Will Wilkinson - Latest Comments in Bangkok Bleg

Re: Bangkok Bleg

Backpackerresources — Wed, 13 May 2009 11:01:01 -0000

I'm just wondering what's the latest now? Care to share if possible with pics? Your trip is quite interesting.

Re: Bangkok Bleg

Mike Hunt — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 23:39:24 -0000

Lot of good things to check out for the first time tourists.

Beware the main scams: Grand palace closed, hotel burned down, and today is a one day Gov't sale. Don't waste your money with the tuk tuk driver scams. Go by taxi and ask to take the meter (Thai: ME-TER) as it will be much cheaper.

My favorite highlights: Get to the river at Saphan Taksin station from the skytrain. Take a public river boat upriver (right side direction as you face the pier) to Banglampoo pier across from Wat Arun (Temple of the dawn, Khmer style white temple). Then take a ferry across the river and walk up the stairs of Wat Arun. It's a great view especially late in the afternoon with the low angle sunlight!

Another interesting hightlight is the Erawan shrine Brahma- a statue in the middle of the city with hundreds and thousands of worshippers. It's by the Chid Lom skytrain station.

Check out the ridiculous over the top malls (Emporium by Phrom Phong skytrain station and Siam Paragon by Siam skytrain station) The skytrain is an easy and quick way to get around. Traffic is terrible in bangkok so you save time taking the train.

If you have time go to Khao San road and look at the ghetto backpackers mixed in with the young Thai partiers. It's like a scene out of the Beach.

Go to a massage parlor . Traditional thai massage or a racy one. A soapy massage is a racy experience if you're up for that sort of thing.

Have a good time. Thais love to smile and party- they are an easygoing and lovely lot.

Re: Bangkok Bleg

Thailand: Hotels Seeker — Tue, 20 Jan 2009 03:43:56 -0000

I can't give any suggestion for Burma, but for Thailand, here it is:

- Have a boat ride in Bangkok Noi Canal.
- Try Thai Massage, don't miss! I warn you.
- Visit the floating market.
- Taste Tom Yum Kung
- See muay thai (thai boxing)
- If you don't have at least a few days on a paradise beache, it could be said that you havn't visit Thailand.

Re: Bangkok Bleg

djw — Tue, 30 Dec 2008 00:03:39 -0000

that's a negative that should be a positive. DO not don't.

I'm jealous you're going to Burma. I was going to go in August 06, but things got unstable, so I went to Malaysia instead.

Re: Bangkok Bleg

djw — Tue, 30 Dec 2008 00:03:26 -0000

Very generic standard tourist advice, but don't give yourself a few hours at the Grand Palace.

Re: Bangkok Bleg

Gary — Sun, 28 Dec 2008 02:05:18 -0000

Forensic medicine building, Siriraj Hospital: http://www.lonelyplanet.com...

Preserved fetuses, cadavers, and body parts. Similar to Body Worlds exhibits, but a bit edgier.

Re: Bangkok Bleg

Dave — Sat, 27 Dec 2008 14:12:29 -0000

Absolutely you must go to what's called Chatuchak on the subway map (but pronouncing it Jatujak will be more effective in talking to locals/ directing a taxi). The animal-selling areas are only mildly interesting, but the food stalls are awesome; some are whole restaurants buried seemingly at random in the market.

Go down the river a bit on one of the boats, even though they will overcharge you.

If you are in need for excellent men's shirting (30 bucks or so a shirt), or quite decent suits (300 or so a suit), then I second the Rajawongse recommendation from above. Don't walk into a place at random.

Little Arabia as mentioned above is fantastically interesting for people-watching but the food is terrible (heartbreakingly bad Iraqi food...) It is also buried in the far-too-touristy Sukhumvit area.

There are excellent wats out in the countryside; after a while they frankly all blend together but one or two can be quite enjoyable.

Do not miss the temple grounds attached to the king's palace, and be sure to look at the murals on the walls by the edges of the compound, as well as the murals on the back wall of the main building, which most tourists stand in front of and never crane their heads back to notice. There is also a quite good national museum just across the park from it.

Re: Bangkok Bleg

Book Hotel — Sat, 27 Dec 2008 03:33:47 -0000

Buffet at the oriental hotel is the best in town. I'd recommend that.

Re: Bangkok Bleg

Amanda — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 14:26:53 -0000

Neither of these is really off the beaten path, but:

I ate at Baan Khanitha twice the week I was there because it was so excellent (high-end Thai food in a lovely setting; I also bought some of their arty serving pieces). Apparently there are two but I think the one we went to was on Soi 23 Sukhumvit.

Also Chatuchak (aka Jatujak) Market on the weekend. It is almost overwhelmingly huge - getting out was like an orienteering adventure. We stuck to the fairly touristy areas buying silks and wood carvings and so forth; I'd been told to visit the food-selling areas to see all sorts of exotic meat for sale but I wasn't sure I could stomach it.

Re: Bangkok Bleg

Ben — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 13:56:14 -0000

In Rangoon? Luge lessons, meat helmets?

Re: Bangkok Bleg

Nick — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 08:20:51 -0000

When in Rangoon, try the lunch buffet at the Trader Hotel.

Re: Bangkok Bleg

KL — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 03:12:19 -0000

The buffet at the Oriental hotel is probably the best int. buffet in Bangkok. The French restaurant there is pretty good as well. Most local restaurants and street foods are quite good. Plenty of them at the Ekamai/Thonglor area (along the Sukhumvit St where the sky train reaches).

Re: Bangkok Bleg

Robert S. Porter — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 01:35:22 -0000

Bangkok? I'd rescue some enslaved children. Thailand is dreadfully depressing.

Re: Bangkok Bleg

Pejman Yousefzadeh — Sun, 21 Dec 2008 22:57:53 -0000

Play chess, of course.

Re: Bangkok Bleg

Dude — Sun, 21 Dec 2008 22:57:27 -0000

Hang out in "Little Arabia" a bit. You'll see people from the Gulf (as in Persian Gulf) states, westerners, prostitutes, elephants, and all sorts of other folks rubbing shoulders - quite possibly, the world's finest people watching.

Secondly, be at a public park some day at 6 pm. Trust me. It's a sight to behold.

Re: Bangkok Bleg

webgrrl — Sun, 21 Dec 2008 19:25:50 -0000

The Wats. Do not miss the artistic experience of the Buddhist temples or Wats. The Dawn Temple, the Marble Temple, and the Golden Buddha temple, just for the architecture and of course, the quality of the sculpture. I haven't done it, but I've heard good things about the foot massages at the Reclining Buddha temple. My acquaintance John Bush made a lovely movie about some of these temples, and he's my source on this.

Re: Bangkok Bleg

Sam Roggeveen — Sun, 21 Dec 2008 18:10:04 -0000

Get some business shirts made at Rajawongse Tailoring, on Sukhumvit Rd (just Google them to get details).

There are hundreds of barely average tailors in Bangkok, but these guys are the real deal, as dozens of Bangkok-based diplomats and at least one US president knows.

Re: Bangkok Bleg

Scott — Sun, 21 Dec 2008 17:01:56 -0000

Only had a few days there, but:
- Motorbike taxis (not the tuk-tuks). Fun way to get around, and apparently foreigners mustn't do it much, because the guy on the door back at our hotel seemed hugely impressed and shook our hands when we got back.
- Going to a Muay Thai fight is pretty fun too.