Waterways in Bangkok

In Bangkok you can travel around this city in many ways today we'll present one way by travel in waterways.

Bangkok's history has evolved along the banks of the Chao Phraya River and its adjoining canals. It may no longer be the "Venice of the East" described by early visitors, but the waterways still breathe life into the city.

Winding its way through the heart of the city, the river continues to play an important part in daily life. Every day you see commuters, saffron robed monks and school children speeding by on fast river taxis, overtaking the heavily laden rice barges making their sedate journey upriver.

For visitors the river provides contrasts of old and new, with many of Bangkok's most revered temples standing alongside warehouses, old wooden houses, new residential blocks and prestigious five star hotels. On the Thonburi side of the river (the original site of Thailand's capital), a network of canals (klongs), largely unaffected by modern development, still connect the city to the suburbs. And on the Rattanakosin side it is possible to catch river taxis along Klong Saen Saep, a dirty but important transport artery that cuts through the heart of the modern city.

Bangkok's waterways are well worth taking a few hours to explore. And there are many ways to do it, ranging from river cruises and klong tours to public river taxis and dinner cruises. See our Waterway Tips below for ideas.

Bangkok Nightlife

Bangkok's nightlife has a reputation for being wild and rowdy. But at the same time it's relaxed, safe, enjoyable and great fun! Rapidly establishing itself as Asia's capital of cool, Bangkok's diverse nightlife scene features everything from excellent live music and good jazz clubs to ultra cool bars, trendy clubs and great restaurants - and go far beyond its once-upon-a-time sleazy and naughty image. Also have a look at our What's On guide to get the lowdown on exciting events and happenings during your stay in Asia's coolest capital.

Bangkok Nightlife Areas
After the sun wanes, Bangkok gets its second breath. The heavy traffic subsides, the mad rush is over. The city bustles with things to, be it shopping, clubbing, bar flying, fine dining, a cinema, bowling or a cultural show. Tracking these venues down can be a daunting task for first-timers and, so, here we've compiled five nightlife prime areas and descriptions of all that's found within each one. All these areas can easily be reached by using either the BTS (Skytrain) or MRT (underground system). Planning that legendary night out doesn't get any easier than this!

Sukhumvit: Nightlife

Drinking

Along it, and its many adjoining sois, are countless pubs and bars, many of them very popular with expats and tourists. Most are either American-style bars or European watering holes, with the selection of draught beers and foods on sale usually reflecting the adopted theme (and more often than not the nationality of the owner).

They usually close between midnight and 01:00, and many have live music and pool tables. See our Bangkok Pubs and Bars section for details. The perfect prelude to a big night out, many hotels here have upscale bars perfect for warm-up cocktails. These include the Westin Grande, Dream and Sheraton Grande Sukhumvit.

Dancing

Clubbers flock to Sukhumvit's sois. Hip beats, architectural flair and good-looking international crowds converge at clubs like Bed Supperclub (Soi 11), Q Bar (Soi 11) and Glow among others. To match the world-class venue design they often fly in top DJ'ing talent.

Those eager to see how the fresh-faced Thai nouveau riche like to get down, should head a little further out to the voguish sois of Thonglor (Soi 55) and Ekkamai (Soi 63). These neighborhoods have seen a severe outbreak of hip in recent years, with clubs and bars like Santika, Escobar and Ice jumping every night to hip-hop and Thai hits.

Debauchery

Sukhumvit is also notorious for being home to more than its fair share of girls, but not the kind you'd rush home to meet mother (do we need to spell it out?). Nana Plaza (Soi 4) is a tatty three-floor sex-mall filled with go-go bars and girls, ladyboys and the odd midget. Neon-lit lane, Soi Cowboy (off Soi 21, BTS Asok), is similar but a little more laid-back.

On top of the pole-sliding antics of the go-go bars, Sukhumvit is also home to many beer-bars, like Soi 4's Big Dogs and Hilary Bar II. These rather rundown looking establishments, typically contain little more than a pool table, a gaggle of girls, and an arsenal of cheap alcohol. Like Soi 4, Soi 22 is home to a staggering amount of them, while Soi 33 has many upscale hostess lounges staffed by girls dressed in long flowing ballgowns. However, the end game is still the same. Massage parlours and the odd after-hours joint can also be found scattered around Sukhumvit.
Learn more about Sukhumvit: Where to Stay, List of Sukhumvit Hotels, What to See and Do, Shopping, Where to Eat, Getting Around

Sukhumvit Clubs

City sophisticates just can't get enough of Sukhumvit's clubs. Venues include Bed Supperclub, Twisted Republic, Q Bar, Glow, Santika, Narcissus, Booze and Escobar.

Sukhumvit Bars and Pubs
Authentic Brit pubs, hip haunts strictly for cool kids and upscale hotel bars. Sukhumvit truly has it all. Venues include Bully's Bar, Bus Stop, Cheap Charlie's, Flava Lounge, Song Saleung, The Bull's Head, The Dubliner and Witch's Tavern.

Nana Plaza
Located in Sukhumvit Soi 4, Nana Entertainment Plaza is Bangkok's sleaze central. Notorious for its racy themed go-go bars - from school-girl and leather dominatrix to ladyboy - it's literally a 'sex mall', with three storeys of eye-popping activity all focused around a square-shaped central atrium. Unlike at the better-known Patpong, Nana is a 'strictly adult' scene. That means no families, no markets and few curious tourists strolling in for a look. It also means a lot more men hell-bent on renting bodies.

Soi Cowboy in Bangkok

Named after the cowboy hat-wearing African American who opened the first bar here in the early 1970s, this red-light district has a more laid-back, convivial feel to it than Patpong or Nana Plaza. Come dusk, garish neon signs light up a seedy streetscape comprised mainly of middle-aged expats, tourists and gaudily dressed working girls. With cries of 'hello, welcome!' and mock brute-force - a playful arm tug - the latter try to lure you into one of the 40 or so go-go bars that line its sides.

Khao San Road: Nightlife

Khao San Road takes off at night: neon signs flicker into life, music begins blasting from streetside sound systems, while the masses begin mapping out the long, alcohol-soaked night in front of them.

And there's no shortage of choices. From the (relatively) upscale Silk Bar and Cinnamon, to the quiet tranquility of the back-alley Hippie de Bar, or the crude charms of a kerb-side cocktail shack complete with plastic stools and ghetto blaster, there's something to suit every mood, taste, budget and state of cleanliness. Some of the truly thrifty even opt to purchase beers from the local 7/11 and drink on the street, hobo style.

Khao San Clubbing

At around 23:00, Khao San Road's clubs kick into life. These play mostly hip-hip, house and pumping pop, alongside a dash of indie, rock and reggae. Some of the most popular venues for dance music lovers include Lava Bar, The Club and Immortal, with locals DJ's working up a storm that pulls in a crowd most nights.

For those not partial to being pummeled by electronic beats, there are several pubs and bars with live music. Brick Bar and Shamrock are especially noteworthy for their slick bands and popularity among both locals and visitors. And a Moroccan themed newcomer on Chakrapong Road, Gazebo, is well worth checking out. Head here for a smoky shisha session while you sway to the live reggae band, followed by a late night cocktail and dance in the DJ room next door. Very eclectic, very Khao San.

Silom: Nightlife

Thailand's 'Wall Street' is by day a place of financial institutions, law firms and multinational corporations. By night however, Silom slips out of its suit, transforming into a bustling shopping street and frenetically paced hedonist's playground. Alongside a cramped but creatively stocked night market (think bootleg DVDs, tourist trinkets, T-shirts, fake watches), sit some of the city's most renowned and raucous streets, namely red-light district Patpong, Soi 2 and Soi 4.

From Live Soccer to Live Sleaze

With its great selection of pubs, clubs and bars, Silom rarely disappoints the party crowd. Fancy sipping a Guinness while watching the latest football match beamed live from Europe? Make your way to Molly Malone's Irish Pub (formerly The Irish X Change) in Soi Convent, or O'Reillys right underneath the Sala Daeng BTS station. Want to experience Silom's sleazier side? Head to world-renowned sex-district (and home of genital gymnastics) Patpong, where you'll find a procession of tightly packed go-go bars, touts flashing explicit menus, and promises of racy memories if only you follow them upstairs (read our Patpong Revealed feature for more insight and ideas).

Or perhaps you fancy more trendy, more wholesome? Then seek out one of the clubs with live bands or beat-spinning DJs strung along Patpong Road. These get very busy around midnight, and include Radio City, Twilo, Funky Dojos and Lucifers. Nearby Silom Soi 4 - something of an age-old institution among long-time Bangkok revellers - is also home to a few clubs pushing pulsating beats, including the grotto-like house music club, Tapas, and hip-hop den Luminous (go to Silom clubs for a listing of all venues).

Gay Silom: Pink Appeal
The gay community and visitors also find their feet here. Silom - especially Soi 2, Soi 4 and nearby Suriwong Road - is considered one of Bangkok's most gay-friendly stomping grounds. Rainbow boys come to flirt (and, yes, occasionally pick-up) at legendary gay bars like Balcony Bar and Telephone Pub, ogle dream boys at the gay go-go bars off Suriwong, or dance into the small hours at full-on gay clubs like G.O.D. and DJ Station.
Silom is conveniently accessible with the BTS (Sala Daeng station) and MRT (Silom station).

Ratchadapisek: Nightlife (including RCA)

Young partygoers, or those looking to recapture their misspent youth, should head straight for Royal City Avenue. More commonly known as RCA, this long, rather soulless road is one of a few government-designated nightlife zones. This means that the clubs found along it have the modest honour of being allowed to stay open, legally, until 02:00.
Even midweek it gets busy. However on weekends it's overrun with impeccably dressed young things, most of them locals in their late teens, early 20s. The vibe is young, the mood carefree, but with all the security and crowd management it feels a tad sanitised. Broadening the mix is a smattering of backpackers tired with Khao San Road and expats bored with Sukhumvit Road. Prices for entry and drinks are typically very reasonable, much lower than at many of Sukhumvit's trendier offerings.

Most clubbers attend one of the myriad venues playing hip-hop, R'n'B, house or trance, like Slim/Flix and Route 66. These are super-clubs by any standard, all vast sleek interiors, booming sounds systems, funky furniture, soft mood lighting and dazzling lasers. Many get so packed that all you'll see from outside come midnight is bodies squeezed up against the windows. Fortunately most have an enclosed seating area outside where you can find a table. Others like JazzIt push more than just hip-hop, regularly playing host to live bands and electro nights. And there's also Zeta, a girls-only bar catering to the city's blossoming after-dark lesbian scene.
In the old days RCA was a notorious magnet for underage teens, so today bringing ID is a must. All of the clubs will ask you for it as a matter of course - whether you look 17 or 27. Also bear in mind that, with the music volumes set ear-splittingly high, RCA may not suit if you want to chat long into the night with friends. Not unless you're especially good at lip-reading that is.
RCA's House Cinema is a more culturally enriching option. Screening films from all the corners of the world this is the place to catch that Korean, Japanese or arthouse flick the bigger cinema complexes wouldn't touch.

Ratchadapisek

Massage parlours with names like Poseidon, Caesars Palace and Emmanuelle are found scattered all along Ratachadapisek and cater mostly to those locals partial to a soapy rubdown or 'full service'. The reliably gaudy and garish neon signs mean you can't miss them. Then there's Ratchada Cabaret (opposite Soi 6), which offers a popular ladyboy show less well known to holidaymakers.

While famous for both of the above, Ratchada is also one of Bangkok's best-kept after dark secrets - a place where loud neon-lit drinking holes meet hordes of whisky sipping locals set on having a mostly wholesome time with their friends. Much of the action takes place within a tightly packed cluster of music pubs, bars and clubs found in Ratchada Soi 4. Highlights here include Dance Fever, Zaleng, Rad, Hollywood, Baku, Kokok Pub, Pure Bar, Ivre, Gig Club and the very popular and well-executed Snop. With no entry fees it's a great spot for bar-hopping, although it can get frenetically busy, especially on weekends.
Prices for drinks are very affordable and some places close later then elsewhere in Bangkok (though you may need to buy a bottle of whisky to partake). Worth bearing in mind is that foreigners may feel something of an oddity here, although the locals knocking back watered down Scotch will make you feel nothing less than welcome.

Close by on Ratachadipsek Road (near Thailand Cultural Centre MRT) is a beast of a club called Inch. Here eclectic futuristic and retro design touches combine to create two zones - both featuring the usual diet of mainstream hip-hop and live Thai music. Close by is another popular venue, The Baryan Tree, and a music pub called Pump Up.

Close by on Ratachadipsek Road (near Thailand Cultural Centre MRT) is a beast of a club called Inch. Here eclectic futuristic and retro design touches combine to create two zones - both featuring the usual diet of mainstream hip-hop and live Thai music. Close by is another popular venue, The Baryan Tree, and a music pub called Pump Up.

Siam: Nightlife

Shopping, cinemas, bowling, karaoke, some live entertainment and that's about it. Siam doesn't offer much in the way of nightlife. However, there are a few pubs, clubs and bars scattered around, most catering to young locals.

Siam Square has a Hard Rock Cafe that comes recommended for live music. Busy every night, nightclub complex Concept CM2 beneath the Novotel Hotel on Siam Square is worth a visit if you're looking for a boogie. There's a great live band playing every night, International DJ's playing from time to time, and a popular hip-hop room .
If you're looking for more nightlife alternatives, a short Skytrain (BTS) ride is all it takes to get to nightlife hotspots Silom and Sukhumvit. Have a look at our Bangkok Nightlife Areas for more ideas.

Chidlom - Ploenchit: Nightlife

This area's well heeled mix of post-office suits, expat executives and hi-so Thais makes for a nightlife scene that falls firmly in the upmarket bracket. Think high-class restaurants and lavish wine bars, with an atmosphere to match (see Thailand Tatler Best Restaurant 2007 Reviews for ideas). Don't come here if you're after the sensory overload associated with life in the city's more frenetic areas. There is no night market, few street-cart vendors and certainly no dens of sin.

The lack of a buzzing scene is made up for by the odd, tucked-away nightlife nugget. Langsuan Road's folksy music tavern Ad Makers and after-hours club The Tunnel, on Soi 5, are both worth checking out, the latter often not closing till 05:00. Nearby Sarasin Road is popular with the gay community and has a handful of bars including 70's Bar and Brown Sugar, one of Bangkok's top live jazz venues. On Ploenchit Road, Fogo Vivo is a Brazillian Churrascaria and bar that at 22:00 comes alive with pulsating Latin grooves, and offers free salsa and samba classes throughout the week.

There are also some of the city's finest hotel bars and lounges. The Diplomat Bar at The Conrad Hotel features sublime jazz in elegant surroundings (dancing also at 87Plus!), Syn Bar at Swissotel Nai Lert Hotel offers retro-future stylings and creative cocktails and, at the northern end of Ratchadamri Road, the Grand Hyatt Erawan Hotel has both Bar 494 and the well-known Italian restaurant Spasso, which at night morphs into a lively live music venue popular with Bangkok's affluent post-work crowd.

Wat Phra Kaew - Temple of the Emerald Buddha

The Wat Phra Kaew (English Temple of the Emerald Buddha, Thai : วัดพระแก้ว; full official name Wat Phra Sri Rattana Satsadaram, Thai: วัดพระศรีรัตนศาสดาราม) is regarded as the most sacred Buddhist temple (wat) in Thailand. It is located in the historic center of Bangkok (district Phra Nakhon), within the grounds of the Grand Palace.



The construction of the temple started when King Buddha Yodfa Chulaloke (Rama I) moved the capital from Thonburi to Bangkok in 1785. Unlike other temples it does not contain living quarters for monks; rather, it has only the highly decorated holy buildings, statues, and pagodas.

The main building is the central ubosoth, which houses the Emerald Buddha. There are three main doors used to enter the temple, however only the King and Queen are allowed to enter through the center door. Even though it is small in size it is the most important icon for Thai people. Legends hold that the statue originated in India, but it first surfaced in the vassal Kingdom of Cambodia and was given as a gift to the King of Ayuttaya in the 15th century 1434. The image disappeared when Burmese raiders sacked Ayuttaya and the image was feared lost.

A century later, the 'Emerald' Buddha reappeared in Chiang Saen, after a rainstorm washed away some of its plaster covering. It was then moved to Chiang Rai, then Chiang Mai, where it was removed by prince Setatiratt to Luang Prabang, when his father died and he ascended the throne of that Siamese vassal state. In later years it was moved to the Siamese vassal state of Vientiene. During a Haw invasion from the North, Luang Prabang requested Siam's help in repelling the invaders. The King of Vietienne tratoriously attacked the Siamese army from the rear, so the 'Emerald' Buddha returned to Siam when King Taksin fought with Laos and his general Chakri (the later King Rama I) took it from Vientiane, which at that time had been brought to its knees by the Thai Army. It was first taken to Thonburi and in 1784 it was moved to its current location. Wat Preah Keo, in Phnom Penh, is considered by many modern Cambodians as its rightful resting place, whereas, Haw Phra Kaew, in Vientiane, is considered by many Lao people as the Emerald Buddha's rightful place.

The wall surrounding the temple area – from the outside only a plain white wall – is painted with scenes from the Thai version of the Ramayana mythology, the Ramakian. Several statues in the temple area resemble figures from this story, most notably the giants (yak), five-meter high statues. Also originating from the Ramayana are the monkey kings and giants which surround the golden chedis.

The Temple also contains a model of Angkor Wat, added by King Nangklao (Rama III), as the Khmer empire of Cambodia and the Thais share cultural and religious roots.
Despite the hot weather most of the year in Bangkok, long trousers are required to enter the wat. This rule is strictly enforced. The facility can offer the rental of proper trouser wear.

Wat Saket (Temple of the Golden Mount)

The grubby yellow hill crowned with a gleaming gold chedi is also known as the Golden Mount, or 'Phu Khao Thong'. It rises within the compound of Wat Saket, an unusual temple that houses Buddha relics within its 58-metre-high chedi surmounted by a golden cupola.

Built by King Rama I just outside the new city walls, the late-18th century temple served as the capital's crematorium. During the following 100 years, the temple became the dumping ground for some 60,000 plague victims.

The Golden Mount was added to the compound in the early 19th century, when King Rama III built a huge chedi which collapsed into a hill of rubble. Buddhist belief holds that religious buildings cannot be destroyed, and many years later King Rama V topped the debris with another chedi in which he placed relics, believed by some to be the Buddha's teeth.

Visit the temple and then climb the 318 steps to the cupola. Watch religious visitors place flowers near the date of the month they find auspicious and light candles. As you climb to the top, enjoy magnificent panoramic views of Bangkok. The cupola is covered with small golden squares reflecting in the sun and giving the place the name of Golden Mount.
Wat Saket hosts an enormous annual temple fair in the first week of November, when the mount is illuminated with coloured lanterns and the compound turns into a massive fun fair. Admission to the chedi costs 10 baht.

Open: Daily 8:00 - 21:00 Location: Between Boriphat Road and Lan Luang Road, Old City (Rattanakosin)

Wat Sutat

One of the oldest temples with a sweeping elegant roof and the site of the original Giant Swing ceremony. A huge teak arch - all that remains of the original Giant Swing - lies in the grounds in front of the temple. The swing was used in a ceremony to give thanks for a good rice harvest.

Young men would ride the swing high in the air, suspended 80 feet from the ground when in full swing, and try to grab a bag of silver coins with their teeth. Some fairly severe injuries and a few deaths led to the dangerous swing ceremony's discontinuation after 1932, but the thanksgiving ceremony is still celebrated in mid-December after the rice harvest.

Open: Daily 08:30 - 17:00Location: 146 Banrung Muang Road, Old City (Rattanakosin)Admission: 20 baht

Wat Traimit (Temple of Golden Buddha)

Located at the end of Chinatown's Yaowarat Road, near Hualampong Railway Station, Wat Traimit houses the world's largest golden seated Buddha measuring nearly five metres in height and weighing five and a half tons. In the past, artisans crafted the Buddhas in gold and disguised them from invading armies by a covering of stucco and plaster.

The Buddha at Wat Traimit was discovered by accident when it was accidentally dropped as it was being moved, revealing, under a casing of plaster, a beautiful solid gold Sukhothai style Buddha. Pieces of the plaster are still kept on display.

Open: Daily 09:00 - 17:00Location: Traimit Road (west of Hua Lampong Station), Chinatown

Wat Mahathat

The headquarter of Thailand's largest monastic order and Vipassana Meditation centre, Wat Mahathat is an important centre for the study of Buddhism and meditation. Although most programmes are in Thai, there are some in English and the temple has become a popular place to learn the Vipassana meditation method.

Although most programmes are in Thai, there are some in English and the temple has become a popular place to learn the Vipassana Meditation (Insight Meditation). Classes are held daily from 07:00 - 10:00, 13:00 - 16:00, and 18:00 - 20:00. Time needed for practice will vary with each individual English-speaking monks assisting.
The temple was originally built to house a relic of the Buddha and one of the oldest temples in Bangkok. You can also have your fortune told inside the 'wat' (temple).

Just next to the temple, every Sunday is the Bangkok's largest amulet market, where religious amulets, charms, talismans, and traditional medicine are spread on the ground to be inspected by buyers looking for one that will bring good luck or ward off evil. Different amulets are used for specific purposes; to bring money, restore health, deal with unrequited love or keep your enemies away. Choose carefully!

Open: Daily 09:00 - 17:00Location: Phra That Road (near Sanam Luang Park, between the Grand Palace and the National Museum), Old City (Rattanakosin)

Wat Pho (Temple of Reclining Buddha)

Wat Pho (the Temple of the Reclining Buddha), or Wat Phra Chetuphon, is located behind the splendid Temple of the Emerald Buddha. It's the largest temple in Bangkok and famed for its huge and majestic reclining Buddha measured 46 metres long and covered in gold leaf. The Buddha's feet are 3 metres long and exquisitely decorated in mother-of-pearl illustrations of auspicious 'laksanas' (characteristics) of the Buddha.

If you've never tried a traditional Thai massage, Wat Pho is a good place to start. It's quite different to most other forms of therapeutic massage and tends to be invigorating rather than relaxing, incorporating yoga style postures to relieve stress and improve blood circulation. Cost is around 120 baht for half an hour or 200 baht per hour.

Wat Pho also has good English speaking guides who will provide interesting information for around 200 - 400 baht, depending on how many people there are in your group and your negotiating skills. There are also a few astrologers and palm readers available for consultation. You can also receive a blessing from a monk for a small donation which helps to maintain the 'wat' (temple). The entrance fee is 20 baht.

Open: Daily 08:00 - 17:00 (Massage available until 18:00)Location: Maharat Road. Close to the river (about a half mile south of the Grand Palace), Old City (Rattanakosin)

Wat Arun (Temple of Dawn)

Wat Arun, locally known as Wat Chaeng, is situated on the west (Thonburi) bank of the Chao Phraya River. It is believed that after fighting his way out of Ayutthaya, which was besigned by a Burmese army at the time, King Taksin arrived at this temple just as dawn was breaking.

He later had the temple renovated and renamed it Wat Chaeng, the Temple of the Dawn. During his reign (Thonburi Period), Wat Chaeng was the chief temple, and it once enshrined the Emerald Buddha and another important Buddha image, the Phra Bang, both of which had been removed from Vientiane.

The temple has flourished throughout the Rattanakosin Period. The beauty of the architecture and the fine craftsmanship declare its status as a temple of the first grade and one of the most outstanding temples in Thailand. The spire (prang) of Wat Arun on the bank of Chao Phraya River is one of Bangkok's world-famous landmarks. It has an imposing spire (prang) over 70 metres high, beautifully decorated with tiny pieces of coloured glass and Chinese porcelain placed delicately into intricate patterns. Although it is known as the Temple of the Dawn, it's absolutely stunning at sunset, particularly when lit up at night.
Open: 08:00 -17:30Location: Wat Arun is located on the west side of Chao Praya River (opposite Tha Thien Pier), Riverside

Chinatown

Chinatown is a colourful, exotic and busy area, packed with market stalls and probably the greatest concentration of gold shops in the city.

The Chinese community, relocated here from Rattanakosin (Old City) in the 1700's, still continue their own traditions and religious practices, and the area is quite unlike the rest of Bangkok. Relatively untouched by modern development - and despite being always crowded, hot and exhausting - it's an experience not to miss.

The main road, Yaowarat Road, (appropriately) follows the curve of a dragon's body, making it an ideal location for business. And business is doing very well, thank you...

The Chinese community in Bangkok, descendants of early traders, have been living in Thailand for generations, and generally consider themselves very much as Thais; most can no longer speak any Chinese. The area has a somewhat seedy historical reputation for large numbers of opium dens, brothels, pawnshops and a fondness for gambling that used to prevail.

Today, gold shops and pawnshops are still very popular in Chinatown, and can be found almost anywhere and everywhere. Drug dealing, prostitution and gambling (all now illegal in Thailand) are also still thought to be widespread in this area - although they are not likely to be very noticeable to the average visitor. So don't expect to see any go-go bars in Chinatown!

Chinatown: What to see & do

Close to the Charoenkrung and Yaowarat Road junction is Chinatown's star attraction, Wat Traimit (the Temple of the Golden Buddha). At first glance, the 3-meter high Buddha image looks rather average and undeserving of the busloads of tourists that flock here every day. The big attraction is the remarkable fact that it's made of 5.5 tonnes of solid gold, with an equally fascinating story behind it.

In 1957 a large stucco Buddha image was being moved by crane during development of a port. To the sheer horror and shock of everyone, the crane operator accidentally dropped the image, sending it crashing towards the ground. Instead of smashing, the stucco covering merely cracked, and in the process revealed the solid gold image hidden underneath. It is thought to have been covered like this during the early Ayuthaya or Sukhothai periods to protect it from the invading Burmese.

Although there are many things to see in Chinatown, one of the biggest sights is the experience of the place as a whole. The best way to explore the area is to pick a starting point and wander around. With about 14% of the buildings in the district designated as historical landmarks, Chinatown is home to many fine examples of the architecture of Bangkok's early years. A good example is the Tang To Gung gold shop on Sampeng Lane, around Mangkon Road.
Sampeng Lane, Chinatown's original main street, is a narrow alley which runs from the Pahurat Textile Market all the way down to Songsawat Road. The lane is too small for cars, and is now a crowded market selling mostly inexpensive household and all kinds of other interesting items.

Near the Tang To Gung gold shop is a very old Chinese pharmacy that is also worth a look. The Chinese temple of Wat Mangkon Kamalawat - known in Chinese as Wat Leng Nui Yee - is the center of festivities during important festivals like Chinese New Year and the Vegetarian Festival. Another interesting temple is Wat Kanikaphon, with its main claim to fame being the fact that it was founded by a former madame who owned a brothel. And then, the charming and historical sights of the riverside and Old City areas are not too far away.

Chinatown: Shopping

Busy, bustling and hot, shopping in Chinatown is very different from your typical mall outing. Tiny alleys come crammed with a huge assortment of goods, crowded with porters manoeuvering wooden carts around customers. The main road, Yaowarat, has lots of fascinating Chinese pharmacists with containers full of strange looking herbal remedies and probably the highest concentration of goldshops in Thailand.

Take a walk down Sampeng Lane (also known as Soi Wanit), a long narrow walkway running parallel south of Yaowarat Road, and the narrow lanes directly off it. A riot of colour and noise, here you'll find garments, textiles, stationery, second-hand parts and equipment, electric goods, kitchen utensils, computer parts, antiques and even car parts, musical instruments or ancient Chinese medicine. Be sure to try some roast chestnuts!
Merchandise is generally very cheap and, often, sold wholesale. Sampeng Lane was previously infamous for the gang fighting and high numbers of murders that took place here. Nowadays, it's a very busy and predominately pedestrian street, with the main danger being the odd motorbike that tries to get past. The street is a hive of constant commercial activity, all day long.
The Thieves Market, or 'Nakhon Kasem', is slightly north of the western end of Sampeng Lane. Though legitimate today, it was so named because this was where stolen goods inevitably turned up. It's now a good area for buying Thai or Chinese antiques. Following the river heading north, Chinatown gives way to the wafting aromas of curries and the exotic spices of Pahurat.

A small but significant Indian community is located around the famous Pahurat Textile Market on the edge of Chinatown. Wholesale silk, cotton and all kinds of fabrics are traded with tough bargaining skills. It's also a good place to head for if you're desperate for some authentic Indian food. The markets are generally open throughout the day until around 18:00.

Ananta Samakhom Throne Hall

The centerpiece of Bangkok's own Champs D'Elysee, this impressive two-storey white marble palace sits at the end of Dusit's long, wide Royal Plaza, a leafy ceremonial boulevard that's often the focus of regal pomp and ceremony during royal celebrations. Ordered by King Rama V in 1907 and finished in the reign of King Rama VI, its neo-classical Renaissance architecture - particularly its central dome - dominate the scene just as Italian architects Mario Tamango and Annibale Rigotti intended. Following the 1932 coup it housed the first Thai parliament, but today its ornate interiors serve as a prestigious locale in which to court visiting dignitaries, hold state council meetings and royal occasions.

Inside is a stunningly beautiful central dome, under which the Royal Throne sits. Lining it and each of the six other domes' walls are frescoes depicting Chakri Dynasty monarchs (painted by Galileo Chini). The long hall on the upper floor is embellished with embossed roman and floral patterns showing Renaissance and Baroque arts. Outside, visitors can find impressive views both from the large paved plaza in front of it (site of the annual Tropping of the Color in December, the Red Cross Fair in late March, as well as the King Rama V statue) or the trim gardens adjoining it with Vimanmek Mansion. On Children's Day, in the second week of January each year, the grounds and interiors are more fully open to the public.

Where: Royal Plaza, Dusit
Admission: 50 baht (20 baht for Thais). A ticket for the Grand Palace gives free entry to Dusit Palace, including the Vimanmek Mansion and Ananda Samakhom Throne Hall.

Vimanmek Mansion

Located on Ratchawithi Road behind the National Assembly, Vimanmek Royal Mansion is the world's largest building made entirely of golden teak. Removed from Ko Sichang in Chonburi province, it was rebuilt in the Dusit Palace in 1900 by the command of King Rama V. It was recently renovated by HM Queen Sirikit, and made into a museum paying homage to the late King. As well as antique furniture, there's glassware, porcelain, old photographs and memorabilia from the late King's reign (1868 - 1910). Many rooms currently maintain the atmosphere of the past. A guided tour is provided to visitors. Most of the building in the same compound are now used as museums. The outstanding one is Abhisek Dusit Hall, which exhibits HM Queen Sirikit's collection of handicraft masterpieces created by rural people. The other displays of various items and art objects including HM King Bhumibol's photography, paraphernalia of rank and portraits, ancient cloth, clocks, and royal carriages. Parts of Vimanmek are still used for various state functions and receptions for visiting royalty when the buildings are closed to the public. Traditional Thai dancing commences daily at 10:30 and 14:00. Open: 08:30 until 16:30 (Tuesday - Saturday, last ticket at 15:30) Location: Rajavithee Road. Close to Dusit Zoo and the Dusit Palace complex.  Admission: Admission to the Vimanmek Mansion museum is 100 baht, which entitles you to enter every building and gallery. Note that you will need to show your ticket to the attendant at the entrance to every building. Please note: No shorts or sleeveless shirts and skirts must be at least knee-length or you won't be allowed in.

Khao San Road

Khao San Road (ถนน ข้าวสาร Thanon Khao Saan; also spelled Khaosan, Kao Sarn,Koh Sarn and many other variations) is, technically speaking, a small street about three blocks long located about a block from the Chao Phraya River in the Banglamphu district northwest of downtown Bangkok. Backpackers and budget tourists are drawn by some of the cheapest accommodation and travel deals in Thailand.

The word khao san itself means milled rice and is an attribution to the historical role of this street in the rice trade. The first business to open on Khao San Road was a small hotel aimed at serving civil servants from the provinces who came to Bangkok on business. The hotel was followed by Sor Thambhakdi, a shop selling monks' accessories. It was followed by four similar businesses, and Khao San became known as a "religious road".

Word soon spread about the easy lifestyle and friendliness of the locals. Friends told friends, and before long, the owner of the house started to charge 20 baht for food and lodging. The first commercial guesthouse, called Bonny, opened with six small bedrooms.

Today, there's a lot more than six small bedrooms on offer: in the span of just a couple of blocks, there are bars, food stalls, restaurants, convenience stores, pharmacies, Internet cafés, money changing booths, ATMs, shoe stores, massage parlors, tailors, travel agencies, laundry, boxing gyms, optometrists, endless warrens of suspiciously discounted designer clothes and, oh, rooms for the night.

Democracy Monument

The Democracy Monument (in Thai: อนุสาวรีย์ประชาธิปไตย Anusawari Prachathipatai) is a public monument in the centre of Bangkok, capital of Thailand. It occupies a traffic circle on the wide east-west boulevard Thanon Ratchadamnoen Klang, at the intersection of Thanon Dinso. The monument is roughly halfway between Sanam Luang, the former royal cremation ground in front of Wat Phra Kaew, and the temple of the Golden Mount (Phu Kao Thong).

Commissioning

The monument was commissioned in 1939 to commemorate the 1932 Siamese coup d'état which led to the establishment of a constitutional monarchy in what was then the Kingdom of Siam, by its military ruler, Field Marshal Plaek Pibulsonggram (commonly called Por (Thai: พ่อ), meaning papa, but in this context implying father of the nation; otherwise called Phibun). Phibun saw the monument as the centre of what he envisaged as a new, westernised Bangkok, "making Thanon Ratchadamnoen the Champs-Élysées and the Democracy Monument the Arc de Triomphe.

Design elements

The centrepiece of the Monument (Figure 1 below) is a carved representation of the Thai Constitution of 1932, on top of two golden offering bowls above a round turret. The Constitution is symbolically guarded by four wing-like structures (Figure 2 below), representing the four branches of the Thai armed forces - army, navy, air force and police - which carried out the 1932 coup.

The wings are 24 metres high, and this is also the radius of the base of the monument, marking the fact that the 1932 coup took place on 24 June. The central turret is three metres high, representing the month of June, which is the third month of the traditional Thai calendar. There were originally 75 small cannon around the outer ring of the monument, representing the year of the coup, 2475 in the Buddhist calendar. The six gates of the turret represent the six proclaimed policies of the Phibun regime: "independence, internal peace, equality, freedom, economy and education."

Facing outwards from the base of two of the wings are fountains (Figure 3 below) in the form of naga, the protective snake creatures of Hindu and Buddhist mythology, although the sculptures resemble western dragons more than traditional naga sculptures. (Compare Figure 3 below with the image at the Naga article.)

The relief sculptures at the base of the monument are propagandistic in their design. They depict the armed forces both as the champions of democracy and as the personification of the Thai people. In the version of events depicted in these sculptures, the coup of 1932 was carried out by a united and idealistic Thai armed forces on behalf of the people, and had both the intention and effect of making Thailand a democracy. In the reliefs, civilians appear only as the grateful recipients of the heroism and benevolence of the armed forces.

The panel titled "Soldiers Fighting for Democracy" (Figure 4 below), shows a heroic and united armed forces doing battle (it is not clear against whom) for "democracy." The panel titled "Personification of the People" (Figure 5 below), shows a soldier protecting the Thai people while they go about their civilian pursuits. The mother with child at left is the only woman depicted anywhere at the Democracy monument. The panel represents the view of the military regime of 1939 that the armed forces were ruling on behalf of the people.

The panel titled "Personification of Balance and Good Life" (Figure 6 below), represents the social ideology of the military regime. An allegorical figure representing the nation, seated in a Buddha-like posture (but not Buddha himself), holding a sword and a set of scales, representing the armed forces and justice respectively, sits in the centre, flanked by figures representing (from left) sport, education, religion and the arts. Note that the figure of "sport", a naked man with a shot put, is wholly European in origin.

Dictatorship

The story represented by these sculptures was a considerable distortion of the truth. In fact the 1932 coup was planned and executed almost without bloodshed by a small group of officers and some civilian collaborators, while the king was on holiday at the seaside (see History of Thailand (1768-1932)). The coup was followed by the promulgation of Thailand's first constitution, but this was far from fully democratic. In the mid 1930s there was an attempt to progress to full democracy, but this broke down amid a split between the military and civilian elements of the government, and by 1939, when the Democracy monument was built, Thailand was in effect a military dictatorship.

The most striking absence from the iconography of the Monument is the monarchy, which today is at the centre of Thai national life and political culture. The fact that the 1932 coup was staged against King Prajadhipok (Rama VII), uncle of the present King, and that he went into exile and eventually abdicated rather than accept the country's degeneration into a military dictatorship, is today seldom mentioned. Although the military regime paid lip service to the monarchy, its political ideology (an ultimately incompatible mix of European liberal constitutionalism and military Bonapartism) was essentially republican. Prajadhipok's successor, Ananda Mahidol (Rama VIII) was at the time a schoolboy in Switzerland. Now that Thailand is (ostensibly) a democracy, very few Thais are aware of the propaganda content of the sculptural works at the base of the Democracy Monument; because the enormous growth in the volume of Bangkok's traffic, and the fact that pedestrian access to the traffic island on which it stands is all but impossible during periods of heavy traffic, it is difficult to observe the details of the Monument up close. There are now plans to build a tunnel under the roadway to allow better access (as has been done at the Berlin Victory Column, which is similarly located).

Rallying point

Despite the self-justifying intent of the Phibun regime in erecting a monument to its own seizure of power and calling it a monument to democracy, Democracy monument's rather dubious origins are now largely forgotten, and it has served as a rallying point for later generations of democracy activists. It was the focus of the mass student demonstrations against a later military regime in 1973, and of the protests that triggered the 1976 military coup. In 1992 scores of Thais were killed as they protested at the monument against General Suchinda Kraprayoon's regime. These events have given the monument a legitimacy it lacked for much of its history.

The Emporium

The Emporium is a giant upscale shopping mall in Bangkok , Thailand, which opened in 1997. It is owned and operated by The Mall Group and another huge mall, Siam Paragon.
It is located on Sukhumvit Soi 24 beside Queen's Park and connected to the Phrom Phong station of the Bangkok Skytrain by a footbridge. It is owned by the same company as Siam Paragon and its direct competitor is Central Group. Both companies along with hypermarketoperators Carrefour, Tesco Lotus, and Big C (the latter partially owned by Central Group) have turned Bangkok into a mall haven, boasting a combined hundred locations.
Along with The Emporium department store, it contains a cinema multiplex and book, record, fashion and trinket shops, a grocery store, a food court and many upscale restaurants.
The Emporium includes great entertainment, gourmet and educational devices. The great entertainment things are 'SF cinema', a stage for performances of children, Thai stars or many others, Jamboree Land (play place) and many more. In emporium parents can just drop off their kids or themselves to learn something their. For example; ballet classes, hiphop, jazz, belly dance, aerobics, traditional Chinese dance etc... (CALA dance), art classes(Junior Artists), Taekwondo, Chinese Classes(CALA) and gymnastic classes (The Little Gym) on the 8th floor. Music classes; piano, guitar, flute, clarinet, drums etc... (YAMAHA), and English classes on the 9th floor. Emporium is a great mall which includes many international cuisine. Including traditional thai food (Ton Galamapruek, Coupon etc...) Japanese food ( UTA-ANDON, fuji, AOI) Fast food (Burger King) Italian Food (Pomodoro) and many more.

Facts and statistics
Location :Sukhumvit Soi 24, Khlong Toei, Bangkok, Thailand
Opening date :1997
Developer :The Mall Group
Management :The Mall Group
Owner :The Mall Group
No. of anchor tenants :7
No. of floors :7 and 1 basement
Website :www.emporiumthailand.com

Victory Monument

The Victory Monument (Thai: อนุสาวรีย์ชัยสมรภูมิ, Anusawari Chai Samoraphum) is a large military monument in Bangkok, Thailand. The monument is located in the district of Ratchathewi to the north-east of the centre of Bangkok, on a traffic island at the intersection of Phahon Yothin highway/Phaya Thai and Ratchawithi/Din Daeng Roads.

The monument was erected in June 1941 to commemorate the Thai victory in the brief war with the French colonial authorities in Indo-China, which resulted in Thailand annexing some territories in western Cambodia and northern and southern Laos. These were among the territories which the Kingdom of Siam had been forced to cede to France in 1893 and 1904, and patriotic Thais considered them rightfully to belong to Thailand.

In fact the fighting between the Thais and the French in December 1940 and January 1941 had been brief and inconclusive. Only 59 Thai troops were killed, and the final territorial settlement was imposed on both parties by Japan, which did not want to see a prolonged war between two regional allies at a time when it was preparing to launch a war of conquest in South East Asia. Thailand's gains were less than it hoped for, although more than the French wished to concede. Nevertheless the Thai regime of Field Marshal Plaek Phibunsongkhram decided to celebrate the war as a great victory, and the monument was commissioned, designed and erected within a few months.

The monument is entirely western in its design: in this it is in sharp contrast with the nearby Democracy Monument, which uses indigenous Thai forms and symbols. The central obelisk, although originally Egyptian, has been frequently used in Europe and America for national and military memorials - its shape suggesting both a sword and masculine potency; here it is designed in the shape of five bayonets clasped together. The five statues, representing the army, navy, air force, police and civilian bureaucracy, are in a standard western "heroic" style, familiar in the 1940s in both fascist and communist states, and were executed by the Italian sculptor Corrado Feroci, who worked under the Thai name Silpa Bhirasi. The sculptor did not like the combination of his work with the obelisk, and referred to the monument as "the victory of embarrassment."

The monument became an embarrassment in a more political sense in 1945 when the Allied victory in the Pacific War forced Thailand to evacuate the territories it had gained in 1941 and return them to France. Many Thais regard the monument as an inappropriate symbol of militarism and a relic of what they now see as a discredited regime. Nevertheless the monument remains one of Bangkok's most familiar landmarks.

The Monument is one of Bangkok's major traffic intersections. There is a BTS Skytrain station of the same name to the south of the Monument, and the expressway has an exit nearby to the north at Sanam Pao. Many Bangkok bus lines stop around the Monument's traffic circle, including lines 8, 12, 14, 18, 92, 96, 97, 108, 112, 26, 27, 28, 29, 34, 38, 39, 54, 59, 63, 74, 77 and 515. Many private commuter van lines also use the Monument as a terminus. Rajvithi Hospital and Robinson Department Store are located at the intersection.

The Grand Palace

The Grand Palace (Thai: พระบรมมหาราชวัง, Phra Borom Maha Ratcha Wang) is a complex of buildings in Bangkok, Thailand. It served as the official residence of the king of Thailand from the 18th century to the mid-20th century. After the death of King Ananda Mahidol in the Baromphiman Palace, King Bhumibol moved the official royal residence to Chitralada Palace. Construction of the palace complex began in 1782, during the reign of Rama I.
The palace complex sits on the east bank of the Chao Phraya River. The other approaches to the palace are protected by a defensive wall of 1,900 metres in length, which encloses an area of 218,400 square metres. Further out from the wall is a canal, which was also created for defensive purposes, making the area surrounding the palace an island, known as Rattanakosin.

Prominent parts of the Grand Palace:
- Wat Phra Kaew, the temple containing the Emerald Buddha
- Chakri Mahaprasad Hall, a building in a style influenced by the Italian Renaissance

Siam Paragon

Siam Paragon is an upscale shopping mall in Bangkok, Thailand. It is one of the biggest shopping centers in Asia. Opened on December 9, 2005, it includes a wide range of stores and restaurants as well as a multiplex movie theater (consisted of 15 large size theaters with one of the them having the biggest screen and seating capacity in Asia) and the Siam Ocean World aquarium (the largest aquarium in South East Asia) and an exhibition hall and also an opera concert hall. It also has a large bowling alley and karaoke center. It is a joint venture by Siam Piwat, the company that owns the adjacent Siam Center/Siam Discovery shopping malls, and The Mall Group, which also owns The Emporium. Siam Paragon has attracted large crowds since it opened, but financial results aren't reported by the privately held Siam Paragon Development.

Facts and statistics
Location :Rama I Road, Pathum Wan, Bangkok, Thailand
Opening date :December 9, 2005
Developer :The Mall Group and Siam Piwat
Management :The Mall Group
Owner :The Mall Group and Siam Piwat
No. of stores and services :270+
No. of anchor tenants :7
Total retail floor area :300,000 m2 (total retailed area)
Parking :For about 4,000 cars (100,000 m2)
No. of floors :10 (B - G - M - 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 4A - 5-6

by south lift lobby)
Website : http://www.siamparagon.co.th

History

Siam Paragon was built on the former location of the Siam Intercontinental Hotel, which was torn down in 2002 at the end of its lease. The site, leased for 30 years, is Bureau of the Crown Property land and at one time was the royal parkland of the Srapatum Palace. During the mall's construction, waiting passengers on the Bangkok Skytrain's Siam station platform could watch the building take shape. Now the Siam station platform has one of the best views of the mall's raised courtyard, where many expositions and events are held. Often people will purchase a one-station trip ticket (with which they can leave the same station from where they purchased the ticket) simply to watch performances or other happenings on the courtyard.

When the mall opened on December 9, 2005, workers were still putting on finishing touches. During the first few months of its opening, there were signs of a hurried finish throughout the building, with unpainted ceilings and cracked floor tiles.

It was built at a cost of about 15 billion baht and covers an area of 52 rai (8.3 ha, 21 acres).
Three days after the grand opening of the Siam Paragon, a 10-year-old girl fell five metres through a gap on the main floor to the floor below. Matarika Kijjapathoomsak, or Nong Meena has been playing around a water garden on the main floor when she slipped through a space between a water garden and an elevator, dropping to the ground floor. She later died of her injuries. A visit by the Bangkok Post to the accident scene found no warning signs had been put up to tell visitors of the possible danger posed by the gap in the floor that Nong Meena slipped through. Only a line of plant pots were placed there as a temporary barrier to prevent shoppers from slipping into the three-metre-wide gap.

Clientele

Siam Paragon has become since its opening the place to be for Thailand's upper class, tourists, and locals who come to be seen. However, despite its reputation for showcasing hundreds of cars over $300,000 each, and some pushing a million dollars, its crosstown rival and rather empty Gaysorn has remained the most popular spot for ultra rich foreigners wishing to shop incognito. Gaysorn had been popular with Japanese in the early 1990s, and as of 2007 was where Emiratis, Saudis, and Qataris spent their riches.

Location

Siam Paragon is on Rama I Road in Pathum Wan district, and is adjacent to other shopping areas. It is next door to Siam Center and Siam Discovery Center and opposite Siam Square. MBK Center is nearby. An elevated walkway beneath the Bangkok Skytrain tracks links Siam Paragon to the Ratchaprasong intersection, where Central World Plaza, Gaysorn and several other shopping malls and hotels are located.

Transportation

-Bangkok Skytrain – Siam station has a bridge linked to Siam Paragon's M floor.
-Parking – 100,000 squares meters with spaces to accommodate 4,000 cars.

Facilities

Siam Paragon is situated on 13 acres (32 rai) and has a total gross area of 300,000 square meters.

Department store and retail shops

The Paragon Department Store comprises 50,000 square meters. Another 40,000 square meters are devoted to retail shops selling luxury brand apparel, jewellery, electronics, musical instruments, audio equipment, sporting goods and exotic supercars, as well as a Kinokuniya book store. Some of the most renowned boutiques found in Siam Paragon include Gucci, Chanel, Balenciaga, Valentino, Kenzo, Hermès, Giorgio Armani, Jimmy Choo, Chloè, Dolce & Gabbana, Burberry and Salvatore Ferragamo.

Gourmet Market and food halls

The Gourmet Market is an 8,000 square meter grocery store on the lower level of the shopping center. It is adjacent to a food court area that has a wide range of restaurants and food stalls.

Foreign restaurants
Siam Paragon has several restaurants and food outlets from other countries, including Tony Roma's, McDonald's, KFC, Haagen Daz, Swensen's Ice Cream, Fuji Japanese, Kabuki Japanese Restaurant, LeNotre, Orvin and many others.

Thai traditional art

There is a huge section of ultra chic Thai traditional arts stores carrying everything from tiny items to very expensive and highly decorative silk, ivory, and antiques, ostentatiously geared towards the extremely wealthy.

Royal Paragon Hall
The Royal Paragon Hall is an 12,000-square-meter events facility, with a capacity for around 5,000 people and is suitable for concerts, conventions and special exhibitions. for more information please visit: http://www.royalparagonhall.com/

Paragon Cineplex
See also: Paragon Cineplex
Operated by Major Cineplex, the 25,000-square-meter Paragon Cineplex comprises a 14-screen multiplex movie theater, including smaller Ultra Screen cinemas with reclining seats and the Enigma members-only lounge, as well as an IMAX theater and the Siam Pavali, a 1,200-seat theater suitable for theatrical and musical performances.

Leisure activities
A California Wow! fitness center is on the fourth level, while the 30-lane Blu-O Rhythm and Bowl and karaoke facility is on the sixth, adjacent to the Paragon Cineplex.

Hotel
The five-star Kempinski Hotel Siam and serviced apartment complex is being built on 13 acres at the rear of the Siam Paragon property; open in 2008.

Siam Ocean World

Inside Siam Paragon is Siam Ocean World, the biggest aquarium in Southeast Asia. Like many places in Thailand, Siam Ocean World practices race based dual pricing. Thai looking people pay 280 baht for children and 450 baht for adults. Other people pay 600 baht for children and 750 baht for adults regardless of country of residence or nationality. The lower prices are listed in Thai script so the majority of foreigners will never notice.

Hotels in Bangkok

Novotel Suvarnabhumi Airport Hotel, Suvarnabhumi Airport.,  The only hotel in the airport itself, connected to the main airport terminal by a pedestrian bridge. 

(As of Dec 2007, the pedestrian bridge is still not ready for use and passengers are taken to the hotel via a free shuttle bus service which takes less than 5 mins.) 3,500+ baht.

Thong Ta Resort, On Nut, Suvarnabhumi, Lat Krabang. The resort is only 10 minutes from Suvarnabhumi Airport.Situated near a vibrant restaurant/bar parade. Rooms 800Bt+ (inclusive of American Breakfast)

Queen's Garden Resort, 44 Soi 7, Suvarnabhumi, Lat Krabang.  The hotel is just 5-10 minutes from Suvarnabhumi Airport. Located on the banks of a sleepy river, the Resort has views towards Lat Krabang Temple. Wireless High Speed internet, big Screen Tv, Pool Table, restaurant and bear garden. Rooms 900+ baht.

Royal Princess Srinakarin, 905 Moo 6, Srinakarin Road, Nongbon, Pravet. Tel:+66 2 728-400. Fax:721- 8432 - a 20-30 minute drive from airport. Rooms 3,500+ baht.

Sananwan Palace, 18/11 moo 11. Sukapibarn Road 5 , Bangpli Yai.  Family-owned budget accommodation with swimming pool, TV and high speed internet about 20 minutes drive from the airport. Rooms with A/C: 600 baht.

Grand Inn Come Hotel, 99 Moo 6, Kingkaew Road, Rachataeva, Bangplee, Samutprakan.,  about a 15-20 minute drive from the airport. Bus 553 stops here. 1,200 - 2,000 baht.

Avana Hotel, 23/1 Moo 12 Soi 14/1, Bangna-Trad Road.  3-star hotel about 30 minutes drive from the airport. Rooms 1,200 to 3,000 baht.

Nasa Vegas Hotel. 44 Ramkhamhaeng Road. Tel :+66 2 719-9888 Fax:+66 2 719-9899 - about 15 mins drive from the new airport. Rooms from 590 + baht.

Ratchana Place. 199 Moo 4, Soi Wat Sirisaothong, Bangna Trad Highway KM 26, Bangbo, Samutprakan 10540. About 15-20 mins drive from the airport. Rooms between 350 - 700 baht. 

Bansabai Hostel. 8/137 Moo 3, Soi Sahakon 15, Latphrao 71, Latphrao Rd, Bangkok 10230, Thailand. About 30-40 mins drive from the airport. Rooms rate between 600 - 800 baht.

Unico Grande Sukhumvit. 27 Sukhumvit Soi1, Sukhumvit Rd, Klongtoey-Nua, Wattana Bangkok 10110, Thailand+66 2 655 3993  about 30-40 mins drive from the airport. Rooms rate between 2,500 - 5,000 baht.

Accommodation

At present, there are only a few hotels located near Suvarnabhumi Airport, though with huge construction projects planned for the area this will change over the next few years. Day room facilities for transit passengers are now available at the 'Miracle Grand Louis Tavern' on floor 4, Concourse G (Tel+66 6 317-2211, 2000 baht per 4-hour block, no reservations accepted). Cheapskate travelers looking for a free quiet place to doze undisturbed at night should head for the prayer rooms.

The Tourist Authority of Thailand and other hotel and tourist agencies have counters on the second floor of the main terminal. These agencies offer hotel reservation service. Check for special promotions and also whether the hotel offers airport pick up and drop off service - especially useful for late night arrivals and early morning departures.

Way To Bangkok

By plane

Bangkok now has two airports operating.  Allow at least three hours to connect between them.

Suvarnabhumi Airport

 

Departure tax

Bangkok used to have a departure tax (called the "Passenger Service Charge") of 700 baht for international flights. This was payable in cash after check-in; however, it is now included in your airline ticket.

Located 30 kilometres (19 miles) to the east of Bangkok, space-age Suvarnabhumi Airport (สุวรรณภูมิ, pronounced "soo-wanna-poom", (IATA: BKK) (ICAO: VTBS), [2] started operations in September 2006 and is now Bangkok's main airport, used by all international flights as well as all Bangkok Airways (PG), Air Asia (FD), SGA Airline (5E), PBair (9Q) and Thai Airways domestic flights with three-digit flight numbers (eg. TG123). There is only one terminal building, which covers both domestic and international flights, but it's huge (by some measures the world's largest) so allow time for getting around.

Suvarnabhumi offers all facilities expected of a major international airport (transit hotel, ATMs, money exchange). Please note that there is NO ATM machine beyond immigration checkpoint. The cheapest place to eat is the Magic food court on the 1st floor, while perhaps the most comfortable and relaxing of the airport's restaurants and cafes is the Sky Lounge on the 6th floor. Here you can have your latte while sitting in plush leather sofas and enjoying a panoramic view over the runways - prices are also quite reasonable with coffee around 70 baht a cup. The observation on 7th is not much to see since the steel structure of the roof block most of the airport view. There are a few stores in the check-in area including a convenience store and a post office; however, the real shopping experience awaits travelers on the other side of immigration in the departure lounge area where the number of shops and duty free outlets leaves you wondering if you are in a mall or an airport. Beware, though, that past security in the gate waiting area there is practically nothing except steel chairs.

Transportation

Limousine taxis (which charge by distance, e.g. around 800 baht to central Sukhumvit) can be reserved at the limousine hire counter on the 2nd floor (just outside Arrivals), and aggressive touts will try to entice you on board. If you allow yourself to be waylaid by one of the taxi touts they might quote you more than double the fare that an ordinary metered taxi would charge (900 baht instead of 400, for example). It's best to ignore the touts.

A better option are the ordinary metered taxis available on the 2nd floor: follow the "public taxi" signs, queue up and state your destination at the desk, and you'll get a slip with your destination written in Thai on it. There is a 50-baht surcharge on the meter, meaning that trips to the city will cost 300-400 baht (plus a 25-baht expressway toll) and take 40-60 minutes depending on traffic. (Beware of taxi drivers who claim that the-50 baht surcharge is applied to each passenger as opposed to per taxi.) If there is a huge taxi queue, consider taking a free shuttle bus to the Public Transport Center, which has more taxis. Go straight to the official "Taxi Stand" and wait there.

There is also a stop outside the 1st floor exit for Airport Express buses [3], which charge a flat 150 baht and operate hourly until midnight, covering four routes, each taking about 60 to 90 minutes:

AE1: Suvarnabhumi-Silom

AE2: Suvarnabhumi-Khao San Road

AE3: Suvarnabhumi-Sukhumvit

AE4: Suvarnahhumi-Victory Monument-Hua Lamphong (train station)

The BMTA public bus lines are:

549: Suvarnabhumi-Bangkapi

550: Suvarnabhumi-Happy Land

551: Suvarnabhumi-Victory Monument (BTS)

552: Suvarnabhumi-On Nut (BTS)-Klong Toei

552A: Suvarnabhumi - Sam Rong

553: Suvarnabhumi-Samut Phrakan

554: Suvarnabhumi-Don Muang Airport

555: Suvarnabhumi-Rangsit (Expressway)

556: Suvarnabhumi-Southern Bus Terminal (Expressway)

557: merged with 558

558: Suvarnabhumi-Central Rama II-Wong Wien Yai

559: Suvarnabhumi-Rangsit (Outer Ring Road)

To give an example, the fare between Suvarnabhumi and On Nut BTS station on the 552 is 32 baht, and the journey (On Nut to the airport) takes about 40 minutes in mid-afternoon traffic.

There are also privately-owned BMTA minivans to many parts of Bangkok, such as Don Muang Airport, Bang Kapi, Rangsit, Samut Prakarn, etc. They charge in flat rate 50 baht.

To take a minivan or a public bus, you must first take a free shuttle bus ride (from the outside 2nd floor) to the separate terminal (Public Transport Center). The minivans go directly to the destination, so they are faster than the public buses, which stop frequently along the way.

These services take about 1 hour to 2 hours depending on Bangkok traffic and frequency is usually every 20 mins during daytime and night time ranges from 20 mins to 1 hour depending on route. Long-distance 1st class bus services connect Suvarnabhumi directly with Chachoengsao, Hua Hin, Nong Khai, Pattaya, Rayong, and Trat.

An airport express train to the future City Air Terminal at Makkasan (connecting to MRT Phetchaburi) and onward to Phaya Thai (connecting to BTS Phaya Thai) is under construction, but is not expected to be ready before the end of 2008 at the earliest. Die-hard rail fans with lots of time to kill can take bus 517 to Hua Takhe station (15 baht), a few km from the airport, and continue on any 3rd class train to Asok or Hualamphong (7 baht).

Don Muang Airport

on Muang Airport (IATA: DMK) (ICAO: VTBD)(or Don Mueang), 20 km north of downtown, was Bangkok's main airport until 2006. The airport handles Nok Air, 1-2-Go domestic flights and Thai Airways domestic flights with four-digit flight numbers (eg. TG1234), but the former international terminal is now limited to charters and general aviation.

The public taxi stand is located on the sidewalk outside the arrivals area (don't be fooled by all the taxi service booths in the main hall), and is probably your best bet for getting into town — it's also your only option after 11 PM. Give your destination (English is understood) and you will receive a two-part ticket at the booth. The charge into town will be the meter + 50 baht + toll if you take the expressway (recommended, 30-70 baht), for a usual total of 200-300 baht. The small part is for your driver, the large part is for you. This ticket is for complaints and is how the system is enforced: hold on to it to help avoid arguments later. The trip into town takes 30 minutes and up depending on traffic conditions.

If the line at the taxi stand is long or you need a more spacious car, you may want to book a (so-called) limousine from the desks in the terminal. This will get you a slightly nicer car at about twice the price (500-600 baht). Ignore any touts outside and do not get into any car with white license plates, as these are not licensed to carry passengers.

Across a covered overpass from the airport is the train station. Tickets to Hualamphong station cost 5 baht at the ticket booth. While taking the train is the cheapest way to get from the airport to Bangkok, it is not for the faint-of-heart: schedules are erratic, the run-down passenger cars often have beggars roaming through them, and are relatively empty late at night.

There are also a number of public transport buses going by the airport. Just take a overpass to the real road bypassing the airport and stop the bus of your choice. For example the air-con bus 504 will take you to CentralWorld (a large department store formerly known as the World Trade Center), from where you'll have access to the Skytrain as well as many other buses, or Lumpini Park, from where you get access to the subway, for 22 baht. Note that large baggage is not allowed.

If you're flying Thai Airways, you can do a city check-in at Lad Phrao MRT station, from where free shuttle buses leave 1:50 before each Thai flight. The same buses also run in the reverse direction from the airport.