Bangkok For Your Average Tourist Must Be Hell.

[TheSpade]

As we all know BKK was recently listed as being the worlds most visited city. See here.

I live in BKK and I love it (most of the time) but I honestly see little appeal for your average tourist here.

Most tourists are going to be staying around Nana and Asoke areas which for the most part are absolute dumps.

The streets are filthy, rubbish everywhere, can't walk down the pavement because they are lined with food carts, stalls, mobile bars, tuk tuk and taxi drivers touting for business, people begging mostly kids, lady boys hanging around in packs grabbing at you as you walk past, hookers bellowing "heeello weeelcuuum" at everyone.

It's not a very appealing sight and probably quite intimidating / overwhelming for a lot of people.

I came across this American couple with their 2 young kids and they look like they were seriously struggling with BKK and I can understand why.

I really do think BKK must be hell for your average tourist.

Do you agree or disagree?

[hanno]

As we all know BKK was recently listed as being the worlds most visited city. See here.

I live in BKK and I love it (most of the time) but I honestly see little appeal for your average tourist here.

Most tourists are going to be staying around Nana and Asoke areas which for the most part are absolute dumps.

The streets are filthy, rubbish everywhere, can't walk down the pavement because they are lined with food carts, stalls, mobile bars, tuk tuk and taxi drivers touting for business, people begging mostly kids, lady boys hanging around in packs grabbing at you as you walk past, hookers bellowing "heeello weeelcuuum" at everyone.

It's not a very appealing sight and probably quite intimidating / overwhelming for a lot of people.

I came across this American couple with their 2 young kids and they look like they were seriously struggling with BKK and I can understand why.

I really do think BKK must be hell for your average tourist.

Do you agree or disagree?

Disagree. I go to BKK about once a month and love it.

[anotheruser]

Are you the average tourist hanno? Some people love BKK and some people hate it. what more can be said?

[somtampet]

I have lived in Pattaya for 10 years and hate Bangkok,god knows what most tourists think.The tourist board must be doing a great job,bringoing in people from all over the world to a shithole like Bangkok

[hanno]

All relative. I live in Siem Reap and BKK is the big city for me. It has everything I need: book store, cinema, malls, wide choice of food.

Sure beats the sexpat haven of Pattaya. Now there is a town I hate. I dread next week when I have to spend 4 days there....

[somtampet]

Why do u have to spend 4 days here,and why do u think everyone is a sexpat.Plenty to do in Patts for 4 days mate without even seeing a barfine

All relative. I live in Siem Reap and BKK is the big city for me. It has everything I need: book store, cinema, malls, wide choice of food.

Sure beats the sexpat haven of Pattaya. Now there is a town I hate. I dread next week when I have to spend 4 days there....

Edited August 2, 2013 by metisdead
Oversize and bold font removed. Do NOT post using overly large and bold font.

[harrry]

Average tourist. Stays in airconditioned hotel room. Picked up from door by taxi. Taken with or without tour guide to set atractions or those from book.......ie Royal Palace, War Arun. Eats in hotel restaurants with occassional daring escapes to street stall areas.

[somtampet]

Average tourist. Stays in airconditioned hotel room. Picked up from door by taxi. Taken with or without tour guide to set atractions or those from book.......ie Royal Palace, War Arun. Eats in hotel restaurants with occassional daring escapes to street stall areas.

Very exciting for the cinese lol.

[GirlDrinkDrunk]

quite the opposite in my experience.

and any unseasoned traveller with 2 little kids is going to have a hell of a time anywhere.

alot of parents make travelling with their children unnecessarily difficult

[hanno]

Why do u have to spend 4 days here,and why do u think everyone is a sexpat.Plenty to do in Patts for 4 days mate without even seeing a barfine

All relative. I live in Siem Reap and BKK is the big city for me. It has everything I need: book store, cinema, malls, wide choice of food.

Sure beats the sexpat haven of Pattaya. Now there is a town I hate. I dread next week when I have to spend 4 days there....

Just kidding. I am going for the Culinary competition but I really do not like Pattaya. Beach is awful and the place is overrun with tourists, most of them not exactly classy.

[GarryP]

Average tourist. Stays in airconditioned hotel room. Picked up from door by taxi. Taken with or without tour guide to set atractions or those from book.......ie Royal Palace, War Arun. Eats in hotel restaurants with occassional daring escapes to street stall areas.

Precisely and it is on this basis that Bangkok is rated so highly by tourists. There is a lot to see and do if you are on holiday. It wears a bit thin if you live here though. I wonder how highly it is rated by expats? Probably not so highly.

[somtampet]

Why do u have to spend 4 days here,and why do u think everyone is a sexpat.Plenty to do in Patts for 4 days mate without even seeing a barfine

All relative. I live in Siem Reap and BKK is the big city for me. It has everything I need: book store, cinema, malls, wide choice of food.

Sure beats the sexpat haven of Pattaya. Now there is a town I hate. I dread next week when I have to spend 4 days there....

Just kidding. I am going for the Culinary competition but I really do not like Pattaya. Beach is awful and the place is overrun with tourists, most of them not exactly classy.

Are u classy????

Do u know how many nice beaches are within 30 mins of Pattaya beach rd?????

Pattaya is a tourist place,including many Bangkok thais coming every weekend,thats part of the attraction.All my mates are great guys,some retired,some in business,some very wealthy some like cheaper beer,great to be different.

[billd766]

As we all know BKK was recently listed as being the worlds most visited city. See here.

I live in BKK and I love it (most of the time) but I honestly see little appeal for your average tourist here.

Most tourists are going to be staying around Nana and Asoke areas which for the most part are absolute dumps.

The streets are filthy, rubbish everywhere, can't walk down the pavement because they are lined with food carts, stalls, mobile bars, tuk tuk and taxi drivers touting for business, people begging mostly kids, lady boys hanging around in packs grabbing at you as you walk past, hookers bellowing "heeello weeelcuuum" at everyone.

It's not a very appealing sight and probably quite intimidating / overwhelming for a lot of people.

I came across this American couple with their 2 young kids and they look like they were seriously struggling with BKK and I can understand why.

I really do think BKK must be hell for your average tourist.

Do you agree or disagree?

I agree totally. I used to live there for about 6 years and I hated the place.

Granted it has bookstores, some good western style (and therefore expensive supermarkets), cinemas etc.

On the downside the public transport system is a total shambles, OK the Stytrain is good but the trains should be doubled in length, the subway is clean and excellent value for money but they don't run everywhere and once you get off you either walk or take a taxi if it is raining, AND if you find one that is honest, IS going the way you want, Does know the quickest way. Motorcycle taxis are quicker but more dangerous and as for tuk tuks, words fail me.

Having lived in BKK for a while I know more or less where to go and probably where NOT to go but for a family of tourists, no way.

[hanno]

Why do u have to spend 4 days here,and why do u think everyone is a sexpat.Plenty to do in Patts for 4 days mate without even seeing a barfine

All relative. I live in Siem Reap and BKK is the big city for me. It has everything I need: book store, cinema, malls, wide choice of food.

Sure beats the sexpat haven of Pattaya. Now there is a town I hate. I dread next week when I have to spend 4 days there....

Just kidding. I am going for the Culinary competition but I really do not like Pattaya. Beach is awful and the place is overrun with tourists, most of them not exactly classy.

Are u classy????

Do u know how many nice beaches are within 30 mins of Pattaya beach rd?????

Pattaya is a tourist place,including many Bangkok thais coming every weekend,thats part of the attraction.All my mates are great guys,some retired,some in business,some very wealthy some like cheaper beer,great to be different.

I am not going to argue with you. You don't like Bangkok, I don't like Pattaya. Good thing we all have different tatses:-)

And yes, I am classy

[somtampet]

Why do u have to spend 4 days here,and why do u think everyone is a sexpat.Plenty to do in Patts for 4 days mate without even seeing a barfine

All relative. I live in Siem Reap and BKK is the big city for me. It has everything I need: book store, cinema, malls, wide choice of food.

Sure beats the sexpat haven of Pattaya. Now there is a town I hate. I dread next week when I have to spend 4 days there....

Just kidding. I am going for the Culinary competition but I really do not like Pattaya. Beach is awful and the place is overrun with tourists, most of them not exactly classy.

Are u classy????

Do u know how many nice beaches are within 30 mins of Pattaya beach rd?????

Pattaya is a tourist place,including many Bangkok thais coming every weekend,thats part of the attraction.All my mates are great guys,some retired,some in business,some very wealthy some like cheaper beer,great to be different.

I am not going to argue with you. You don't like Bangkok, I don't like Pattaya. Good thing we all have different tatses:-)

And yes, I am classy

Agree to disagree,and the middle class snobs of Bangkok would love me,i am rich AND classy,but not arrogant and obnoxious though,so i may not get the vote

[TheSpade]

Pattaya is also not my thing I actually consider Pattaya more of a dump than BKK. I hated everything about Pattaya from the dirty beaches, to the annoying sleazy tourists to the terrible nightlife and the sex tourism scene. Not my cup of tea at all. Each to their own I guess.

Disagree. I go to BKK about once a month and love it.

Sure I live here and I love it too. Plus before I lived here I loved it as well BUT I think the average tourist who wants everything nice and sanitized, orderly, to work as its supposed to work....wouldn't surely like Bangkok. The areas the tourists are mostly staying at could do with a serious clean up, A lot of Asoke and Nana are so dirty, dark, dingy , dodgy and more.

I mean African drug dealers lining the streets, ladyboys and hookers everywhere, rubbish bags dumped eveerywhere (if they bothered to put the rubbish in a bag), poor quality street lights, constantly tripping over broken pavements that's when you can walk on the pavement because usually there's no room due to all the street vendors and other shit clogging it up, then the traffic problems.

I'm used to it and it doesn't bother me much plus I don't venture out into these areas that often but I honestly can't see how your average tourists...I'm thinking a middle aged couple for example....could enjoy this.

Maybe I'm wrong.

I mean if it's the number 1 visited city they must be doing something right

[canman]

The op is spot on; covered nicely here:

http://notthenation.com/2013/06/tourist-family-safely-returned-to-thailand-after-harrowing-night-on-soi-3/

[ava15]

Isnt the average tourist just as likely to be a young backpacker staying around banglamphu?

Saying that, I just took a taxi home from the post office there and it took a good five or six flagging down before one would use a meter.

[TheSpade]

The taxis are another thing. Never want to go anywhere. No meter. Or does that problem not really exist for tourists as they have no clue about price or meters anyway and will accept any fair quoted at them?

[Tywais]

I believe it is the differences that the tourist enjoys and includes the complexities else they could just stay at home or roam Europe/USA if they want the same experience. At least when I was a tourist a few decades ago was what I enjoyed.

[PaullyW]

I'm now a grouchy expat living in Bangkok, but I do recall being a tourist.

Simply, I think many tourists probably enjoy all the stuff long term residents dread. For nylon average middle class western tourist from almost any Western city or town, Bangkok has everything our home towns don't. Including all the filth and difficulty.

I remember feeling a sense of satisfaction that I was "tough" or unique enough to come over to the crap hole and tough it out.

No doubt that is a motivating factor for many westerners.

Also, there is always the great value of the sea trade. Truly a top notch value.

[CPT]

quite the opposite in my experience.

and any unseasoned traveller with 2 little kids is going to have a hell of a time anywhere.

alot of parents make travelling with their children unnecessarily difficult

Traveling with young children is unlikely to be pleasant in any big city that the parents are unfamiliar with. For me, the thought of dragging two small children through any major US city is enough to terrify me. Imagine dealing with two small children in NYC. But then I am terrified of children in general...

I think Bangkok is a very easy destination for first time travelers to the third world. Some may very well believe that the world has shrunk more than it has and get in trouble because they believe it is going to be just like home. They are attracted by an exotic culture but want to view it from behind glass, entirely possible here for the right amount of money but not much of an experience.

[hanno]

Pattaya is also not my thing I actually consider Pattaya more of a dump than BKK. I hated everything about Pattaya from the dirty beaches, to the annoying sleazy tourists to the terrible nightlife and the sex tourism scene. Not my cup of tea at all. Each to their own I guess.

Disagree. I go to BKK about once a month and love it.

Sure I live here and I love it too. Plus before I lived here I loved it as well BUT I think the average tourist who wants everything nice and sanitized, orderly, to work as its supposed to work....wouldn't surely like Bangkok. The areas the tourists are mostly staying at could do with a serious clean up, A lot of Asoke and Nana are so dirty, dark, dingy , dodgy and more.

I mean African drug dealers lining the streets, ladyboys and hookers everywhere, rubbish bags dumped eveerywhere (if they bothered to put the rubbish in a bag), poor quality street lights, constantly tripping over broken pavements that's when you can walk on the pavement because usually there's no room due to all the street vendors and other shit clogging it up, then the traffic problems.

I'm used to it and it doesn't bother me much plus I don't venture out into these areas that often but I honestly can't see how your average tourists...I'm thinking a middle aged couple for example....could enjoy this.

Maybe I'm wrong.

I mean if it's the number 1 visited city they must be doing something right

It is still heap better than most other SE Asian cities. And as you pointed out: the tourists seem to like it. I usually stay right at Asoke (Level 21) and have never seen hookers or drug dealers there. But then I usually get straight on the BTS and head for malls/book shops/cinemas.

[harrry]

Reminds me of the old days when hippie travellers used to say that the diference between a tourist and a traveller is the minute the oxcart is seen as holding up traffic and not just as something to take a photo of.

[RaysFan]

As we all know BKK was recently listed as being the worlds most visited city. See here.

 

I live in BKK and I love it (most of the time) but I honestly see little appeal for your average tourist here.

 

Most tourists are going to be staying around Nana and Asoke areas which for the most part are absolute dumps.

 

The streets are filthy, rubbish everywhere, can't walk down the pavement because they are lined with food carts, stalls, mobile bars, tuk tuk and taxi drivers touting for business, people begging mostly kids, lady boys hanging around in packs grabbing at you as you walk past, hookers bellowing "heeello weeelcuuum" at everyone.

 

It's not a very appealing sight and probably quite intimidating / overwhelming for a lot of people. 

 

I came across this American couple with their 2 young kids and they look like they were seriously struggling with BKK and I can understand why.

 

I really do think BKK must be hell for your average tourist. 

 

Do you agree or disagree?

I agree that its a third world dump.... but I disagree completely with your reasoning. This IS THE REASON people come here. Im from first world America. I came to Thailand to see this in real life. The sights, the smells, the food, the chaos. This is the reason people come. If they want first world we would stay in America or europe and spend our vacations in vegas, London, Sydney. ... we come here for something new, exciting.

Sent from my GT-I9500

[RaysFan]

To add to my post... keep in mind... we live in Thailand. HUGE HUGE HUGE difference. I cant stand bkk for more than 2 or 3 days now... but before I moved here I LOVED bangkok... I never saw any reason to go to pattaya or chiang mai. Its all mindset my friend. I highly recommend bangkok for any vacationer. Im sure all of us at kne point loved bangkok.

Sent from my GT-I9500

[GirlDrinkDrunk]

I'm now a grouchy expat living in Bangkok, but I do recall being a tourist.

Simply, I think many tourists probably enjoy all the stuff long term residents dread. For nylon average middle class western tourist from almost any Western city or town, Bangkok has everything our home towns don't. Including all the filth and difficulty.

I remember feeling a sense of satisfaction that I was "tough" or unique enough to come over to the crap hole and tough it out.

No doubt that is a motivating factor for many westerners.

Also, there is always the great value of the sea trade. Truly a top notch value.

the sea trade?

do you collect seamen?

[HeavyDrinker]

As a tourist when I was nobut a lad I was thrilled by Bangkok. I'd be back in my small hometown back in the UK and Bangkok seemed like a dream to me. I'd literally count the minutes till I was back again.

When I got sent here by work, I couldn't sleep for a month I was that thrilled, yet after a few weeks of being in Din Daeng and battling the traffic, pollution and general chaos daily the novelty soon wore off.

When we were dispatched upcountry after 7 months in Bangkok it was heaven. However, once we'd settled in our small town in central Thailand, after a month or so the need for the comforts of the big city would haunt us.

The secret to loving Bangkok lies in not living in Bangkok but out in the suburbs with a nice easy link into the maelstrom.

As soon as I get in a cab heading into town I get the same buzz I've always had about Bangkok yet I've lived pretty much as The Spade has, right in the thick of it and it was murder though I love the place with a passion.

Just why anyone would choose to live in right in town amid all that chaos is beyond me...but I was a younger man once and such things didn't bother me so much.

Here in the suburb I live in, I can walk down pavements (ish), I have a shedload of choices for having a few ales or a good scoff and indeed a good perve. Its green, leafy with loads of nice walking. People here call me by my name (most of the time) and they have time to sit and shoot the breeze over a beer or two. More importantly the air is good (if I've laid off the Guinness) and it's a pleasant place to live in.

If I feel the need to pop into town then I can be on the Airport link in 5 minutes or can be in lower Suk in 25 minutes in a cab for less than 300B (inc Expressway).

[TheSpade]

they could just stay at home or roam Europe/USA if they want the same experience. At least when I was a tourist a few decades ago was what I enjoyed.

Thing is most of your average holiday makers / tourists seem to want a lot of home comforts and don't REALLY like stepping out of their comfort zone much from what I've seen over the years. Have heard many complaining "this wouldn't happen back home" and so on.

Seems to me like most like to see a sanitized tourist version of the places they go rather than the real deal but maybe the type of people who come to BKK are generally different.

I'm just thinking if I was a tourist coming to 'Amazing Thailand' on a 2 week 'trip of a life time' and I landed in Bangkok jetlagged for the first time I'd probably want to head straight back to the airport and get back on the plane. Actually I think I did feel like that the first time I came to BKK many years ago.

You get dropped off at your fancy hotel in Sukhumvit but right outside is a red light district, beggars, rubbish bags piled up, ladyboys, hookers, deviants, the streets are dark and dirty, rats and cockroaches running around, insane traffic...you know what I mean?

Edited August 2, 2013 by TheSpade

[hanno]

they could just stay at home or roam Europe/USA if they want the same experience. At least when I was a tourist a few decades ago was what I enjoyed.

You get dropped off at your fancy hotel in Sukhumvit but right outside is a red light district, beggars, rubbish bags piled up, ladyboys, hookers, deviants, the streets are dark and dirty, rats and cockroaches running around, insane traffic...you know what I mean?

Loved BKK since the first time I went in 1995. But then I was living in Vietnam at the time and BKK was heaven compared to VN back then.And I love the dark and dirty:-)