Bangkok Targets To Retain World’s Best City Title Next Year

[kennalder]

Hardly ever go there, but don't like it when I do.

I was there last week though, I had to go to the Australian Embassy.

I showed the cab driver the address:

37 South Sathorn.

No problem he said--200 baht.

Okay put the meter on and take me there.

We get to Sathorn, then he wants to look at the address again.

What's this? He says, pointing to the word SOUTH.

I thought, where the hel_l do you start to try and answer that? A compass with North, South East and West?

Nah, best to just say it doesn't matter. There's a ha sib-ha sib chance he got lucky.

Then a shriek of joy from him--There 17, 37 up here!

Then after a few more kilo's and well into the 250 baht range, Where you get this address? No Soi 37 here.

Who said anything about Soi's?

I got the address from the Web.

Oh, Web no good.

Into the glove box for a notebook.

Another shriek of joy.

I have here, see. Pointing to some Thai writing and a phone number. Web no good, I know 100 percent.

Um, I think this bubble is going to burst, because the phone numbers do not match and I called them 2 days ago.

Web no good, wrong address, wrong phone number.

More driving around, stop to ask directions, followed by another shriek of joy, right before I saw the sign to the AUSTRIAN Embassy!

My only solace was, at least we are in Embassy territory!

Let me call the Embassy, maybe on soi 3 or 7.

I don't think it is on Soi anything. This is a building number.

More driving and asking directions, then all of a sudden, the sign for the AUSTRALIAN Embassy, and just look at that address will ya!

37 South Sathorn, imagine that. He had stumbled onto it, proving once again, even a blind squirrel finds an acorn occasionally.

Lets split the difference between 200 and 350 baht and agree the web ain't so bad after all, or would that cause you lose more face than you already carved off?

Two days later, leaving the embassy a cabbie wants to know where I go?

I said bus station to get me back to Chiang Mai. Do you know where it is?

Yes 100 percent certain. Okay, you sure? Yes 100%

Okay put the meter on, lets go. About how much?

800 Baht.

WHAT? Stop now, let me out right now!

So where do you think my vote would put BKK as a tourist destination?

I bet the list didn't go anywhere near down that far!

[charmonman]

I was wondering how long it would take people to complain about the sidewalks. 5555 old people crack me up.

A ridiculous comment that could only have been made by a callow youth with little experience of the world. At 50, I guess I qualify

as one of the "old people" who crack you up, but the sidewalks are the least of my problems with calling Bangkok the world's "best" city.

In fact, I liked Bangkok a lot better when the sidewalks were in even a worse state of repair, before all the slick modern nightclubs, and condominiums,

and middle class pretentiousness that dominates the place today. Back when I first experienced it 20+ years ago, it was a strange, unpredictable, wild, adventurous

and utterly charming place. I feel sorry for you youngsters who never had a chance to see it then, when it truly was the world's "best" city.

[rubl]

I was wondering how long it would take people to complain about the sidewalks. 5555 old people crack me up.

A ridiculous comment that could only have been made by a callow youth with little experience of the world. At 50, I guess I qualify

as one of the "old people" who crack you up, but the sidewalks are the least of my problems with calling Bangkok the world's "best" city.

In fact, I liked Bangkok a lot better when the sidewalks were in even a worse state of repair, before all the slick modern nightclubs, and condominiums,

and middle class pretentiousness that dominates the place today. Back when I first experienced it 20+ years ago, it was a strange, unpredictable, wild, adventurous

and utterly charming place. I feel sorry for you youngsters who never had a chance to see it then, when it truly was the world's "best" city.

Hear, hear !

[Metalgear]

According to Business week's world's top 100 most livable cities, Bangkok is placed 109. How on earth did it get to be no.1, something must be wrong.

[trogers]

According to Business week's world's top 100 most livable cities, Bangkok is placed 109. How on earth did it get to be no.1, something must be wrong.

The list was read upside down...

[thedistillers]

We already discussed this. The criterias were how affordable the city is, shopping, eating out, etc. There is nothing surprising about Bangkok being number 1, given the criterias. Bangkok's problems are mostly irrelevant for short term visitors.

Also, I'm ROFL that a poster mentioned that Auckland beat Bangkok. I'm not expressing my opinion; it's generally considered as one of the dullest city on earth.

[SergeiY]

I agree BKK is a fantastic city.

YES!

[hayden5650]

We already discussed this. The criterias were how affordable the city is, shopping, eating out, etc. There is nothing surprising about Bangkok being number 1, given the criterias. Bangkok's problems are mostly irrelevant for short term visitors.

Also, I'm ROFL that a poster mentioned that Auckland beat Bangkok. I'm not expressing my opinion; it's generally considered as one of the dullest city on earth.

lol well I had to include a city from my own country in my list somewhere. I've never actually been to Auckland except for the airport once when I was 11.

[gmac]

World's best city? What were the parameters? I'm not usually a Thailand basher but I think Bangkok is the only city, anywhere in the world that I have visited and can honestly say that I hate (and I have been to a fair few!!). Too hot, too dirty, too much traffic, need I go on?. If I never go there again it will be too soon. Thank goodness the airport is now on the outskirts!

Oops, missed the posts about the parameters in my haste to get to press ------still don't like the place though!

Edited October 27, 2010 by gmac

[Hardie]

Want to hear something even stranger? Chiang Mai is number 2! Here's the full list for anyone interested:

http://www.traveland...est/2010/cities

The first comments may not be far off the mark; there is much whispering within the 'travel journalism' community about those who take freebies, but supposedly journalists are excluded from the survey, which rates on:

• • For cities: sights, culture/arts, restaurants/food, people, shopping, value

"The scores are indexed averages of responses concerning applicable characteristics", so could be some wiggle room there. Go figure.

[elcent]

Want to hear something even stranger? Chiang Mai is number 2! Here's the full list for anyone interested:

http://www.traveland...est/2010/cities

The first comments may not be far off the mark; there is much whispering within the 'travel journalism' community about those who take freebies, but supposedly journalists are excluded from the survey, which rates on:

• • For cities: sights, culture/arts, restaurants/food, people, shopping, value

"The scores are indexed averages of responses concerning applicable characteristics", so could be some wiggle room there. Go figure.

what's the reputation of the site? I mean, I can't find any standard requirements or whatever that is. Sure the authors haven't been in more than 10 cities in their lifetime. Maybe stuck somewhere?

Surveys can be manipulated and is practiced almost everywhere.

Most people in the world don't even know a city called Chiang Mai and many still don't know even Bangkok.

[Bagwan]

I was wondering how long it would take people to complain about the sidewalks. 5555 old people crack me up.

The ignorant always laugh that at that which they don't understand - especially the <deleted> young.

[Bagwan]

What gets me is not the the Bangkok Best City bit, but the fact that the TAT, government and various other government agencies needs this almost constant comforting, petting and reassurance from top ten listing and ranking agencies, who no one cares about, in order to feel good about themselves.

Makes me think Thais have an image problem

Exactly, that's what made me laugh too, the focus on 'retaining' the best city ranking!   Having won in a year in which civil war erupted on the streets of central Bangkok how hard could that be

Next year should be a stroll in the park.

Or a paddle? Maybe swim?

[julemanden]

I was wondering how long it would take people to complain about the sidewalks. 5555 old people crack me up.

How do you know the ages of the people responding to this thread?

Yep, one of the worst things about Thailand are the young, skinhead, tattooed, farang lager-louts out looking for trouble and making uninformed, asinine comments about things they haven't a clue.

See how easy it is to make broad generalizations.

As far as the OP, I can name at least 10 cities that are far superior to Bangkok across the entire spectrum of ranking criteria. It's a bullshit award which means nothing, except to the Thais which only care about face.

Agree 100 %

[jaideeguy]

'World's best".....compared to Manila, Bombay, and Mexico City??

[Hardie]

Here's the list. T+L has a pretty good rep, easily top 5 in the industry. Traveler's ranked the cities, supposedly. I can't figure it out either.

TOP 10 CITIES

Rank '09 Name Score

1 3 Bangkok 90.30

2 5 Chiang Mai, Thailand 89.35

3 6 Florence 89.17

4 - San Miguel de Allende, Mexico 89.09

\

5 9 Rome 88.60

6 - Sydney 87.99

7 4 Buenos Aires 87.98

8 - Oaxaca, Mexico 87.78

9 - Barcelona 87.71

10 8 New York City 87.68

[jackr]

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

Ohhhh this must be a joke.

How could Bangkok beat out places like Berlin, Munich, Vienna, Sydney, Auckland, Tokyo, Nuremberg.

What a load of <deleted>.

I agree it's a bit of a joke, although I'd rather visit Bangkok than any of those cities on your list which are all boring and expensive in comparison. Someone mentioned Brisbane. While a nice place, it has to take the cake for most boring. In Europe, Barcelona has to be right up there.

I guess Bangkok does have a certain pizazz about it and is good value on the world stage, but 'world's best' (whatever that means) it is not.

[arco27]

My first bitter middle aged westerner posting thank you very much.

And Brisbane is much better as a city

Brisbane would win the boredom price, BKK is package and the footpaths are part of its ankle breaking charm:D

[thedistillers]

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

Ohhhh this must be a joke.

How could Bangkok beat out places like Berlin, Munich, Vienna, Sydney, Auckland, Tokyo, Nuremberg.

What a load of <deleted>.

I agree it's a bit of a joke, although I'd rather visit Bangkok than any of those cities on your list which are all boring and expensive in comparison. Someone mentioned Brisbane. While a nice place, it has to take the cake for most boring. In Europe, Barcelona has to be right up there.

I guess Bangkok does have a certain pizazz about it and is good value on the world stage, but 'world's best' (whatever that means) it is not.

Well, the person listed Auckland without even knowing the place. What does it say about the credibility of such reply?

I would like to know this: where in Hong Kong, Singapore, Shanghai, Tokyo, etc can I rent a centrally located, modern studio with Internet, Cable, a safe, a huge, comfortable bed for 12 000 bah a month? Where in these cities can I find a good hotel for 600 baht a day? Because that's what I'm paying when I'm here.

It might come as a shock to some people, but outside the bitter world of expat forum, a city that constantly get praised in blogs and on the Internet is Bangkok. There is simply no other city that I'm aware of that offer so much, combined with excellent value when you know where to look.

[brahmburgers]

Not long ago, they had a worldwide contest to name the top 10 most culturally important sites in the world (I can't recall the name of the contest). Voters voted multiple times for their home-town favorites. For Bkk and C.Mai to rank one-two on such a poll, there must have been an upswell of multiple voting and/or a hushed campaign to get as many Thais to vote - maybe at Thai universities, where every student follows the herd (?).

I agree BKK is a fantastic city.

YES!

I read an interesting article of a guy who chose to travel to the world's dirtiest and most decrepid places, such as abandoned chemical factories in the former East Bloc, etc. Do Sergei and mstribling have a touch of that guy's spirit?

[Moebius87]

Definitely not the "best city in the world", but certainly not the worst city to live in.

Have to agree that bothering to chase up a title with dubious criteria and debatable credentials does lead one to question the self-confidence of Bangkok. A tad Insecure perhaps? Would be interesting to see how subjective were the questions used in such a survey. Even more curious to see the demographic profile of the folks that filled it out.

[HowardB]

Never been to Brisbane, but I've been to Bangkok. I'm betting you're right, Mate

My first bitter middle aged westerner posting thank you very much.

And Brisbane is much better as a city

Been to Bangkok, never been to Brisbane. I'll put my money on Bangkok anyday for value and variety

[coastwise]

Best city in the world ??????????

One can only but wonder how the assessors missed the crumbling pavements, the hoards of street vendors blocking the sidewalks, the unrelenting traffic flow, the corrupt police force, the child pornography, the inefficient local government, the prostitutes, the smiling but back stabbing inhabitants and of course, the duel pricing at major hospitals and institutions to name but a few things.

I suppose there is the Paragon centre and the BTS that are worthwhile.

Bangkok - the worlds best city - I wonder who paid who to get this title.

Is someone paying you a lot of money to live in Bangkok? If not why are you here?

[mufcsamui]

Bangkok is a rat infested dump

[ryladie99]

I love Bangkok and this will probably be my home until I die - but World Best City?

haha I think not...

I'd probably give the nod to Paris.

I like your post but if I can stand people who are smoking then I will vote for Paris....

This is going to be best for the Thais, she needs many tourists at this time... and .I urge everyone to help???

New York has so many tourists and she never steeps...she also has plenty of credits to go around...We need to promote Thailand and Bangkok......

My take and opinion.

[sausageandmash]

Except that Paris is full of French people.

I love Bangkok and this will probably be my home until I die - but World Best City?

haha I think not...

I'd probably give the nod to Paris.

[sausageandmash]

No, he is just being realistic and true. Doesn't mean he hates the places. Head out of the sand please.

Best city in the world ??????????

One can only but wonder how the assessors missed the crumbling pavements, the hoards of street vendors blocking the sidewalks, the unrelenting traffic flow, the corrupt police force, the child pornography, the inefficient local government, the prostitutes, the smiling but back stabbing inhabitants and of course, the duel pricing at major hospitals and institutions to name but a few things.

I suppose there is the Paragon centre and the BTS that are worthwhile.

Bangkok - the worlds best city - I wonder who paid who to get this title.

Is someone paying you a lot of money to live in Bangkok? If not why are you here?

[roiethome]

Bangkok IS the best city in the world, I have worked in every capital city in Asia, and BKK beats the others by a mile

[chuang]

It's one of the greatest joke....April's fools day come early...

[waighty]

I've lived in Brisbane and now I live in Bangkok. Give me BKK anyday