| Page Views: 2,311 Last Visit to Bangkok: February, 2003 | You can live well in Bangkok by riproy - last update: Jul 8, 2003 |
| Very interesting anglicisms found in weird places |
Food traffic food heat food Don't get me wrong - Bangkok can be a hard city to live in. It is hot almost all year round, the air pollution is among the 5 worst cities in the world, the traffic can be mindnumbing, and the assault on the senses is sometimes overwhelming. But it has cleaned itself up remarkably in the last 10 years. The mayor decided that street sweeper should enter the streets at night, so that when the city wakes up, the city looks clean. I noticed a marked improvement from 1994 to 2000.
While I lived in Lopburi, I needed to visit Bkk to run errands occasionally and I didn't look forward to it. The best part of the trip was getting back home. I liked the hustle and the fact that you can find anything you need there, but I needed to escape after some time. That is when I realised that if you are staying in Bkk, get hotel that will offer peace and quiet, an escape from the barrage on the senses. Generally tourists, if they are not overwhelmed, find the city to be fun (they are usually there for just a short time). If you are trying to function in it, it can be stressful. You have to allow yourself a lot of time to get places and get around the city, mainly because of traffic. As a tourist you are usually not on a tight schedule, so if you cannot get somewhere that day, it isn’t a problem. Recently the BTS (skytrain) has helped this some in the core areas, but the BTS does not extend very far. Outside of the core area, you still have to rely on ground transport. The subway is scheduled to open in late 2004 and this will help some.
http://www.2bangkok.com/2bangkok/Subway/index.shtml.
If you REALLY need to get somewhere fast, like to a train station before your train leaves, try a motorcycle taxi. It is hair-raising, but they can get you places when the traffic has stopped dead.
I tried to use public transport as much as possible. Mastering the bus system takes time and practice, so most tourists don’t bother esp when other types of transport are so cheap. Even though I was reading the bus signs, you have to be able to read pretty fast as there are many names on the route cards on the bus’s front window, so I still got nailed a few times on the wrong bus. I noticed that some of the buses now have signs in Thai and English which is helpful. It was great to be able to get across the city for only 3.5 baht. Knowing how to get around the city by bus gives a feeling of empowerment. A good recent map will help you here.
Food is so plentiful , delicious, and infinitely available here - you can't help but enjoy being in such a food-centred milieu.
I was fortunate enough to live in Bangkok, or Krungthep Mahanakhon, from 1997 to 2000 in the Pracha Niwate 1 area of the city. I was so lucky as this area had almost no other foreigners living in it, had loads of quality Thai restaurants nearby, a great sports fields just a couple hundred metres away, a market just minutes walk away and yet it was a very quite residential area. It seemed so far removed from the bustle of the city, but very close making it convenient to use public transit (or a cab on those lazy days). My house and yard were so pleasant. I'll try to get pics up sometime. Work was close by and I used a bike when I could to commute. It was a perfect setup.
I grew up in a rural area and don't have much use for large cities, but Bkk grew on me. I loved the atmosphere, but I did have the advantage of escaping to my own quiet space in the leafy burbs when I felt like it.
Bangkok isn't for everyone, but for those who love commotion, streets full of life, warm temps, nightlife, shopping and eating, the City of Angels will be Heaven!
The pictured truck tailgate wisdom: "We drank for sociability and became argumentative." |
A guide to my Bangkok tips General: >Buy yourself a good mapRestaurants: >Fish and Chips
>Death by Chocolate!
>The place by the klong
>Supatra River House
>Pickle Factory
>Vegetarian fareAccommodation: >The KT Guesthouse
>The Atlanta Guesthouse
>MBK/Siam Square AreaMust See Activities >Chatuchak Weekend Market
>Take a klong (canal) public transport boat
>Night Markets
>Hire a river boatLocal Customs >The City EffectNightlife >Silom Soi 4
>The Saxophone
>Patpong, Soi Cowboy
>Nana PlazaTourist Traps >Tuk Tuks in Bangkok
>Jim Thompson HouseTransportation >Leaving Bangkok by Bus
>Leaving the City by Train
>Bangkok Taxis
>Into the city from the airport
>Chap Phraya Express BoatShopping >Computer Hardware and Software
>Handicrafts |
> Add to your Custom Travel Guide [What's This?]
riproy's Bangkok Travel Tips
 Comments for riproy about Bangkok | | | | |
brufi Sat May 2, 2009 11:05 UTC
the whole page seems to be down | volopolo Fri Nov 23, 2007 14:24 UTC
i like to live in Bangkok for ever | Deepintexas Fri May 25, 2007 15:25 UTC
There is so much wrong here I don't know where to begin. Worthless untrue info on Nana Plaza. | imstress Fri Jan 7, 2005 07:27 UTC
thanks for your accommodation tips. now i know where i can take a nap after shopping at MBK;p |
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