Dining at Bangkok, Thailand
Food Street
Bang Lamphu :
Shoestring travellers flock to Bang Lamphu, especially the area around Khaosan Road. Most eating places in this area cater for budget-conscious diners. Many guesthouses on Khaosan Road have open-air cafes serving standard Thai and Chinese dishes. Other decent possibilities include Indian, Jewish, and Muslim restaurants.
Yaowarat :
Bangkok's Chinatown houses some of the best and most expensive Chinese restaurants in the city, along with many of the best and cheapest food stalls, especially at night. Large restaurants line the bustling Yaowarat Road, but venturing into sois, or lanes, will lead you to less impressive yet equally enjoyable establishments. The restaurants mostly specialise in southern Chinese cooking, with noodles, seafood and, at lunchtime, dim sum dumplings dominating the menus.
Prasert Manukit - Pradit Manutham :
Though officially named Prasert Manukit - Prait Manutham, the new extending eight-laned strip under the Ekamai-Ram Indra Expressway is usually refereed to as Tanon Lieb Tang Duan Ekamai - Ram Indra, and is the city's newest hub of dining venues.
Along the 10-kilometre stretch and around the corner of every intersection it runs across, the lengthy road is lined with various recently-built garden-style eateries and trendy restaurants-cum-pubs as well as neatly planted palm trees.
Since the strip is best known to offer various choices of family style dning, the food is guaranteed to be no nonsense. Most o the spacious lush garden restaurants either offer great varieties of Thai food or fantastic fresh seafood. Stop by Koong Kaew, Tha Mai and Mom Luang Terb for flavourful authentic Thai dishes; or try superb seafood at Koh Libon, Somphong, Mahachai and Bang Pakong restaurants.
Around the Kaset-Nawamin intersection, there are lots of ground-shaking pub-like restauants including Yes Indeed, Immoral and Cecko pubs. Where as on the main road you will find more laid-back pubs such as The Terrace, The Pool and Shelter.
Phahurat :
Taking a short walk from Yaowarat's Chinatown to Phahurat's little India is like taking a transcendental journey between two different worlds. Inhabited by Thai people of Indian origin, the confined alleyways around the Phahurat area accommodate a number of authentic Indian restaurants, particularly those offering North Indian cuisine. Alternatively, other subcontinental foods such as Punjabi and Pakistani are also plentifully available.
Silom Road :
Several food streets are linked to this road in Bangkok's busiest area. Seafood stalls sprout along the section near Sala Daeng Intersection after sunset until late at night. The nearby Convent Road offers everything from Indonesian to an Irish tavern. Opposite, a crush of Japanese restaurants makes Soi Thaniya into a lively walkway for Japanese visitors and sushi lovers of all nationalities. Thai food is available in palace style and street style, side by side. The best selection of the former can be found in Soi Phiphat. Find the Thai version of fast food at most shopping complexes and Soi Lalai Sap's Lunch Market.
Siam Square:
This shopping area is crammed with medium to high-priced eateries as well as American fast-food outlets. Whether you crave Thai, European, Chinese or Japanese foods, there is a place for you somewhere in this fashionable area. Traditional Thai restaurants are flanked by gaudy fast-food franchises and Japanese suki parlours. Soi 1 has conventional Chinese restaurants.
Soi Lang Suan :
Like Sukhumvit Road, Soi Lang Suan offers a diverse mix of Thai, Asian, and European influences. Fashionable restaurants present interesting eating possibilities at medium to high prices. Also home to some of the most popular jazz pubs in the city, the street's flashy atmosphere attracts the money crowd in droves after sundown.
Sukhumvit Road :
There is no shortage of eating places on Sukhumvit. Some people say that from any spot along the road you are within 100 metres of at least one restaurant. And the food could not be more cosmopolitan. At its western end, around Soi Nana, an enclave of Pakistani and Middle Eastern restaurants fills the sois with the aroma of spices, earning this area the name "Little Arabia".
Further up the road Indian cuisine takes over, with restaurants offering both northern and southern Indian specialities. European and American cooking balance the equation, with Italian, French, British, German, and Mexican restaurants lining the road and presenting a variety of options in terms of menus, atmosphere, and prices. Sukhumvit 55, also known as Soi Thong Lo, and its labyrinthine branches are also full of restaurants of every kind. Then there is Thai food. Both authentic and nouvelle dishes can be found at small, sparingly decorated restaurants or lavishly ornate ones, along the pavements, and in the markets.
From: Tourismthailand
Sunday, August 12, 2007
Shopping Areas and Markets at Bangkok
Shopping Areas and Markets at Bangkok
Shopping in Bangkok is not limited to one or two major streets. There are many areas throughout Bangkok affording ample choices and easy access. The following is just a selection of som
e of the principal shopping areas.
Ploenchit-Ratchaprasong Top department stores and luxury shopping malls are concentrated in the area, namely Central, Sogo, Gaysorn Plaza, Isetan, Zen, Amarin Plaza, Peninsula Plaza, all of which together make the largest shopping promenade in Bangkok. Furthermore, the World Trade Centre and Narayana Phand Pavilion, host the official handicraft centre selling items from all parts of the country. Ratchaprasong intersection is the gateway to several shopping areas such as Phloenchit-Sukhumvit, Siam Square - Mah Boon Krong (MBK), Silom and Pratunam-Phetchaburi.
Silom-Surawong-Patpong Silom Road is the main artery of Bangkoks commercial heart and is paralleled by Surawong Road, while Patpong runs crosswise between the two. In addition to housing dozens of specialist shops and boutiques representing all the major buys, this area also boasts many branches of well-known retailers and several shopping plazas. Street stalls also abound, most notably at Patpongs famous night market.
Silom-Mahesak-Charoenkrung Road Silom leads into Charoenkrung Road which parallels the Chao Phraya River, and notable shopping opportunities include gems and jewellery stores (Mahesak Road is a gem trading centre), Oriental Plaza and River City shopping complex.
Sukhumvit, like Silom, is one of Bangkoks main thoroughfares, and the long road is lined with shops, boutiques and modern shopping plazas ranging from Soi 3 (Nana Nua) up to Soi 63 (Ekkamai). Most shops and restaurants are concentrated between Soi 3 and soi 21 (Asok) and along shortcuts between Asok and Ekkamai.
Pratunam-Phetchaburi A highlight in the district is Pratunam market, one of Bangkoks biggest centres for ready-to-wear clothing.
Baiyoke Tower Located next to Bangkoks tallest hotel building, Baiyoke tower is one of the citys renowned garment centres.
Nai Lert Plaza Situated close to Pratunam Market, Nai Lert Market is one of many shopping areas in Bangkok where you can buy just about everything from clothing to handicrafts.
Bang Lamphu Situated close to the Grand Palace, Bang Lamphu has a lively market where clothing is a popular buy.
Chinatown Centre on Yaowarat Road and Sampheng Lane, Bangkoks Chinatown offers a profusion of gold shops as well as several nearby traditional shopping places such as Ban Mo Jewellery Street, Phahurat Cloth Market and the Old Siam Plaza.
Bo-be Market Situated close to Bangkok Railway Station, Bo-be is one of the citys renowned ready-to-wear clothing centres, both wholesale and retail.
Jatujak or Chatuchak Weekend Market Located adjacent to Chatuchak Park, the weekend market, open on Saturday and Sunday, is a Bangkok landmark where you can buy just about everything from clothing to potted plants and everything in between a paradise for browsers and bargain-hunters alike. The market also offers items of furniture and home decor. It is also where professional and amateur art-lovers and artists meet.
Pak Khlong Talat This is a wholesale market for all kinds of cut flowers and vegetables. It is located on Maharat Road near the Memorial Bridge. The market is crowded in the early morning and in the evening.
Damnoen Saduak Floating Market This popular attraction is some 80 kilometres west of Bangkok, accessible by regular bus from the Southern Bus Terminal. Everyday, hundreds of vendor boats crowd the market area in the early morning till noon.
From: Tourismthailand
Shopping in Bangkok is not limited to one or two major streets. There are many areas throughout Bangkok affording ample choices and easy access. The following is just a selection of som
e of the principal shopping areas.
Ploenchit-Ratchaprasong Top department stores and luxury shopping malls are concentrated in the area, namely Central, Sogo, Gaysorn Plaza, Isetan, Zen, Amarin Plaza, Peninsula Plaza, all of which together make the largest shopping promenade in Bangkok. Furthermore, the World Trade Centre and Narayana Phand Pavilion, host the official handicraft centre selling items from all parts of the country. Ratchaprasong intersection is the gateway to several shopping areas such as Phloenchit-Sukhumvit, Siam Square - Mah Boon Krong (MBK), Silom and Pratunam-Phetchaburi.
Silom-Surawong-Patpong Silom Road is the main artery of Bangkoks commercial heart and is paralleled by Surawong Road, while Patpong runs crosswise between the two. In addition to housing dozens of specialist shops and boutiques representing all the major buys, this area also boasts many branches of well-known retailers and several shopping plazas. Street stalls also abound, most notably at Patpongs famous night market.
Silom-Mahesak-Charoenkrung Road Silom leads into Charoenkrung Road which parallels the Chao Phraya River, and notable shopping opportunities include gems and jewellery stores (Mahesak Road is a gem trading centre), Oriental Plaza and River City shopping complex.
Sukhumvit, like Silom, is one of Bangkoks main thoroughfares, and the long road is lined with shops, boutiques and modern shopping plazas ranging from Soi 3 (Nana Nua) up to Soi 63 (Ekkamai). Most shops and restaurants are concentrated between Soi 3 and soi 21 (Asok) and along shortcuts between Asok and Ekkamai.
Pratunam-Phetchaburi A highlight in the district is Pratunam market, one of Bangkoks biggest centres for ready-to-wear clothing.
Baiyoke Tower Located next to Bangkoks tallest hotel building, Baiyoke tower is one of the citys renowned garment centres.
Nai Lert Plaza Situated close to Pratunam Market, Nai Lert Market is one of many shopping areas in Bangkok where you can buy just about everything from clothing to handicrafts.
Bang Lamphu Situated close to the Grand Palace, Bang Lamphu has a lively market where clothing is a popular buy.
Chinatown Centre on Yaowarat Road and Sampheng Lane, Bangkoks Chinatown offers a profusion of gold shops as well as several nearby traditional shopping places such as Ban Mo Jewellery Street, Phahurat Cloth Market and the Old Siam Plaza.
Bo-be Market Situated close to Bangkok Railway Station, Bo-be is one of the citys renowned ready-to-wear clothing centres, both wholesale and retail.
Jatujak or Chatuchak Weekend Market Located adjacent to Chatuchak Park, the weekend market, open on Saturday and Sunday, is a Bangkok landmark where you can buy just about everything from clothing to potted plants and everything in between a paradise for browsers and bargain-hunters alike. The market also offers items of furniture and home decor. It is also where professional and amateur art-lovers and artists meet.
Pak Khlong Talat This is a wholesale market for all kinds of cut flowers and vegetables. It is located on Maharat Road near the Memorial Bridge. The market is crowded in the early morning and in the evening.
Damnoen Saduak Floating Market This popular attraction is some 80 kilometres west of Bangkok, accessible by regular bus from the Southern Bus Terminal. Everyday, hundreds of vendor boats crowd the market area in the early morning till noon.
From: Tourismthailand
Trooping of the Colours
Month: December
Their majesties the King and Queen preside over this impressive annual event, held in the Royal Plaza near the equestrian statue of King Chulalongkorn. Dressed in colourful uniforms, amid much pomp and ceremony, members of the elite Royal Guards swear allegiance to the King and march past members of the Royal Family.
From: tourismthailand
Month: December
Their majesties the King and Queen preside over this impressive annual event, held in the Royal Plaza near the equestrian statue of King Chulalongkorn. Dressed in colourful uniforms, amid much pomp and ceremony, members of the elite Royal Guards swear allegiance to the King and march past members of the Royal Family.
From: tourismthailand
Royal Ploughing Ceremony
Royal Ploughing Ceremony
Month: May
An ancient Brahman ritual, conducted at Sanam Luang, in which farmers is believe to be able to forecast the abundance of the next rice crop. The event is a result of a series of ceremonies that are conducted by Phraya Raek Na, portrayed by a high-ranking official from the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives who wears colourful traditional costumes. This ceremony was re-introduced in 1960 by H.M. King Bhumibol Adulyadej and is considered the official commencement of the rice-growing season.
From: tourismthailand
Month: May
An ancient Brahman ritual, conducted at Sanam Luang, in which farmers is believe to be able to forecast the abundance of the next rice crop. The event is a result of a series of ceremonies that are conducted by Phraya Raek Na, portrayed by a high-ranking official from the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives who wears colourful traditional costumes. This ceremony was re-introduced in 1960 by H.M. King Bhumibol Adulyadej and is considered the official commencement of the rice-growing season.
From: tourismthailand
Thursday, August 9, 2007
>> H.M. The Queens Birthday Celebration
H.M. The Queens Birthday Celebration -Thailand
August 12To display their loyalty and to honour Her Majesty Queen Sirikit on the occasion of her royal birthday, the Thai people decorate their houses and public buildings. Around Bangkok, Ratchadamnoen Avenue, the area around the Grand Palace and other well-known locations are bedecked with coloured lights and magnificent adornments.
From: Tourismthailand
August 12To display their loyalty and to honour Her Majesty Queen Sirikit on the occasion of her royal birthday, the Thai people decorate their houses and public buildings. Around Bangkok, Ratchadamnoen Avenue, the area around the Grand Palace and other well-known locations are bedecked with coloured lights and magnificent adornments.
From: Tourismthailand
>> Thailand-H.M. The Kings Birthday Celebrations
H.M. The Kings Birthday Celebrations-Thailand
December 5 H.M. King Bhumibol Adulyadej, the world's longest reigning monarch is well beloved and deeply respected by all Thais old and young. The occasion of his royal birthday provides his loyal subjects the opportunity to express their reverence for him. All over the country, buildings and homes are elaborated and the area around the Grand Palace is spectacularly illuminated.
From: Tourismthailand
December 5 H.M. King Bhumibol Adulyadej, the world's longest reigning monarch is well beloved and deeply respected by all Thais old and young. The occasion of his royal birthday provides his loyal subjects the opportunity to express their reverence for him. All over the country, buildings and homes are elaborated and the area around the Grand Palace is spectacularly illuminated.
From: Tourismthailand
Tuesday, August 7, 2007
>> Bangkok Songkran Festival
Bangkok Songkran Festival
April 12-14The traditional Thai New Year is an occasion for merriment all over the city, but most notably at Sanam Luang, near the Grand Palace, where the revered Phra Phuttha Sihing image is displayed and bathed by devotees. In the Wisutkasat area, a Miss Songkran beauty contest is held and accompanied by merit-making and entertainment. Khao San Road, Bang Lamphu area is also one of the high-spots in the city to experience the water-throwing activities between locals and tourists.
April 12-14The traditional Thai New Year is an occasion for merriment all over the city, but most notably at Sanam Luang, near the Grand Palace, where the revered Phra Phuttha Sihing image is displayed and bathed by devotees. In the Wisutkasat area, a Miss Songkran beauty contest is held and accompanied by merit-making and entertainment. Khao San Road, Bang Lamphu area is also one of the high-spots in the city to experience the water-throwing activities between locals and tourists.
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