New To Bkk, Nicest Part Of Town For A Farang?

[unikron]

Hey all, first post here. I will be working in Bang Pakong for 5 or 6 months and I am looking for a nice part of BKK to stay in. I am a late 20's SWM. My company will be paying for the accommodation so anything under AUD100/night (around 3000 baht) is acceptable. Really my only requirements are a nice supermarket with plenty of western goods and a nice gym nearby. Also, the shorter the travel time to Bang Pakong the better. What little time I have outside of work I'd probably spend doing low key activities like people watching and/or reading outdoors, but I'm not sure if BKK has any nice outdoor areas (I'm spoiled now in Oz). Any help is appreciated.

[glbv]

5-6 months at 3000b a night for a place? so roughly 90,000b a month for rent? You will have no issue what so ever finding an AMAZING apartment in that area for that amount or even 1/2 that.

90,000b will get you a great place even in the nicest areas, so if 3000b/day is really what your budget is your fine.

Few seconds googleing showed villas right on the river http://www.vvivavilla.com/. Id recommend emailing one of the many large realtors here and even if they don't have any apartments under their own listings there's a very high chance that they will know of a realtor in that area.

Edited April 27, 2012 by glbv

[unikron]

Thanks. I am a bit worried that it would be difficult to find a nice gym or supermarket with western goods in the Bang Pakong area. I will be getting a driver, so I can deal with a little longer travel times. Therefore, I was thinking somewhere closer to BKK proper would be ideal assuming I can keep the travel time to around an hour each way.

[glbv]

If you can be close enough to get to the BTS well then your options open up infinitely. I have no clue how close the bearing station is to you mainly cause I dont really know much about Bang Pakong, but it looks like its about half way to Pattaya maybe a little less. Pattaya is about 2hours by taxi so id think it would be about 40-60minutes to BTS for you.

Almost any hotel will offer long term rentals if you ask them and that might be an option. Never have to worry about paying bills, cleaning, anything like that and generally reception will give you alot of local assistance/recommendations. I lived at a hotel in BKK while i was trying to decide to live my 2nd time here for 2 months, was a bit expensive but I made really good friends and they helped me alot, I also now have almost a 2nd home whenever I need to go somewhere.

Edit: Was curious so via google maps your closest BTS station looks like On Nut as thats what the tollway gets off at, and it will take roughly 45 minutes. Now im not sure how much google maps adjusts for fast divers (as almost every thai driver ive had has never gone even close to the speed limit) or for traffic. But ive used google maps in the states and its always been fairly accurate.

Edited April 27, 2012 by glbv

[beachyman]

Thanks. I am a bit worried that it would be difficult to find a nice gym or supermarket with western goods in the Bang Pakong area. I will be getting a driver, so I can deal with a little longer travel times. Therefore, I was thinking somewhere closer to BKK proper would be ideal assuming I can keep the travel time to around an hour each way.

Check out fitness first they have lots of locations. Great gym around 2000 a month or 2500 for platinum but think 5 month minimum. Might be worth it though.

[glbv]

Gotta say i see alot of fitness first recommendations lately, conspiracy i think .

[beachyman]

Gotta say i see alot of fitness first recommendations lately, conspiracy i think .

Check it out, great body pump and spinning classes. Less weirdos than California wow.

[AZBill]

Check out a condo at The Address Chidlom on Som Kid. Chidlom BTS a block away, Central Market for food, completely equipped gym and beautiful pool where you can sit and watch alot of the beautiful Thai soap stars who live there come and go. Also has a free tuk tuk service. I've had a place there for a few years and you can get a very verynice furnished condo well within your budget!

[FarangTalk]

There is no nice part of Bangkok, just areas better than others.

Personally I do prefer near the river for views and ambience.

It's not going to beat Phnom Penh on the riverside for example or Hanoi by the lake though.

not sure if BKK has any nice outdoor areas

It doesn't, there are a few parks but in general the city is a giant, polluted, wheezing mess. If you're lucky you'll find an apartment with a rooftop area which you can use.

And you are right about Oz, spoiled for choice there.

[farang000999]

do you have kids? 90k baht a month is pretty crazy for a single guy. ask them if you can keep the difference even if they only let you keep a portion of the difference. ur company seems to be pretty clueless if they think 90k a month fo rent is reasonable.

Edited April 28, 2012 by farang000999

[glbv]

3k isnt as a huge rent allowance in other major cities but here that's a ton. If they say you cannot keep the difference I would make a negotiation with your landlord to put 90k on the recept even if your only paying 30k. Give him maybe 500 extra he will be happy and you will have an extra 2k a month.

[unikron]

There is no allowance per se, I'll be expensing the rental charges, and I could expense 3000baht a night without raising any red flags. I am not looking to capitalise personally on the situation. I am also looking at Pattaya as my workplace is almost equidistant from Bangkok and Pattaya. Pattaya seems like a better spot for weekend getways (e.g. Ko Lan or Ko Samet) but the acommodation choices aren't as plentiful.

[thrilled]

I enjoy riverside area.I'm not sure about gyms.Maybe silom area for that.It's near riverside

[glbv]

Theres a few places i could recommend in the 90k range in Pattaya as i was recently looking/touring. Theres alot of options right on quieter parts of the beach for even 40k. But also depends how close you want to be to walking street and all that.

http://www.pattaya-property.net/?p=detail〈=&ref=CR1721 this is the same building were in now, so far my boss has loved it. Only seconds from the beach when you wake up and the beach isn't very populated.

But if you don't care about being close to the ocean then id say BKK is probably best for you and to just take weekend trips when you want. Your going to have a much easier time with transport in BKK and in general I think you have alot more food options.

[PattayaParent]

In Bangkok you want to be as close to your work as you can, or be near to the BTS.

As you have a driver I'd suggest staying away from the riverside and CBD 'cos you'll be spending more waking hours in traffic than anything.

Look at somewhere along Rama IX where you can get on the motorway to the airport and on to Bang Pakong. Heading out that way early morning shouldn't be a problem traffic-wise but heading home might, but you'll have that problem anywhere.

Alternatively as someone suggested Naklua, north of Pattaya.

There's a Dusit hotel in Chachaengsao that has a gym but I doubt there's unlikely to be a supermarket full of western goodies, although why you would want something like that I don't know.

Also consider Sri Racha.

[wana]

90,000 thb a month is loads for thai rent

you could rent a place in bkk and a place by the beach and still have change to play with ........

[ExpatJ]

I would recommend BTS Phrong Pong area within 500 meters- you have villa market and gourmet market- the best food shops in town. Benjarsiri park (nicest park in town, good for running), Emporium (very civilized mall good for coffee shops/places to eat), 4 Britsh/Irish bars (Londoner, Shipp Inn, Robin Hood, Dubliner (latter is about to move locations though); Coyotes mexican restaurant (good for margaritas, ok food) .

[2unique]

do you have kids? 90k baht a month is pretty crazy for a single guy. ask them if you can keep the difference even if they only let you keep a portion of the difference. ur company seems to be pretty clueless if they think 90k a month fo rent is reasonable.

Some would say the Thai way would be to get them to invoice you for 90 and split the difference, everybody happy

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[2unique]

There's a lot to be said for Sri Racha/Bang Saen area. Quite a few Expats now, less traffic, western food availability, naughty night life, parks, golf, beach and only an hours drive into Bangkok.

Somewhere like Heritage overlooking the Gulf would be for me

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[PattayaParent]

I would recommend BTS Phrong Pong area within 500 meters- you have villa market and gourmet market- the best food shops in town. Benjarsiri park (nicest park in town, good for running), Emporium (very civilized mall good for coffee shops/places to eat), 4 Britsh/Irish bars (Londoner, Shipp Inn, Robin Hood, Dubliner (latter is about to move locations though); Coyotes mexican restaurant (good for margaritas, ok food) .

Traffic.

[Payboy]

Look up Hotel Avana on Bangna-Trad road. Its diagonally opposite Central Bangna dept store. Depending on your mode of travel from there to Banpakong will take you about 35-40 mins. Avana has a fitness gym - not fancy but quite alright.

[ExpatJ]

I would recommend BTS Phrong Pong area within 500 meters- you have villa market and gourmet market- the best food shops in town. Benjarsiri park (nicest park in town, good for running), Emporium (very civilized mall good for coffee shops/places to eat), 4 Britsh/Irish bars (Londoner, Shipp Inn, Robin Hood, Dubliner (latter is about to move locations though); Coyotes mexican restaurant (good for margaritas, ok food) .

Traffic.

The beauty is you have the BTS to get around central bkk area.

[2unique]

I would recommend BTS Phrong Pong area within 500 meters- you have villa market and gourmet market- the best food shops in town. Benjarsiri park (nicest park in town, good for running), Emporium (very civilized mall good for coffee shops/places to eat), 4 Britsh/Irish bars (Londoner, Shipp Inn, Robin Hood, Dubliner (latter is about to move locations though); Coyotes mexican restaurant (good for margaritas, ok food) .

Traffic.

The beauty is you have the BTS to get around central bkk area.

Traffic all the way to Port for the expressway - not the worst choice tho...

Sent from Android please excuse errors in type or judgement

[PattayaParent]

I would recommend BTS Phrong Pong area within 500 meters- you have villa market and gourmet market- the best food shops in town. Benjarsiri park (nicest park in town, good for running), Emporium (very civilized mall good for coffee shops/places to eat), 4 Britsh/Irish bars (Londoner, Shipp Inn, Robin Hood, Dubliner (latter is about to move locations though); Coyotes mexican restaurant (good for margaritas, ok food) .

Traffic.

The beauty is you have the BTS to get around central bkk area.

But he needs to get to Bang Prakong and back by car as the BTS doesn't go there.

He could get his driver to drop him at Bearing station though and get the skytrain home to avoid the traffic

[SantiSuk]

I would recommend BTS Phrong Pong area within 500 meters- you have villa market and gourmet market- the best food shops in town. Benjarsiri park (nicest park in town, good for running), Emporium (very civilized mall good for coffee shops/places to eat), 4 Britsh/Irish bars (Londoner, Shipp Inn, Robin Hood, Dubliner (latter is about to move locations though); Coyotes mexican restaurant (good for margaritas, ok food) .

Yes - anywhere in the area of Phrom Pong to On Nut on Sukhumvit or a Sukhumvit soi along that stretch is going to give your driver easy access to the Ram-Inthra Chaloeng highway which gets you straight out of Bangkok to the East, North or South East for 60 baht of tolls and no traffic jams - same on return. I would select any condo in Bangkok by reference to quick access to a BTS on MTS station and a tollway ramp! Only trouble withy that area is no river views. I have a condo in OnNut and its a joy being three minutes to the up-ramp of that tollway - one hour to Saraburi 90k north east of Bangkok even in rush hour. On Nut is a bit scruffy though compared to the Prom Phong to Ekkamai stretch.