Bangkok Guide

Bangkok is known as Krung Thep Maha Nakhon in Thai. It is the largest city, cosmopolitan center and capital city of Thailand, located on the banks of the Chao Phraya River, near the Gulf of Thailand. The Kingdom of Thailand draws thousands of visitors from all over the world and is one of the most popular tourist destinations in South East Asia. Today, Bangkok has become the principal gateway and prime tourist attraction for both domestic and international travelers.

Bangkok has retained its traditional charm with a mixture of old cultural heritage and new modern skyscrapers, luxurious hotels, shopping centers, street shopping, famous Thai food, restaurants, sports, entertainment, etc.  

General Information

Clothing: For business activity, formal dress is worn at many large hotels. It's important to dress neatly. Women should avoid wearing anything sleeveless. For casual events, light and loose dresses in natural fibers or blends are the best. Sunglasses and hats are essential as is an umbrella during rainy season. Please do not wear shorts when visiting temples and mosques. Please also note that shoes must be removed before entering any temple building.

Local Time: UTC/GMT +7 hours




Currency: Baht (THB)
Currently, USD 1 = THB 31 (approximately)

Exchange: Foreign currency can be exchanged at various places, the best among them being banks which have the best rates and are operational from 8:30 am to 3:30 pm from Monday to Friday, but you can also get currency exchanged at big hotels, tourist areas and also from bureaux de change, open daily from as early as 7am to as late as 9pm.






Credit Cards: Debit and credit cards, like MasterCard, Visa and American Express are widely accepted in Thailand with a 3-5 percent surcharge.

Business Hours: Government offices (including branch post offices) are open Monday to Friday 8:30am to 4:30pm, with a lunch break between noon and 1pm. Businesses are generally open 8am to 5pm. Shops often stay open from 8am until 7pm or later, 7 days a week. Department stores are generally open 10am to 9pm everyday.

Tipping: Tip porters and hotel staff if you've been given good personal service - the amount varies with the type of hotel. In restaurants around a 10 % - 15% tip is usually the norm, but you don't need to tip in small roadside eating places. Taxi fares should be rounded up to the nearest 5 or 10 Baht.



Electricity supply: 220V, 50Hz  

Internet: Most shopping malls and even the smallest hotels have at least a few terminals. Prices range from 1B to 3B per minute (that's about $1.50-$4.40 per hr.). Big hotels charge exorbitant rates and are not worth it; just take a walk in any direction and you'll find affordable services (as low as 40B/$1 per hr.).

Transportation
                                     

Taxi: There are a lot of taxis in Bangkok. They charge a minimum of 35 baht for the first kilometer, and 5 – 8.50 baht per kilometer thereafter depending on the distance, without receipt. However look for the public taxis outside the airport; there is a 50 baht surcharge. Passengers must pay tolls in case of using an express way.

 Bus: Buses in Bangkok provide an incredibly cheap way to travel from one side of the city to another. There are many types of buses available in Bangkok. Bus routes are very extensive too, and can be mind-boggling to first-timers. Make sure you first equip yourself with the MBTA map (available at most bus terminals). When in doubt, ask a local, or policemen, or call the '184' BMTA Hotline for assistance. Most buses (except for the all-night ones) run from 05:00 to 23:00 daily. Regular buses cost 7 baht (cream-red), and 8 baht (white-blue). Expressway buses costs 8.5 baht. Air-conditioned buses (cream-blue) cost from 9 to 19 baht (depending on the distance travelled). All-night buses (cream-red) are 8 baht. EURO II buses (yellow-orange) cost anything between 12 to 22 baht, depending on the distance travelled.


Tuk Tuk: Doing a similar job to the taxi is Thailand's ubiquitous tuk-tuk. So named because of the sound of their engine, these are motorized rickshaws and are popular amongst tourists for their novelty value. It's essential to bargain the price with tuk-tuks before getting in. If you only ask after the ride, it's likely to end in a request for a ridiculous fare which can obviously lead to an unpleasant situation. However avoid taking a tuk-tuk during peak hours (07:00 - 09:00, 16:00 - 19:00). You don't want to be stuck in traffic for hours, sweating and breathing in the hazardous fumes from engines all around you.

 Airport Rail link: There are 2 main routes.

 -SA Express
This line provides transportation service between Bangkok City Air Terminal (BCAT) from Makkasan to Suvarnabhumi Airport within 15 minutes, which stops only at Makkasan Station (original terminal) and Suvarnabhumi Station (end terminal). It provides service from 06.00 to 24.00 everyday.

-SA City Line
This line provides service between Phyathai Station to the end terminal at Suvarnabhumi Airport within 30 minutes, which stops at 6 stations along the way such as Rajprarop Station, Makkasan Station, Ramkhamhaeng Station, Hua Mark Station, Thab Chang Station, and Lad Krabang Station. It covers a distance of 28 kilometers. It provides service from 06.00 to 24.0 0 everyday.



MRT (Subway)
Operating Hour
    -  06.00 am - midnight daily.
    -  Frequency
     - Less than 5 minutes during the peak hours 06.00 - 09.00 am. and   04.30 - 07.30 pm.
     - Less than 10 minutes during the off-peak hours.

BTS (Sky Train): The trains run daily between 6:00 am and 12:00 midnight with frequent service throughout the day, increased during rush hours. The fare is based on the distance traveled.

The BTS is eager to help promote tourism in Bangkok and assist foreign visitors who use our system. At the BTS Tourist Information Center visitors can get useful information on Bangkok’s variety of attractions and assistance in traveling around town. Our services include offering boat tickets for the Chao Praya River Tour, and internet services.

Train: You can check train times in Thailand at the Thai Railways site, www.railway.co.th. There's no online booking. It's easy to buy tickets yourself at the station or make a call at 1690 (Call Center)

Boats & Ferries: Boats are a great way to get around the famous riverside area with its many historical attractions, and to explore the 'klongs' (canals) for a glimpse of yesteryear Bangkok. If you simply want to cross the river, there are ferries which cost 2.5 baht, available at several boat landings. River taxis operate up and down the river and cost from around 6 baht, depending on the length of the journey. The Chao Phraya Express Boat Company offers a day pass for 75 baht with departures every 30 minutes from Sathorn Pier. It stops at ten major piers and provides access to attractions like Wat Arun (the Temple of Dawn) the Grand Palace, Wat Po and the Royal Barge Museum. Great value, considering that it includes a guide and drinking water! The Sathorn Pier can easily be reached by traveling with the Skytrain (BTS) to Saphan Taksin station.  

Grand Palace & Wat Phra Kaeo,(Temple of the Emerald Buddha), located in the same compound in the very heart of Bangkok, are most frequently visited by foreign tourists and local people alike. Wat Phra Kaeo is renowned as the most beautiful and important Buddhist temple in Thailand. Open daily from 08.30 a.m. - 3.30 p.m. Please do not wear shorts when visiting temples and also note that shoes must be removed before entering any temple building.

The Floating Market,though the more authentic floating market has been moved to Damnoensaduak in Ratchaburi province, an excursion to the floating market in Bangkok is still worthwhile for those who love to see canal side Thai Life. Tours start in the early morning, mostly from Tha Chang Landing near the Grand Palace.

                                                      
Chatuchak Weekend Market This large open public ground on Phahonyothin Road is where people buy and sell a thousand local products including food, clothing, household products, handicrafts, pets, and pot plants. The market is a paradise for browsers and bargain-hunters alike. It operates on Saturdays and Sundays. From Wednesday to Fridays, the ground becomes a wholesale for various kinds of plants.

Platinum Fashion Mall center especially to wholesale clothing, selling a similar range of clothing to the Pratunam Market across the street, except in air-conditioned comfort. The mall has six floors which are filled with small outlets - most of them specializing in women's clothing and fashion accessories. Since this is a wholesale mall, you can get items at very reasonable prices - provided you buy larger quantities, usually three items and up.Some shops allow you to mix different types of items, for example, purses and bags, shirts and trousers.

  
MBK The multi-storey MBK is probably Bangkok's most legendary shopping mall, popular with both tourists and  locals. Eight floors packed with 2,000 shops that sell everything from clothing, fashion accessories, handbags,       leather products and luggage to furniture, mobile phones, electric appliances, cameras, stationery and DVD's (and then some).

Food

Tom Yum Goong (Spicy Shrimp Soup)

The quintessential Thai aroma! A bold, refreshing blend of fragrant lemongrass, chilli, galangal, lime leaves, shallots, lime juice and fish sauce shapes this classic soup, giving it its legendary herbal kick. Succulent fresh prawns and straw mushrooms lend it body.

Pad Thai (Thai style Fried Noodles)           

Pad Thai is one of Thailand's best known noodle dishes. It is eaten as a light meal at any time of the day or night, and is especially popular at the night markets throughout the country.

Som Tum (Spicy Green Papaya Salad)

Hailing from the Northeast state of Isaan, this outlandish dish is both great divider - some can't get enough of its bite, some can't handle it - and greatly distinctive. Garlic, chilies, green beans, cherry tomatoes and shredded raw papaya get dramatically pulverized in a pestle and mortar, so releasing a rounded sweet-sour-spicy flavour that's not easily forgotten. Regional variations throw peanuts, dry shrimp or salted crab into the mix, the latter having a gut-cleansing talent that catches many newcomers by surprise

Important Calls