Bangkok-Pattaya tics, 11/2001

by Green Grasser
greengrasser@yahoo.com
(formerly El Hunter)


The first-time visitor should find this report useful and others may find a few tips helpful.

Green Grasser (formerly El Hunter) vacationed in Thailand the latter part of November 1999 and return again in November 2001 for the Greg It's Showtime festivities. This report is an update of the November 1999 report, which may still be useful for its details. Some 1999 information are retained for coverage but in less details and are indicated by [square brackets]. Bangkok stuff are covered by items number 5 - 44 and 59 - 62. Pattaya stuff are covered by items no. 45 - 53.

1. NORTHWEST AIRLINES. East coast to Minneapolis, 2.5 hours; wait, 1.5 hours; to Tokyo, 13 hours; wait, 2.5 hours; to Bangkok, 5 hours. The Minneapolis to Tokyo segment was in daylight and my body clock was not set for sleep. Also, there were three movies shown and I wanted to see them. Finally, I dozed continually through the Tokyo-Bangkok segment, in spite of two movies shown. The Minneapolis to Tokyo segment was a little light on food about midway, so bring a sandwich to add to the finger snack served between the lunch at the beginning of the flight and breakfast at the end of the flight.

2. [1999 - LOS ANGELES HOTEL. I stayed at Caesar's Motel, $34.20, credit card. I had to stay overnight in Los Angeles due to a mismatch in United Airlines connections, which went through Hong Kong and not Tokyo. Caesar's was clean and safe, but obviously for the price not a three-star place and not good for more than a night's stay. It was listed on an airport bulletin board for hotels with a direct telephone line and offered a free van pickup.]

3. CHANGE MONEY AT BANGKOK AIRPORT. Flight arrived 10:45 pm and passengers were bus'd about half a mile to Terminal 2, passed a lot of building construction. Immigration counters were on the second floor and baggage carousels on the first floor. After passing a Customs agent who waved everyone through, we entered a large foyer. Bank windows were on both the immediate right and left. There were other counters for transportation services, etc. [1999 - The posted exchange rates were the same at all banks and the next day I found the airport bank rates were the same as the banks on Sukhumvit road. The exchange rate was higher for traveler checks than cash, but all the banks charged a fee of 23 baht per traveler check (hint: $100 TC costs 23 baht, but two $50 TCs will cost 46 baht).] The next day's rate was slightly better at the Siam City Bank on the first floor of the Ploenchit Center. Suggest getting at least $100 worth of bahts, because there is still time to party before sleeping.

4. EXCHANGE RATES. [1999 - about 39 baht per $1.] November 10, 2001 at the airport: B43.65 per $1 for $100 bill. November 12, 2001 at Sim City Bank, Ploenchit Center, 1st floor: B44.07 for $100 and $50 bills, B43.67 for $20, $10, and $5 bills, B43.22 for $2 and $1 bills, and B44.27 for traveler's checks less B23 fee per check. November 16, 2001 at the Money Changer, Second Road near North Pattaya Road and Naklua intersection, in front of the Tiffany's Show building, Pattaya: B43.97, B43.52, B43.14, and B44.97 respectively. Sorry, I did not get a chance to try my ATM cards. Leaving Bangkok and exchanging bahts for dollars, $1 for B44.59. Bring cash, traveler's checks, and ATM card, because money exchangers may refuse, for example, due to news of counterfeit $100 bills, stolen American Express traveler's checks, etc which could occur during your trip.

5. CAR SERVICE, www.hotelthai.com. Booked this transport from the airport to my hotel for 550 baht over the internet and charged to my credit card. The actual credit charge was under $12.50 (B44 per $1). The web site compared its 550 baht price to a taxi charge of 300 baht plus expressway toll fee. However, there were two little problems. First, the driver was not waiting for me with my name on a sign, when I finished at the bank window and passed by the waiting crowd. I walked around a few minutes and doublebacked to the waiting crowd ten minutes later and this time he was there with my name on a sign. We walked up two flights, to where the car was conveniently parked on the third floor. Second, the driver did not take the expressway to the Sukhumvit exit. I guessed the longer route, through city streets with light traffic, turns, and waits at street lights, took about ten minutes longer. In the lobby area of Terminal 2 which you enter after passing Customs, there were a few other vendor windows and booths, which offered a taxi to Bangkok for 650 baht and to Pattaya for 2,250 baht.

6. [1999 - CAR SERVICE BOOKED THROUGH GRAND PRESIDENT. GP hotel quoted the rate of 600 baht for pickup at the airport and 500 baht for the return from hotel to the airport. Actually, the service and vehicle were provided by a tour company that operated in the GP lobby, tower 1. Upon arrival at the hotel, I requested that the pickup charge be added to my hotel bill. The driver gave me a chit to sign for a charge of 750 baht. The hotel explained that the pickup charge was 600 baht in cash and 750 baht if charged to my hotel bill even if I pay my hotel bill in cash.]

7. NANA HOTEL, www.nanahotel.co.th. Booked a room over the internet. Just a basic room with a window view of a wall, okay for two nights. Safety deposit box for each guest at the front desk. Across the street from the Nana Entertainment Plaza, a three-minute walk. I was able to get in an hour at NEP before its 2 am closing, then walked up Sukhumvit Road and saw ladies on the street and two massage places opened for business. Ended at the Nana Hotel restaurant and met a few girls. After 3 am, there were two girls sitting close to the elevator, who offered a massage. Room rate included a buffet breakfast, which I overslept the first morning. Breakfast table comprised of fried eggs, scrambled eggs, french toast, bacon, steamed ham luncheon meat, cocktail weiners, lightly fried rice, noodles, various sliced fruits, coffee, etc. I tried to book the Dynasty Inn over the internet for my first nights, but it insisted on a faxed signature on a credit card authorization if you are scheduled to arrive after 6 pm. Dynasty Inn has nicer rooms for about the same money, which did not include breakfast.

8. [1999 - GRAND PRESIDENT ROOM RATE, www.presidentpark.com, Soi 11, near Sukhumvit Road. My travel plan was four nights in Bangkok, one week in Pattaya, and one week in Bangkok. I e-mailed my reservation to GP for a Topaz room as a TSM travel club member entitled to 20 percent discount and GP confirmed that I would get a weekly rate for the week's stay. Then I e-mailed whether I could get the weekly rate for the four-night stay and GP replied that it would give it to me as a special case. On my third day at GP, I checked my hotel bill and GP erred twice. First was that my reservation was for the entire two-plus weeks and second was that GP said that I was not entitled to the weekly rate for the four-night stay. GP had copies of our e-mail correspondences attached to my reservation when I checked in, but when I inquired about my hotel bill, GP copies had disappeared. I showed my copy and got the weekly rate for both stays, a difference of 870 baht per night versus 1100 baht.]

9. [1999 - GRAND PRESIDENT MUSIC. Bring your own cassette, CD, and/or videocassette. Unlike many hotels, especially for the price, GP has a player for these mediums. Others said that the VCR did not play US standard videocassettes.. Note that you can buy cassettes, CDs, and videocassettes in Bangkok. But, unlike ten years earlier, such vendors and US titles were not plentiful. In fact, I hunted for CD music and found few vendors and they offered mostly Thai titles and a few US titles for over 500 baht.]

10. [1999 - GRAND PRESIDENT EXERCISE. Bring your gym shoes. The GP exercise room (cycles, running machine, weights, etc) was free to hotel guests, but insisted on gym shoes. One can buy such shoes on Sukhumvit, but selection and sizes are small. For expediency and from years of staying in various hotels, I exercise in my room. For example, put the bed on its end against the wall, lift furniture or suitcase or gallon jugs of water, push-ups, crunches, run in-place, and practice a few self-defense moves against knife attacks and neck chokes.]

11. BOOKSTORE. Buy a map of the city and two dictionaries. [1999 - MAP AND THAI-ENGLISH PHRASE BOOK. Go to Asia Bookstore, inside Landmark Plaza on Sukhumvit near soi 4, or on Sukhumvit between soi 15 and 17. Buy a Bangkok map (35 or 50 baht for "No 1. Best Seller" Bangkok Thailand bus map & river taxi). Also, buy a small English-Thai phrase book, which can cost up to 250 baht. I prefer an alphabetical list (not the situational list), and phonetic equivalent of Thai words (not Thai alphabet, which is non-Roman).] Buy two bilingual dictionaries, one of English-Thai words for you and the other of Thai-English words for your friend, which will save time in passing one dictionary back and forth.] The bookstores also sell many others books, paperbacks, and magazines in English. There is usually a section of books written about Thai bar girls, which can provide some insight and cautions on the girls who can easily become a wife.

12. PLOENCHIT CENTER, Sukhumvit Road, between Soi zero and Soi 2, on the next block from the Marriott Hotel. Has a small supermarket on the basement level where one can buy big jugs of water and liquor (fifth of bourbon, tequila, or vodka for around B500), McDonald's (Big Mac for 50 baht) at the front of the building, loads of food vendors on the 6th floor where one can buy a small plate of Thai food for 30 baht, lunch buffet for 99 baht at a restaurant on the basement level, TGI Fridays and other classy restaurants on the 2nd floor, a hair dresser on the 2nd floor (man's haircut for B200 and woman's haircut for B250), an expensive internet store on the 2nd floor (3 baht per minute), a bowling alley on the 4th floor (a game for 60 baht), a dentist office on the 7th floor (teeth cleaned with hydrosonic equipment for 1,000 baht and appointment made one hour in advance), bank to exchange money on the 1st floor, an ATM machine on the basement level, drug store on the 1st floor, and other small vendors.

13. INTERNET STORES. Internet services are located all around Sukhumvit Road, as separate stores and as one of various services offered, such as in a travel agency. Reasonably priced internet services are located around the beer garden in front of the Ambassador Hotel, costing about 60 baht per hour. When I stayed later at the Fortune Hotel, I used a local internet store for 15 (yes, fifteen) baht per hour. To get there, leave the hotel, turn right, turn right at the intersection, walk about 15 minutes until you get to the end of an expressway ramp where there is a soi, turn right at the soi, walk 200 feet, and the internet store, called Red Dot, is on the left.

14. STREET OVERPASS OR LAND BRIDGE. Use them, even if still five blocks from destination. Crossing Sukhumvit and other major roads has two problems. One is the long traffic light over five minutes before changing to allow the cross street traffic to cross. Other is one's own normal habits for US traffic, which will be wrong for Thailand traffic because driving is on the left side of the road. So, using the overpass is safer and will save time.

15. LOOK BOTH WAYS BEFORE CROSSING A STREET. Two reasons. First was mentioned in the previous tip. In other words, you first turn your head to the left to look for oncoming traffic, which in Thailand is coming from the right. Second was that many motorcyclists drove on the other side of the street after one has just checked that no vehicles were there. They will even drive on sidewalks and in the space between a bus letting passengers off and the sidewalk.

16. SAYING NO TO TOUTS AND TAXIS. The magic words are "MY OWL". They are not phonetically correct, but are easier to remember than the correct phonetic equivalent. One can say "No" many times until one is blue in the face but Thai touts and taxis simply do not understand English. But, saying my owl is the Thai equivalent of no, meaning I do not want. SunTszu said, "The phrase that you refered to as 'MY OWL' is actually 'Mai Ao,' which translates as 'Don't Want.' You can also try 'Mai Chai' (No) or 'Phom Dern Bpai' pronounced "pom darn pai" (I'll walk)."

17. STREET VENDORS. I paid 100 baht for a tourist tee shirt, and 250 baht for a two-pocket cotton solid-color short-sleeve shirt. [1999 - Their price is subject to bargaining to about half or third lower than their first quote. For example, they quoted 350 baht for a two-pocket cotton solid-color long-sleeve shirt and I paid 200 baht, or quoted 150 baht for a tie and I paid 80 baht each for five ties, or quoted 180 baht for a tourist tee shirt and I paid 100 baht. But, don't worry if you overpaid a little because you are still getting a bargain and you are dealing with honest people who are enterprising enough to work long hours on mean streets.]

18. [1999 - NO STREET VENDORS ON WEDNESDAYS. Don't wait for a Wednesday to do your shopping with street vendors. Bangkok regulations prohibit such street vendors on Wednesdays. Thus, Wednesdays are good days to walk the streets and see the traffic and what are on the other side of the street. I wonder if the same is true on Pat Pong 1?]

19. SHOPPING. It is great in Thailand. Tee shirts, shirts, jeans, briefs, ties, socks, dresses, paintings, rubbings, wood carvings, watches, butterfly pins, belts, wallets, luggage, jewelry, tailored clothes, condoms, lubricant jelly, etc. I suggest bringing an empty suitcase or better yet buy suitcases in Pattaya [1999 - I paid 3,000 baht or $77 for a 28-inch and a 22-inch cloth rollaway suitcases with combination locks].

20. [1999 - TAILORS. They always ask when you plan to leave. Never tell, instead give a date several days prior. Also, better to see what one item looks like before agreeing to buy additional items. I went to Taj Mahal on soi 4 to have copies made of my favorite pants, that were sold by a US department store that went out of business. I selected Taj Mahal because someone posted that Taj Mahal gave fair price, quality tailoring, and on-time service and to ask for Michael and mention the internet special. However, my experience was totally different. Taj Mahal did not give on-time service, had high price, did not do quality tailoring. Also, he refused to give me a proper receipt for my purchase. In conclusion, I do not recommend Taj Mahal.] This experience was similar to prior purchases ten years earlier from three other Indian tailor shops on or near Sukhumvit. Clothing was serviceable for business wear, but was not quality tailoring like a Madison Avenue suit which would cost four or five times as much.

21. CD-ROM AT PANTIP PLAZA. [1999 - Take the number 2 non-air conditioned bus. It goes along Sukhumvit which becomes Ploenchit, takes a right onto Ratcha-Dampi, and then a left onto Phetchburi. Get off at the first bus stop on Phetchburi and walk about 100 feet in the same direction. Pantip Plaza is a large four-story building on the left with a large sign in front with the word, Computer. There are CD-ROM (applications and games) vendors on every floor. The going price is 150 baht, but there were a few vendors whose price was 200 baht for the same titles. Check the underside of the CD-ROM for a clean surface. I bought a four-disk set in Pattaya and discovered too late in Bangkok that disk number 3 was marred.]

22. BUS. [1999 - Buy a bus map (see my tip above). There are three types of buses: regular or non-air conditioned, air conditioned (looks like a tour bus and during a sunny day the curtains cover the windows), and micro-buses (newer and smaller than the previous two types). A bus is almost as fast as a taxi. [1999 - The regular bus cost 3.5 baht. The other types probably cost more.] One danger is pickpocketers. Ten years ago, they reportedly used a razor to cut one's pocket so that one's wallet would fall out. For speed, take the Skytrain if it goes near your destination. Another fast transport are water taxis. Walk along Soi 3 from Sukhumvit Road until a bridge goes over a waterway, which is called Klong San-San, where a boat ride costs 35 baht.

23. BUS TO PAT PONG. The Skytrain should be a faster ride to Pat Pong for 40 baht. [1999 - Take the number 25 non-air conditioned bus. It goes along Sukhumvit pass Siam Square, takes a left onto Phaya Thai, and then a right onto Rama IV. Get off at the first bus stop on Rama IV. At this point, the dropoff is two blocks passed Pat Pong. So, walk counter to the bus' direction of travel and cross one intersection (Si Phraya) to get to the second road (Surawong), which lies along one side of Pat Pong. Since there was construction between Si Phraya and Surawong, I walked down a side street and passed a 30-plus monks celebration at a temple watched by many tourists, a no-hand restaurant (does this mean an eating place for armless people or for people served by ladies?), and the Rose Hotel.]

24. TAXI. Take taxicabs with metered fare. If the meter is not on, tell the driver to turn it on. No need to bargain before getting into the taxi, unlike prior years with unmetered taxis. Metered taxi from Fortune Hotel to Pat Pong costed under 60 baht and Fortune Hotel was further away than hotels near Sukhumvit Road. [1999 - From GP Hotel to Pat Pong, taxi drivers quoted 100 baht and the taxi drivers parked in front of GP Hotel wanted 100 baht. From Pat Pong to Sukhumvit and soi 19, bargained a fare of 80 baht, for destination Soi Cowboy. From Pat Pong to Sukhumvit and Soi 4, a taxi driver quoted 35 baht, along the way he offered to show me girls and a massage place. He dropped me off in front of NEP, said the ride costed 100 baht, and denied stating 35 baht. My errors - never mention NEP and get out at the corner of Sukhumvit.]

25. SKYTRAIN. An overhead rail transport, which began operating about December 1999. It is fast because it avoids the street traffic jam. The fare price depends on the distance between rail stations. No personal experience.

26. CHEAP EATS. [1999 - Grand President Hotel, tower 2 has a convenience store, which I used for its gallon size of water. Foodland is a grocery store on soi 5 which has fruits, a deli counter for excellent cold cuts, a bakery counter, water, sodas, beers, etc and is open 24 hours. Places I saw but did not try that had food plates for 40 baht and up included: lunch counter at Foodland, top floor's food court at Ploenchit Center (near soi 2 on Sukhumvit), and McDonald's 19 baht hamburger or pork burger. I also saw KFC (Kentucky Fried Chicken) and 7-11 convenience stores.] See item #12, Ploenchit Center.

27. BIG EATS. [1999 - Buffets at: Ambassador sea food restaurant, soi 11, 5pm - 10pm, 300 baht plus 17 percent; Moeligi [sp?] restaurant, next to Grand President's tower 3, Monday and Wednesday 6pm - 10pm, pasta buffet, 130 baht but with tax and a soda was 200 baht; Bourbon Street restaurant, inside Washington Square behind the Mambo theatre near soi 22, Tuesday, 130 baht, taco buffet; and restaurant at Landmark, between soi 4 and 6, lunch and dinner buffet, about 500 baht.] See item #12, Ploenchit Center. The 4-star and 5-star hotels usually have a lunch and/or dinner buffet.

28. DIARRHEA. [1999 - After about ten days I developed a mild case of the runs, which involved going about every two hours. The same happened to me over a year ago in Angeles City. This time I tried three cups of 6 ounces of yogurt each morning and was OK after three days. I have gotten food poisoning before from eating something bad and thought this was my problem. But, after some thought, my theory was that excessive imbibing of the local beer every night was giving me the shits. So, I switched from beer to whiskey and soda. The switch seemed to work better than the yogurt. Also, one can buy prescription medicine without a prescription, thus one could probably buy lomotil, etc.] This time, no problem. Another guy mentioned that privately-made draft beer gave him the runs. This time I did not drink any draft beer, except for a major name beer maker, and ate only cooked food.

29. PAT PONG. To get to Pat Pong from Sukhumvit Road, see items #23 - #25. The entertainment area is famous and therefore draws a lot of tourists and vendors who want to cash in on the tourist crowd. In my opinion, PP used to be the number one entertainment area for men from Europe and America and the most expensive, but is now number two or three while still the most expensive.

30. PAT PONG'S SECOND STORY CLUBS. [1999 - Do not go into any second story club that does not advertise "no cover charge". Clubs on the second floor or higher are likely to have a sex show, which is illegal. The reason for the second floor was that if the Thai police demanded entrance, a doorman rang a bell which gave the girls a few seconds to run off the stage. There used to be a few great second story clubs on Pat Pong 1. But I visited five such clubs in November 1999 which were humble by comparison (smaller space, fewer and ugly girls, fewer sex tricks, fewer customers). However, you might want to see the flying tuk-tuk which culminates with a two-lesbian act in the Firecat club and the giant cocktail glass descending from the ceiling with a girl bathing herself in the Supergirl club. Their drink prices were the same as downstairs clubs. I did not see a male-female act on this Bangkok visit, so one may have to follow a tout to a club located off the beaten path.] This time, Firecat Club did not have the suspended tuk-tuk and a lady came to me and tried to charge me an extra B200 for the show. I paid B100 for the beer, refused to pay B200 for the show, told her that one girl pulling stuff out of her crouch was not a show, drank my beer, and left. Another second story club has turned into a discotheque, named Lucifer.

31. NANA ENTERTAINMENT PLAZA, Soi 4, near Sukhumvit Road. NEP is the number one entertainment area for men from Europe and America.

32. CLINTON ENTERTAINMENT PLAZA, Sukhumvit Road, near Soi 11. In two years, CEP has gone from a bunch of outdoor beer bars to both beer bars and four go-go clubs. Two other go-go clubs were closed when I visited.

33. SOI COWBOY, between Soi 19 and Soi 21 running parallel to Sukhumvit Road. It is, at least, the number three entertainment area for men from Europe and America. WWLL recommended, [1999 - "The sex show at the Long Gun in Soi Cowboy is just as good as the upstairs bars at Patpong. I watched the whole show for one beer. The place is usually packed for the show so nobody ask you for a drink."]

34. WASHINGTON SQUARE, two alley entrances on Sukhumvit Road and Soi 22. A few expat hangouts. Mr. Gleg recommended, [1999 - "For some daytime action without the bath, ... a bar in Washington Square called "Silver Dollar" A nice little bar with short time rooms/girls."]

35. SOI 33's ART CLUBS. Several clubs with the names of artists. No continuous entertainment. Praised by men in residence in Bangkok who can pay the higher prices.

36. ANNIE, in the Rajah Hotel complex, Soi 4, near Sukhumvit Road. [1999 - Enter Rajah Hotel parking lot and walk pass its entrance. Quote was 1,000 baht for everything, including bath, soapy massage, regular massage, and service.]

37. HAPPY HOUSE, Soi 1, near Sukhumvit Road. [1999 - Opened before noon to midnight. During the first visit, the maitre de gave the prices of 1,500 baht for two hours on-premise and 2,500 baht for overnight take-out and an optional tip for the girl. He mentioned that there would be more girls at 2pm. Several days later, I returned about 3pm. There were the same number of girls. I asked the mama-san about the price. She said it was the same as before. I said 800 baht for three hours take-out? She said yes for an old customer like me.]

38. DARLING, Soi 12. [1999 - Opened before noon - midnight. Quoted 2,500 baht for everything and 1.5 hours. The girls were definitely better looking than girls at Annie and Happy House.]

39. SOI 7 BIER GARDEN, on the left. Mr. Gleg's recommendation in 1999 for daytime/evening action.

40. MASSAGE PARLORS, away from Sukhumvit area. CHAMPS ELYSEES, across the street from the Fortune Hotel, featured a live band in addition to its massage services. NEW CLEOPATRIA, ten-minute walk from Champs Elysees, in the direction of the expressway exit ramp, had the best-looking girls. MONA LISA, near the Siam Hotel. MONIKA, same building as Mona Lisa but separate outside entrance; closed, no Russian girls. CUPIDITY, HAREM, EMBASSY, ATAMI, New Petchaburi Road, near Soi 41, each within a block of the other. After I found Monika closed, a taxi driver approached me and said Monika moved, new Monika, and Russian girls. I said ok, take me there. On the way, he asked me if I was interested in beautiful Thai girls? I said no, but wanted Russian girls and new Monika. He pointed out Cupidity, Harem, Embassy, and Atami massage parlors and said no new Monika. I let him dropped me off in front of Cupidity, paid him, and told him not to wait. Five minutes later, I left Cupidity and the same driver offered me a ride. I refused and walked. He followed me in his car until I approached Embassy a block away, drove ahead of me, spoke to the doorman, and pointed me out to the doorman. I turned around and headed for Harem on the next block. The driver drove around the block and was already talking to the doorman of Harem and pointing me out to him. Five minutes later, I left Harem and walked towards Atami. The driver drove to the corner and spoke to a second taxi driver. I walked backed to Embassy, checked it out, walked to Atami, checked it out, and walked along New Petchaburi Road to get away from all the waiting taxis. The second driver drove up behind me and asked me if I needed a taxi. I said no. He followed me for 50 yards, until I turned around and walked back. When he left, I walked to a taxi stop and waited for another taxi. Lesson: a taxi driver gets a commission from a massage parlor and the massage parlor may charge you a higher price.

41. OTHER ACTIVITIES IN BANGKOK. Bangkok is a large city and as a large city can contain a wide range of activities. The problem, and the fun, is in searching for them, of which some may be deliberately hidden from public or just tourist view.