"I'm beginning to like this place" Bangkok by akikonomu

Third time in Bangkok after a 8 year hiatus. Attended conference and spent 2 days shopping and eating after.

What a big change - the roads are so cleaned up, so are the taxi drivers' act. What remains unchanged is the bad traffic condition. It probably works like this: acceptable during off peaks, really bad near the peak hours and absolutely atrocious on peak hours, especially on the bridges straddling the river.

Shopping and eating is fantastic in Bangkok.

Fashion: - The locals are real artists. In Siam Sqaure, you'd find many shops selling unique and eccelectic fashion goods. Most of them are self made and ripped from the latest fashion magazines. The best part is they do it so well and instead of mocking or imitating existing brands, they tear the latest fashion style apart and add in tiny bits of their own designs. One-off pieces are the norm so be prepared to stand and haggle if a piece catches your eye (and you must absolutely have it or suffer a terrible death) as you may not find it elsewhere. Then again, you'd probably see something similar or along the same chain of (fashion) thought in another shop.

Food: - Lotsa cheap food on the go and in restaurants.

Bangkok hurts you very badly in two places - your paunch size and your wallet.

You can stuff yourself crazy with Japanese food (Sukhumvit), Chinese food (especially shark's fins and bird's nest in Chinatown), local Thai snacks (absolutely everywhere), all the more because the prices are simply too good to resist.

Same for souvenirs, fashion goods, lifestyle and household items.

Finally, you can opt for the powerful Thai massage which may leave you writhing in pain if you tell your masseuse "not too soft please".