thanks to travels-web.com for this guide.
Population:
6.7 million registered (10-11 million is considered a more accurate estimate and includes those registered in Bangkok as well as those still registered in another part of the country, but who actually live in Bangkok)
Elevation:
0- 9 ft.
Location:
In the south central part of Thailand.
Area:
612 square miles
Time Zone:
GMT/UTC+7
International Telephone code:
+66
Telephone area code:
02
Airport:
There is a tax of B500 for international departures.
VAT:
A 7% Value Added Tax is built into the price of all goods and services, including restaurant meals, and is essentially non-refundable.
Electricity:
To use your U.S.-purchased electric-powered equipment, bring a converter and an adapter. The electrical current in Thailand is 220 volts, 50 cycles alternating current (AC); wall outlets take either two flat prongs, like outlets in the United States, or Continental-type plugs, with two round prongs.
Consulates:
Most nations maintain diplomatic relations with Thailand and have embassies in Bangkok. Should you need to apply for a visa to another country, the consulate hours are usually 8-noon: United States Embassy (95 Wireless Rd., 02/252-5040).
Currency Exchange:
Most banks will exchange foreign currency Monday to Friday 8:30am to 3:30pm. Exchange booths affiliated with the major banks are found in all tourist areas, open daily from as early as 7am to as late as 9pm.
Dentists & Doctors:
Thailand has an excellent medical care system. Most medical personnel speak English and many were trained overseas.
Emergencies:
In any emergency, first call Bangkok's Tourist Police at 1155 or 02/694-1222, ext. 1. Someone there will speak English. In case of fire, call 199 or 02/246-0199. Ambulance service is handled by private hospitals; see "hospitals" below, or call your hotel's front desk. For medical evacuation and ambulance service call 02/255-1133.
Health:
In Thailand, the major health risk is posed by the contamination of drinking water, fresh fruit, and vegetables, which causes the intestinal ailment known variously as Montezuma's Revenge and traveler's diarrhea. To prevent it, watch what you eat. Be careful of ice, uncooked food, and unpasteurized milk and milk products, and drink only water that has been bottled or boiled for at least 20 minutes.
Hospitals:
Many hospitals offer 24-hour emergency room care and ambulance service: (passport and a deposit of up to 20,000B ($526.30) are needed before you are admitted. Bills must be settled before you leave. Your domestic medical insurance policy will probably not be accepted for payment, though major credit cards are. )
Among the hospitals with English-speaking staff are Bumrungrad Medical Center and Hospital, 33 Soi 3, Sukhumvit Rd. ( 02/253-0250); and Bangkok Nursing Home, 9 Convent Rd., between Silom and Sathorn roads, south of Rama IV Road ( 02/233-2610).
Internet Cafes:
The highest concentration of cafes are around Khao San Road and in Patpong. Prices range from as low as 2.5B (5¢) per minute to 300B ($7.90) per hour in the cafes that serve coffee and sandwiches. Most guest houses and shopping malls have usage areas.
Lost Property:
If you have lost anything or had your valuables stolen, call the Tourist Police, Crime Suppression Division, Vorachak Road 02/513-3844
Mail:
If shipping a parcel from Bangkok, take advantage of the Packing Service offered by the GPO; open Monday to Friday 8am to 4:30pm, Saturday to Sunday and holidays 9am to noon. Small cardboard packing cartons cost 5B to 17B; they pack things for you for 5B!
Pharmacies:
Bangkok has a great many pharmacies including many internatonal chain stores.
Police:
Call the Tourist Police ( 1155 or 02/694-1222 ext. 1), open 24 hours, for assistance.
Post Office:
The General Post Office (GPO) is on Charoen Krung Road (New Road), between the Oriental and Sheraton Royal Orchid hotels ( 02/233-1050). Telegraph and telephone service are available in the north end of the building. GPO hours are Monday to Friday 8am to 8pm, Saturday to Sunday and holidays 8am to 1pm.
Television:
Television channels include 3, 5, 7, 9, and 11, which offer some English-language programming. Check the Bangkok Post or the Nation Newspaper for listings. Most apartment complexes offer access to cable TV providers.
Telephone, Telegrams & Telex:
The main government telephone office occupies a separate building on the grounds of the GPO (General Post Office) on Charoen Krung Road (New Road) between the Oriental and Royal Orchid Sheraton Hotels and is open daily 24 hours. This office is for international calls.
There are also blue or the newer silver long-distance telephones in strategic places throughout Bangkok (such as the airport), used for domestic long-distance calls, at rates from 6B to 18B per minute. You will need a pile of 5B coins and can observe your running total on the meter, putting in more coins as needed. For information within the Bangkok metropolitan area, dial 13, or find an English-language copy of the Greater Bangkok Business Listing; for the provinces dial 183.
Telegraph services, including fax service and telegram service, are offered in the telephone and telegraph office of the GPO, open daily 24 hours.
Getting There:
The capital's central location makes it both the region's and the country's major transportation hub. Bangkok has a huge airport, three bus terminals, and a centrally located train station. Within the city, taxis and tuk-tuks (three-wheeled motorized trishaws/pedicabs) cruise the broad avenues and provide inexpensive, reliable transportation. The brand-new elevated rail line which opened in 1999 continues to add new lines, and reaches many parts of the city.
Arriving & Departing:
By Air
Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi Airport international terminal, adjacent to what is now the domestic terminal, has relieved congestion and handles international passengers with modern efficiency. As you leave customs, you'll find an array of desks where you can arrange for taxis into Bangkok and transport to other destinations; and a TAT desk with free brochures and maps ( 02/523-8972). Both terminals have luggage-checking facilities ( 02/535-1250).
There is a tax of B500 (about $15, but check with your airline for updates ) for international departures and B30 for domestic departures.
Getting Around the City and Environs:
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 • Sky Train BTS |
Sky Train BTS
One of the most advanced type of urban railway, the Bangkok Transit System (BTS), an elevated heavy rail system running above the business district of Bangkok. BTS offers its passengers speed and reliability and a very attractive alternative to road travel. The Sukhumvit and the Silom lines have recently been added. Tel: 617-7300 Fax: 617-7133 call for schedules and fares.
By Train
Hualamphong Railway Station (Rama IV Rd., 02/223-0341), the city's main station, serves most long-distance trains. Bangkok Noi (Arun Amarin Rd., 02/411-3102), on the Thonburi side of the Chao Phraya River, is used by local trains to Hua Hin and Kanchanaburi.
The State Railway of Thailand has three lines, all of which terminate in Bangkok. The Northern Line connects Bangkok with Chiang Mai, passing through Ayutthaya and Phitsanulok; the Northeastern Line travels up to Nong Khai, near the Laotian border, with a branch that goes east to Ubon Ratchathani; and the Southern Line goes all the way south through Surat Thani-the stop for Ko Samui-to the Malaysian border and on to Kuala Lumpur and Singapore, a journey that takes 37 hours. (There is no train to Phuket, though you can go as far as Surat Thani and change to a scheduled bus service.)
Most trains offer second- or third-class tickets, but the overnight trains to the north (Chiang Mai) and to the south also offer first-class sleeping cabins. Couchettes, with sheets and curtains for privacy, are available in second class. Second-class tickets are about half the price of first-class, and since the couchettes are surprisingly comfortable, most Western travelers choose these.
Tickets may be bought at the railway stations. Travel agencies can also sell tickets for overnight trains. Reservations are strongly advised for all long-distance trains. Train schedules in English are available from travel agents and from major railway stations.
Fares are reasonable. An air-conditioned, second-class couchette for the 14-hour journey from Bangkok to Chiang Mai costs about $15 and first class is about $30.
For information on schedules and passes, call the Bangkok Railway Station Advance Booking Office ( 02/223-3762 or 02/223-0341).
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| • Bus |
By Bus
Bangkok has three main bus terminals.
Northern/Northeast Bus Terminal (Phaholyothin Rd., 02/272-0296 or 02/279-6222), often referred to as Morsit, serves Chiang Mai and the north.
Southern Bus Terminal (Pinklao-Nakomchaisri Rd., Talingchan, 02/435-1199), on the Thonburi side of the river, is for Hua Hin, Ko Samui, Phuket, and points south.
Eastern Bus Terminal (Sukhumvit Rd., Soi 40, Ekkamai, 02/391-2504 or 02/392-2391), usually referred to as Ekkamai, is for Pattaya and points southeast, to Rayong and Trat province.
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| • By Boat |
By Boat
Water taxis and ferries ("river buses") ply the Chao Phraya River. The taxis are long-tailed boats (so called for the extra-long propeller shaft that extends behind the stern) that you can hire for about B300 an hour. Ferry fare is based on zones, but B5 will cover most trips that you are likely to take. You'll also have to pay a B1 jetty fee. The jetty adjacent to the Oriental Hotel is a useful stop. In about 10 minutes and half a dozen stops, you can get to the Grand Palace, or to the other side of Krungthon Bridge in about 15 minutes. It is often the quickest way to travel north-south.
By Car
Brave the Thai roads or hire a driver for a small cost. If a foreigner is involved in an automobile accident, he or she is likely to be judged at fault.
License Requirements
In Thailand your own driver's license is acceptable, providing that it is in English.
Car Rental
It is better to make your car rental reservations once you reach Thailand, as you can usually secure a discount.
Rules of the Road
Driving is on the left; speed limits are 60 kph (37 mph) in cities and 90 kph (56 mph) outside.
By Samlor
These unmetered three-wheeled motorized vehicles, called tuk-tuks, are slightly cheaper than taxis and are best used for short trips in congested traffic.
By Songthaew
Songthaews seat passengers on side bench seats and can serve as minibuses or as private taxis. If they travel as a minibus, they will follow a fixed route and the fare is set. If they are used as a taxi, the fare must be negotiated.
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| • Taxi & Songthaew |
By Taxi
Meters have been installed in most Bangkok taxis and are readily available.
Neighborhoods:
On the River: Although the Chao Phraya River runs far beyond the city limits of Bangkok, this area contains Bangkok's upscale riverside hotels as well as the River City Shopping Complex, and some other smaller shopping malls.
Bangrak, as the Business District is known, is bounded by Rama IV Road on the east, Chinatown on the north, Chaoren Krung Road (or New Road), near the river on the west, and South Sathorn Road on the south. Many banks, businesses and embassies have offices in this area. There are also many shops and malls, good restaurants, high-quality hotels, and the famous Patpong nightlife area.
Historic Bangkok: This area, the site of the original Bangkok capital, lays within the confines of Rattanakosin Island, created as a defense measure by King Rama I. A klong (canal), now called Klong Ong Ang, was dug from a point at a bend in the Chao Phraya River (near what is now the Memorial Bridge), running north, then turning east near Wat Saket, where it became Klong Banglamphu, and rejoined the river north of the Phra Pinklao Bridge.
The area includes a majority of the tourist sites, beginning with Wat Po, the Grand Palace and Wat Phra Kaeo, then continuing north to the Dusit Zoo and Vimanmek Palace Museum. There are numerous historic temples (wats) , the National Museum, and the National Theater and Library.
Travel on the river is as much a mode of transportation as it is an attraction in itself. While efficient, it's a fairly tranquil way to get around and provides a remarkable window to local life, as well as good views of the city. Branching off from the river is the ancient network of klongs (canals), most of which are serviced by the basic long-tail boats (hang yao). |
