Bangkok has been awesome so far. It was great riding the BTS and seeing all those buildings posted here in real life. I was also suprised by how many people speak English here and the number of British tourists. There were some Lebanese tourists who chose to speak English with the Thai vendors. Oishi green tea drinks are everywhere and taste yummy. Not to mock any Thais, but Bangkok is more mixed and cosmopolitan than I thought. The white skinned people still stick out though.
The dogs on the beach at Ko Samet were really cute.

1. Where can I buy ice cream in a "hot dog bun", perhaps with corn on top? I read that Thais like to eat ice cream this way.
2. Where do Thais tend to purchase their clothes and school bags? Current stuff that is more unique to Thailand and perhaps Asian than Europe or North America. Many of the stores I've been to in MBK and elsewhere seem to be oriented primarily toward tourists. Tonight I'm going to Siam Square... maybe it's better over there.
---Where is a good place to purchase a messenger bag? I've tried all over MBK (and back home too).

Ice cream on a bun.. Nonthaburi pier and 10000 other places.  Messenger bags are three times more here due to unfair import taxes.. but I have seen some more computer oriented bags pretty cheap at the IT plazas.  Genuine North face bags start at 3500 here.. I paid 30 for mine at rockymountaintrail. 

Ice cream on a bun is usually from ice cream vendors on bicycles?

5 hours ago, Zorori said:

ice cream in a "hot dog bun"

Lordie, I've been here 15 years and never heard of such a thing. Need to get out more.

 

Cream on a hot doggable bum, though, yes sir. Awright I'm out of here before the mods descend en masse.

23 hours ago, VocalNeal said:

Ice cream on a bun is usually from ice cream vendors on bicycles?

...with the attached hand basin and anti-bacterial hand wash.

Get on the sky train go to Samut Prakan, There are lots of things Much cheaper there,  Its about a half hour ride some thing to do, its not so Commercial.. 

@1.roaming vendors-can be on bike or with pushcart. Only aiming Thai people. Esp. around/just after lunchtime near big crowds of people-office, factory.

@2.for official SCHOOLdress/shoes there are official shops with official prices. Why the heck would any farang want that? Such shops also sell all officially endorsed schoolbooks.

Thai people are not one throng in where to buy-but the old-fahsioned market and the new-fashioned AC hypermarkets (tesco, BigC) sell most of everyday clothes. Then there are dept.stores and scores of 2nd hd clothes in about any conceivable form/price (most come from/via Cambodia as probably well-intended help for poor Khmer). in short: most likely the very same places where you would buy @ home!

No need to go as far as The waterfront (pak nam) as about any local BKK suburb has all that at very same priceing level.