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The Victory Monument Neighborhood in Bangkok: The Complete Guide

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Victory Monument in Bangkok

The Victory Monument Neighborhood in Bangkok – Index

  1. Ratchathewi and its strengths
  2. How to get to the Victory Monument area
  3. Where to stay at Victory Monument
  4. Where to eat at Victory Monument
  5. What to do at Victory Monument
  6. Where to live at Victory Monument

One of the most stimulating areas of Bangkok is Victory Monument. As the name suggests, this area includes the area adjacent to the Victory Monument, which in Thai is called “Anu Saowari Chai Samoraphum”, and is located in the northern part of the city.

The Victory Monument rotunda has Italian origins. In the middle there’s an obelisk that was erected in 1941 and designed by the sculptor Corrado Feroci. During the 20’s, Feroci was invited to Bangkok to teach Western sculpture at the capital university. In 1944 he was even declared a Thai citizen, and from there he changed his name to “Silpa Bhirasri”.

Before the creation of the obelisk, Victory Monument was a simple rotonda with a lawn and Thai flags. The obelisk you can see today was built in the 40’s to celebrate the Thai army’s victory over French colonials and the later expansion of Thai rule into certain regions of Laos and Cambodia. After Thailand’s defeat in the Second World War, Victory Monument became a symbol of embarrassment for its people.

Today the area adjacent to the Victory Monument is considered one of the biggest transport hubs of the city. Besides the BTS line that connects the northern part of Sukhumvit to the southern part of the city, from Anu Saowari minivans also depart for nearby cities, such as Sukhothai, Ayutthaya, Pattaya, the islands of Koh Chang and Koh Samet, and also towards the floating markets of Amphawa and Damnoen Saduak.

On the two sides opposite the rotonda (the one near the shopping malls and the one near the hospital, to be clear), you can take local buses toward almost every district of the city. For a more detailed guide on how to get around by bus and minivan in Bangkok and Thailand in general, read here. [Read more…]

The Most Famous Thai Dishes And Where To Eat Them in Bangkok

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The most famous Thai dishes

The most famous Thai dishes – Index

  1. Thai cuisine – Introduction
  2. Papaya Salad
  3. Tom Yum Soup
  4. Pad Thai
  5. Pad Kra Pao Moo Sap
  6. Curry in various versions
  7. Sweets and fruits
  8. Vegetarian and vegan versions of the cited dishes
  9. Cooking schools in Bangkok
  10. Bonus: Insects in Thailand

Thai cuisine

With its delicate balance that juggles between sweet, salty, bitter, sour and umami (which in Japanese means “tasty” and is present in foods particularly rich in protein such as meat and cheese) and its beautiful presentation (just think about the plumeria flowers that adorn desserts, or the amazing fruit carvings) Thai cuisine represents a fusion of taste and colors.

Even though Thai cuisine is light and aromatic, its preparation is rather complex, especially due to the balance that each dish requires. An example is papaya salad: a perfect harmony between tart, sweet and spicy flavors, but also the consistency of the ingredients, such as the papaya (soft), the beans (semi-soft) and the roasted nuts (hard).

In the past, traditional Thai cuisine was considered healthy, since it used cooking methods mainly based on boiled, grilled or stewed foods. These days, with Chinese influence, the “less healthy” foods, such as those that are fried have gotten the upper hand.

China hasn’t been the only nation to modify the eating habits of the Thai people; both India and Portugal have played an important role. For example, Thai curry is a modified and adapted version of typical Indian curry, where the clarifying butter is substituted by coconut oil. The spicy pepper, present in the majority of Thai dishes, was imported by Portuguese monks. [Read more…]

Guide to the fake markets in Thailand

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fake markets in Thailand

In Thailand, as in Asia in general, it’s very easy to find counterfeits of name brand products. The largest Thai fake markets are in Bangkok, but you can find smaller ones in other cities like Pattaya, Phuket, and Chiang Mai.

Before starting, note that importing “fake” products protected by a trademark can be considered a crime, so only do so after evaluating the pros and cons at your own risk.

The fake markets: where they are and what they sell

Bangkok

For a detailed explanation on the most famous shopping malls and markets in Bangkok, and how to get there, click here.

The choice of markets in the capital is quite varied, with the foremost being Chatuchak Market.

Also called the JJ Market, Chatuchak is one of the largest markets of all Southeast Asia. One of its distinctions is in its hours of operation: only Saturday and Sunday, from 6:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Some of its parts, such as those dedicated to plants and flowers, are also open on Wednesday and Friday, with the same hours of operation on the weekend. Friday instead hosts an extraordinary opening of areas dedicated to bulk sales. [Read more…]

Alternative activities in Bangkok

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Alternative activities in Bangkok

Besides the classic visits to Buddhist temples, museums, parks, markets, and shopping malls, Bangkok also offers lots of alternative activities.

In this article I’ll speak to you about:

  • Thai massage from blind people
  • Dinner in the dark
  • Bars with animals
  • Trampolines and Jumping Parks
  • Amusement parks
  • Ancient City
  • Painting
  • Bowling
  • Sand bath

Thai Massage

Besides classic spas, or massage centers you can find spread throughout the city, there’s also a well-being center run by blind people.

Perception Blind Massage is located in the Sathorn neighborhood, near the Chongnonsi SkyTrain stop, on Sathorn Soi 8. Operating hours are from 10:00 a.m. in the morning to 10:00 p.m., every day.

Opened in December 2014, Perception Blind Massage was launched with the idea of giving the opportunity to blind people to practice one of their most developed senses: touch. [Read more…]

Markets and shopping malls in Bangkok

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Markets and shopping malls in Bangkok

What markets and supermarkets are there in Bangkok?

In the first part of this article I will explain to you which are the most important and visited markets in Bangkok, where you can buy clothing, food, souvenirs, and many other things for a modest price:

  • Jatujak
  • Jatujak Green
  • Prathunam
  • Patpong
  • Rot Fai (also called the train market)
  • Khao San Road Market.

In the second part of the article I will speak of the enormous shopping malls in the Thai capital, and all the things you can do inside of them:

  • Center One, Victory Mall, and Century Movie Plaza
  • MBK
  • Siam Paragon, Siam Centre, and Siam Discovery
  • Central World
  • Terminal 21.

Jatujak Market

[Read more…]

Traveling to Bangkok, the City of Angels

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Travel to Bangkok

The complete name of Bangkok is composed of more than twenty words, which when translated mean “City of angels, the great city, the city of eternal joy, the impenetrable city of the god Indra, the magnificent capital of the world adorned in precious gems, the happy city that abounds in the colossal Royal Palace, which is like the divine home where the reincarnated gods reign, a city blessed by Indra and built for Vishnukam”.

Bangkok, the largest and most populated metropolis of Southeast Asia with its almost 10 million inhabitants, is climbing the toward the top of the list of the most extensive and busiest cities on the planet.

Located on the banks of the Chao Praya River, up until 1782 Bangkok was like any other town. Since then, thanks also to the fact that King Rama I made it the capital of Siam, it began its commercial, political and diplomatic climb.

Click on one of the following links to jump directly to the section of the article that interests you most:

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The Best Hotels in Bangkok, the Capital of Thailand

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Bangkok with more than 8 million people is an enormous city with several thousands hotels, which may make choosing where to stay extremely difficult. This guide is a selection of the best hotels in Bangkok, whatever your budget may be.

Bangkok is a megalopolis and traffic can be nightmare during rush hour. Even though its transportation is relatively efficient, getting from one place to another can be a big waste of time. Because of this, in this guide we have selected hotels near the Suvarnabhumi Airport and the downtown center (all of them are located in very central areas.

Bangkok receives millions of visitors each year and because of this, we recommend booking hotels well in advance, as the best hotels fill up relatively quickly.

If your looking for a general recommendations on booking hotels in Thailand click here to read our general recommendations. [Read more…]

How to get around in Bangkok – A guide to the city’s transportation system

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Public transportaton in Bangkok

Perhaps one of the first questions you think about once you land at the airport, after food and lodging is: “Now, how am I supposed to get around”?

I’ll start off right away by saying that in Bangkok public transportation is more than satisfactory and, more importantly, on time. Here’s a list of the city’s transportation options:

  • Airport Link;
  • BTS;
  • MRT;
  • Taxi;
  • Tuk Tuk;
  • Train;
  • Bbus.

The traffic in Bangkok is world famous and it’s very easy to find yourself in the middle of an enormous traffic jam at any time of the day or night, wasting a ton of precious time. However, Bangkok is surprisingly easy to navigate using any of the public options you choose.

Airport Link

The Airport Link is a subway line that connects Bangkok’s main airport, Suvarnabhumi Airport, with the city center. One of the advantages of this line is that it’s much cheaper than using a taxi, and you avoid the stress of daily traffic. [Read more…]

The cost of living in Bangkok, Thailand

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The cost of living in Bangkok

If you’re thinking about moving to the Thai capital, even for a short time, this article will be very useful for you managing your money and creating a personal “living cost plan”.

As you can imagine the main monthly expenses are similar to those in the West with a few small exceptions.

In this article we’ll cover both the obligatory expenses that you can’t avoid and the extra ones for everything you need to know when you step foot on Thai soil.

To these costs there’s also the cost of a visa which will vary according to the type whether a student visa, work visa, retirement visa, or tourist visa. [Read more…]

How to rent a house or apartment in Bangkok

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How to rent a house or apartment in Bangkok

One of the first things you have to do once you land in Bangkok with the intentions of staying for awhile, is to look for someplace to live for a mid-to long-term period.

Finding a house in one of the largest cities in Southeast Asia can be a hard and often expensive undertaking, both in terms of physical energy and money, especially if you’re not aware of information that can simplify (even by a lot!) the search.

Keep reading to learn which are the best neighborhoods to find a house in Bangkok, what the different types of properties are, related costs and how to find an apartment (agents and contracts).

Where to look for a house in Bangkok?

The first thing to do when looking for an apartment or house in Bangkok is to open a city map where the two elevated train lines are indicated, called Sky Train or more commonly BTS, which connects the eastern parts, northern areas and southern zone of the city, which are easily found near all the stops, and is available here in digital form.

The stops along the train routes, a light and dark green, reflect those that are considered the various regions of the city, which will be useful to know when you go looking for a house on the larger Thai real estate internet sites, where you’ll need to enter the name of the area where you want to look for a house. [Read more…]

The Temples of Bangkok: Wat Arun and Wat Phra Kaew (Photos)

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Temples of Bangkok

In Bangkok there are so many temples that, if you’re there only for a few days, it may be difficult to decide what temples are worth a visit. My opinion is that the two most interesting temples are the Wat Arun and the Wat Phra Kaew, both located inside the Old City (Rattanakosin); that is very close to Kao San Road, the backpackers’ street of Bangkok.

Wat Arun (Temple of Dawn)

The Wat Arun is located on the West side of Chao Phraya River. You can either take a cab or, if you’re staying near Khao San, just walk towards South West for around twenty minutes and then take a ferry. The temple is open from 8 am to 5:30 pm and the entrance ticket costs 50 Bath (Thai people don’t pay). [Read more…]

The Damnoen Saduak floating markets near Bangkok (Photo Essays)

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Floating Market in Bangkok

While I was in Bangkok I’ve spent a day in Ayutthaya, the ancient capital of Thailand, and half day in Damnoen Saduak, where you’ll find the most touristic floating market of Thailand.

Was is worth?

Yes. And no. I’d never seen any floating market before so the visit was quite interesting to me. Also, I think I managed to shot some decent photos. However the market is way too crowdy and you’ll have to “swim” through a wall of western and Chinese tourists (mostly western, I must say). [Read more…]

Ayutthaya, the old capital of Thailand (Photo Essays)

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Ayutthaya, the old capital of Thailand

What is Ayutthaya?

Ayutthaya is the old capital of Thailand and is located 85 Km North of Bangkok. Ayutthaya was founded in 1350 and nowadays hosts an archeological site that became a popular destination for the tourists that stay in Bangkok as you can easily visit the site in a day. As you can see from the photos, here you’ll mostly find Buddhist temples.

From Bangkok to Ayutthaya

By minivan (tour)

I was staying in Khao San Road, the popular backpackers area in Bangkok. So instead of going to the Bangkok train or bus station myself and then find my way once arrived in Ayutthaya, I’ve being lazy and took a day tour from one of the many tour agencies that you find in Khao San.

The tour cost me 700 Bath and included the minivan ride (they pick you up at your hotel at 8 am) to Ayutthaya and through all the touristic spot scattered around the town. The tour also included the lunch (nothing special but it wasn’t bad). The trip from Bangkok lasts about 2.5 hours and you’ll be back in Khao San around 5 pm. [Read more…]