Good. Shopping is a must in Bangkok

Cheap stuff > Pratunam, MBK
Expensive stuff > Basically all those big shopping centres such Siam Paragon, Central World, Central Chidlom etc.)

Must not forget to check out the Gourmet Market (a high-end supermarket) located at the basement level of Siam Paragon. There is not a single supermarket or hypermarket in Malaysia that look like the Gourmet Market at Siam Paragon.

Siam Paragon Department Stores have many shirt brands coming from Europe that we have never seen before. It is however quite expensive


Taxi fare in Bangkok is very cheap. Just like in KL, there will be some taxi drivers that may refuse to use the meter. In this case, you should refuse taking their taxi too. I never used a taxi in Bangkok that refuses to use the meter.

Their taxis come in blue, orange, pink etc There is also one type of taxi that is painted in yellow/green. The starting fare for all these taxis are the same. So no worries there.


The two stations above are not really useful to you. Ratchaprarop is one of the stations on the Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport Rail Link line. You need to take the train from Ratchaprarop station to Phaya Thai ARL Station to transfer to Phaya Thai BTS Station.

By the way, typo there. It's Makkasan, not Nakkasan


Petchburi Station is actually an underground station. Trains at these underground stations do not go to the major shopping belt of Bangkok (Pratunam, Siam Paragon etc.). Besides, Makkasan Station is 1.4km away from D'Ma, so it is not convenient either.


All these problems can be solved by staying at Pullman Bangkok King Power There is one BTS Station (Victory Monument) outside of the hotel, connected to a small shopping centre. The hotel provides a complimentary tuk-tuk shuttle service between the hotel and the shopping centre. The tuk-tuk stops at the back of the shopping centre. You need to go into the shopping centre and take the escalator one floor up. The BTS Station is right outside of the shopping centre (on the front).

By the way, i don't recommend you to walk all the way from D'Ma to either Pratunam or Siam Paragon. I have done this before roughly 18 months ago just for the sake of revisiting the hotel i used to stay at (D'Ma) when i was still in Primary School and it was no fun at all. It doesn't look like it is very far from the map. This is true, PROVIDED YOU ARE TAKING A TAXI If you are going to walk, then it is seriously far and the weather in Bangkok, which is so hot and humid isn't helping at all I was drained in sweat by the time i got there. I was so thirsty and exhausted and i ended up taking a taxi back to Pullman Bangkok King Power as soon as i reached the front door of D'Ma Hotel


Depends on which direction you are coming from. You can either align at Siam Station or Chit Lom Station. Neither station is right on the front of centralworld. centralworld is actually smacked right in the middle of Siam Station and Chit Lom Station. However, Chit Lom Station is aaaaa biiiiit nearer to central world, just a bit.

Woah, thank you for all this info! I will just print this out and bring along Pratunam Mall and Platinum Mall is definitely inside the list. Will read up on MBK as it looks a bit further. I read that Siam Paragon is for upper range stuffs, so I will probably skip shopping here and have a look at the Gourmet Market if time permits, I am intrigued by your description.

Haha, one of my uncle keep saying take the blue one will do. At least I know better now I don't see any railway line (?) connecting Pratunam Mall-Platinum Mall-Central World-Siam Paragon, so will have to use taxi for hopping.

Looks like I can minimize the use of the railways, unless I somehow decide to make a trip to Terminal 21 which is near to Asok BTS/Sukhumvit MRT. Read that they have an interesting concept there.

My Day 3 will look like this:
Hotel > taxi Pratunam Mall > Platinum Mall > Central World Plaza > Siam Paragon > taxi to hotel. Any route that you think it is better to walk instead?

Quite hectic and I still wondering whether to go to Baiyoke Sky Tower market. Or maybe put 1 mall to Day 1/2 night.

Thank you

Add: what is this gem shop that you guys are talking about? I got a feeling that the 'Jewellery shopping' in my itinerary refers to this place.

This post has been edited by Human Nature: Mar 13 2013, 04:19 PM

Pratunam is something like a big wholesale market. Platinum Mall is located opposite to Pratunam and it is a newer mall, wholesale style but a little bit more expensive than Pratunam because Platinum Mall got air-con inside whereas Pratunam wholesale market is open air and it can get quite hot during the day


MBK has changed a lot since the 90s. And i think it is not as nice as it was. Since you won't be in Bangkok for long, MBK is probably the mall you can skip because you can buy all the very cheap shirts at Pratunam


Yes. Siam Paragon is a high-end shopping centre. But do not skip Gourmet Market if time permits, won't take you a very long time. It is a shame that no supermarket in Malaysia looks like Gourmet Market Siam Paragon


Yes. Because there isn't. But if you want to save some money, you can actually walk from Siam Paragon to Central World, then go to the very back of Central World and come out from ISETAN. Right outside of ISETAN there is like 3 or 4 Buddha statues which you can pay your respect if you want to or may be take some pictures. In this place, there might be some people approaching you, telling you about Buddha Day, gemstone. Well, ignore them and pretend you do not understand them to shoo them off.

When you come out from ISETAN, turn left (as mentioned, got Buddha statues there) and just walk straight. You will walk pass a bridge, and soon you'll see NOVOTEL on your left. Congrats, you have now arrived at Pratunam


Yes. Take a taxi from D'Ma to Pratunam. Then you can choose either to walk as i suggested to Central World. But do note it's quite far too but i personally have done it a few times

If Siam Paragon is your last stop of the day, then yes. Do take a taxi back to your hotel.

By the way, Siam Paragon and Central World are next to each other. However, you still need to walk a bit and to avoid from getting loss, look for the Siam BTS Station right outside of Siam Paragon, then you can walk to Central World using the elevated footpath which is built right underneath the BTS railway.


Baiyoke is in Pratunam. I personally have never gone in there though. And since you have nothing else other than Motor Show planned for Day 2, may be you can go to one of the shopping malls at night ? Or to go to shopping mall at night


Definitely something like that. If it is possible to skip this place, then skip it

Thanks again bro Miles. Looks like the place/route is covered

No problem

By the way, i just have a look at your planned itinerary again. I suggest you to go to Siam Paragon/Central World in the evening either on Day 1 or Day 2. And then only go to Pratunam and Platinum Fashion Mall on Day 3. Pratunam is big. So i don't think you'll have enough time to go to Siam Paragon/Central World since your flight is departing for KUL at 9pm. Besides, this way you'll have time to go into Baiyoke Sky Tower, which is also in Pratunam. Have fun
This post has been edited by MilesAndMore: Mar 13 2013, 05:09 PM

That is a good idea. From Siam Paragon, can head over to Lebua Thank you. First time to the Land of smiles

Hi buddy ..im going to bangkok pattaya for 6D5N on next monday ,actually i had booked a travel agency company ,but i still have some free time don't know wat to do ,so wanna look to your all can gv any suggestion onot ,let say night life here 1st ,due i will update a full schedule

1st hotel in BKK - CENTRIC HOTEL (1N) check in to BKK around 10pm
2nd hotel in PTY - ROYAL CENTURY (2N)
3rd hotel in BKK - EASTIN MAKKASAN HOTEL (2N)

Thanks for all help

This post has been edited by edisonedw: Mar 13 2013, 08:11 PM

Is Silom near Pratunam?

Booked Tango. May I know what is the best way from DMK?

Taxi

NO

My travel itenary 01 Apr - 03 Apr 2013

01 Apr 13
1pm- reach DMK airport
2pm- reach Astera Sathorn hotel
230pm-300pm - to National stadium
330pm-8pm - to Platinum / Central World / Big C
8pm - Samboon dinner (nearby that area?)
10pm - Siam square night market (anything interesting here?)


02 Apr 13
7am-6pm - engaged with Mama tour to visit Ayutthaya
7pm-9pm - any dinner place to recommend?
9pm - Asiatique (should be quite near to Astera Sathorn hotel?)


03 Apr 13
7am-1pm - engaged with Mama tour to visit floating market
1pm-4pm - will be at Khao san road, any nearby Tesco Lotus around Khao san road?
4pm-430pm - DMK airport departure flight at 630pm

Any comments on the above travel itenary? I have tried to pack everything in.. Appreciate all feedback !

Hi guys. Will be there for a week from Sunday onwards. What prepaid would you guys suggest? Need to reuse again during April.

hi guys will b goin BKK on 31st march till 3rd april for the motor show as well hope to c u all there haha neways those goin for motorshow any sggestion hotels u all staying ?? i was thinking around SIAM area or Sukhumvit ( alot recommend)
my planned itiniery is arrival day do some light shopping n rest as we wil b fying in BKK hangover haha so 1st nite party again
2nd day wud b goin for the motorshow whole day
3rd day wud b main heavy shopping
4th day still unplanned for now altho we will b partying most of the nites

budget around 1000THB pernite

Day 1:
Since you're in Pratunam area on Day 1, I suggest that you have your dinner around that area and leave Somboon for day 2.
If you plan to buy a lot of stuffs in Big C, then make that your last stop (before closing hours, of course) so that you can haul your purchases back to your hotel on a taxi.

Day 2:
http://www.somboonseafood.com/e-surawong.html
Somboon's Surawong branch (Chong Nonsi BTS) is quite near to your hotel, so you can have dinner there on Day 2 and then go to Asiatique via the shuttle boat after that.

Day 3:
I assume you check'll check out in the morning, prior to the tour?
You flight is at 6.30pm and you only leave BKK at 4-4.30pm? Bangkok's jam is unpredictable, so if you can, leave earlier.

This post has been edited by Serendipity123: Mar 15 2013, 10:04 AM

Serendipity: many thanks for the input !

Anything to see / worth to go at the Siam Square Night Market? Any good place for dinner around Pratunam area?

Day 3- I got my hotel extended to 2PM max.. But it's abit risky, as Mamatour says the tour will end and reach Kao San road at 1pm.. But Mamatour allow us to carry our luggage to their van.. So i guess shouldn't be an issue..

Visiting Tesco LOTUS is a must as i have stuff to buy So any idea where is the NEAREST Tesco Lotus from Kao San road? Or similar hypermarkets around that area?

I noticed you been talking bout "mamatour". Is it a tour agency? How do you engage their service? Good?

Thanks.

I'm not sure why Tesco Lotus is a must, coz I've never been.

Can you get your stuffs at Big C? It's a hypermarket.

As for your day 3, I do think it's a bit risky. If you must go on this tour, I think you should bring your luggage with you. Even if your time got delayed because of traffic or for whatever reasons, you can just take a taxi and head straight to the airport. No need to return to the hotel.

Siam Square Night Market is not bad though the prices can be a little bit more expensive than Pratunam or Chatuchak. But still, cheaper than Malaysia.

Unfortunately, I don't have anything to recommend for dinner in Pratunam. While I'm there, it's usually for a shopping spree, so I would just grab food at some random restaurants in whichever mall I'm in at that time.

But there are many choices in Central World or Big C mall, so no worries there.

hi yiivei,

mamatour is a tour agency. You can contact them at mamatour1@hotmail.com

I got their contact through this LYN forum as well. Highly recommended by forumers..

Serendipity: thanks again for the input. I guess i will stick with your suggestion to check out on my last day tour.

I find tesco lotus has so many things to buy.. Haven't try BIG C before.. But i guess should be more or less the same with Tesco Lotus? If yes then just head on to Big C..

Problem now is assuming I grab TOO MANY things at Big C, how am i suppose to walk siam square night market with so many things to carry? Haha !! Moreover it's like one whole day at pratunam shopping spree... Need to think of a way to carry all those stuff..