What's Most Outrageous/interesting In Bkk?

[dougrobinson2024]

What's the most visually intriguing, interesting or outrageous thing you seen in Bangkok? --Of course, aside from all the katoeys, bar girls, street vendors selling bugs to eat--what else would be great to show in a documentary on Bangkok?

The reason I ask is I'll be shooting a travel documentary on an upcoming vacation in January and would like to show stuff that's out of the ordinary. The more unusual and interesting, the better!

Doug

[The_Other_Mac]

Ratchada at night (Thai red-light district with 2,000 room massage parlours etc).

The expressway spaghetti junction at Dindaeng - because you can't help thinking they could have designed it a lot better.

Sampeng lane (6 foot wide lane selling wholesale).

Hopewell pillars (take the slow train from the airport).

The ghost building (abandoned skyscraper) at the river end of Sathorn.

Wat Lat Phrao - "ordinary" suburban temple crammed with hundreds of golden Buddhas of every size.

Office commuters on the Khlong San Saeb canal boat.

Phra Pradaeng (undeveloped green area across the river from much of the centre). Lots of potential for tropical rural life with skyscrapers in the background.

Find some on-going roadworks/construction project, and if it's possible to reasonably get access, look for the shanty-town where the construction workers and families live.

Look at Nancy Chandler's, the majority of interesting places are not dominated by tourists.

Practice holding your camera steady while zoomed in, and please respect people's privacy. Don't take close-ups of people's faces without their permission. Don't take photos of sex-workers or their customers.

[dougrobinson2024]

Wow, thanks The_Other_Mac!

That all sounds like great stuff. Slice of life stuff that would be excellent in a documentary. I will be there for a month, so I'll have lots of time to look up these places.

I have a Steadicam (cam stabilizer) and of course a tripod, to make sure the cam is steady. I'll be certain to respect everyone's privacy/anonymity.

If you have any other ideas, I'd sure appreciate them! I'm looking for the entire range of things in Bangkok, including the regular tourist attractions like the Grand Palace, but certainly not limited to them. I'm looking for the kind of thing you'd want to see, if you were watching a documentary on BKK. Or the kind of places/things you'd take a friend, coming out for a visit, (and you'd want to impress the hel_l out of him, with how interesting a place BKK is.)

So again, thank you so much for your suggestions!

Doug

Edited November 19, 2005 by dougrobinson2024

[Smokin Joe]

Wow, thanks The_Other_Mac!

That all sounds like great stuff.  Slice of life stuff that would be excellent in a documentary.  I will be there for a month, so I'll have lots of time to look up these places.

I have a Steadicam (cam stabilizer) and of course a tripod, to make sure the cam is steady.  I'll be certain to respect everyone's privacy/anonymity.

If you have any other ideas, I'd sure appreciate them!  I'm looking for the entire range of things in Bangkok, including the regular tourist attractions like the Grand Palace, but certainly not limited to them.  I'm looking for the kind of thing you'd want to see, if you were watching a documentary on BKK.  Or the kind of places/things you'd take a friend, coming out for a visit, (and you'd want to impress the hel_l out of him, with how interesting a place BKK is.)

So again, thank you so much for your suggestions!

Doug

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

One thing that is always fun for friends that have not visited before is crocodile fishing at the Crocodile farm. Actually it's just feeding them, but you get a half chicken on a bamboo "fishing pole" for B50 and stand on a pavilion over the water and can tease the crocs until they grab the bait. Their speed and patience are impressive. 

This is at the PAttaya Crocodile Fram & Million Year Stone Park, maybe they have it at the Bangkok one also.

Another fun time has been shrimp fishing in Bangkok. Restauraunts with large concrete tanks where you can catch the shrimp for a few Baht per hour. They will cook it up with all the extras.

Other fishing parks have catch and release for the giant catfish also. Looked like fun too.

[andyfletch]

Take a ride on the railway from Wong Wien Yai to Mahachai. When you get to the other end, the market in the station is a treat - depending on time of day it moves from one track to the other.........very rare to see two tracks in use.

The rail journey itself is fun as well - single track, no signalling, all controlled by radio & mobile phone!!!!

If you want to try this pm me - quite happy to show you where on a weekend, sundays are good, and also get a good seafood meal at the other end.

[leisurely]

For me it has to be Jim Thompsons house. It is the only place I take my visitors to now, the grand palace is too big, chinatown to crowded and MBK too noisy. what a miserable old cow I am. No wonder noone comes to see me anymore.

The crocodile farm in Samut Prakan also does the feed the crocs thing. The standards of animal welfare would make you weep though.

Ancient city is another good place, quiet and peaceful mostly.

Erewan museum on Srinakarin road interesting too.

[ilyushin]

Look for "Bangkok and Beyond"a documentary made for TAT by Cathay Communications. Should be able to find a copy at the TAT library. There were 43 locations plus stock shots used for making of the documentary. Time laps footage from top of Baiyoke Tower to a slow train to Don Muang.

This was filmed in 1992-3. Many things have changed , but a well done doc even I was the CSD.

Other suggested places:

-Thai Stone Hinge (Hopewell)

-China Town Soi Texas 6pm onwards sidewalk life and stalls

-Tawandang Beer House

-Klong Toey Market

-Wimonmek Palace

-Rangsit Univerity students ( females) with nice short skirts.

-Soi Ngam Du Pli ( Malaysia hotel area)

-No Hands Restuarants

-Lumpini Park early morning and Suan Lum Night Bazar

-Ta Lur Chang and area

-Horse Racing ( weekends)

-Muay Thai Boxing

-Narcissus Club

-Gold shops China Town

-Seafood market Soi 24 Sukhumvit

-TV Christmas Party

-Muang Chamlong

-See what is left of King Kong Island

-Night Life Ratchadapisek Road

-The Cable Ski ( Bangna)

-Talat Thai

-Wat Pa Dammagai (Check spelling)

-New Science Park North Rangsit

-Rajapruk Goldf Course ( North Park)

-Yok Yor Boat Trip

-Rose Garden

-Puthamanton

-Pra Kret Island (Koh Kret)

-MBK /Siam Discovery

-Muang Thong Thani

-PB Hotel or Federal Hotel

-Supatra River House

-Vertigo

-Soi 33 babes

Hope it helps.

[ilyushin]

Here are some more locations.

Kamthieng House

Forensic Museum

Corrections Museum

Thonburi klongs

Suan Pakkad Palace

Ban Baat or Monk's Bowl Village

Human Imagery Museum

Pasteur Institute (Snake Farm)

Samphran Elephant Ground & Zoo

Bangkok Playhouse

Suthisarn Bars

Future Park Rangsit

Prasamin Road amd Old Fort

Saphan Khao

Bo Bae market

Suan Siam

Siam Niramit

Thai Life Permanent Exhibition Hall

Wat Ratchaburana

Bangkok Butterfly Garden and Insectarium

National Memorial

The Ananda Samakhom Throne Hall

The Press Museum

Safari World

Sunthorn Museum

Siam Ocean World A new attractions in downtown Bangkok. Open in December 2005,

Siam Ocean World will be the largest aquarium in Southeast Asia.

Pak Khlong Talat

Rommaninat Park

King Rama IX Park

Phahurat Indian Market

Kukrit House

Girls on the BTS , sidewalk cafes all bars in lower Sukhumvit ( Soi 7 Beer Garden, Q Bar, Cheap Charlies, outdoor beer gardens,e tc..)

[Beachbunny]

Wat Phuttamonthon (bhuddamonthon) off Baromratchonanni Road.

Very nice.

I heard they are putting the giant swing back also. Near chinatown.

Beachbunny

[snoophound]

You cant go past the activity on the river.

the life and the lifestyle is pretty unique.

Wat Phuttamonthon (bhuddamonthon) off Baromratchonanni Road.

Very nice.

I heard they are putting the giant swing back also.  Near chinatown.

Beachbunny

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

[OZONE]

Here are some more locations.

Kamthieng House

Forensic Museum

Corrections Museum

Thonburi klongs

Suan Pakkad Palace

Ban Baat or Monk's Bowl Village

Human Imagery Museum

Pasteur Institute (Snake Farm)

Samphran Elephant Ground & Zoo

Bangkok Playhouse

Suthisarn Bars

Future Park Rangsit

Prasamin Road amd Old Fort

Saphan Khao

Bo Bae market

Suan Siam

Siam Niramit

Thai Life Permanent Exhibition Hall

Wat Ratchaburana

Bangkok Butterfly Garden and Insectarium

National Memorial

The Ananda Samakhom Throne Hall

The Press Museum

Safari World

Sunthorn Museum

Siam Ocean World A new attractions in downtown Bangkok.  Open in December 2005,

Siam Ocean World will be the largest aquarium in Southeast Asia.

Pak Khlong Talat

Rommaninat Park

King Rama IX Park 

Phahurat Indian Market

Kukrit House

Girls on the BTS , sidewalk cafes all bars in lower Sukhumvit ( Soi 7 Beer Garden, Q Bar, Cheap Charlies, outdoor beer gardens,e tc..)

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Oh God. I've been in Thailand in Bangkok & Surathani for more than 15 years and yet to see as much as you listed. This is wonderful

Let me ask you, with this list, Can you pick the top 10 spots? I would like to use it when I get back to BKK

[Neeranam]

Wat Phuttamonthon (bhuddamonthon) off Baromratchonanni Road.

Very nice.

I'll second that - between Suk soi 101/1 and 101, near Thongchai mcIntyre's hoose.