Thursday, March 8, 2007

Bangkok hues




Bangkok 1100 hrs (1000 hr KL time) was something I was looking forward to since the debacle of two weeks ago. At KLIA the sms-ing was frantically going on at the risk of being considered rude by fellow travellers. Last minute responses to reports of more bad practices in my last place of employment. No surprise at all, so the answers were short. Quote "not surprising!"

Bangkok, like Istanbul (our 9-16 February 2007 visit), had changed. Both were much cleaner and of note dust-free; the street profile trendy and happening; the city ribboned with loops of intersecting highways, viaducts and light rail systems. The similarities end here. Although Istanbul has its traffic problems at peak periods, Bangkok takes the cake with traffic congestion at all times of the day or night. The infamous "10 minutes" quoted by Bangkok drivers can mean anything from half an hour to one hour and ten minutes. While waiting for your car, your driver will say "I arrive in 30 minutes OK?" Progress report at the end of that time is " 30 minutes, car not moving". To avoid obvious repetition, the reply is now "20 minutes" and so forth. So as not to stress yourself out, give a good 1.5 hours lead time for any movment in the city.

The shopping is better than ever. MBK for the local flavours, but not dirt cheap as expected. Prices of stuff, from watches to shoes, follow the Asean norms. Siam Paragon is the huge upmarket shopping complex ala KLCC in KL and Senayan Plaza in Jarkarta. Brand names on the ground floor and lesser boutiques rise steadily up the floors. For a good choice of high end Thai home decor and fashion head for Exotique on the fourth floor of Siam Paragon. Sixth floor of MBK has the more touristy stuff. Don't miss the Suam Lum night market that starts from 4 pm to midnight. Cooler by night, Thai puppet show for kids while the parents shop and food galore as usual.

Novotel in Siam Square is extremely well sited for shopping, Thai food and Thai massage parlours. Ms PUKE massage with a WWW internet address of the same objectional name greets you every morning from the breakfast room window. You can get the best mango and sticky rice dessert just across the road. Central Chilom is a station away or walkable via the overhead passage. If the US$120/ per room is too much, nearby Reno Hotel is 600 Baht; Siam @ siam is 1200 Baht. Now thats dirt cheap in comparison.

The extra on this trip was the 39th Bangkok Gems and Jewelry Fair at the Impact Challenger Exhibition Centre about 10 minutes (remember the equivalent is 1 hr 10 mins, give another 30 mins) from Bangkok. This a mammoth warehouse of exhibition halls stretching three football fields end to end. With a full calender of activities, it is not surprising that there is a second venue opposite and parallel to it.

When in Bangkok, women go shopping and men go golfing. The numerous pristine competition golf courses are a joy to play for those golf buayas (crocodiles) who would give an arm and a leg to be caddied by not one but three petite Thai-girl caddies; one for the bag, one for the brolly and one for massage, shoulders of course. Water hazards may be numerous, but it is worth the Thai-girl caddy stories from macho buayas that will last for many more games to come!

Just before you catch that flight home, save time to take the train to Chatuchak market, especially if you are into food and Malaysian cooking, to stock up on red garlic, belachan, sticky rice, fish sauce and much more if baggage allows. A reminder about hot weather in March/April where Thais cool down by celebrating the Songkran water festival in April which also signifies the beginning of the Thai New Year.

All too soon you find yourself giving your ride three hours to get to the new airport. Suvarnabhumi does not seem as bad as it appeared on arrival tainted by complaints you have heard about. The immigration guys are very polite and even smile on occasion. Food outlets allow that last chance tom yam soup or beef ball noodle soup. Slurping up the last drop you look forward to home, your own bed and the not so bad traffic jams......