Originally Posted by
prathetkrungthep
Your Thai friends must think I am a fake Thai then! (Unfortunately given my politics it would not be the first time someone accuses me of being a fifth columnist. If only I could acquire a global north passport based simply on these accusations.) Your friends probably have a spicier palette than I do—perhaps partially for the reasons I have suggested above.
I will not let anyone slander Sukhumvit, Ratchaprasong, and Siam as the “tourist belt” though. Real locals live, eat, and work here. Khaosan on the other hand, feel free to drag that place any day of the week and twice on Sundays.
Of course real Thais work and live there too. Certainly I have been to homes of people I would never expect to see in soi's there with the huge mansions that you don't see from outside. Especially around Nana but it is a fact that it is also a tourist belt. Especially after the enormous success of Bumrungrad. Siam, yes, a lot less than now before when it was the only tourist belt even before Khaosan. Ratchaprasong I would still say is a tourist area too.
What I love about Sukhumvit is the variety of food you get there and also the late dining available. As I said I am only a farang and no matter how long I stay there or been in Thailand, there are some foods that I just cannot eat.
Khaosan is not my favourite place and never has been and I really do not like to go or be there at all at any time of the day or week.