hughjass85

Thanks Mardhi ,, useful info info that im sure many will appreciate

This is often an emotive subject with many complaining about huge amount of Fatality's on bus travel. This is just what I have observed over the last year of using some of the bus services.
 
The first thing to take into account is the question of all the accidents. From what I have seen, these accidents seem to be a mix of local charter buses and regional bus services. The services I am talking about are the intercity services that link the main points. There are like Qantas with a South American crop dusting plane. Basically chalk and cheese.
 
For a start, I cannot recall reading about a serious crash involving these coaches in the 13 years I have lived here.
 
There are however different levels of service/seat even within the same company/route. VIP services are considered as the best. Typically 24 or 32 seats per bus, depending upon single or double decker bus. Different brands all have different but similar offerings. Seating is normally 3 abreast in single and double seat plan. Seats are big with lot of legroom and a serious recline. Basically comparable to an airline business class long haul seat before they switched to lie flat beds.

Did your Mrs enjoy it too ?

I probably should have posted this topic in Transport and travel

I've used these in Malaysia and it works well, the difference being that the drivers speak English ok. problem is in BKK, the taxi drivers can't confirm the bookings more often than not as they don't feel comfortable attemping English on the phone, also the times I have used them to book in advance, the drivers have also cancelled at the last minute. There are never a shortage of drivers on the streets anyway at most times of the day and night.
 
If I were to look for positives, possibly a good use would be in places like Soi 11, where the taxi mafia stand around looking for fixed price work. Even passing drivers will try the same and you want to book an airport run.

Now that the protest site at Asoke has been dismantled I decided to stay at the Emporium Suites again this time around.
 
This isn't the first time I'm staying at the Emporium, over the last couple of years it has somewhat become my home away from home. I love the spaciousness of the rooms and the location is perfect for me as it's walking distance from places like Akane in soi 33 where I like to 'relax' during the day after a heavy night of drinking. The fact that the hotel is connected to the mall and the BTS makes it even better for me.
 
 
First impression: smallish lobby with some comfy seating areas and a bar. The receptionists are always smiling and upon check in upgraded me from a Studio Deluxe to a One Bedroom Suite.
 
Location: connected to the Emporium Mall on soi 24 means you can access the mall and the BTS from within and there is no need to go outside; handy during rainy season when it is bucketing down.
 
Room: nice room, around 90m2, a living room with a comfortable sofa and large flat screen TV, a bedroom with an extremely comfortable king size bed and an OK bathroom with a shower as part of the bath; no rain shower which is a miss in my opinion for a hotel like the Emporium.
 
Pool/Gym: a good sized pool which gets sun until about 3pm. The gym is large and fully equipped.
 
Bottomline: I would recommend this hotel for longer stays if your budget allows it. There is free Wifi and the place is totally guest friendly.
 
 
The outside

 
Lobby

 
Pool area which can be a bit noisy at the moment due to the construction of Emporium 2 on the other side of Sukhumvit

 
Livingroom

 
A fully equipped kitchen with microwave, coffee machine, toaster and washing machine

 
Comfy bedroom with king size bed

 
View from the room

I came across this App the other day ( http://www.hotelquickly.com/ ) and thought it might come in handy for some of the guys in BKK.
The app itself is pretty good, easy to use with a map etc.
 
It is not designed to book long stays at hotels it is only for 1-5 nights and the prices are cheap because it is one of those last minute type deals.
 
Once you have your CC details in the app you can book a room and have it confirmed in under 30 seconds any time between 8am and 4am which I thought was pretty impressive.
 
 
 
 
 

I came across this App the other day ( http://www.hotelquickly.com/ ) and thought it might come in handy for some of the guys in BKK.
The app itself is pretty good, easy to use with a map etc.
 
It is not designed to book long stays at hotels it is only for 1-5 nights and the prices are cheap because it is one of those last minute type deals.
 
Once you have your CC details in the app you can book a room and have it confirmed in under 30 seconds any time between 8am and 4am which I thought was pretty impressive.
 
 
 
 
 

Go to your settings and change your email address. That will be 110000000%

Go to your settings and change your email address. That will be 110000000%

Brand new hotel opened right in the heart of the nightlife area.
 
It's that new that the lifts are not working yet.
 
Will give a better review when I have stayed my two nights. But first impressions are stunning

Guys,
 
The redirect exploit issue has been fixed since 24 hours ago. Should no longer experience the redirect coming from any search engine directly onto the main page of the forum. It took a lot of frustration, time and effort to get it fixed. Appreciate your patience in this matter and thanks for the support and offered help.
 
Thanks,
Alex

When I plan a night out in Patpong, I typically kick it off with a dinner at G's in Patpong soi 2, adjacent to Foodland. G's was started 2 years ago by Guido, a German chef who has been in Thailand for about 17 years and who used to be the GM of Livingstone's Lodge in soi 33, nowadays called Ocean Bangkok. On a side note, Guido was quite well know in Germany before he made the move to Thailand as he had his own cooking show on TV in the 90's.
 
The place is quite small, probably about 10-12 tables and serves German food as well as Thai food, but obviously with Guido being German the emphasis lies on German food and drink. There are around 30 specialty German beers on stock as well as a number of great schnapps bottles. The food is the typical German robust type, with portions that could feed half a family. Before ordering you get some home made bread and good garlic butter, which is not always easy to find in Bangkok, and Guido talks you through the menu and specialties of the day. Main dishes vary in price between 200 Baht for Curry sausages to 450 Baht for excellent Pepper Schnitzels or Caper Meatballs , so a visit won't exactly break the bank...
 
Guido himself is quite a colourful character who'll entertain you with some of his political views and Thai experiences from the last 17 years. He's not a LB lover per se, instead he's a regular in Silom soi 4 and connoisseur of Thai boys; it's always a parade of characters visiting the restaurant every time I visit down there.
 
The place definitely gets a thumbs up from me when it comes to the food as well as for the 'value for money' factor.
 
https://www.facebook.com/GsBangkokRestaurant
http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Restaurant_Review-g293916-d3446028-Reviews-G_s_Bangkok-Bangkok.html
 
 
Guido in one of his typical poses

For those with a hankering for genuine Korean BBQ, I can highly recommend Arirang restaurant.
 
Was there last night with my lady and a fellow BM and his gal. I go there quite frequently, usually just my lady and I - she loves it.
 
It is located at the front of a "Little Korea" strip mall, right on Sukhumvit, between Sois 10 and 12, and directly across Sukhumvit from Soi 15.
 
It is the classic BBQ set up with a grill in the middle of the table. Pork cuts range from 300-350 baht, beef from 400-550 baht. one order of meat is enough for 2 people. With the order you get 6 free side dishes called collectivley "banchan" (refillable upon request). They include different types of kimchi, veggie, mini-pancakes, and so on. you also get sauces and various lettuces to wrap the meat in.
 
They have lots of the other classic dishes: soups, stews, noodles, pancakes and seafood dishes.
 
Usually we get a meat for BBQ-ing, plus a soup with rice to share for 200 baht, sometimes a pancake or noodle - so you are looking at between 500 and 1000 for 2 not including drinks.
 
Certainly a step up in price from street food, but I think it is great value for money for very authentic Korean.
 
A side note - for those BKK residents who like to experiment with home cooking, there are a couple of Korean mini-markets to the back of the "mall" on the left. They sell all sorts of Korean staples, as well as a big selection of homemade kimchi. I have whipped up a fair Korean meal in the past after a buying spree at one of these shops! (well fair enough for non-Koreans perhaps...)

Gents,
 
For those with a hankering for real deal Japanese while in the Big Mango, I highly recommend Ten Sui on Sukhumvit 16. The restaurant is in its own house with a large courtyard/garden. Step into the property and you feel like you are in Japan. They have regular seating and tatami rooms. Note: this is a high level joint and priced accordingly for some things, but I would match the quality against just about any Japanese I have eaten outside Japan itself.
 
They cover all the basic Japanese "sub-cuisines" and specialize in Kaizeki and v. fresh sashimi/sushi. Those two will set your wallet back - you are starting at 3000 baht for Kaizeki or 2300 baht for Sashimi for 2 ppl. They are constantly changing the specials with the seasons and the ingredients are of highest quality.
 
HOWEVER, more staple dishes like assorted tempura (B350), Miso Cod/grilled salmon (B380/280), udon/soba (B250) and others are much more reasonable (relative to Western or Hong Kong prices and even the rising prices in Bangkok HiSo restaurants).
 
The lunch sets are a great option - starting from 330 baht you have a wide choice of lots of very good and very filling lunch sets.
 
As a high end place slacks, shoes, collared shirt are necessary.
 
As a comparison, I would rate this place far higher than the Japanese in JW Marriott (Tsu & Nami) at similar or lower pricing levels.
 
See the very extensive menu at their website: http://www.tensui.co/
 
Some good pics at their facebook: https://th-th.facebook.com/Tensui16
 
どういたしまして！
Doitashimashite!
 
 

Yes, I've been to Tsu quite a few times, even when I haven't stayed at the hotel. Excellent food, but it does come at a price... I find the lunch and dinner buffets at the hotel pretty descent and they do offer value for money in my opinion.

A search of the forum brings up this post by DrDamage stating it is LB friendly :
 
 
 

I stayed there once a few years back when they had just opened. Good sized rooms in a good location and definitely guest friendly, but for me there were 2 negatives which have prevented me from staying there again: the wifi was very slow and the TV channels were aimed at an Arab audience which is understandable as the majority of guests were from that part of the world at the time, but left me only with CNN & BBC. Maybe these things have changed now though...

I noticed the sign for this place on street view so I had a look at their website : http://www.shama.com/sukhumvit/
 
The location is on the same street as the Majestic Grande but closer towards Sukhumvit.
 
The rooms look nice and are priced well compared to some I have looked at. At the moment a one bedroom apartment (66 square metres) costs AUD$86/ $101 night. When you compare that price with Majestic and take into account the better pool, gym and bigger room with kitchen this place starts looking pretty good IMO.
 
Spiel and pics from the site :
 
shama sukhumvit bangkok
featuresuniquely Shama
Shama slumber bed Complimentary THANN amenities upon check-in "no boundaries" privilege and lifestyle programme - introduces the hidden gems of the city whether it be for dining, partying, shopping, pampering, escaping or relaxing Shama rooftop - outdoor swimming pool with kids pool Tropical garden with bbq facilities feature feature
Private balcony Fully equppied kitchen Complimentary WiFi internet access Electrolux appliances including washer/dryer LCD TV with international programming DVD player with USB ports Sony Hi-Fi audio system iPhone docking station with speaker and alarm clock Safe services
Daily maid service (excluding Sundays and public holidays) Towel and linen change twice a week Professtional laundry and dry-cleaning services 24-hour security On-site management providing concierge services Complimentary VCD/DVD library Business centre Airport limousine service (at applicable charge) Fitness centre with yoga room and meditation room Shama den - with flat-screen TV and sofas, billiards, mini portable golf, Wii and PlayStation 2 Shama relax - tenants lounge Children’s indoor play area Healthy Extended Continental Breakfast

What the hell is a 'no boundaries privilege and lifestyle programme'? And more importantly do I need it when my lifestyle left boundaries behind long ago.

Due to the protest site at Asoke I decided to stay at the JW Marriott this time around instead of the Emporium Suites which is my usual haunt these days. The protest site is actually very quiet, but it makes the late night taxi journey from Nana to Phrom Phong a bit of a pain the ass, hence the decision to change for this trip.
 
This isn't the first time I'm staying at the JW Marriott, it used to be one of my favourite places to stay in BKK until I got tired of paying a lot of money for rooms that are nice but need a bit of upgrading. What speaks for the JW is the near perfect location, a 2 minute stroll from the hustle and bustle of Nana, and its extreme tolerance to guests, be it LB or GG; not an eye is blinked by security and there is no need to leave ID's at the reception.
 
 
 
First impression: huge lobby with some comfy seating areas and a bar. The hotel had arranged a driver to pick me up from the airport and about 10 minutes before getting to the hotel he rang reception so that everything was ready for a speedy check in; nice touch I thought. The AC in the room was on when I got there, which always makes for a pleasant entry,
 
Location: right on soi 2 in spitting distance of Guess Bar, NEP and Check In bar. Plenty of restaurants, coffee shops around the hotel as well as a 7/11 make for easy pickings if you're hungry or thirsty. The closest BTS is Phloenchit, which is about a 5 minute walk.
 
Room: nice room, around 65m2, a living room with a comfortable sofa and large flat screen TV, a bedroom with an extremely comfortable king size bed and an OK bathroom with a shower cabin separated from the bath; no rain shower which is a miss in my opinion for a hotel like the JW. The best for me was the fact that there was absolutely 0 noise around and the curtains blocked off all sunlight. For a light sleeper who is sensitive to light like myself this is perfect...
 
Pool/Gym: a good sized pool which gets sun until about 3pm. The Spa and sauna/shower facility is truly great, but the massages are way over priced as far as I'm concerned.
 
Bottomline: I would recommend this hotel for shorter stays if your budget allows it. I found all other aspects of the place perfect, including very fast and reliable wireless internet ( I'm a Marriott Gold member, so get that for free, not sure if it's charged otherwise). It's totally Guestfriendly for LB's and GG's alike.
 
 
The lobby

 
The pool

 
View from the room

 
Living room

 
Bedroom

 
Bathroom

 
Tub

If you want to spend a little more SHAMA services apartments over look Nana
 
LB Friendly ask for Soi 4 side and you can check out the action from your balcony

Right, finally got down to the writeup. Nothing much to complain about on the rooms, great livingroom, huge bedroom, good kitchen (if i need it for other things than using fridge). Nice bathroom, though tiny compared to the other rooms. The pic with the dark corridor is leading to the bathroom.
 
Biggest issue is location, i find myself going to soi4 at least a couple of time a day, sometimes motorbike is Bt70, but i've also had Bt150 motorcycle rides. Did a small walkabout of Patpong yesterday, but i cant find any fascination left in me for that area. Nana/Asoke is just much more homely.
 
Soo..conclusion: Great hotel, but way outside my places of interest. Looking for a alternative for the remainer of my stay.
 
Actually, going to Saithorn from here isnt all that shorter than going to Saithorn from Nana...Obviously dependent of where at Saithorn!

Using the star symbol * like hughjass mentioned can work . Sometimes trying variations of this like toy** or ***toy etc etc can be productive also . Can be very handy also when the spelling of a name may vary . The name Noi , Noy , Noey , being a good example , searching No* or No** may provide better results .
Cheers

State railway has a website that is ok, but if you want to do a bit of reading about train travel in Thailand (or even any country, Burma for example), this is the site to read:-
 
http://www.seat61.com
 
The site is vast and on the left column you can select the region and then country you want to look at.
this guy is a real railway buff and the detail on Thailand is as good as you will get anywhere. he details all the routes, the trains, the interiors by route and even the food they serve.
 
If you ever wanted info on travelling within Thailand by rail, this is heaps better than the railway's own website.