Bangkok, Amazing Thailand - Thread II

[hunkynurse]

thank you sir..naalala mo pa po b if magkano *** dinner plus viewing deck? salamt salamt

[huntfan01]

^ forgot the exact amount already, but should be in the range of THB600-700 per person. January 2012 price yan ha. Baka nagtaas na sila. Libre na pala yung revolving roof top deck access mo kung nag-dinner buffet ka sa restaurants nila.

[ihcahieh]

If I have one day and two days to spare and the choices are Ayutthaya and Sukhotai, saan ko ibibigay ang one day at saan yung two days? Ang layo kasi ng Sukhotai e, parang mas maganda in tandem with Chiang Mai. But yeah, I have three days. San ba mas maraming makikita diyan sa dalawa?

[aparks]

Pwede naman. Wala din kaming prior booking/appointment. Pumunta lang kami sa Baiyoke Sky Hotel para mag-dinner after naming mag-shopping sa pratunam area. Mga just before 6 pm kami pumunta. Bale sakay lang elevator hanggang dun sa dinner reception counter, tapos pili kayo kung anong restaurant ang gusto nyo. We picked the Crystal Grill restaurant dahil gusto namin ng seafood at that time. Bayad lang sa counter, wait and then may escort and mag-elevator ulit kayo papunta sa restaurant na pinili nyo. After having your dinner buffet, you can go the observation deck and the 360 degree revolving roof deck to enjoy the view of Bangkok skyline.

omg! what a nice idea! sana I have time to spare to go here before I leave BKK.

anyone going solo? parang nahiya akong mag-isa akong kakain dun. hahahaha!

[faaip_de_oiad]

wow parang gusto ko magprovincial train to ayutthaya ah. paano kaya pumunta sa station ng provincial train going to ayutthaya kung galing kami ng khao san road? taxi na lang? hehe. anong tawag sa provincial train station at anong bababaan namin? tsaka may dumarating ba lagi train papunta dun or by schedule sya? thanks!

Try to get to the Hua Lamphong stop ng BTS. May mahabang tunnel papunta sa provincial station.

[Miyawski]

Patulong po pa-review. Any input / feedback / suggestion will be appreciated.

Our Hotel is GLOW Pratunam. Opposite lang ito halos ng Platinum Mall.

Day 1 – Saturday
- Take breakfast. Leave the hotel at 9am latest.
- Go to Chatuchak Weekend Market. From the hotel, walk to Ratchathewi Train Station then take the BTS train to Mo Chit. Do not enter market yet. Collect map at “Information Booth”/"Meeting Point" counter. Must try: Coconut Ice Cream (free flow coconut juice).
- Lunch: Chatuchak
- Estimated return to hotel: 4pm. Rest for a while.
- Between 5.30pm and 6.30pm, a transpo will pick us up for the Chao Phraya Princess Dinner Cruise. Cruise ends at around 9.45pm.

Day 2 – Sunday
- Have light breakfast then comb / walk around Pratunam Market area. Back in the hotel at 12 noon.
- Lunch: buffet lunch at Lord Jim's @ Mandarin Oriental (reservation already made).
- Take cab back hotel & rest for a while.
- Head to Platinum Mall. Walk around, Central World, Siam Paragon and finally MBK Mall.
- Dinner: Pratunam area.

Day 3 – Monday
- Breakfast: GLOW Pratunam Hotel’s Café
- Leave hotel at 10am (latest)
- Take the train to Asok BTS station (via Ratchathewi BTS). At Asok BTS Station, take Exit 1.
- Back in hotel at around 2pm. Rest.
- Walk around Pratunam leading to Baiyoke Sky
- Buffet dinner at Baiyoke Sky Balcony. Reservation request made for 7.30pm – 9.30pm slot.

Day 4 –Tuesday
- Leave the hotel at 8am latest.
- Visit Wat Pho, Wat Phra Kaew and Grand Palace. To get to Rattanakosin from hotel, walk or take a cab to Ratchathewi BTS. Take the BTS to Saphan Taksin (may have to take connecting transfer at Siam). Underneath is a boat pier. Take the orange flag boats as they’re faster (express). Alight at Tha Chang which is near the Grand Palace. Boat cost: 15 THB.
- From Tha Chang, take the ferry shuttle to Wat Arun (3 THB).
- Take cab back to hotel. Check out at 1pm.
- Take a cab to the airport for the 5.05pm return flight.

[sarahpotpot]

Guys may MAC Cosmetics ba sa BKK? Mas mura ba dun kesa dito sa Pinas? Thanks!

[chizzy_ann19]

how i survive a day in Bangkok without my pocket moneyl



on the rail: thailand to laos by train

[aparks]

how i survive a day in Bangkok without my pocket moneyl

I read your "adventure". grabe, kung sa akin nangyari to, baka umiyak na lang ako buti na lang you were able to find a good soul there.

I will be going on a solo trip to BKK after going to Cambodia, so medyo kinakabahan ako. I must keep my money on check! >_<

[faaip_de_oiad]

In case some of you guys are considering traveling to the south, here's a budget accommodation in Krabi. It's a good starting point for trips to Phi Phi and Railay Beach. Pak-up Hostel is probably the best hostel I've stayed in during all my travels. Not bad for 200 baht.

[ianers_ianized]

Sharing my shopping experience in Bangkok's Pratunam Market - Pratunam’s Irresistible Bargains

[shingkit_26]

weeeh.. cebu pac seat sale.. just booked cambodia-thailand on March 14-19...

[chizzy_ann19]

I read your "adventure". grabe, kung sa akin nangyari to, baka umiyak na lang ako buti na lang you were able to find a good soul there.

I will be going on a solo trip to BKK after going to Cambodia, so medyo kinakabahan ako. I must keep my money on check! >_<

gustuhin ko mang umiyak, di ko magawa at nakakahiya.. hahaha.. yes, check your money.. makalimutan na ang iba, wag lang ang pera.. haha.. goodluck sa byahe.. enjoy!

[The Bumper]

How much money for pocket money/shopping do you guys suggest?
Next year pa kami punta ng family ko, 7 days kami dun.

[icegayle]

How much money for pocket money/shopping do you guys suggest?
Next year pa kami punta ng family ko, 7 days kami dun.

Next year trip? Then you still have time. Go and Backread.

[blackmamba2222]

Hi peeps!!

Im going to Thailand early next year. I just got few queries:

1. Is it possible to finish the temple tour in a day then go straight to Siam Niramit show? Are they near? I plan it for my first day.

2. For my second day, I plan to go to the animal shows (alligator, snake show, etc). Is it worth it? I heard it is traffic going there. Then tiger show at night

3. For my last day, I just plan to go shopping. Are there any places to go that you can recommend?

4. Do you know what website can I go and reserve the tickets for Siam Niramit?

Thanks a lot!

[commoner]

Commoner's Mini Bangkok Guide

Where to start your research: http://www.bangkok.com

Rough Exchange Rate: 1 Baht = 1.4 Peso



CURRENCY EXCHANGE

Money changers in the airports are all banks so all are reliable and all have the same exchange rate. Rates are almost similar or exactly the same as banks in the city. No service charge, no need to present anything.

All popular malls have money changers (by banks also) inside them so no need to exchange a lot in the airport.

Exchange rate for Peso is somewhere around 0.5 so it's better to bring USD.



TO/FROM THE AIRPORT

For those arriving when the airport link is still operational, this is the most cost effective way of getting into the city.

Taxi costs somewhere around 200baht to downtown Bangkok plus 50baht airport surcharge and 25baht toll fee if you take the expressway. When you exit the airport look for the dispatch counter and tell them where you want to go. Some drivers might still insist on not using the meter.

To the airport, you can ask a taxi to bring you to the nearest airport link-connected BTS station. This way you don't need to hassle yourself with transferring between different stations/lines.



RABBIT CARD and THE BTS/MRT SYSTEM

Yes Bangkok traffic can get very bad so make use of their trains as much as possible. This is 1 of the few things that is more expensive than Manila.

The Rabbit Card is a contact-less smart card similar to HK's Octopus Card. Initial shell out is 300baht, this comes with 100baht load. 50baht is refundable deposit if you return the card. You can buy this in any customer service counter of the BTS stations. Minimum reload is 100baht.

http://www.rabbitcard.com/en

The BTS (their LRT) is very well located and makes it very easy to go to areas which usually has heavy traffic like MBK and the Siam Square area.



PREPAID SIM CARD

7-Eleven is the easiest way to get a prepaid SIM card. I think you can also get one in the airport but I forgot to check where exactly.

The providers are roughly the same, their price are also similar.

I got a DTAC Happy Sim for 45baht and then 60baht for the load. For DTAC, the load is 60, 100, 200, 300, something like that.

The SIM needs to be activated when the phone is powered on, ask the staff to do this for you because the SIM pack is all in Thai.



CHAO PHRYA RIVER BOAT

You can take the boat to places that are hard to reach using the rail system such as W@t Arun, W@t Pho and the Grand Palace. A 1-way ticket is 40baht. Nearest BTS to a pier is Saphan Taksin.



PATPONG / TIGER SHOW GUIDE

Since no one really gave concrete guides to this place, I will write one for this thread. Almost all the clubs/bars in Patpong offer the Tiger Shows (Ping Pong, etc.). The touts will all tell you that there is no cover charge and beers only cost 100baht each.

Their modus operandi is all the same. When you go to the cashier to pay for your bill, you will be surprised to see that you have been charged thousands of baht, roughly 800-1000baht per person. The cashier and staff will immediately raise their voice and argue with you once you complain.

The actual amount you need to pay is somewhere around 250-300baht per person; maybe a maximum of 350baht. Who actually believes they will let you W@tch a show like that for P150 is crazy. Don't show them that you know this, start haggling from 150 or 200baht and make 300baht your last price.

These people can be very intimidating and they do this for a living. If you are weak-hearted, traveling alone or in a small group, I suggest you think it over. Preferably there should always be a couple of guys in your group.



TOURIST SPOTS YOU SHOULD NOT MISS

If Beijing has the Great Wall and Forbidden City, Bangkok's Grand Palace and the W@t Phra Kaew temple in the same compound should not be missed.

If you have the time, take a daytrip to Ayutthaya for temples that resemble Angkor W@t and Yogyakarta. There are vans from BKK to Ayutthaya then from there you can ask a tuktuk to bring you around the city. There are around 3 temples that are must-sees. Entrance for foreigners is 50baht each. You also have the option of taking a tour which should cost around 800-1000baht per person.

The Siam Niramit cultural show is a must-see show (besides the tiger show). Cheapest ticket can be booked at Hotels2thailand.com. Get the one with dinner buffet and hotel transfers for convenience.

Bangkok itself has a LOT of things to do: River cruise, temples (W@t Pho and W@t Arun among others), Chatuchak weekend market, Chinatown, Khao San Road, the floating markets outside downtown Bangkok, Samphran Zoo also outside downtown Bangkok plus the tons of malls that will easily eat a couple of days if you love shopping.

As always, don't try to cram a lot of things in a day or you won't fully appreciate the beauty of the places. I know most Pinoys only have 3-4 days and some might think this is more than enough for Bangkok, but no, it's not enough.

I don't know why people still bother going to Vietnam and Cambodia when Thailand itself has so many things to offer.



FOOD

I haven't seen a city in the world with this overwhelming amount and diversity of food. Thailand is indeed a heaven for food. It's diverse, very tasty, flavorful and most of all, very very inexpensive. Average price for thai food inside mall restaurants, 100-150baht per dish. For street food, it's just around 30-40baht. Unlike Manila, Bangkok street food can take the place of real restaurants. Locals eat street food for lunch or dinner.

Siam Paragon's food court alone has a selection that will overwhelm you and put what we have in Manila to shame.

Once you eat the food in Thailand, you will realize how bland, 1 dimensional and sweet Filipino food is.

Must Eat: Pad Thai Goong, Thai Milk Tea, Tom Yum Goong,



SHOPPING SHOPPING SHOPPING

For souvenirs, MBK (their version of Greenhills) and the weekend market. A pack of 5 small keychains should only cost 50baht - 10baht each. I am referring to the 1.5"x1.5" keychains. You need to bargain hard here.

For women's clothes - Platinum then Terminal 21 for designer boutiques that are not that expensive but you can't find at Platinum. So go to Platinum first before Terminal 21.

For men's clothes - Platinum for long sleeves and statement shirts. Terminal 21 also have a lot of good stuff for men.

For branded shopping - Central World. This is one of the nicest malls I've seen, it is very complete and has everything you want to buy (as long as you have the budget). Terminal 21 also have branded stores but not as much as Central World.

For guys who want to see nice luxurious cars and for the nicest food court - Siam Paragon.

For photo ops inside the mall - Terminal 21.

For fake stuff - MBK.

I cannot stress simply how BIG their malls are. Unless you totally have no inclination to shopping, I don't know how you can do malls like Platinum, MBK, Central World or Terminal 21 in just a few hours. Each mall can take up as much as 1 whole day. No kidding.

The stuff at Zen, Isetan and Paragon Department Store are also very nice.



WHERE TO DO GROCERY FOR PASALUBONG

Big C was a big disappointment. If you plan to buy fruits, pasalubong or anything food related, buy them at Siam Paragon's grocery. It might be more expensive but their selection is massive.



NEW ATTRACTIONS FOR THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN TO BANGKOK BEFORE

Terminal 21 and Asiatique Night Market.



TAX REFUND

For those who will be buying expensive and branded items, there is a 7% tax refund you can get at the airport. Make sure you do all the paperwork at the store where you bought the item.



SCAMS

Tuktuk - As long as you are not a local, they will definitely charge you more than what you should pay. For short distances (1-2KM), it should be just around 50baht. There's really no "real" price for tourists because it depends on the driver and how much you can bargain. I was able to ride a tuktuk for 20baht but it turns out, he was in cahoots with a boatman scammer, we did not ride the boat so technically we were not scammed.

Tiger Show Scam - Already explained above.

Locals who speak really good English should already be enough reason for you to be extra vigilant on their true intentions.

It is almost impossible not to get scammed specially if you are a first time visitor to Bangkok or worse, first time abroad. What's good about Bangkok is that even if they double or triple the price, it's still not as bad as being conned in Europe because everything is so d*mn cheap!



THAI LANGUAGE

Just like Chinese, once you get the tonation wrong, the word and the meaning changes. So don't try to speak Thai anymore when not necessary. Just learn the usual Sawadeekap (if you are a guy) and Kobbonkap (Thank You).



MGA SAWI SA PAG-IBIG

The shrine/mini temple outside Central World near the foot bridge is supposedly for love. You buy rose/candle/incense and offer it to the god.

[greycie]

Hello pexers! Ask ko lang kung may idea kayo how much ang cost ng taxi from Don Muang Airport to Siam area? and ilang minutes kaya ang travel time? Thanks!

[nzzz30]

Does anyone knows about Thailand Volleyball league in bangkok?
I want to watch their National or college league sana in bangkok. I've heard their National Team won against Japan and/or China yata.

[chriscie]

http://iamsogorgeous.blogspot.com/20...nd-part-2.html



and here is the part I

http://iamsogorgeous.blogspot.com/20...nd-part-1.html