Bangkok (2012)


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Asia » Thailand » Central Thailand » Bangkok
August 12th 2012
Published: August 19th 2012
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1: Pratunam Footpath 103 secs

Bangkok




We arrive at the main airport pleased that they now have a train service that runs straight into the middle of Pratanum for NZ$1.80 each, compared to the normal local taxi fare of NZ$16. This was a better deal than Grant & Letitia’s – they took the limousine service available in the baggage area of the airport for 1300B (NZ$50). We normally recommend the Limousine service to first timers into Bangkok as local taxi rides can be pretty alarming; although much cheaper and efficiently organised out the front of the airport. So when they return to the airport 2 weeks later, they hop into a bent and battered local taxi for a hair-raising ride to the airport. Grant gets out of taxi and asks “How much?” Taxi Driver says “How much did you pay taxi into Bangkok when you arrived”, “1300 B” Grant replies. “OK you pay the same to me” says the taxi driver! No doubt he went straight home and took the rest of the week off.

Bangkok has a backpacking area but we have never stayed, we love Pratanum its really buzzy and you can get some cheap hotel deals, and there are not many western tourists. It is where the locals shop so it’s cheaper than the Tourist Malls like MBK (touristy) and Siam Paragon (classy). The area has Central World which is a trendy Mall and filled with shops and restaurants. The footpaths are covered with canvas covering stalls which line the footpaths selling food, fish BBQs, coffee carts, fruit juices, belts, wallets, clothes, Calvin Kline undies, shoes, etc. There are huge fashion malls, an IT Mall, beggars, Swensons, Starbucks, McDonalds, and the roads filled with Tuk Tuks and brightly coloured pink, yellow and green taxis. The 35 degree heat and humidity mingles in the air with the smell of deep fried food cooking mixed with a whiff of Durian and traffic fumes. The constant sound of whistles blown by uniformed traffic wardens directing cars and pedestrians across roads and out of parking buildings, can still be heard inside on the 22nd floor! Its great to be back in Bangkok – we love it – its vibrant!

We head straight for Central World Mall where we often hang out in Bangkok; its a modern large mall, with few western tourists, 2 levels of restaurants, Starbucks, Dunkn Donuts, many many shops and today an indoor iceskating rink. It was burnt down in the riots a couple of years ago so we are keen to see it after the rebuild - well, you would never know. We have visited this mall many times over the last 5 years and always wondered how it survived as no matter what day or time we visited it was always empty. This time we could not believe how crowded it was. It was also a surprise to see how the coffee culture has made its way to Bangkok. There seems to be more middle class people around, even the beggars were wearing nice, clean clothes! We notice a definite decrease in motorbikes and increase in cars on the roads. We think prices have trebled, a party dress 4 years ago was NZ$4 is now $12 plus, some items would be cheaper to purchase at home, but there are still some real bargains, although the shop owners do not seem to have a desire to barter anymore, or is it the need? The Fashion mall has been extended and has the Novatel sitting on top and coffee shop underneath. The area is looking more modern with more western fast food joints, so it’s a relief when we walk around the corner and find the BBQ fish and chicken restaurant still resides on the footpath on the walk to Central World Mall. (see video of walk, sorry very amatuer).

We used to love Monday in Thailand when the streets were a sea of yellow shirts, worn to wish King Bhumibol Adulyadej to live longer, now in his late 80's it seems to have worked. But this time the yellow shirts have disappeared and you could mistakenly assume this is due to the King withdrawing from the public, living in a suite on the 16th floor of a private hospital, since he was admitted to hospital in 2009. But no, the Peoples Alliance for Democracy (PAD) mainly made up of royalists were key players in the political crisises since 2006 - being anti Government and known as yellow shirts. Red shirts support the government. So a policitically sensitive coloured shirt to wear on a Monday now.

My iphone white screened in Krabi so a quick trip to the IT Mall installed its 5th LCD screen for only NZ$40 in 5 minutes (competition for you Rob!). So very pleased to have my phone back so I can check the time.

Opposite the IT and Fashion Malls there are lanes that have cheap guest houses, so we booked for 3 days at the new Period Pratunam – I mean really – Period – is that the best name they could come up with? The newest hotels are the best budget accommodation options in Thailand as once built there does not appear to be any maintenance done. Bathrooms get grotty and smelly, wood rots, tiles are covered in grime, mainly due to a lack of thorough cleaning and poor quality fittings. We spent the days walking and eating at Bangkok Malls. You absolutely cannot visit Thailand without having a Swensons, they are just delicious. I could not get over how expensive MBK Mall is now, items you can get elsewhere on the streets for a tenth of the price. It’s loaded with tourists paying extremely high prices.

Swensons - http://www.travelblog.org/Photos/1649790

We love the walk to Central World mall past the temples/shrines which sit in the water and worshippers knelt in prayer, lighting incense and lying single red roses in the water. It’s a beautiful site. Also if you go there, Centara Hotel behind the Mall has an open air bar and restaurant on the top floor, it’s worth even a drink to see the view.

We had done the tourist sites in 2008 so did not repeat, if interested noted on earlier blog : http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Thailand/Western-Thailand/Kanchanaburi/blog-256932.html

We recommend the River Cruise and explore all the stops, the most interesting sites are those found when you get lost in the Bangkok streets. Its worth a visit to Chatuchak, 15,000 booths over 30 acres selling everything from cushion covers to seahorses. Easy to get to by train, not open every weekday, was originally setup for wholesalers and traders as it mostly sells products from Thai factories, but now has 200,000 visitors every weekend including locals and tourists.

Accommodation:

Period Platunam – NZ$50 brand new so very clean, we got the biggest room and it was extremely compact, bed on the floor and standing room only, but it was fine for us. Great location in Pratanum. http://theperiodpratunam.com/The_Period/Overview.html

Centre Point, Petchburi – NZ$94 we have stayed here before and treated ourselves to one night as we loved it last time. Great pool, huge room, and the best green curry Tom and Carl had ever had before. Well either the Chef has left or the 3 hours of pre-dinner drinks last time affected their taste buds - it was not nice – ruined the memory. Breakfast was amazing spread. You can walk out from hotel straight into the middle of the busy footpath in Pratanum. They are doing the rooms up over the next few years and they are going to be fantastic. http://www.centrepointpetchburisoi15.com/

Amari – NZ$40 our only chance to stay at an Amari they are normally hundreds. We were leaving on Nok Air which uses the old International for its domestic flights and has an internal walkway direct to the airport across the road. Since all flights had moved to the new airport the demand on this Amari had diminished heavily, so it was really cheap, and you always seem to get an upgrade. We got upgraded to the Executive rooms which were really nice and comfy, but the place had a deserted feel to it and the swimming pool was the size of a public pool so I felt like I was swimming in a tank. There is hope though as Air Asia is moving all its flights to the old airport in October so it will get busier. http://www.amari.com/donmuang/

Tip: Never get into taxi or tuk tuk in Thailand unless confirmed price or that meter is going to be used and turned on.

budget travel from Bangkok to Koh Samui - we left on a Nok Air ticket (NZ$230 for 2) which included air fares to Nakhon Si Thammarat, bus to ferry terminal and ferry to Koh Samui, then you could pay NZ$8 each for taxi van to hotel (buy on boat or at ferry terminal). Great deal but every time you arrived at bus or ferry you had to queue to get ticket, room for efficiency here.


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19th August 2012

Iphone
Now 5 min's is a good turn around. I have started importing parts from china so I can now mach that price :-). This is a great read!

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