Hi Spishl,

This my first time to visit Bangkok. Can i assume Petchburi is a very accessible place to park in since you mention it was like our Bukit Bintang. Thanks for your recommendation. Will go for search on Suk11

what park are you referring?
bangkok is not too big, any of the place is fine
the transport is not really expensive

just take a cab (metered), from sukhumvit to grand palace is around 80 baht one way, if you take tuktuk they will chop u 150-200 baht

of course if u wan shopping, petchaburi is the best
surrounded by shopping centers

since this is your first trip, beware of the blue sapphire scam
my fren kena and she lost thousands of RM
more info here
http://www.2bangkok.com/2bangkok/Scams/Sapphire.shtml

This post has been edited by spishl: Jan 13 2009, 02:22 PM

I mean stay => "park in".... sorry misleading. hehe

I checked suk11. Quite good. I am considering need to find a 2-3star hotel or just a hostel like suk11. But i am more comfortable to hotel. Budget can extend abit la. Maybe max max RM150 nett/nite. I got friend recommended Samran Place at Petchburi or Western Mayfair Hotel at Pratunam both around RM100/nite. I am going for 5day 4nite. Any advise?

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Added on January 13, 2009, 2:32 pmAny more advise for first timer to visit Bangkok? Any pantang larang? haha

This post has been edited by dRLurve: Jan 13 2009, 02:32 PM

anyone know about ...
- bangkok cha-da hotel at 188 Ratchadapisek Rd, Huaykwang
- The Key Bangkok Sukhumvit at 19, Sukhumvit Soi 19,Wattana.

which one is better?

aiya~~ Do u search which place are the best to stay? cha-da hotel seem not bad from user review.

both place is strategic, both hotel also same price, but cha-da is 4 star hotel, the other hotel is 3.5 star

How many person u go? Any1 here been to floating market with just two person? I mean the pricing for the boat how much? per boat or per person?

2 person only
i got package from airasia RM940 for 2 pax, include return ticket & 4D3N accomodation

including accommodation? U mean AA let u choose btw that two hotel?

I booked my return ticket RM600++ for two person. Now seraching for Hotel budget around RM100++ per night.

Since you also a first timer to visit Bangkok, can share itinerary? Maybe we should use PM. hehehe

i also looking for hotel..not too fussy about the hotel..as long is cheap and convenient.. i going early march..

about the thai girl show, by the way u guys talking about it, seems like its illegal..i tot its an atttraction of thailand.. so i wont be able to find it easily??? if go watch pondan show is legal?? but pondan no need do show oso i feel geli already la

hahahaha. yeah it is illegal. to my knowledge prostitution and the whole red light district in thailand is illegal. however it attracts sex tourists. and in turn fuels the economy so the government doesnt do anything about it. from what i hear about the thai girl show.... it would be illegal in any country. even on other planets maybe. hahahahaha.

i never got to see pondan show. supposed to be very good. its a cabaret. there is one... aiya forgot where. but its called calypso i think. seemed pretty big. anyone here been there to give review? maybe you can google it.

HI all,

I just came back from bangkok after 3 days of shopping and sight seeing at the temple there. Here below is 2 of the best cab drivers I have ever seen in bangkok. No going to gem factory and all. Cheap ,Good can speak english and friendly

Anyone who is going to bangkok just call them ealier and let them know u r coming,they will fetch u from airport
price is roughly at 400 Baht normally is 500-600 Bath to Pra Tu Nam Area.

Mr.Deng - 0839132781 ( speaks 60% english )

or

Mr At - 0850735339 (speaks 35% english )


Normal 3 temple tours within bangkok , agency will charge roughly 500 - 600B per pax

This guy charged me 800B for one whole taxi which includes 3 temple tours (takes roughly 4 hours to complete all 3 temples plus transportation time) then we went back to Pra Tu Nam for my last minute shopping ( where he waited 2 more hours for me in the car) then send me to the airport

Total was 1200B but i gave him 1300B and that made his day. So enjoy calling them and negotiate on the price accordingly

Maybe u can mention my name for discounts if he remembers me - just tell him Kenny from Malaysia ( hopefully he remembers) Lolz


Places to shop on bangkok

Chatukjak Market - is crowded and TOO large.. u will get lost , lolz ( prices is nearly the same with PRA TU NAM market. They even sell puppies and dogs at dirt cheap prices.. u can get a shih tzu for 2000B which is RM 200. Buy 2 and u get RM 180 each.lolz

Pra Tu Nam Market - average crowd and easy navigating through stalls - wholesale prices... the more u buy the cheaper it is.

MBK Mall - Like a normal mall but u have to shop at lvl 2 and look out for stalls which has great discounts in front. this places u can further ask for discounts and wholesale prices

Platinum Mall opp Pra Tu Nam Market - a wholesale mall where you can nearly everything and anything, except animals. lolz. I would suggest those first timers to shop in here.

Places to stay in Bangkok

Baiyoke Boutique - 1800B per night - 2 minute walk away from Pra Tu Nam Market. Although is abit expensive but it worth the stay as you dun have to spend extra money on cabs and tuk tuk's

Liberty Garden Hotel - 1070B per night - 10 minutes drive to Pra Tu Nam - not that worth though unless you love to stay away from the crowded area and save a little.

LKN INN at 1477,phaholyothin road,samsennai - 400-600B per night - normal back packers rooms ( 10 minutes drive to Pra Tu Nam)
(www.lkninn.com)

Where to buy good,cheap and average quality suits? ready within 10 hours

Canali Collection - 1 minute walk from Baiyoke Boutique
( I bought 2 suits complete with pants and FOC 2 neck tie @ 4800B = RM480) damn cheap


Suggestions

Although Tuk tuk's are famous in Bangkok but i suggest you NOT to take tuk tuk;s because
1. they rarely speak english
2. very very rude
3. their prices are very expensive for foreigners
4. drive dangerously
5. change their charge half way during transportation
6. re route to gem factories and shops for free vouchers and ETC
7. traffic fumes get into your FACES,lolz

But if u still wanna try them go ahead but nvr pay more than 200B for any one way location within Bangkok area

If you backpacking alone i would suggest you take the motorcycle drivers, they have orange vest and they are much more polite and have standard rates. cheaper than tuk tuk's.

For guys if you are looking for special stuff just ask MR Deng or Mr At for "Ding Ding" they will take u and go see see.

Lastly hope u guys and gals enjoy your stay and beware of pick pockets. I hope my mini info would be helpful tho.

cheers

i oso going on early March

oh by the way, today's news!
http://www.bernama.com/bernama/v5/newsgeneral.php?id=383389

"In the Central Region, the lowest temperature is between 13 and 15 degree, with Bangkok currently experiencing 14 to 16 degree, with the south, between 17 and 23 degree.

The department said the cold spell was due to the intense cold air blowing from China."

for those who're going in Jan/Feb, do remember to bring extra sweater. Don't catch cold.

This post has been edited by panasonic88: Jan 14 2009, 07:14 AM

At the airport now, waiting for my flight to get back to KL. Gotta come back again next month @_@. . . .

@djslimkenz - Apart from the fare to and from the airport, it seems fine. But 400-600 baht to get to town is actually rather expensive. I just came from rajdamri area and it only cost me 240 Baht. Not including toll of course, but that would just come up to about 310 Baht. IMO I wouldn't quite suggest calling them for airport rides. Since getting cabbies is really easy and getting to where you want isn't that hard either. Not to mention most cabbies I've came across got a certain amount of English skills already.

On the cold weather. If you are just in BKK itself, I wouldn't bother bout any cold wear. Since it only feels like a cool breeze(don't forget its still sunny). If you are heading out of town, particularly to the north, then that would be understandable, but I wouldn't worry too much bout it, a simple sweater or jacket would do. Chiang Mai and surrounding areas usually are cool-cold though, regardless.

mentioned this b4, a not bad hotel that worth considering.

Samran Place

laz time i stay there cost me ard 800 baht a room for 2. nothing fantastic but its clean n cheap. including breakfasts (which is not bad actually) too.

has anyone tried musuems in Bangkok?

Travellers - if you r heading to BKK and looking for place to stay , u may try this service apt. which only less than RM100. There r 2 and I always stay at Watana Manion which is near to Chatuchak n I go around with MRTA (Suttisan station)

The other one BKK City which is near the Pratunam Market & MBK

http://www.staybangkok.com/

Hey guys, I'm back! Overall a fantastic trip. I intend to share my info/experience so others who are going there for the first time will be well informed. But now still tired from all the shopping so I'll add in info and pics bit by bit...maybe later today or tomorrow will try to write as much as possible.

@ vermins Haha sorry didn't contact you at all. Too distracted with catching up time for shopping and hardly enough time to spend in MBK. Hope you had a great time(but then it's like a 2nd home to you).

Another thing...Bangkok was friggin' cold!!!! That was between 9th-13th Jan. Since everyone said it's gonna be hot hot hot, I wore only thin t-shirts and knee-length pants or soft capris and sandals...and I was freezing! Even in Chatuchak I was cold, even when the sun comes out, I was cold. And I wasn't the only one, I looked around and everyone was shivering or dressed up like it's winter. They were even selling winter clothing and scarves and shawls. Even the locals said Bangkok was never this cold. I hardly sweat walking from morning till night. However, I do think that in Feb/March it will turn hot coz I don't think it's something that will last. Wind from China might change direction by then??

That's strange. Taking the taxi was super easy for me. I just walked out of the airport and there it was, at the entrance. You can see people lining up to take a taxi and there's a booth. Not a limo but the public taxi that goes by meter. There will be many assistants helping out to get your location so the queue is quick. And I went to my hotel in Pratunam, only costs about 200 something baht. Return from hotel to airport cost 205 baht. So 400baht is quite expensive. Tuk-tuk was very convenient for me. No one asked to take me to any gem shops or changed course or asked for different price. Maybe we were lucky but we took tuk-tuk many many times. Usually what I did was ask a local or the info counter at any shopping malls about how much it will cost roughly to go from A to B so that I know how much it will cost roughly...and then I just tell the tuk-tuk driver and negotiate the price until we're both satisfied and then go. Taxi is easy coz just ask to go by meter. A local told me that the taxi driver must go by meter and they cannot choose passengers or refuse to take passengers. So when I found one and he asked for a specific price, I just went to another one.

Ok, I'll come back with more complete info in a while.

Totally unforgivable!

Its cool, wasn't really expecting. Sounds like ya had a good time! And how was it cold?!?! I went about only in tees and they were only like cool breezes. Then again I can take 1-10Cs with just a sweater STILL.. its not that cold!!! And there weren't anyone I saw around that had sweaters or jackets on

OH, people.. do NOT think thai cabbies are like the ones we have here in Malaysia. They are (sad to say) WAY WAY WAY better then here. Sure, some will cheat and all, but generally are a lot nicer and direct. And even the cabs they drive are in a lot better condition too

This post has been edited by vermins: Jan 15 2009, 01:51 PM

What?! Where were you??? Most people I saw were in sweaters/jackets/scarves. Except a few unprepared ones like me or mighty-warm-blooded beings like...you... And because it was so cold I didn't get to flood my system with fragrant coconut juice