What do people enjoy about Bangkok?
Dec 19, 2012, 8:42 pm
#61
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Dec 19, 2012, 9:09 pm
#62
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Dec 19, 2012, 9:29 pm
#63
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I will say that Bangkok, as a solo traveller, is not as great. Bangkok with your local Bangkokian friends/family is much better. But I think that really applies to most places in the world.
Dec 19, 2012, 9:31 pm
#64
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Thanks for the list transpac. There's a couple on there that I haven't seen yet.
Also would you agree that the ghost buildings are disappearing? I didn't notice any actually when I was there last week. I wasn't really looking for them, but I didn't notice any like in years past.
Also would you agree that the ghost buildings are disappearing? I didn't notice any actually when I was there last week. I wasn't really looking for them, but I didn't notice any like in years past.
Dec 20, 2012, 1:41 pm
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For what you want to do, the MTR/Subway/river boat system in BKK will be just fine.
Dec 20, 2012, 2:06 pm
#68
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I was thinking of going to Thailand and Cambodia next year to see Angkor Wat, the Grand Palace, the Floating Market, Ayuttahya, and Phang Nga Bay, but now I'm getting worried I might not like Bangkok at all. I don't want to have a cultural vacation in a dirty, overcrowded, hot city...
Dec 20, 2012, 2:07 pm
#69
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I did say that actually.
Dec 24, 2012, 8:33 pm
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I was thinking of going to Thailand and Cambodia next year to see Angkor Wat, the Grand Palace, the Floating Market, Ayuttahya, and Phang Nga Bay, but now I'm getting worried I might not like Bangkok at all. I don't want to have a cultural vacation in a dirty, overcrowded, hot city...
....And this s especially pronouncedin here in BKK, which is essentially a noveau riche,consumption focused, city. In Thailand, Sukhothai and Chiang Mai offer more interesting fare, in my view.
Dec 24, 2012, 8:47 pm
#71
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There's far more culture and history to take in in Cambodia and Laos, than in Thailand. Not that Thailand is not culturally interesting but a lot of it is not very accesible to those who dont speak Thai. What you get for tourist consumption ( Ayuthaya is a good example) is a lot of fake, constructed, stuff.
Dec 24, 2012, 9:20 pm
#72
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Curious to hear more of your view on the legit Cambodian culture accessible to travelers who don't speak Khmer. I find it's even more difficult, and with less infrastructure, in Cambodia. Further, outside of the Angkor complex and similar other temples, Thailand has much more to offer... And that's in a non-tourist bent. IMO of course.
I don't think the infrastructure is bad at all in fact I think PP is a far pleasanter and more aesthetically appealing place than BKK.
On Angkor, Bayon etc I think the fact that it was a genuinely international project gave it an aesthetically more vibrant tone than much of the Thai reconstructions, especially in BKK, where they tend to be part of the fragile and tendentious reconstruction of the monarchist modernization project post Phibun. It is no accident that in Bangkok the national anthem is constantly played in public places, cinemas, parks ( 6 pm sharp every evening in the park near my apartment) etc... It manifests a national identity not at ease with itself, in my view. Countries at ease with national identity do not constantly force feed national symbols. This makes for a highly mediated access to Thai cultural history. All IMO of course, I am not trying to assert anything here.
Many apologies for my verbosity
Dec 30, 2012, 8:34 am
#73
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I was thinking of going to Thailand and Cambodia next year to see Angkor Wat, the Grand Palace, the Floating Market, Ayuttahya, and Phang Nga Bay, but now I'm getting worried I might not like Bangkok at all. I don't want to have a cultural vacation in a dirty, overcrowded, hot city...
I like Bangkok for the shopping, food, and 24/7 non-stop nature of the mega-city. I live in Cairo currently, so I'm used to hassle and pollution.
Dec 30, 2012, 9:16 am
#74
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I "liked" Bangkok the first time I visited 10+ years ago. I did a lot of touristy stuff and also saw a bit too much of the seedy stuff. The second time I came, it exhausted me. The third time, I hated it.
When I was forced to come back, I switched things up and stayed in a different place (first three stays were Sukhumvit) by the river. Liked the slower pace a bit more. Next time, I moved around again. I finally found a hotel/neighborhood that I'm comfortable with. Now it feels familiar and I'm content here - I've got my places I go for massages and personal services. I have a couple of pharmacies I go to so I can pick up stuff that's Rx only in the states (and cheaper here). I've got several malls where I enjoy shopping.
I always love cities more once I find a neighborhood... and usually don't hit my groove in a city until I've crossed off all the touristy things and settled into just "being" somewhere. Then I can really determine if I like a place or not.
BKK still is not in my top five favorite cities (probably not in my top ten). But it IS a good jumping off point for other places I like so I've learned how to make myself comfortable here.
Dec 30, 2012, 8:57 pm
#75
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On Angkor, Bayon etc I think the fact that it was a genuinely international project gave it an aesthetically more vibrant tone than much of the Thai reconstructions, especially in BKK, where they tend to be part of the fragile and tendentious reconstruction of the monarchist modernization project post Phibun. It is no accident that in Bangkok the national anthem is constantly played in public places, cinemas, parks ( 6 pm sharp every evening in the park near my apartment) etc... It manifests a national identity not at ease with itself, in my view. Countries at ease with national identity do not constantly force feed national symbols. This makes for a highly mediated access to Thai cultural history. All IMO of course, I am not trying to assert anything here.
Many apologies for my verbosity