Bangkok

If you’re passing through Bangkok and want to meet up with a bunch of awesome people, come to the next Bangkok Tweetup on January 8th 2010. First started in April 2009, the Bangkok Tweetup has grown from a small group of Bangkok-based peeps into an event that attracts scores of interesting people each time – and every time it’s a real blast. A portion of the bar bill goes to Thailand charities too, so it’s the perfect excuse to drink heavily and still feel virtuous. [click to continue…]

Backpack broken? Luggage trashed? Go see Mr Bag-Fix in Bangkok to get your travelling gear restored to good as new [click to continue…]

Dasa, Bangkok’s best secondhand bookshop – and certainly my favourite – has recently moved to bigger premises to fit in even more books. The new shop is literally a few doors away from Dasa’s old location on Sukhumvit Road near Sukhumvit 26. The nearest BTS Skytrain stop is Phrom Phong. You can see full location info on Dasa’s own website and you can also read a list of my favourite Bangkok Bookshops that I wrote previously. [click to continue…]

Budget airline AirAsia have now launched direct flights from Bangkok to Taiwan’s capital Taipei. There’s currently one trip daily between the two cities, which takes around three hours. Current AirAsia prices are very cheap as the route has just launched – you can get a return fare for under 7000 Baht – around $US 210. [...]

Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport could give you a nasty shock if you go browsing in the duty-free stores – be careful if you handle any items as you could end up getting arrested and having to pay a hefty fine before you can leave the country

If you want to start practising yoga or learn more about it, there are numerous yoga schools in Bangkok where you can find classes for whatever level you require

If you’re thinking about going to live in Bangkok full time, you need to have a good idea of what your monthly expenses are likely to be. Here’s a rundown of what you get for your money in The Big Mango

Many people come to Thailand for medical tourism – as I live here, I have to rely on Thai hospital services all the time. Recently I got my wisdom teeth removed at a fraction of what it would have cost me in the UK

A lyrical memoir of falling in love with Thailand’s capital city, Janet Brown’s Tone Deaf In Bangkok shows a more gentle side to the City Of Angels

Lonely Planet writer Austin Bush has created a super useful Google Map of all the best street eats places he’s found in Bangkok – click on each of the icons to get photos and info of what delicacies you can find there. Foodie heaven!

You think Bangkok is dangerous because of political unrest or bad Nicholas Cage films? Think again – what’s most likely to get you is the everyday assault course known as taking a walk on a Bangkok sidewalk.

The redshirt protests are over in Bangkok and all services are returning to normal. Travellers should still be cautious but there is no danger from political protests in the city anymore

Going through my photos I came across this headline gold from the Bangkok Post last year which I’d completely forgotten about until now…

You can download a nicely produced free nine page PDF Guide to Bangkok from Tripadvisor – look for the download link at the top of the right hand column on their page about Khao San Road.

When you arrive at Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport, you’ll be besieged by taxi touts offering you overpriced rides. Make sure you get to the Public Taxi stands to get a properly priced taxi into Bangkok

This is a great essay from a New Yorker who grew up in Bangkok on how the city is never what other people think it is.

AirAsia are currently offering flights from Kuala Lumpur to London for silly prices – and even with a connecting flight from Kuala Lumpur to Bangkok, their price is much lower than other carriers

The scores of sois on Bangkok’s Sukhumvit Road are full of surprises – and Agalico is a peculiarly British one. A beautiful colonial style tea room complete with tremendous cakes set in a resplendent leafy garden is just a few minutes walk from the noise and pollution of Sukhumvit’s incessant traffic. Brit in Bangkok has [...]

Dec 5: Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport has returned to almost full service, although passengers need to check with their airlines to ensure they get the latest information about flight schedules and check in procedures. The backlog of passengers waiting to leave Thailand should ease within the next couple of days. Check Google News for latest updates [...]

Breaking news: Bangkok’s Airport will re-open on 4th December, according to the BBC. Cargo flights will begin departing from Suvarnabhumi Airport from tonight (December 2nd). Passenger flights will commence on 4th December.

UPDATE – Bangkok Airport to reopen 4th December. Reuters is reporting that it will take a week for Bangkok Airport to be restored to working order once the protest is over – which means that even if the protesters left today, the airport would not re-open until December 7th.

November 30: Bangkok Airport remains closed, although there is a trickle of information about flights leaving from UTapao Airport, which is located 190 kms from Bangkok

UPDATE – Bangkok Airport to reopen 4th December. Nov 29: Despite claims by airport officials a couple of days ago, Bangkok Airport will not be re-opening on November 29th. The airport remains occupied by political protesters and Thai police have still made no move to evict them.

Nov 28: Bangkok Airport still remains closed and as of this writing, the police have made no attempt to expel protesters. You can find out the latest news as it happens from Twitter

UPDATE – Bangkok Airport to reopen 4th December. Nov 27: At the end of the second day of protests at Bangkok Airport, a State of Emergency has been declared and it looks like the protesters will be removed, by force if necessary, by the police overnight.

26 Nov: Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport is currently under occupation by political protesters and all flights are cancelled. Here are some useful links to get the latest news on what’s happening at the airport

Despite it size and cultural importance, Bangkok has never been famed for its local art scene or prestigious art galleries. However, there is a thriving art scene in the Big Mango – you just need to know where to look.

Thailand is in mourning today for Her Royal Highness Princess Galyani Vadhana, with a huge funeral ceremony in Bangkok to mark her final passing. The centrepiece of the ceremony is the funeral temple specially constructed to mark the Princess’s cremation

Want to see where the best cheap hotels are around Bangkok’s famous traveller destination Khao San Road? This Google Map should help you get a clearer picture of where they’re located