Booo Bangkok…1//18/08 – 1/20/08

Tuk Tuks and Taxis, No Thanks!




So this is probably one of the more negative entries you’ll read of mine. Our weekend in Bangkok was an interesting one. We were able to see several of the things we wanted to, but overall it was a pretty stressful weekend. Those of you who have not been to Bangkok will probably want to pay attention to the following:
1. Taxis will definitely try to rip you off here! Not that in most places they don’t try, but it was especially frustrating in Bangkok.
Christina and I “roughed” it (comparatively speaking) at a local hotel called D’Ma Pavillion. which we were under the impression that it was close to a Sky Train and walking distance from our other co-workers at the Marriott – not the case. Our lovely hotel staff failed to mention that there is a phone # you can call and report your taxi if they try to charge you a flat fee and not use the meter as required by law. Our first night we were running late and ended up paying at least double the normal rate on a couple of occasions. We also went out Friday night after dinner and we had to pay 4x the meter rate as it was “after midnight” and all the taxis were trying to rip people off. As late as it was, we just paid the guy so we could get back and sleep. Taxis in Bangkok are extremely cheap, starting at $1 USD going to $7 USD by meter to get to the International Airport…This would have been nice to know in advance, but when you travel with other people, you tend to rely too much on the fact that others have done their homework…A lesson I’ve learned and won’t be doing again.
2. As fun and cheap as it is to ride in a Tuk Tuk, they too will rip you off. subtly, but also more dangerously.
They will provide you with cheap transportation but take you to a “factory outlet” or some other type of shopping store to buy jewelry or get tailor clothes, etc where you have a good chance of being talked into buying something at an overpriced rate. Obviously they get some kickbacks for this.
3. You will find a lot of con artists in Bangkok, especially in the tourist areas (Grand Palace is where we encountered many).
They will come up to you, nicely dressed, and tell you that the Palace or whatever place is closed for a certain amount of time. They are from Tourist Information and suggest that you go to see a few other places and some shopping stores where you can get things very cheap and it just happens that they’re only open this particular weekend (in our case – to celebrate the New Year). So many people approached us that I got pretty frustrated and almost lashed out at a few. It was pretty overwhelming and very annoying. When we finally made it into the Grand Palace, there were several signs that said “Do not listen to Strangers, especially if offered a Boat Ride, Tuk Tuk, or visit to the Lucky Buddha.”
It sounded like there’s a whole operation going on – like a Con Artists Union or something.
4. Bangkok is DIRRRRTTYYY…I mean, I can handle some smog here and there, but by the end of Saturday, I could feel the grains of dirt on my face and exposed skin…my feet were a different color and it wasn’t a tan that caused it!

Grand Palace - I wasn't covered enough so I had to borrow clothes

OK – so that’s all the complaining and warnings out of the way. I’m glad I came to experience the city, but I don’t plan on coming back for another visit.
We did use the Sky Train and River Ferry when possible since Taxis were just ridiculous with the whole meter/flat charge thing (more for principle than cost purposes), and we were able to see the Grand Palace, Emerald Buddha and Reclining Buddha as well as the Weekend Market on Sunday.

@ the Reclining Buddha

We also went to a few nice restaurants recommended by Holly, my coworker who’s on the Thailand audit right now, and we did check out the night scene, which is pretty good. At least more exciting than KL’s. That being said – I’m excited to go back to KL.
Christina and I went to this place called Tapas in the Soi 4 area to meet up with an ex-Internal Auditor who lives in Bangkok now, Allexia. Really sweet Laos girl who speaks Thai and is a lot of fun! Tapas had some good music and definitely provided for some good people watching. I did notice a lot of non-Asian guys and Asian girls together. Apparently the guy to girl ratio is 3-to-5 (good for you guys!), but it makes the girls here extremely competitive for attention. They get pretty aggressive and are total jerks when it comes to another girl talking to “their” guy. I found it entertaining, but it also got old really quick.

All in all, that was my experience in Bangkok…The Grand Palace was AMAZING!!! See my pics below. But besides that, nothing else really going on…looking forward to next weekends beach trip to Langkawi! We’re staying in this hotel called the Andaman, which is supposed to be pretty nice. At least they provide free snorkeling, so that should be fun!

Click on this link to see more Bangkok pictures

I’ll write about Bali as soon as I get a chance, but that weekend was mostly relaxing at the Bali Hyatt resort in Sanur and checking out Monkey Forest Road in Ubud.

I hope all is well and please keep in touch/email! Getting a little homesick these days…