hi there, planning to go bangkok next year (2007) cny. planning for a 7D6N

can anyone experienced advise on:

1. izit a good time to go in cny?
2. where can't i miss?
3. will 7 days be too much or not enough?
4.cool place for sightseeing
5. cool place for entertaiment
6. cool place for relaxing

appreciate your help very much! thanks!

______________________________________________________________________________________________
More Tourist Info compiled by stimix from various postings here:

1) Transportations:

BTS Train route/map: http://www.bts.co.th/en/map.asp
Banmgkok subway map: http://www.bangkoksite.com/MRTA/Route1A.htm

2) Suggested Itineraries & tourist attractions:

http://forum.lowyat.net/index.php?showtopi...post&p=22964095

http://forum.lowyat.net/index.php?showtopi...post&p=10617587

http://forum.lowyat.net/index.php?showtopi...post&p=11301830

http://forum.lowyat.net/index.php?showtopi...post&p=11962044

http://forum.lowyat.net/index.php?showtopi...post&p=12038326

http://forum.lowyat.net/index.php?showtopi...post&p=13499490

http://forum.lowyat.net/index.php?showtopi...post&p=16359862

http://forum.lowyat.net/index.php?showtopi...post&p=19392288

http://forum.lowyat.net/index.php?showtopi...post&p=24284236

http://forum.lowyat.net/index.php?showtopi...post&p=24397243

3) Accomodations - Choose those near to MRT/ BTS lines:

http://directrooms.com/thailand/hotels/ban...tels/price1.htm

http://www.sawadee.com/hotels/bangkok.html

http://www.agoda.com/asia/thailand/bangkok.html

http://www.asiarooms.com/thailand/bangkok.html

4) Shopping district reviews :

http://forum.lowyat.net/index.php?showtopi...post&p=18423472
http://forum.lowyat.net/index.php?showtopi...post&p=23751082

5) Famous Scams in bangkok (BEWARE)

http://www.bangkokscams.com/undercover/top...n-thailand.html
http://forum.lowyat.net/index.php?showtopi...post&p=24120548
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/8154497.stm

This post has been edited by stimix: Jul 22 2009, 12:04 AM

First of all..im Thai but not Bkk resident...but hope my answer will help
1. I think it should be alrite for you to travel up north to Bkk during CNY...
2. This depend on ur preference...... e.g. shopping, temple, or history places
3. 7D6N is jus more than enough unless you have long list of visiting places....
if you like only to shopping....4d3n would be enough but if you like to visit the
temple then 3d2n shld be fine....

4, 5 and 6 i will leave for anyone who stay or live in Bkk or travelled to Bkk before to answer ya......

You may visit link below "migrating to Thailand" there are serveral persons may help to answer ur question
Link

This post has been edited by Chen Bee Hansern: Nov 1 2006, 01:09 AM

hi, Chen Bee Hansern, thanks for your info, if 7D in bangkok alone is more than enough, might go to other places too, like chiang mai. know that these 2 cities is the best place to visit. if i take train from bangkok to chiang mai, how long will it take? btw, mind to tell me where are u from? perhaps can giv some info on your place if there's any cool place to visit n thanks for the link too

hi nugget, this trip is with friends. all young ppl, no child or old frens, so no problem in moving to anywhere at anytime pls advise

relaxing, visiting history places & temples are the 1st choice, wont really go shopping.

I just came back from Bangkok, and one thing, the tourist place where they say the floating market is really sarcastic. They'll bring u to a place where there are only like less than 10 sampans.

Anyway, shopping in Bangkok and moving around is quite easy. Take the BTS (their railway system like our LRT) to travel around Bangkok.

If you would like, can take a trip to the safari there. Lions and tigers are the big cats that I see. If you enjoy night life, don't worry, Bangkok got tons of it. Or you can ask for Cowboy Street

great info, thanks! rukawa!
the floating market place's name is? so i will not be cheated
there is only 1 safari place in bangkok?
cowboy street...yeah! thanks~!

Also be reminded, a glass of beer is only 50 baht ==woo RM5 only

If you have time, go to Pattaya for the Miss Alcazar show

glass of beer? in where? nightlife area?
i went phuket last month, a small bottle cost around 28-35 baht in store, in pub, its cost around 70-90 baht. damn cheap! but im not really into alcohol, so dun really take the opportunity

how long from bangkok to pattaya? the show sounds like those ah kua show...am i rite? hehe

Chiangmai is a good place to visit....ppl there is very nice....food is tasty..... weather will be very cold at the end of the year..... On the top of mountain will be very cold...sometime can get lower than 5'c .... not very sure how long would it take for train to travel up north from bkk to chiangmai..... but last time i took bus.... many hours lo....cant remember.....may be 6-8!!?(plz correct me if i wrong)...... plz be careful when u take the train .... must watch ur value stuff carefully.......... my town is in the south....small small town ya...... i probably would travel up north to chiangmai end of this year to the world garden and florist event.......but most likely would take flight ya he he he

This post has been edited by Chen Bee Hansern: Nov 2 2006, 11:31 PM

Hmm...i think shld be few hours ya...depend on traffic.... lots of entertainment there also ya...... used to get there often whn i was young teenage

ah kua show? pat pong! lolz.
wong.. since when u semangat bangkok? kena poison from me? go nvr ajak me..

haha! cool! patpong. alah, but i dun like ah kua show la...geli la...
haha, poison pulak, plan to travel there after phuket trip coz the flight ticket is cheap then also got lots of fun things (historical buildings, culture, entertaiment) to explore
so, i count you in for next year cny trip?
will be on 3rd day of cny to the 9th day of cny.
total 7 days, so do u think its too long or just ngam ngam?
u went there before? its good if yes then u can be our guide...

This post has been edited by wk_wong: Nov 3 2006, 11:27 PM

Bangkok is nice city albeit ppl there speak 'lil english. Comm wld be a problem. Cheap. With its light rail sys, traffic jam cld be avoided.

Akua show? I thought in Bangkok mostly 'Tiger' show. Phuket and Pattaya have tonnes of this 'akua' show. I must say there is one in Pattaya (if not mistaken - Ceasars), which is quite a good show.

rukawa, that floating market you are talking about is probably called "Taling Chan". It's about 30 minutes drive by taxi from the city. Although it officially qualifies as a floating market, it isn't the original, authentic one.

The real floating market is situated in another province called "Ratchaburi" or "Ratburi", as the locals call it. It's 1.5 hours drive out of Bangkok. Far, but at least you'll see the real thing.

floating market....is nice on photo...but when u are there...u will c all dirty thing...fly all around...but have an open mind lar....

visit to this lake...bung sam lan....mean sam lan lake...man made...
u can taste to fish the world largest fresh water fish...giant mekong catfish !!

chatucak have plenty to shop...bring back TARSIER !!
PATPONG...yum yum this place....
the easiest way is spend around rm20 buy a booklet bout bangkok n surrounding....ths way incase u out of idea u no need to find internet cafe over there to log on to LYN...cheerssss

thanks! htkaki

from my research, the real word for those show should be 'Thai Girl Show', i heard if u say u want 'Tiger Show' u'll bring to zoo to see tiger, cub feeding etc... but from pronunciation & a bit of body language should be no prob, except u communicating thru writing...

btw, no akua show for me, i dun feel the excitement

u r rite! hehe, also cannot guarentee how long i'll get my reply, perhaps after i went back to kl..hehe.

hey wong - 7 days in BKK will be awesome, if you like the place. BKK is a concrete jungle (i thought KL was big). don't get me wrong, i love BKK (i'm not a beach-loving guy) and with hundreds of Sois (street), you'll find almost everything there. just take your time and enjoy it.

my list of places to go in BKK:
- suan lum night bazaar (near Lumphini kickboxing stadium)
- jatujak - where do u start with this place....
- patpong - for the petaling street experience. a few nice club there, not the "show" type.
- pantip - bkk's version of lowyat (nothing to shout about)
- pratunam - 5/10 min from pantip
- china town
- the wats around bkk - tons of them
- thai massage - way too many places to recommend
- khao san road
- siam center in the weekends (people watchng)

can't really rcommend any places to eat, have not the time to explore yet but there's plenty of places. i usually heads to Foodland for my meals.

hope this helps.

hey dude! thanks for the great information, really appreciate it!
will visit all the recommended places from u since 7 days there.

jz wanna ask, in cny, will bangkok quiet? coz they celebrate cny too rite? scare later like ghost town or not so happening already, like those market closed, shops closed etc...
anyway booked the ticket, must go already no matter how was there and wat happen

Does any of you know about "gogobars"? I heard my friend talking about it.

no prob, glad if it coud help other visitors to bkk. i suppose the attitude is to not expect too much, then whatever supasses your expectation would be a big bonus.

i THINK its business as usual during cny, the only ones that brings a grinding halt are the buddhist celebrations or anything to do with the king. might want to hear comments from those who've been there during cny.

tip: if you're partying or planning to drink in your room, buy all supply before midnight, alcohol sale stopped after midnight in most if not all convenient stores, this includes 7-11, family mart, etc.

beer are pretty cheap in convenient stores, like less than 50 bath a bottle (yup, its mostly bottles). prices goes up slightly in eating places and will reach KL prices in expensive clubs and disco like CM2, Spasso, Hard Rock Cafe, etc, so don't be shocked.

if you can't see cigarette in 7-11, ask! they don't display it, part of anti-smoking campaign, and bring a few boxes from MY, i find the cigarette there "different" and you won't find dunhill there.

these are basically bars with chicks working the metal pole. easy to find around patpong and soi cowboy being the most obvious. might not be to everyones liking but i think it's at least a one time must see since it's the nearest one to MY. i've seen a lot of tourist checking out the action just to experience it, yes male and female alike. of course there's more to this and for the details please PM the appropriate persons. btw, it's not my cup of tea and i find the "dancing" boring after a few minutes.


oh, the same trick applies at the new airport for taxis to town. go to the departure level and take your taxis there. sorry, don't have price to BKK as my first destination was out of town.

Recent visit to Bangkok, last week, taxi ride from new airport to Pratunam district cost around 250-300 baht...

You can rent a car. No problem about that. If you are Citibank Gold card member, you can get up to 50% discounts on Avis Rent-a-car.

But the main question is: Are you confident in driving around in Thailand? I did experience driving out of Bangkok, and lucky I had my honey with me to navigate around. It can be very confusing, especially when most signs are in Thai. Even though I'm able to read some amount of Thai confidently, it is hard when you are actually driving and trying to read the signs.

Do prepare yourself with a proper map if you intent to do so.

The rates for car rental can range from THB1,800 per day for a decent Toyota Vios. Of course, there are other surcharges, which you have to pay (such as insurance and other stuff).

Check out the following sites if you are interested:

http://avisthailand.com/home/index.php

http://www.budget.co.th/

Hi Chen Bee Hansern, I'm also thai here but mix chinese and same like u la I'm thai malaysian. Really wish that I'm real thai and live in Thailand. I've been there also a few times. My mom's hometown is in Surin, North Thai. Really wish to visit Chiang mai coz I love the cooling environment. But most importantly, I wanna visit Sukhothai during "loy krathong". It's an old city of Thailand. But my mom recommend you guys to go during the end of year coz

1. You can celebrate new year there. (It's more happening & merrier there. Not to say Malaysian is not happening la..;P)

2. This is the time when the "elephant soccer" festival will start (If not mistaken it's between Sep or Oct in North Thailand which is Surin my mom's hometown)

3. You can celebrate "loy krathong" there without any worries (feel free to make a wish and hopefully it will come true) that your "krathong" will terbalik like PD there (coz they said that the more far the krathong goes, the higher probability it will come true!! Haha!!

4. You sure didnt want to travel to a country that is hotter (I mean weather ) than Malaysia rite?

5. Most important of all= Money$o$ = Affordable la!! haha!!

thanks again dude!
so where u normally stay when u travel there?
any good hotel recommendation? especially in the sukumvit area? coz lots of my frens call me to stay at that area
wish to get those less than 1000 baht per night with good condition one(coz 6 nights), but can try those price range from 1000 - 2000 baht too...
actually, as long as the security is good, then it's fine, coz most of my time will be outta hotel, jz wanna keep my belonging safe n a bed to sleep (might sleep on the pub or street if too drunk)

This post has been edited by wk_wong: Nov 18 2006, 10:34 PM

Thanks sunbeams for your prompt reply.

Now my only concern is place to stay. Wanted to book Samran Place.. but its fully booked. Moreover its 29Dec06-1Jan07.. so difficult to book a hotel..

i'm here when i'm in bangkok (click the link) -> Palazzo Bangkok. It's in Rachadapisek Road, it's a bit off Sukumvit but not that far. 7-11 is just across the street, Underground station is about 10/15 minutes walk so does Robinson & Carrefour. taxi and motocycle taxi all lepak there at the doorstep so no problem with transportation. the landmark would be Emerald hotel which almost every taxi driver knows, Palazzo is beside Emerald but further down the soi/street. Security is good and won't ask anything if you bring a friend/friends back. they'll help you to your room just in case you're too drunk to walk....

The internet booking rates for single room is currently TBH1300 per night which is almost as good as their corporate rate. It's not bad for the price seriously, if i were to rate it, 2/3 star hotel. if i'm not mistaken, they will give you a double/twin for single room as they don't have a room with a single bed (does this makes sense?). can't recall if they have a safe in the room. internet access via 2 PC at the lobby - not free - or at the business centre.

anyone with good hotel along Sukumvit that can compete with the price please share with me, i would love to check it out too.

another one that i stayed before is this one -> Bangkok Suite, cheap and clean since it a new hotel BUT quite far from everything else. if you're on a tight wallet, this one is cool, and the food is pretty nice. long and confusing walk to the nearest Skytrain station and slightly harder to get taxi.

i've pass through an area called Ramintra which has lots of sport rims shops and maybe body kits, but not sure if that's the place. i find that there's no specific place that puts everything in one area. one word to described it best would be "bertabur".

Have anyone stay in Ibis Siam Hotel b4? is it ok?
How far is it from the Hotel to Skytrain?
How about First House Hotel?
I want somewhere which is near public transport..

and erm.. any recommended place to hangout on New years' eve?

hmm.. since palazzo is nice.. i'll book palazzo then..
is it far from pratunam/chatuchak/siam?

i heard its near MRT.. so i have to change to BTS if i want to go to the above places is it?

i don't think u will have any problem with this, your problem would be how much money you have in your wallet. check out the english papers - Bangkok Post - for any special events. it also depends on what you're looking for....music, crowd, location wise, etc.

tell me what you think of Palazzo....
Palazzo's nearest MRT station will be Huai Khwang station.
bangkok has 2 train system, the SKYTRAIN and METRO SUBWAY. i always imagine the 2 lines forming a mirror image (terbalik) of a cent sign. the straight line is skytrain and the C for the subway line with 2 points of contact. the middle contact will be in Asoke where you get off and move on to the other metro areas like pratunam, siam, mbk, central and basically the whole of Suk (Sukumvit) via skytrain or by foot. up north to JJ (Jatujak) you stop at Kampheng Pet station that takes you straight into JJ instead of Skytrain's Mo Chit station that requires you to walk for around 10 - 15 min across a non-smoking public park. you can also stop at Chatucak Park station but i have never stop there before.

check out the Skytrain link above to get a better visual idea of the track layout and station's location. hope this helps.

edit --> typos.

This post has been edited by dude: Nov 21 2006, 01:45 PM

ah.. ic.. thanks for the info dude..

i've just booked palazzo.. i hope its not a fcuk joint since its near red light district.. but heck.. too late to regret now..

i booked for RM119 incl breakfast.. i'd say its quite a good deal.. i booked thru www.hotels2thailand.com

have anyone been to Sirocco @ state tower??
http://www.thedomebkk.com/sirocco/sirocco_home.htm

will definately go there 1 night..

i have to say the clientele are usually business people from MY, SG, JP and TH. ratchada is a high class red light area and so they usually come from the 5 star hotel area in Suk.
wow...119 incl breakfast is a good deal! the breakfast is ok, a bit dissapointing for me, maybe because a lot of it are pork based, but there's quite a selection. hey, free coffee, juice & toast is good enuff for me.
report back will ya...

For those of you who are planning to spend Christmas season here in Bangkok, do check out their X'mas decorations. You'll find the city pretty nicely lit up with lights all over the place.

Don't confuse yourselves though. With 90+% Buddhist, X'mas isn't exacly an auspicious event here. The reason why the month of December is fully lighted isn't because of Christmas, but more due to the fact that it's the King's birthday (5th December), which is known as "Father's Day" here.

Also, the first few weeks in the month of December will usually come with cool weather (winter winds blowing south from China). So the nights can be very romantic and soothing. Take a walk at night and you'll definitely enjoy it.

how abt the weather in bkk end of dec? ehhehe.. cooling as well?

The cool period is usually in the begining of December. Towards the New Year, the weather starts to heat up again. But it really depends though. This year for example, we did experience an unexpected cool weather in February.

At the moment (as I'm typing), the weather in Bangkok is EXTREMELY HOT! El Nino is at it's nasty deeds once again

Things that I'm worrying currently
- Is it a safe place after the military took over the government?
- Traffic jam...grrr
- People there might not have good command of English. communication can be a problem (faced a lot of communication barrier with local people in Jakarta before even I can speak a little bit Indonesian)
- Not enough Thai Baht This is the most important hehe. Wondering how much should I bring for a two week trip?

This post has been edited by samurai1337: Nov 25 2006, 01:53 PM

The new government has been established, and martial law is no longer in active enforcement anymore. Even though so, during the military rule few months ago, life was completely normal, with the exclussion of a few army tanks on the streets.

As for traffic jams, there are plenty of alternative forms of transportation. The mass transit system (BTS Skytrain, MRT Underground) covers most of the strategic locations in the city. In addition to that, you can always use the motorcycle taxi for a cheap price

Language may be a problem. Although not many can speak English, they will try to understand as much as they can. When communicating with them, make sure you speak English slowly and clearly.

For two weeks, I would say RM2,000 equivalent is enough (THB20,000). In case you forsee a need for more, most ATM machines here are able to accept ATM cards with Plus system. Maybank has this facility, so if you're a Maybank account holder, make sure you inform the bank that you wish to make overseas withdrawal. There might be a transaction charge attached to it.

thanks for the hotel info, dude!
now still browsing for more hotels, cant really make decision yet. really headache
but i think need to act fast as the time im there is peak season...

I'm going to Bangkok this coming 7th Dec. Will be there for 5D. Is RM1000 enough? Will be staying at my friend's place, so lodging expenses are covered.

RM1,000 - That would depend on how big a spender you are. Since you friend is taking care of accommodation, I will assume he/she will take care of most of your transporation / food problems too (at least that's what I do when my friends / family come over to Bangkok).

When my sis came over, she spent an average of RM500 per day (actually, she was spending my money). I also had a Singaporean friend who spent RM3,000 per day. So, what kind of spender are you?

Remember to save at least RM100 (THB1,000) for the last day, cause airport tax is THB500, and taxi to airport might be near THB300.

Bring RM2,000 then. RM100 for airport tax (2 persons)

See lot's of places, that would probably mean lots of shopping too. Believe me, I seen people loose control of spending (especially girls) when they "take a leisurely stroll" along the night bazaars (Suan Lum Night Bazaar, Silom Rd) or weekend market (Chatuchak)

And if she steps into Siam Paragon, then you're in for some huge swipes. Credit Card would come in handy here.

Oh, and if you plan to commute anywhere by cab, make sure you have enough small change. Showing then THB500 or THB1,000 will only get you in a little inconvenience.

And, tipping waiters at restaurants may not be necessary, but if you feel the service is good, do so at your own appreciation.

hi guys, I am going to celebrate Christmas with my gf and another couple in Bangkok.
already booked air ticket - AirAsia at RM800+ per couple
will be there from 23rd till 26th morning.

so, i had gather some good info from you guys, thanks.
but i got a few questions:

1. hows the weather? temperature ?
2. will be stay in eastin hotel
EASTIN
1091/343 NEW PETCHBURI ROAD,
MAKKASAN
BANGKOK 10400
THAILAND
how to get from Airport to the hotel?
3. still planning on the time table, but i have this list of places to visit so far (thanks to you guys)
- pratunam
- weekend market chatucak
- patpong
- ChinaTown
- MBK shopping complex
- Siam Paragon
- Suan Lum Night Bazzar
- HRC, planet Hollywood
- floating market

anyone is kind enough to tell me the time (morning, noon, night) i should visited these places?

to go to weekend market, go to the BTS station(similiar to our LRT station) and stop at the last station name "Mo Chit". just follow the crowd and u will reach there. carry a small bag and wear light clothing coz its going to be very hot.

i havent been to patpong, but this place is known for the tranvestitte shows and "tiger show" so if u are interested then u can go there. becareful of ur wallets as there are pickpockets there.

Siam paragon is similiar to out KLCC.. so everything is high fashion and expensive. so if u want slightly cheaper go to MBK, Siam Square, Siam Centre. All these places is at the same area. just to warn u these places closes quite early. maybe around 8pm

As for suan num, hmm.. i'm not really fond of the place coz its overpriced and the stuff is not that nice.. so i would suggest u to skip this place. the only thing good about suan num is they close around 12pm.. whereas others closes very early

floating market will take up the whole day so plan ur trip wisely...

enjoy ur holiday!

-edit,
to go to hotel from the airport, u can take a taxi.. plenty of taxi for u to take costs u around 1000BAHT.. if they ask u to buy 2 ways, dont buy it... coz its much cheaper if u take the taxi on the road to the airport.. hehehe

This post has been edited by pinkrazr: Nov 29 2006, 04:54 PM

hope this helps:

temp : similar to KL if only slightly cooler or hotter.

taxi to hotel : after you go through immigration, find the departure hall, take taxi from this level. tell the taxi driver you want to go (eastin or petchburi road is a common place). if u're a bit paranoid, ask the hotel to fax u their address in Thai so you can show it to the driver OR call the hotel with your mobile and ask the hotel to tell the driver. fare should not exceed TBH1000 or RM100, maybe max RM50.

Pratunam - daytime

Patpong - night time
More like Petaling Street at the entrance (selling clothes, fake stuff - watches, bags, etc.) with a red light district further inside (take your pick). Some nice clean clubs inside too.

Suan Lum - night time
Expensive or not, you be the judge. Has a huge eating place with live band and a ferris wheel. Opens everyday, evenings only. MRT - I think it's Lumphini station, will lead you straight to the side entrance.

MBK, Paragon, HRC - anytime
These are close by to each other, walking distance. You'll find other popular places around here too. Skytrain - Siam station.

Jatujak Market - morning (Sunday only)
This place is scorching hot! Take MRT to Kampheng Pet station (stops right inside Jatujak) or Skytrain to Mo Chit station (walk around 10 - 15 min).

Floating market - morning
Which one are you going to? I have not visited one.

Chinatown - anytime
By taxi. No Skytrain goes here.

Check this and click on the stations to see what's around each stations SKYTRAIN MAP.

THB1,000 is outrageously expensive. My guess is that you took the airport taxi rather than the normal public taxi.

Alright here's the situation. When you arrive at the airport, you have a few choices to get to your hotel:

1 - Hotel Transfer

If you arrange with the hotel via bookings, they could send someone to pick you up from the airport using the hotel limo. Might be free, but if it isn't, you can expect a heavy bill. Pros: No need to wait for queues

2 - Airport Taxi

When you exit the airport and about to head outside, you're most likely to be approached by well dressed men / women in blazers asking if you like a "taxi". This ain't any normal taxi, but your high class airport limo. Depending on your destination, it would cost anywhere between THB600 - THB1,000. Pros: You get to sit in real comfortable Toyota Camrys

3 - Public Taxi

The cheapest form of taxi to get to your hotel. Head downstairs to the ground floor (not the arrival floor) and head outside. The new Suvarnabhumi airport hasn't properly prepared proper booths for public taxis, so you'll see a bunch of tables by the sidewalk. Walk to anyone of them and tell them your destination. They will give you a receipt and show you to your public taxi. The journey shouldn't cost more than THB400 if you want to get to town center.

There is an extra surcharge of THB50 if you take the public taxi from the airport, in addition to the metered fare. Also, if you decide to take the tollways, you have to pay the toll fare yourself.

Pros: Cheap. Cons: You might end up sitting in a 1990 Toyota Corolla or an old junk rusted relic of Bangkok transportation antiques


Some Tips:

Most public taxi drivers will take the Bang-Na route to get to the city. It's further, which allows them to earn slightly more milleage from you. So, if you are daring enough, tell the taxi driver to take the "Motorway" route. This route is shorter distance, and more direct to the city. "Motorway" is the name the Thai's use for that particular stretch of highway, which leads you to the Rama 9 Rd, and from there you can get to the city with ease.

The Bang-Na route shares the same trunk to and from the port. With this, you will have to bear slow traffic from hundreds of container trailers. If you're unlucky, you might experience some traffic congestion, and that can be really frustrating.

speaking of the markets there, laz time i been to Suan Lum, Chatucak, n Pratunam.

surprisingly to me, the same items that u can get in Suan Lum n Chatucak, high chance is that u can actually get it cheaper in Pratunam. no joke.

Regarding the public taxis. When you say daring enough to tell the driver to take the "Motorway", will he go against you? I guess you need to be confident when you tell him right? Or maybe cite a reason saying you are late. Do they understand English well enough?

Asking the driver to take the shorter route is like bargaining prices at China Town. You need to have the arrogance and guts to make your stand. Definitely, they will say all kinds of excuses or reasons to take their favourite route, so you have to be firm and persistent in your choice.

Ask for the language barrier, it is seldom I come across taxi driver who are capable of speaking good English. They may not speak, but they can understand a little English. Always speak slowly when communicating with them.

pratunam is like the center and not as commercially known as jatujak and suan lum which has turned very "tourist". locals too are complaining that it is expensive now so yes i have to agree if the comparison is with pratunam, but the experience is different in all 3 places so make your choice. it's just like eating in KLCC or mamak stall isn't it?

i picked a book called "Essential Thai Phrase Book" from Kinokuniya KLCC for around RM25, small size and categorised nicely. good investment considering most that have been to bkk will be returning. have not been utilising it properly though since i get away with my basic english in bkk most of the time. believe me when it's crunch time, u'll forget most of the words anyway. and if you're only in bkk, basic english is more than enough to get you around. use the hotel personnel to write down addresses if you think its going to be a problem since pronuonciation varies from what's written and said.

...and ask the hotel for their address in thai to make it easy for taxi rides back and keep the hotel number handy. hotels usually have cards with their address and map in thai, so take a few of those with you when you go out.

my family of 7 is going to bkk on the 14th dec.
still trying to figure out what to do and which travel agent to book.
the trip will be 3 and a half day and 3 nights.
and the travel agent here quoted the tour to be rm2000 per pax.
i think thats pretty expensive.
and since my lil siblings are coming along, we are hoping to do something like 60-70% of fun activities(themeparks?) and the rest for sight seeing and shopping for older sisters like us...

any suggestions on which travel agent or hotels or recommendations?

Last Sept, from new airport to Silom was 270 by meter, using lower roads, not elevated expressway! No real jam either.

111

RM2,000 sounds pretty steep, but you have to see what the tour iternary covers. Does it include air fare too? If yes, what airlines?

Concerning the question of places of interest for children, I have to be honest and say I don't have much of a clue. Playground for adults, I can quote you many, but for kids, you might want to ask native Bangkok citizens like maximsilentfoot.

Personally, Bangkok would be a great holiday destination for grown ups. Be it the night life, shopping, cultural heritage, ancient relics, historical architecture, people, food... adults would find it more worth it to experience all of these.

Pardon my ignorance at this question, but what do kids nowadays like to do when they go travelling?

yea it covers the airfare i guess.
but minus airfare around rm600/pax.
oh well.
u know...disneyworld, seaworld.
meet spongebob meet bugs bunny.
dont like to walk too much.
gets hungry easily.
blah blah.

i think my 4day trip with the whole family wont be sufficient as mummy says no PATPONG.
hahahahhahaha..
no pondan2 show!

i know there's a themepark like 45 minutes away from downtown (i know cause i missed it and have to look at pics...) but can't remember the name - i think its called dreamworld or something. buddy told me its better than sunway lagoon. maybe can google it?

Sincerely, the red light district area of Patpong isn't something extermely worth seeing. One time there and you'll probably get sick of it (unless you're a s3x maniac).

Anyway, if you are really interested to see Patpong (just for the experience), sneak out at night and give me a call. Patpong doesn't sleep as early as our parents do, so it should be fine.

The Dreamworld is quite a distance from Bangkok city. You might need to arrange special transportation if you wish to get there.

http://www.dreamworld-th.com/english/index.php

If your siblings are interested in Ocean stuff, check out the Siam Ocean World at the new Siam Paragon shopping complex

http://www.siamoceanworld.co.th/

cool man.. thanks for that,
i pick up a few from the previous post,
1. how much? - gee bath
2. can i have a better price ? - lot noi dai mai?
3. where is the toilet - toilet yoo thi nai
4. welcome - mai ben rai
5. sorry - khrob koon
6. no, i dont want - mai ow

sunbeam, you are in BKK for Christmas? what are you doing there?

This post has been edited by bobtiang: Dec 6 2006, 02:43 AM

Some correction there, bob:

Sorry - khor twat
Thank You - khrob koon
Toilet - hong nam (which actually means "water room")

As part of language lessons here, to make any sentence more polite, always add a suffix to any statement:

Girls will say - "ka"
Guys will say - "krub" (pronounced with the aaaa sound, as in kr-aaab)

Example:

Girl: How much is this - "Un ni tao rai ka?"
Salesman: This is 200 baht - "Un ni 200 baht krub"
Girl: Can you discount a little - "lot noi dai mai ka?"
Salesman: I'm sorry, I cannot discount - "khor twat krub. Lot mai dai krub"
Girl: Nevermind then - "Mai ben rai ka"

So, in general, when a guy says Thank You, it would be "Khop koon krub", and girls will say "khop koon ka"

Get the feel of it?

the alcazar shows is just funny. Nothing obscene with it. So if your family wants to watch it, no problem

Tiwanon is in Pathumthani and is slightly outside of Bangkok city, near Impact Arena. You can get there using the expressway that leads to Cheangwattana if I remember correctly.

Just as a tip, I learned that you should avoid the tuk-tuks cos theyre more expensive and usually catered for tourists. You should try tho for the experience. The ones in chiang mai were damn cool with modified exhausts and loud music..shopping is really great.
I wanna go to thailand again but maybe next yr i will backpack thru there.
khorp kun krap

just as a tip - agree on the price before you take the ride. it helps if you know how much it usually cost to get to your destination but yeah i took it ONCE for the experience, i prefer the motorbike taxis btw.

I definitely won't mind showing you guys around. And don't worry about treating or stuff like that. Leave money matters aside for now.

The usual thing most tourist would do after dinner would be to take a walk at the Suan Lum night bazaar. Benefits: you get to trim down your wallet size by shopping, and at the same time, exercise a little to digest your food.

As for the alcazar show, I have never been to one myself, so I've no comments.

If time permits and if you are interested, perhaps the older gals can check out the clubbing scene at RCA. Pretty happening, if compared to KL ones.

RCA is happening....I like Route 66 (both east and west).

i'm bringing my digicam batery charger to bangkok..


does our electrical goods can plugin to the thai's power source..?!

i mean no harm to my charger uh..?

This post has been edited by staggerler: Dec 7 2006, 10:27 PM

they have a different socket - USA type or double blade. bring a socket adaptor from here - RM15 i think. voltage is the same 220 - 240V. should not damage your charger.

Hi supatza:

I did some survey and found out there is a this children's discovery center, directly opposite the Jatuchak weekend market. The adults can roam about shopping while kids have fun in that center.

http://www.bkkchildrenmuseum.com/english/index.html

Also, my colleague took some snapshots of a little "teddy bear park" somewhere in Ratchayothin area. Maybe your little sibblings might like to roam about there...

I've got the perfect suggestion for you: Try out the Chong Nonsi Fish Head Soup at Rama 3 Road (refer to attached map). It's non-halal though



Here's how you pronounce it:

"huo phla chong-nonsi"

Go via Narathiwat Rd until the T-junction with Rama 3 Rd. Turn right at the junction and make a U-turn when you see it. Immediately after the U-turn, keep left and lookout for the restaurant.

Recommendations:

- Tom Yam Fish Soup ("tom yam phla")
- Grill seafood platter (assortment of river prawns, mussels, scallops, and all sorts)
- Crab meat role
- Glass noodles cooked with prawns ("goong woon shen")
- Pork satay

Price is fairly reasonable too

Just got back from a very tiring trip. Phew.

Spent the whole afternoon at WholeCentral Shopping Complex, then took the BTS and stopped at Mo Chit to visit the weekend market and then catch a taxi to Chinatown for their famous Seafood. OMG, it's so tiring that my leg became numb and I can't feel it as soon as i sat down on the floor in my Hotel Room!!!

I've just recuperated and now, thinking of what to do next for tomorrow. Any ideas? Shopping for almost 2 days should be sufficient.

Haha, maybe I should've. Let's see how tomorrow pans out.

Ohh, and btw, any nice places to eat which are cheap, reasonable and good?
Something Thai Authentic Food.

http://www.bangkok.com/centrewirelessroad/
Will be staying at CentrePoint Wireless Road studio room Anyone been there before?

It's so near to Ploenchit station, quite convenient it seems

For something really authentic, try the "Tha Siam Boat Noodles" (pronounced as tha-sa-yam kuey teow rue-ah). It is a franchised restaurant, and usually found in major shopping centers such as MBK (basement floor I think)

Look out for the sign of an angry looking pig. The interior deco is usually dark brown, and there is usually a metaphor of a boat


Note: Photo above courtesy of http://realthai.blogspot.com/2006/09/tha-siam.html

Servings are extremely small (as most Thai food are), and price is fairly reasonable. You might find one bowl of noodles is not enough.

Food served in this chain of restaurants are NON-HALAL

Here's a list of Tha-Siam food that I usually enjoy:

1. Kuey teow moo dwoon (braised pork with noodles)
2. Yen Ta Four (fish assortment noodles in red sauce, which I think it's something like tau ju)
3. Look chin ruam (mixed boat of fish / meat balls)

Now when ordering noodles in Thailand, there is a special lingo to it. While kuey teow in Malaysia refers to the fat, flat noodles, keuy teow is a generic term for "noodles". So how do I tell the right kind of noodles? Here's some help:

a) Fat, flat white noodles (known as kuey teow in M'sia) - Shen Yai
b) Bee Hoon - Shen mee
c) Glass noodles (dong fen) - woon shen
d) Yellow noodles that is usually used for Wan Tan Mee - Bak Mee
e) Yellow, fat noodles usually used for fried hokkien mee - Soba
f) Magi mee - Mama mee

Hope this helps!

This post has been edited by sunbeams: Dec 9 2006, 11:40 PM

You've got a very nicely located hotel there, pal. Here's why:

1. Very near the Skytrain station, which can take you anywhere

2. Shoppers Galore. If you are a walking person, you can walk all the way to Siam Square, passing by:
- Central Chidlom
- Central World Plaza
- Geysorn Plaza (but you'll probably not buy anything there. Ladies singlet cost THB40,000)
- Siam Paragon
- Siam Center / Siam Discovery
- Siam Square (my favourite)
- MBK

3. Sight-seeing
- Famous Erawan Shrine (4 face Buddha)
- Siam area (watch university girls in tight fitting uniforms)
- Burmrungrad Hospital - Extremely high class hospital that looks like a 5-star hotel

4. Chill out and relax
- Haggen Dass in front of Chidlom BTS Station. Friday nights they will have live jazz music performances
- Take a jog at Lumpini park

5. Night Shopping
- Suan Lum Night Bazaar, directly opposite Lumpini Park

6. Hot, Naughty Nites
- Check out the pubs and bars along Sarasin Rd
- Silom (Patpong)
- Nana (another red light zone)


Note: Photo courtesy of http://www.bangkok.com/centrewirelessroad/

my favorite kway teow ru-ah place is the one close to Anusawari but will be hard to describe how to get there.

to add to sunbeam's list, 2 more useful words for ordering boat noodles:
i) Dry - hang
ii) soup - naam

Anusawari = Victory Monument right? Are you referring to those open air hawker food under the skywalk, in front of the giant LCD screen TV? I love the kuay zhup. Superb

More Thai food lingo list to add on:

1) Add chilli(s) - sai peet
2) Don't want chilli(s) - mai aow peet
3) Not spicy, please - mai phet
4) A little spicy, please - phet nit noi

5) Plain water - naam blao
6) Ice - naam kheng

bangkok is very nice country to visit .. but we must really be caution and careful when visiting there , because my frend went there last year for 1 week vacation but he had a very pleasant day but he was robbed by a gangster there while walking with his girlfriend .. he lost about RM 2400 .. he was totally upset because of the insident .. some good advice is to really be careful with your $$

Wow thanks dude, I appreciate your info
But just wanna make clear of something since I haven't got the complete map from hotel staff yet:

1,2. About the Siam Square, I don't really have to take the skytrain right? If I were to walk, how long does it take? And what is the closing time of the mall?

3. Where is the Erawan Shrine located? Somewhere near Grand Hyatt? Is photographing allowed there?

And where is the "Siam Area" with uniform girls?

4. I love jogging! Will do it in the weekends

5. What's the difference between night shopping and shopping in Siam Square?

6. Will explore it in the weekend

Basically, I'm staying there for 2 weeks so I think it's quite sufficient for me to check out everything you mentioned above

[Sunbeams] Since you'll be here for 2 weeks, make sure you check out the Chatuchak weekend market, open only on Saturdays and Sundays. Loads of stuff to see there. Getting there is easy by Skytrain - just buy a ticket to the Mochit station, and you'll see the weekend market there

On another note, girls, if you're coming for holiday in Bangkok after 22 December 2006, you can have to chance to purchase lingerie wear, designed by famous Thai supermodel Metinee "Luk Kade" Kingpayom, and manufactured by Jintana Co. Together, the brand name is called "Metinee by Jintana"

"Metinee by Jintana" will be launched at department stores and discount stores throughout the country on Dec 22. The products, priced from 300 to 1,000 baht.


Thai Supermodel Metinee Kingpayom

Some products by Jintana Co.













Personally, I used to buy these products for my girl (now ex-gf), and they look really sexy and lovely. The designs are excellent, and comfort is good (according to her)

well, maybe 1 more of my favorite places. go have dinner or drinks at Sirocco or Sky Bar at State Tower. breathless view of Bangkok at night i assure you...

http://www.thedomebkk.com/web/corp_home03.html

Hi. I am going to Bangkok next month (mid of January) for a 5D4N trip with a couple of my friends. It will be my first BKK trip ever. Has anyone stayed in BKK serviced apartment before? Is it cheap? We hope to stay in an apartment with separate bedrooms.

Be careful when you walk along Soi Nana (Nana Lane), especially in front of the Grace Hotel. They will ask you if you're interested in sex services by Russian / Uzbekistan girls. Some of them are actually hard to resist, with tall frame and long legs.

Nana is the hub for Middle Eastern tourist. You'll find plenty of Mid-East food outlets, and the kebabs are pretty good too. There's night shopping along the main road, but most of the time you'll probably see lots of walking "women of the night". Also lot's of xxx DVDs on sale there.

Silom area has alot of peddlers selling xxx DVDs too. They just flash you cards that read "Sex DVD for sale". It was near O'Reilly's Irish Bar next to Sala Daeng's BTS station.

Did anyone know where is automotive area in Bangkok where I can find anything for my car from sport rim to accessories? I heard that Bangkok has a place like "Klang" in Malaysia.

yeah, but it's out of the metro area. most of the sales people don't speak english so can be a bit difficult. price wise, i think almost same as klang, some tyres are cheap especially when they have offer - dirt cheap - and rim selection are more "branded" than klang.

owh...how far issit from let say pratunam area to that place? what is it called?