Bangkok Voted World's Best City In Travel Poll

[A_Traveller]

^

people here

I took that to be a generic, not this singular thread. Statistics don't you love them

Regards

[ThaiFelix]

I have stayed in a lot of places in my 35 odd years of travelling and I have settled for Bangkok. I guess it depends on what your here for, or what you do with your time. I, personally, have never been happier. But one thing I do find a real bitch here is the amount of farang who constantly moan about the place. 'I dont like the food, I dont like the Thais, its too hot, it smells, the transport system is crappy, on and on and on'. What the ef are you doing here. I even had a farang who came into my soi a couple of weeks ago, was invited to sit with myself and a group of Thai neighbours (not my wish), was offered food and drink, and then proceeded to bitch about everything to do with Thailand. Who's the idiot? I am often embarrassed to be a farang because of you winging lot. Go home and do us all a favour. Go on, get out.

ThaiFelix

[Zpete]

Bangkok is the world's best city, but all it has going for it is its nightlife (which used to be much better).

Now why are all these guys really here?

.........of course.........sheeeeeeesh

Obviously, the main judging criteria is the availability of casual sex.

The availabilty of willing bar gals.

Bangers wins pants.... oops hands down.

Edited July 11, 2008 by Zpete

[12xu]

It is a shame that with the undisputable power of genuine statistical analysis that all we ever seem to get when it comes to Thailand's #1 industry are obviously-skewed, non-scientific polls like this one....

That being said, I do love and greatly miss Bangkok -- in a Blade Runner kind of way.

[mitrapaap]

I wonder how the list would look if they ask the Europeans...

The list (American Express) is mainly the opinion of a limited number of mostly American travelers and most of them don't even know where Kopenhagen or Florence is

American outbound tourism is small anyway, in comparison to European tourism.

LaoPo

I agree with you.

But didn't you knwo that the planet is driven by the americans, even though only 5% of them have a passport allowing them to travel beyond their borders?

[12xu]

I wonder how the list would look if they ask the Europeans...

The list (American Express) is mainly the opinion of a limited number of mostly American travelers and most of them don't even know where Kopenhagen or Florence is

American outbound tourism is small anyway, in comparison to European tourism.

LaoPo

I agree with you.

But didn't you knwo that the planet is driven by the americans, even though only 5% of them have a passport allowing them to travel beyond their borders?

Where did you get the 5% figure?...a quick look on Goolee shows multiple sources citing that the actual figure is over 20%...please don't make up your own facts

[girlx]

I am often embarrassed to be a farang because of you winging lot. Go home and do us all a favour. Go on, get out.

maybe off topic, but why is it that there are so many jaded people in thailand compared to any other tourist destination i have ever been to?

[jfchandler]

Speaking of Americans.... I came to love BKK as a tourist... and almost never indulged in the BG scene.... After a number of years back and forth from Los Angeles... I voted with my feet and moved here to stay...

Now that I'm a "permanent resident", I love it even more. But then again I like city life, having grown up and worked long time in Los Angeles.

It's great to be able to do everything and anything here...at any hour of the day... Even better than Los Angeles in that respect. And the transportation is better here as well... And the ladies...not BG... are pretty nice as well....

Live well... eat well... play well... rest and relax... What more could you ask???? Count me IN!!!!

And please...lighten up on the Yank bashing!!!!

[peterjohn]

I agree it is not the best city but new york is a long way behind it (wait 2 hours to get on the george washington bridge yes a great place to live)I think it is not a great place as every time I go there I have to deal with people that would not get a job in any other city.

yes it has a lot going for it if you are related to some one.

but if you dont like it get out (if you can'nt stand the heat get out of the kitchen)

[jitenshaman]

I am often embarrassed to be a farang because of you winging lot. Go home and do us all a favour. Go on, get out.

maybe off topic, but why is it that there are so many jaded people in thailand compared to any other tourist destination i have ever been to?

something to do with lost property, savings, infidelity, and generally being taken to the cleaners too many times, which most of the time, the person has only themselves to blame. Perhaps also a full lack of integration. I lived in Japan for 4 years, saw exactly the same thing as I see here. Those who have learned some language, gotten out of the expat community, and seen more than Pattaya, Nana Plaza, and Siam Square might have a few nicer things to say about Thailand. In Japan, the people I knew who couldn't speak Japanese, who only frequented gaijin bars, and who never left Tokyo, usually were the same ones who complained about how bad their jobs were, how racist the Japanese were, and what a crappy country it was.

[kat]

Bangkok, a great city, those who dont like it must live a very boreing life, living in your condos whatch your boreing True TV. Your sad, bet most of you are Yuky Yanks. Iv lived here 20 yrs and still love it!

Yuky Yanks ....

The fact is, Bangkok has it's merits, and New York has its downsides. As for myself, I would prefer many other cities in Southeast Asia before Bangkok, but you can't beat it as a travelling point to other destinations. I mostly enjoy Bangkok when I am travelling through, but not as a place to live.

Edited July 11, 2008 by kat

[Boxster]

From what I have seen of Bangkok, my travelling along the southern coastline, (Hua Hin and 200 Km beyond) trips up to Khon Kean, Kalasin and over to the north-east border, give me Thailand any time in comparison to NY and beyond. America is too commercalised, the extremes between those with wealth and the areas which the have-nots inhabit, are more marked than in Thailand. Whilst crime pervades both enviroments, the levels of it are far greater in the US.

Some people I am sure, take their holidays and retire in Thailand because it is a lot cheaper than elsewhere, but then moan and groan that it isn't as sophisticated, they can't buy the range of things they can 'back home'. However, if they were 'back home', they would then moan even more, that living there is far too expensive and riddled with high levels of crime. Life is about making compromises and not expecting that you are entitled to access all the facilities that a 1st world country delivers, in one that hasn't the same levels of economic power and development. Both have their failings, it just depends which you are willing to put up with, and not moan about!

Well said!

For me, I do love Bangkok for what it is.

Its a country I want to stay in for the rest of my life. The only thing I am bitching is that I can't get a dam_n Lamborghini replica into this country! Otherwise, its all good!

B

[RakJungTorlae]

I am often embarrassed to be a farang because of you winging lot. Go home and do us all a favour. Go on, get out.

maybe off topic, but why is it that there are so many jaded people in thailand compared to any other tourist destination i have ever been to?

something to do with lost property, savings, infidelity, and generally being taken to the cleaners too many times, which most of the time, the person has only themselves to blame. Perhaps also a full lack of integration. I lived in Japan for 4 years, saw exactly the same thing as I see here. Those who have learned some language, gotten out of the expat community, and seen more than Pattaya, Nana Plaza, and Siam Square might have a few nicer things to say about Thailand. In Japan, the people I knew who couldn't speak Japanese, who only frequented gaijin bars, and who never left Tokyo, usually were the same ones who complained about how bad their jobs were, how racist the Japanese were, and what a crappy country it was.

Must be something in the water.

[arco27]

Well said!

For me, I do love Bangkok for what it is.

Its a country I want to stay in for the rest of my life. The only thing I am bitching is that I can't get a dam_n Lamborghini replica into this country! Otherwise, its all good!

B

That should not be a problem, you can buy the real thing on the top floor of Paragon, much better then a replica and ideal for a 5pm "cruise" along Sukumvit.

Again: Krung Thep rocks, I love it

[newtronbom]

I agree with those who say Bangkok is a good place to live. We live 45 mins from the city center and don't have the pollution, traffic jams out here. As a city, Bangkok has its ups and downs just like any other place, but what we really like about it, is the diversity of the place. There are so many choices. Home is what you make it. If you don't like it, go some where else and moan. Having said that, has anybody else noticed the cost of living here these days?? Pretty much the same as most of our home cities I recon. A 1000 baht don't go far at all now. I can remember buying 15 baht of food on a street stall and not finishing it. Lucky to get full on 50 baht now days. Computers and electronics may have halved their price over the last 4 years, but food and gas have gone way up. Progress. Who the heck needs it!

[pampal]

I love BKK and spend all my free time here, too bad the secret is out

[sabaijai]

Bangkok is the world's best city, but all it has going for it is its nightlife (which used to be much better).

Now why are all these guys really here?

I can think of a few more things it has going for it. Great food, for example. In fact one could argue the city has one of the better dining scenes in the world, esp for the money.

Sightseeing ain't too shabby, either. Of course if you live here you get jaded, just as living in Paris you'll quickly grow tired of the Eiffel Tower on the skyline.

Bangkok still represents excellent value, travel-dollarwise, and I imagine that's a major reason it always does well in travel mag reader polls.

Note that all the top 10 cites in the T&L readers poll are very close, points-wise:

http://www.travelandleisure.com/worldsbest....cfm?cat=cities

"The readers rated the cities based on sights, arts and culture, restaurants and food, people and shopping."

[Scott]

BKK is a sh*thole--like most cities--I haven't been to very many that I can say were really wonderful, other than to visit. I just happen to think as *holes go, this is one of the best holes to live in!

[astral]

What is that saying about "fool all of the people some of the time........??"

[Ulysses G.]

Bangkok is the world's best city, but all it has going for it is its nightlife (which used to be much better).

Now why are all these guys really here?

I can think of a few more things it has going for it. Great food, for example. In fact one could argue the city has one of the better dining scenes in the world, esp for the money.

I did think of food, but the food in Bangkok is not really up to much with the exception of Thai food which not very many foreigners want to eat 3 times a day. If you are obsessed with Thai food, than I admit that the place can't be beat. Also, if you want cheap International food of dubious quality, than Bangkok is a deal.

There are lots of places with better restaurants - of all different types - for reasonable prices such as Saigon, Hanoi, Malaysia, Bali, Hong Kong and especially Singapore in just this area. Not being crazy about Thai food, I have a difficult time finding excellent, reasonably priced restaurants in Bangkok, but I never run out of them in Singapore!

Sightseeing is not bad if you are willing to spend hours and hours stranded in traffic to see it. I quickly realized that I wasn't and that was 20 years ago when there were a lot less cars in Thailand.

I still love the place for a couple of days though!

Edited July 12, 2008 by Ulysses G.

[poshthai]

girlx,

are you basing that comment on people who post on here????

I can assure you that most of my friends are extremley happy living inThailand and would never go back to their home country.

[henrytuttle]

I believe this poll was referring to Bangkok as the best city to travel to, not live in. In which case, I think they're not too far off. When it comes to the sheer number of activities that the typical tourist can do, which is probably mostly shopping, eating, walking around, this is a great city. Not as clean and organised as some cities, but there's certainly a lot going for it. And, one of the biggest factors, which I believe greatly affected both #1 and #2 on the list is value.

I think most people who live in Bangkok earn their income in Bangkok. Consequently, many probably earn less than they would for a similar position in a city in a more modern country, say New York or London. And if retired or living on an income from outside of Thailand, I don't think many would be able to live in the lifestyle they do in Bangkok.

I think if you're travelling to Bangkok on a budget of $50-100/day, you'd enjoy yourself more than a place like Sydney or Florence or New York, where you'd be a virtual backpacker. At $200+, it would probably depend on your individual choices.

If you live and earn your money in BKK the city may or may not be that great. If you earn $3000/month or less, you probably live better than you would given the same amount of money in these other cities. That's not necessarily the case if you did the same job in New York. You'd probably get paid better, but might live in worse accomodations, but the streets in front of your home might be clean. Or whatever, the point being that you're not really rating the city the same way as the people did in the poll.

Finally, if you live on an income from outside of Bangkok, I can't see what people would complain about. I don't think you'll live in better accomodations and standards given the equivalent budget almost anywhere in the world (that's not counting extremes - e.g. less than $200/mo. and greater than $20K/mo.)

I haven't lived in Bangkok since I was around 8 years old (32 yrs ago). Bangkok's changed a bit since then. But I still find it a really great city to visit.

[Richie1971]

Best city in the world for taxis - no one can argue with that - some of the most beautiful ladies in the world (if you dont agree why are you here) a good variety of food with the best being Thai (what would you expect?) top hotels and an agreeable climate! Who could ask for more? I've lived in London. Ajaccio, Paris and Pnomh Penh and stayed in a lot more and currently live in Hanoi and its (BKK) alot better than all except PP (personal taste, PP brilliant place as is all Cambodia)

Every person is entitled to their own opinion but if you want a contrast please PM me fotr details of Hanoi and reassess ur opinion after.

PS. Apologies to any TV US guys, US has never appealed to me so I cannot give an informed comment.

Edited July 12, 2008 by Richie1971

[henrytuttle]

some of the most beautiful ladies in the world (if you dont agree why are you here)

Really, if I think Thai women aren't the most beautiful in the world, you don't know why I'd be here???

I don't think the women would make the top ten reasons I like Thailand even if I weren't married. If I weren't married, they'd probably make the top five reasons I'd VISIT, but there are plenty of reasons to come to the Thailand without the women.

[SiriusBlack1]

Best city in the world? Why not?

Remember, this is CITIES TO VISIT. And Bangkok has it all.

Normally if you want to see something as exotic as Wat Arun or the Temple of the Emerald Buddha you have to trek into the middle of the jungle. Think how hard it is to get to Ayers Rock in Australia or even Angkor Wat in Cambodia. (clue: You have to enter Cambodia.)

But in Bangkok you can see some of Asia's best sights right downtown. Getting around the city is a breeze, despite the gridlock, thanks to the spanking new skytrain and subway. Taxis are cheap. The local cuisine is hailed as one of the best in the world, and there are oodles of top-notch restaurants, all reasonably priced. Hotels are incredible value, with five-star rooms going for €200 or less.

And the entertainment here leaves New York, London, Los Angeles and Paris gasping in the dust.... if you're a male, anyway

[sabaijai]

For people who really like "CITIES", Bangkok isn't so bad, really. "Real" cities are generally dirty, smelly, decrepit and gridlocked (much like "real" men... 5555), so if you like that sort of thing, Bangkok has it in abundance.

Well that's the point, isn't it? It's a cities poll.

[girlx]

this thread did inspire me to play tourist this weekend and i remembered why i originally loved thailand... so bangkok is a fun place to be if you are a tourist (cheap food, massages & other beauty treatments, shopping at chatuchak, people watching on khao san road, etc.) living here is just a different story for me. i haven't met many long term people (outside this board) that i liked is my biggest complaint- a lot of expats seem to be drunks. plus i guess familiarity breeds contempt and all that. but since the US economy is shit i will make an attempt to enjoy it here while i can still live here more cheaply than NY (though the gap is narrowing! BKK is getting expensive!)

[dude007]

I've loved Bangkok since I first set foot in it 35 years ago. Give folks a smile and they smile right back. In the west you would be considered demented to smile so much. I would live in Bangkok if it wasn't for the pollution.

Did your make someone (Thai) an observation or a complaint for something which went basically wrong due to poor service? See how fast the smile disappears and how quickly they forget their basic English! The next second you're [poluted] air...

But I admit, smiles are everywhere when you start first!

[Ulysses G.]

20 years in Thailand and the smiles are still everywhere!

[vagabond48]

I've loved Bangkok since I first set foot in it 35 years ago. Give folks a smile and they smile right back. In the west you would be considered demented to smile so much. I would live in Bangkok if it wasn't for the pollution.

Thailand doesn't have a monopoly on smiles. Give a smile to most natives in SEA and you'll get one right back.

I have ridden my bicycle in Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam and a small bit of Burma (so far) and

if you give a to someone who is or and you'll usually get a right back.