Kalboz

Asok intersection as of this morning 1/13/14

kudroz

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Bravada04

LOL.......Sorry, but these are pointless concerns - in my world anyway and of course it's just my opinion. The world and everyone else has much larger problems. Seriously - we are worried about sitting outside at a pool while someone seriously might enjoy having a cigarette. That's not o.k. but we have no problem visiting a hugely polluted city while sitting or walking in the stuff?
I don't get it some times I'm not a smoker..........well actually I should not say that cause I do like lighting them up when I have a few too many pops.

Smoke em' if you got em"! Life is too short to worry about this kind of stuff. Can't we just all get along

whackyjacky

I certainly hope the police are enforcing the smoking laws out there today. After all, Asoke is under the domain of the Thonglor police. If the demonstrators want to smoke they'll just have to demonstrate across the street in the Lumpini Police District. I know they're bringing Bangkok to a standstill, but one just can't have a complete breakdown of societal order. Then, once they are across the street some of the vile smoke from their cheap Malaysian cigarettes will be wafting up to the Sala. The outrage ! Time for the boiling oil I say !

kudroz

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BonViveur

I agree. This is my only real issue with this property. I find it very annoying that a smoker can lie down next to me and ruin my pool time, but that smoking is allowed at the tables where meals are served is totally out of order.

Every place has different rules and regulations. In my city, some municipalities ban smoking, in in outdoor bars. Roppongi, in Tokyo even warns citizens that their smoking harms others. Thailand has its own rules, but smoking in a food service area is unacceptable. It's sad, because the Sala is my favourite relaxing breakfast area.

BonViveur

The Sala serves meals from morning until evening, at the tables, under the Sala and at all pool lounges. There can be no discussion whether it's a food service area.

I empathise with those who are discriminated against for doing something that is legal, but since so many find it abhorrent, a good business decision may be to allow smoking only at one end of the pool area - away from the Sala.

Sheraton Grande Sukhumvit Bangkok

Dear TravelinSperry and other reviewers,

I have read all your comments with regards to smoking at the Sala and Pool area and appreciate all your thoughts.

As you may know we do have a designated smoking area with seating adjacent to the main lobby entrance, where we encourage smokers to smoke. However, there are some guests who still prefer to smoke at level 3.

So, we will endeavor to introduce a non-smoking area. The non-smoking areas will include the dining section, the covered Sala and the upper deck of the sun beds. Smokers will be limited to the sun beds on the lower area.

This plan will be introduced on a trial basis and hopefully we will obtain the full co-operation of the smokers to respect this.

With regard to the street protests, I attached the updated letter sent to our in-house guests this morning in the following link (http://assets.sheratongrandesukhumvi...ated130114.pdf).

With kind regards,

Richard Chapman
General Manager

remymartin

Dear Mr. Chapman,

Thank you for your ongoing activity on FT. While I'm sad to hear smoking will be less and less allowed at your property, I'm happy to hear you will accommodate both parties.

May I ask when this trial will be introduced? It's my plan to stay at SGS next week.

kudroz

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FlytheTail

Thanks Richard for the update on your hotel during the demonstration. I fear that the demonstrations will continue for a few weeks, but hope I am wrong.

It's great to hear about the non-smoking section available soon at/near the swimming pool. Keep up the great work!

LIH Prem

Thanks for the update. Is Sukhumvit open in both directions through the Asoke intersection?

Thanks,
David

sophus

+1 on the non smoking.

Richard will there be much renovation activity in early April?

Lobster

No the junction is basically shut, but it is possible to turn left from Asoke onto Sukhumvit

LIH Prem

So that side of Asoke is open? (ie, you could taxi in from Makasaan, for example?)

the typical expressway route from BKK to the hotel involves making a u-turn at that intersection on Sukhumvit. Are they coming in a different way now?

For departures/arrivals when it's open, clearly BTS/MRT + ARL is the way to go, but for off-hours you don't have a great deal of choice.

-David