Bangkok suggestions?

Alter, I've visited Bangkok several times and have always stayed at the Peninsula. It's accross the river (for a better view of downtown) and has free boats back and forth until 12:30am or so. This time of year the rates should be close to your budget. Your best authentic Thai food will come from the street carts. Just look for ones with lots of customers and have at it. Finally, I found the "TimeOut" city guides to be the most helpfull for dining, shopping and site seeing. Don't forget to have a "traditional" Thai massage (hint, you know it's real when there's no optional "happy ending"). Enjoy!

the Peninsula is fabulous, stayed there during a conference a few months ago. A little isolated (boat over the river connects with the BTS skytrain, about 4-5 stops to MBK area from there). The Marriot's marketing speak will probably use words like 'oasis'. Read that as 'far'. Also on the wrong side of the river, but waythehell down from anything. The Peninsula is 5 mins across, the Marriot more like 15 or 20....and again docks you at the same BTS station, so the journey is only half done. I wouldnt recommend it. If you want to have a bit more going on in the vicinity of the hotel, try the Sukhumvit area (decent Sheraton and Westin there) or else Silom. As for restaurants, try Cabbages and Condoms. I love that place, terrific Thai food, profits to some family planning charity. Very entertaining decor, still wife-n-kid safe too. Its on Sukhumvit 12 from memory. DO NOT miss the SkyBar State Tower. Best Ive been to anywhere. Suan Lam Night Bazaar is coming along nicely. It was basically empty the first time I went to BKK, looking pretty good now. Chatuchak market is still a must see, but for all the polishing that has gone on in the past few years, I find it a little sterile now. When I first went, it was acres and acres of dudes sitting on the ground under a tarpaulin selling stuff...now its drifting slowly towards 'mall' as they build walls, put in aircon in parts and so on. I guess it's progress and all, but I kinda liked it in the old days. Ive got a Bangkok Luxe Guide here on my desk, ill get my secretary to throw it on the scanner and Ill send it over to you Eric. edit - check your mac.com email, sent it there.

There are literally tons of stuff to do (probably won't fit in this box) Restaurants - pretty much everything is good. Entertainment - night stuff, depending on what you want, you can go to Thong lor/Khao Sarn Rd (bit sketchy)/Patpong (sketchy)/Soi Cowboy (super sketchy), day stuff go to Royal Palace, floating market Shopping areas - Siam square, MBK, Siam Paragon, Central World, Gaysorn Plaza (in the same area), JJ Market (fun + cheap stuff) Too much to tell!!

make sure not to miss scirocco bar when you come to bangkok

http://www.thedomebkk.com/web/corp_home03.html

ok.. this thread need an update

I would like to suggest two stores in Bangkok if anyone happened to be in town and need a good fix of
American/Ivy/Military/Vintage/Archival/Chambray/Denim/Selvedge/Japanese/Indigo/Workware/Ties/Glasses/Pin/Suit/Jacket

Both stores are friends of mine... they will help you find the item that best suit you, OR not. You will find Alden, Levi's, Thom Brown, Rugby, Sugar Cane, RRL or even used 45RPM if you know what I mean...

1) Bangklyn. At Siam Square (see the map for exact location)
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&q=13...1&z=17&iwloc=A

2)Jaojan. At Park LAne SHopping center. Near Sukumvit road (see exact map)
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&q=13...,0.008175&z=18

feel free to email me..

-puck-

We really enjoyed Salathip at the Shangri-La

to shill for your homeys?

Haha Mos-def... But be sure to check them out if you ever pass by Bangkok..

So further life to an old post...I'm heading to Singapore and Bangkok on Feb 17th and staying for a couple of weeks vacation. Any suggestions about things to see/do as well as beach suggestions would be very much appreciated.
thanks!

Was just in bkk and stopped by Jaojan AKA Chao Chan. Decent. You can also get good second hand stuff at Chatuchak weekend market, but prices seem to have gone up a fair bit there in the last 6-7 years. For the life of me couldn't find Bangklyn in Siam Square, but hey Siam Square is a clusterfunk...in a good way. Did find a place in Siam Sq with a cool aesthetic called Hana Station. Had a few of Japanese knockoffs like Beams, and some in house stuff that evoked a Free & Easy aesthetic.

second hand 45rpm? ewww!

If a thai restaurant looks really nice and has upscale fancy drinks and menues, you will be paying too much. The street carts are by far the most authentic. For something simple, just order "som-tom" which is spicy papaya salad. I also like "cow-mon-gai" which is chicken with rice, however not all of the street carts serve this because it is boiled chicken, which is less common than roasted or fried. also, personally the food is a bit spicy for me, the term "pehd-nit-noi" means only a little spicy. you can order it this way. if you want to see classic bangkok nightlife check out nana-plaza, soi cowboy, patpong. there will be tons of prostitues but they are friendly for the most part. Also if you are there on a weekend do not miss the JJ weekend market (chatachuk market) which is the largest street market in thailand. can find everything from pottery to live cobra snakes. remember to only pay about half of the first price they offer. lumpinee stadium to watch some thai boxing and place bets with the locals is always fun too.

i didnt like bangkok at all, but the mandarin oriental was a great hotel.

Lumpinee has these $2000 baht ringside seats which is where all the foreigners sit. Just get the nosebleeds, its maybe 30 feet further back and a lot cheaper.