Bangkok For Your Average Tourist Must Be Hell.

[hawker9000]

If you're traveling with young kids, I'm inclined to agree. I don't understand dragging them through Phuket or Pattaya either. Outside of that, I think Thailand might have a lot to offer families with young children.

[cobra]

Different sights, sounds, smells is what foreign and adventure trav is all about.

Culture shock wears off quickly, most expect that at some point they're going to be pulled out of their comfort level.

Seriously, you'd have to have been living under a rock not to think that Bkk is not going to be a little different, and that in itself is a big draw for many, hel, they even write songs about it, "One Night in Bangkok",

The bottom line is Bkk is a fairly safe destination for singles, couples or the errant bemused family pushing a stroller down Suk.

Regardless, they'll have stories to tell and a great deal on a genuine Rolex, albeit that their's is spelled with two X's,

[marell]

Bangkok is a cesspool, it's Philadelphia without the crime and graffiti, lived there for 8 years and moved up to Chiang Mai, lived here for 29 years. I was stationed here during the 60's in the USAF,that's when Bangkok and Singapore had charm to them. No much charm left in this country except for those provincial treks into the hinterland. "All things considered, I 'd rather be in Philadelphia"

Been to Philadelphia lately?

Just quoting W C Fields, my boy!

Understand. I'm just pointing out that you're trying to hammer a square peg into a round hole.

[JSixpack]

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.

Exactly, was thinking the same. This is great local color, the exotic bazaar, big circus. It's quite entertaining and challenging in a fun sort of way--for a time.

Edited August 4, 2013 by JSixpack

[F4UCorsair]

I see great appeal for tourists, singles, families with children (although I acknowledge that could be trying), sex tourists, any type of tourists. There is something for everyone, but traveling with children, particularly young children, can have its challenges.

I generally stay around Sukhumvit because I'm comfortable with the area, and have been staying there since my first visit in 1980. The Miami was a half decent place back in those days, long deserted by the R & R troops from Vietnam, and just starting the long run into decay and decadence, but hopefully it will find an entepreneur willing to renovate, if not already.

I think areas like Sukhumvit do give a jaundiced view of what Bangkok is like as a tourist destination, unless you're one of the grubby, balding old western men with the remaining pitch black dyed hair swept across the pate. I guess they do seriously think they are attractive to a young Thai woman?? Delusional at best!!

Sukhumvit is a rubbish dump by dawn, but very quickly tidied up by the army of street sweepers, and whilst stalls selling everything from G strings, food, wood carvings, and everything in between, do make it a touch cramped at times, I see that as an integral, an imperative, part of Asia. If you want a sanitized version, go to China Town back home. It may be different in other areas of Bangkok, of course.

I love the differences of Bangkok, the rush of people, the smells, the good of the perfume shops and the bad of the klongs, the weekend market, the blind soprano saxophonist I often see playing on the streets, and am entranced by, a public boat trip along the great Chao Phraya, the graffiti free skytrain and underground (never see that back home), very occasionally a high tea at the Oriental, a visit I never tire of, Jim Thomson's house as I wonder about the Bangkok of the 50's, and on it goes....................

When a government says, "We're going to clean up the city", it's the start of the decline. I saw it in Singapore in the late 60's/early 70's, Hong Kong in the 80's, and I hope it never happens in Bangkok. I'll tolerate the few what are seen as less than desirable things provided all the desirable things remain.

I still think Bangkok is one of the great cities of the world to spend a week, sink a few cold Chang or Singha beers, eat some great street food, pick up a few shirts, visit the dentist, and generally marvel at how much order actually comes from so much chaos.

So OP, I disagree.

Edited August 4, 2013 by F4UCorsair

[TheSpade]

OP, were you not an average tourist yourself once upon a time ? If it is hell now, it would have been hell then also, why did you decide to stay in hell ?

Yeah I mentioned already the first time I visited BKK many years ago I hated it. It was my first time outside of Europe, my first long haul trip and I was exhausted, jetlagged, BA had lost my luggage and I arrive in what seemed like an absolute shit hole...there was rubbish in the streets, rats everywhere, hookers everywhere shouting "hellooo welcum", touts flogging everything from fake watches to peanuts to feed to elephants.

It was only on future trips when I had more time to appreciate it, got to know it more, met some Thai's and got away from the main tourist traps I realised there was more than just a big, busy, dirty city full of seediness and filth.

But why did you go back there on future trips, if your first experience there as a tourist was so horrible as outlined above

The only reason I returned was because I had been in Aus, supposed to be staying for a year but after a few months was bored of it, so flew into Singapore to travel SE Asia instead. Singapore into Malaysia then on into Thailand. Was inevitable to end up back in BKK but I do seriously remember thinking I might just cut Thailand out of the trip all together as my first impressions of BKK on that previous trip had not been good.

Luckily this time round I stayed away from Sukhumvit, met some locals who had a bit of money and a car and knew lots of good restaurants, bars, clubs etc to go to away from the tourists and they opened my eyes to 'the real' Bangkok.

My love affair with BKK began.

I remember later on that trip after I'd been round SE Asia and landed back in BKK I went to Kowsan Road for the first time and it made me hate BKK all over again for a short while.

[PaullyW]

It is pretty much the most unappealing "big city" I have ever been to. It has all the annoyances of a big city, like traffic, pollution, sidewalk congestion - not to mention the BKK walkers practice some of the worst technique in the world. Yet, it has almost none of the benefits of a big city. No good music at all (please don't chime in here claiming it does have some, just please don't), crap museums, parks and common areas and such are put in very annoying areas.... why aren't there more nice parks right on the river (I know the answer is money, which is my point), high prices on the things that, yes, you can find here. The list of negatives could continue almost infinitely, and the whether would sure be in there somewhere. It feels like living on the underside of a pile of cow dung that gets hotter by the minute.

Thais are OK at living in sparsely populated areas, but their lack of planning, lack of vision, lack of attention to comfort, lack of imagination, and lack of discipline make them horrid builders of cities. I agree that Bangkok is about the nastiest, most disorganised and lacking anything interesting big city I've ever visited or lived in.

Bangkok is essentially what you get when you let a bunch of rice farmers in suits build a city.

[Jeffbaa]

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

There is the "average" tourist, and then there is the "average tourist who comes to Bankok repeatedly". The two are quite far apart in my opinion. I live in the Asok/Nana area and completely agree with the OP's opinion. However, our opinions seem to be the minority since everywhere I look I see visitors having the time of their lives. The place seems to get worse every year (prices/quality of service/etc.) but the streets are buzzing and alive and business has never been better.

While I fail to understand it (probably not drunk or horny enough), there is defintely a market for whatever Bangkok is selling.

[elzach]

I was planning to search for a condo in the areas around Asok, Nana, and On Nut. There are lots of apartments/condos for rent there. But now I think it might not be the best decision.

I don't like to live in a mere tourist area but I definitely prefer lively areas. I'm coming to Thailand to learn Thai, eat Thai, live Thai! Although it's good to see and talk to farangs, I don't see any point in living in an area which is targeted only at tourists because I feel like being on a holiday or a short break or something. Everyone comes in and then goes out the other day!

So what do you suggest? Which areas are good to live in a long-run?

You best bet is to create a new thread in the BKK forum under you own targeted title.

This thread is four pages old and will have lost primary interest now.

Where you should live will depend primarily on your budget, if you are in a farang area then people will speak farang at you and you will not get the experience you seek, which leads to the question why do you seek to live in BKK? Why not choose a regional city where they is less farang spoken and your skills will be better tested.

Also in BKK people are busy and going somewhere, in the sticks people have time to talk.

In BKK the city has many signs in English and many people you interact with will have a few words of English if you get stuck. In the real Thailand you have to learn some Thai or Lao the further North you go, or Khmer to the East. Also in BKK you will travel by BTS and taxi, elsewhere bus and songthaew are the way to travel.

The only benefit I could see is in learning a Bangkok Accent in Bangkok rather than a Issan regional accent which would mark you as something of a bumpkin. Likewise in your written Thai learning from the trace shapes books will give you a good style of handwriting, I only write a little Thai by hand but I'm told I have a good form.

The Thai language sub-forum might be helpful in your quest.

Thanks for your suggestions.

Actually I did that but many told me about On Nut, Asok, and etc which in this thread are described as trash cans!

I chose Bangkok because first of all there are many language schools there and I have committed to one already, secondly I got used to live in the capital city back home with all the benefits of a big city, and thirdly I want to give the job opportunities in BKK a try. Otherwise I would have chosen Chiang Mai which everything is so cheap and people are IMO more farang friendly.

I'll be in BKK on 21 August and I'll have one week to find a place to live. There are tons of condos out there but I'm still stuck with choosing the area/district. Maybe I have to wait and see them for myself.

Btw my budget is 6K-8K.

Your budget is restrictive. Look at the area between Petchaburi rd and Ladphrao (Hwai Kwang). Also in Thonburi, around WongWianYai.

[dukeandduke]

It is pretty much the most unappealing "big city" I have ever been to. It has all the annoyances of a big city, like traffic, pollution, sidewalk congestion - not to mention the BKK walkers practice some of the worst technique in the world. Yet, it has almost none of the benefits of a big city. No good music at all (please don't chime in here claiming it does have some, just please don't), crap museums, parks and common areas and such are put in very annoying areas.... why aren't there more nice parks right on the river (I know the answer is money, which is my point), high prices on the things that, yes, you can find here. The list of negatives could continue almost infinitely, and the whether would sure be in there somewhere. It feels like living on the underside of a pile of cow dung that gets hotter by the minute.

I'm trying to figure out why someone would live in a place, visit it or post in a forum about it hundreds of times if he or she despises it. I've never considered posting in Pakistan, Iraq or Saudi Arabia forums.

[Neeeko]

When I first came to Bkk I stayed in Khao San road, I hated it and thought I would never stay in the city again.

Then I thought I would give it another chance and stayed in Asok, I loved it and I go there nearly every weekend now.

Looking back I think I hated Khao San so much was because of all the dick head tourists there, loads of them have no clue or respect for the Thai culture.

[GirlDrinkDrunk]

All the tourists i know love bangkok, and after about 17 years in a house on sukhumvit 11 so do I.

i am not affected by the bars unless i am out and about at night (though i can here q bar at night before i turn on the air).

Dirty? i have been in far dirtier cities. i spend a lot of time in the saddle visiting out of the way neighborhoods and while not sterile, i would say filthy is a gross misnomer.

i go for a 20k bike ride every morning -- 5 mins from benjakiti, 10 mins from lumpini, 15-20 mins to prapadeang.

30 to suan rot fai, and i can take the bike there on the skytrain if i want to, but i prefer to ride.

[JSixpack]

BKK offers a lot for those transiting few days.

Pattaya is very near by, so well organised for whatever any one is looking for to be feeling having fun on holidays so much to do compared to Hua Hin with other reasons to love to hate.

Enjoy visiting Thailand basically.

Pattaya: so far from God, so close to Bankok.

[Thighlander]

I owned a home in Las Vegas for 8 months. Sold it to some Canadians. I'll take BKK any day of the week over LV or Washington DC, where I grew up. That being stated; many of the areas that made BKK famous are in serious decline. Some of them include very expensive real estate, too. I'm just here for a few days before heading back up North. I walked from Ratchada to Nana yesterday. Never seen more westerners with Ladyboys, never seen more idiot tourists with kids taking the tour of fake viagra dealers on Sukhumvit. Nothing like blocking a sidewalk with your little ones, while you price marital aids from a deaf person. MRT is nice. The sidewalks aren't, and the streets are way dangerous.

[PaullyW]

When I first came to Bkk I stayed in Khao San road, I hated it and thought I would never stay in the city again.

Then I thought I would give it another chance and stayed in Asok, I loved it and I go there nearly every weekend now.

Looking back I think I hated Khao San so much was because of all the dick head tourists there, loads of them have no clue or respect for the Thai culture.

I'm curious.

What is the Thai culture that we should be bending over backwards to respect? What were the dick head tourists doing that violated Thai culture?

[PaullyW]

All the tourists i know love bangkok, and after about 17 years in a house on sukhumvit 11 so do I.

i am not affected by the bars unless i am out and about at night (though i can here q bar at night before i turn on the air).

Dirty? i have been in far dirtier cities. i spend a lot of time in the saddle visiting out of the way neighborhoods and while not sterile, i would say filthy is a gross misnomer.

i go for a 20k bike ride every morning -- 5 mins from benjakiti, 10 mins from lumpini, 15-20 mins to prapadeang.

30 to suan rot fai, and i can take the bike there on the skytrain if i want to, but i prefer to ride.

What cities have you been in that are far dirtier?

Also, what past Bangkok's roaches, rats, disgusting food carts and dishes washed in dirty, bacterial laden water, the smell of feces almost everywhere almost all the time, smog, food waste poured down the street drains by the food vendors, etc -- what else is required for you to give a city a "gross" categorisation?

[tw25rw]

I hated it for the first couple of days, but started meeting local women (I was staying at the Nana...) which coloured my judgement. I still think it's dumpy, but with a long time girlfriend there, I have to keep going back and just make the most of it. Not sure what women get out of the place or what reason non sex-tourists have for going back if it's just for leisure.

[dukeandduke]

What cities have you been in that are far dirtier?

Manila and Beijing, for example.

[TheSpade]

When I first came to Bkk I stayed in Khao San road, I hated it and thought I would never stay in the city again.

Then I thought I would give it another chance and stayed in Asok, I loved it and I go there nearly every weekend now.

Looking back I think I hated Khao San so much was because of all the dick head tourists there, loads of them have no clue or respect for the Thai culture.

And there's no dick head tourists who don't respect Thai culture in Asoke?

I hated it for the first couple of days, but started meeting local women (I was staying at the Nana...) which coloured my judgement. I still think it's dumpy, but with a long time girlfriend there, I have to keep going back and just make the most of it. Not sure what women get out of the place or what reason non sex-tourists have for going back if it's just for leisure.

The sex tourism side of BKK doesn't interest me at all but I still love living in BKK.

[ava15]

I live close to khao san, short taxi ride away.

Its just mostly well mannered kids letting loose on a gap year. Lots of drunks but dont really see any trouble or harm being done in the long run.

The sex tourism in sukhumvit area however surely causes long term harm to some and undoubtedly ruins some individuals lives. Not to mention attracting much shadier characters than teenagers buying cheap beer and partying amongst themselves.

[JSixpack]

The sex tourism in sukhumvit area however surely causes long term harm to some and undoubtedly ruins some individuals lives. Not to mention attracting much shadier characters than teenagers buying cheap beer and partying amongst themselves.

But then again it causes long term good to some many and undoubtedly improves some many individuals lives. Not to mention attracting much more benevolent characters than teenagers buying cheap beer and partying amongst themselves.

[JSixpack]

It is pretty much the most unappealing "big city" I have ever been to. It has all the annoyances of a big city, like traffic, pollution, sidewalk congestion - not to mention the BKK walkers practice some of the worst technique in the world. Yet, it has almost none of the benefits of a big city. No good music at all (please don't chime in here claiming it does have some, just please don't), crap museums, parks and common areas and such are put in very annoying areas.... why aren't there more nice parks right on the river (I know the answer is money, which is my point), high prices on the things that, yes, you can find here. The list of negatives could continue almost infinitely, and the whether would sure be in there somewhere. It feels like living on the underside of a pile of cow dung that gets hotter by the minute.

I'm trying to figure out why someone would live in a place, visit it or post in a forum about it hundreds of times if he or she despises it. I've never considered posting in Pakistan, Iraq or Saudi Arabia forums.

Oh, you don't know our expats at all. They love to hate. The point is to stay in a place you hate and love complaining about it.

[hanno]

It is pretty much the most unappealing "big city" I have ever been to. It has all the annoyances of a big city, like traffic, pollution, sidewalk congestion - not to mention the BKK walkers practice some of the worst technique in the world. Yet, it has almost none of the benefits of a big city. No good music at all (please don't chime in here claiming it does have some, just please don't), crap museums, parks and common areas and such are put in very annoying areas.... why aren't there more nice parks right on the river (I know the answer is money, which is my point), high prices on the things that, yes, you can find here. The list of negatives could continue almost infinitely, and the whether would sure be in there somewhere. It feels like living on the underside of a pile of cow dung that gets hotter by the minute.

I'm trying to figure out why someone would live in a place, visit it or post in a forum about it hundreds of times if he or she despises it. I've never considered posting in Pakistan, Iraq or Saudi Arabia forums.

Oh, you don't know our expats at all. They love to hate. The point is to stay in a place you hate and love complaining about it.

+10

[hawker9000]

I live close to khao san, short taxi ride away.

Its just mostly well mannered kids letting loose on a gap year. Lots of drunks but dont really see any trouble or harm being done in the long run.

The sex tourism in sukhumvit area however surely causes long term harm to some and undoubtedly ruins some individuals lives. Not to mention attracting much shadier characters than teenagers buying cheap beer and partying amongst themselves.

Ah, so you've FOUND those rose tint glasses there in khao san! Wonderful. Where at exactly?

[ava15]

Personally I dont partake

[maccaroni man]

IMO most tourist stay off Silom road are eat beautiful international buffets and travel with guided to all points of interest. They love it.

[tw25rw]

I hated it for the first couple of days, but started meeting local women (I was staying at the Nana...) which coloured my judgement. I still think it's dumpy, but with a long time girlfriend there, I have to keep going back and just make the most of it. Not sure what women get out of the place or what reason non sex-tourists have for going back if it's just for leisure.

The sex tourism side of BKK doesn't interest me at all but I still love living in BKK.

I do as well, but would never have made a 2nd trip if it wasn't for women I met on the 1st one.

People, great. Nightlife, great. Shopping, great. General environment? Diplomacy needed.