Below Any Possible RatingExploring extremes is a good way to get to know a new environment; I explored the bottom boundaries of the hotels in Bangkok, especially in the Khaosan Road area.Merry V has a superb location in the Khaosan Road area and a nice…Read More

Below Any Possible Rating

Exploring extremes is a good way to get to know a new environment; I explored the bottom boundaries of the hotels in Bangkok, especially in the Khaosan Road area.

Merry V has a superb location in the Khaosan Road area and a nice coffee-shop, but its rooms remind the matchboxes seen in "The Beach." The bed was covered with a very old sheet; it was so thin due to age and use that the holes in it looked as a fancy part of its original design. Since my room was at a corner, it had windows on two walls, one facing the bed and the other above the door; but other rooms had just one. The metallic mosquito net successfully blocked any chance the refreshing night breeze had to do its work.

Baan Sabai: Its name may be translated as "Pleasantville;" however, it has very little beyond the name. It is located in the road surrounding the temple at the western end of Khaosan Road; it offers a reasonable access to the area and a pleasant restaurant. Next to the lobby and occupying all the space to the street corner is a relatively large restaurant featuring an attractive design in dark wood; large windows allow the breeze in. The menu is rather basic and includes traditional Thai dishes and basic Western ones. The room is worth description; its single bed occupied more than half of it. A fan attached to the ceiling and aimed at the bed began to work once I inserted the key into a specially designed switch. The only additional piece of furniture was a wood box next to the bed. There were no windows except for a narrow opening along one wall, which was placed next to the ceiling, barely allowing seeing the corridors neon lights and nothing more.

The boxy, white structure of Top Guesthouse has no elevator, thus a room in the lower floors is recommended. Except for the crammed entrance, the building is kept clean and uncluttered. The room turned out being rather basic and overpriced. Room 22 offered a top view of the alley and the entrance sign, but little else. Being a double room, it had two beds with sheets and no covers; the pillows were the only article disturbing their flatness, the room had also a big fan at the ceiling, an open closet and a humble table. However, I am exaggerating; it doesn’t really belong to the very bottom options.

Budget

On the eastern side of Khaosan Road, Nana Plaza Inn enjoys a superb location, including a back-exit into an alley between Khaosan Road and Ratchadamnoen Avenue, where some of the best travel agencies in Bangkok are located. Nana Plaza Inn was among the first big guesthouses built in Khaosan Road and it still offers an interesting option for short stays in the city.

D&D enjoys a fabulous location at the very center of Khaosan Road. The last round of renovations created a direct access from the lobby to the alley separating Khaosan Road from Ratchadamnoen Road, augmenting thus its accessibility even more. The additions and renovations were done on layers, resulting in areas of different qualities. The rooms in Building 2 are much better than the older ones and thus the building is usually fully occupied. Checking out the rooms before occupying them is always recommended.

In a typical Asian move, the Siam Oriental Inn owners chose a name similar to the one used by another hotel, the opulent Oriental. Here the similarity between the two ends. The Siam Oriental Inn is a landmark in the eastern side of Khaosan Road. It was one of the first big guesthouses to establish themselves in the road and set an example for the plethora of establishments that appeared in recent years. It offers value accommodation as well as additional services like a restaurant, internet kiosk and travel agency for the joy of the backpackers flooding the area.

A Local Chain

In essence, the Sawasdee hotels and guesthouses are very Thai. The ground floor is open to the street and features – beyond the reception desk – a well-aired restaurant and a few computers. The rooms are in the upper floors and are not different of those found in other Thai establishments. However, Sawasdee is a chain.

They operate mainly in Bangkok (several locations) and Pattaya, offering always a professional and friendly service. If joining their members club there is a ten percent discount on addition to any other seasonal one.

Sawasdee hotels provide the guest almost with everything at prices that similar hotels can’t match. The rooms have air conditioners, a shower with hot water, television and a queen-size bed; some branches include refrigerators in the room. What’s the trick? First, they are a chain, thus their relative administrative costs are lower. Second, my initial statement was somewhat misleading. They provide everything, but they also crowd it in incredibly small rooms. Sometimes the only window in the room faces a narrow corridor. The space between the bed and the wall across the room is barely enough for a person to stand there; in fact, it is the width of a backpack. The television is just 14" and often offers only aerial channels.

Reasonable Choices

Mango Lagoon Place was one of the last hotels to be built in the Khaosan Road area; I followed the lengthy construction process over what was until then one of those rare unoccupied lots in the area. Then I travelled away for a while and when I returned to Bangkok, I met the most impressive hotel along Soi Rambuttri.

As hinted by the room’s price, the hotel belongs to the top end of Khaosan Road hotels. Instead of a key attached to a plastic slab used for activating the electricity in the room – almost a must in the area – I got a proper magnetic card for opening the door. The last was heavy and solid. Once inside I couldn’t see everything at once – that was a good sign. Overall, the Mango Lagoon provides by the end of 2008, one of the most appealing options for staying in the Khaosan Road area.

When it was opened a few years ago, Buddy Boutique Hotel became the first up-market place in the entire street; placed nearby the eastern edge of Khaosan Road, it lured backpackers - the main segment of population here - not only with its inexpensive luxury, but also with the help of a small shopping center placed at its polished entrance. There, the Coffee World became the first coffee chain to set a foot in the street, McDonald opened a branch next to it and Buddy's restaurant above them defined new food standards in the area.

Viengtai Hotel was the first real hotel in the Khaosan Road area, and even today, its massive building is still one of the best choices for a good sleep there. The hotel is located on Thanon Rambuttri, the northern street parallel to Khaosan and offers easy access to all the attractions without surrendering to the backpackers' motto "cheaper is better."

Slightly less expensive than its exclusive neighbors (the Oriental and the Shangri-La) the Holiday Inn Silom offers an attractive compromise between lush luxury, a superb location amidst a major commercial and shopping area of Bangkok and reasonable prices.

Top End

A visit to Bangkok allows staying at top-rated hotels – on a world scale – at relatively accessible prices. Not enjoying the opportunity once in a while would be almost a sin.

Matching the expectations created by its name, the Shangri-La Hotel is one of the best hotels Bangkok has to offer. South of the Oriental and a bit far from downtown, it has a superb access to the Skytrain and to the Chao Phraya River. The list of facilities provided is long; but it is not that what makes the place worthwhile since most of the three-stars and up hotels in town provide the same them, the point here is the top-quality of each item.

Occupying a prime location along the Chao Phraya riverside, the Oriental is constantly recognized as one of the most luxurious hotels in the world.
The rooms are sumptuous, the Thai silk flows in them as water in the nearby Chao Phraya, and include also a private butler service. Opulent and luxurious, the hotel offers more services than it is possible to use, including several restaurants. Its Author’s Lounge is featured here also as one of the best coffee shops in Bangkok.

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A Little House of HorrorsStatistically it was almost unavoidable. Following a few years without dental problems, an accident forced me to visit a foreign dentist in a foreign land.The accident was related to a journal I wrote for IgoUgo, namely the Dining on Wheels one.…Read More

A Little House of Horrors

Statistically it was almost unavoidable. Following a few years without dental problems, an accident forced me to visit a foreign dentist in a foreign land.

The accident was related to a journal I wrote for IgoUgo, namely the Dining on Wheels one. That journal was in the category of the fast ones: I conceived the idea and a couple of hours later most of the journal was done. It was an easy one. To celebrate the successful event, I bought a guava at a street stall. In Thailand those are served unripe, cut in chunks and with a little bag of sugar and chili to dip the greenish chunks.

As always while in Khaosan Road, my eyes darted from one attraction to another; I wasn’t really paying attention to my healthy snack until a seed hit a filled tooth and the filling decided to search for a better future in the company of the seed.

The filling was small but strategically located on the corner of the tooth. I could feel the sharp edge; leaving it unattended was unthinkable.

Knowing well the area, I approached a dental clinic on the western end of Rambuttri Road. Since it there for a few years while catering for tourists, I assumed it would be safe. Once there, I learned I would need to wait until the next morning. Disappointed (I have learned to enjoy the round-the-clock nature of Bangkok), I left.

Next day, at the hour stated by the sign, I opened the glass door and greeted in Thai the only person inside. Later she was to help the doctor.

"Come back in an hour," she told me.

I left only after making sure she wrote me down at the top of the list for the day.

An hour later, a respectable Thai lady received me. The diploma behind her stated she had studied in the US.

"What happened?" she asked.

After hearing the story, she repeated the under the circumstances unavoidable Thai joke:

"Farang eat farang!" she happily said in mixed up Thai and English. "Guava" in Thai is "farang," which is also the word used as a nickname for Western tourists.

Then she quoted a price close to fifty dollars. Knowing the market, I knew it was roughly five times the regular price for a Thai.

"OK, just do a good job please," I said smiling.

Following the usual preparations, she picked up the drill and said "Open your mouth!"

"You forgot the anesthetic injection," I said still unworried.

"We don’t use it here for such little jobs," she said and brought the drill closer to my now tightly closed mouth.

Images of Steve Martin as a sadist dentist in "A Little House of Horrors" filled my mind.

"The horror! The horror!" said Mr Kurtz.

"Don’t panic!" I thought and pushed away the worrying images. "Think Thai!" was the next thought. She was overcharging me, but was unaware I knew that. I had a suitable leverage for the negotiation.

"I’ll pay extra for the injection," I said and closed my mouth quickly.

My tone told her I knew she had asked for too much. If she would ask for more she would lose face and look greedy instead of genuinely interested on the well-being of a foreign visitor.

"No problem, I give you an injection," she surrendered with a sigh.

In the next few minutes she performed a very professional job. "Is it too high?" she finally asked. Minutes later I was out and an hour after that forgot about the whole incident.

A Month Later

One month later – still in Bangkok – the new filling abandoned me for no good reason.

"No problem, the place is clean. It was too high," she quickly summarized upon my return to the dental clinic.

"I won’t charge you, it was my fault," she said.

"Thank you," I answered, knowing her statement was not true.

"I won’t charge for the job, but you’ll pay for the injection," she added narrowing her eyes.

Without knowing how much would she asked for, I had the feeling I could quote the exact amount. "OK," I answered.

This time she worked on that single tooth for over ninety minutes. After placing the new filling, she began shaping it while taking the parallel one as a model. It seemed to me that she was working on a microscopic scale, shaping every thousandth of a millimeter of the new filling. It was obvious she was attempting godly perfection.

"Wash your mouth," she finally said and walked out the room.

"How much is it?" I said once at the reception room.

"Three-hundred baht." That was about ten dollars and very probably the real price for such a job in Thailand. In a kind of awkward way she was silently accepting me as part of the Thai universe. No more overcharge for me. I paid gladly.

And the tooth? A few months later, I am convinced this is the finest dental work I ever had.
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Four lines of trains lead out of Bangkok; they are called according to the direction they travel to: Northern, Northeastern, Eastern and Southern, the last is connected to the Malaysian railways.Hualampong: Bangkok Railway StationLocated on Rama IV Road, Rongmuang, the Bangkok Railway Station is easy…Read More

Four lines of trains lead out of Bangkok; they are called according to the direction they travel to: Northern, Northeastern, Eastern and Southern, the last is connected to the Malaysian railways.

Hualampong: Bangkok Railway Station

Located on Rama IV Road, Rongmuang, the Bangkok Railway Station is easy to find; nowadays there is a Metro station right at its door, Bangkok's Chinatown is across the highway. The Hualampong Station was built between 1910 and 1916, and modernized in 1998; its huge hangar features short towers at its corners and is one of the best known landmarks in Bangkok.

The station provides 24-hour service, including a post office, money exchange services, a Thai food plaza, bookstores in Thai and English, information booths, luggage deposit, hotel reservations and fast food joints, including a Dunkin's Donuts branch.

Its central hall is mainly used as a waiting area, but at its backside are twenty-four ticket windows, including some reserved for foreigners, which issue computerized tickets; unlike in China, the staff speaks reasonable English.

Trains

The services are divided into regular trains, rapid trains, express trains, and the Sprinter or special express train; these offer 3rd class, 2nd class sleeping, 2nd class and 1st class sleeping cars with or without air-conditioning. The trains are rather old; traveling across Thailand by bus is faster.

Planning a trip is easy, since the trains keep the same daily schedule; detailed timetables are available at the counters; reservations for the 1st class cars are not necessary.

Sturdy locomotives and dwarf, boxy cars define the Thai Railways; they impart a solid sense of safety and silently imply a capability to survive any accident.

Security and Pricing

It is highly recommended to travel first class, since there are recurring reports - and most Thais would warn about that - of thefts in the lower class cars; if traveling in the lower class cars, care should be taken with the luggage and no food should be accepted from strangers.

The price of first class tickets is considerably higher than a parallel trip on bus; while third class tickets are much cheaper than the similar bus tickets.

Lines

The Northern Line connects Bangkok and Chiang Mai, through Ayutthaya and Phitsanulok. The first special express train leave daily from 8:30 AM to 7:35 PM; the trip lasts twelve hours. In the opposite direction, there is one morning train at 8:45 AM and thee in the evening, at 4:30 PM, 5:50 PM and 9 PM; slower trains are available at other times. As of August 2008, a first class ticket costs 1353 baht to Chiang Mai.
The Northeastern Line reaches Nong Khai, through Nakhon Ratchasima, Ubon Ratchathani, Khon Kaen and Udon Thani. There is a single special express train leaving Bangkok daily at 5:45 AM, but it reaches only Ubon; in the opposite direction special express trains leave from Ubon (2:50 PM, 7:05 PM from Si Saket); slower trains reach Nong Khai. The best option from Bangkok is the express diesel railcar, leaving at 6:30 PM and reaching Nong Khai at 5:05 AM; other express trains leave Bangkok between 8:20 AM and 9:50 PM (6 trains). A full trip from Bangkok to Nong Khai in first class costs 1217 baht and longs ten hours.

Aranyaprathet - the northern border cross with Cambodia, leading to Angkor - is the final destination of the Eastern Line; though there is a side line reaching Chon Buri and Pattaya. This train has only third class cars, a trip to Aranyaprathet costs 48 baht ($1.5!!!).

Malaysia can be reached down to Butterworth with the Southern Line, which reaches also Hua Hin, Chumpon, Surat Thani, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Hat Yai and Yala. Five special express trains leave Bangkok daily between 8:05 AM and 10:50 PM. A first class ticket to Hat Yai costs 1494 baht. The whole trip to Malaysia longs twenty-one hours, while to Hat Yai just about fifteen.Close

The numbers are staggering; despite actual official statistics being hard to get, several sites quote the number one hundred thousand Israeli tourists in Thailand for the year 2003. Probably this number is larger now, since there is a continuous increase in the tourists' population segments…Read More

The numbers are staggering; despite actual official statistics being hard to get, several sites quote the number one hundred thousand Israeli tourists in Thailand for the year 2003. Probably this number is larger now, since there is a continuous increase in the tourists' population segments arriving from Israel. In the past they were almost exclusively backpackers just after their military service; nowadays there are a lot of whole families as well.

The Rationale

For Israelis, visiting Thailand is very convenient, since the country is less expensive than Israel and is one of the few issuing handy visas on arrival to Israeli citizens. Moreover, the interaction between the acutely different cultures assures a vacation in which the endless troubles at home would be forgotten - at least for a while.

Khaosan Road became the obvious center in Bangkok of these tourists, mainly due to its being cheaper than areas as Sukhumvit Road, even after the recent years constant upgrading, but also due to the availability of travel agencies there. Once Hebrew speaking travel agencies opened on Khaosan Road, other areas of Bangkok wouldn't even be considered.

The Result

The many Hebrew signs on Khaosan Road are unmistakable; the language can be easily heard between the English of most visitors. The groups - if knowing what to search for - can be seen from far away. With no doubt, Khaosan Road features one of the largest concentrations of Israeli citizens in the world, especially during Israeli holidays. Trying to ignore them during earlier trips to the area, I finally decided to dedicate them a journal.

The Idea

Interviewing tourists on the streets seemed as a bad idea for this journal. Most of them would probably refuse; if not, most of their answers would be in the style of "let's say what he does expect to hear;" I know my people and their - justified - fear of the Big Brother. The lack of freedom in Israel trains its citizens in very specific skills.

Thus, I decided to visit the main four Israeli institutions in the Khaosan Road area, as of August 2008. Some of the visits were incognito, others were done openly. Some went fine, other were weird on the verge of scary.

The Institutions

Such a crowd of tourists was calling for dedicated businesses; despite several changes during the last years, the concentration of Israeli businesses on the west end of Khaosan and the central part of Rambuttri seems to have stabilized. The big Israeli travel agencies and guesthouses located there openly advertise their services in Hebrew and attract shoppers from other parts of the world as well.

The biggest institutions - and the ones reviewed here as well - are: the Green House, Lametayel, HaKesher HaIsraeli and Beit Chabad. HaKesher HaIsraeli is the oldest and biggest, its huge sign is a Khaosan Road landmark for years; a surprise awaited me there.

Assessing Food

All the four institutions included restaurants; I ate at three of them, while the fourth was beyond any compromise I was ready to make for the sake of this journal. Yet, I needed a plan allowing me to achieve comparative results.

On an airplane magazine - in my way to Bangkok - I read a food review where it was claimed "a restaurant cannot be assessed by tasting simple dishes like lobsters." However, these simple dishes often require very specific and delicate ingredients, and an exact preparation; the skill of the chef and the quality of the products used in these dishes cannot be hidden under a fancy sauce with a long name. Hummus and tahini are such dishes and are an important part of the Israeli diet; thus, I ordered hummus with tahini at all three restaurants, while promising myself to begin a diet one day after finishing the journal.

The Guesthouse

One of the travel agencies included a guesthouse; for my personal security I did not sleep there, but the owner of the place gave me a detailed visit of the place.

Travel Agencies

Three of the four institutions reviewed included travel agencies; at the fourth I was seriously told "we are above that (type of business)." I didn't book tours with them since I prefer traveling independently; however, I spoke with the people working there - in two cases incognito - while trying to find out about the services provided.

At one of the agencies they were busy trying to find alternative flights for customers of a company that suddenly ceased working. However, in general, I got the impression the services were responsible, though overpriced and catering for people not used to traveling independently; and that fits the patterns, few Israelis travel around alone.

After three days, the journal was finished - at least the data gathering for it - and I returned to the blessed anonymity of speaking English and wearing a Thai T-shirt.Close

Denizens of any given city have their own peculiar pace. In extreme conditions the pace is usually slow, that’s the case in La Paz – maybe due to the lack of oxygen and the cold – and in Vientiane – probably due to the heat.…Read More

Denizens of any given city have their own peculiar pace. In extreme conditions the pace is usually slow, that’s the case in La Paz – maybe due to the lack of oxygen and the cold – and in Vientiane – probably due to the heat. Near the last, Bangkok surprises by its vitality and fast pace despite the humidity, lack of winds and the eternal heat.

This unconscious pace dictates the pedestrians’ behaviour, allowing them walking without colliding or delaying others. It is part of the local culture and it can be appreciated only while walking around.

This walk begins at Khaosan Road - the backpackers’ home in Bangkok and ends not far away from there amidst some of the most spectacular royal and religious structures in the world; advancing from the lower echelons to royalty within a few hours and offering thus an instant social ladder for the impatient traveller.

Despite the short distances involved and despite being within a modern urban area, a good traveller is always ready for the worst, thus I recommend beginning the walk with a healthy breakfast at one of Khaosan Road many attractive restaurants.

Once heavy and happy, advance towards Khaosan western end, where Wat Chana Songkhram blocks the way; it may be a small temple, but it is a good prelude to the other sights in this tour. Surrounding the central structure there is a lively market of Thai food attended by nuns and in the back-structures are many attractive relics from past eras; at the back-exit is a holy banyan tree, which is honoured with plenty of colourful ribbons, reminding the visitors of Buddha’s history.

Exit the temple through the main gate – on the Khaosan Road and Thanon Chakrapong junction – and turn northwards. One block after that begins the Banglamphu Market. Part of it is on Thanon Rambuttri (eastwards) and part on Thanon Chakrapong itself. This market is interesting mainly due to its lack of fame. Among the typical neighbourhood markets in Bangkok it is the closest to the Grand Palace. It offers a look into the Thai life and is a good place for buying traditional fisherman’s pants.

Thanon Chakrapong (and the market) ends by Khlong Banglamphu, a typical water canal in this Venice of the East. Turn westwards on Thanon Phra Sumen – which runs parallel to the canal – and follow it until it sharply turns to the south and changes name to Thanon Phra Athit. At the corner is the Phra Sumen Fort, right on the Chao Praya Riverside. The fort is worth a second visit at night, when it is delightfully illuminate and provides amazing views of the Saphan Phra Ram VIII Bridge and the river.

Around the fort are the Santi Chai Prakan Park and several attractive coffee shops; the last are more expensive then those on Khaosan Road and attract mainly local yuppies. After recovering the lost calories with an espresso and a piece of cake, continue through Thanon Pra Athit which displays an eclectic mix of Thai nobility houses and typical Thai shop houses.

After passing the College of Dramatic Arts, the National Museum appears at the left. Even if skipping the collection it is worth taking a look t its garden which is populated with tasteful sculptures and works of art.

Just after it, still on the left, are the Thammasat University and Wat Mahathat, in this order. Silpakorn University is on the intersection of Thanon Maharat with Thanon Na Phra Lan and in front of the Grand Palace.

Few places manage to transfer its visitors to another, magical world as the Ratanakosin Grand Palace does. While approaching it spires and stupas densely rising above the wall surrounding the complex in an impossible kaleidoscope of colors and shapes act as an irresistible magnet for visitors. A view from another world, where spirits are believed to live within talismans, statues and little, colored houses.

The Grand Palace and the Temple of the Emerald Buddha were built after King Rama I ascended the throne as the founder of the Chakri Dynasty on 6 April 1782 and have undergone several repairs and renovations; they are at the very heart of Bangkok on Ratanakosin Island.

Leving the Grand Palace turn right on Thanon Na Phra Lan; at the kitty corner from the palace is Wat Lak Muang - the city pillar.

Thai cities always include a pillar - a symbolic representation of a linga - which is considered to host the city’s guardian spirit or deity. As such, these places are located in the vicinity of – or within - larger temples and are an official center of worship for the city’s welfare, though usually they are the preferred temples for fertility rites as well.

After exploring it, continue walking around the grand palace on Thanon Sanamchai. Beyond the palace southern wall is Wat Pho, the biggest and oldest temple in Bangkok.

Wat Pho, also known as Wat Phra Chetuphon or Temple of the Reclining Buddha, is located next to Bangkok’s Grand Palace, on its southern side.

This is Bangkok’s oldest and biggest temple; built in 1688 (before the city’s foundation!) it has ninety-five pagodas and 394 Buddha images, an amount unmatched by any other temple in town.

Beyond its impressive statistics, Wat Pho is best known for the Reclining Buddha. If an ideology does not impress, the size of its structures may compensate; this seems to be the case with this Buddha which is forty-six meters long and fifteen meters high. Its soles are decorated with 108 Lakshanas or auspicious signs inlaid with mother-of-pearl. The graceful Bot at the compound centre has attractive teak doors showing stories from the Ramayana and decorated with mother-of-pearl.

Finish the tour with a professional and restoring Thai massage there. Thai massage is very different from other forms of massage and is based on the twisting and bending of every limb in somewhat unconventional ways. Slightly scaring at the first time, it provides a wonderful relaxation and is able to heal the physical damages of a strenuous morning walk.

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Bangkok’s Metro resembles in shape and design its older brother in Singapore. As there, the passengers are protected from the railway gap by glass walls spiced up with doors opening whenever a train arrives. The cars and stations are very similar and comparably comfortable and…Read More

Bangkok’s Metro resembles in shape and design its older brother in Singapore. As there, the passengers are protected from the railway gap by glass walls spiced up with doors opening whenever a train arrives. The cars and stations are very similar and comparably comfortable and efficient.

History

Due to Bangkok’s muddy underground and the 1997 economical crisis, the subway construction suffered many delays and was inaugurated only in 2004, eight years after the construction began.

Speed

Roaming Bangkok at eighty kilometers per hour, the metro is difficult to beat in this aspect.

Lines

Nowadays, there is only one operating line – called "Blue" – which is twenty-one kilometers long, it has eighteen stations and connects Bang Sue with Hua Lamphong through a loop reaching Phra Ram 9 highway.

Combined with the Skytrain two lines, the complex mass transport system draws a rectangle on Bangkok’s map. Other lines are planned.

Interchange with BTS

Connecting from the metro to the Skytrain is possible at the Silom Skytrain's Sala Daeng Station), Sukhumvit (Skytrain's Asok Station) and Chatuchak Park (Skytrain's Mo Chit Station) stations.

However, there isn’t yet a joint ticketing system with the BTS Skytrain, though the situation can change soon.

Fares

As with the BTS Skytrain, fares depend on the distance traveled.

The fares have changed a few times; however, the longest trips cost slightly over an American dollar. There are single trip tokens and contactless stored value cards which can be purchased at the stations.

Access

All the stations are equipped for handicapped passengers’ access and have flood’s control mechanisms; the last are important due to Bangkok being close to the sea and on a low area.

Maps

Conveniently, on the stations’ exits are maps showing the adjacent surface level area.

Main Stations

The Metro system connects the Bang Sue Railway Station with the Hua Lamphong Railway Terminus, both in downtown Bangkok while drawing a wide open rectangle on its way; it crosses several important areas and attractions. Here are the main ones listed:

Bang Sue: This metro station gives access to the Bang Sue Junction Railway Station.

Chatuchak Park: For access to the Chatuchak Weekend Market, the Mo Chit Bus Terminal and the BTS Skytrain Silom Line.

Petchaburi: For access to Petchaburi Road, a popular shopping area north of Sukhumvit.

Sukhumvit: For access to Sukhumvit Road, the main shopping area in Bangkok, and connection to the BTS Skytrain's Asok Station.

Lumphini: For access to Lumphini Park, the main green area in Bangkok and to the main Muay Thai shows in Bangkok.

Silom: For access to Silom Road and the BTS Skytrain's Sala Daen Station, one of the main commercial and business areas in town.

Hua Lamphong: For access to Hua Lamphong Railway Station, Thailand’s main railways terminus.
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Certain aspects of modern cities create effects and links that in the past were not possible. The Skytrain in Bangkok was built on an elevated rail crossing Bangkok high above the street level and created a virtual street connecting the main attractions in the city.…Read More

Certain aspects of modern cities create effects and links that in the past were not possible. The Skytrain in Bangkok was built on an elevated rail crossing Bangkok high above the street level and created a virtual street connecting the main attractions in the city. Thus, a virtual street serving the denizens of a pseudo-virtual era had been mindlessly created.

In any other city, the Skytrain would have been regarded as a monstrosity. However, Bangkok has its own rules. Its climate has two basic modes: sunny or cloudy and rainy. If it is sunny, the Skytrain structure successfully blocks the harsh tropical sun and creates a welcomed shade for those walking on the street level. If it is cloudy, Bangkok gets a glorious gray light, soft and warm which invites for long walks through the city. Then, the grayish Skytrain structure seems to be the most natural thing, a mirror-like reflection of the sun light.

Stations

Unlike similar mass travel systems, the Skytrain stations are rather minimalist and have few shops catering for the hordes crowding them; with the exception of a casual coffee shop or snacks stall at the main stations. The reason for that oddity becomes clear just by taking a look at the streets below the stations: they are surrounded by commercial centers providing any possible human need or wish.

Routes

The Skytrain routes look awkward at first, but they make a lot of sense. There are two lines that meet at Siam Square, the system’s nexus. There, the trains travel on two levels above the street and create an eternal and blessed shadow over the people hurrying to their favorite shopping mall. Roughly, the lines create a misshaped "X" over the city.

The shorter line draws a half circle from south to west; it connects Silom with Ploen Chit and reaches the Chao Praya River.

The longer line runs from north to east and connects Mo Chit and the Chatuchak Market with Sukhumvit Road.

Most of Bangkok’s attractions can be explored by traveling exclusively on the Skytrain, with the obvious exception of the Grand Palace.

Tickets

All the stations are served by automated selling machines which are easy to use; they feature English menu. To get a ticket the destination zone (marked in an adjacent map) must be typed and the exact change given. Nearby are manned windows where tickets can be purchased from a human and change can be got. Single Journey Ticket, Skycards valid for two years, 30-days passes and One Day Passes are available.

Speed

The modern, comfortable and air conditioned trains are the fastest way to travel across downtown Bangkok, especially so during the rush hours which in Bangkok apparently last twenty-four hours every day.

Main Stations

There are too many stations for a complete review here, but some of them are worth specific mention.

On northern Bangkok, Mo Chit Station gives access to the northern bus terminal and the Chatuchak Market, while Ekamai Station - at the other side of the same line - is next to the eastern bus terminal.

Siam Square, Ploen Chit and Chitlom stops offer access to the city’s main shopping area.
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At first the idea was frightening. I couldn’t speak the language; reading it took me ages and thus I wouldn’t be able to read the signs on time. Without even considering the option, I began exploring the metropolis using other methods.After a while I changed…Read More

At first the idea was frightening. I couldn’t speak the language; reading it took me ages and thus I wouldn’t be able to read the signs on time. Without even considering the option, I began exploring the metropolis using other methods.

After a while I changed my initial reluctance. Buses ceased being threatening; in the worst case I would find myself in a random, unknown quarter. I could always catch a taxi and return to known areas.

Reinforcing the change was the fact that Bangkok is a safe city and thus buses posed no threats. The other eternal concern of a traveler - loosing precious time – was solved by dedicating a day to the exploration of Bangkok buses; now I could justify my aimless wandering in circles.

The foreign letters, the strange sounds and the many variations of buses did not make the beginning easy. The need to make a quick transaction on them without understanding the language was worrying. However, soon became clear that brain surgery is a more complex topic; riding the buses was simple.

Paying

The first lesson was not paying while boarding; a tickets’ seller approaches the passengers during the trip expecting to get approximately the right fare, paying the 7B fare with a one thousand baht note was an obviously bad idea.

Maps

The bus trajectories maps turned out being inexact.

Efficiency

Bangkok buses turned out being very effective at all times, especially since they travel all night; crossing the city on one of them at 3am is an inexpensive pleasure. However, at peak hours it may take hours to cross the city, thus planning is essential.

Views

I began looking around. Buses are taller than taxis and tuktuks and thus allow sightseeing; a new and less congested Bangkok appeared before my eyes. Traveling in an air-conditioned bus was more appealing than the fanciest taxi and both advanced at the same speed.

Fellow Travelers

The denizens made justice to the local claim that Thailand is the land of the smiles. Some of them wanted to practice English with me; others wanted to pull out the weirdly placed hairs on my arms. More experienced people around them shyly apologized for their peers’ conduct. Despite the misunderstandings and a few embarrassing moments I always felt as being among good people.

New Bangkok

A new city was so discovered, with quarters neither reached nor mentioned by travel agencies. I found markets selling local products and not souvenirs; people shopping for their next meal and eating their regular lunch; a living city instead of a museum.

Red and Green Buses

These buses are by far the cheapest ones; at 7B per trip regardless the distance you can hardly find a better deal. After midnight they charge 10B.

They do not have air-conditioners and their frequency is low; thus hordes of people attack them once they arrive. Using them at off-peak hours is a good tactic.

The most useful lines leaving from Khaosan Road are:

Line 2: leaves from the stop in front of the Lottery Building on the main road leading to the Grand Palace, just south of Khaosan. It reaches the Central World Plaza, from where all the main shopping locations in town are accessible, and through Sukhumvit Road to the Ekamai Eastern Terminal leading to the south-eastern parts of Thailand.

Line 3: Leaves from the closest road to the Chao Praya River, just west of the road around the temple at the west end of Khaosan. It reaches the Chatuchak Weekend’s Market.

Air-conditioned Buses

Air-conditioned buses are painted in yellow, blue or white and sometimes appear in two-car long buses; the doubles are usually a bit cheaper.

The fare depends on the distance traveled; the destination’s name – or the nearest landmark to it - should be pronounced to the tickets’ seller SLOWLY and clearly in English.

The most useful line from Khaosan Road is the 511 (it exists also as a red or yellow bus numbered 11 – but with a very low frequency). However two slightly different lines operate with the same number; if there is no additional sign on the bus, it reaches the Central World Plaza, Sukhumvit Road and the Ekamai Eastern Terminal. If there is a white sign in front of the driver, it means that this is the highway version of the bus, which after reaching the Central World Plaza climbs the highway instead of continuing through Sukhumvit Road.

Purple Buses

The purple buses are minibuses operating in relatively few lines along downtown. They feature a flat fare and a seat is guaranteed; once full it does not take more passengers.

Unlike the other buses, here the fare is given directly to the driver. All of these lines are doubled by cheaper ones.

TV Announcements

In front of the Central World Plaza there is a bus stop with television screens. There, a couple of screens on a high pole show video clips as well as announce the buses approaching the station using a sophisticated system.
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Few cities seem to be better positioned for earning the title of capital of the Multipolar Global Village than Bangkok. The cosmopolitan population, the myriad of visitors it hosts every year and the lack of imperial connotations, make it an ideal candidate. Beyond that, it's…Read More

Few cities seem to be better positioned for earning the title of capital of the Multipolar Global Village than Bangkok. The cosmopolitan population, the myriad of visitors it hosts every year and the lack of imperial connotations, make it an ideal candidate. Beyond that, it's a shopping paradise which will keep troublemakers busy for eons.

Shopping what? A Wat? Crossing the world and shopping the same brandish jeans available at my neighborhood's shopping mall? Here is my list of the seven best items to shop for while in Bangkok.

1. Thai Silk

Thai silk is the flag product of the Thai economy; a timeless product, it is renowned for its beauty and quality. It is considered one of the finest fabrics in the world, and it certainly provides unique patterns and colors.

Recognizing the original item is easy; it burns like hair and into dust while synthetic fabrics smell and drop like plastic while burning. It is admissible to ask burning a little bit of the fabric being purchased.

Thailand's Agriculture Ministry certifies the product quality using a peacock emblem. The best quality is marked with the Gold Peacock, while the others are, in decreasing quality order: Silver, Blue and Green Peacock.

2. A Tiny Buddha

Ubiquitous, Buddha's tiny statues are a good souvenir from Thailand; care should be taken to ensure that taking it out of the country is permitted. The most popular designs include the Seated, Reclining, Standing and Emaciated Buddhas; usually, they include a protuberance on the top of the head (symbolizing his intelligence) and long earlobes (symbolizing his perception). The statue poses (asanas) and hand-gestures (mudras) give an additional meaning to the item; the most popular one are the Varada (Wish Granting) and Abhaya (Fearlessness and Protection) mudras.

3. Electricity Socket Adaptors

Thailand uses electricity sockets similar to the ones in China; they are incompatible with western ones. Sturdy and compact adaptors - which conveniently split the connection into three - are available for a fraction of a dollar. Moreover, they have served me in three continents, proving to be an excellent investment for travelers.

4. Rubies and Emeralds

Cambodia and Laos are important producers of colored gems. However, the best place for buying them is Bangkok. Care should be taken to authenticate the merchandise; the big shopping malls in the city host reliable jewelers.

5. Thai Cuisine and Massage Courses

Few cuisines have been so extensively recognized for their quality as the Thai one; bringing its secrets back home is the perfect way to prolong a cherished vacation. Its massive use of fresh vegetable ingredients balancing the flavors (hot, sour, salty, bitter, sweet and pungent) creates a rich kaleidoscope of flavors able to dazzle the most sophisticated tastebuds. Using rice as the staple carrying upon its flexible back complex flavors, Thai food is easy to reproduce once its secrets are discovered. Many schools in Bangkok provide intensive courses on the art.

Thai massage is a must experience while in Thailand; luckily, it is possible nowadays to learn the art and bring it back home - no customs' officer can yet confiscate knowledge. Nuat Phaen Boran involves stretching and deep massage techniques and is best studied at Wat Pho in Bangkok. The technique makes use of the hands, feet, elbows and knees of the practitioner and requires at first a lot of trust from the customer. However, these professionals are worthy of complete trust; few massage techniques are so capable of fixing small motoric problems of the body.

6. T-shirts and Starbucks China Mugs

Stamped T-shirts featuring the best sites in the country and stylish china mugs sold by Starbucks in Thailand and featuring logos of the main cities make good, light souvenirs.

7. Thai Fisherman Trousers

A friend from Santa Fe asked me to bring her an impressive amount of Thai fisherman trousers back from Thailand. This item is a long time favorite of Thai massage practitioners, as she was. I couldn't refuse and the event almost caused me troubles with the customs. "You don't smell like a fisherman," the officer dryly remarked while contemplating the colorful package.
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For a professional traveler taking too seriously a trade which is misunderstood by most humans, traveling across the world in order to visit a shopping mall and buy items from international brands available everywhere is almost a crime.While perpetrating such a scandal, he would have…Read More

For a professional traveler taking too seriously a trade which is misunderstood by most humans, traveling across the world in order to visit a shopping mall and buy items from international brands available everywhere is almost a crime.

While perpetrating such a scandal, he would have a handy excuse for the case an acquaintance would recognize him in his moment of weakness. A fake moustache would cover the embarrassing possibility of an innocent article on the New York Times front page featuring the incriminating photograph of the event.

However, reality is more complex. While traveling for long periods of time, renewing stocks is unavoidable; after being for a while in places unheard of and eating insects until tiny wings begin growing on his back, a triple cappuccino at Starbucks is imperative. After trekking until the last hyper-technology shoe soles get holes the size of the Himalayas, resting for a while in a glitzy shopping mall is human.

Fooling myself with such silly excuses, I ventured into Bangkok's shopping malls. I really needed to fix my brandish sunglasses, a good cup of coffee and, maybe, new jeans. Trekking shoes with an integrated, multi-dimensional GPS combined with a cellular phone would be a nice addition to my backpack; the latest English books; a sushi dinner in that fancy restaurant with the tiny floating boats. Lush luxury.

Soon I discovered a new world. Visiting the Central World Plaza wasn't like visiting Harrods in London or Lafayette in Paris; the Thai culture permeated into the malls and most visitors were Thai. The same charming Thai culture of Ruam Thai and Nong Khai was present here, interacting with a hybrid, international environment. I took out the fake moustache, gave my sunglasses to a clerk with a smile wider than her face and took a long look at this part of the Smiling Kingdom.

Central World Plaza (formerly known as World Trade Center) has recently emerged from a massive renewal; the old and dark structure was replaced by huge amounts of glass and is now a river of light. The biggest shopping mall in Thailand includes six shopping zones, a hotel tower and two popular department stores (Zen and Isetan). All the main brands are represented here and it would take more than a day just to explore its 500 world class stores and countless restaurants.

Across the junction, is the crowded and plain looking Sogo Department Store; just next to the Erawan Shrine and connected to Sogo with an elevated bridge is the Amarin Plaza. Amarin is the perfect place to search for traditional Thai products, many shops sell silk and silk-clothes are placed here. To increase the feeling of having entered a Thai space, the restaurants on their upper floors are mainly local and there is even a traditional stall place serving traditional Thai filtered coffee. In front of Amarin is Gaysorn a relatively small shopping mall packed with stylish, exclusive shops.

A few blocks east along Ploenchit is the Central Department Store, which includes the best Thai-food plaza in Bangkok at its basement. A good book store occupies the top floor together with a mini-branch of Starbucks, the perfect combination for a tired traveler. Another Starbucks faces the street by the entrance and is pleasantly styled as a street facing bar. Before buying there something of value, it is recommended to check prices with the nearby Isetan and Zen.

At the corner Siam Square Skytrain station, is the Siam Discovery Center, which is connected with an elevated bridge to the Siam Center and hosts the most luxurious cinema in Bangkok. Across the Siam Square junction is Mahboonkrong, popularly nicknamed MBK, which is considered among knowing Thais as the best shopping mall for cellular phones, despite being less stylish and having less expensive merchandise than the other malls mentioned here.

East of Siam Square is the sparklingly new Siam Paragon, the most up-market shopping center in town, and maybe in South East Asia, with 250 stores and endless luxury items.

North of Central World Plaza, on the junction with Petchaburi Road, is the Fashion Mall and the Pratunam clothes market across the street; before buying clothes anywhere else it is worth visiting them, no other place in Bangkok compares to them in variety and prices.

A block west, along Petchaburi Road, is Panthip Plaza, the biggest computer's shopping centre in Thailand. The best electronic gadgets in Thailand are concentrated in its six floors; whole products as well as single parts, both new and used, are available at prices similar to Singapore's low prices, but usually one generation behind those. Last year I arrived there from the USA and could compare directly; Panthip was better in variety and prices than any similar place I visited in the USA.

Other shopping centers are scattered along the city and are worth exploration if the time and the stamina needed are available. The Robinson department stores are worth mentioning, there is a handy branch at Silom's eastern end, near the Lumphini Park. The Oriental Plaza, within the famous hotel with the same name, is one of the most exclusive shopping plazas in the city.

Supermarkets are rare and scattered along big distances; the Big C is the best of them, in quality and prices, and has a new and very comfortable branch in front of the Central World Plaza. Pharmacies occupy almost any free space in town, but the British Boots chain is recommended if searching for western products.

Order

Bangkok department stores are arranged in a similar fashion that arises from Buddhist beliefs: the floor dedicated to children products is below the one for women, which in turn is below the men's floor.

How do I pay for my new and stylish backpack?

While in Thailand, the best is to pay in cash with baht, any other option is more expensive. If paying with a credit card, most shops add the credit card company's commission to the product's final price. The commissions are surprisingly high if compared to the European ones, since credit cards are far less popular here. The baht exchange rate changes daily and each bank sets its own buying and selling prices.
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