Wine Connection Bangkok

Posted on February 13, 2013 by koomatzu

Wine Connection is a chain of restaurants with branches spread across Asia. Bangkok has quite a few branches itself – Wine Connection provides great quality western food, mainly European. This is a great restaurant for indulging on home comforts from the west…

The Wine Connection Restaurant

As already mentioned, there are a couple of different Wine Connection locations across Bangkok city including Rain Hill Sukhumvit 47, Silom Complex and K-Village. If you are living in Bangkok and missing some of the finer quality foods as you might find in Delicatessans in the west, then a visit to the Wine Connection is a definite must.

The interior of all Wine Connection Restaurants tends to be modern and fashionable with industrial brick-effect walls, dark furnishings and dim lighting. Most branches have outdoor seating and the K-Village branch allows dogs.

Wine Connection Menu

The Wine Connection menu serves a range of foods from steak and potato wedges with ratatouille; pizza and pastas; a great range of healthy salads; and other dishes such as paella and Greek moussaka. If you head to one of the ‘Deli & Bistro’ branches of Wine Connection such as the one in K-Village, you’ll also find a great menu selection of cold meats, cured hams and cheeses. It’s quite rare to find decent quality meat and cheese in Bangkok like at the Wine Connection.

For the cost of between 120 and 500 baht for a meal, and 80 to 120 baht for a dessert, I believe the Wine Connection in Bangkok is a bargain! Not only is it a rare treasure to find this kind of food in Bangkok, but for the same good food as in say, England, it would cost at least four times the price. I’ve not found such good salads in Bangkok as in the Wine Connection either, it is a refreshing restaurant to visit for some healthier yet delicious food.

I think that the Wine Connection is one of those special restaurants where whatever you order from the menu, it is going to taste amazing – guaranteed. And everything that I ordered was indeed amazing. I don’t normally order salads… and I don’t normally order key lime pie either, I’m much more of a chocolate person. But it was pretty damn good.

Another great bonus about the Wine Connection is that the drinks aren’t extortionately priced either. Soft drinks on the menu start from around 40 baht – usually at this sort of high standard restaurant in Bangkok, drinks would cost double the price. It’s great value.

Secret Garden Cuisine Bangkok

Posted on February 13, 2013 by koomatzu

Secret Garden Cuisine is a cafe/ thai restaurant in Bangkok famed for it’s cakes (particularly it’s special ‘crepe cake’). Secret Garden Cuisine is situated in the Northern end of Sathorn Road in an old, white colonial English style building with huge bay windows and a pretty fairy-lit garden. Inside, the restaurant part is decorated with green walls, pristeen white furniture and twining plants and ivy. The cafe area of Secret Garden is very cosy, with comfy sofas and natural daylight streaming in through the large bay windows. Meals cost around 150 – 600 baht plus tax and service and cakes cost around 120 baht plus tax and service.

Is Secret Garden in Sathorn any good?

After having heard so much about Secret Garden in Bangkok before I went, I had high expectations for it. Especially the cake which is supposed to be absolutely amazing… Well, for me, it didn’t quite meet my expectations but the food was still good, and good portions as well as quality for the money. I ordered Green curry with pandan rice and papaya salad for 250 baht, and for this I got two generously sized plates of food, and very delicious too. I ordered the recommended Secret Garden crepe cake with strawberry sauce and it just wasn’t quite what it was hyped up to be. It was a little creamy and sickly about half way through. And the brownie cheesecake tasted quite strange, with a slightly rubbery texture.

I have had better cakes in Bangkok, for example Secret Recipe. However, I would consider going to Secret Garden for cake again sheerly for the pleasant ambience and décor of Secret Garden – especially in the cafe and garden areas. It would be a good restaurant to take visiting friends and family. The staff were very dilligent and friendly with quick delivery of food and excellent customer service. They may be construed to be a little pushy at times, like pushing to order starters and dessert, but sometimes this is not necessarily a bad thing if you just need a bit of a push to make decisions! In total, for smoothies, a decent sized, tasty main course, cake and coffee – this costed 600 baht each. Not too bad considering.

If you want to try some delicious and authentic thai cuisine with a twist, if you are or a great fan of seafood, or if you just want somewhere to take your night-club-loathing friends who are visiting for the week, then give Secret Garden Cuisine a try – daytime or night time for a cozy sit down in a charming environment.

Farang And Paranoia In Thailand

Posted on February 13, 2013 by koomatzu

People in Thailand laughing at me

One thing I love about thailand is some of the open mindedness that can be found in daily life. For example, I see a great deal of older and middle aged people reading comics and mangas, I see lady boys on a daily basis – people simply just being themselves, things that you do not always see in other parts of the world due to ridicule and closed mindedness. But in contrast to this, there also seems to be a kind of barrier between some Thai people and the rest of the world. I think that a lot of expats living in Thailand can at some point go through a stage of paranoia regarding racism during their stay there.

Many Thai people can be so friendly, but others seem to find foreigners so amusing, intriguing or even disgusting it seems. As a foreigner in Thailand, it can become quite irritating and also a little personal when people react to you so strangely in daily life. I grew up in a somewhat over-the-top politically correct environment and naturally it has always been very taboo to mention or notice a person’s race… The people that do have a tendency to notice and react to race in my country, tend to be quite aggressively or spitefully racist, but that isn’t necessarily the case in Thailand. So this hateful association with reaction to race in the west can make being treated differently difficult to accept and deal with at times.

There are so many more expats and tourists in Bangkok these days for people to become acclimatised to that I find it very odd for this ‘singling out’ to be so commonplace in Thailand. But the funny thing is, Bangkok – the most multi-cultural city in Thailand – is the worst culprit of all for this. Either way, the reaction to westerners from some people can be quite childish in some ways and it still surprises me to see some adults sniggering and staring for no particular reason. To me, I just can’t help but perceive this kind of attitude as somewhat xenophobic, even derogatory.. but it simply just isn’t a big deal for some to notice race in Thailand. If this kind of behaviour is beginning to grate on you, all I can say is do not take it personally.

The word ‘Farang’ in Thailand

Now, I completely understand that all cultures are different, and it is especially important to understand and accept other cultures when you are living in it yourself, more so. But, it does get to me after a while; being charged a different price simply because you’re not Thai (I still refuse to go a Muay Thai match because of the stupidly steep difference in price between ‘foreigner’ and ‘local’ tickets ;p), even feeling like you’re being laughed at, being talked about and last but not least, being called ‘Farang’. I’m not an easily offended person, and I know most Thai people probably don’t intend to use the word ‘Farang’ in an insulting way… but I can’t help but find it offensive, and I am curious to know if I am the only one who feels this way.

When you’re new and alone in a foreign country, there is a great sense of vulnerability which is not helped when you constantly hear people talking about you and reasserting your ‘differentness’… I hear this word pretty much on a daily basis… however sometimes I hear it with laughter, which sadly makes me feel like some sort of inferior race in Thailand, like an unwelcome outsider. I detest the word Farang and I never use it myself because of this, although I have heard other Westerners use it… but they can often use it in a deprecatory way, whilst belittling other expats or travellers who they deem inferior and inexperienced.

One time I walked into a photo shop to have my passport photo taken, I asked for this in Thai… but I guess my Thai wasn’t as good as I thought because the woman on the counter then mentioned the word ‘farang’ multiple times to her three customers who all proceeded to snigger and stare at me… When some people are just laughing their asses off at you without telling you why or what you said wrong… it’s not particularly amusing, confidence boosting or encouraging to learn the language for that matter. After a while of being singled out in this way, mixed with the simple vulnerable, loneliness of being in a foreign country, your paranoia gets the better of you. I find myself feeling very defensive about this word, my ears pricking whenever I hear somebody around me say it.

Of course you’re always going to get some bad eggs… in every corner of the world. These actions of just a few people can have really strong effects on you when you’re in a vulnerable situation so the bad experiences can easily make you misconstrue the perfectly innocent and normal behaviour of another person. I absolutely hate being generalised by my race, as a farang rather than as an individual human being, to me it is disrespectful; but I try to remember not to emulate this and generalise people by judging them and associating them with others who may use the word ‘Farang’ harshly. Cultures are different, when living in others you must learn to accept your different opinions, some people may not exactly be so ‘colour blind’ or politcally correct by your standards, but it is the intention of that individual person that is ultimately all that matters.

Best Shopping In Bangkok

Posted on February 12, 2013 by koomatzu

Bangkok Markets

There are so many different shopping malls and markets to visit in Bangkok, it can be quite overwhelming to decide where to go for the best shopping in Bangkok for you – particularly if your time in Bangkok is limited. People have different styles, tastes and different shopping budgets too. So take a look at my guide to the best shopping in Bangkok – it’s even in order of price range with the cheapest markets for shopping in Bangkok starting first!

If you have a tight budget and are looking for some super cheap shopping in Bangkok, welcome to part one of my Best Shopping in Bangkok guide. If you’d prefer to skip the cheaper Bangkok markets, check out part two for the shopping malls in Bangkok.

Siam street shopping in Bangkok

Whenever I need to buy something specific in Bangkok and don’t have much time, I always go shopping in the streets of Siam along the road from Central World to Big C. Along Siam, you can find most things from knockoff Hollister joggers for 120 baht, hotpant shorts (FYI great for pole dancing!) 100 baht and vests at 30 baht each.

It’s all cheap and basic Bangkok shopping and I love it. It’s great for easy shopping in Bangkok – one simple stretch of road and a diversity of stalls. Just make sure you head to Siam for shopping in the evening as there are many more stalls to choose from by this time.

+ Tip: Where to buy cheap office clothes for an interview in Bangkok? For the best shopping in Bangkok for office clothing and suits, make sure to head down to the Super K Outlet – a Korean discounted fashion outlet. Super K Outlet frequently has on sales of up to 90% discounts, so you can buy some nice office skirts and jackets etc reduced from as much as 1995 baht down to as little as 100 baht. Not to mention all the scarves, hats and sunglasses they sell at Super K Outlet.

Super K Outlet has been my saviour on many an occasion when I have needed emergency smart clothes in Bangkok that I don’t want to spend all my money on. You can’t miss it – It’s directly opposite Central World on Petchaburi Road complete with Korean pop music blaring and pulsating out from it. (Update – Super K Outlet in Bangkok may have closed down now)

Best shopping in Bangkok for: Shopping on a budget, shopping for office clothing in the Super K Outlet.

Average price range at Siam: Low, from 30 – 150 baht

How to get to Siam: Either take the BTS to Siam and you’ll find a shopping market on the opposite side of the road to Siam Paragon. Or take the BTS to Chit lom and then head past Gaysorn towards Central World . You can’t miss it, the streets towards Pratunam and the streets opposite Paragon at Siam Square become alive with Bangkok street stalls. Most of the Siam markets won’t open until in the evening after rush hour.

Pratunam Market Bangkok

Pratunam is huge area of outdoor and indoor indie wholesale Bangkok market stalls and in my opinion it is makes the best shopping in Bangkok for the biggest bargains of all. Pratunam market is where most Bangkok market stall owners buy all their products in bulk. Obviously you will get a better discount in Pratunam market if you buy more than one item from a shop but it’s still pretty cheap, and due to the sheer size of it, you’re likely to find what you’re looking for if you’re after something specific.

Pratunam market in Bangkok is MASSIVE. You can find many plain and simple items of clothing in Pratunam (reminding me a little of what you might buy in the budget shopping ranges like New Look) such as cardigans, leggings, harem trousers and vest tops… and you can also buy many colourful shirts, printed t-shirts and brightly patterned dresses. Most of this costing less than 200 baht per item.

However, Pratunam is primarily a wholesale market and not so much intended for individual shopping or shoppers just gaily and aimlessly mincing around in their own world. Because of this, it can give one the feeling of just.. well, being in the way. The shopping corridors on the inside of Pratunam market tend to be absolutely tiny and crammed full of busy sellers, people hurriedly pushing through with huge trolleys and even the odd motorbike squeezing their way through.

It’s a pretty crazy Bangkok shopping experience, and similarly on the outside, you are constantly trying not to get run over by the heavy traffic while shopping and browsing through the tiny and tightly packed together shops. Because of this stressful and heavily crowded atmosphere, I find I am unable to shop for long in Pratunam market… Personally it’s too big for me and my mousey brain gets confused – I just find shopping in Pratunam market to be frustrating and the clothing not really worth it.

Best shopping in Bangkok for: Bargain shopping, buying in bulk

Average price range at Pratunam market: Low 100 – 250 baht

How to get to Pratunam Market: Located up Petchaburi Road Bangkok, opposite from Platinum Fashion mall (See below) and around Baiyoke tower area.

Platinum Fashion Shopping Mall Bangkok

Platinum Fashion Shopping Mall has some cool shops, with some different styles to your standard Bangkok fashions. There is something to be found at Platinum Fashion Mall to suit everyone’s tastes, from hippy chic pants to rock chick t-shirts to glamorous dresses – Check the second floor of Platinum Fashion Mall in particular for some more individual styles.

Platinum Fashion is great for shopping wholesale in bulk, so it’s best if you have a friend or two to come with. I would recommend avoiding haggling at Platinum Fashion Mall if you are only buying one or a couple of items as this is a wholesale market so they are unlikely to reciprocate. The prices at Platinum Fashion Mall are decent – on average around 250 baht for a top. Maybe not as cheap as some of the clothes you might buy from the other Bangkok markets, but worth every baht in quality and design.

Another big bonus about shopping at the Platinum Fashion Mall is that it’s quite compact and not too overwhelming. It’s smaller than a lot of the other Bangkok shopping malls but still big enough and diverse enough to find what you need.

Though, the only downside about Platinum Fashion Mall is that the shop owners don’t allow you to try clothes on. Even if you wanted to try a shirt on over your vest for example – not allowed. This means you can end up wasting money on clothes that end up looking better on the hanger but rubbish when you get home and try it on.

Best shopping in Bangkok for: Low budget, alternative and different styles

Average price range at Platinum Fashion Mall: Low 150 – 300 baht

How to get to Platinum Fashion Mall: Get off at BTS Chit Lom, follow signposts for Central World, turn and walk down the road at Central World so that Gaysorn is on the opposite side of the road to you and Central World on your right. Keep walking straight for about 5 – 10 minutes minutes – Platinum Fashion Mall is just past Baskin Robbins on your left.

Chatuchak Weekend Market Bangkok

Of all the Bangkok markets, in my opinion Chatuchak market makes for the best shopping in Bangkok and is by far one of the biggest markets, full of both tourists and Thais alike. One of the big bonuses of Chatuchak market is that it is a pleasant Bangkok shopping experience due to the market stall owners and shop assistants being a little more mellow and fair. What I mean when I say this is that the whole atmosphere is friendlier and they don’t desperately pounce on you or pester you like at some other Bangkok markets.

On top of that, many of the stalls have marked prices charging the same for both foreigners and Thais. For all those out there who detest haggling in Bangkok as much as I do, then Chatuchak market is the ultimate Bangkok market shopping experience! Even just as a day out to browse the arts and crafts, hard and soft furnishings, or gawk at the cute puppies, Chatuchak market is great fun!

The clothes, jewellery and bags at Chatuchak market are very diverse in style as and you can buy handmade jewellery from 30 baht or as little as 100 baht for a cute dress when some places have sales on. You can find any style of clothing from the brightly coloured, cheap summery dresses (typical of all the tourist markets) to simple, popular Thai fashions to very cool, unique clothing from indie designers.

For men, there are a good selection of T-shirts with many different designs up to size XL. There are also whole sections dedicated to denim wear, second hand clothing and converse shoes. Especially great for those with a taste for shopping bohemian and alternative styles.

Chatuchak market can get very busy though, even in the BTS station it can be quite a challenge to even make it to the market! Not only this, but it is absolutely huge. This may be a plus for some people but it’s easy to get lost and confused with where you’ve covered so far. Just make sure you go on the weekend – in the week Chatuchak market turns into an agricultural plant market.

Best shopping in Bangkok for: Sightseeing and shopping for ethnic, bohemian stlyes of clothing and house wares

Average price range at Chatuchak market: Low 150 – 250 baht

How to get to Chatuchak Market: Follow the crowds from BTS Mo Chit Station

Khaosan Road Market Bangkok

If you’re struggling to find clothes in Bangkok to suite your tastes amongst the ultra girly, ribbon adorned Thai fashion, Khaosan road is your place. It definitely caters more for the Westerners shopping tastes… Khaosan Road has loads of hippy style clothing and alternative jewellery…

It’s all relatively cheap but nothing is priced so there is of course a chance of overpaying unless you are an expert haggler… shopping is still usually fairly priced at Khaosan Road though, even if you are ripped off a little bit… just see my Bangkok shopping price guide for tips anyway. Some of the goods along Khaosan Road can be a little cheap in the way of materials and quality, but if you look hard enough you can still find some better quality items; leather cuffs, flowery cotton dresses, handmade earrings etc.

Khaosan Road

It can get a tad manic so if you’re not a fan of the typical tourist-trap vibed places then this may not be the best shopping in Bangkok for you. Khaosan Road is perfect for shopping in the evening and having a few drinks in the bars along the way though otherwise! Be sure to check out the road adjacent to Khaosan Road, Rambuttri Road, which is a little more mellow and nicer on the eyes.

Best shopping in bangkok for: T-shirts, bohemian styles, dresses and clothing for Western tastes

Price range at Khaosan Road: Low 150 – 300 baht

How to get to Khaosan Road: Ferry to Pra Arthit pier from Saphan Taksin

Rambuttri Road, next to Khaosan

Train market Bangkok

Update: As of May 2013, Rod Fai Market has been demolished to make way for the new Bangkok BTS route. But the new Rod Fai Market has now relocated – You can read more about the new train market in Bangkok here.

The Train market, or Talad Rod Fai as it is sometimes called, is located very near to ~~Jatujak market~~ and, similarly to Chatuchak market, is also only open on the weekends, but only in the evenings. The Train market is a cool and quirky place to hang out in Bangkok – you can chill out in one of the small bars opened up from the back of Volkswagen camper, or you can browse the old antique displays and trinkets for sale.

In keeping with the antique and vintage theme of the Bangkok market, the clothing is also mostly vintage in style as well. You can also find many stalls selling cheap, second hand converse trainers and other sneakers quite cheaply. Randomly, I also found an underwear stall here, where they sell some good underwear sets for 150 baht. Overall, the train market has a real nice, laid back vibe to it – a pleasant environment for shopping in Bangkok and listening to some good music.

Best shopping in Bangkok for: Vintage clothing and retro knick knacks, or just chilling out and drinking a beer

Average price range at the Train Market: Low 150 – 250 baht

How to get to the Bangkok Train Market: ~~From MRT Kamphaeng Phet station, walk about five minutes in the opposite direction of Jatujak market (after 5pm Saturday and Sunday). It is on the right side of the road.~~

Patpong Night Market Bangkok

My opinion on shopping in Bangkok Patpong Market – Avoid it. Patpong Night Market can be a bit of a tourist trap, you do not see Thai people shopping at Patpong Market. In my opinion, Patpong Market sells the same clothing and souvenirs as most of the other markets, only they seem to target Westerners and so inflate their prices big time.

Nothing has a price tag and you are expected to haggle when shopping at Patpong market, which to me is a bad sign unless you are an expert haggler. I asked the price of a crappy looking pair of rope thong sandals at Patpong Market – just because I needed a cheap temporary pair. The sales woman said ‘1000 baht’. She then followed me with her calculator asking how much I wanted to pay to which I was not interested in the slightest!

I found these shoes elsewhere for 250 baht while shopping at Asiatique a week later. The only positive about shopping at Patpong market, is that they have a supply of larger sized clothing to fit westerners, in case you are having trouble finding clothes in Bangkok to fit.

Best shopping in Bangkok for: Plus sizes and souvenirs

Average price range at Patpong Market: Low, 150 – 1000 baht

How to get Patpong Night Market: Can be seen from BTS Saladaeng station

Asiatique Bangkok

Asiatique is similar to Chatuchak market in Bangkok but not as big. Maybe if you feel a little overwhelmed by Chatuchak, Asiatique would be a good substitute for market shopping in Bangkok. Also, if you are more interested in mixing your Bangkok shopping up with some fine dining and pretty, night time lights – this is your market!

Asiatique is great just for a visit and even just window shopping in Bangkok – There is plenty of clothing, trinkets and soft furnishings to choose from (very similar to some of the shopping in Chatuchak market). If you like Asiatique, also try K-Village which is very similar and pleasant to explore and dine.

Best shopping in Bangkok for: An evening out… or just to buy some pretty accessories or dresses

Average price range at Asiatique: Low 200 – 350 baht (The restaurants are more expensive though)

How to get to Asiatique: Catch the free ferry anytime from 6pm which departs from the central pier in Saphan Taksin

Siam square Bangkok

Siam square is made up of a maze of arcades; small individual shops cluttered along the walkways both indoors and outdoors. I think one of the things I appreciate about shopping in Siam Square the most, is the diversity in style, quality and prices… Whereas in the usual Bangkok markets, you typically have a massive repetition of the same clothes and bags in all the different stalls; and then at the completely opposite spectrum of things, you have the fancy shopping malls selling ridiculously overpriced designer fashions.

Plenty loads of individual boutique shops to be found in Siam Square

At Siam Square you can still find, for example, an affordable pair of shoes for 299 baht, but you can also find yourself some very good quality shoes from 800 baht upwards. You can still get a t-shirt for 200 baht, or, in contrast, you can find yourself a fashionable evening dress for 800 baht or more. Similarly, there is a nice range of jewellery and accessories from handmade necklaces and stone pendants, to alternative leather cuffs and sparkly feather earrings.

Best shopping in Bangkok for: Interesting and reasonably priced jewellery and accessories, alternative skater shops

Average price range at Siam Square: Varies – low to medium: 200 baht to 1000 baht

How to get to Siam Square: Located directly across the road from Siam Paragon at BTS station Siam.

Outside shops around Siam Square

Best shopping in Bangkok. Check my Thailand price guide for the ultimate Bangkok shopping experience. Or, check my other guides on where to buy cheap shoes, clothes and gadgets in Bangkok.

Thailand Cost Of Living – Month Two

Posted on February 1, 2013 by koomatzu

Money In Thailand

As promised in my previous article here, I have carried on keeping a record of my spendings for my second month living in Bangkok. It’s not all good news as I spent much more than expected this month – I was hoping for it to be less rather than more as I should be learning to save my money in Thailand better by now.

This month, I spent a total of 47721 baht (£1050 or $1600). However, I did join a gym for a large chunk of money of 12500 (£260 or $420) baht and I went on holiday to Malaysia for 17500 baht (£370 or $580). And then after you add on the 7800 baht I earned from working as an extra, I actually technically only spent 17721 baht (£390 or $590)… Still not good but we’ll see how it goes next month ;p (kind of cheating too as 17721 would really be the amound spent over 3 weeks, not a month)

Cost of food and drink in Thailand – 6572 baht (£130).

This includes trips to the 7/11 and Tops supermarket for all kinds of consumables such as toilet roll, hand wash and cereal. This only really covers about 3 weeks of this month as well, as I went on holiday to Malaysia for 1 week this month… So I actually spent more than last month despite my plans to save more money! It doesn’t really help that I’ve gotten to a point where I am absolutely sick of Thai food this month, so have had to spend whatever it takes to survive and eat whatever western food I fancy! Hopefully this will pass and I can return to eating cheaper Thai food once again :/

Cost of transport in Thailand – 1470 baht (£30).

This covers catching the BTS most days and the odd taxi to Extra jobs which are outside of BTS opening hours.

Cost of shopping in Thailand – 2363 baht (£45).

I actually wouldn’t usually have spent this much but had to keep running out and buying cheap clothes for extra jobs. Hopefully having some more clothes will end up paying for itself so I can use them for work. In all fairness, I got a lot of clothes for this money e.g. a pair of office shoes for 250 baht from a street vendor in Siam.

Cost of gym membership and Fitness classes in Thailand – 14350 baht (£300).

I try and attend a pole dancing lesson once a week which costs 500 baht per hourly session at Rumpuree dance studio. I also splashed out this month on a hefty six month gym membership at Clark Hatch which cost me 12500 baht. Hopefully this will work out cheaper in the long run though!

Cost of rent in Thailand – 5000 baht per person (£100).

Cost of utilities in Bangkok – 466 baht (£10).

Cost of water bill this month was 30 baht each (between two of us) and electricity was 430 baht each.

Cost of visa run to Malaysia – 17500 baht (£370).

For a weeks mini holiday to Kuala Lumpur to visit the embassy and apply for a visa it cost 17500 baht. This included flights, hotel, spending money, visa fees and food. For more details on this, click here

Money earned from Extra work in Bangkok + 7800 baht (£170).

For 5 days of work.

Bangkok Gadget Shopping Guide

Posted on January 28, 2013 by koomatzu

Where to buy gadgets and phones in Bangkok

The two malls with the biggest selection of technology and gadgets are MBK and Pantip Plaza. MBK has a whole floor teaming with booths selling mobile phones, accessories, cameras, laptops, cables and other computer bits and pieces at a reasonable price. It’s best not to go on holiday to Thailand with the mindset ‘I‘ll wait until I get to Thailand to buy it, it will be cheaper there‘. Well it’s not. Big brand clothing and technology is more expensive in Thailand than it is in western countries surprisingly.

You can, however, buy some cheap knockoff mobile phones, cables and other computer accessories at not too bad quality in Bangkok. For example, a knockoff mobile phone make of a Samsung Galaxy S4 is just 3500 baht – it looks exactly the same and seems to function pretty well too.

For a more specialised shopping mall catering for gadgets and mobile phones, make sure you head to Pantip Plaza Technology Mall. Pantip Plaza is pretty much like something out of an apocalyptic sci-fi film (Blade Runner comes to mind) – messy, disorganised, lots of wires and blinking lights everywhere… It’s definitely worth a visit though! You’ll find Pantip Plaza on Petchaburi Road right next door to Platinum Fashion Mall near Baiyoke Tower.

Pantip Plaza

For a more trustworthy shop to try, completely free of dubious knockoff brand mobile phones and gadgets, you may want to visit a Big C. Big C is kind of like Thailand’s equivalent to Walmart or Tescos. Head to the top floor of any Big C and you’ll find the technology section with plenty of the latest gadgets and mobile phones at possibly the most reasonable price in Bangkok.

Where to buy Thai souvenirs and holiday gifts in Bangkok

For your typical Thai crafts to buy as souvenirs or gifts from your holiday, you can pretty much head to any Bangkok market and find a stall selling bags, carvings, lights and sarongs etc. MBK mall has a huge selection of all the standard Thai souvenirs on it’s top floor.

Chatuchak weekend market and Asiatique offer a huge choice of hand made Thai trinkets with a few added quirky, unique gifts as well. Chatuchak in particular has a great section of home furnishings, teak wooden lamps, Thai silk quilts and wall hangings.

If you’d prefer somewhere in Bangkok a little quiet to shop for your Thai souvenirs and gifts, try Amarin Plaza in Chitlom. The Amarin Plaza mall is very quiet (I don’t know how it’s still even open) and has a whole floor dedicated to Thai crafts and gifts. Please be aware, that Amarin Plaza will not be as cheap as Chatuchak or Asiatique.

LTP Learn Thai Podcast Review

Posted on January 22, 2013 by koomatzu

Learn Thai Podcast is the best home learning Thai language course I have found yet. You can download a free demo from their website www.learn-thai-podcast.com to try it out. It costs $197 to downoad all the content and have a years support from the staff atLearn Thai Podcast. Although it states on the website that $197 is their current promotional price, don’t feel like you need to hurry up and buy it before the offer ends – it has been $197 for at least the last two years ;p

What you get:

There really are enough lessons with Learn Thai Podcast to keep you occupied for years: The beginners section contains an ever-growing selection of 300+ vocabulary lessons, 40+ of each Grammar, Review and Conversation lessons. The vocabulary lessons only last a few minutes, while the grammar, review and conversation lessons can last between 10 and 20 minutes.

In the Intermediate section of Learn Thai Podcast, there are 70+ lessons of each Vocabulary, Grammar, Review and conversation lessons. And then there are even more lessons in the advanced section which I can’t comment on so much as I haven’t got there yet! As well as these lessons there are also some writing theory lessons. Altogether, there are something like 800+ video and audio lessons on Learn Thai Podcast, all of a reasonable length.

Is Learn Thai Podcast any good? Review:

The downside of Learn Thai Podcast

The vocabulary lessons in Learn Thai Podcast tend to cover a group of about 8 – 10 new words from a specific topic. I found I never really used these lessons so much as they tend to be quite boring and repetitve… literally just one word repeated after another, and I personally find that kind of learning to be a complete waste of time as my brain does not associate the words with the meanings if I just learn them from a meaningless list.

The conversation lessons on Learn Thai Podcast, I also found to be a little useless. Conversation lesson 1 for example, was a clip from a Thai movie; the dialogue was very complex and the speakers talked very fast and slurred. It was not a good lesson for a complete beginner let alone someone with a reasonably good understanding of Thai! I found all of the conversations to be like this – too fast and of low quality recording. Jo, the speaker in all the other lesson recordings, consistently spoke very clearly and concisely, so it was just way too big a jump in speed to be able to understand. They also just seemed haphazardly slapped on the end of the other lessons, completely unrelated in content. It would have been so much better if they had been in some way connected to the other lessons and vocabulary to reinforce everything already learned, but instead I found these Learn Thai Podcast lessons to be quite frustrating and demoralizing.

Last but not least, the monotonous tone of the Learn Thai Podcast speaker, and the methodical sometimes soulless approach did get a bit much sometimes and I got really quite bored with it. Sometimes I needed to take a break for a few weeks before I could go back to it. My boyfriend couldnt even cope with 1 lesson, he found it to be so dull. So if you need something a little more fun and colourful to help keep you motivated, Learn Thai Podcast might not be for you.

The pros of Learn Thai Podcast

Well despite the vocabulary and conversation lessons being a wee bit useless to me, the other lessons of Learn Thai Podcast were so useful to me and so plentiful that it totally made up for this! The grammar lessons introduce grammar rules and put them into example sentences, breaking down each sentence structure word by word. They are very in depth and cover a wide range of useful words and sentences. The review lessons are basically just a recap of the grammar lessons. The first half, you will hear sentences and be given a chance to translate what was said. The second half, you will be given a sentence in English and then be given the chance to say it in Thai.

What I love the most about Learn Thai Podcast is the structured and thoroughness of it’s syllabus. No details are left out of the grammar lessons and everything is explained from scratch. If you are a methodical and structured learner, these lessons will be great for you. I find other courses and books to just gloss over some rules and leave you scratching your head wondering why it is the way it is. Even going to my Thai school, I found Learn Thai Podcast was much more useful and in depth than my lessons there and I see a lot of other students becoming frustrated at that sort of thing all the time.

Although I could not understand much of the conversation lessons from Learn Thai Podcast, the ones I did do were actually quite useful in that they focused on real Thai speech – slang and casual speech patterns, ending particles and that sort of thing. Most learning materials don’t seem to cover this. Lastly, for tones, it is also incredibly useful. There are just 2 x 20 minute lessons at the start which cover the tones, but I listened to them and practised them over and over again until I could recognize them and they really did help a lot. In fact, I get told quite often that my pronounciation of the tones is very clear! I still can’t hold a conversation in Thai but I can pronounce my tones that’s for sure!

$197? Best $197 I ever spent. I’m still not great at Thai, I’ll be honest… but that’s mainly down to my own personal problems with my squirrel-like brain… I would no way have come as far as I have with my studies if it was not for Learn Thai Podcast. If you can do a Learn Thai Podcast lesson everyday or as often as you can, it will help reinforce your understanding of Thai so much that it will become more natural and ingrained into your mind. So unless you are the kind of person who easily loses enthusiasm and interest (especially if you don’t have pretty pictures and colours to mix things up a bit), then go for it. I think Learn Thai Podcast is the best course out there by far.

Where To Live In Bangkok

Posted on January 22, 2013 by koomatzu

Areas Of Bangkok

The best place to live in Bangkok mainly depends on each expat’s priorities and commitments they will have while living in Bangkok. There are the ‘Hi-so’ areas of Bangkok for those with good job prospects and finer tastes, and there are places to live more suited to a local Thai style for those on a budget.

Understandably, apartment rent in Bangkok typically costs much more when located closer to a BTS or MRT station. For many, once they have become a seasoned Bangkok expat they tend to grow a distaste for walking more than two minutes in the sweaty Thailand heat! Therefore, renting near a BTS station can be well worth the extra cost…

You can find the BTS, MRT and airport link routes and their areas on the map below (the green, blue and red lines respectively). Although you may want to bear in mind that some condos in Bangkok offer a free shuttle service to the nearest station.

If you plan on driving or don’t mind commuting by bus, songtaew and motorbike taxi, then you will find much cheaper condos and even more flexibility of where to live in Bangkok. Areas of Bangkok such as Bangkok Noi, Pinklao, Ratchada Thapra (both located to the west across the Chao Praya river), Lat Prao and Lak si further past Chatuchak, all provide great value accommodation.

It can be difficult to decide where to live in Bangkok without knowing exactly where the different districts, transport links and essentials are located.

Best place to live in Bangkok

Pathum Wan district – Central Bangkok

BTS: Siam, Chit Lom, Ploenchit, National Stadium

Pathum Wan stands as the central area of Bangkok and is home to a huge chunk of the mega expensive and fashionable malls of the city. For both human traffic and transport traffic, it is perhaps the busiest and liveliest area you could live in Bangkok. If you stick to the main streets of Siam you’ll find the glamorous hi-so socialites and fashionable business folk of Bangkok, yet veer off slightly to the side streets and you’ll find bustling local streets exploding with cheap stalls and food carts.

The centre of Bangkok has everything you could possibly need: Live music, yoga classes, pole dance classes, gyms, restaurant brands from around the world and even a giant Blade Runner stylee technology market, Pantip Plaza – get bored and there will probably be something going on or some kind of activity you can take up in this Bangkok centre.

The centre of Bangkok will be particularly appealing to the shoppers and expat fashionistas. Conveniently, a skywalk even runs through a large part of Siam, connecting all the big Bangkok shopping malls with Chitlom BTS stations. You’re never too far from the luxury of air con here – people in the centre really don’t like to sweat too much…

The Bangkokians in Siam tend to be very glamourous and fashionably dressed. Let’s just say walking around the shopping malls here… I feel like kind of a pauper scruffbag. If you search for apartments near the National Stadium side of Pathum Wan though, you can still find some affordable places to live and still be in a great Bangkok location.

Cost of Living in Pathum Wan: $$$$ – $$$$$

Points of interest in Pathum Wan: Siam Centre, Paragon, Central World, Siam Square

Where to live in Bangkok Pathum Wan: Budget apartments near National Stadium – 74 Mansion, Patumwan Oasis

Rattanakosin

Ferry Pier: Phra Athit

Rattanakosin is located away from the subway and skytrain systems, perhaps to preserve it’s historic roots as the Old City of Bangkok. The area is great for tourists but not so great as a place to live for expats in Bangkok. Getting around can be difficult as traffic is terrible and taxis often refuse fares and are reluctant to take passengers far.

Options are limited between taxi and ferries on the main canal and the Chao Phraya river. The district of Rattanakosin is also a little less modern than other areas of Bangkok, lacking in amenities due to the lack of expats living there. There are still expats living in Bangkok who enjoy renting in this area though, mainly those who work there or others who peacefully stick to the hidden away hippy communities.

Cost of Living in Rattanakosin: $$

Points of interest in Rattanakosin: Khaosan Road

Phayathai

BTS: Victory Monument, Phayathai, Rachathewi, Sanam Pao

The Phayathai district is ideally located in central Bangkok within very close distance to Siam centre. The BTS system allows easy travel between all the main areas of Bangkok such as Siam, MBK, Silom and Chatuchak weekend market which are all within just a couple of stop’s reach.

Phayathai is perhaps the best location in the city for public transport. The traffic is terribly busy in the area, but expats in Phayathai have access to Bangkok’s airport rail link and city link, the BTS system and the mini bus hub. Yet despite it’s convenient, central location and fantastic transport links, you can actually find some good value condos for rent in the area.

The area around the Victory Monument and Rangnam Road offers plenty of entertainment such as shopping, restaurants and Thai nightlife, plus some great bars with live music such as the Rock Pub and Saxophone Pub. Phayathai is not overly touristy so you can rest assured that you won’t get hassled too much by Tuk Tuk drivers like in Nana, Silom or Rattanoskin, but it is still an extremely busy and lively area to live in Bangkok.

In the evenings, the streets become heaving with crowds and street stalls selling food and clothing. For some expats, it can be a little overwhelming and hectic to live amongst this after a while. Nonetheless, if you love a bit of classic hustle and bustle, you can rent surprisingly cheap apartments for such a central area of Bangkok… plus it’s definitely a hard area to beat for convenience and entertainment – Thai-style!

Cost of Living: $$$

Where to live in Bangkok Phayathai: Budget – 21 Living Place, 507 Residence

Bang Rak Silom

BTS: Sala Daeng, Chong Nonsi / MRT: Silom

Silom offers pretty much everything you could possibly need while living in Bangkok and provides a lively atmosphere 24 hours a day, everyday. Silom boasts a wealth of multi-national bars, irish pubs, pizzerias, sushi restaurants, markets, malls, useful shops and supermarkets ideal for expats in need of some home luxuries. On the other hand, there are plenty of cheap, local places to eat for those living on a budget in Bangkok as well.

The Silom area of the Bang Rak district is conveniently located in close distance just stops away from the main centre via both BTS and MRT. It’s both a convenient and entertaining place to live, however this does come at a cost. Apartments are hard to find for less than 15000 baht per month minimum. By all means though, if you can afford to live in this area of Bangkok it may well be worth paying the extra money.

It’s useful to know that there are two sides to Silom that are extremely different in atmosphere. The attractive, palm tree lined western end of Silom, nearest the Chao Phraya river, is considerably more subdued and less lively during evenings, whereas the eastern end, that surrounds BTS Sala daeng and borders Lumpini Park, is quite the opposite. On the main Silom road here, as dusk falls and the highstreet shops start to close, the streetwalks begin to quickly fill up with vibrant, fairy light-covered night stalls, where you can buy shoes, bags, dresses and trinkets throughout the whole night.

The red light district area in Sala Daeng, known as Patpong, may be seen as rather seedy and unappealing to some. It is pretty harmless and easy to avoid once you know the roads though.

The whole of Silom is a popular area in bangkok to stay for tourists. This means you might get some of the usual tourist trap shouts by tuk tuk drivers and restaurant workers like ‘Oi you! Where you going? You want Thai food? Ping pong show?’. This may get annoying for some people. Not only is the Silom area of Bangkok a hotspot for locals, expats and tourists, it is particularly popular with Japanese expats, hence you will find the famous ‘Japanese Street’, or Thaniya Road, brimming with Tokyo style neon signs and Japanese restaurants.

Cost of Living in Silom: $$$$

Points of interest in Silom: Roadhouse Pub, Central Silom Complex, Patpong night market, Lumpini Park, Thaniya Road

Where to live in Bangkok Silom: Luxury – The Legend Apartments

Bang Rak Sathorn

BTS: Saphan Taksin, Surasak / MRT: Lumphini

Sathorn is somewhat more of a business district area of Bangkok and hence has a slightly more subdued atmosphere than some of the other central areas of Bangkok. Weekends are eerily quiet but the weekdays provide a balanced, lively crowd of bustling locals and business workers.

Sathorn makes a good place to live in Bangkok for an atmosphere that sits between the busy, hectic tourist centres of the city and the perhaps less interesting, outer areas of Bangkok. It makes for quite a pleasant, hidden escape from some of the craziness you might find in Phayathai, Nana and Silom, for example.

Location-wise, Sathorn is ideally situated on the BTS route just a few stops away from the centre of Bangkok, still close to all the main activity of the main city. The western end is a little more quiet than the eastern side with quaint backstreets offering plenty of local activity and cheap Thai cooking. It provides easy access to BTS Surasak as well as easy walking distance to the western side of Silom.

Just one stop away on the BTS, you can find the central pier which will grant you access to all the areas along the Chao Phraya river. For those on a budget living in Bangkok, you can find some relatively cheap apartments for rent towards the western end of Sathorn; studios start from as little as 5000 baht per month and provide a convenient base to commute or travel around the city.

The eastern end of Sathorn, towards Lumpini Park and Lumpini MRT station, offers slightly more sophisticated and professional surroundings: you’ll find the Life Center shopping mall elegant restaurants and five star hotels dotted along the main road.

Cost of Living: $$$

Points of interest in Sathorn: Jameson’s Irish Pub, Launch Pad Co-work Space, Chinese Cemetery & Park, The Life Center, Lumpini Park

Where to live in Bangkok Sathorn: On a budget – Sathorn Saint View (Review here), Baan Sathorn, Purita Apartments, Medium – Littlest Guesthouse, Thai CC Residence, Luxury – Sathorn Gallery Residences

Sukhumvit 9 – 27

BTS: Nana, Asoke / MRT: Sukhumvit

Sukhumvit is the extremely long, main road that runs through Bangkok city and connects all the areas by numerically ordered numbered sois. When you live in Bangkok, you’ll find that people use the Sukhumvit Soi numbers to explain locations to people – the smaller the number, the closer to central Siam.

The Nana and Asoke area of Sukhumvit is a hugely multicultural area teaming with expats and holiday makers from around the world. Nana in particular is a very lively and busy area of Bangkok. On the main Sukhumwit Road through Nana, it’s actually difficult to walk on the paths without being hassled in one way or another; being persuaded to buy a suit or hounded by the street stall owners along the way.

Personally, I find Nana busy in a bad way rather than a good way, and I find it a chore to make it through the hectic way of the sidewalks – this may be all fine and dandy for tourists who might actually be interested in the souvenirs for sale and the prospect of tailor made suits, but for expats it’s just a plain pain in the ass.

Location wise, Nana and Asoke make a convenient place to live in Bangkok, being only three stops away from the centre station at Siam and just a 5 or 10 minute walk to the cool shopping mall, Terminal 21. And to top that off, the area has some of the best and most renowned nightlife Bangkok has to offer. For all the modern nightclubs (many especially popular amongst expats), rooftop bars, pubs and huge range of restaurants, soi 11 is absolutely crammed full of choice in nightlife for the average person.

For the go go bars in Bangkok, ‘Soi Cowboy’ is one of the most famous ‘red light district ‘areas in Thailand for it’s choice and sheer volume of bars. Some may find the atmosphere of this area a little seedy and distasteful because of this though. Personally, other than the bars on soi 11, I’m not much of a fan of this area and think it is perhaps not ideal, or 100% safe, for couples or females living in Bangkok.

Cost of Living: $$$$

Points of interest on Sukhumvit: Terminal 21, Benjakiti park, Soi 11 nightlife, Soi Cowboy red light district

Where to live in Bangkok Sukhumvit: K-House

Sukhumvit (Soi 29 – 65)

BTS: Phrom Phong, Thonglor, Ekkamai

Phrom Phong, Thonglor and Ekkamai are known to be the posh areas of Bangkok, the hi-so place to live in Bangkok if you will. Phrom Phong in particular is recognised as where to live in Bangkok for high flying expats with professional jobs. Conveniently, you’ll find many good restaurants, hair salons, western pubs and shops catering for expats with English signs outside.

A 20 minute BTS ride about 5 stops away from Siam centre, this part of Sukhumvit manages to evade the pushy hustle and bustle of tourist trap tuk tuks and other tack that you mind find in other areas of Bangkok. It offers a little more sophistication in the form of fashionable complexes, trendy bars and clubs, and fine dining restaurants.

You can still find some charming, hidden away Thai gems such as cool bars, cute beer gardens and casual outdoor Thai buffets. Thonglor and Phrom Phong tend to be especially expensive to live in Bangkok and mainly appeal to expats with well paying transfer jobs. Ekkamai offers equally pleasant scenery and amenities though, as well as better value apartments for rent. Typically, you can find a one bedroom apartment in Ekkamai from around 15000 baht per month (£300 or $470).

Cost of Living: $$$$-$$$$$

Points of interest in Sukhumvit: Emporium Mall, SD BBQ, Banrie, Tuba Bar, Iron Fairies, Witches Tavern, Roast, Soi 55 and 63 nightlife

Where to live in Bangkok Sukhumvit: Low/medium – The Hive, Luxury – Ivy Thonglor

Wongwian Yai & Talat Plu (Thonburi)

BTS: Wongwian Yai, Po Nimit, Talat Plu, Krung Thonburi

Thonburi is located a little further out of the city centre, across the Chao Phraya river that cuts through Bangkok. In recent months, the BTS route has been expanded to include Po Nimit and Talat Plu stations, and continues to build further on.

This means that despite Thonburi’s distance out of the city centre, it is still well connected to all the main areas of Bangkok via the newly built BTS stations. It also means that apartment rent is currently very cheap in this area as it doesn’t seem to have built up and caught up with the rest of Bangkok yet. There are a many new apartment buildings popping up in the Thonburi district near the BTS stations very quickly, and they all seem to offer great value condos for the money.

Where there are advantages though, there are usually drawbacks as well. The main areas near the BTS route in Thonburi, particularly Talat Phlu, tend to have rather unsightly overpasses and carriageways running through them. There are also ongoing building works of the extending BTS route. Therefore, as the area is currently being modernised and built up, many parts are suffering a rather ugly in-between stage.

There are not many expats and tourists in Thonburi at all and you will find locals speaking a lot less English than they do in the centre. People tend to notice foreigners more and respond with more stares and giggles than other areas of Bangkok. Due to the lack of foreign influence though, the cost of living such as food and shopping prices are much cheaper.

Cost of Living: $

Points of interest in Thonburi: The Mall Thapra

Where to live in Bangkok Thonburi: Budget – Lumpini Place, Medium – Casa Condo, Parkland, Metro Park

Safety & Travel Tips In Thailand

Posted on January 21, 2013 by koomatzu

Everybody learns better from their own experiences… trial and error. But, to those who don’t have the same ‘it will never happen to me’ attitude as I do, and for a smoother and more enjoyable trip to Thailand, here is a guide for some lessons I learned the hard way, take heed…

Avoid getting mugged and ripped off in Thailand:

If it is your first time to Thailand and you’re feeling a little clueless as to how much to pay when shopping, check out our Buying Guide before heading out. Most stalls will expect you to haggle in Thailand and this is not easy when you have no idea how much something is worth in the first place.

Check your change. This applies especially for 500 notes, which look very similar to 50s. I bought 70 bahts worth of doughnuts at Mister Doughnuts, thinking it was a large chain I figured it might be a good idea to break up my 1000 note in my pocket. The cashier handed me my change, I glanced at it quickly to make sure it was right but then the next day when I checked my pocket, it turned out to be a 50, not a 500. D’oh!

Avoid pushy tuk tuk drivers. When a tuk tuk driver approaches you in Bangkok, and mentions it being some kind of special day – Holy day, Happy buddha day, National tourism day, whatever – or insists wherever you happen to be going is closed… don’t buy it. He will most likely just take you to a suit shop or gem shop as he get’s paid commission for taking you there. Unless you actually want to buy a suit, it’s not the most pleasant experience as you will more often than not be chased out by the offended shop owners.

It is a common occurrence, particularly in Chatuchak Market, to have your bag slashed with a knife and the contents stolen. If possible, keep your bag in front of you and be very aware of the people around you in busy places like this.

Bag snatchers generally tend to work on motorbikes and in Thailand it is perfectly acceptable for motorcyclists to drive on the sidewalk. Although most motorcyclists are perfectly honest citizens, be aware when you hear them approaching and always have your bag on the opposite side to the roadside of wherever they will be driving in order to deter them. Avoiding short strapped ladies handbags and wearing your bag across your shoulder will help enormously.

Bag snatchers have been known to drive by and steal bags which female tourists place beside them when they get on Tuk Tuks. Wherever you are, always keep a hold of your belongings – wrap the strap around your leg… whatever you can.

Gyms In Bangkok

Posted on January 21, 2013 by koomatzu

Fitness Clubs & Prices In Bangkok

It’s seriously a pain in the ass trying to find out the prices of gym memberships in Thailand! So I have put together a list of gyms in Bangkok along with membership prices and costs for comparison. Some of the costs below may not be so accurate as prices can vary at some of the bigger fitness clubs in Bangkok, it seems it is the norm that most of these gyms require negotiation over the price.

Costs also vary depending on the length of membership contract. I will be constantly updating and confirming the Fitness Club information provided here, but in the meantime please do feel free to submit any Bangkok gym prices or gym reviews – it would be much appreciated!

N.B. For information on high protein gym supplements, check out our page Protein tips in Bangkok

Powerzone Fitness Club

Where: Bangkok Dindaeng BTS Sanam Pao
Drop-in price: 150 baht
Weekly price: 400 baht
Monthly price: 1200 baht
Three month membership: 3300 baht
Website: www.sitthi.net/Powerzone.aspx

Powerhouse Gym *

Where: Bangkok Pinklao

Rocky Gym *

Where: Bangkok Ratchatewi

Crossfit Fast Gym *

Where: Bangkok Silom – BTS Chong Nonsi
Price: –
Website: www.crossfitfast.com

Crossfit Bangkok *

Where: Bangkok, Aspire at Asoke
Price: –
Website: www.facebook.com/CrossFitBangkok

California Wow Fitness Club (No longer in business)

Where: Numerous locations
Price: From 12000 baht for a year
Website: www.californiawowx.com

Nows Fitness Club

Where: Bangkok Payatthai, On nut
Monthly Price: 2999 baht
Six Month Membership: 9000 baht
Year Membership: 14400 baht
Website: www.nowsfitness.com

Clark Hatch Fitness Centre

Where: Numerous locations around Bangkok
Drop-in price: 500 baht
Monthly Price: 3350 baht
Six Month Membership: 12500 baht
Year Membership: 21600 baht
Website: www.clarkhatchthailand.com
A review of Clark Hatch Thaniya

Fitness First Fitness Club

Where: Numerous locations around Bangkok
Joining fee: 1600 baht
Price: 2500 baht per month (minimum five month contract)
Website: www.fitnessfirst.co.th

Thai-Japanese Youth Club*

Where: Bangkok Dindaeng
Price: 40 baht per year

The LAB Gym

Where: Bangkok Sukhumvit 31 – BTS Prom Phong
Price: 30,000 baht per six months (group training)
Website: www.tbtlab.com

True Fitness*

Where: Bangkok Chitlom, Asoke
Price: –
Website: www.truefitness.co.th

Lumphini Park Gym*

Where: Bangkok Lumphini Park
Drop-in Price: 35 baht

Tae Chio Cemetery Gym

Where: Bangkok Sathorn (more info here)
Price: Free

*Prices to be confirmed – Sorry, some of these slippery gyms really don’t like to answer emails!

Interested in Yoga classes? See my directory of Yoga studios in Bangkok here.