Hi Everyone,

I might be relocating to Bangkok, to work in Thanapoom Tower (which is on Petchaburi Road, between the nana/petchaburi & asoke /petchaburi intersections). I was just wondering - what would you estimate the travel time at rush hour from Thong Lor (Soi 55 off Sukhumvit I think). I'm assuming the easiest way is by taxi - and I'm assuming thats going to be 50-60 baht.

My second question - I'm reading about electricity rates, and how much "extra" landlords can charge. How much is a unit on "gouvernment" electric?

Many thanks everyone - any input much appreciated.

Hi. I work in Thanapoom Tower, and have done for 18 months. New Petchburi Road can be very unpredictable; at some times of the day it could take 10 minutes to get to Thong Lor but other times could take at least an hour or more. The traffic often queues from the Nana junction to the Asoke junction between 5pm and 7pm. I am not sure what it's like once you get past Asoke. A taxi would be the only option if you don't intend to drive, but they're often not easy to get from the side of the road outside Thanapoom Tower.

PM me and I will try to answer any more questions you might have.

Government electricity is approximately 3.5 baht/unit.

thanks andy - PM sent. thanks allane - some of the apartments I have been looking are charging 7-8baht per unit!

does anyone know is it "normal" for condo's and apartments to charge high rates for electric or is it a case that some do and some don't? I don't particularly feel like to paying more than double the rate, especially when my wife is going to be at home with the air con running 24/7..........

This whole area is total gridlock in the morning and early evening. It's insane. Seriously, I live near the Asoke/Phetchaburi junction and unless I'm taking the subway or khlong boat, or it's late evening/very early morning, it's a motorbike or nothing. Also, consider, if you're on Soi Thong Lo near the Sukhumvit end, you've got to queue to even get onto Phetchaburi. I think your estimate of 50-60 baht may well prove to be way off. You need to be seriously considering either a motorbike or if you don't fancy this, moving closer (plenty of good apartments on Soi Asoke and a fairly short bike ride from where you're going). If you really must live there, you're probably better off on a motorbike to the pier at Thong Lo, then the khlong boat to Asoke pier, then another bike, but it's a lot of mucking about.

With regard to electric, I think it's generally more common with smaller buildings where all the apartments are owned by one landlord, though I've heard of plenty of unscrupulous 'management' companies even in big blocks that like to put themselves between you and the electric company. Make sure you find somewhere where you pay the electric company direct, not the landlord or the usually rubbish/crooked 'juristic person.' Same applies to water, though usually to a less expensive degree.

mk