If Penang is Singapore stuck in the 1970s, then Bangkok
is Singapore on a steroid-Viagra combination. It has the mega
malls and the public transport of Singapore and so much more.
Something in the water anyway keeps the citizens from just
taking whatever is dished out by the authorities. Then there
are the girls-girls-maybe-a-girl establishments, from regular
bars to massage parlors to full-service barber shops.
Yes, sex is for sale in Bangkok. Let’s acknowledge that
Thai elephant in the room rather than try to pretend we don’t
see it. As much as the guidebooks try to direct attention
to Thailand’s cultural attractions, there is no ignoring
Bangkok’s sex industry. From noon everyday, women post
themselves at coffee shop tables or perch on stools along
the main strips. A man cannot walk alone without being accosted,
hailed, and propositioned. Brochures at the concierge desks
of hotels advertise escorts and masseuses of infinite variety
and accomplishments.
I’ll save the statistics and sermons on the poverty
that feeds it and the ills that accompany it. It’s everywhere
and inspires a dread fascination if nothing else. Other travelers
on visa runs probably don’t notice the sleaze, so we’ll
go right to the basics of arrival and getting around.
An airport taxi from Don Muang into town will run 700 baht
(about US$18) if booked at one of the booths beyond immigration
and baggage collection. Airport limousines are available as
well for about THB 1,200, but the airport taxis are nice enough
and slightly above the standard street taxis in the curbside
queues. The drivers will ask you to pay an extra THB 60 for
the expressway toll if you want the quickest ride to town.
Other options for getting into town are covered at http://www.into-asia.com/bangkok/airport/downtown.php,
although the prices are a bit dated. As always, ignore the
hotel and car touts that hit you the instant you emerge from
airport officialdom.
ATMs are available in the terminals, so you don’t have
to worry about changing currency. Rates for major currencies
are decent at the airport, but you may only get about half
the bank rate for some Asian currencies. Plan to carry dollars
or Euros or use an ATM.
Hotels and other accommodations will be covered more fully
in subsequent Bangkok articles. A clean room in a backpacker
hostel should go around 500 THB to 700 THB; a medium range
hotel room will go between 1,200 THB and 1,500 THB. Try to
stay near a Skytrain or MRT station. It will help in getting
around the city, although one should always keep in mind the
riverboats, which are the least expensive and most enjoyable
way of getting from A to B in Bangkok.
If you haven’t been to Bangkok since the Skytrain and
MRT have gone into operation, go to a station the first day
to get a system guide and map. Stored value cards or 30-day
passes good for 10, 15, or 30 trips are your best ticket options.
The one-day pass with unlimited rides for 100 THB isn’t
real value unless you ride the rails all day long. Most one-way
trips are in the 20 to 25 THB range, and just getting around
shopping and such won’t make the 100-THB card a bargain.
Getting to the Indonesia Embassy at 600-602 Phetchaburi Road
is no more trouble than catching a taxi from your hotel. The
fare will be between 70 and 100 THB from most areas. If you
are tolerant of the Bangkok heat, the embassy is about a one-kilometer
walk from the Ratchatewi Skytrain station. Travelers who’ve
done visas in Bangkok say it’s easier than doing it
in Kuala Lumpur although not as slick as in Singapore, where
visa runners will pick up your passport and documents at your
hotel and leave you to your shopping and entertainment.
(Next up, Bangkok’s most stylish hotel on the backpacker
trail.)
