Information on Bangkok, Thailand

One of my favorite Moo ka-tats.

noreply@blogger.com (Bangkokbuddy) — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 21:05:00 +0000

somebody asked me which moo ka-tat is my favorite in bangkok. actually, there are 2. but only one of them has a website.

the following is the website... the wording is in thai. so you will need to use the google translator to understand what is written if you do not know thai.
Family BBQ Group Moo Ka-tats

according to the website, there are 4 branches. personally, I've been to 2 of them. the one in rachada and the one in petchaburi. BOTH are good.

the one in rachada is next to the "huai kwang" MRT stop. the one in petchaburi is next to the "petchaburi" MRT stop.
map of MRT

basically, the family bbq group of moo ka-tats have 2 tier prices. the regular menu goes for 109 baht. the special seafood menu goes for 199 baht.

the staff will ask you which menu you wish to pay for. if this is all confusing, just go with the special seafood menu for the first few times going to these moo ka-tats.

drinks are NOT included. so, be careful. beer and liquor can double the bill easily. I usually go for water or soft drinks. water is like 40 baht a bottle. soft drinks are 80 baht per liter bottles. ice is 40 baht a bucket.

a typical outing for me is the regular menu, 1 bottle of water, 1 bucket of ice. cost-wise that is 109 baht+40 baht+40 baht=190 baht. thats about 6 usa dollars.

mind you, this buffet is all-you-can-eat, and you can stay as long as they are open. from 5:30pm to 11:30pm.

what a deal!!!

Do you know the real name of Bangkok?

noreply@blogger.com (Bangkokbuddy) — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 08:34:00 +0000

according to the online thai magazine - http://www.iguidebangkok.com/ - the real name of bangkok is - "Krungthep Mahanakon Bavorn Rattanakosin Mahintharayutthaya Mahadilokpop Noparatratchathani Burirom Udomratchanivetmahasatan Arnornpiman Avatarnsatit Sakkathattiyaavisnukarmprasit".

Now, isn't that a mouthfull?

Thailand Pinboard - search engine.

noreply@blogger.com (Bangkokbuddy) — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 00:52:00 +0000

I found this new search engine that is based in thailand focusing on things in thailand. following a new format using a cute presentation. the search engine prides itself on quote, "presenting links that are hard to find".

check it out...
Thailand Pinboard

Online sources for Renting/Buying in Bangkok.

noreply@blogger.com (Bangkokbuddy) — Sat, 26 Sep 2009 10:23:00 +0000

for those of you who are thinking of buying or renting a place in bangkok, I added this new section on the RIGHT side of my blog with several links to online sources that list real estate here for sale or rent.

the new section is named "Search 4 Apartment".

some of the sites cater mainly to serving thais, but have english translations for the properties listed that they have to offer.

for those of you who are new to the rental market here in bangkok, keep in mind that not only do they have month to month, 6 month leases, and year leases, they also have minimum 2 month leases and minimum 3 month leases.

I lost out on a number of excellent places because I didn't know this tidbit.

Enjoy!

Thailand has FREE tourist visa until March 2010.

noreply@blogger.com (Bangkokbuddy) — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 17:23:00 +0000

Thailand is offering a FREE tourist visa for those who are interested in visiting the country.

This FREE tourist visa is good for 60 days. and is available until march 2010.

here are the links confirming the FREE tourist visa...
Information on FREE tourist visa - page 1
Information on FREE tourist visa - page 2

AND here is the actual application form for applying for the FREE tourist visa.
Tourist Visa application form

BangkokPost - the King is sick.

noreply@blogger.com (Bangkokbuddy) — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 07:00:00 +0000

I just read from the online bangkokpost that the king of thailand is sick. it must be pretty serious for the newspaper to report it.

here's the link to the story...
right-royal-recovery-on-the-way

here's wishing the king a quick and speedy recovery.

my 2 cents on - Renting vs. Purchasing...

noreply@blogger.com (Bangkokbuddy) — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 03:49:00 +0000

this is a lounge lizard editorial, or in laymen terms - just my opinion.

so, what do I think about renting vs. purchasing?

first off, you need to read my post on one of my other blogs that talks about the possibility of bangkok sinking. here's the link.
Bangkok Sinking?

ok. you are not scared about the possibility of bangkok sinking. what to do?

personally, I would never buy anywhere until I know the area well - FIRST. that usually means living in around the vincinity for at least a month. why, you ask? well, it's just common sense. there are so many variables to deal with here in bangkok that you don't see in many other places. for instance, some streets flood here every year... do you want to walk out one day to 6 inches of water on the road?

in pattaya, they have a problem with the water supply. they built the city so quickly, they forgot to build the infrastructure to supply water to the increase in the population. ...imagine that? then, there is the traffic to deal with. maybe the place you want to live in is full of traffic. how about loud dogs? or lousy neighbors? some parts of the city have a higher concentration of smog than others. do you want to be buying in a spot where you can't breathe? how about the ladies of the night? not that this is all over the city. but yes, some parts have this scenario to deal with.

ok. let's say you know the place.. SHOULD you buy? personally, I wouldn't buy unless I have the money to spare. and keep in mind, you cannot take the profits with you until AFTER 5 years. from what I heard, any selling before 5 years, and you lose all the profits from taxation. granted, I may be wrong. but that is what I heard from some of my friends who got really pissed off because of EXACTLY this scenario.

ANOTHER thing.. foreigners cannot really own land here in thailand. yes, foreigners are buying land here. but bottomline, if the thais want to take it from you, they can. it's their country. in neighboring malaysia, that is exactly what happened to foreign investors no more than 30 years ago. ...which is why I laugh at anybody who gets suckered into their current "second home" scam. they did it once, malaysia will do it again.

the ONLY route for buying that seems to make any sense here in thailand is - condo.

ok. so, you have the money to spare. ...if you are someone like me who plans on living in bangkok for over 10+ years, then, yes, buy a condo. but make sure that it is in a place that is absent of problems and where you want to be. I wish I did after the first few years of living here. if I did, I would be rent free now.

but then, again, it's not too late as I see it. which is why I am doing the research now. imagine owning a studio condo for about 30k-50k dollars in one of the most vibrant cities in the world - BANGKOK, Thailand.

am I scared of bangkok sinking? of course not. but then again, "famous last words"? hehehe. ..a risk I'll willing to take. bottomline, I don't expect to be around 20 years from now. get the picture?

lounge lizards, get those happy memories while you still can.

-Bangkokbuddy.

Bangkokpost SERVICED Apartment guide 2008-9.

noreply@blogger.com (Bangkokbuddy) — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 03:11:00 +0000

people, I found this serviced apartment guide for the years 2008-2009 that was so good that I just had to post the link here to download the PDF for you readers who might be interested.
BangkokPost Serviced Apartment Guide 2008-2009

published by the bangkokpost newspaper, it is very informative. not that it is all inclusive of all the choices available here in bangkok. BUT it serves well as an additional source.

what I thought was exceptional is that the guide provides a list of all the serviced apartments they talk about in their guide (with websites if available) at the back of their guide. the PDF file is big at 9mb. BUT then, what do you expect from a file jam packed with images? check it out....

my guess is - the link will disappear after this year. so get it while you can. then, again, ..if the above link disappears, it may mean they have published a newer edition which would mean you would have to go to their main site to search for it then. just to make it easy for you, here's the link to their main site...
BangkokPost newspaper

the BEST time of the year to come to Bangkok.

noreply@blogger.com (Bangkokbuddy) — Sat, 25 Apr 2009 15:38:00 +0000

it might seem silly to write a post about the best time of the year to visit bangkok. but actually when you think about it, if you are a rookie traveler coming over here for the first time, what the hell do you know, right?

for those of you out there who are rookie travelers to bangkok, thailand. ..this post is for you.

so, what is the BEST time of the year to visit Bangkok, you ask?

definitely, november through january. the temperatures during these months remind me of san francisco in the summer time. clear blue skies with cool breezes.

right now, it is april which is the hottest month of the year. it is about a 100 degrees fahrenheit outside. the time is 11pm.

I don't even bother to go outside during the afternoon when it gets this hot. AND neither should you if you know what is good for you.

nuff said.

Budget Airlines serving Thailand.

noreply@blogger.com (Bangkokbuddy) — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 07:05:00 +0000

When I want to travel by air to some neighboring country or city here in thailand, I refer to the following 3 websites for the absolute BEST prices.

http://www.airasia.com/
http://www.tigerairways.com/
http://www.cebupacificair.com/

10+ years of traveling in and out around this area has shown them to - consistently offer the BEST deals.

don't even bother to look at the other airlines, they cannot beat the above 3. no joke. from one who knows...

Additional info...
http://www.travelersdigest.com/airlines.htm
http://www.flyertalk.com/
http://www.cambodiaevisa.com/airlines-servicing-cambodia/
http://www.wompom.ca/vietnam/-airline01.htm

do you know who the red shirts and yellow shirts are?

noreply@blogger.com (Bangkokbuddy) — Mon, 20 Apr 2009 17:56:00 +0000

the following information is for those of you who are curious as to who the red shirts and the yellow shirts are here in thailand.

in a nutshell, the reds shirts and the yellows shirts are the 2 main opposing groups of thai people in the most recent political divisions in thailand that started about 4 years ago and have yet to be resolved.

what do they support, and why are they fighting, you ask? ..that is a very good question because there are many individuals who seem to change sides now and then for whatever reasons. it makes for a very complicated scenario.

anyway, without further ado, I provide you the reader the following info for you to read which will hopefully clarify all the questions you might have on the red shirts and the yellow shirts..

the wikipedia sources are very informative. if you read all the linking sources, you should be as informed as anybody who is not directly involved can be. enjoy!

YELLOW SHIRTS - (PAD)
Leader = Sonthi Limthongkul
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sondhi_Limthongkul
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/People%27s_Alliance_for_Democracy
http://www.angkor.com/2bangkok/2bangkok/forum/showthread.php?p=8092

RED SHIRTS - (UDD)
Leader = Thaksin Shinawatra
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thaksin_Shinawatra
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_United_Front_of_Democracy_Against_Dictatorship
http://www.samuiforsale.com/Articles_nomiees.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thaksin_Shinawatra_$1.88_billion_deal_controversy

so, what do I think of this whole conflict? bottomline, it is not my place to get involved. and I think it is common sense for all foreigners to stay out of it. I love living in thailand, and wish the best for the country. I hope the thai people can resolve the issues peacefully.

nuff said.

in thailand december 5 is..

noreply@blogger.com (Bangkokbuddy) — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 11:33:00 +0000

father's day. it is also the birthday of King Bhumibol Adulyadej. the king of thailand is now age 81.

in honor of the king, I post the following links to websites with information about the king.

http://www.kanchanapisek.or.th/index.en.html
http://www.answers.com/topic/bhumibol-adulyadej
http://newscred.com/bhumibol-adulyadej
http://simple.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bhumibol_Adulyadej
http://www.experiencefestival.com/a/Bhumibol_Adulyadej/id/1931648
http://www.zimbio.com/King+Bhumibol+Adulyadej
http://www.soravij.com/rama9.html
http://www.supremeartist.org/
http://www.bangkokpost.com/king2000/intro.html

I did a major search on the internet for more information. but did not find much in english. oh well...

this is my favorite picture of the King of Thailand..

anyway, just wanted to wish King Bhumibol Adulyadej a happy birthday.

SET below 400!

noreply@blogger.com (Bangkokbuddy) — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 11:51:00 +0000

for those of you not familiar with the term - SET. here in thailand, the SET stands for Stock Exchange (of) Thailand.

the following is a link to more info on the subject..
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stock_Exchange_of_Thailand

http://www.set.or.th/en/index.html

anyway, just to let you all know... the SET closed at 389 today.

the number itself doesn't mean anything to the casual reader. but if I recall right, no more than 2 months ago, the SET was above 900. less than a year ago, it had reached it's peak of 980.

from 980 to 389 in less than a year.

that means - the SET is DOWN 60% from it's HIGH. scary stuff.

will this lead to a dark depression in the coming months for ordinary thais? I don't know. my bet is on the thai people. they are tough. they can live on very little if need be.

bottomline, it is my second home. I wish only the best for thailand. keeping my fingers crossed.

is bangkok sinking???

noreply@blogger.com (Bangkokbuddy) — Tue, 21 Oct 2008 11:04:00 +0000

while surfing the net, I stumbled onto some recent articles that suggested that bangkok is sinking. yes, you heard me right. people are saying that - the city of bangkok, thailand is sinking.

so, just how bad is it going to be? I don't know..

but there are dozens of articles on the net talking about it. just do a google search with the keywords, "bangkok sinking", and you can read to your hearts content.

one "expert" put it really scary by saying that quote, "bangkok will be underwater within 10 to 15 years - PERMANENTLY."

http://www.theworld.org/?q=node/14907

http://www.asiaone.com/News/AsiaOne+News/Asia/Story/A1Story20071021-31319.html

http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,926247,00.html

not wanting to put the time into researching this. I would guess that this idea of bangkok is sinking can be confirmed by checking some site for historic high/low tides for someplace nearby like pattaya.

bottomline, those of you who are serious about buying property here in bangkok. I think you should reconsider. unless bangkok is planning to be the venice of asia, your condo won't be worth much underwater.

10 to 15 years???

MediThai

noreply@blogger.com (Bangkokbuddy) — Thu, 16 Oct 2008 02:22:00 +0000

folks, I found this website that helps you find the right medical doctor for you here in thailand.

whether it be a dentist you are looking for, or a lasik clinic, this site provides information on many if not all the options available for you to review.
MediThai website

I noticed that the link to "sex reassignment" has been changed. so, if you are interested in a "sex reassignment surgery", the new link is...
Sex Reassignment Surgery - the doctors, and your options

enjoy!

how to get the thai retirement visa.

noreply@blogger.com (Bangkokbuddy) — Mon, 28 Jul 2008 11:21:00 +0000

if you are interested in obtaining a retirement visa to live in thailand for one year periods without having to leave the country, read on...

basically, the steps that a foreigner needs to follow to obtain a thai retirement visa are:

1) be at least 50 years of age,
2) somehow show possession in 800,000 baht or a monthly income of at least 65,000 baht,
3) medical certificate.

at one time, a police report from your country of origin was also required. but it doesn't appear to be so anymore since many expats who have obtained the retirement visa a number of years have indicated that this is the case.

showing possession of 800,000 baht is easy enough. just deposit 800,000 baht into a bank any bank in thailand. and then, present your bank book to the thai authorities as proof. if you go the other route, and decide to show a monthly income of 65,000 baht, you can go to your country's embassy in thailand, and obtain a "certification of income" statement. at the usa embassy in bangkok, an american citizen can obtain this certificate in one day - cost is 30 dollars.

as for the medical certificate, one can obtain it at any of the numerous hospitals and clinics around the country that are run by a qualified physician. cost ranges from as low as 100 baht to several thousand baht depending on whether you decide to get an extensive physical examination too.

the place to go to obtain this retirement visa if you are in bangkok is - at the thai immigration office over on soi suan plu. the following is a online map on the thai immigration website that you can follow to get there.
Thai immigration at soi suan plu in bangkok

you can also refer to the above website for information on other thai visas too.

if you want to refer to other sources for information on the process, I recommend the thaivisa forum where one can present questions on thai visas to a host of people both thai and foreign who have connections to thailand. if you would prefer to just hire someone to process the thai retirement visa for you, it just so happens that thaivisa can do it for you - at a price.

a couple of points to consider when you start the process..
1) if you want to come and go out of thailand as you please, you will need to also obtain the "multiple entry permit" which is in addition to the "retirement visa extension".
2) if you want to process the thai retirement visa when you arrive into thailand on a 30 day transit visa, you will need to first get a "change of visa" to do so. the 30 day transit visa must be less than 10 days old in order to qualify for the "change of visa" process.

the costs for the various visas and extensions when I last obtained it back in december 2007 are as follows..
certification of income from usa consulate=$30 dollars.
one year thai retirement visa extension=1900 thai baht.
multiple entry permit=3800 thai baht.
change of visa statement=2000 thai baht.

it took me a whole day to process all the documentation so be prepared with a bottle of water. and a small packet of toilet tissue just in case they run out in the toilet. it happens, people. being in a toilet with no toilet tissue is no fun - I KNOW.

to obtain each of the items above, you will need to go to a separate office at the thai immigration building in bangkok to process. coordinate the whole process via the "information booth" at thai immigration. it is at the "information booth" that you obtain all the application forms that you will need to fill out, and also where you obtain the "waiting line numbers". for sure, there will be long lines of people at thai immigration on any given day.

one last note... you should make xerox copies of the face page of your passport to present with your visa application and the multiple entry permit application. you can do so at one of the copy centers across the street from the thai immigration building.

if you are smart, you will go early to process the thai retirement visa OR any visa for that matter. hehehe. the place opens at around 7:30am.

Pictures of Bangkok

noreply@blogger.com (Bangkokbuddy) — Thu, 11 Oct 2007 01:28:00 +0000

a reader passed a me a link to this website that has an extensive list of photos for various places in bangkok.

you want to see some pics of the pratunam market? ..the pantip plaza? siam paragon mall? or even the mbk mall? this is the site for you.

the website even has pictures for other cities in the world. so, you can browse new york, london, etc. ..you name it.

http://wiki.worldflicks.org/bangkok.html

I am not a plastic bag.

noreply@blogger.com (Bangkokbuddy) — Wed, 25 Jul 2007 09:16:00 +0000

guess who is coming to town soon? ..have you heard all the talk about that bag with the words "I am not a plastic bag" printed on them? made by anya hindmarch. people all over the world have been lining up at stores to buy it. the frenzy got so bad that the anya hindmarch folks decided to cancel out on the planned launches in beijing, shanghai, and jakarta. they were worried about the physical safety of people. personally, I am not into this bag. but for those people out there who are...

GOOD NEWS!!! the launch here in bangkok has NOT been postponed. exact date not given, but some time this fall.

the on pedder store in the gaysorn shopping mall that is going to stage the launch has not opened yet. but it should be opening this fall - like next month. (see below for supporting info.)

you people who have their hearts set on getting one of these bags. reserve your airplane tickets and COME ON DOWN. the city of bangkok, and all the smiling people here are waiting for you.

COME ON DOWN!!!!

http://www.wearewhatwedo.org/news_events/anya-faq.php#13

http://www.onpedder.com/

http://www.anyahindmarch.com/division/environmental_bags.aspx

Shopping Malls in Bangkok.

noreply@blogger.com (Bangkokbuddy) — Mon, 09 Jul 2007 03:33:00 +0000

Did you know that in Bangkok, there are like 30 shopping malls within a 3 mile radius? yeah. I thought about it once. and frankly, I can't think of another city in the world with the same density - including Hong Kong, and Singapore.

mind you, to be considered a shopping mall, the place must have at least 20 shops in it. ...30 malls, and counting. Bangkok - the new shopping mega in southeast asia.

I thought about writing a long length article providing details on all these malls, but I found several websites that do a pretty good job of it. so, instead of re-inventing the wheel, I will provide the following links for you to review. enjoy!

http://www.bangkokbob.net/malls.htm

http://www.bangkok.com/shopping-mall/index.html

http://www.thaipro.com/dir/Bangkok/Bangkok_Shops_1.html

http://www.luxurythai.com/travelguide/bestshop.php

http://www.thailandguidebook.com/shopping.html

..in one section of this 3 mile radius of shops, there is this interconnecting series of "sheltered" walkways where you can move from one mall to another in a stretch about 1 mile long. this feature is really nice for those who like to browse several of the shopping malls without getting wet in the rain.

actually, now that I think about it, many of the shopping malls in bangkok are connected directly to the sky train and the underground which means you can visit many of them easily and rain free. the famous sum luan night bazaar, and even the HUGE chatuchak flea market is within this transportation network too.

PS. I might still write my own full length article on the subject of malls. complete with maps and details on ALL the malls. but it will have to be at a later date. be sure to check out the websites for the mbk shopping mall and the siam-paragon shopping mall. the pictures are beautiful.

wow! 3 huge solar farms have just opened.

noreply@blogger.com (Bangkokbuddy) — Mon, 09 Apr 2007 03:06:00 +0000

just read about 3 new solar farms opening up in the world.

so, what do these solar farms have to do with thailand? frankly, not much. ..but I feel that thailand has great potential for farming solar energy. and one way to point the country in that direction is to show examples of the technology being used successfully in other countries.

back to the 3 new solar farms..

they are located in the usa, portugal, and spain. the following urls provides more info on the grand openings. enjoy!

http://www.treehugger.com/files/2007/03/nevada_solar_on.php

http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_5539523?source=rss&nclick_check=1

http://solarcellsinfo.com/blog/archives/466

the following url provides supporting info on the solar one solar farm opening up in the usa this month.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nevada_Solar_One

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solar_power_plants_in_the_Mojave_Desert

according to the stirling energy website, a solar farm the size of 100 square miles would suffice to provide all the electrical needs of the whole country of usa. imagine that. just to give you an idea of the space we are talking about - the state of nevada is about 110,000 square miles in size.

http://www.stirlingenergy.com/faq.asp?Type=solar

the total population of the usa is about 300 million at this time. and for thailand, it is about 65 million. so, if it would take a solar farm the size of 100 square miles to supply the entire usa with electricity, than, would it be logical to reason that a solar farm a third this size (33 square miles) would suffice to supply all of thailand with electricty?

thailand has one of the longest coastlines in the world for a country it's size. it seems to me that it is ideal for producing solar energy. and more ideal for the mass production of hydrogen via solar farms that can be used for fueling cars.

I've already researched all the info for my future article on hydrogen. and will try to publish it soon.

with that said, let's not forget that infinia corporation is suppose to be coming out with a 15 foot platform solar device that will supply all the electricity needed for one household soon.

http://www.infiniacorp.com/applications/clean_energy.htm

let's go solar!!!

...On Solar Energy.

noreply@blogger.com (Bangkokbuddy) — Tue, 13 Mar 2007 04:04:00 +0000

lately, the local newspapers have been putting up suggestions that maybe thailand should look into constructing nuclear plants for producing electricity. why? ..I don't know.

..it seems to me that a country like thailand that gets sunshine all year long, they should seriously consider going with solar energy and hydrogen as an alternative source of energy - versus going with oil, nuclear, and/or gas.

check out the latest news tidbits on the latest solar power initiatives in the usa. interesting reading...

http://news.com.com/Full+steam+ahead+for+Nevada+solar+project/2100-11392_3-6166113.html?tag=st.ref.goo

http://news.com.com/Dishing+out+power+with+a+solar+engine/2100-1008_3-6129168.html?tag=st.ref.goo

in brief... according to solar energy experts, a 100 square mile grid of stirling energy platforms would suffice to supply the ENTIRE united states with electricity.

issues with transporting and storing the electricity have been addressed in the detail sections of some of the websites. read the fineprint, folks.

some of the ideas being actually implemented in california and nevada on a commercial scale include:

1) solar thermal plants like the one that the company Solar One is constructing in nevada. (90% completed.)

http://www.solargenix.com/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nevada_Solar_One

http://www.physorg.com/news10762.html

2) solar via stirling engine with SES. (4 square mile grid being constructed now in california.)

http://www.stirlingenergy.com/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stirling_Energy_Systems

http://www.stirlingenergy.com/solar_overview.htm

one particular home based solution that is certainly going to cause a sensation in the states in the near future will be offered next year by the company Infinia. they are slated to have a home based 3 kW solar collector available in early 2008.

http://www.infiniacorp.com/applications/clean_energy.htm

3 kW is what experts general agree to as the average daily electricity requirement for one household.

imagine not having to pay for your electricity anymore. better yet, getting paid for producing electricity for the electric company.

other sources of info...

http://www.nerdtests.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?p=3454&

http://www.stirlingenergy.com/breaking_news.htm

NOTE: I wanted to present the info I researched on hydrogen as a source of fuel for vehicles on this posting but decided against it since I believe the topic truly deserves it's own posting. ..which I will complete at a later date.

Movie Theatres in Bangkok.

noreply@blogger.com (Bangkokbuddy) — Sun, 04 Mar 2007 07:56:00 +0000

so, you are in bangkok, and you want to see a movie. the question is - is there an online source that will tell you what movie is showing where, and exactly when in the city?

the answer is - yes.
http://www.movieseer.com/

this same website will tell you what movies are showing in all of thailand, singapore, and malaysia.

the cost of seeing a first-run movie here in bangkok ranges from 80 baht to around 650 baht depending on where you go, when you go, and the quality of the seats.

do they have discount times, you ask? yes, they do. but the hours are different from that in the states. generally, the discount theatre times are opposite that in the states. in the states, it is generally in the morning when the discount rates are advertised. whereas here in bangkok, the discount rates are offered for movies showing after 8pm at night.

many of the movie theatres provide multi-tier seating arrangements meaning that besides the "standard" type seats that you see in the states, you can also get "lounge" type seats where a couple can sit together or "lazy boy" type seats which provide vibrators, blankets, and slippers for you to wear while viewing the movie.

I find the "standard seats" are better than many of the seats found in movie theatres in san francisco - cleaner and with more knee/leg space.

for the ultimate "lazy boy" movie experience, go to the egv gold movie theatre at the siam discovery center mall. for about the same price as seeing a movie in san francisco in a standard seat, here at egv gold, you will be able to see the same movie in the luxury of a lazy boy seat. at egv gold, there are only 40 seats in the theatre making the experience that more relaxing and private.
http://www.siamdiscoverycenter.co.th/

other movie theatre related sites....
http://www.egv.com/main.php
http://www.majorcineplex.com/majorcineplex/intro/
http://www.worldfilmbkk.com/

enjoy!

Chiropractors in Bangkok.

noreply@blogger.com (Bangkokbuddy) — Tue, 20 Feb 2007 01:05:00 +0000

the following is a list of websites for chiropractors providing their services in bangkok, thailand.

got some back pain? want a chiropractor to look at it? look no further for an english speaking chiropractor.

http://www.bioenergyasia.com/profile.html

http://www.chiropracticthailand.com/

http://www.chiropractorbangkok.com/

http://www.painfree4you.com/en/index.html

http://www.thaichiro.com/

http://www.thailandchiropractic.org/epage4.html

http://www.thailandchiropractic.com/

Valentines Day.

noreply@blogger.com (Bangkokbuddy) — Sun, 11 Feb 2007 02:43:00 +0000

well, guys. in a few days, it'll be valentines day. so, what are you going to do? sit on your butt and do nothing? if you have a girlfriend, a wife, or some other love one that you want to show your appreciation to after all the abuse you have piled up on them over the past year, buy them some flowers. ahhhh. flowers.

a long time ago, when I wanted to buy some flowers for somebody here in bangkok, I would go to some florist and order up a bouquet of a dozen roses, sign a card, and pull out my credit card to pay. the cost usually averaged out to be about a thousand baht or $25 us dollars. not bad if you compare the prices charged by florist in the states.

..then, one day, I found out about the the flower market. and the days of my paying $25 us dollars for a bouquet of a dozen red roses ended.

at the flower market, you can buy 3 dozen red roses for from 30 baht to 120 baht depending on the quality. yes, you heard me right. 3 DOZEN RED ROSES for LESS than a dollar.

so, where in bangkok is this flower market, you ask?

why, it's over by the memorial bridge near where the wat pho is. altogether, there must be about 3 blocks of flower shops and stalls selling flowers near the bridge. usually, the florists in the city go to the flower market really early in the morning to buy their flowers for their shops. if you are really picky about the condition of your flowers, you should go early in the morning to buy your flowers as that is when they are in their freshest state.

if you are not sure as to where the memorial bridge is - look at the map of bangkok that I have provided on this blog for all to see. (it's on the right of my blog, bro.) to get there, I usually take the #73 bus - boarding at the central world mall near the pratunam district of bangkok. the bus fare one way will be about 16 baht.

as an alternative source, the following website has a really good map with photos of the flower market that you can review for a better idea of the place. check it out.

http://www.vivien-und-erhard.de/english/travel/thailand/bangkok/flowermarket/index.htm

get this, if you are going to buy a lot of flowers, you can still bargain with the vendors as the prices are not ironclad.

have a happy valentines day!!!

the cheapest places to stay in bangkok.

noreply@blogger.com (Bangkokbuddy) — Sat, 03 Feb 2007 06:07:00 +0000

you're in town. you don't have much money. you don't know where to go. you don't want to sleep at the airport, and you don't want to sleep on the streets. ..so, where do you go?

look no further. ..the absolute best websites (as of feb.1, 2007) to refer to for finding the cheapest temporary accommodations here in bangkok are:
http://www.hostelmania.com/HostelCityList/USD/En/th/Bangkok/hostels-Bangkok.aspx?source=goog&keyword=bangkok+thailand+hostels
http://www.travelfish.org/accommodation/thailand/bangkok_and_surrounds/bangkok/khao_san_road/all
http://www.hostelz.com/hostels/Thailand/Bangkok

on the other hand, if you are planning on staying for 2 months or longer, than you should consider getting an apartment. on the following 2 websites that I am going to list for you, you can find addresses for apartments that will charge you as low as 1300 baht a month. yes, you heard me right - 1300 baht a month. granted, they may not have air/con, or have their own bathroom. but they are apartments.
http://www.thaiapartment.com/
http://www.click4apartment.com/

another option if you are so inclined to try is -
http://www.couchsurfing.com/

AND - if you are really down and out, then, you can always stay at the temples. they will take care of you if you truly are in dire straits.
http://thailandforvisitors.com/central/bangkok/bkk-temples.html

TIP: a suggestion to those who are newbies to bangkok... don't keep talking about how inexpensive things are here. ..the next thing you know, the locals will increase the prices. no joke

details, details, details...
1 US dollar = 36 thai baht.