Its not only the first time tourist to Bangkok that may find it a little daunting when trying to figure out the most efficient and economic way of getting from the airport into downtown Bangkok. In this series, we will examine the different options that are available for getting from the airport to downtown, and we will set out the benefits and pitfalls of each option. Today’s blog will look at the light rail option, the Suwarnabhumi Airport Rail Link.
Gateway to Bangkok – Don Muang or Suwarnabhumi airport?
When arriving in Bangkok by air, there are two different airports that service the city. The original is Don Muang (IATA code DMK), which is on the northern border of Bangkok. This is the airport that American GIs during the Vietnam War in the 1960s would have used when going on R&R in Bangkok. It has undergone quite a bit of refurbishment and upgrades since then, but the international terminal has a very dated feel, and it is currently being used by budget airlines such as Air Asia, Scoop/Nok Air and Lion Air.
Unless you want to experience some 60s nostalgia, we recommend you avoid landing at Don Muang if you can. A lot of the charter flights from Russia/Ukraine and China land here, and as a result, the arrivals immigration area can sometimes be really jam packed. Recently, immigration processing often took between two and four hours (i.e. just waiting in line) due to huge numbers of simultaneous arrivals. The worst times tend to be around 9pm to 2am, when immigration manning decreases, but flight arrivals increase. Note, in recent press releases, immigration have vowed to decrease wait times, but… well, you have been warned. The other issue with Don Muang is it tends to be more expensive to get into Bangkok with fewer options.
The other, newer airport, which opened in late 2006 is Suwarnabhumi (IATA code BKK), located in Samut Prakan province, just east of the Bangkok border. This airport is conveniently situated right along the Bangkok to Chonburi/Rayong motorway (one of the best motorways for getting into Bangkok). This airport has much better facilities compared to Don Muang and is serviced by most major (non-budget) airlines. Immigration times are significantly shorter than Don Muang and the queuing system is better organised (so less chance of queue jumpers, and it is clearer as to which line you should be standing in). Suwarnabhumi also has a a rail link into the city as well as more bus and shuttle services.
Option 1 – Airport Rail Link
Our favourite option for getting quickly to downtown Bangkok is to take the Suwarnabhumi Airport Rail Link (abbreviated to SARL or sometimes SRTET). This option is currently only available from Suwarnabhumi airport (although a rail link is currently under construction for Don Muang, which should be completed sometime in 2018). This link heads due West from the airport, into the centre of Bangkok, following parallel with roads such as Rama IX, Petchaburi, Sukhumvit / Ploenchit and Phattanakarn Rd, heading all the way to Phayathai Road in central Bangkok.
The Suwarnabhumi to Phayathai route consists of eight stations in total. The final station of the SARL is Phayathai, which puts you very close to Victory Monument in Bangkok. Victory Monument is a good spot for getting transport to China Town/Khao Sarn Road (for all you backpackers). Phayathai Station also interfaces with Bangkok’s original skytrain system, the BTS (Bangkok Transit System), which will get you to the newer parts of Bangkok such as Ploenchit Rd, Sukhumvit Rd and Silom Rd. If you need to transfer onto Bangkok’s subway, the MRT (Mass Rail Transport), then get off two stations earlier at Makkasan Station instead of Phayathai. The MRT is useful if you wanted to get to either northern Bangkok (e.g. the weekend market, Asoke Road, or to the main Bangkok train station (Hualamphong) on the edge of China Town.
The cost to take the SARL is baht 45 for the full length, and is less for shorter journeys. There is sometimes reference to an express train service, but this was suspended a few years ago (if it ever does return, the price is likely to be a flat rate of baht 150).
To catch the rail link, from the main arrivals hall, look for the escalator (or elevators) heading down. Get off at the basement level. Tickets can be purchased either at the official kiosks (attached to the gates) or else via the ticket machines. The bank just before the rail terminal in the basement is one of the better options for changing money within the airport. The banks and exchange counters on the arrivals level tend to give worse exchange rates.
Benefits of the SARL
This is probably the fastest option for getting into the centre of Bangkok from the airport. It is also the cheapest option. The trains include luggage racks where you can stow your suitcases, so they are passenger friendly, and given you are getting on at the first station, you should be able to get a seat rather than have to stand.
Downside of the SARL
Travel by public transport when you have lots of baggage is probably not for everyone. Even though the SARL has baggage stowage options, once you transfer to some other form of public transport (e.g. BTS or MRT) those options do not have baggage stowage compartments, and can get very cramped on weekdays (and I wouldn’t even contemplate it at rush hour).
Another downside is if you are staying in locations not easily accessible to any of the mass transit options, for example in China Town, Dusit, on Khao Sarn Road or Soi Rambutri. In those situations, there will be alternative cheap transport options to get you significantly closer to your hotel. Also, if you are planning on walking down busy side streets with suitcases, keep in mind that Bangkok sidewalks are not great, and on side streets often non-existent. This means you will be walking along the road with motorbikes, cars, trucks, tuk tuks, angry dogs etc. One tip to overcome this is to spend the initial baht 45 to get you as close to your destination as possible, and then from there grab a taxi for the final leg. You generally need to grab a cab travelling along the main road rather than one that is parked up at the base of an SARL station as the latter often don’t want to use their meter.
The final downside is there is no rail option from Don Muang (yet), so if you are arriving at this airport, you will need to look for other options. We will cover some of these in the next part of this series.
The big mystery that many a Thailand tourist or expat has struggled with is why are Westerners so captivated with Thailand? What is it that makes tourists keep coming back, notwithstanding all of the scams, political unrest and corruption? Why do Westerns suddenly pull up stumps and move to Thailand, often working in a dead end job for less pay than they earned in the West. Why do retirees give up the comforts of (usually free) Western medical care for a more challenging life in a developing country?
Many authors and bloggers have offered their own opinions on the matter. For instance:
I’ve been to Thailand more times than I can count. I’ve lived in Bangkok twice, and if I stay away for more than a year, I feel as if a piece of me is missing… People often ask me why I return to places I’ve already visited instead of exploring somewhere new. Well, that’s an easy answer: it’s because I feel attached to them. I feel at home when I’m visiting them. And Thailand is probably the one place outside of the US where I feel most at home.” (Nomadic Matt, “11 Reasons Why I Love Thailand”; http://www.nomadicmatt.com/travel-blogs/11-reasons-why-i-love-thailand/).
“I was sick of living what I felt was a routine, soul-crushing, pencil-pushing, life-sucking existence. I realized that I needed a challenge that would let me feel….. anything different!” (Maya Datani, “What to Expect When You Move to Bangkok”; http://www.ajarn.com/blogs/maya-dattani/what-to-expect-when-you-move-to-thailand/).
“When I’m behind Thai people who are moseying down the sidewalk while munching on a skewer of pineapple, I slow my roll too. I no longer glorify a frantic, fast-paced lifestyle, nor do I believe that being stressed is the only path to success.” (Casey O’Connell, “11 American Habits I Lost When I Moved to Thailand”; http://matadornetwork.com/notebook/11-american-habits-lost-moved-thailand/).
“It’s cheap, its beautiful, its filled with employment opportunity, its got a wild nightlife, and its got food, lots of it” (paraphrased from Kevin Cook, “5 Reasons Why I Left America to Live in Thailand”; http://monkeyabroad.com/5-reasons-to-live-in-thailand/).
Nomadic Matt provides a very representative list of reasons for why Thailand is so popular with tourists. In his blog, he highlights the delicious food, the warm weather, the friendly (and beautiful) locals, the great travel experience, the international environment, the convenience (of purchasing anything at any time of day), Bangkok (a reason it itself – the city that never sleeps), and the price. I would agree with most of Matt’s list, and I certainly get the impression from other travellers that these are largely their reasons for visiting Thailand as well. In addition, I think another reason, not often mentioned, is the exoticness of Thailand, mixed with an element of danger, but there is always the ability to retreat back into familiar Western territory (ie back into the expat areas of Bangkok).
For expats, I can certainly understand the allure of Thailand. It presents that break from the Western debt-trap that most of us succumb to. The 9 to 5 routine and the 25 year mortgage that many of us are stuck with. Moving to and working in Bangkok creates an exciting break from this routine and freedom from the shackles of debt. Thailand provides a complete lifestyle change, where you can travel to work by boat if you want to (as Jim Thomson once proclaimed in an interview) or work out in the forest, surrounded by tigers and elephants. However, that sense of adventure also comes with the knowledge that there is security nearby and an ability to retreat back to Western comforts when homesickness sets in. In that sense, Thailand does offer both ends of the spectrum. It has Western style conveniences and old world Asian charm. Bangkok alone offers that dychotomy with some of the world’s larger shopping centres, glass sky-scrapers and modern light rail systems, coupled with golden temples, wooden boats plying concrete lined canals and the occasional lost elephant meandering through the traffic.
Even for retirees, I can see the attraction. A western pension goes a long way in Thailand, where the average income is far lower than the West and the cost of living commensurate with that difference. Add in the high quality healthcare (but only at particular hospitals), warm weather, and the ability to choose either fast paced excitement or slow tranquility, and it becomes a no-brainer to me as to where I plan to spend a good chunk of my retirement years.
All of the above are certainly compelling reasons for visiting or moving to Thailand, but there are plenty of other countries that offer similar benefits. I don’t believe the above factors truly explain why, as examples:
Thailand is currently one of the most popular tourism destinations (Bangkok is currently the second most visited city in the world);
in the last ten years Thailand has received a surge of expatriates seeking employment, particularly in Bangkok, but also in all other corners of the Kingdom; and
Thailand has become a major retirement destination for Westerners, especially with Scandinavians and Britons, where it has become one of the largest foreign retirement destinations for those nationalities.
Wooden bridge on Ko Samet
My own view is that there is a more subconscious lure that Thailand provides, that Westerners are not necessarily conscious of. It isn’t just that visiting or living in Thailand is exciting, but that you feel good while there. I believe this positive experience arises because of the nature of Thai people and Thai culture. It is after all, the people of a country that shapes the experience that others will have in it. In Thailand, everyday life is built around the concept of “Sanuk”. Sanuk loosely translates as “to have fun”, but its true meaning goes beyond any concepts available in the Western world. Whilst Westerners see “fun” as a shallow experience, Thais use sanuk as a yardstick for measuring their everyday experiences and how well their lives are going. They seek out sanuk experiences in all of their daily encounters. Whether it is at home, whilst shopping, going to school or going to work, each experience should be sanuk, and if it isn’t, then it should be avoided.
This sanuk attitude to life creates a playfulness in the average Thai person that is hard to find in Westerners. In Western eyes, it perhaps makes Thais seem more immature or childish, but to Thais they would rather enjoy life rather than take everything too seriously and become stressed out. In fact, Thais commonly criticise Westerners for always looking so serious or “thinking too much” (yes, thinking too much is a criticism in the Thai language, not a compliment). This sanuk culture is, in my opinion, a critical reason for why Thailand is so addictive. Yes, it does have a lot of other benefits that are attractive, but its the sanuk-ness that make is the icing on the cake that makes Thailand addictive.
However, be careful with the addictiveness of Thailand. Although there are many positives to visiting and living in the country, there are some major downsides too, and often they are not so obvious to newcomers. The Thailand-based author, Christopher G. Moore perhaps defined the concept the best in his book “The Big Weird”, where he refers to it as “The Sickness”. Although Moore’s concept was described with the single Western male traveller’s exploits in mind, the sickness is a reference to how Thailand becomes so addictive to the Western traveller that he (or she) cannot control their need to keep travelling to or remain living in Thailand, no matter what the toll it takes on their Western careers (and relationships). With more experience in Thailand, the sickness gradually fades until sometimes the opposite extreme arises, where the Western expat begins to actually loathe Thailand. Unfortunately, some have burned so many bridges that return to their homeland is no longer an easy option.
Accordingly, be careful with the addiction that is Thailand. Yes, it has become an extremely popular destination for Westerners for a large variety of reasons (travel, work, retirement), such as weather, low cost of living, less stress, escape from the Western debt trap, and great food. In addition to these, I believe what makes the country truly addictive is the Thai sense of sanuk and the overall playful nature of the Thais. However be aware that the honeymoon phase (or the sickness as Mr Moore refers to it) does not last forever, so for those contemplating living in Thailand long term, make sure you always have an exit strategy.
The following is a piece I originally wrote for Stickmanbangkok.com a few years ago, although I have updated it slightly to reflect my current situation. It provides an interesting account of Bangkok in the 1980s and highlights the underbelly of life in Bangkok.
I first moved to Thailand at the age of 9, way back in the early 1980s. Bangkok was a very different place then. There were very few foreigners and very few of the Western conveniences of today that make life very easy for those seeking a Western existence in an Asian paradise.
Notwithstanding the scarcity of Western convenience, life in Bangkok was very good. Western food and supermarkets did exist, as did some great shopping centres. However, travel was required and the traffic and pollution in the 1980s was really something to experience. Given foreigners were few and far between, Thais had little experience with us and gave us a lot more respect compared with today.
The other nice thing with there only being a few foreigners, was that the ex-pat community was quite small and intimate. People built a strong circle of friends and most people knew each other. As a result, every time we took a trip to one of the main ex-pat hang-outs such as the British Club, Silver Bell (the only NTSC video rental place), Villa Supermarket (the original at Suk soi 33), the US Embassy Commissary, or Central Chitlom, we always bumped into people we knew.
For some, life in Bangkok in the early 1980s meant a very sheltered existence. I knew people who lived in gated compounds where 100% of the residents were ex-pats. For example, the US Embassy had a couple of compounds just for the family of their employees. For the friends I knew that lived in those areas, they lived an entirely Western existence. They only interacted with other Western kids, ate primarily Western food, only spoke English, and of course, attended ISB, which in those days was almost exclusively foreign (only students with foreign passports could attend; although some exceptions were made for members of the Thai elite).
Rather than being sheltered, I actually lived in two different worlds. On the one hand, when attending school, or attending at ex-pat enclaves, I lived a very Western life. On the other hand, my house was in Phrakhanong, whereas most Westerners lived along Ekamai and almost nobody lived beyond the Rama IV/Sukhumvit intersection. My after school friends were therefore the Thai kids that lived around my house and I spent a lot of time getting to know them and Thai culture.
Both worlds were great fun. Notwithstanding the traffic, Bangkok felt like it afforded more freedom back then than it does today. I felt a lot more invincible, was happy to do as I pleased and go where I wanted to. Part of this feeling is tied to the lack of certain laws or at least lack of enforcement (at least against foreigners). However, I also believe another big part was the fact that my innocence was still intact at the time.
My innocence, or lack of understanding of how the system really works in Thailand, allowed me to feel a false sense of freedom and safety. Interestingly, I exercised those freedoms at the time and never had an issue. For example, by the time I was 11, I often traveled either alone or with friends my age all over Bangkok on public transport. I never had any issues. One time, we created a rocket launcher and fired rockets from a friend’s balcony trying to get the rockets to fly into the open window of an apartment in a nearby building. No one ever came up to stop us (the security guards thought it was funny). Another time, a friend and I went roof-jumping. We managed to walk across several of our neighbour’s roof-tops. Some neighbours came out to see what was going on, but just smiled and laughed when they saw us up there. For most things we did, people just turned a blind eye or laughed. Only occasionally did I get told off, but that was the extent of the punishment (including the time a friend and I knocked on all the doors of the rooms on one floor of Hyatt Central Plaza hotel).
By the time I was 13, my friends and I were old Bangkok hands. We felt like we had complete run of the city. We easily navigated around the city area on public transport and often ended up playing around Patpong. Although I never felt like I was ever at risk, Patpong was certainly a little shady and the touts would sometimes hassle us, trying to get us into a club to see a ping pong show. At 13, we also discovered that we could purchase alcohol from convenience stores without any issues. We could also go to night clubs (e.g. the Palace or NASA) but that didn’t hold our interest (we actually spent more time buying pirated games at computer stores – buy 10 floppy disks and for nothing extra, get them filled up with software and games).
Even into my early twenties, when I no longer lived full time in Thailand, I still had my innocence intact and thought Thailand was a wonderful free place and a great playground for young and old alike. As a result, my dream had always been to return to Thailand one day and live there permanently.
Slowly, over time, my innocence was gradually erased, kind of like layers peeled off of an onion. As each layer was removed, Thailand became slightly less attractive.
The first eye-opener for me was the military crackdown on protesters in 1992. This of course wasn’t a first for Thailand, but amazingly, the 1973/75 clashes were never brought up during my education at ISB and when I did first learn about it, the incident was played down. During the 1980s, everyone seemed to pretend that all was sweet. A military government was in power and other than one or two attempted coups that only had minor loss of life (e.g. a reporter getting in the way), there weren’t any dramas and things seemed stable. However, the 1992 incident left a sour taste in my mouth.
Fast forward to the rapid expansion of Bangkok in the mid 1990s, with double digit economic growth and corruption so blatant and “in-your-face”. The politicians did so little to try to disguise the corruption, and that too left a sour taste in my mouth… or maybe that was the som-tam. In any event, when the 1997 currency crisis hit, I actually just thought “som-nam-na” (serves you right). Of course (and I didn’t know this then), many of the ones who deserved to be punished were not as affected as everyone else.
When the skytrain was finished in late 1999, I was actually quite happy again and I mistakenly thought Thailand had turned around and was now heading towards a true “developed country” status. The massive development of infrastructure, shopping centres, and all the other things that make life more Westernised were all great. For me, Thailand as a regular holiday destination was great. However, with each visit, I came to recognize the dangers that existed, that lay hidden beneath the surface.
Having grown up and spent a considerable part of my life in Thailand, I learned many things about the Thai system and realized just how exposed we all are. By this time, I had built a nice collection of senior Thai contacts that were useful in the event I ever had a problem. However, the problem with this Thai system is that no matter who my contacts are, there will always be the risk that I will piss off someone who is more senior than my most senior contact or who has contacts that are more senior.
A friend of mine, who is a Westerner with Thai citizenship, presents a classic example. His parents have lived in Thailand long term. They have held very senior positions in companies in Thailand and are good friends with many of the elite. They purchased a beautiful piece of land near the ocean. One day, the owner of an adjoining block, a military general, decides he would like to own their land. Even a personal photo of my friend’s father meeting with the most important person in the country was not sufficient to dissuade the general and of course the general’s offering price for purchase was well below market value.
So how has my loss off innocence affected me? I still spend a lot of time each year living in Thailand. I still enjoy all the great things that Thailand has to offer, such as getting spoiled at beach resorts, wandering aimlessly in huge air-conditioned malls, and eating from any one of a plethora of great restaurants. However, I am always cautious never to try to stand out from the crowd, don’t try to piss off the wrong people, and try not to end up on the wrong side of the law. I’ve actually never had a really bad experience myself, but just knowing that it can happen is enough to leave that sour taste in my mouth. I would never make Thailand my exclusive home, with no ability to quickly retreat to another country and I would never keep any serious cash in a Thai bank nor would I invest in property using anything more than hobby cash (i.e. money that I don’t intend to use for investment purposes). In fact, I am presently building in Thailand, but I don’t view this as an investment in any way and if the worst happens, then so be it, I can always abandon the project if need be.
I guess things wouldn’t be so bad if I had retained my innocence. I suspect that the chances are that nothing really bad would ever happen to me in Thailand, or at least I doubt the risk is any worse than what could happen to me in the West. However, it is the understanding of how things actually work and that if it goes wrong, it can really go wrong without any safety net, that lingers in my mind. I no longer feel the sense of freedom I used to and would love to have my innocence returned. Knowledge can be a curse sometimes.
View of Erawan Shrine with Grand Hyatt Erawan in the background
August 17, 2015 is a day I won’t forget easily. I spent the day on the ground in Central Bangkok, collecting photos and information for my up-coming Bangkok travel guide. At about 6:10pm, I tried texting my friend in order to organise a meeting place for dinner. However, for some reason, the internet was not working, notwithstanding that I had a full signal and 4G connection. By 6:45pm, in frustration at not being able to get the internet to work and feeling hungry, I boarded a skytrain away from the Erawan Shrine area.
At 6:55pm, ten minutes later, a pipe bomb exploded on a bench in front of the Erawan Shrine, killing 20 people and maiming and injuring 125 more. It also damaged vehicles and destroyed several motorcycles. No one has claimed responsibility for the bombing, although the key suspect seems to be a Turkish based terrorism organisation known as the Grey Wolves. One Turkish national was arrested after his land-lady tipped off police, although he is not believed to be the person who actually deposited the bomb at the shrine. The remaining terrorists involved in the bombing are still at large and have most likely fled the country.
The 17 August bombing is not the first tragedy to befall the area surrounding the Erawan Shrine and the Rajphrasong intersection. In fact, this particular part of Bangkok has experienced quite a lot of misfortune over the years. It all seems to start with the construction of the Erawan Hotel in the early 1950s. The intention was that this hotel, in what was then very much the outskirts of Bangkok, would rival the other luxury hotels of Asia, such as the Bangkok Oriental, Hong Kong Peninsula and Singapore Raffles. Unfortunately, the project was plagued with problems: construction costs blew out well beyond the original budget; numerous accidents took place on site, with many construction workers getting injured or dying; and the order of marble from Italy for the hotel (which cost a considerable amount) ended up sinking to the bottom of the ocean.
The owners of the project took spiritual advise that stated that the site was plagued by bad karma and it would be necessary to appease the unhappy spirits by constructing a significant shrine and making offerings. The Thai government agreed to assist and the shrine (known in Thai as San Thao Maha Phrom) was designed and constructed under the supervision of the Department of Fine Arts. The statue chosen was that of Brahma, which interestingly is the Hindu god of creation and has nothing to do with Buddhism.
The original Erawan Hotel – courtesy of 2Bangkok.com
In any event, after the shrine was commissioned and blessed in 1956, the problems befalling the area seemed to stop, at least for a time. In addition, the shrine quickly became a significant icon to Thais, who made offerings to it regularly, including commissioning Thai dancers to put on a performance. A lot of Thais, both pedestrians and motorists alike, also put their hands together in a wai (prayer like gesture) as they pass the shrine.
In 1987, the original Erawan hotel was demolished and replaced with a more modern building and shopping centre on the same site, known as the Grand Hyatt Erawan. The new construction retained the original shrine, unaltered, other than adding some additional side features such as a shaded area (sala) for the dancers and for sale of merit items such as incense.
Erawan Shrine (note this is the replacement statue)
In March 2006, the shrine was vandalized by a mentally ill Thai man, who smashed the statue of Brahma with a statue. He was subsequently killed by a mob of angry Thais. The original statue had to be replaced with a new one.
The return of misfortune to the area started on 31 December 2006 at 6:00pm (and into the early hours of 1 January 2007 – at Central World). Various bombs went off around Bangkok during this period, including several just around the Erawan Shrine, including one diagonally across the road at Central World shopping centre, and one at the nearby boat pier. These bombing seemed to be internally politically motivated, although the initials for an Afghanistan based terrorist cell (IRK) were found inscribed at several of the bomb sites. The death toll was 3, with 38 others injured. The death toll could easily have been higher, but after the initial bombs went off at 6pm, the New Years Eve countdown at Central World (which attracts thousands if not tens of thousands) was cancelled.
Red Shirt Occupation of Rajphrasong – 2010
Further misfortune hit the area in April and May of 2010 when tens of thousands of “red shirt” pro-democracy demonstrators converged at the Rajphrasong intersection and effectively closed off that part of central Bangkok for a month. By May, the army moved in with soldiers, snipers and armoured personnel carriers, causing armed skirmishes and damage to buildings around the intersection including the Siam Cinema and Central World shopping centre. Interestingly, the Erawan Shrine itself was untouched. Over 100 people died in the area as a result of the incident.
The area then had various minor incidents, including being occupied by further protesters (this time yellow shirts – who oppose any red shirt based government and instead seek a “quasi-democracy” controlled by an unelected council) in late 2013 and early 2014. There were various scuffles in the area at the time, such as when yellow shirts sought to restrict people from voting at what they considered to be illegitimate elections, but no real casualties.
There have also been various foiled terrorism attempts that sought to target the area, including the Israeli embassy and Israeli nationals (which used to be located on Lang Suan Road, just a block away from the shrine) including the attempted bombing in 2012 and again in 2014. These were all linked back to Hezbolla. As a little footnote, there were also two terrorism incidents in the 1970s that occurred on this particular block; the first being the 1972 Black September invasion and hostage crisis at the Israeli Embassy and the second being an attempted bombing at the US embassy (but the truck carrying the bomb got stuck in traffic and when a police officer interrogated the driver, the terrorists abandoned the truck (at the Rajprasong intersection) and fled on foot.
The above information is great food for conspiracy theorists, and tells quite a good tale. The more I look into the details, the more interesting things become. For example, the man who vandalized the shrine in 2006 evidently had Arabic tattoos and there was a lot of speculation at the time that he had been instructed to commit the vandalism, for one of a variety of reasons including to assist then Prime Minister Thaksin, for reasons of black magic, and for reasons of terrorism.
Although I have added an air of mystery and conspiracy to this particular post, my personal views are that it is pure coincidence that all of the above events have taken place around the Erawan Shrine. The Shrine just happens to be located at one of the busiest intersections in Bangkok. In addition, it is a popular place for both locals and tourists. Tourists can see Thai dancing for free, Hindus and Buddhists can make merit (Chinese tourists in particular target the Erawan Shrine for this purpose). Because the area is a significant intersection with major hotels and Thailand’s largest shopping centre across the road; plus it is near the US, UK and former location of the Israeli embassy; and one of the most popular spots to celebrate New Years Eve, it becomes a natural choice for terrorist attack. It is however unfortunate that cowards choose to make their political points via needless death to innocent civilians.
Notwithstanding my own close call (and this wasn’t my only close brush with being a victim to acts of terrorism) I continue to refuse to allow it to “terrorize” my behaviour and my travels.
Recognition for all the hard work on the first of our travel guides is finally starting to emerge.
The expat forum site Koh Samui Sunset recently cited our guide as the number one regional guide for Pattaya. The link to their guide book review is here (opens in new window): http://www.kohsamuisunset.com/thailand-travel-guide/
Hopefully, this can now trickle into a few more sites and get a bit more attention.
For those interested in Thailand based guides, we have been busy this year and we have a few things about to be released. We typically aim to publish in about October or November, in preparation for peak tourist season in December.
Our coming line-up for this October is as follows:
1. The October 2015 revision to Pattaya: The Comprehensive Guide. This isn’t just an update on information, but a big format change, with new types of information, some really fun challenges for readers to do while in Pattaya and completely revised maps.
2. Bangkok: The Comprehensive Guide. As with the Pattaya guide, we are aiming to bring out the best travel guide for Bangkok that has ever been written. The guide will contain details that have never been mentioned in any other guide. Bangkok will never be the same again.
3. Dating Thai Girls Online: The Comprehensive Guide (Including tips and tricks to ThaiFriendly.com). The title says it all. However, we don’t just explain how to find compatible partners, but discuss the cultural aspects of dating in Thailand, warning signs in relationships, and how to make a relationship work. We also expose various erroneous myths about Thailand and its women and discuss the negative implications of how some people abuse dating sites.
Ever since I set foot in Bangkok back in the 1980s, dealing with Thai banks has always been a source of frustration. Thai banks do subscribe to the various international conventions generated by the BIS, ICC and IMF, and even Thai banking laws very much mirror those of Western countries. However, Thai banks do still seem to do things a bit differently at times, and this tends to be the source of frustration. However, if you feel frustrated with banks in Thailand today, I can confirm it was significantly worse 30 years ago, when it could take a month for an international transfer to arrive, and where you had to go to your banks head office for all matters other than simple transactions (and where you could be waiting around in lines all day or worse).
My article today is intended to help those who have recently arrived in Bangkok, either for work, study, retirement or an extended stay, and who haven’t figured out the local banking system yet. For those that have been here a while already, there may be some little tricks I have picked up that you weren’t aware of.
1. Opening a Thai Bank Account
I won’t recommend any particular bank because I have not tried all of them, and in fact, for most of my 30 years in Thailand I have been loyal to a single bank and only tried out one other bank (and decided to stick with my original bank). There are differences between Thai banks, and I tend to have a preference for sticking with those that seem most likely to survive a financial, economic or political crisis. Bangkok Bank, Siam Commercial Bank and Kasikorn (aka Thai Farmers) Bank should all be reasonably safe bets.
When you decide to open an account, please note that your choice of account depends very much on what type of visa you are on. If you are only on short term visas, then you can only open a savings account (without on-line banking access), with a debit card for standard ATM transactions, plus a passbook for over-the-counter transactions. If you can provide evidence of a longer term stay, such as a one year visa, work permit, registration on house papers, retirement visa, marriage visa or similar, then you have more options, including on-line banking access, cheque accounts, local credit cards and access to electronic on-line international funds transfer facilities.
Therefore, bring as much supporting documentation as you can. Thai banks are very procedural and procedures tend to be followed quite strictly, irrespective of whether the procedure has become out-dated. For example, when I updated some details on my savings account, the bank officer asked to see my passport. I gave her my current passport, but this wasn’t sufficient. She needed to see the passport that I had used back in 2001 when I originally opened that particular account, because that was the passport number they had on file. She even wanted me to go home and retrieve that passport. It was only after the bank manager became involved that they agreed to dispense with that requirement.
When opening an account, these are the documents you will most likely require:
A current passport, showing your entry permit (and visa if applicable).
If you require more than a standard savings account (without online access), you will also need to supply further evidence of your entitlement to long-term stay in Thailand.
For those on work visas, you need to bring the work permit.
For those on retirement visas, you need proof that you meet the income threshold, such as a letter from your embassy confirming your pension (this will be the same documentation you require for immigration to obtain your visa/extension in the first place).
For those on student visas, you need proof of enrolment. Note that student visas are becoming more short term now (e.g. only 3 month or 6 month stays before the visa holder needs to exit the country and renew their visa) and it is unclear how banks will react to that.
Also for those on long stay visas, bring a document that shows proof of address and residency in Thailand such as a utilities bill with your name and Bangkok address on it, or a Tabien Baan (or house book; the yellow book obtained from your local municipal office) that shows you are registered as living at that address.
In the old days, it was prudent for a foreigner to go to the head branch of the applicable bank to open up their account. Those days are long over, and instead go to the bank closest to your place of residence. If you live outside of Bangkok, then open up an account in your province. This is important because ATM withdrawals made in provinces outside of your branch incur an ATM fee.
When opening an account, if you meet all the requirements, but still have problems, my suggestion is try a different branch. Sometimes you just get unlucky and end up with someone who doesn’t really understand the rules, or doesn’t like you and therefore makes up additional hoops for you to jump through. You can also ask to talk to their manager, but making a scene is rarely going to resolve the issue (trust me, my dad used to yell at the bank staff, and it took his international money transfers up to 30 days to arrive in his Thai account).
2. Bank Fees
Before you open up an account, make sure you get a good handle on the bank fees that apply to your particular account. For example, with a standard savings account, you get a standard debit card for ATM withdrawals. However, if you choose to upgrade to the smart card, this will cost you extra, either (or both) via an up-front card fee (e.g. 300 baht) and/or an increase in your annual service fee. Also take note that you do incur bank fees on the account (which I understand also includes a government charge; mine seems to be an annual fee of 200 baht), but I have found these to be quite minimal and the interest (even though rates are low) means that the money does appreciate each year.
Note also the terms relating to fees for different types of transactions. Transferring money from your account to another account within the same bank is usually fee free. However, transferring to a competing bank usually incurs a fee (around 25 baht per transaction). Withdrawing in person at a branch can also incur a fee (around 10 baht per transaction). As I mentioned earlier, withdrawing from an ATM in a different province to your branch can also incur a fee (even though it is the same bank), this seems to be around 15 to 20 baht these days.
Because of bank fees in Thailand, most employers request that their employees open up an account with the same bank as the employer for payment of salary. This is because the employer does not want to waste money on transfer fees. This is one of those things you just need to learn to live with.
I discuss foreign transaction fees in the next section.
3. Foreign Transactions
There are some real tricks to following the right steps with foreign currency transactions to get you the best overall rate/low fee combination when you transfer funds into or out of Thailand. Most tourists use their credit card in Thai ATMs and are then charged a 180 baht transaction fee (150 baht on AEON ATMs), plus the exchange is done at the foreign bank/credit company exchange rate, and the credit card’s international transaction fee (e.g. 3.5% of the transaction amount). A trick for this type of transaction is instead of using an ATM, try going into a bank branch and making the withdrawal there. You may be able to escape the 180 baht fee and instead only be charged the branch fee (often 10 baht).
For those with Thai bank accounts, when you transfer money from overseas, the fees can be different depending on currency and location of the foreign bank. In most cases, the fees are around 0.25% of the transfer amount, with a minimum fee of 200 baht and maximum fee of 500 baht. In addition, the sending bank will also charge its international transaction fee (which I have generally found to be more than the fees charged by Thai banks).
Unlike credit card transactions, the exchange rates used by foreign banks on foreign currency transfers between banks are usually pretty poor. Therefore it is usually in your best interest to request that your foreign bank transfers the money unconverted (e.g. if sending from the US, send as US dollars. Don’t let your US bank convert it to Thai baht because they will give you a poor exchange rate). Let the Thai bank do the conversion. They give fairly good rates and do not charge any commission or fee other than the foreign transfer fee mentioned above (200 to 500 baht).
If you really want to save on bank fees, then walk the money over yourself on your next plane trip (just keep in mind the obligations regarding declaring large amounts of cash… failure to declare could result in you forfeiting that cash). For absolute best results, take that cash to one of the better money lenders such as Super Rich (across Ratchadamri road from Central World), then deposit the Thai baht at your nearest bank branch, without incurring any bank fees whatsoever. This is not always convenient, and not really practical for large sums. However, it is really the small transactions where the transaction fees have a big sting.
4. Investment Funds
For those that are looking to invest in Thailand, the banks offer a specific foreign investment fund account that complies with Thai investment laws (e.g. for purchase of property; where evidence of transfer of funds from overseas is required). You do not need to have any sort of long stay visa to open such an account. However, you also do not have ATM nor internet banking access to the account. You must physically go into a branch to withdraw money. If the investment is for a one-off, then that seems to be the way to go (although be very cautious about granting anyone power of attorney to withdraw the money on your behalf… even lawyers have been known to disappear with the money).
5. Changing Details on Your Account
To keep things simple and smooth, go to the branch where you opened your account. They will have hard copies of the paperwork. Notwithstanding the digital age, Thai banks do still seem to prefer hard copies. I had nothing but headaches when I went to a different branch and tried to change my residential address.
6. Keep Your ATM Card and Passbook Safe
Although Thai banking laws do require banks to compensate victims for money stolen from their accounts, Thai banks will put up a big fight before they compensate you. Unless you have really strong evidence that you did not in any way contribute to the theft (including that you gave the bank prompt notice to cancel cards etc. and you had taken all proper precautions with respect to passwords, locking up your documents etc.) you are unlikely to be successful in recovering money if an unauthorised person manages to gain access to your account.
If you think your account has been compromised, I recommend you not only cancel your ATM cards etc, but actually close down that particular account and open a new one. I recall a story I read in the Bangkok Post or the Nation newspaper about a person who had a card stolen, cancelled it, and when she received her new card, it kept the original card number so that the thief was still able to withdraw funds from her account.
Therefore, I strongly recommend that you keep only enough money in Thailand for regular spending and to meet any long stay requirements, but keep your investment money elsewhere (the interest rates aren’t that great in Thailand anyway). If the worst happened, you have better protection and government guarantees in most Western countries.
Whatever happened to the good old days of movie cinemas, where you would enter a grand entrance with fluted columns, large winding staircases and gabled ceilings. Attendants wore uniforms complete with hats and gloves, and there was only one large screen, not eight, sixteen or twenty-four small screens. The large cinema would often even have balcony seating.
Notwithstanding numerous proposals to knock it down, Bangkok has so far managed to retain one of its icons of classic cinema, namely the Scala Cinema. This beautiful icon to the movie world is a pioneer of the Vietnam conflict era and was a popular location for American service personnel and their families who were stationed in Bangkok during the conflict.
Scala today is largely hidden due to all the larger, more modern buildings popping up all around it. Most tourists walk by without ever realising it is there.
It opened in 1967 in Siam Square (on land owned by Chulalongkorn University), and has remained timelessly unchanged since its original opening, whilst everything around it has transformed significantly. The Scala is owned by the Apex cinema group in Thailand, who built two other cinemas nearby (all of which opened in the 1960s). The others were the Siam (the largest at the time) and the Lido. The Siam perished by fire during the 2010 Red Shirt riots. The Lido suffered a fire in the 1990s and lost its original ambiance, being redeveloped into a small multiplex. Just recently, the Lido closed its doors for good due to plans to turn the site into a shopping mall.
Other old-world cinemas around Bangkok have almost all succumbed to similar fates as the Siam and Lido. For instance, the President (part of the Hollywood shopping street complex) was torn down and turned into apartments. The Hollywood was torn down and the site is currently under development (possibly a multi use building of apartments, offices and shopping). The Villa cinema building still stands on Soi 33, but is un-used. Thailand’s original cinema, Chalermkhrung Theatre, still stands, but is now used exclusively for theatre rather than screening movies.
Scala is therefore the only remaining classic cinema in Bangkok.
Instead, as in the West, Bangkok has replaced all of its classic large screen, multi level, cinemas, with modern multiplexes housed in shopping centres. The big move these days is more cinemas, and more luxurious options including gold class micro cinemas with table service, members lounges and private bars, kind of like flying first class on an airline. The modern changes are nice, but every now and then, it is nice to return to the roots of cinema and refresh memories of going to cinema as an experience, rather than just catching up on the latest instalment of blockbuster franchises.
The Scala is therefore the only classic cinema remaining in Bangkok.
On the outside, the building is nothing special and in fact is easily missed by most tourists, especially given all of the other flashing signs and modern buildings in Siam Square. However, once you step inside you are rewarded with an instant step back in time when you are greeted with the lovely art deco interior, with high ceilings, intricate columns, a large staircase leading up to the mezzanine level, the intricately patterned ceilings, the large hanging chandelier, and the old-school ticket booths. To add a bit of an Asian touch to the building, the walls are all clad in interesting wooden carvings.
The gorgeous columns, and intricate ceilings. Everything about this place shows old world attention to detail.
When you purchase a ticket, they still hand-write your seat number manually onto the ticket, and you then present it to a yellow jacketed cinema attendant who can show you to your seat. In the main cinema itself, the seats are arranged in a slight arc around the main screen, so as to improve your viewing angle no matter where you sit.
In addition to the classic experience, the Scala Cinema is also a good place to see some of Bangkok’s more famous expatriates, who continue to frequent some of the old Bangkok haunts. One notable regular is Bernard Trink, also known as the Night Owl. Bernard is internationally known for writing the nightlife column for the Bangkok Post and for coining the phrases “TIT” or “This is Thailand” and “I don’t give a hoot”.
Sadly, the entire Siam Square area of Bangkok is currently undergoing massive renovation, and the area inhabited by the Scala is currently slated for demolition in 2016, to be replaced with a modern shopping centre. To be honest, the thing that was really nice about Siam Square was that it contained old world Asian shop houses containing boutique stores, mixed in with market-style side-street stores, all selling locally designed fashion items. The modern shopping centres will be too expensive for these boutique stores to set up in.
You can find the Scala Cinema on Ploenchit Road, at the intersection with Siam Square Soi 1. It is directly opposite the Siam Centre/Siam Discovery shopping centres. To get there by BTS, get off at Siam (Interchange) Station, and take the southwest exit.
Another reason to go to Scala is because it is currently one of cheapest cinemas in Bangkok, with prices being around the 100 baht mark. The more up-market places in Bangkok are now getting closer to the 200 baht mark for movies (and lots more if you go for gold class or equivalent).
Welcome to the first post in my new series aimed at helping expats to enjoy their time in the fun, exciting, yet confusing mega-city of Bangkok. Over the next few months, I intend to cover a wide variety of topics, providing good, useful information about matters such as: how to find accommodation (including good but cheaper accommodation options); how banking works in Thailand and the best ways to get money into the country; work options for foreigners in Bangkok (including information on work permits and visas); where to get furniture for your home; and hobbies and clubs for expats to keep active and healthy.
In today’s post I will tackle that most important topic of shopping for food. At first glance, you may wonder why this is worthy of a post given that Western style supermarkets are scattered everywhere in Bangkok, so it is very easy to get supermarket items. In addition, there is an abundance of cheap restaurants within walking distance of everyone’s home, so it isn’t even necessary to focus too much on groceries. Well, all of the above is true, but I have also noticed that a lot of foreigners in Bangkok complain that if they try to live a fully Westernized life in Bangkok it can end up costing them more than if they lived that same lifestyle back home. Also, eating out every day isn’t really that healthy. Thai restaurants and street carts, for example, use a lot of sugar, salt and cooking oil. It might look healthy but it isn’t.
The Supermarkets
As mentioned above, there are a lot of supermarkets in Bangkok. The oldest is Villa, which opened up just in time for the start of the Vietnam war, which was when Bangkok had its first explosion in growth in its expat population. In those days Villa only had the one supermarket (which is still there on Sukhumvit Soi 33/1). This area at the time (and still today) was the main residential area for Western and Japanese expatriates.
The supermarket itself originally specialised in being one of the very few places that had a significant selection of food and products imported from Western countries (originally, primarily the US). Today, a lot has changed in Thailand and a lot of Villa’s products are now manufactured in Thailand, but there are still plenty of imported items as well. In addition, the butcher offers a selection of meats from different countries such as the US, Australia, New Zealand and Japan.
In the 2000s, Villa expanded beyond its single store and now has supermarkets scattered all over Bangkok as well as a few stores in major expat locations around Thailand such as Pattaya and Chang Mai. Notwithstanding that some of Villa’s newer supermarkets are larger and flashier than the original store, I still prefer the original (partly for nostalgic reasons). Villa today is very much considered to be the cream of supermarkets in Bangkok. It maintains a reputation as a place for upper class Thais to shop, and this is quite obvious when you look at the newer stores. They do have some hard to find items that other supermarkets in Bangkok tend not to carry, but they also tend to be quite pricey.
Villa Supermarket in Soi Thong Lor – trendy with a good product selection, but pricey
Another staple that has been around since 1972, is Foodland. Although many Western countries have a grocery chain by the same name, the Thai group does not have any affiliation with them. The original store opened up on Ploenchit Road (approximately where Wave Place is today) and targeted a mixed market of expatriates and Thai middle/upper class customers. Unlike Villa, Foodland concentrated more on local and regional grocery products and less on imports. As a result, most expats in the 70s through to 90s still concentrated more on Villa rather than Foodland.
Today, Foodland is still very similar to when it first started although it has now expanded to 10 stores in Bangkok plus one in Pattaya. Its offering is mainly Thai and regional groceries rather than Western imports, and it tends to focus on cheaper brand products. As a result it is considered primarily a middle class supermarket, whilst Villa is considered to be more an upper class supermarket destination for Bangkok Thais. Notwithstanding that, Foodland does have a lot of useful everyday items and a nice deli section for cold cuts and cheeses. Foodland also offers Took la Dee (Cheap and Good) which is a budget priced foodhall, offering very good food for the price.
Fuji supermarket has been around since at least the early 1980s and is located further down Soi 33/1 (not far from Villa). Unlike most other supermarkets, Fuji has always concentrated its product range on the Japanese and this is most likely still the best place to find imported Japanese grocery items (also check out Isetan in Central World on Ploenchit Road). Notwithstanding its focus on Japanese items, many Westerners shop here as well because they do stock Western items that I have struggled to find elsewhere in Bangkok, such as certain brands of American drinks and snacks.
Big C is the first of the newer style of the hyper-markets that hit Bangkok. The first Big C opened in 1993 on the northern outskirts of Bangkok. The hypermarket chain is owned by the Central Group and Groupe Casino and their target market is middle class Thais. As a result, most Big Cs are scattered in the suburban areas around Bangkok and other large Thai cities.
Big C is the most common supermarket you will find in Bangkok, given it has approximately 23 stores located around the capital. In terms of product range, Big C offers groceries, dry foods, clothing, home decor and consumer electrical items. Big Cs tend to be integrated into large suburban shopping centres, although there are now also “Mini Big Cs”, often located on major side-streets, which are small supermarkets (or large convenience stores) offering a limited range of regular items.
As with foodland, the grocery offerings at Big C are largely Thailand based or regional, and I find the selection is not that great (notwithstanding the size of the store), although pricing is very competitive for a modern Thai supermarket.
Tesco-Lotus is a joint venture between the UK Tesco supermarket chain and the CP Group in Thailand (CP or Charoen Phokpand is one of Thailand’s biggest companies, owning brands such as 7-Eleven in Thailand and the owner is Thailand’s richest man). Tesco-Lotus first opened in 1998 and is Big C’s biggest competitor in the hyper-market category, but their product offerings seem to concentrate a bit more on groceries and less on the other items such as clothing and electrical. Apart from that, the two supermarkets are very similar in terms of the types of products and most of Tesco-Lotus’s range is made in Thailand (and sourced from the CP Group).
As with Big C, Tesco Lotus also offers a small supermarket/large convenience store format, known as Tesco-Lotus Express. However, I find these to be very similar to a 7-Eleven, with the only difference being that it is slightly larger in size and a few extra products (but not a lot).
Makro is the third hyper-market in Thailand. It is part of the international Makro brand of cash-and-carry or warehouse club style of supermarket. It first opened in Thailand in 1988 and the stores tend to be located on the outskirts of Bangkok and outskirts (along major highways) of the other large cities around Thailand. As a result, you are less likely to see a Makro within the Bangkok metro area. If you like to get discounts by buying in bulk, then Makro would be the place to go.
Tops (also known as Central Food Retail) is part of the Central Group and tends to provide a more upper-class supermarket chain compared to Big C, and is Central’s attempt to compete against Villa. You will usually find Tops located in the basement level of any Central Department Store (in Central World it is on the top floor next to the cinema). There are also some outlets of Tops that are stand-alone. As with Villa, Tops tends to have a fair selection of more exclusive items including more imported brands than Big C. However, as with Villa, pricing tends to be reasonably high.
Home Fresh Mart and Gourmet Market are the grocery stores owned by the Mall Group (Central Group’s main competitor) and which are located within the Siam Paragon and Emporium shopping centres. These supermarkets compete directly with Tops and Villa, aimed at upper class Thais and expats. The format and selection is very similar to Tops and the newer Villa stores, and tend to be a mix of high end local/regional products and imported Western products. Once again, pricing tends to be quite high.
Siam Paragon – Has a great supermarket in the basement
MaxValu is a Japanese grocery chain with approximately 68 stores scattered around the main suburban areas of Thailand. This chain was formerly called Jusco. In terms of size, these are fairly small supermarkets, but being Japanese owned, they tend to have some useful and harder to find items that you won’t get elsewhere. Pricing is around the mid level for Bangkok based supermarkets.
7-Eleven and Family Mart – These are not supermarkets but convenience stores. As such, they work well for simple items like a quick snack or soft-drink or beer. However, when living in Bangkok, you are better off buying such items in bulk (eg a case of bottled water) from supermarkets rather than one-offs at a convenience store (even though snacks, water, soft drinks etc tend to be cheaper than in the West).
Other Supermarkets – If you look around, you will find smaller, independent supermarkets in odd places around Bangkok. For example, at the mouth of Soi Aree there is a Co-Op type supermarket that sells mainly local products but at cheap prices. If you find any of these, they are worth checking out because you never know what hard-to-find items they may stock.
US Embassy Commissary (Emporium)
On the grounds of the US Embassy there is a non-profit Commissary that sells US imported grocery items (and various other items as well). However, access tends to be restricted to US citizens or those who can otherwise provide a suitable reason for being allowed to enter the embassy grounds.
Bangkok Supermarket Shopping Strategy
Unless you want to have a food budget that is bigger than what you would spend back in the West, it is important to learn to make certain compromises when shopping for groceries in Bangkok. The first thing you need to do is to find the Thai brand equivalent of the products that you regularly purchase. All grocery items that are imported from outside South-East Asia tend to be 1 1/2 to 2 times more expensive than they would be in the West. This is due to a combination of high import tax and transport costs. As a result, staples such as meat stocks, tomato paste, pasta, sugar, salt, flour, baking soda etc should all be local brands, and you should focus on getting these from the cheaper supermarkets such as Foodland.
For me personally, it is only the gourmet items, such as special cheeses, crackers, wines, pickles, olives etc that I will purchase from the high end supermarkets. I will never carry out my general grocery shopping in the high end places, simply because it becomes too expensive. Instead, make sure you go in with a specific list of what you need that you can’t get at the other groceries, and stick to that list. Try to avoid impulse purchases, as these supermarkets are really good at tempting you.
For fresh produce, such as fruit and vegetables, avoid the supermarkets entirely, and in particular, avoid the high end supermarkets. All you are doing is paying too much for old produce. My experience tends to be that by the time such produce hits the supermarket shelves, it tends to already be getting past its prime. Instead, for fresh fruit and vegetables, go to one of the traditional food markets scattered around Bangkok’s suburbs. These often tend to be hidden a bit, but there tends to be one nearby to where you live as this is where most Thais will purchase their fresh produce. If you live in the expat ghetto around Sukhumvit or Silom, then head down to Rama IV road and go to Khlong Toey market. This is Bangkok’s biggest fresh food market and you will get great prices on fresh produce (usually delivered from the farms that morning).
A traditional Thai market place – this is the best place to get fresh produce.
For meat, this is where you can easily blow your budget. I tend to have a strong taste for Australian and New Zealand beef (and occasionally a bit of marbled Kobe beef). However, these are really expensive in Bangkok, and sometimes the butcher may even sell something that has started to go off. Thai beef (and pork) isn’t bad, and if you are cooking something like curry or tacos you wouldn’t know the difference anyway. I am still a bit reluctant to buy beef from traditional Thai wet markets, even though I know that that is where a lot of the meat I eat at restaurants came from. I therefore tend to buy most of my meat and pork from the butcher at the cheaper supermarkets such as Foodland. I only buy the imported steaks occasionally.
Conclusion
If you adjust your shopping habits, it is possible to continue eating meals similar to what you would eat back in the West, without really paying any more for it. It does however require making certain compromises on brands (eg finding local brands to replace those that you relied upon in the West), and you will need to visit more than one supermarket, as well as have to set foot in a traditional Thai food market for your fresh produce. Then again, you didn’t decide to relocate to Thailand just so you could live a 100% Western existence did you? Traditional market shopping is just part of the adventure of living somewhere exotic.
Taxis are everywhere in Bangkok and can be a cheap and comfortable way to get around town. However, everyone struggles to find a taxi willing to do the right thing and get them from point A to point B, using the meter. Tourists often think this is a practice that is targeted solely at them, but actually, everyone in Bangkok has difficulties when trying to catch a taxi.
Some Information About Taxis
There are approximately 140,000 official licensed taxis in Bangkok. These licensed taxis tend to be brightly coloured sedans (and sometimes micro-SUVs) with prominent “Taxi Meter” signs on the roof, and a red light in the front window (passenger side) that reads “ว่าง” (pronounced “wang”) which means “free”. The writing in Thai on the sides of each taxi indicates which company the taxi belongs to, or which taxi cooperative the driver belongs to. Some taxis are owned outright by its driver (in which case, the driver joins an independent taxi cooperative) while other taxis (the majority) are owned by one of several large taxi companies and the drivers lease the cars in shifts.
Whether the driver of a taxi owns or leases a car, life as a taxi driver in Bangkok is actually pretty harsh and the money they make is pretty small. Given the costs of owning or leasing a cab versus the cheap fares, the taxi driver’s profit is very small and most taxi drivers earn anywhere between minimum wage and up to 15,000 baht per month. Keep in mind that most taxi drivers are from poorer families in the North East region of Thailand and they have come to Bangkok to make money due to a lack of opportunities or financial hardship at home. Therefore in addition to their costs of living in Bangkok, they normally also need to save as much as possible each month to send back home.
As the sign on the roof declares, all taxis in Bangkok are required to have “meters” (or “metres” for the non-Americans like me). Taxi meters became compulsory in the early 1990s, and prior to then you had to negotiate the fare with the taxi driver before getting into the cab. Now the taxi driver must switch on the meter when you get in, although you will still find occasions when a driver refuses to do so (I will discuss this issue later). Since taxi meters were introduced, the fares have only increased twice over the years, and not by very much. They certainly have not kept up with inflation in Thailand.
Current taxi fares are as follows:
Flag fall – when you first enter the taxi – is 35 baht, and this covers the first 1 km.
From 1 – 10kms, the rate is 5.5 baht per km.
From 10 – 20kms, the rate increases to 6.5 baht per km (the increase as the distance increases is to help compensate the taxi driver for the journey back if he can’t get a return fare)
From 20 – 40kms, the rate increases to 7.5 baht per km, and keeps going up until the 80km + mark, where it maxes out at 10.5 baht per km. (however, even at 40km, you will be outside of Bangkok, and taxis will rarely if ever agree to use the meter for trips outside Bangkok and instead such trips need to be negotiated at a flat rate).
When the taxi is stuck in a traffic jam (ie when the taxi moves slower than 6km/h) the meter will charge 2 baht per minute.
To give you an idea of how little the rates have increased, the flag fall has not changed at all (it has always been 35 baht), but previously you would get up to 2km for that fare, now only 1km. However, after flagfall, the rate has only increased by 0.5 baht per km, and the traffic jam rate has also only increased by 0.5 baht per km.
As a guide to how much a typical Bangkok fare will cost you, a run of about 15km from Lard Prao Road to Chitlom Road, going through Rama IX, and encountering little traffic will cost you about 123 baht. This is considered to be quite a lengthy trip within the Bangkok metro area. Prior to the rate increase, this same fare would have cost you 106 baht.
Tips and Tricks for Bangkok Taxis
So what are the main issues with taxis and how can they be resolved:
1. Taxis do not want to go to your destination. This is the biggest problem experienced by everyone in Bangkok. There are two main reasons why you will get a taxi driver who is unwilling to go to your destination. The biggest reason is that the taxi driver is nearing the end of his shift and your destination puts him at the wrong end of town. As I highlighted above, most taxi drivers work for a taxi company and do not own their own cars. Instead, they lease them on shifts for different periods of the day (usually an 8 hour shift, that costs the driver about 600 baht). Prior to the end of their shift, the driver must return his or her car to the company lot, with the LP gas tank refilled (another 300 baht). If the driver returns the car late, he or she is charged a penalty which often means the loss of that days profits.
The second reason why a taxi may not want to go to your destination is that the way to get there is heavily congested, or it is far away and the driver is unlikely to get a return fare back to his sector of Bangkok.
So what is the solution? This issue is significant enough that the government actually passed a law prohibiting taxi drivers from refusing a fare. You therefore could report the driver. However, given the issues I have already highlighted, I consider this to be a bit unfair and the driver may experience genuine hardship if he takes you to your destination. Even though you have reported the driver, it still doesn’t get you to your destination, and if you act hostile and pick a fight with a driver, then the only destination that you may end up at is a hospital emergency room. Accordingly, the best practice is to just wave that taxi on, and stop another one. A good tip here when you have an unpopular destination is to focus on stopping the yellow and green taxis as these are privately owned. The driver is likely to have less hardship in getting you to your destination and you also tend to get better service.
Look at all the multi-coloured taxies. Green and yellow is privately owned and pink are corporate leases. If the little red light in the passenger window is shining, then the taxi is available.
2. Taxis refuse to use their meter. As mentioned, use of the meter is law. However, many tourists in particular are likely to regularly come across drivers who refuse to use the meter and instead refuse to go unless an inflated fare is agreed to. The reason why tourists regularly experience this is because there is a “taxi mafia” or illegal collective of taxi drivers who park their cars outside major tourist attractions and hotels. All of the drivers in the collective band together and will refuse to use the meter.
Although this practice is most prevalent in tourist areas (because tourists are the easiest victims, and Thais and expatriates are much less likely to put up with such a practice), there are times when locals get hit with it as well. For instance, if there is a severe downpour, massive traffic jam or at closing time at a major night entertainment area, taxis may insist on pre-agreed fares. In the first two examples, it is because the taxi knows it will be stuck in traffic and the driver wants to ensure he doesn’t incur a loss. In the latter example, taxi drivers are being opportunistic when passengers are at a disadvantage (ie BTS is closed so there are few transport options to get home).
What should you do? First, avoid the taxis lined up in front of major tourist attractions like the Grand Palace and Wat Po. The taxis parked out front of major hotels are usually in the same boat, although I have found that taxis parked down side streets in residential areas and lesser known hotels are less predatory. The best is to wave down a taxi that is driving past, or that has just dropped off passengers. These are usually not part of the taxi mafia. Sometimes, you may need to walk a little bit to get away from the attraction or hotel. For instance, when Patpong closes at night, all the taxis stopped on the Patpong side of Silom Road are mafia (and they often make trouble for other taxis driving past, if they stop for passengers). Accordingly, cross over to the other side of Silom, or walk further down Silom away from the mafia area.
When you get into a cab, the first thing the taxi driver should do once he understands your destination is to turn the meter on (you will know because it will start off by displaying 35 baht, ie the initial rate for the first 1 km). If he refuses to turn on the meter, then ask the driver about the meter and if he refuses to turn it on, then ask him to stop and get out.
3. Taxi doesn’t know how to get to your destination. This happens to everyone at some stage. It happens more to tourists because of a lack of any Thai language skills and poor pronunciation of the destination. It also happens to everyone else because there is no real street knowledge test required before a taxi license is issued. Given that most taxi drivers do not come from Bangkok, you will eventually get newer drivers that have no idea how to get around to even the more common destinations. This problem is compounded when the Thai concept of “face” results in the taxi driver refusing to admit that he or she doesn’t know how to get to your destination.
You can reduce the chances of this happening by doing some or all of the following:
(a) have your destination written in Thai, such as a business card or internet print-out. If it shows a basic map with main streets in Thai, this will improve chances. However, showing your tourist map to the driver may not help as many drivers have difficulty in reading maps.
(b) identify the major landmark(s) near your destination. Sometimes it is easier to just tell the taxi driver initially to head to that landmark instead, and from there, you can either walk or direct the driver to the exact destination.
(c) (this is more for expats) learn at least basic Thai skills such as turn left, right, straight, close, far etc and learn how to properly pronounce your destination.
(d) have a Thai person you can call up on your phone who can explain to the taxi driver how to get to your destination.
Sometimes, you may think that the taxi driver is intentionally taking you the long way to your destination so as to rack up the fare. I don’t think I have ever, in my 32 year history with Bangkok, ever had this happen to me intentionally. Taxi drivers make more profit on short fares (2 to 3km). Even though rates increase beyond the 10km mark, they don’t increase by that much to make it worthwhile for the driver. His interest is therefore to get you to your destination as quickly as possible so that he can get another fare as soon as possible. If he seems to be taking the long way, it is because he is lost or trying to avoid a traffic jam.
4. Catching a taxi at the airport. The two airport terminals in Bangkok regulate taxis and charge them a 50 baht fee, which gets passed on to the passenger. As part of the regulation, and for quality control, a taxi booth is set up so that passengers state their destination, which then gets recorded at the booth together with the plate number of the taxi. If there is a problem the passenger can call back to the airport and the taxi details are available to be provided to police etc if necessary.
However, there will also be touts hanging around near the taxi booth, trying to sell fixed rate fares. Sometimes they are selling fares for licensed taxis, but quite often the fares are for an unlicensed vehicle. This can be quite risky for a number of reasons, and the fare will always be more expensive than if you had gone through the taxi booth.
For those that want to save on the 50 baht fee (and also avoid waiting in line at the taxi booth), you can simply go upstairs to the departures drop off area and catch a taxi just as it drops off passengers. Make sure the taxi is happy to use the meter though (they usually will be as it means they get an immediate return fare to Bangkok).
5. Expressways and Tollways. When you give a destination to your driver, he or she may ask you if you are okay with using an expressway or motorway. Most of these cost money and you will be expected to pay for these in addition to your fare. Quite often you will be asked to pay for it directly at the tolling booth. Toll charges tend to be around 20 to 50 baht depending on which road and distance.
6. Arguments with Taxi Drivers. Avoid this at all times. There are plenty of really nice taxi drivers. However, there are also a sufficient number who are on edge, use drugs, are desperate people etc. Accordingly, there are plenty of reports of people being beaten or even killed by taxi drivers. In most cases, the incident occurred because the passenger decided to get into an argument with the taxi driver. Trust me, it isn’t worth it. Be polite, avoid any arguments, and don’t make the driver lose face. Due to the possibility of dangerous passengers, most taxi drivers will also have a weapon within easy reach (often a knife or iron rod, but sometimes a handgun).
7. Single Women Late at Night. Most women in Bangkok are reluctant to catch a taxi alone late at night. As mentioned, most taxi drivers are nice enough, but there have been cases of rapes and indecent assaults. If you are concerned about this, there is a specific service called “Lady Taxi” that provides female drivers and cars are equipped with GPS. To book a taxi through this service, call 081 266 6360.
8. Booking a Taxi. People don’t often use a booking service for taxis in Bangkok because it is easy enough to find a taxi at any time of the day or night within the main areas of Bangkok. However, if you must book, then some of the more popular taxi numbers you can call are: 1661 and 1681 (you often see these phone numbers on the sides of cabs). Note that you pay a small surcharge for pre-booking a taxi.
9. Mobile Phone App. A useful app for your phone when catching a taxi in Bangkok is the Department of Land Transport’s “Check-In Taxi” app. This is available for both iPhone and Android users. It lets you scan the taxi license number (either the vehicle’s plate or on the inside of your door). You can then rate your experience with the taxi (either good or bad). If you do decide to use the app though, I would recommend that either you are not obvious to the driver that you are using it, or else highlight that you are giving him a good review.
10. Proper procedure for flagging down a taxi. Don’t use your thumb like a hitch-hiker and don’t whistle like in New York. Instead, simply stand by the road, make eye contact with the vehicle and hold your hand out, palm down, and wave it up and down gently… almost like hailing a bus in the West, except Thais usually have their palm down rather than palm facing the vehicle. Although, even if you do have your palm facing the vehicle, the taxi will still understand what you want. Be aware that there are certain areas where taxis are not supposed to stop, such as at or just before intersections (eg where there are sidewalk barriers) and at bus stops. Taxis may still stop there or may pull over nearby, so you may need to walk to them.
Conclusion
I have tried to cover off on quite a lot to help you understand the hows and whys with respect to taxis in Bangkok. Taxis are plentiful and cheap, but there are issues with them as well. As a result, my preference these days is to live, work and play close to the BTS and MRT lines, and that way I only resort to taxis when I am going somewhere off the grid, or if I am out and about after midnight (which is when the BTS and MRT close). However, with a little bit of knowledge, using taxis really doesn’t need to be that dramatic either. I would estimate that about 9 out of 10 of my taxi rides have been pleasurable. For the 1 out of 10, it’s usually been a driver who has no idea where my destination is, or wants to negotiate a fare.
Day 1 – Sunday, December 22, 16:00 hours – touch-down… hooray! Finally, after 24 painful hours flying halfway across the world and feeling like cattle, I am here, in paradise. The airport looks much better than I expected… much more modern than the little airport in my home town back in Norway. However, I am surprised that notwithstanding all the jet-ways at this huge airport, our plane stops in the middle of no-where and I have to walk down a flight of stairs, cutting through the thick blanket of heat and humidity and the strange smells of spicy jet fuel, diesel exhaust and stale cigarette smoke. As we enter the airport, I see that the building is actually still unfinished, with bare concrete and no ceiling panels. Beautiful on the outside but unfinished in the middle!
At immigration, I wait patiently in line. I am amazed at how many people have arrived at the same time as me. In fact, I can’t remember the last time I saw so many people in one place. There are many immigration counters, and most have officers in them, but still this is a slow crawl. Even more interesting is there is an immigration officer here who takes her job a little too seriously. A couple of Russian guys try to cut in at the front of the line and she just about chops their heads off. When it is finally my turn at the immigration counter, I smile at the officer and this is my first chance to practice my Thai skills that I got from my guidebook. I proudly say “Sawatdii Khrap”, but I must have mispronounced it because the immigration officer just grunted at me and almost threw my passport back at me.
Getting transport seems really convenient. Just after customs, there are a lot of kiosks where you can book transport and hotels. However, I can’t find the place for normal taxis and it is really confusing as to whether I turn left or right after the customs area as I see people with name cards at both ends. Given Thailand is supposed to be cheap, I ask how much for a limousine and the response is 6,000 baht. That is more than a taxi in Norway, so seems too expensive for me. Instead I wander around a bit and finally notice a kiosk for taxi but there are many people already in line waiting to book a taxi. As I am waiting, a nice Thai man wearing some kind of uniform who speaks good English tells me he has a taxi ready to go now, and that I can just skip the queue and pay the driver directly. Maybe not fair for the others already in line, but I decide its my lucky day and I am tired from a long flight after all. I follow him and he leads me into a taxi.
The taxi is an older Nissan but it has the taxi sign and looks legitimate. There is even a photo of the driver and his name and details on the passenger side. However, I guess I should have been on alert when I noticed the driver didn’t look like the guy in the photo. Anyway, my worries were all gone as I gave my hotel name and the driver said “no problem” and we were flying along a massive road. After about 20 minutes drive, the taxi pulls over to the side of the road and the taxi driver turns to me and says “you pay now, okay?” I asked him why and he mumbled something that I didn’t understand, and just repeated the question. Anyway, I handed him 1,000 baht, expecting change and instead he just turned back and started driving. I tried asking him about change a couple of times, but he just ignored me. At least he got me to my hotel.
The hotel itself is fantastic. Its the Landmark on Sukhumvit Road. I am not yet fully up to speed on Bangkok geography, but this seems to be a very central location and there are tourists everywhere around here (I am seeing almost as many foreigners as Thai people on the street here). I guess I like this because I kind of feel like there is safety in numbers and Asia is a strange place to me. Even better though is the hotel is quite luxurious, with all sorts of facilities and yet it only costs me a quarter of what a similar hotel would cost in Norway.
After such a long trip, I press the “do not disturb” button, have a luxurious shower and then order some room service. As exciting as everything looks outside my window, I am just too tired and I think it is better for me to take it easy this first night and have an early night. It is about 19.00 hours now.
Day 2 – I am glad I included the breakfast option when I booked my hotel. I have never seen such a fantastic display of food before. Norway is famous for its “smorgasbords” but really, breakfast here is something else entirely, and the extra cost for the breakfast option was so low I don’t know how they make money.
After freshening up, I decide to start the day’s exploration. I take my back-pack, hiking shoes, and some of the hotel’s free water and then step outside, ready to hike around the city on foot. However, just out the front door are several taxi men sitting in these half-motorbike style taxis called “Tuk Tuk”s. One taxi man says he can drive me around town on tour. Half day for only 300 baht, so I agree.
The ride on the tuk tuk is a real adventure and I highly recommend it to everyone who comes to Bangkok. The vehicle is open to the environment so I can experience everything full on. Also, when the traffic opens, the vehicle likes to move very quickly through the streets, and sometimes going over bridges and bumps, I think we actually launched up in the air, with no wheels touching the road. I definitely need to hang on as there are no seat belts and no doors, but I still manage to take some very interesting photos.
The tour itself was not really what I had hoped for. The taxi man never mentioned to me that he would not stop at the different destinations so I would explore them. Instead, he first drove me straight up the main street from Landmark. Eventually he pointed to a shopping centre and grunted “MBK”, then he waved to some tuk tuk friends, then he pointed to a sports stadium and said “National Stadium” and indicated it was where they watch football. After that, we drove through many small side streets and small bridges over smelly black canals. He then points to some old buildings and says “China Town”. However, he was speeding so much then that I couldn’t take a clear photo.
Next on the tour was Democracy Monument, which was a big traffic circle with lots of traffic. I noticed that traffic circles in Thailand operate differently to Norway. Cars seem to have right of way to enter the circle but have to wait patiently to exit the circle. I am not sure if this is the official rule, but this is what I observed when we were stuck in the circle. The monument itself was difficult to appreciate from inside the tuk tuk.
After that, we saw the Big Swing, the Grand Palace, the reclining Buddha, the Gold Buddha and the main train station. In most cases, we went past too quickly for me to see much, and sometimes all I could see was a big white wall, and maybe some gold roofs poking out above. Anyway, at least now I now which ones I want to go back and explore later.
However, after the train station, the ride gets interesting. First, the taxi man asks me if I want massage. I say no. Then he asks if I want woman. I say not interested. He then says he needs to stop quickly at his friend’s shop then he will take me back to my hotel. So we drive to this large new building with big roman columns outside and some expensive cars, including a Lamborghini, parked in the front. I see many other tuk tuks parked there too. We stop at the front entrance and two Thai girls dressed in traditional Thai silk outfits greet me and show me in the door like I am some famous person. Okay, now I have no idea what is going on, and I think maybe they have made a mistake and think I am somebody else. I decide to just play along and see what happens.
Inside, it is like a mix between a museum and luxury shopping centre. The ladies take me on a tour and give me free drinks. First I see where jewellers make designs for jewellery. Then I see the precious stone section, where they grade, cut and polish different gem stones. Finally they show me the show-room, which is large and has many different sections for different types of gems, from ruby to sapphire. They try to get me to buy, using a lot of pressure, and when I tell them I will think about it and come back another day, they tell me that the special price is for today only, as it is a special government holiday discount. They also show me some reports about how I can make money, buying the gems in Thailand, and then mailing them back to Norway for resale at a big profit.
Finally, I buy one silver necklace with a small sapphire pendant for my girlfriend back home. It was one of the cheapest options they had, at only 6,000 baht, but they assure me the stone is worth three times that much back in Norway, so it is a good investment.
When I finally step outside the front doors, I realise I had been in the gem store for almost two hours. The tuk tuk driver is waiting for me and quickly shoots through many side streets before he gets me back to my hotel. The side streets are so confusing I could never remember the way he took. I pay him the 300 baht plus 100 baht tip and he seems very happy.
By now it is mid afternoon and I have not yet even had lunch. My guidebook told me there is a good Thai food-hall just across from the Landmark hotel in Foodland Supermarket. I cross the bridge over the scary road and enter Foodland. I find the food hall, which is called “Took La Dee” and notice they have not just Thai food but very cheap Western food too. I am still a little scared of spicy, so I get the pizza instead for only 100 baht, plus beer for only 60 baht. I cannot believe these places can make money selling so cheap, and the pizza is actually really good. Back in Norway, the pizza and beer would cost almost ten times more.
My next plan is to get ready for the evening and check-out the night spots near my hotel. My guidebook tells me there is something called “Nana Plaza” just around the corner from the hotel, which is one of the biggest red light plazas in the world. I don’t know what this means, but I look forward to checking it out.
To be continued…
Disclaimer
This travel diary is a work of fiction. It is told from the perspective of a first time traveller to Thailand and is intended to provide a list of do’s and don’ts and highlight the consequences of various actions that tourists might be conned into. Although there are many scams in Thailand, sometimes it is interesting to actually go along with the scam for a while just to see what happens, and this diary is intended to highlight that (I think it is more interesting to describe the consequence of the scam rather than simply to warn you about it). Besides, falling for some scams are almost a right of passage for Thailand travellers.
The Expatriate 