.
Look for color, clarity, brilliance and size. Lily was very good in helping to select appropriate pieces.
My second trip to JT was also by van and with a driver and a pink-suited young lady.
My third trip was a frantic call at 4pm on my last day in Bangkok. I had had a long day at BH but needed to pick up something at JT, so Lily said she would do what she could.
Well, about 1/2 hour later, a guy arrived all hot and hurried in the lobby. Me, I'm looking for a sedate young lady in a pink suit. We look at each other and dismiss each other.
After a flurry of Thai between the young man and the front desk, it turns out he's from JT and is looking for me! After verifying who I was, he motioned to me to follow him down the hotel steps and started waving down a taxi! I asked him why and he said that there were no vans available so Lily had instructed him to come and pick me up and bring me back to the store in a taxi! He also said that he needed to lock up his - ahhhhh! ahhhh!
HIS MOTORBIKE!
I asked," You came in a motorbike?"
He said," yes".
Well, I figured - IF he takes me back to the store in a taxi, that means he has to come back to the hotel to pick up his motorbike - yes?
SOOOO - I said,"I'll go with you on your motorbike!"
He was incredulous at first, but then he got into the mood of the thing and said, "OK!!!"
Since he's not a motorscooter taxi, he didn't have an extra helmet for me C, so I rode bareheaded in the gathering dusk to JT International!
WHOOPEEDEEDOO! KIYI - YIPPEE YI YAY!
When I got to the store and told Lily I had come on the young fella's motorscooter, she was incredulous! "You came on the motorscooter! I don't dare ride on a motorscooter!"
Hey, nothing to it.
I asked her how many people came to JT International on a motorscooter and she laughed and said, "Never! Not a one! You are the first!"
Yeah, well arriving in a big van or in a Rolls Royce is just - hum-ho - an everyday occurrence, but arriving on a motorscooter is something special!
I got some really nice pieces at JT, so thanks again, Kathie!
First off, Kathie, many many thanks for referring this jewelry store to Fodorites.
I went three times - got a story on the third trip!
The first time I called them and they sent a van with a driver AND a slim young lady in a pink suit to escort me back to the store. We zipped through Bangkok traffic and I felt like A VERY IMPORTANT PERSON. We could have crushed any number of motorscooters in this huge van that could seat 12 passengers with no problem! Yes, very important person, me!
I asked for Lily and she was there, all smiles, to greet me! That trip, I still had stitches around my eyes and tape holding the stitches immobile, looked a mess, but Lily was nevertheless very gracious.
We looked at several trays - one has to ask for progressively bigger or more expensive pieces to get a real good picture of what one desires in any particular price range, as the selection is huge.
Surprisingly there isn't as much coming out of Myanmar. The rubies are mostly from Sri Lanka and the sapphires are from various other SE Asian sources.
Some pieces are absolutely exquisite. If you go, take your time.
Look for color, clarity, brilliance and size. Lily was very good in helping to select appropriate pieces.
My second trip to JT was also by van and with a driver and a pink-suited young lady.
My third trip was a frantic call at 4pm on my last day in Bangkok. I had had a long day at BH but needed to pick up something at JT, so Lily said she would do what she could.
Well, about 1/2 hour later, a guy arrived all hot and hurried in the lobby. Me, I'm looking for a sedate young lady in a pink suit. We look at each other and dismiss each other.
After a flurry of Thai between the young man and the front desk, it turns out he's from JT and is looking for me! After verifying who I was, he motioned to me to follow him down the hotel steps and started waving down a taxi! I asked him why and he said that there were no vans available so Lily had instructed him to come and pick me up and bring me back to the store in a taxi! He also said that he needed to lock up his - ahhhhh! ahhhh!
HIS MOTORBIKE!
I asked," You came in a motorbike?"
He said," yes".
Well, I figured - IF he takes me back to the store in a taxi, that means he has to come back to the hotel to pick up his motorbike - yes?
SOOOO - I said,"I'll go with you on your motorbike!"
He was incredulous at first, but then he got into the mood of the thing and said, "OK!!!"
Since he's not a motorscooter taxi, he didn't have an extra helmet for me C
, so I rode bareheaded in the gathering dusk to JT International! WHOOPEEDEEDOO! KIYI - YIPPEE YI YAY!
When I got to the store and told Lily I had come on the young fella's motorscooter, she was incredulous! "You came on the motorscooter! I don't dare ride on a motorscooter!"
Hey, nothing to it.
I asked her how many people came to JT International on a motorscooter and she laughed and said, "Never! Not a one! You are the first!"
Yeah, well arriving in a big van or in a Rolls Royce is just - hum-ho - an everyday occurrence, but arriving on a motorscooter is something special!
I got some really nice pieces at JT, so thanks again, Kathie!
Feb 10th, 2008, 12:42 AM
#106
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2003
Posts: 17,106
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
FINAL COSTS
I spent a total of $381 on Dental (took out one back molar, cleaned teeth, refilled one tooth, repaired one chipped tooth, got a partial denture for two missing teeth)
$492 on a Physical (described above)
$1,068 on minor cosmetic surgery (described above)
Other medical costs: too personal to report. sorry!
QUALITY OF CARE
Very good to excellent.
Here in the US I belong to what I consider an excellent HMO - Kaiser - and have gotten really good medical care.
BH is comparable to Kaiser.
On the whole, BH has more personal care because it has a lot more assistants. In the US, there is a shortage of nurses and doctors here have to do quite a bit themselves. Having many assistants frees up the Thai doctors to do just their jobs exclusively.
The other thing is speed of getting appointments. I don't know how it is with your medical services, but here in the States, it takes me months to get an appointment with my personal physician. If I miss that appointment, it's a wait of another several months before the next one.
At BH, they ask you how long you plan to be in Bangkok and try to fit the next appointment in before your departure. In ten days I got twelve appointments, one of them the mega-one of a total physical which involved a number of tests.
OTHER EXPENSES
I spent a total of $41 on food and my family said I had way overspent my budget!
There were several days when I had to wear an ice pack that I ate only in the hotel and only breakfast (free) and a bowl of porridge at night, so that's why the food expenses were so low!
I had some halal food in the halal restaurant at BH and found the food really bland, so opted for Thai food at MBK or at Paragon most of the time. Otherwise, I really pigged out on mangoes - 60 baht for a kilo of mangoes! (Washed the mangoes with hotel soap and water, wiped dry, then soaked the mangoes in bottled water and wiped dry before peeling).
Oh, on the SHOPPING, forgot to mention:
I found Siam Center/Discovery Center - the architecture was interesting but the stores were the same as any that one could have found in any upscale shopping mall in the States.
Paragon had even more upscale stores like Balenciaga, Dior, and on the third floor a Maserati store. But it was closed. Otherwise I would have picked out a model or two there (Haha!).
I spent a total of $381 on Dental (took out one back molar, cleaned teeth, refilled one tooth, repaired one chipped tooth, got a partial denture for two missing teeth)
$492 on a Physical (described above)
$1,068 on minor cosmetic surgery (described above)
Other medical costs: too personal to report. sorry!
QUALITY OF CARE
Very good to excellent.
Here in the US I belong to what I consider an excellent HMO - Kaiser - and have gotten really good medical care.
BH is comparable to Kaiser.
On the whole, BH has more personal care because it has a lot more assistants. In the US, there is a shortage of nurses and doctors here have to do quite a bit themselves. Having many assistants frees up the Thai doctors to do just their jobs exclusively.
The other thing is speed of getting appointments. I don't know how it is with your medical services, but here in the States, it takes me months to get an appointment with my personal physician. If I miss that appointment, it's a wait of another several months before the next one.
At BH, they ask you how long you plan to be in Bangkok and try to fit the next appointment in before your departure. In ten days I got twelve appointments, one of them the mega-one of a total physical which involved a number of tests.
OTHER EXPENSES
I spent a total of $41 on food and my family said I had way overspent my budget!
There were several days when I had to wear an ice pack that I ate only in the hotel and only breakfast (free) and a bowl of porridge at night, so that's why the food expenses were so low!
I had some halal food in the halal restaurant at BH and found the food really bland, so opted for Thai food at MBK or at Paragon most of the time. Otherwise, I really pigged out on mangoes - 60 baht for a kilo of mangoes! (Washed the mangoes with hotel soap and water, wiped dry, then soaked the mangoes in bottled water and wiped dry before peeling).
Oh, on the SHOPPING, forgot to mention:
I found Siam Center/Discovery Center - the architecture was interesting but the stores were the same as any that one could have found in any upscale shopping mall in the States.
Paragon had even more upscale stores like Balenciaga, Dior, and on the third floor a Maserati store. But it was closed. Otherwise I would have picked out a model or two there (Haha!).
Feb 10th, 2008, 12:55 AM
#107
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2003
Posts: 17,106
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
FLIGHT HOME
I saw my friend one last time and it's too bad we couldn't make our planned trip through SE Asia! This turned out to be a mostly medical tourism trip for me instead of a real travel to Burma and Laos trip - oh well!
Missed Carol by hours - bummer! Next time! Next Time!
The return flight from Hong Kong to San Francisco was on one of the newer Boeing 747s. The seats don't tilt back, instead they slide forward, so the space between the seats is really a private space - you don't have the passenger in front of you lying in your lap! The entertainment center is located in the seat back instead of on the armrest and had a lot more varied offerings than on the trip out. I actually got to watch three movies - well, two and a half. Supposedly the head rest piece can also move up and down and sideways, but I couldn't figure out how to work it. Excellent service, as usual, on Cathay Pacific.
Got home, slept and then went to the 25th Annual San Francisco Opera Medallion Society luncheon at the Ritz -Carlton. Quite a contrast to the $1.30 Thai dinners!
Well, that's all! Hope this helps some in making their decision on medical tourism! If you have any questions, I'd be happy to answer them, but Carol or the other Fodorites could probably give you much better answers.
Easy-motorscooter-traveler
I saw my friend one last time and it's too bad we couldn't make our planned trip through SE Asia! This turned out to be a mostly medical tourism trip for me instead of a real travel to Burma and Laos trip - oh well!
Missed Carol by hours - bummer! Next time! Next Time!
The return flight from Hong Kong to San Francisco was on one of the newer Boeing 747s. The seats don't tilt back, instead they slide forward, so the space between the seats is really a private space - you don't have the passenger in front of you lying in your lap! The entertainment center is located in the seat back instead of on the armrest and had a lot more varied offerings than on the trip out. I actually got to watch three movies - well, two and a half. Supposedly the head rest piece can also move up and down and sideways, but I couldn't figure out how to work it. Excellent service, as usual, on Cathay Pacific.
Got home, slept and then went to the 25th Annual San Francisco Opera Medallion Society luncheon at the Ritz -Carlton. Quite a contrast to the $1.30 Thai dinners!
Well, that's all! Hope this helps some in making their decision on medical tourism! If you have any questions, I'd be happy to answer them, but Carol or the other Fodorites could probably give you much better answers.
Easy-motorscooter-traveler
Feb 10th, 2008, 12:56 PM
#110
Join Date: Feb 2008
Posts: 14
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Hi there,
Bangkok sounds great! I am heading there in a couple of weeks and am trying to book a hotel for two nights near the airport. Actually, it dosen't have to be near the airport, just easy to get to as I am landing at midnight. Can antone give me some advice and tips?
Thanks, Rod.
Bangkok sounds great! I am heading there in a couple of weeks and am trying to book a hotel for two nights near the airport. Actually, it dosen't have to be near the airport, just easy to get to as I am landing at midnight. Can antone give me some advice and tips?
Thanks, Rod.
Feb 10th, 2008, 01:27 PM
#111
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 33,288
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
rodway, you might want to make a separate post to ask your question. You really don't want to stay by the airport, as you would be far away from the things you want to do and see in Bangkok. At midnight the drive into the city will be very quick. Read some of the reports on Bangkok and others questions, then ask your questions on a separate thread.
Feb 10th, 2008, 04:45 PM
#113
Join Date: Mar 2003
Posts: 6,664
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
ET-super report. You made BKK come alive. It was great to read about all your advetures. I would hop right on a motor scooter except for two problems:
1. Beth would never speak to me again.
2. I'm not sure even the best driver could navigate properly with a 100 KG panda on the back.
1. Beth would never speak to me again.
2. I'm not sure even the best driver could navigate properly with a 100 KG panda on the back.
