- customizable trip
- Preferred hotel arrangement
- anytime departure
- private services
- More sightseeing and activities
- And despite the heavy flow of tourism, Thailand retains its quintessential Thai-ness, with a culture and history all its own and a carefree people famed for their smiles and their fun-seeking Sanuk lifestyle. Many travelers come to Thailand and extend their stay well beyond their original plans and others never find a reason to leave. Whatever your cup of tea, they know how to make it in Thailand.
In three week we travelled from Bangkok to Surat Thani, to Koh Samui, to Koh Phangan, Koh Lanta, Koh Phi Phi, Hua Hin and back to BKK and fly home. Well thai people all around are not kind at all, not willing to help, at least not for free. Not even for a simple question on the street where to go for a train station. Actually most of the were rude and unfriendly. Where does it takes to? Such attitude is unthinkable in western culture. Helping foreigners is one of instinctive actions without doubt in our culture. I am talking about complete citizen range, also receptionists, various desk staff, sellers, all local people in Thailand were more or less terrible, completely without hospitality. Is this only mine experience or did someone had such? Only in Hua Hin the people were generally nicer, but all other places NO. Then, beaches had all cloudy or dirty sea water, if there was some better, like at Koh Phi Phi that there were a tons of turists and boats, so not possible to enjoy the place. And not to mention animals tourism. Animals are tortured in most cruel way possible. Does anybody noticed how they force elephants to carry people on so called trekking? Shepherds have steel hooks which they hit into elephants head in case of disobedience and this is only one example. And finally prices. All prices are over priced, accomodation, food, clothes and accessories. If you are willing to accept genuine local offer with catastrophic level of hygiene that is cheap, but if you buy anything with a bit of higher level of hygene or more westeren standard, than you pay it same or even much higher that in west. So at the end of the day I don't see a point getting in Thailand. Not to mention inviromental ignorance which is at level zero. I am so sorry that I was so badly dissapointed, but what about other people? And yes, me and my wife will definitely not go back again.
Bangkok[a] is the capital and most populous city of Thailand. It is known in Thai as Krung Thep Maha Nakhon[b] or simply Krung Thep.[c] The city occupies 1,568.7 square kilometres (605.7 sq mi) in the Chao Phraya River delta in central Thailand, and has a population of over eight million, or 12.6 percent of the country's population. Over fourteen million people (22.2 percent) lived within the surrounding Bangkok Metropolitan Region at the 2010 census, making Bangkok the nation's primate city, significantly dwarfing Thailand's other urban centres in terms of importance.
- Oriental Hotel in Bangkok
- The Sukhothai Bangkok Hotel
- Siam Kempinski Hotel Bangkok
The Skytrain is an efficient and convenient way to navigate around the inner city, at a cost low enough to relax and enjoy the ride, though not cheap -- short distances are about one dollar or slightly less, while longer distances are the equivalent of $1.50. It is a very high tech, modern and smooth elevated train that runs through the main business districts, but doesn’t go ’everywhere’ (i.e taxis and tuk tuk rides may still be needed depending upon your itinerary). Train stations are well marked and well tended and trains run very often, with little or no wait times. Many hotels are just a short walk away from a stop so check your map to see if the Skytrain is your best option for returning to your hotel, or better yet -- book a hotel near the skytrain in order to avoid the horrible Bangkok traffic. You can take the skytrain to the river and then use the river boats to visit the Grand Palace and other major sites. It may be worth buying a ticket that you can charge up by adding more money to it and recharge when you like so as to save queueing for tickets or for change for the machines, though it may be difficult to figure out how to do this. Skytrain does not cater well for disabled people, being elevated and access generally being by steps and escalators. Elevators for disabled people are available at many stations though so it is possible to take these if you check in advance which stations have them. The service ends at midnight. Skytrain was recently extended further west, on the west side of the river for several stops. If you stay near Siam Center, an interchange between the two skytrain lines, using skytrain as transportation to many places becomes easy and very quick. source: wikipedia.
The official BTS web site provides a route map showing also MRT, ARL and BRT lines as well as Chao Phraya Express boat piers. It also includes an interactive calculator for travel times and fares, and local maps of the stations.
Bangkok’s culture is influenced by the modern day, yet still retains very proud links to its tradition and Buddhist spirituality. This culture can be found on every street corner, in the food, language, music, dance, the arts, and Buddhist temples.
"Bangkokians" are a warm and friendly people, generous with their welcoming smile, deeply proud of their "Thai-ness", and normally too polite to show offence, anger or annoyance. Only a fool though, would dare mistake their friendliness for weakness.
There are standards of behaviour that should be upheld at all times in Bangkok, and Thailand more broadly. Thais take great pride in their monarchy, especially the King. Visitors are well-advised to respect the reverence in which Bangkokians hold the Thai Royal family.
