If I remember the name correctly, the BTS stop for Paragon is Siam (the station is right outside Paragon). Can't remember if MBK has a station right next to it or not. In any case, it's just a short walk (about 75% through air-conditioned malls) from Paragon.

I don't know much about hotels so much, I've only stayed in 2 hotels in BKK recently (Amari Watergate, which is opposite Platinum mall; and Millennium Hilton which is on the other side of the river and you need to take a boat across to the BTS station). I haven't stayed in any budget hotels as my travels to BKK are often for work, and when I do go on a personal trip, I stay at the Hilton as I get 50% discounts via my Hilton club membership (and points for future free stays).

I wish I could help with the temples too, I know there are a few grand ones accessible from the river (saw them on the river cruise). Unfortunately, temples don't interest me, and in BKK, my main interests were shopping, eating and spa

i forgot the price already. but mine was damn cheap because we went late. so no shopping. but i bet if you go earlier it will be more expensive. because there would be more people. bargaining power of buyers vs sellers man. hahah. but from what i remember. where i went there was 3 stops. one is to this zoo thing on the river, another at a big temple. and one at the fish feeding (you dont get off the boat, buy bread from this guys house and he drops it to your boat. heh. damn fun.) not sure about how long the ride will be with shopping. a few hours probably if you go in the early morning to look around. get breakfast on your boat and stuff. if you want cheap i think you can jump on a sampan shared with others.

dunno how to stop the driver. i think they understand stop though. you might have to put a thai accent on it though. kekeke.

Izzit safe to go Bangkok next year?

Not sure if it's safe but for now I'd like to think so. It's really hard to say coz one never knows what will happen tomorrow. But I think I will have a good trip in January.

Oooh now I have another place to go on my list...JJ Mall. Maybe when Chatuchak becomes too hot to walk, I'll go to JJ Mall. I'm interested in taking some good photos of Thai temples(if they allow photo-taking there) and Wat Arun seems to look very interesting from outside. Not sure about the interior though...some friends said Grand Palace...but for me, shopping first, temple if I have extra time...

Any nice restaurant to recommend? Good food, fair/cheap price?

Then i will be going on march..hope is good day... i first time go can plz tell me what to becareful and tips for 1st timer??

if you look back there was a thing about the gem scam.

also... when you go to temples and stuff they got those people cut outs with traditional thai things painted on it. (the one you put your face into the hole and take pictures. like ones at theme parks with donald duck or what not.) you have to pay to take photo. itll say in some tinnnnyyy corner... 40 baht.

street food is reasonably safe. but look at the location before buying. such as next to a dusty road. near a big drain, trash or what not, otherwise you will be eating sandy food.

the train system is the best way to get around probably. bts i think its called.

tuk tuk drivers rip tourists off. try to ask the hotel how much it would cost to go from the hotel to wherever you going. then just hand them the money. no haggling. for a 50 baht ride they will try charge you 200. so becareful. tuk tuk is cool for a bit until the pollution gets to you though. hahha.

Thanks for the tips. I think I'll be traveling around with BTS/MRT and taxi. I heard the taxis are quite ok if we ask to go by meter. Unless if we're stuck in the jam then it's no fun.

I heard there are 2 different train lines... How do i pay for the train fees? Izzit like singaporw where i buy one card then can travel any train using the card then scan or have to use coins 1?? or have to buy different card for different train line? is the transport convenient to go around sigtseeing in bangkok?

beware of some taxi that offer some sort of fixed rate to take u to several places. most probably u'll end up at some temples that no1 go n some jewelry shops.


last time i went it use different ticketing, like STAR n Putra LRT here. BTS use ticket while the subway use a chip coin.

So if I tell the taxi driver that I wanna go to such and such a place and asked for the meter and not interested in anywhere else, that should be fine right?

Oh yes, when we pay for the ticket/coin, what is the denomination we should use? I mean is there a limit on using coins only or only small change and no big notes, etc?

well when i was there i had no problems with the taxis. get in and go. i think they only trick you if you are super tourist looking. like whip out the map at the taxi stand or in the taxi itself. try not to look like a target. big camera dangling around your neck and all hahaha. if they dont wanna do meter. take another taxi. there are like millions of them. you'll see hahah.

denomination for train and stuff. is that the machine will only accept coins. unless they changed it. so everyone basically lines up at the counter. changes coins. then goes to the machine to buy a ticket. i dont think you can buy tickets from the counter.

usually its perfectly ok if u flag down a taxi by the street. juz that some of them understand very little english or not at all haha. i once told the driver to national museum, he took me to national stadium.

however when u at tourist areas such as the Grand Palace n Wat Poh, u might found some 'nice guys' who offered to give u helps on directions or info. dont get on any Taxi that these guys help u to flag down n say can get to somewhere cheap. even those officers in uniform at the Grand Palace entrance will trick u like this.

as for the train tickets, u'll need to exchange ur notes at the counters for coins, then buy the tickets using the machine urself.

This post has been edited by Chrisky: Dec 28 2008, 01:59 PM

btw juz a reminder, there no such things as 'Buddha Day' or whatever shit that places like Grand Palace n Wat Pho will be closed for half day or what. locals who told u so most likely are trying to con u.

I cannot speak thai...Will it be a very big problem when I get there such as order food and buying stuff and getting around?? Also do they bargain for stuff there? If cannot speak thai how to bargain?

dont woli that much, Thai people are generally very friendly n helpful, they usually wil try their best to help when u ask them something. i met wif a few that got very good sense of humor too.

those who do business usually know some basic english... well u can safely bet that they know words like 'how much', 'cheap', 'discount', 'good', etc. n yes, u can bargain everything in the markets there.

having say that, of coz its always good to know some basic thai, such as :

hello -> sawadikap
thank you -> krap kum kap
how much -> tao rai

* cant sure the totally correct pronunciation though.

greet n thanks the local in thai, n they'll impressed ! i once bought something from a lady, after i paid i thanked her in thai, she was like 'OMG WTF i'm impressed' n gave me another 100 baht discount.

This post has been edited by Chrisky: Dec 28 2008, 04:02 PM

about pronouciation. most of them will drag the last few letters and make them longer...

sawadeekaaaap
krap kum kaaap

other words not. so cant really help past this point hahaha.

very friendly?? I have heard many negative comments like how dangerous that place is and how you can get rob..also how the peddlers trying to cheat non locals...I really not sure and recently with the protests.. Is it still safe to go in march?? Is bangkok more dangerous than KL or JB?? If i talk to the locals or maybe the train ticket officer they can understand english?? plz advice..thanks

of coz not everyone there is 'good guy', but i'm sure many who visited Bangkok b4 will agreed with me that Thais are generally friendly people. well by human nature, negative things are always being highlighted.

n there's really no need to overly worry abt the language issue, most of them can understand standard n simple english. the 1st time i was there i know no thai at all, n i did juz fine there.

as for the protest thing... well i hav no idea abt the recent 1. i used to went there when Taksin was ngam ngam being overthrown, n from what i see was everything went juz like normal there, no chaos at all. my GF went there alone for biz trip this past aug/sept, when there's protest going on against Samak, things were normal as well.

yes most people there are nice. and soft natured. i believe this is because they are very religious there. so most of them are nice and kind people. like the teachings of buddha. many of the taxis insides have scripture written on them on the seats and inside roofs. the funny thing over there though. is that they will always give buddha fanta to drink... i have never seen them put a bottle of coke or pepsi or sprite at the buddha. i dunno if this has something to do with the drink being orange or what. anyone know the reason? can clarify for me.

atleast in bangkok is safer than kuala lumpur