Do You Like Your Bangkokian Life?

[RueFang]

There's a possibility that I might be moving to Bangkok if I'm successful in a job application. I've been living in a fairly remote village for a few years so I'm thinking it's going to be some major culture shock going into big city life! Although the thought of all of life's conveniences that I've done without for years is my shining beacon of redemption.

What are your thoughts on living in Bangkok, not just visiting for a couple of months, but living, working, exploring, making friends long term? Do you love it or find it hel_l on earth? Is it easy to get beyond the hideous traffic, crowds of people, pollution etc and enjoy life there? Or is it just for a place to work for a bit and get the hel_l out?

Appreciate your thoughts

[londonthai]

first of all - job/business opportunities.

on top of it schools to learn some new skills, entertainment (cinemas, concerts, festivals), hospitals.

easy to make friends - as you can meet people with all walks of life, even if you find them on the net.

bangkok is not all pollution and traffic jams - if you live in the suburbs the life is not much different than in the Isaan village (but you have hard surfaced roads, public transport, street market and 7/11 within a walking distance and less snakes and mosquitoes).

bangkok is more hot than countryside - but if you have some garden and shade and are away from the concreted areas of town with skyscrapers than you have some breeze to cool your house.

[think_too_mut]

Bangkok is the largest small place on the planet. Events are rare and inferior.

With 1.5 sqm of green areas per head it's far behind, say, Paris, with 20sqm.

There are no places to go other than shopping malls. No pedestrian street, nothing.

Quite of an unlivable city.

[seonai]

I love Bangkok. I feel it's best to live as near to the river a possible though as some parts of the city are very ugly. I chose to live on the Thonburi side which meant I had to cross the river at least twice a day - a delight in itself and a chance to observe river activites. You can rent a fairly cheap place over there, opposite the Grand Palace. It's within easy distance of all facilities, art galleries, national museum, meditation classes, two large universities, trendy coffee places, bars, ... if you want to know more Rue Fang go ahead and ask. I think this is the best area of BKK.

If you can, get a job that means you don't have to travel during rush hours as that can be very stressful as in any big city.

[Gimbo]

first of all - job/business opportunities.

on top of it schools to learn some new skills, entertainment (cinemas, concerts, festivals), hospitals.

easy to make friends - as you can meet people with all walks of life, even if you find them on the net.

bangkok is not all pollution and traffic jams - if you live in the suburbs the life is not much different than in the Isaan village (but you have hard surfaced roads, public transport, street market and 7/11 within a walking distance and less snakes and mosquitoes).

bangkok is more hot than countryside - but if you have some garden and shade and are away from the concreted areas of town with skyscrapers than you have some breeze to cool your house.

Strange...I live in an Isaan village, and we have hard surfaced roads, public transport, street markets, and family mart within walking distance. Isaan must be just like living in the suburbs of bangkok indeed....been a while since you where up here?

[Jimjim]

Needs way more green areas and nice parks. Way too dirty with too many rats and stray dogs. Someday hopefully it will be clean like Singapore but that's probably a dream 200 years in the future. But there are a couple pedestrian streets contrary to think too mut's assertion. Not that they're any good. Khao San and Pat Pong are two that come to mind.

[seonai]

Can't possibly compare Bkk to an Isaan village. The OP is maybe moving from a small village to the big smoke!!! Honestly RF if you choose the right area (I've already said where I prefer) you will love Bkk. Compared to a rural village the cultural diversity is enormous - nothing like London or New York... but in comparisson to a Thai village it takes the biscuit

[0Mix1up]

After a short period of living there

It became obvious (to me) that you need a good place to call home, somewhere you can "hide" from the city

Preferably quiet and cool.

[justin54]

There are no places to go other than shopping malls. No pedestrian street, nothing.

What city are you talking about?

You live in Bangkok and think there are no places to go other than malls?

Good luck with that...

JL

[RueFang]

Thanks for the replies! Although I'm not in Isaan, my village does have paved roads, minimarts (not 7/11 though!) and transport so I mustn't be as isolated as some

It seems people don't mind Bangkok after all! Would like to hear more views...thanks!

[thaihome]

Bangkok is the largest small place on the planet. Events are rare and inferior.

With 1.5 sqm of green areas per head it's far behind, say, Paris, with 20sqm.

There are no places to go other than shopping malls. No pedestrian street, nothing.

Quite of an unlivable city.

Not exactly a fair comparisons, Bangkok to Paris.

Would be more interested in say a comparison to other Asian third world capitals, say KL, Delhi, Mumbai, Beijing, Shanghai, etc. In that list, I would rate Bangkok pretty high.

have you ever lived in any other thrid world capital other then Bangkok?

I do think the poll should have a choice for it is pretty much the same as other third world capitals.

TH

Edited January 21, 2008 by thaihome

[think_too_mut]

Bangkok is the largest small place on the planet. Events are rare and inferior.

With 1.5 sqm of green areas per head it's far behind, say, Paris, with 20sqm.

There are no places to go other than shopping malls. No pedestrian street, nothing.

Quite of an unlivable city.

Not exactly a fair comparisons, Bangkok to Paris.

Would be more interested in say a comparison to other Asian third world capitals, say KL, Delhi, Mumbai, Beijing, Shanghai, etc. In that list, I would rate Bangkok pretty high.

have you ever lived in any other thrid world capital other then Bangkok?

I do think the poll should have a choice for it is pretty much the same as other third world capitals.

TH

Not really lived, been to Jakarta and Manila, but rarely hear anyone would want to live there (or in any places you listed).

If BKK is one of the places where people would like to live, than comparing it (in terms that anyone can achieve) to another desirables like Singapore (with so many parks it even calls itself "Garden city") and Paris is not out of question.

Singapore will never be Paris in things other than greenery.

[naka]

Filthy, smelly and rat infested ... but if you have enough money ... It's great.

Naka.

[zorro1]

Bkk you will hate it , like it and then it well get under your skin and you will love it. I prefer it to NYC, London and my hometown Sydney. It suits all budgets as you can still live on street food and find accommodation from around 7000 bht to 70,000 bht ++++

I live in a new condo on soi 13 ,5 mins from Nana BtS so just walking down the street at night is an adventure but I love that element of surprise. Its the hub and for the price of a carton of beer back home I can be in Pattaya, Phuket or many other resort towns in a few hours if it all gets a bit too much

[Lilawadee]

Whenever I was forced to live in Bangkok for any length of time I hated every second of it.

I like living in Thailand, but if that would mean 'Bangkok' then I'd pass and go live somewhere else.

There's ONE good thing I can say about the place: It's centrally located within Thailand, so straightforward to go see some beach in Pattaya or some nature in Kanchanaburi.

My favorite places in Bangkok: Suvarnabhumi airport, Hualamphong CS and Mo Chit bus station. (in no particular order)

[khun_j]

i did hate bangkok - for exactly 2 hours at my first visit 16 years ago

i was jetlagged, tired, and everthing was too much.

i cahnged my opinion on the very next day and think that bkk is one of the most beautiful cities in the world. beauty lies in the eye of the looker )

anyhow, i do not live downtown but rather suburbly. i love the khlongs, i love the nature, i love even the 7-11 in the soi ))

the only thin is missing here is a beach - but remember, you´re out of here in a couple of hours if you feel like diving or relaxing on the beach.

[seonai]

Zorro and Khun have got it wrapped up. Bkk is a shock to people who like places like Singapore (how dull) but it that 'element of surprise' in Bkk that makes it so attractive. As Zorro says, just going to work in the morning brings up all sorts of surprises, smells, noises, people...

For me, Bkk in a nutshell...

Fried pork, orchids, tuk tuks, deisel (?), coconut juice, sugar cane juice, nam touhoo, pla tong go, lipstick, louis vitton handbags, stilted wooden houses, golden spires, white out noise, policemen in tight brown uniforms, school kids, the express boat, whistling, laughing, men asleep on motorbikes, banyan trees digging up the pavements, saffron robed monks, fancy hairdos, the hiss of chilli as it hits a red hot wok..........

Oh the list is endless. But as I said Rue, most posters here seem to live over on the east near Sukhumvit, L wouldn't touch it with a bargepole, The west side/bank is more what I feel comfy with

[grtaylor]

If BKK is one of the places where people would like to live, than comparing it (in terms that anyone can achieve) to another desirables like Singapore (with so many parks it even calls itself "Garden city") and Paris is not out of question.

Singapore will never be Paris in things other than greenery.

A LOT safer though!!

I have been to Paris twice in the last five years. On the first occasion my elderly mother was robbed outside Notre Dame, and the second occasion I was robbed on the Metro in a highly elaborate and well-rehearsed routine.

Been there - done that - got the tee-shirt - NOT going back again . . . . . .

G

[madjbs]

I have to agree with Seonai, the western part of BKK is a really nice place to live, everyday is exciting and in the area I live there is fantasic temples and palaces around every corner.

[RueFang]

That's pretty amazing that "love it" wins the (very small!) poll! I wonder how many voters it would take to constitute a real representation of people's feelings about living in Bangkok! Perhaps 3 million or so? Perhaps I'll just live in a bubble and think that most people adore it! I would prefer to live somewhere predominantly Thai (to avoid culture shock coming from the village!), which probably suits what I would pay for an apartment anyway!

[londonthai]

all bangkok is predominantly thai - the west side and the suburbs are more traditional.

but everything depends where you will work - commuting less than 30 minutes each way is a preferable location. With the traffic jams happening in bangkok city centre any time of the day you should be either close to the river, sky train or metro or the major motorway.

bangkok is not human friendly - but it's the place where the work and business is

[siam2007]

I like my MONSTER BANGKOK because its very much alive 24 hours a day (and I like wild, untamed animals anyway).... and its an excellent home base to explore all the nice places in South-East-Asia, so I rarely sleep at my home here more then 200 days a year anyway....

I hate MONSTER BANGKOK, because not enough GREEN SPACES in town compared to other big cities in Asia, and because its usually a nuisance and hassle to get from one place to the other, no matter if taking own car, Taxi, or public Transport (I dont live very close to Metro or BTS, but that saves me big bucks, as the rent for my apartment would easily be double or thrice as much at a prime location....)

but at the moment its very much okay for me to live here.... every city has its pro's and con's

[absolutelyBangkok]

Bangkok offers everything for everybody.

You find everything here.

Why even trying another place?

Ok, nature is not really the strength of Bangkok, but all the niches and such.

Bangkok makes it very easy to keep you here.