Advise For Newbies Coming To Live In Bangkok

[Colabamumbai]

What advice would you give someone who is coming to live in Bangkok?

[meadish_sweetball]

Moved to the Bangkok forum.

[Checker]

My advise ??? Don't do it.

[SeanMoran]

Find a nice place to live in Dusit and bring lots of money.

[Rumblecat]

It depends why they're moving to Bangkok. Job? Extended holiday? Boredom? A simple one though- learn the language. And learn how to read (if not write) the language as well.

[LuckyLew]

Come for a month or two first

See if you like it

Do not move lock stock and barrell

See if you like it

Figure out where you would like to live

Are you going to work here?

How will you support yourself?

Do you need visa?

What type of visa?

on and on

[jontom]

Moved to the Bangkok forum.

If you want to keep your money stay away from bars and loose women.

[trogers]

Questions!

Coming alone, or a couple, or a family?

Age?

Sex?

[heykki]

Keep up a proper image and don't fool around.

[Colabamumbai]

Keep up a proper image and don't fool around.

Good advise anywhere thank you. Im coming to study Thai for 6 months. I have been to Thailand before, but visiting and living are 2 different things.

[Ulysses G.]

Find a nice place to live in Dusit and bring lots of money.

The Nana Hotel is cheaper and full of freindly faces looking for a sugar daddy.

[camerata]

Read some serious books about Bangkok and Thailand before you come. Start with Alex Kerr's Bangkok Found. Pasuk and Baker's History of Thailand is good, too.

[londonthai]

Im coming to study Thai for 6 months. I have been to Thailand before, but visiting and living are 2 different things.

find an accommodation close to yours school (or school to your accommodation) so you don't have to travel too far - get a bike (you will get some exercise) or a motorbike, instead of being squashed in the public transport and often late because of the traffic jam. Avoid student campuses, with a lot of foreigners, rather stay with thai family or at least in a thai neighbourhood, so you can practice your language.

[paulh1978]

if you want to save money stay just outside bangkok

dont go out on the piss all the time.

just keep your head down

[Gaccha]

If you are a kidnapper:

Live on the fringes of the city to maintain a low-profile. Police searches are rare on the West side of the river. Be aware that your prized asseets are more vulnerable here owing to the propensity of your intended victims to slice them off with a sharp knife.

If you are a 7-year-old girl:

Best to leave that amusing pole-dancing set that you got for Christmas back in the mother country.

If you are an 85-year-old granny:

Bring your hearing aid. And your colostomy bag. And your portable oxygen tank.

If you are an arms trader:

Perhaps you should relocate to Pattaya. You can leave your yacht in the harbour, and can always head out into the high seas to avoid any unwanted entanglements.

[NADTATIDA1]

A good bit of advice to save yourself some money and time is to get good knowledge of the transport system around the city.

Sky train

Underground

Buses

Boats

Good luck.

[londonthai]

knowing the public transport doesn't save you from travelling wast distances, often in a heavy traffic. Do everything in the walking/cycleing/bike distance - search your area and you will find everything what you want. An average bangkokian doesn't have to travel everyday more than a mile or two

[Meridian007]

An average bangkokian doesn't have to travel everyday more than a mile or two

Really? Check this out: The World's Longest Commute - Bangkok But, I would agree that there seem to be vast distances between everything, BKK is not a centralized city.

I would suggest learning about ALL the forms of commuting in BKK. The khlong boats and river express are good shortcuts to avoid traffic if you aren't on the skytrain (BTS), or subway (MRT).

-Get a cell phone that will work in Asia, and a sim card as soon as you can. The 3rd (or is it the 5th?) floor of MBK shopping mall can help.

-Register at your embassy with your new address and cell number. You'll receive updates and your family at home will feel less worried about you.

-Find a group of other new people, depending on your interests. Talk to the other people in your class, you will become each other's initial support group.

-Have fun and accept that you will love and hate BKK, (often in the same day!), it's all a part of culture shock. As you said, visiting and living here are two very different things. If you are flexible in your world view, you will have a much better chance of enjoying your time here, rather than jumping off a balcony, or bitterly trolling on TVF!

[kblaze]

don't wai anyone unless they wai you, it is annoying and awkward when foreigners overuse the wai when they first move here. I did it too. yes it is often well-intentioned, but just remember they

don't expect it and even if they do wai u at restaurants and stores just give a quick nod and a smile .

for more advice u gotta tell us more about yourself bro

Edited January 17, 2010 by kblaze

[Goldenglow]

I suggest you find yourself a condo near the skytrain, so it will be easy for you to travel for example to Siam and Sukhumvit, where you can find all the shopping centers, movie theaters, restaurants, bars, and what ever you are into. Also, find yourself a hobby (for example fitness), it will keep you busy, and you will find some new friends. When you're living here, you're not going to be all the time happy, happy, joy, joy as you're not on a holiday. Somedays will be boring for sure. But, keep an open mind, have fun, explore Bangkok... And ENJOY!