Should be OK but the toll price is ridicolous! imagine for a 25KM travel fromAirport top City u will be paying ~70bth or RM7!...avoid peak period...

BTW, taking tuk-tuk during day time sometime can be very cheap..u pay marginal of 20bth and they will bring u almost everywhere around the city provided u stop at 1 or 2 of their own specify destination (Normally gems store & etc) to collect petrol vouchers!....Well not really if u r rushing...but what the hack atleast u seen the gems factory on the way to your destination 10KM away for only 20bth Hehehe....

Depending when u reach BKK, normally if u reach at Noon, on day 1 u only can do shopping! This is recommended if u hv 5 days in BKK:

Day 1: Shopping - take tuk-tuk - almost free of charge during day time..bcos they will bring u to Gems store /exp textile store and etc to collect free petrol vouchers! ask to drop u at Chinatown (It will take u almost 1.5 hour bcos u will need to stop somewhere! ...Then probably to Pratunam textile market (Near Baiyoke sky tower) - at nite head to Sum Luan nite Market....try the gigantic open air hawker centre not match by any M'sian & SG standard!

Day 2: buy a full package tour to Floating market about 120KM away from BKK so expecting about 3-4hr of travelling to & fro. (Package about RM60-RM80 per pax inc lunch) - You can go there by Taxi but not advisable as what experienced by me. (Took a taxi charged me dirt cheap at 800bath for 3 to Danuek Saduek But once u reach at the boat terminal - I feel cheated! The boat operator wanted to charged me 2000bath for the trip!! OMG- atlast settled at 1500bath for the boat!! If I to take the package, It will only cost me RM180 for 3 person only instead of RM230!!) - The reason why the taxi willing to accept cheap rate bcos..as usual stop at gem factory for free petrol voucher!...He even drive me to Wat Po, Golden Palace & Pratunam market after the trip!!

Day 3: Either decide package tour to Pataya Or Ayuthea or still in Bankok. If in BKK (as what I did)...hop in to MTR & go to the last station at the ferry terminal & buy visitor boat taxi passport at 100Bt each & enjoy unlimited stop along Chao phraya river.....My daughter enjoy this the most by hopping form une water taxi to another on each stop.....further shopping at Sum Luang

Day 4: Shopping days..MBK, Siam Paragon, Siam City (Should try the futuristic toilet!! - imagine TV inside the toilet....hmnnn thinking about it more modern than M'sia & SG! ...Continue to Chinatown....The Chinaown is so huge that u feel Petaling street is nothing!...Too bad there is no nite market at Chinatown and all the lanes closed after 6PM....(Almost similar to Hatyai..but most of the goods are for wholesales market only although the cheapest in BKK!)

Day 5- Morning (if Saturday...take the underground train to Chatuchak Weekend market...if ur flight is in Evening.....

This post has been edited by stimix: Mar 5 2007, 10:40 AM

Thanks...On the floating market, probably u went to the one opposite BKK city & not the original & authentic Danusk Saduak which is in hulu-hulu land about the distance from KL to Melaka! ..really inside Kampungs & lotsa of Mat Salleh...& the waterway was so cramp wth tourist, lotsa old ladies selling coconuts, vege, souvenirs, & food from the boat stalls....very authetic......BUT the motorboat trip is the one killing..so pricy! Should have taken the package tour.

On the tuk-tuk agreed cut throat &.more expensive than metre taxi & MRT ( only the nite tuk-tuk) BUT during day time the tuk-tuk will approach u and willing to send u to any destination for only 20Bath PROVIDED they will stop u atleast 2 locations to collect their petrol vouchers... chances are at nite those gem stores are closed & they cannot collect any petrol vouchers & thus hv to charge high....I was offer 80bath from Sumluang to my hotel which is only 3KM away...At the end use the underground MRT.

Yes read about this to b4 going to Bangkok. But so far no problem wth me as the tuk-tuk just tell me he will brings me to gem stores to collect petrol voucher & in return, I got a cheap ride on him.He even advised me to go one round inside the gem store & it is no obligation & he will be waiting for me outside for dropping me to my destination....fair what

The scam normally taken placed from those tourist spots....something like a guy approaching u...In my case, I approached the tuk-tuk....just like what mentioned in the above link which is extracted herewith:

"There are, in fact, two variations on the scam, but both involved you paying far too much for jewellery. The other one is where a tuk tuk driver simply takes you to a gem shop and tells you to look around for 10 minutes; he gets a free gas coupon for each customer he brings in. This is simple and obvious, and most people don't make a purchase in this case."

JUST be careful not to buy anything from those Gem store......The one I been even educating ppl on the real & a scam gem

This post has been edited by stimix: Mar 9 2007, 03:03 PM

Hehe..I avoid going there although asked by the tuk-tuk...I told him it is too late and I need to catch my flight in the Evening....He just drove me to my destination after that....but going bck to Hotel susah-lah...could not get cheap tuk-tuk anymore (Nite) and use Taxi...btw taxi charges in BKK is more expensive than KL....If I'm not mistaken 30bath per entry & 5bath per KM...compare to RM2.5/ RM0.40 (I think) in KL...

This post has been edited by stimix: Mar 9 2007, 05:03 PM

I was informed there is minimal fees for foreigners to those Wats...For me I read virtual tourist tips I managed to enter those wats (except arun) free of charge! How?

At wat Po, there r 2 entrances, 1 is at the back (nearer to Chao Praya river side) & another main entrance facing inner town...as advised I took the back entrance and since nho one manned the entrance ..it is FREE. Same to wat trimik wth hv the pure golden buddha, enter from the side to avoid main entrance & again it is free.

For wat arun, If I still remembered, the water taxi fair is about 3 or 5 bath 1 way. The entrance to wat arun...This u cannot escaped..all guarded... can't remember the price but I think is about 20bath/pax

This post has been edited by stimix: Mar 10 2007, 10:54 PM

Whatever you do..as said...TRY TO skip the ticketing counter!...Just act as you r local & wanted to pray or using smaller entrances at the sides of multiple entrances...dun go direct to the ticketing booth..locals dun use this main entrance, they use side or back entrance to avoid ticketing....

However these ticketing booth on major temples are the letdown to tourism in Thailand & also BALI!.....where in Malaysia u need to pay to enter mosques & temples?

OMG..that's shocking news! Such a nice place for shoppings and probably the cleanest & largest nite market in whole Thailand going to close!!

But thinking of Sum Luan nite market concept which is properly lay out, & proper stalls.& gigantic beer garden.. if only u can get this in Malaysia

Talking about drinks - U can actually get cheaper drinks from any 7-11 in bangkok rather than sundry shops or eateries! diff from M'sia 7-11 prices are higher than outside price!

Average food pricing in Bangkok are generally almost similar to KL. However their hawker stalls in general are cheaper i.e 25bth to 35bth (But not dare to eat there!)..Shopping complexes food prices ranging from 40bath to 60bath also almost similar to KL. Infact the food pricing probably cheaper than other tourist destinations in Thailand! For eg the prices of food in Hatyai start from 50bath!! (Except Tesco Hatyai Food court). In Krabi it is even worst! The cheapest fried rice =70bath!! & average =100bath!! Mat Salleh & M'sian MBA really spoilt the pricing in Southern Thailand!!

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Added on April 3, 2007, 9:46 amYes..my wife luv shopping in Sum Luan...not so hot compare to Pratunam, Chatucak (Closed during our visit- weekday ) , or even Chinatown All of them closed after 7PM!

Patpong nite market ..yes went there but the starting prices is ridicolous 300% more expensive than elsewhere! Just 1 row of stalls similar to Petaling Street but shorter..went there just to show my wife the agogo pubs surrounding patpong!

But I missed Khao San road Farang/mat salleh nite market..too far from Hotel & no MRT there....nxt trip probably...& probably meet leonardo d caprio there....

This post has been edited by stimix: Apr 3 2007, 09:50 AM

Wow that's the best located hotel in Bkk! ...For food, u can either try those hawker food but problem is they are dirty....something like those kaki lima hawker decades ago in KL & etc..For me not dare to take...but lotsa members here tasted & it is OK. (price 25bath to 40bath)

For me I normally try those in food courts either at Siam Paragon, MBK or Tesco FC. At MBK, u can try the food court shark fin for only 150bath comes wth rice....cheap & much-much better than those cut throat outlets in Hatyai! U can get the same sharkfin at Yaowarat road chinese restaurant (Chinatown)...Food at Food court start from 35Bath up to 70bath...wth the exception of the sharkfin-lah...

U can try also the Gigantic Sum Luan park Food court/beer garden but a little pricy as food started at 50bath & above....One thing for sure...their food are much-much tastier than Malaysia! I hv tasted most of their fried rice & everytime order, its taste so nice at diff outlets....probably better than most of Penang food!

U din get con-lah...Wat u did is u r taking the smaller private boat to smaller klongs which are restricted to those smaller boat...and their price is around that...the more ppl u can get the cheaper is th eprice /boat...

There are probably numerous muslim restaurants in BKK, infact there are numerous mosques there too...I was a bit suprise to see mosques around BKK! those restaurants probably located near the mosques. ...But for sure it is a littlebit hard to find Tom yum in BKK or even elsewhere in Thailand...Hmnn wondering why?? Infact Tom yum is much more easily available in malaysia!

This post has been edited by stimix: May 9 2007, 12:48 PM

Did u try the Underground MRT....They even have "LCD screen" on the glass wall of the protective barrier to the tunnel. Its turn up to be a cool projectile screen beamed from the other end of the tunnel...cool.....I was even suprise wth the distance of the underground tunnel itself! covering 24KM from Hualampong up to Catuchak! This is longer than Singapore MRT system if I'm not mistaken....

Did u enter the toilet at Siam Discovery?...damn cool & so clean making all the toilets in KL to a shame!

On the pricing of the food, BKK has one of the most reasonable pricing compare wth Phuket/Krabi or even the cut throat Hatyai! However the price is almost similar to KL duh...even on the garments/t-shirts & etc....I still cannot believe Mat Salleh always say Thailand pricing is much cheaper than Malaysia

Aiyah..got assignment nxt week in BKK..not for Holiday but work & go together wth my Malay collegue...So any idea where to locate Halal outlets somewhere near Nana BTS...

haha probably not around nana BTS area.....Yes googled for Halal food and found out the Soi3 does hv few Arabic outlets..but no Thai or asian.. ..Most Southern Thai Muslim foods seem to be at Petchaburi Soi 7 area... ..so far from Nana...probably should try the halal food in Siam Paragon or MBK ho...

Well since it will be a biz trip nothiong much can do..work-work...eat & sleep..probably hope to try some massage too ..MBA..mah....

Well, just hv to take a bit of risk going there..Due to the Southern Thailand uprising, somehow or rather BKK is always the target + those Taksin' supporters...Probably dun go during the Loi Kratong Festival (Mid Nov) & New Year.

Well if talking about risk everywhere including London, Tokyo or New York also not safe...depending on luck sometime...

Haha I do agreed wth this...and dun under-estimate the sophistication of Bankok Lifestyle, modernisation.....I was shock when certain part of their transportation system is much better than what we have wth our LRT or monorail...Their underground MRT is actually much longer & modern than Singapore MRT!

Thnx alot Adad ....Yes arab food might not be my taste..prefer Thai...Anymore recommended halal restaurants other than Soi22 ..Petchburi Soi 7 which restaurant u recomend?...probably there to check-out too..from google, I notice there even a Malay communities there & also restaurants wth familiar malay names such as 'Kedai Makanan Farida"..or something...

Pheww atlast it will not be so bad for my Malay colleague

Actually it is not me..I'm not a muslim & not a problem and its not my 1st trip to BKK too...but I'm bringing my Malay colleague as well and this is his 1st O/sea trip to non-halal area too..so I hv to bring him to Halal outlet-lah...

Rite now got 1 good recommendation from Adat...so if u can add it will be wonderfull rather than refering to the list in the BKK halal list but dunno what to choose... anyway tnx for the info at nana & any more recommended halal outlet?...

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Added on July 20, 2007, 3:25 pmKhao San too far away-leh..& no MRT...& I'm staying at Soi7 Sumkumvit

This post has been edited by stimix: Jul 20 2007, 03:27 PM

Yes notice that too..but the rpicing of arabic food also horrible...& not to my taste too..prefer authetic Thai or Southern Thai coking..i.e those Tom yum, Paprik & etc...probably will give a try at Soi22 and also Pethburi Soi 7...Hmnn need Adad help here...or probably will try the food court inside Tesco On Nut...