Chopper71

Unfortunately (beacuse I live here and married a Thai) I have to agree with the comments about Thais being unhygienic. Have lost count of the number of times I have seen a food vendor taking a piss by the side of his stall, only to go straight back to preparing food with his bare hands. This in central Bangkok let alone the outer provinces. Its not the secret Thai spices on that road side chicken that gives the unique taste folks...

It really makes me angry when I see posts like yours. I lived in Suan Plu for almost a year and used to visit my a food stall on the main street most nights for a bite to eat and a Chaang. I used to yap to the locals, read a book or whatever but one thing that I always noticed was how thorough the vendors were when it came to cleaning, they would spend an age at the end of the night scrubbing away on their pots and pans. You are absolutely deluded if you think that Western kitchens are whiter than white. I'd trust a Thai street stall far faster than the majority of Western kitchens. If you have such a low regard of the locals maybe head of to UKvisa.com etc and stop slagging the people that make Thailand what it is.

Christ, I'm wondering if I am delusional as I find Suvarnabhumi to be my favourite airport on the planet... Maybe my judgement is slightly clouded as I always have a smile on my face when I land in BKK as I am back to the City of Angels and the land of smiles, I travel long haul all the time and nowhere beats the feeling of landing here.

- The building: I find the architecture of the airport to be be pretty special, between the glass and the lighting it is one beautiful building especially out front.

- Customs: The queues at customs can be a little long sometimes but it's a tiny price to pay but sadly it doesn't seem to stop them from admitting some of the dregs of society.

- Taxis: What is all the moaning about, where else in the world can you get a taxi for less then 300 baht to take you over 30kms? I arrived back in Heathrow last week and was so disgusted that the only taxis available were black cabs, it would have cost over £35 to go less than 8 miles, now that's worth complaining about. They expect a tip the size of the whole BKK taxi fare, bast*rds..

- Baggage reclaim: I have never had to wait for more than 5 minutes to get my bags at Suvarnabhumi, never a problem with fragile items. Last week I had the pleasure of waiting over 1.5 hours in Heathrow Terminal 4, which had my blood boiling.

- Massage: Sometimes I'll pop in for a massage before the flight, oil massage 1,000 baht, brilliant, more expensive than the street price but beats any other airport in the world hands down.

Overall, I reckon it's a great airport. It amazes me how many posters seem to have so many complaints about the gateway to the Kingdom. What happened to mai bpen rai, jai yen yen? It seems that many of the posters here love to whinge and complain and try to disect all that is wrong about Thailand. Well, why the hell are you there? Go back West, enjoy the pleasures of Heathrow, Gatwick, JFK, LAX, Frankfurt and soon you will be appreciate those magical minutes when you land in BKK and are back in the land of possibilities..

I write this from London looking forward to spending a few moments in that customs queue in Suvarnabhumi soon..

Jai yen yen... Bangkok is a great city, it's like no other place on earth. If you can't appreciate the city of Angels then you could always bugger off to a sterile Western city back home where people are miserable, you pay £4 for a single tube journey and if you smile a lot people will assume you're straight out of the looney bin..

Embrace the differences, that's what travel is all about. Get down to Lumpini and do some Yoga, run the park, visit a temple, read Bangkok Days and suck in the marrow of life... Or just bugger off back to where you came from and stop moaning..

Hi, I moved back to London at the end of July after living in Bangkok for a year, I struggled initially being back here and felt quite down but that passed and things were getting back to normal. I'm now starting to question if I could ever be happy living here in the long term as there just isn't the same lust for life, the sanuk is lacking, I miss so many things and I feel that I'm just killing time being here.

I would love to hear about other people's experiences of coming back West after living in Thailand, the difficulties and how they got through it. My friends don't really understand so it would be great to hear from other exiled farangs.

Thanks a million,

Chopper

Hi Peter,

If you had followed the link, the price was there. It was originally 11,000 but I let it go for 8,000. Bank in London now so don't want to contemplate too much my bike living there and me back here, I'm jealous of my bike!

Quick question I know its a bit late (only just seen the message) how much is it.

Cheers,

Peter

Thanks Carnac, you got my hopes up briefly and then I saw your reply, excuse the typo.. I reckon that after spending almost a year in Bangkok, it's going to feel like PMS when i land in London and nobody has any concept of jai yen ... Jesus, what am I doing!!!

Does it have aircon? Have a nice trip. Take care of that PMS and don't get too bitchy on the plane.

I have to leave Bangkok urgently and am selling my Scott Sub 30 bike, I have had this bike for a couple of years and it is my pride and joy. I have cycled it almost everyday in London and for the past ferw months in Bangkok.

It's very fast, nimble and it's brilliant for negotiating the streets and traffic in Bangkok. It has slick continental tyres so eats up the miles. The bike is lightweight, has 18 gears and is perfect for commuting or longer distances. I have saved myself a fortune on taxis having the bike and it's quicker most of the time anyway.

I'm flying to London tomorrow evening (thursday) so am looking for a quick sale, may be able to reduce the price slightly. Will throw is a Trek lock too worth 1,000 baht.

Brake pads, chain and rear sprongs have been very recently relaced so the bike is in superb condition.

Details are here: http://bangkok.craig...1854574974.html You can also PMS me..

Thanks a million for all your replies, they were really helpful. Have a wonderful weekend.

Thanks

Hi,

I am slightly buggered at the moment as I have not been paid for a job so I need for money to be transferred to me urgently. I know that Western Union is expensive, my question is even though I do not have a Thai bank account, is it possible to get a transfer made that I can collect at a pre arranged branch.

Otherwise, how expensive is Western Union if a friend who is down in Koh Phangnan visits a branch there and puts some money in for me? Is it cheaper than transfers done from overseas? Or are there any other ways of transferring money within Thailand. Sorry, I should be googling this but am stressed to the max at the mo.

Many thanks

If I use them, i have generally left my bag in for safekeeping while I am running for 5 baht, have never been asked for any additional for the showers. I'm curious as to how much they were before. Ta

Hi,

As far as I am aware, it is free but I have never partaken as I prefer to run laps of Lumpini. There is a huge class down by the main gate by Silom MRT, think that it starts around 5.30pm. There are usually the odd one or two farang taking part so I'm sure that they would be able to tell you what the story is about cash but I'm sure that it's donation only.

There are changing rooms in Lumpini with showers and you can leave your bag there for 5 baht and there are also free showers which is fantastic. Enjoy the the aerobics

Actually during a working day the main gate class usually waits until after the singing of the National anthem at 6.00 pm before starting. During the weekend and public holidays it starts earlier about 5.00 - 5.30 pm.

However there are usually two other locations which I am not sure about.

Not sure if the showers are still free. They were free for the Red shirt occupation, but were charged before that.

Hi,

As far as I am aware, it is free but I have never partaken as I prefer to run laps of Lumpini. There is a huge class down by the main gate by Silom MRT, think that it starts around 5.30pm. There are usually the odd one or two farang taking part so I'm sure that they would be able to tell you what the story is about cash but I'm sure that it's donation only.

There are changing rooms in Lumpini with showers and you can leave your bag there for 5 baht and there are also free showers which is fantastic. Enjoy the the aerobics

Hi WormFarmer,

Thanks a million for letting me know, I really appreciate your help.

Cheers,

Gary

Bumrungrad - Soi Nana Nua (Soi 3) you can't miss it and for a couple of outpatient visits it won't break the bank. They have a specialist dermatology dept too.

I am looking for a hospital near Sukhumvit (the Nana end if possible) that isn't too expensive. Just came back from a trip up North and the mozzies had a field day so much so that part of my arm looks really badly infected and is swollen up with puss etc.

I would be extremely grateful if anyone can let me know where I might be able to go for treatment that won't be too expensive, it would be great if the doctors could speak English but if not no worries as my Thai isn't too bad at this stage.

Hope that someone can help,

Thanks a million

I spoke to a Thai friend of mine a while back, she was telling me that her little brother (12 yrs old) has just become a Monk. So I'm yapping away to her about his life and imagining an idyllic existence in an old monastery on the edge of paddy fields in the countryside and all the little Monks walking around in their robes in the morning mist. She tells me that they have to go to class everyday to do their schooling, I'm thinking fair enough. Then she tells me that they do all their school work on laptops in the classroom, kind of takes the romance out of the whole thing. But then again it's 2553 and guess that things move on in Monk world too!

A monk with a computer is radical but the same same old message is hardly not. However, he's right that Thais, whose Buddhism is the minority Theravada cult of the clergy (songhla) in contrast to the majority Mahayana Buddists who neighbor Thailand and populate other parts of the world, and who when it comes to scripture and its meaning and interpretations are more akin to Christian Protestants, are more concerned with ritual than with content or substance. So my take of contemporary Thai Theravada Buddhism and the monk's statements above is that no matter how your slice it, it's still baloney (bologna).

For a 500 baht taxi ride home you'd have to run a Marathon and some more!!

Your taking a computer with u ?

That's not a part of the plan.

It's more for preparation and to have an idea which direction to head for. If it will be a long run I will print the route and have with me 500 bath for a possible taxi ride back home.

Do you of any online map to use for running?

Hi, the streets aren't really great for running in my opinion as I have looked at that option before, too many obstacles and packed pavements. My favourite place in Bangkok to run is in Lumpini Park, the lap is 2.5 Km (well 2.543 to be exact) and it's brilliant as the road is marked out every 100 metres. There are hundreds of runners in the morning and evening but I think that the evening is better as there is more of a buzz and it's quite an experience as the world temporarily stops for the Thai anthem at 6pm and then everyone runs off again when the whistle blows.

There are also changing rooms in Lumpini, you can leave your bag there securely for 5 baht and that also includes a shower if you want one. It's tough work running in Bangkok but it's my favourite place in the world to run.. I always feel inspired running there with the crowds and there is a mixture between some serious runners and the not so serious and there's a very friendly aymosphere.

If you have any questions, then let me know. Happy running

Thanks Mac, I'm heading up there on Monday or Tuesday so will have a yap with Gordon if I bump into him. Have a great weekend..

Never been through the course there, haven't had the need, but do visit now and then to have a chat with Monk Gordon, a really interesting guy.

Also to take him up a care package now and then, like a pizza or SUBWAY sandwich.

Mac

Thanks a million for your help with this, I'm actually off to stay in the monastery for a few days next week so I'll see how the shoot goes up there. I'll probably drop you a line when I get back.

Thanks

I have a friend -French- who has been monk there for more than three years.

Now, he is working on a new detox program center in Chiang Rai, but he is coming often to Bangkok.

PM and I can put you in touch with him.

Hi,

I am currently researching a part of Thai culture that fascinates me, the Thai obsession with ghosts, spirit houses and superstitions. I have been going around checking out some spirit houses, a fertility shrine, trees that some locals have taken a particular shining to.

I'd love to hear of any spirit houses, trees, ghosts or Thai superstitions that members may have encountered that are on the unusual side. The more I see, the more I love this country.. I'd love to check out some more sites so recommendations would be really appreciated.

Thanks

W11guy, okay you have been given the names of a few bars that you may like. I'm heading to London in the next few weeks and would like to hit some new bars, as I spent the last 10 years before coming to Bangkok in and around Richmond and Twickenham. so I's like to venture futher afield.

What places would you recommend, I think that I like the vibe that you are talking about.

Thanks

Silly question,

How about some exploration yourself, it isn't so difficult to find places your looking for in Bangkok.

If you walk up and down from Sukumvit Nana to Soi 7/1 and back yes understand.

Just look around, read newspapers and tourist magazines.

Not a silly question at all. Some of the best bars are hidden. Why would I walk around the whole of Bangkok looking for bars when I can just ask for recommendations?

I feel like a right cheapskate if I don't give a tip, I used to tip a bit too much but have calmed down. I'll usually give 50 to a 100 baht for a 300 baht oil massage, still could be to much. I'm not into the happy endings as I have a fantastic girlfriend so can't comment on that. The places that I mentioned are for a great massages but I have never pushed for any extras so have no ideas if anything else is on the agenda. .

Do you guys give a tip?

And how much is normal? If the massage cost 200 bath.

Hi John,

A friend of mine stayed in the Astera Sathorn Hotel a few months back, it's very close to Saphan Taksin BTS and bridge, maybe you could conmsider that place.

The webiste is www.asterasathorn.com , I think that it's pretty reasonable priced.

Good luck

I am looking to film a documentary on Thamkrabok Monastery in Lopburi later this month. It is an amazing place where many drug addicts & alcoholics manage to beat their addiction after many failed attempts elsewhere.

I would be very interested in talking to anyone who is based in Bangkok or maybe London / Dublin ( as I will be visiting in a few weeks) who have attended the monastery so I can hear their story. Also if anyone is looking to undergo the programme and would be willing to talk to me it would be great to hear from you.

Many thanks,

Gary

Hi John,

Good luck with the trip, I sympathise with you having a panic disorder, I have suffered in the past and know how horrible it can be. I reckon that Jackdawson is right and that you should go with your first instincts. The difference between the 16th floor and the 30th+ isn't that much, it's just a number really and maybe by staying in your friends it will help you to overcome this fear of yours. Fear can be a bloody debilitating emotion and sometimes it's best to think "bugger this" and face the dam_n thing, hope that you manage to stay in your friend's place and just think that after a day or two that you may be able to actually enjoy some fantastic view of Bangkok and the Chao Phraya River from his place.

Fear of heights is a rational fear but with technology and engineering these days you have nothing to worry about in a condo.

Good luck John, look forward to getting an update on your trip.

Chopper

Many thanks for all the suggestions guys, I really appreciate it. Have a wonderful week.