Thailand may be famed for its beautiful temples and age-old traditions, but one of the things that make its capital Bangkok interesting from a historical perspective is how rapidly it has modernised and developed. It transformed from a small trading post on a jungle-covered swamp to a thriving metropolis in just a few centuries. A school trip to this incredible city is a chance to explore some of its most impressive old buildings, while learning how Bangkok was developing and innovating at the time they were constructed. As a starting point for discovering the city’s past on a school trip, two of the city’s old palaces provide some interesting insights.

The Grand Palace

Built by King Rama I in the 18th century, and serving as the residential royal palace through several succeeding generations of his dynasty, the Grand Palace complex remains perhaps the most awe-inspiring of all Bangkok’s buildings – it is bound to impress students on a school trip. Before its construction, the city was one of temporary wooden structures and floating houses, necessitated by the marshy ground, which would not have supported many large stone or brick buildings. However, since the old capital at Ayutthaya had been devastated in conflict with the Burmese, Thailand’s new rulers saw the need to establish a capital that could recapture Ayutthaya’s fame and glory. To this end, a number of ingenious methods of building a grand city with reliable foundations were employed, including the sinking of large upturned ceramic jars into the mud – the trapped air inside these jars kept them in place and allowed solid foundations to be built over them. Having stabilised the ground with this and other methods, a palace complex befitting the legacy of Ayutthaya could be built.

The National Museum

As well as offering a comprehensive overview of the history of Thailand, the National Museum is of interest to school trip groups as an important historic building in its own right. It was originally a palace built for the king’s brother, who held the title of second or ‘deputy’ king, and was called the Wang Na or Palace of the Front – so named for its strategic position between the Grand Palace and the northern boundary of the city. The museum is laid out in such a way that the original rooms and gardens of the palace can still be seen, as well as the residential temple. After the title of second king was abolished, the palace became a museum. A notable part of the museum’s collection is the Red House, a former queen’s residence, a graceful wooden house built without any nails, which could be easily dismantled and reassembled. It was an interesting solution to the way the city was, at one time, moving from a place of temporary structures to permanent ones.

If you are a US passport holder currently inside the jurisdiction of the Kingdom of Thailand with your passport about to expire, the first thing which you must consider (after of course collecting the required documents) is how to schedule an appointment with the US Embassy in Thailand for the renewal of your US passport.

Renewal of all US passports within the territory of the Kingdom of Thailand fall under the authority of the American Citizen Services (ACS) located at 95 Wireless Road in Bangkok, justin front of the main building of the US Embassy.

Under US Embassy rules in Thailand, only applicants appearing in person shall be entertained by the ACS, whose office hours are from 7:30 am to 11:00 am and 1:00 to 2:00 pm from Monday to Friday.

Upon approval of the application for the renewal of the US passport, there is usually a two-week processing period.

Step by Step Process for the Renewal of a US Passport

Step 1 Gather required documents

a) In order to prove that the applicant is a citizen of the US, he may bring any of the following official documents (only original copies will be accepted as proof):

– US birth certificate

– Previous US passport

– Certificate of citizenship

– Certificate of naturalization

– Consular report of birth abroad

b) In order to prove his true identity, any of the following documents will suffice, as long as it is the original copy:

– Previous US passport

– Naturalization certificate

– Valid government-issued identification card such as driver’s license, military identification card, and the likes

c) Social Security number

d) Two photographs (must be the same) 2 x 2 inches

Step 2 Complete the passport application form (either the DS-82 or the DS-11 depending on the following conditions)

For Form DS-82, the following criteria must ALL be present:

– The US passport must have been issued when the holder thereof was sixteen (16) years of age or over

– Must have been issued within the last fifteen (15) years

– Passport is undamaged and can be submitted at the time of application

– Passport was issued under the present name of the holder, or there are legal documents that can support any change in name

If any one of these requirements is missing, the applicant must complete form DS-11.

Step 3 Submit the completed application form together with the required documents. Remember to sign the application form in front of the Consular Officer before submitting it with the ACS.

Once approved, the passport may be picked up by the applicant within two weeks from its approval.

Summary

Remember that the US passport is the single, most important piece of document which a US national can possess while he is within the jurisdiction of the Kingdom of Thailand.

A US passport is not only a paper document that proves the citizenship of its holder, but more importantly, it gives the bearer thereof the right and privilege to demand assistance from the United States consular officials having authority and jurisdiction over US affairs in Thailand.

Thus, it is a prudent and wise idea to renew the passport promptly, or report it’s lost immediately to the proper authorities to avoid any inconvenience which could result from the delayed renewal or report of loss.

It is also good practice for the passport holder to keep a photocopy of the passport in a safe and separate location from the original passport. Also if you ever lose your US passport you can contact the US Embassy Bangkok.

Some of the best Bangkok condo and apartment rentals have been found in areas not usually associated with large residential communities. The Wish @ Samyan is one such place.

Wish @ Samyan Condominium, Silom

Located just a few minutes’ walk from Samyan MRT station, the Wish @ Samyan is a new building with a swimming pool, fitness studio, and car parking as standard.

Because available land is scarce in this district, it has meant that renting a condo is often expensive and not usually very good value for money compared to other parts of Bangkok. However, the Wish @ Samyan offers accommodation in the usually pricey Silom area at affordable rents. For example, a one bedroom unit will cost just 15,000 THB/Mo. There are also reasonably priced two bed options available for those needing more space.

Like many new condominiums in the capital, the Wish @ Samyan has smaller units than older buildings, but the rooms here are very well set-out, stylish, and nicely designed, thus providing residents with modern, comfortable living spaces.

Wish @ Samyan – The Conclusion

The Wish @ Samyan is just a three minute walk from the Samyan MRT station making it a commuter’s dream location. There are 24 storeys offering about 500 units. There is a sky garden, swimming pool (including a children’s pool), and a gymnasium on the 19th floor.

This condo development has opened Silom up to a whole new range of tenants. People who are now renting here would have previously had to either increase their budgets by at least 30%, or settled to live further away from the MRT /BTS and major roads in order to get an affordable home with the same or similar specifications as the Wish @ Samyan.

Villa Sathorn Condominium

The next property on our list is the Villa Sathorn. This building opened its doors towards the end of 2010 and has grown in popularity ever since. Located only 50m from the Krungthinburi BTS station, Villa Sathorn is incredibly convenient. Although tipped by our own regular Bangkok blog articles as a winner from the outset, it took the market a lot longer to realize its virtues. In fact, we even included Villa Sathorn in our best condos to rent back in 2011.

However, since 2011, Villa Sathorn has gone from strength to strength in popularity. If you are looking to rent a condo here, you have four room types available, namely studios, along with one, two, and three bedroom units. This choice of accommodation means that Villa Sathorn caters for a wide range of the market. Other features that help Villa Sathorn stand out from the competition include a swimming pool, fitness center, raised parking, and a large roof-top garden (an usual feature for most condominiums in Bangkok).

As nice as the above features are, the most outstanding and attractive characteristic of this building are the stunning views that residents get from their windows; especially at night when Bangkok’s skyline presents itself in spectacular fashion. This high rise construction is situated in an area of mostly low-rise buildings, which makes the mammoth 40-story tower appear even taller as it looms over neighbouring structures.

Of course, Villa Sathorn is located over the river in the Thonburi area of Bangkok, but with the rapid expansion of both the BTS and MRT lines, people renting here now appreciate just how easy and close to central Bangkok the condominium actually is. In fact, it is very possible to travel from Villa Sathorn to Siam square BTS station in just 20 minutes, and only 10 minutes to Bangkok’s CBD on Sathorn road and the nearby Chong Nonsi BTS station.

Villa Sathorn – The Conclusion

The unobstructed pride of place that Villa Sathorn finds itself, gives way to truly breathtaking, panoramic views of the city. Factor in that this condominium complex is located within 500m of the Chaophraya River, and just 50m from the Krungthinburi BTS station, easily secures its place on the 2014″best of Bangkok condos” list.

I have been visiting and enjoying the Bangkok bar scene for nearly 30 years. Many GI’s enjoyed their R&R’s visiting Bangkok during the Vietnam conflict days. For myself, I was visiting the Olongapo city bars in the Philippines which also were very enjoyable at that time. I always promised myself that I would get to Bangkok and finally did so in the early 80’s. I have been going back ever since. Bangkok traffic is very bad and it is best if possible to pick the area you want to drink in and find a hotel within walking distance. You can find reasonable hotels and guest houses throughout Bangkok so use your savings for more drinks and enjoy it.

There are many entertainment areas in Bangkok. I will focus on the areas that cater to the foreign expat community. This is meant to be a primer mainly for someone who has not yet visited Thailand or have had limited exposure to the bar scene here. The bars in these areas are geared up for males looking for female company as well as providing western style music, food and drink. Couples do visit from time to time these days but more out of curiosity than for any other reason.

Most of the bars you will go to have a bell or two hanging in the bar. If you ring the bell, be prepared to pay for a round of drinks for everyone in the bar. The bells don’t ring so much these days but it was quite common when the expats from the oil fields used to come to Thailand to party and spend money. Also be prepared for the girls to push you to buy drinks as they get a commission for each drink. It will get quite expensive if you buy multiple drinks as the girls tend to gang up on customers. The best thing to do is buy a drink from one and tell the rest you are not interested. Also if a girl starts to give you a massage be prepared to buy them a drink if you don’t tell them no. The best advice is to get used to saying no.

The most famous of the bar districts is Patpong which is between Silom and Suriwong Road. I have never liked this area, but it is the place that people who visit Bangkok for the first time have heard of and always plan to visit. This area is famous for their sex shows. There are some good bars there such as Goldfingers and the King Castle I and II bars. My best advice is don’t waste your time or money here. Some of the bars are major rip-offs and you don’t find out until you try to pay and find that the prices are very inflated.

Nana Plaza is another bar area that is very popular and that I still visit from time to time. This is located on Soi 4 (a Soi is a small street) just off of Sukhumvit Road. It is located directly across from the Nana Hotel. This area used to have fewer bars until the parking area was converted to outside bars. This area has some bars with similar entertainment to Patpong. I generally like to sit in one of the outside bars and watch the people walk by. It is interesting to watch the girls as they come in to work at the go-go bars there. Also beware that there are many men dressed as women working there and some tend to look better than the girls do so if this is not your style, look for tell tale signs such as they are taller than most of the girls, they talk differently, their walk is exaggerated and they still have an Adam’s Apple. Also most have had breast implants and some have had sex changes.

Soi Cowboy used to be my favorite area and I still visit the bars there, but not as much as in the past. It is located just off of Sukhumvit Road and is between Asoke and Soi 23. This used to be a great area to party and was a good place for food and drink at reasonable prices. In recent years, the cost of drinks has gone up but if you go during happy hour, the drink prices are still reasonable. You can also enjoy live music at the Country Roads bar as they have three live bands nightly. They also have pool tables and the girls love to play so you can always find someone to play. These days there are some large go-go bars such as Tilac, Shark and the Midnight Bar as well as others. This street originally had mostly single shop house bars and there are still a few left and I still tend to like to visit them. Some of the bars here also have girls who will gang up on any fresh meat that walks into the door so get used to saying “NO” so that you don’t end up with a large bar bill. There also are some bars on Soi 23 and you can find good western and Thai food there as well.

A short distance from Soi Cowboy and on the opposite side of Sukhumvit at Soi 22 is Washington Square. If you walk, you can enter the square from Sukhumvit just past Soi 22. You can walk just past the Dubliner bar and turn into the square. Straight ahead is the Sportsman Bar which years ago used to be the Washington Theater. They have good food and pool tables inside. I like to visit several of the bars here. I like the Silver Dollar for their food as well as their friendly staff. The girls here also get commissions for drinks but are not so pushy and the atmosphere is more relaxed and is popular with many of the expats who live here. Things can get lively here but don’t expect it too often as it depends on who is visiting. There are a few other bars as you walk around such as the Texas Lone Star, Easy Pub, Taffy’s and the Hare and Hound (originally located at Soi Cowboy). Also for Cajun and other American food visit the Bourbon Street restaurant and bar. This area may not be here much longer as the land is scheduled for a major development project. It could happen at any time or could be years down the road. I assume it could happen within the next year or two as some new construction has started at the corner of Sukhumvit Road and Soi 22 and many of the buildings next to the site are now empty.

As you walk out of Washington Square and across Soi 22 there is another set of bars in Queens Park Plaza. These bars open up late and close when the customers leave. I have left after dawn on numerous occasions. This area was hard hit during the recent political tension and some of these bars may close due to lack of business during that time. Hopefully business will start to pick up as this is a good late night pit stop.

There are many other bar areas in Bangkok to visit but these are the main expat areas and you should have a good time. It is also a great way to meet expats who know Bangkok and Thailand quite well. They can give you advice on other areas to go visit while in Thailand. There are some tourist magazines at the hotels which are free and also have ads for shopping while in Bangkok. There are still some good bargains to be had here so don’t pack too much. You can buy just about anything here so it is best to come packed lightly so you can pack all of the things you bought while visiting. Enjoy your trip and enjoy the party.

Making the Right Choice in Bangkok Real Estate

When foreigner’s invest in Bangkok real estate, they must to know which location is right for them and why? Buying property in Bangkok, or elsewhere in Thailand, is a huge decision and likely to be a one-off purchase for most people. Therefore, it’s important that both the choice of property and its price are right.

What type of real estate should I go for? This is a commonly asked question by new investors. In this article we look at options open to foreigners wishing to buy property in the Thai capital.

Investing in a Bangkok Condominium

Without doubt, the most popular choice of property investment for non-Thai nationals is the condominium, namely for the reasons outlined in Thailand’s Condominium Act of 1979.

This law greatly simplifies the purchase of condos in Thailand, making it easily the most prevalent format for foreigners wishing to invest in Thai property. The three other main advantages of investing in a Bangkok condominium are:

• Reduced maintenance costs
• Access to communal facilities such as swimming pools, security and fitness studios
• Close proximity to the BTS or MRT stations; something that greatly increases the chances of selling or renting a property

Next we look at the difference between Thai apartments and condominiums.

Apartment or Condominium?

In Thai real estate terms, there is a distinct difference between an apartment and a condominium purchase. In many western countries, the word ‘apartment’ simply represents a one-off unit inside a building housing other similar units. In Thailand, however, buying an apartment refers to the purchase of an entire building and all of its units.

Anyone living in a Bangkok apartment is renting a unit from a landlord (often a registered company) who owns the whole building and rents out the units individually. Obviously very few foreigners buy apartment blocks in Bangkok, unless they are real estate magnates capitalizing in large projects.

Investing in Bangkok Townhouses

It is also possible for non-nationals to purchase a townhouse in Bangkok, or anywhere else in the Kingdom, but to own it outright is a little more complicated than the more simplistic condo purchase. If you are a foreigner looking to invest in a Bangkok townhouse, then you will most likely opt to form a Thai company to purchase that property for you.

Thai law states that a townhouse is ‘grounded,’ and where foreigners are concerned this creates land ownership issues. At the time of writing, non-Thai nationals cannot own land outright in Thailand, but they can own up to 49% of a Thai limited company. So, providing that company if legally registered, it can own grounded property.

The purchase of a townhouse in Bangkok can be an excellent investment as it offers great value for money compared to comparable property in other major capitals around the world. Brand new houses are very well built and can be bought for as little as THB 20 000/ sqm (US$ 650/ sqm),

Many of the new town house developments in and around Greater Bangkok offer a number of appealing advantages to expat investors, including:

• More rooms/living space
• Residing in a secure gated neighbourhood
• A more community-orientated lifestyle
• Quieter (away from the noise of traffic)
• Communal facilities such as gardens, swimming pools and fitness areas
• Cost savings on utility bills
• 24hr security

Foreigners also have the option to purchase detached houses, including the land they sit on.

Investing in a Bangkok Detached House

The same legal aspects of purchasing a townhouse in Bangkok apply to the acquisitions of detached houses too, namely, negotiating the legal technicalities involved with foreigners wanting to invest in ‘grounded’ property. This means the formation of a Thai registered company will be necessary so that the property can be purchased through the business.

So, capitalizing in all types of Bangkok real estate is indeed possible for the foreign investor.

Bangkok House Investment Options for Foreigners

So far, our series of articles on foreign investment in Thai real estate have focused at the advantages of purchasing Bangkok property. We’ve reviewed the individual types of housing opportunities and the formats for acquiring condos, apartments, houses, and land in the Thai capital. In this piece we will look at the procedures involved for buying a townhouse or detached house in city.

Optimize Your Purchasing Decision

It’s advisable to seek advice from a Real Estate Agent or legal representative before buying property in Thailand. Although legal disputes are rare for foreigners purchasing real estate in Bangkok or beyond, getting professional guidance will place you in a much better position to optimize your purchasing decision. Additionally, a thorough property due diligence should always be conducted prior to securing any deals.

The “Grounded Property” Issue Explained

Unlike buying a condo, a townhouse or detached house is somewhat more complicated for the foreign investor. This is because there’s land involved in the purchase, and that means the property is “grounded.” Under the rules of land ownership in Thailand, foreigners are prohibited to own land outright. However, there is a way around this for those wanting to invest in grounded property.

In the Name of a Thai Registered Company

The most common approach used by foreigners wishing to buy land in Thailand is through the name of a Thai registered company. This is typically set up and managed by the foreigner. However, a non-national can only own 49% of the company, while the other 51% of shares must be in Thai hands.

What usually happens is that the 51% of Thai shares is divided between several different shareholders. This means the foreigner is the majority stakeholder and consequently has the majority vote on all company decisions. The format and preparation involved in setting up the company is done in such a way that the Thai shareholders are not able to contact each other, and therefore their voting right and control over the business is minimal at best.

Other Alternatives for Acquiring Land in Thailand

There are some other, less conventional ways for foreigners to obtain land in Thailand.

• Board of Investment (BOI) – foreigner invests cash into Thailand
• Marriage to a Thai National
• Leasing

Selling Your “Grounded Property”

As and when foreign owners want to sell their Bangkok Townhouse or detached house, it’s comforting to know that this is a fairly simple and cheap process, and certainly more straightforward than Thai nationals selling to one another. Land Taxes in Thailand must be paid upon the sale of any type of property in the Kingdom. These taxes are:

• Stamp Duty (Land Tax) – 2%
• Withholding Tax – 1.5%
• Business Tax (if the property has been owned for less than 5yrs) – 3.3%

However, if the property is held by a company, then the foreign owner only has to sell the business to the new buyer. This is a simple and inexpensive administrative exercise that involves little more than changing the shareholder’s details, that is, the foreign shareholder sells his 49% stake to the new owner, thus avoiding all of the above taxes.

The Conclusion

Although organizing the ownership of a townhouse or detached house in Bangkok/Thailand may seem troublesome at first, it does have its advantages. Furthermore, it is cheaper to sell grounded property on than it is for foreigners selling Thai condos that they own outright.

Iconic Swedish store IKEA is arriving in Bangkok late 2011. IKEA offers stylish and modern home furnishings at reasonable prices. The home furnishing giant was founded by Ingvar Kamprad at the tender age of just seventeen. Kamprad’s passion for design has escalated to stores in forty-three countries and now IKEA is moving to Bangkok.

The new 43, 000 sq/m Bangkok store is to be part of the Mega Bangna shopping centre opening around the same time. The shopping centre comprises of over four hundred retailers and over one hundred restaurants and eateries. Mega Bangna is situated south-west of Bangna Trat Rd and the eastern ring road at Bangplee Suksaurat expressway intersection, approximately six kilometers from Suvarnabhumi airport.

The largest IKEA store in south-east Asia will house approximately 7, 500 furnishing ideas including furniture, soft furnishings, lightning, office ware and pictures. But what does the arrival of this super-store mean for Bangkok?

Traditionally, in the west, the arrival of any large store creates unrest. The general public sentiment harps back to a time of individuality and independent stores. This however, is certainly not the case in Bangkok.

The arrival of IKEA will give Bangkok a taste of western style in a convenient and affordable manner. Somewhere like Thailand that has such strong traditional values and culture needn’t worry about quashing long-established conventional and style. Instead, the people of Bangkok welcome a greater selection of choice. Between Chatuchak market, traditional Thai boutiques and the Bangna IKEA store, Bangkok will be truly spoilt for choice.

The arrival of the Bangna IKEA store brings with it a greater selection of choice and a style that is really well suited to modern Bangkok condos. IKEA traditionally produces a range of goods suited for the modern home that include ingenious, brightly coloured and stylish pictures as well as a wide range of accessories including some fantastic rugs to snuggle up in. IKEA’s quirky sense of style produced en-mass makes these stylish goods reasonably priced. The IKEA style and design ideas will no doubt help customers to easily modify their homes without breaking the bank.

The new IKEA store will also carry favour with the people of Bangkok as it will increase employment rates. In addition to those required to build the new IKEA store, it will employ approximately four hundred members of staff. This includes eight managers chosen from thousands that have already started to build the highly anticipated Bangna store.

Despite the Bangna store not yet having opened, IKEA are planning two more stores for Bangkok on a similar scale to the colossal Bangna store. This is part of IKEA’s plan to become the number one furnishing company in Thailand.

The Bangna store will be home to, not only exciting new goods but also a children’s play area and restaurant including, most importantly of all, those famous Swedish meatballs!

Amidst the massive steel and glass structures that make up the central skyline of Bangkok are a host of traditional Thai style temples that coexist. Many of these Buddhist temples are laced in gold and some have accents of red on the exterior. A typical Thai temple has two different parts, the phutthawat and the sanghawat. The phutthawat is the main part of the temple that houses the shrine that’s dedicated to Buddha, while the sanghawat is a living grounds for monks.

1. Wat Pho

One of the most famous Bangkok temples to visit is Wat Pho, characterized by the gigantic reclining golden Buddha. The statue is housed inside of a gym like structure with a temple complex that surrounds. The sheer volume of gold and mega size is enough to make everyone gasp with unbelief. Wat Pho is also a favorite temple because it is accredited as coming up with the authentic Thai massage.

2. Wat Phra Kaew

Also referred to as the temple of the Emerald Buddha, Wat Phra Kaew is on the same compound as the Grand Palace. The emerald statue is reported to have come from India and is one of the most sacred temples in all of Thailand. The temple is frequented by tourists and is one of Thailand’s main iconic symbols of representation.

3. Wat Arun

Wat Arun is known as the temple of dawn or of the rising sun. It’s a recognizable image as it sits perched on the opposite side of the river as most of the other Bangkok attractions. During the early morning the temple illuminates with a beautiful glow from the sunshine rays, bring forth another day in the rising sun.

4. Wat Traimit

It wasn’t until recently that Wat Traimit became famous. An accidental construction blunder where the statue feel from a crane, revealed a pure golden statue of Buddhha within concrete exterior. The temple is now home to the world’s largest solid golden statue.

5. Wat Benchamabophit Dusitvanaram

Nicknamed the Marble Temple, Wat Benchamabophit Dusitvanaram is depicted on the 5 baht coin. The temple is a beautiful sight, a symmetrical temple that seems to rise to sky.

6. Wat Hua Lamphong

With a backdrop of Bangkok’s downtown, Wat Hua Lamphong remains a traditional temple in the midst of an ever changing and modern metropolis. The temple is located right in the Silom district of Bangkok.

7. Wat Yan Nawa

The interesting part of Wat Yan Nawa is that it resembles a boat. It was King Rama III that commissioned the temple to be built as a boat in an effort that people might not forget about the traditional Chinese junks, in a modern age.

As virtual heart of South East Asia, Bangkok is a city full of life and polar opposites coexisting in relative harmony. Getting there is only half the battle, figuring out where you should stay and what you should do actually helps dictate where you should stay. That is probably obvious, but you can find maps of Bangkok and look at the major destinations – such as the Dusit Zoo, Hua Lamphong Railway Station, Khao San Road, Lumpini Park, China Town, Democracy Monument and of course, Wat Po. Each area has it’s pluses… but also perhaps a minus here and there. Some of the swankiest hotels include The Peninsula, Westin, The Oriental, Shangri-La Hotel, JW Marriot and the Baiyoke Sky Hotel along with countless others.

There are plenty of areas for less expensive accommodations, nonetheless, Khao San Road is often overrun with tourists, however, if rubbing elbows with this crowd is what floats your boat then that is the place to be… many of the hotels and guest houses in this sector of Bangkok are geared to budget-minded backpackers. Remember, Bangkok is a city FULL of contrasts. Picking a hotel near Hua Lamphong will make it easy for you when you need to get to the train station at 4.50am to catch a train to another part of Thailand… train travel is best booked at least one day in advance – it’s not hard to find someone to do this for you or it’s not a bad thing to actually go there and do it yourself. Taking the train should not be considered low-brow as you do get to see much of the countryside and have the chance for other opportunities that you would not have if you just used the very economical air flights that run throughout the country. Usually, it comes down to how much time you have and less about the money you have at your disposal. A train ride to Chiang Mai might run you 1300 Baht for a sleeper-overnight ride… a flight might only be triple or more ($75-125USD) The HLamphong Railway Station is really tourist friendly with English speaking assistants willing and able to help you out for free, of course. It is a stop on the MRT (underground train in BKK) which also connects to the BTS. Depending on what your main focus is for your trip, you may find that it’s valuable to station yourself along the BTS (Bangkok Transit System) a very modern aircon elevated rail system that is 10x faster than other modes of travel throughout the city.

Bangkok clubs are know world round for their food and music, which helps to make Thailand a hot spot for tourists. Bangkok alone draws millions of visitors from around the world each year. Exotic beaches and hotels are another reason Thailand is famous for vacationing. As far are partying is concerned, Bangkok is truly one of the most popular.

Major cities in the world have regular flights for Bangkok. Bangkok is well connected with the capitals of almost all the major economies. There was a time when Bangkok was popular just for its cheap shopping areas and Thai food. However, with time, Bangkok has emerged as one of the most happening cities in the world.

The best thing about visiting Bangkok is that living in this city is much cheaper in comparison to staying at other famous tourist destinations in the world. If you are a ‘party-freak’, then you would not like to miss being at the amazing discotheques, pubs and jazz bars of Bangkok.

You can find hundreds of pubs and discotheques in Bangkok. Unlike other cities, a visit to Bangkok would not cost you much. You can get vodka, tequila, whiskey and all other types of liquor at cheap rates at the pubs and bars of Bangkok. There are innumerable dance bars in Bangkok too which arrange for live ‘belly-dance’ shows every night.

Entry to most of the clubs and discotheques in Bangkok is free if you are a ‘couple’. However, for ‘stags’, entry-fee is applicable. The nightlife at “Bangkok clubs” will leave you asking for more. There are hundreds of “Bangkok clubs” which will impress you with their lively music and mouth-watering delicacies.

Most of the discotheques in Bangkok have huge dance floors which can accommodate thousands of people at the same time. Moreover, you can look forward to witnessing some world-famous “DJ” (read disc jockeys) playing hip-shaking numbers. Most of the “Bangkok clubs” start operating in the evening. However, if you want to have some ‘real’ fun, then you should visit the “Bangkok nightclubs” after 8 in the evening.