Anyone been to Thailand?

Doshwaster

socrates wrote: »

Surprised no-one has mentioned Koh Samui - unless I missed it

Samui was great about 10 years ago but now it is getting over-developed, over-priced and is turning into another Patong.

It still has the best airport in the world though.

PompeyPete

This link gives v.handy information covering all the public transport options in Bangkok

http://www.transitbangkok.com/bts.html

Personally, I only use a taxi from and to the airport(s) or anywhere not covered by those in the link above. Using the Airlink is fine, but it gets very busy and unless there's a station very close to your accommodation then it's not convenient [particularly if you're loaded down]. Tuk Tuks are fun, but be careful, as there's a lot of scammers. Tuk Tuks can also be dangerous and you'll take in plenty of traffic pollution.

The Chao Phraya river is the heartbeat of Bangkok. It might look dirty [what river running through a big SE Asian city doesn't!]. But the river ferries take you to many of the popular sights that aren't reachable on the Skytrain or Underground, and are a great way to see what a busy working river is like. If you only do one thing in Bangkok, then take a ferry (orange flag) all the way from Central Pier [connected to the Skytrain at Saphan Taksin BTS station] to Nonthaburi. Takes about an hour in each direction, and costs only a few baht.

PompeyPete

NiftyDigits wrote: »

If I want budget(ostensibly to visit old acquaintances), I stay at the New Siam 2. If I want luxury, I stay in the 90 square metre one bedroom river view suite at Centrepoint Silom for less than the price of the Deluxe Suite at the Riverside.

If you look at the online prices [Agoda & Booking.com] for the Silom Centrepoint and New Siam Riverside, the Centrepoint is way more expensive than the Siam Riverside, and out of the price range I'd consider. New Siam II, isn't that much cheaper than it's big brother across the road, and the rate doesn't include the stonking buffet breakfast that you get across on the river terrace across the road while watching all the action on the Chao Phraya.

NiftyDigits wrote: »

Apart from the obvious superiority of the facilities and accommodation, it's also right next to the River Taxi (Sathorn)and the SkyTrain(BTS: Saphan Taksin). So much better connections to both the new and old city.

We prefer to stay in Banglamphu, and are quite happy with using the River Ferry when we need to. It's a minute walk to Pier 13 right by the Navalai River Resort [stayed there when it opened - very nice], and only 10 minutes on the ferry to Central Pier and the BTS. We know the ferry stops operating early evening, but we'll be enjoying one of the many Banglamphu bars or restaurants by then.

NiftyDigits wrote: »

Look at the standard at Centrepoint Silom in comparison:

Nice photos, though I don't like the way camera shots of hotel rooms always stretch photos. But now I've compared the prices I wouldn't consider the Centrepoint in the first place as it's not in our price range.

Ballard

Bangkok is pretty good for 2 or 3 days and you definitely need to experience it but if I was heading back to Thailand I'd prefer to spend as little time there as possible. I'd happily spend a day in Ayutthaya to end the trip if needed. Being as this would be your first trip there you will probably still find the hustle and bustle of the capital a thrill but if you'd prefer a more relaxed end of your trip then consider Ayutthaya.

From memory it's about the same distance from the airport as Bangkok. For the life of me I can't remember how I got to the airport but it will almost certainly have changed now because they'd only just opened the new one when I was last there.

PompeyPete

Ballard wrote: »

Bangkok is pretty good for 2 or 3 days and you definitely need to experience it but if I was heading back to Thailand I'd prefer to spend as little time there as possible. I'd happily spend a day in Ayutthaya to end the trip if needed. Being as this would be your first trip there you will probably still find the hustle and bustle of the capital a thrill but if you'd prefer a more relaxed end of your trip then consider Ayutthaya.

From memory it's about the same distance from the airport as Bangkok. For the life of me I can't remember how I got to the airport but it will almost certainly have changed now because they'd only just opened the new one when I was last there.

Agree. Ayutthaya is definitely worth looking at for a final night, providing you don't have to catch a flight too early in the morning.

Ayutthaya is quite underrated considering it's the old capital of Siam. It has a few historical sights which make it worth a night or, two, and is an ideal side-trip either on it's own or combined with
Kanchanaburi [Bridge over the River Kwai].

We stayed in Ayutthaya 3 years ago for a couple of nights before getting the public bus to Don Muang Airport for an Air Asia flight to Phnom Penh. Much, much smaller, far less hectic than Bangkok, a touch of the real Thailand.

NiftyDigits

PompeyPete wrote: »

If you look at the online prices [Agoda & Booking.com] for the Silom Centrepoint and New Siam Riverside, the Centrepoint is way more expensive than the Siam Riverside, and out of the price range I'd consider. New Siam II, isn't that much cheaper than it's big brother across the road, and the rate doesn't include the stonking buffet breakfast that you get across on the river terrace across the road while watching all the action on the Chao Phraya.



We prefer to stay in Banglamphu, and are quite happy with using the River Ferry when we need to. It's a minute walk to Pier 13 right by the Navalai River Resort [stayed there when it opened - very nice], and only 10 minutes on the ferry to Central Pier and the BTS. We know the ferry stops operating early evening, but we'll be enjoying one of the many Banglamphu bars or restaurants by then.



Nice photos, though I don't like the way camera shots of hotel rooms always stretch photos. But now I've compared the prices I wouldn't consider the Centrepoint in the first place as it's not in our price range.

You are really stretching the truth

Ten minutes to Sathorm Pier?? You are having a lark! I would suggest more than thirty minutes. There are ten stops along the way. Do you think that it takes sixty seconds to travel between them and to stop for passengers.
I know that you are trying to make a case, but that is wide of the mark.
The 150 baht Tourist Boat is timetabled at thirty minutes for the journey.



Now we get to the prices:

New Siam Riverside:



New Siam 2



So at least 600 baht more between the price of the Standard Rooms. So you are paying 600 baht for your 'stonking breakfast.

I prefer to pay 50 baht at the Merry V Guesthouse around the corner. They make brown bread on the premises.

Next, I spoke about luxury

The price of a Riverview Deluxe Room with Balcony at New Siam Riverside is 2,890 baht Perhaps 30 square metres.
The price of their Riverview Suite Room with Balcony is 3990 baht

These are their best rooms:



That's it! For between 3000 and 4000 baht.

Their standard rooms for between 1490 and 2490 baht




Compare that to the pictures of the accommodations at Centrepoint that I posted earlier. No need for stretching.

The prices at Centrepoint Silom:

Deluxe Room (45 square metres) 2750 baht
Chaophraya Grand Deluxe(River View, 66 square metres) 3,190 baht
1 Bedroom Grand Suite (City View/River View, 90 square metres) 3,630 baht



To suggest that the pictures of the one bedroom apartment at Centrepoint Silom are stretched is patently ridiculous! The apartment is 90 square metres
Take a measuring tape and measure 9 metres by 10 metres and then think again as to whether the pictures are stretched.
I have stayed at all of the properties mentioned; New Siam 2, New Siam Riverside and Centrepoint Silom amongst others, so I know exactly of what I write.

What i wrote is that I would stay in New Siam 2 for budget accommodation and to meet old acquaintances and Centrepoint Silom for luxury. A home from home. New Siam Riverside is too expensive for what it offers in my opinion.

As an aside, this is the view from my one bedroom apartment there:



Don't forget the gym:



Swimming pool with a lifeguard.
Full kitchen with washing machine in the one bedroom apartments.
Room service.
Private access to shopping centre and supermarket without even having to step outside on to the street.
Need I go on?
New Siam Riverside charges too much for what it offers. Two star against perhaps four to five star.

Ballard

Each to their own but I've never been able to understand why people need a huge room, gym, washing machine etc. when they're on holiday. I'm not a backpacker and do like a degree of comfort in a hotel (such as private bathroom, for example) but surely the idea of a holiday abroad is to actually see the country and not the inside of a luxury hotel suite.

PompeyPete

Ballard wrote: »

Each to their own but I've never been able to understand why people need a huge room, gym, washing machine etc. when they're on holiday. I'm not a backpacker and do like a degree of comfort in a hotel (such as private bathroom, for example) but surely the idea of a holiday abroad is to actually see the country and not the inside of a luxury hotel suite.

I think millions of visitors to Thailand will agree with that.:beer:

PompeyPete

NiftyDigits wrote: »

Need I go on?

Up to you. Silom Centrepoint isn't what I want, neither is it where I want to be. But it's given anyone reading the thread an idea of a little of what's on offer.

I don't really care whether the ferry from Pier 13 to Central Pier takes 10 minutes or an hour. It's a great way to travel, and only feels like 10 minutes.:p

NiftyDigits wrote: »

New Siam Riverside charges too much for what it offers. Two star against perhaps four to five star.

So far as I'm concerned, and for the budget I've got to cover a 4 or 5 week trip, there aren't any [?] other hotels in Bangkok, that offer perfectly adequate and comfortable standard rooms that are either...

- Riverside.
- Have a riverside swimming pool.
- Have a riverside restaurant.
- Have a stonking breakfast buffet included.
- Have such a choice of nearby reasonably priced restaurants and bars.
- And are close to a Ferry Pier, which transports you quickly to other parts of the riverside [including Chinatown, and the BTS at Central Pier]

NiftyDigits

Ballard wrote: »

Each to their own but I've never been able to understand why people need a huge room, gym, washing machine etc. when they're on holiday. I'm not a backpacker and do like a degree of comfort in a hotel (such as private bathroom, for example) but surely the idea of a holiday abroad is to actually see the country and not the inside of a luxury hotel suite.

What a bunch of BS Peopl go on holiday to enjoy and to relax in their own way.

Even as a backpacker, I would give my laundry to the guesthouse to wash for me, as do thousands of other backpackers...in Bangkok, Samui...just about everywhere. They would prepare my breakfast too. All I would have to do is to pay. So what is the difference?
Would I have been experiencing more of the country if I had slept outside and washed my clothes by hand?
As a backpacker, I stayed in cheap guesthouses to meet others and to save money.
But when meeting others is not a priority, i prefer luxury.as do many others.
When I stay on the islands, I stay on absolute beachfront. Am I not seeing the country?
Am I not seeing the same river as touted by Pompey Pete?
I certainly am, but I am doing it in more luxurious surroundings.
I can wake up, hit the gym, have breakfast and then go to explore. What's the difference?

So quite frankly if you can't understand why some people prefer luxury when they can have it, that's fine by me.