Bangkok Off The Beaten Path Tips by Bangkokjoe Top 5 Page for this destination

Off the Beaten Track... off the beaten time

Get off the beaten path and off the beaten time. While many may be boozing or night shopping, you can get around very easily on the central Rachadamnoen Road (the Royal Avenue) after 10.00 with minimal traffic hassle and a cooler air.

This road has 20th century history and some older sites up the top end dripping off it. Democracy Monument, Memorial to Oct 14th 1973, Golden Mountain, Roha Praza, The City Walls and Fort, then round the back to the Giant Swing. All can be done in around 45 minutes of brisk strolling, or a couple of hours if you are looking more deeply.

Serious. Take a night off the booze, clubs and shopping and see the sights by the night air. (OK. And go boozing and dancing afterward.)

Spirit Houses - Commercial, Modern: by River City Shrines and Spirit Houses Review

Bangkok may sometimes be a bit overwhelming and to some folk it can be seen as another bland, grubby city.

Okay, so B K is not neat and twee. Yet it really isn't that dirty either... try and spot as much litter as you would see in the usual English tourist destination. And within the size of the tower slab blocks going up there is always some detail and interest going on. You only need to switch from 50mm seeing to 100mm macro lens appreciation.

So treat a wander in Bangkok like a walk through the jungle. At the start all you think you can see are leaves. But when your eye gets in you begin to open up and tune into the orchids and smaller animals that surround you (and are about to bite you and give you malaria or a tropical disease or ebola or whatever you get in a tropical jungle). Spirit Houses are the city's equivalent of the rain forest orchid. These are modern style reference to ancestor worship outside Bangkok's largest antique centre at River City.

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This can be seen as part of the Urban Stroll around the area shown in the tip with the map, shown at the beginning of this section

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Spirit House Central Region Style Shrines and Spirit Houses Review

Assuming you've already made it to the Siam Society you may have noticed this Spirit House in the grounds, on your left as you enter. The breadth and depth of design variations on the Thai Spirit Houses, that all properties have placed in their grounds, is a nifty little insight into the domestic architecture found around and about the Kingdom..

One interesting point about spirit houses is that there are two key themes. You may see two spirit houses right next to each other. One is higher than the other and is supported on one pillar. The other is lower (!) and is supported by four pilotti, pillars. The first is for the sky / heaven bound spirits and is effectively floating in the air. The four legged job is for earth bound spirits, hence it's link to the ground, and oftn has steps leading up to the front. The lower level one also tends to be a bit "granny flat" second rate versus the higher job. Reflecting the lower status of the earth bound crew.

The one you have here is the heaven bound version...

Try and grab a Look at Phetchaburi Road at Dusk

If you want to see a seedy side of Bangkok and get some slummie grubbie shots that reinforce the imagery of Bangkok being a traffic nightmare, dirty, and all that, then get yourself and your camera over to New Phetchburi Road. (It runs parallel to Sukhumvit, so its only a 3 minute walk up Sukhumviot Soi 3 from the Mariott Hotel and you're there.)

Looking up and down this road you'll see the greasy, grubby, massage parlours (that of course only western tourists go to, errrr... I don't think so somehow). Jams of cars and buses. A really terrible view of the Baiyoke Tower - showing you precisely the reason we hate it so much. And at the main intersections the street beggars / kids are at your window selling garlands of flowers (Thailands answer to in car air freshener). Here's one, bare footed, little tike.

We used to get newspapers sold by poor folk at the red traffic lights, but presumably the Nation group realised that wasn't very good marketing and stopped that. So all we get now are the garlands and daft nick nacks.

So if you need some slummie shots so you can pretend you have seen all facets of Bangkok, to impress your mates at home, try New Phetchburi Road around 5.30-6.30pm... ..but watch out for dark green Ford Ranger Pick Up Trucks (like mine) if you're in the middle lane giving it 1/125 at f.8. Thanks.

(Can you believe that some daft nutters have tried to call Phetchburi Road Bangkok's answer to the Las Vegas Strip. What on earth are they on???

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Directions:
This part of Petchburi Road runs parallel and 400 yards north of Sukhumvit. You can get off the BTS subway at Phetchburi.

Khlong Toey Wet Market ...and slums (!)

If you fancy walking around an authentic wet market and see how the savvy Thai shopper gets the veggies, fruit and meat then Khlong Toey is the place for you. It is best in the mornings as that is when the activity happens, and the produce is fresh.

Not for the fainthearted "I only shop for cling film wrapped sirloin at the hypermarket" brigade. Here you get the guts and entrails hanging out, the legs and feet lopped off before your very eyes, heads on spikes and all sorts. Superb. Serial killers of the tourist fraternity could organise tours to this shrine of carcasses, death and destruction. Yes, it's all so fresh it is often half alive (the fish and little animals, like frogs, that is).

The fruit is nice and colourful and well laid out. Very well laid out. And to watch the stall holders nattering away and doing what they do makes this a great photo safari. Bring a peg for your nose. Each evening around 6.30pm it kicks off as the price discounting goes into overdrive to get rid of that nasty, awful, old stuff ...all of one day old.

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Directions:
Rama IV Road. If you start at Silom / Ram IV intersection you pass Lumpini Boxing Stadum on your left. Then you go through and under the Rama IV expressway overpass, keep going for another 800 yards and bingo... it is the sprawling market area on your right. Ask a taxi "Ta-lay-clong-toe-eeeee" and you're there!

Siam Society and Kamthieng House Kamthieng House Review

Off Thanon Asok (right next to Asok BTS station) and close to the Sheraton Grande Sukhumvit is a neat oasis of greenery, traditional Lanna Thai domestic stuff and a reading room where you can get away from shopping, car park attendants blowing their whistles at the cars, and the noise of the traffic.

Phew.

The Siam Society was set up in 1904 to promote the artisitic and cultural affairs of Thailand, and even if its journal is a bit "dry" the membership do a grand job getting out and about the Kingdom keeping an eye on the history and the detail so it doesn't get swallowed up by the 21st century.

In its grounds, a beautiful traditional Lanna Thai wooden house, neatly reconstructed and showing a few nuggets and details behind popular and everyday culture. Rarely is it full, and it is so relaxing if you are around the Sukhumvit Soi 12 to 24 region. Not so much a destination as a pop in. A refulling stop and a nob of peace and quiet - before bouncing back into the six lane Asok Highway that storms past it.

Entry fee is 100THB, with discounts for various folks wot deserve discounts. Bookshop has most of past journal editions on sale, and more than a few shelves on issues Thai and South East Asia.

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Directions
Soi Asok. Near the intersection with Sukhumvit. (Ask the plod / coppers in the air con booth directing traffic - they'll point you in the right direction.) 100 yards up the road, if that.

Ton Son Private Art Gallery + Modern Stuff Dealer

Soi Ton Son runs parallel to Soi Lang Suan (joining Chidlom with Lumpini Park at Soi Sarasin).

Tis a loverrly and little and quaint is Soi Ton Son. A leafy avenue bordered by a now derelict khlong - one of Bangkok's old canals - with the obligatory motorcycle taxi ranks and food stalls. As it is a quiet avenue it also has a few decent condominiums and old 1930s Bangkok houses, the latter now upgraded to boutique offices. The soi provides many of the office workers who booze and nosh it up in the up market restaurants and bars on Soi Lang Suan and Soi Sarasin.

The Ton Son Gallery is open Thursday through to Sunday, lunchtime until early evening, (it says 7.00pm though the staff are usually pretty relaxed). It is worth a look to see modern Thai artists display their works. And for more than a few bob you can buy the stuff.

Very handy if you are in the area and need the oasis a peaceful air-conditioned private small art gallery provides. A mini mini Tate, and nowhere near Saatchi proportions. But Bangkok does not really have large self actualizing galleries so these petite nobbles of private displays have to suffice. A time out for twenty minutes if you are in the area.

Go with a mate, and maybe afterwards hit one of the restaurants / bistros on Sarasin / Lang Suan for an afternoon of wine, beers and hor d’oeuvres. Or use it as a pre-evening kicking off point before trekking the Suan Lum Night Market.

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Directions
Soi Ton Son runs parallel to Lang Suan, the street that joins Lumpini Park to the Central Department Store on Chidlom. Also very close to Suan Lum night bazaar and some great eating places.

Kamthieng House - Domestic Culture Displays Kamthieng House Review

The Kamthieng House in the grounds of the Siam Society has more than a few tastefully laid out exhibits revealing the depth of meaning underneath;

- Triangular cushions ...that you can buy at Chatuchak Market
- tatoos the motorcycle taxi riders get to protect themselves and make them macho
- floral offerings to shrines, brides and grooms ...available at yes, Chatuchak.
- weaving silk bedspreads and why local lads aren's supposed to touch the local lasses' looms - again, ...buy 'em at Chatuchak,
- all you wanted to know about coloured candles,
-spiritual cloths and why taxi drivers are clued in,
- good luck emblems that you hang over your bedroom door (....yes, also available for purchase at Chatuchak blinking Market).

It gets a bit warm in there as it is cooled by fans. You'll probably be in there 30 minutes top whack, but still worth taking a bottle of water in there with you and a few chilled moist wipes. If you've been in here then your "look what I bought in Bangkok" remisces will sound sooooo much more arty and informed.

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Directions
Soi Asok. Stand with your back to Sukhumvit Road. 100 yards down on the left handside, fifty paces and three skips past the Underground Station entrance.

General Post Office - Charoen Khrung

This city is just great when you start tuning into it. Here at the Post office we have a fine nineteen forties edifice to communications. And on either side of the main facade we have one of these Garudas, mirroring each other perfectly.

It's important to remember that the Indian influences have only tended to permeate the upper classes in Thailand. Rural folk tend still to be in the traditional animist ways.

The continuing presence of the Hindu gods among the royalty is really rammed home in the official name Rama I (that's King Rama I) gave B K. 163 letters long, no spaces, it is even longer than a welsh railway station. The name contains references to Indra and Vushnu as protectors of the new city. Thais shorten it to Krung Thep (so it fits on the envelopes and email addresses no doubt - we are talking post offices here after all - editor).

As well as Vishnu and Indra there are assorted Hindu deities that pop up and around royal palaces, monasteries and public buildings. And here is....Garuda ...half man, half bird - serving as Vushnu's mount. Both a royal emblem and one used by government organisations. (Other figures we frequently see are Nagas - sacred serpents, Erawans - multi-headed elephants, Hamsas - mythical swan, lingams - symbollic phallus assocated with Shiva... we'll do these all in time folks)

OOO ooo. I must mention that the weekend stamp collectors club in the car park are always willing to show their collections and "swapsies" to anyone who shows an interest. Fascinating things stamp collections. Nice memento of a trip too... and there are sets with Garudas on. I checked.

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This can be seen as part of the Urban Stroll around the area shown in the tip with the map, shown at the beginning of this section

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Eyes Up Eyes Down When Taking a Walk

Okay, I'm a walker in Bangkok at the right opportunity. WaLker! Can't beat it to notice the local life and some of the smaller urban details.

BUT... Walking Bangkok can be a bit difficult if you don't keep your eyes peeled. It's a case of peripheral vertical vision.

Down on pavement level (wonderful Brit word there, I'll say it again.... pavement) the surface is none too even, so please be careful of tripping or a nasty toe stub. Above your head you'll often get hanging electrical and telephone cables. Often only six feet high these can sag down a fair way. I've seen a few "flash" in times of storms and rains, so keep your eyes open.

Generally the wires are fine, though spot the local stall holders tapping into the grid for a bit of free power... (Rumour has it Norman Foster got his ideas for the Pompideau Centre principle of "wear your pipes and wires on the outside" during a Bangkok spring mini-break. Plausible.)

There is an advantage to an eyes open / up your awareness approach to an urban walk - you'll notice a plethora of nifty details otherwise missed. I've shown you an extreme example of the wires... near the Oriental Hotel. The entry to the Assumption Cathedral grounds. Oxford's Bridge of Sighs, Venice's Bridge of Sighs. Bangkok - Venice of the East: Bridge of Sighs, 4,000 volts and a jolly big aaaaagh.

... be prepared for a walk to take longer than you'd have set aside in your home town. And keep your eyes peeled. Twisted ankles bugger your night out. As do a few hundred volts through your missus' recently massaged body.

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This can be seen as part of the Urban Stroll around the area shown in the tip with the map, shown at the beginning of this section

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