60 Day Tourist Visa

For those who have not followed this blog, American citizens are able to get a 30 day visa on arrival from Suvarnabhumi International Airport.  Since I live in Bangkok and am not sure if I will want to take a trip in 30 days, I always try to get a 60 day visa for arrival in Bangkok.  Besides the obvious 30 more days, if you arrive in Bangkok with a 60 day visa, you can extend it in Thailand for another 30 days without having to leave the country.

The Easy Way and the Hard Way

I was planning on going to the Thai embassy in Kathmandu when I left Bangkok to get a new 60-day tourist visa for when I returned to Bangkok.  When I started talking to a tour/trek organizer I was offered his visa service where I would give him my passport and an agent would go to the embassy for me. It wasn’t a tough choice for the reason that I wanted to go to the embassy at all.  It was a tough choice because I had to trust my passport with a guy/company which I really didn’t know.  Secondly, I was taking a domestic flight in Nepal from Kathmandu to Pokhara in a couple days.

Using a Visa Agent in Kathmandu

I was weary of giving my passport up because I was flying to Pokhara with a couple friends.  I didn’t want to be denied entry on the flight with my friends waiting.  Bin from Treksexpedition.com told me I didn’t need it to travel within Nepal and I also had the receptionist at Hotel Paradise Plaza confirm I didn’t need it so I gave it to my guide after the 2 day Tour of Nagarkot in Kathmandu Valley.

Visa Requirements

I got my 2.5-3.5” visa photos in Bangkok which came in handy when arriving in Nepal.  These photos along with my passport and a copy of a credit card were all the visa agent needed!  A completed application was not even needed!  I remember having to provide a print-out with proof of funds in a bank account before which was annoying.

Shiny New Visa

I wanted to make sure I got the passport to the embassy as soon as possible because of the many Nepali holidays during my stay there.  Since the Thai government was running a promotion for free tourist visas I only had to pay the agent fee which was 2100 rupees ($30USD). If you would like to get a 60 day tourist visa while in Nepal it is a painless process.  Simply get your 2.5-3. Inch visa photos, make a copy of your credit card and give it to Bin.  His office is located in tourist central AKA Thamel and you can contact him at Treksexpedition.com

If you missed the first post about Bhumibol Bridge you may want to read it as it gives a little background information about the bridge and talks about the view you get from the central Bangkok side of the Chao Phraya River.  I got a couple good shots from one side of the bridge but I wasn’t satisfied.  I could see there were some buildings on the other side of the first section of the bridge and I had seen a couple photos on Flickr from that location.

Getting to Phra Pradaeng

I couldn’t figure out whether or not the bridge had a pedestrian path to cross the bridge on foot or bicycle so instead of chancing it, I found a taxi driver near the Ambassador Hotel and told him I’d give him 500 baht ($15USD) to take me there and back.  Since I really had no idea where we were going I went to an internet café and showed them on a map where I wanted to go and they wrote it in Thai to show the taxi driver.

I was aiming to get some night shots of the bridge so I set out around 17:00 with the hope of getting to the bridge by sunset but the inevitable happened.  The traffic on Rama III & IV roads was at a standstill and it took over and hour and 15 minutes to go a distance that would have taken 15-20 minutes if there was no traffic.

The taxi driver knew how to drive to the bridge and get to the genera area under the bridge but he parked in a lot which was probably almost a kilometer away from the recreational area.  He accompanied me to the shooting location to not lose me and most importantly for him, the 500 baht fare.

Park looking towards Samut Prakan

Under the Industrial Ring Road

From back home in the USA when I think under a bridge or a major highway in a big city the first thing that comes to mind is a ghetto or industrial wasteland.  As mentioned previously in Bangkok it is completely opposite as there are many nice areas under Bangkok’s various bridges.

The park which to this day I cannot remember nor find out the name of, is very nice.  In the area near Bhumibol Bridge on this Phra Pradaeng side there is rather long paved jogging path along with numerous playgrounds for kids.  Directly below the coiling Industrial Ring road at the base of Bhumibol Bridge there is a nice grass park with rubberized jogging path and basketball courts.

The park surrounded by a fence and a security guard box has a couple buildings and statue laden pools.  I do not know what the buildings are, possibly a museum or school.  The industrial ring road along with its pillars is spectacular to photography in itself as it winds all over the place giving a photographer with a wide angle lens more than enough shots.

Jogging Path under the Industrial Ring Road

Bhumibol Bridge Photos

The prize of course is the beautiful Bhumibol Bridge views in which there are multiple angles as you are able to see in both spans of the bridge.   You can even walk outside the park and explore the more of the area which includes a large temple and several shipyards to get more views of the bridge and industrial ring road.

I saw several Thai photographers when I visited this are of Phra Pradaeng but no foreigners.  I would highly recommend this area of Bangkok for anyone with a digital SLR and especially those who like shooting wide angle shots as there is more than a couple hours worth of shots.  I would recommend leaving early so you can get there in time for the sun to set as it can be spectacular like the day when I was lucky enough to get this shot.

View the full Bhumibol Bridge Photo Archive

My hometown of San Francisco is city where tens of thousands of tourists arrive to see a bridge so I thought I would write about a bridge in Bangkok that is visually impressive and grand but just doesn’t have much tourist appeal yet.

Bridge is not a huge tourist attraction in Bangkok for a couple reasons.   First off, the bridge is located pretty far away from the areas populated by foreigners and crowded with tourists.  The 2^nd reason why it’s not the most popular tourist attraction is it lacks pedestrian crossings.

Bhumibol Bridge is located towards the south side of Bangkok off Rama III Road.  In order to drive across the bridge there is a very long onramp.  Bhumibol Bridge is pronounced;  “Sa pan Poo Me Pon” in Thai in which Saphan means ‘bridge’ in Thai and Bhumibol  is the name of the King of Thailand, Bhumibol Ayedeyej.

The bridge which was completed less than 5 years ago in 2006 is also known as the “Mega Bridge” or “Industrial Ring Road Bridge” but don’t expect a single Thai person to know what you are talking about unless you say it in Thai, again “Saphan Bhumibol”.

Vantage Points of the Bridge

I have found  2 different vantage points on the North side of the Chao Phraya.  The first is a jogging park which lies directly under the bridge.  I have found that many bridges in Bangkok actually have nice parks or what could be described as recreational areas under them.  This ‘recreational area’ under the bridge has a jogging path, a grassy area and a cement step seating area overlooking the river which is where I got this shot.

Under Bhumibol Bridge

The second vantage point of Bhumibol Bridge off Rama III road is at the end of Rama III Soi 34.  The first time I went there I was kind of hesitant to enter as the soi looked more like a school as it had a security guard and many stray dogs.  It turned out there were many stray dogs because there was a couple large monasteries and what I think is a school.  As you walk towards the end of the soi there is actually a stable with cows ran by monks.  Right at the end of the soi is the cement steps which make up the bank of the Chao Phraya River which you can see in this shot.

Bhumibol Bridge from the End of Rama III Soi 34

Getting to Bhumibol Bridge

The bridge is gigantic and has 2 major sections crossing the Chao Phraya River so there are many vantage points which I scouted out over several trips to the bridge.  The easiest part to get to for anyone living in the major parts of Bangkok Sukhumvit and Silom is from Rama III road.

The first time I tried to find Bhumibol Bridge I took my bicycle through Silom in the wrong direction.  The actual directions will vary greatly depending on the starting point so the general guideline is just to get on Rama III road which loops around Bangkok .

I’m not sure if there are any MRT stations that go anywhere near the bridge but I’m sure there are no BTS stations.  The best way is to ask a taxi driver to take you to Rama III Soi 34 which is also within walking distance to the recreational area.  From anywhere in the vicinity you will be able to see “The Pano” the giant apartment complex which towers over the entire area.

Bhumibol Bridge highlighted Pink

Shooting Photos of Bhumibol Bridge

The Rama III Soi 34 side of the bridge allows you to get some great panoramic vantage points of the brightly lit bridge and its coiling attached Industrial Ring Road highway.  From this vantage point you can almost view 4 of the brightly lit pillars of the bridge.

I’m not 100% sure of this but I think there is an array of different patterns of light which can be emitted by the bridge.  Out of the few times I have been over to Bhumbol Bridge to take photos, the latest the bridge’s lights have been turned on is 19:00.  Any serious photographer will have more than enough subject matter for a good couple hours of shooting from both locations at the end of Rama III Soi 34 as well as the recreation area under the bridge.

View More Photos of Bhumibol Bridge at tourismPICS.com

Stay Tuned for Part II: Phra Padaeng Side of Bhumibol Bridge

The “New” Airport Link

It seems for the longest time Bangkok’s airport link train was “coming soon.” I think I remember the elevated tracks coming from the airport the first time I visited Bangkok around 5 years ago. I had been living in Bangkok for over a year and with seemingly little fanfare the airport link finally opened.

For me the airport link was more of a curiosity than a necessity as taking a taxi to the airport will usually cost from about $8-15USD and be relatively fast.. I wanted to take it the next time I either arrived or departed Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi
airport but I arrived from the US which usually means around midnight which is the time the airport link closed.

Bangkok Airport Link Station - Asok

Same Same but Different

The above headline is a popular shirt sold in Thailand and oddly enough it applies to the way to get to BKK airport. While the mode of transit is obviously different, the primary factor which determines how long it takes to get to the airport is likely going to be the same.

The primary factor is how bad the Bangkok city traffic is. Just as taking a taxi all the way to the airport must navigate through the busy streets to find an expressway, if you want to take the airport link your taxi needs to find a station. There are only 2 airport link stations located in central Bangkok, one at the intersection of Asok and Petchaburi roads and the other in Phaya Thai.

Pick Your Train: Express or City Line

Once you arrive at the station which is spacious and aesthetically similar to the airport’s terminals you will have to find the ticket booth. There were a couple guides on duty which helped a lot as they pointed me in the right direction. From the Asok station I was at, the city line which I assumed stopped at a couple stations along the way took 30 minutes while the non-stop express line took 15.

I picked up a 100 baht express train ticket at the counter you see in the photo and it caused me to literally make the train at the last split second as they re-opened the doors to let me in after they were ready to leave.

Just in Time for Express Train

Airport Link Express Train Ride & Drop-off

The 8:30am train I was on was virtually empty. As you would expect from a brand new train system, the train was very clean, comfortable, smooth and of course very fast. There is really nothing much to say about the actual train ride but you can watch the video showing how fast the Bangkok airport link train is.

Another downside of taking the Bangkok airport express train is the drop-off point. While a taxi drops you off conveniently a hundred meters or so in front of the check-in departure area, the Bangkok Airport Link train drops you off in the bowels of Suvarnabhumi
. You have to either take an elevator which will likely be 100% filled to capacity or navigate through the next couple floors which includes the arrivals rushing past you the opposite way trying to get out of the airport.

Bangkok Airport Link Summary: Pros & Cons

Positive aspects of the Bangkok Airport Link

• Fast
• Comfortable
• Quiet
• Reliable

Negative aspects of the Bangkok Airport Link

• Only a couple of stations
• Takes time to navigate the Airport Link station
• Drops you off 4 floors down from check-in

Overall Impression

Like the mag-lev train which goes to and fro the airport in Shanghai the Bangkok Airport Link is not entirely convenient with the exception being those staying within walking distance to a station. If you are staying far away from one of the stations, the cab ride to the station is going to take up the bulk of your time.

The cost for the airport link is definitely cheaper than just a taxi as you have to pay the meter plus any fees (if you are coming from the airport) and tollway fees. Overall I would say it’s a toss up. If you are close to a BKK Airport Link station then by all means take the 15 minute express train but if your hotel/apartment is closer to a tollway entrance, it would make sense to avoid any of the crippling Bangkok traffic as the tollways are less likely to have gridlock.

Back to a Point and Shoot

Okay, I didn’t sell my Nikon D700 Digital SLR and thousands of dollars worth of camera equipment and go back to shooting point and shoot cameras.  I was actually trying to cheat time lapse movies with my camcorder and the nightmares of dealing with that caused me to find an easy way out.  While I was searching online to solve my problems I saw a video on youtube of a tilt-shift time lapse which really was simply a trick from a Canon point-and-shoot camera’s video mode.

In addition to having the cool video mode I have heard so much lately about the Canon Powershot S95 I really had to check it out.  Not taking the bulky digital SLR and camera bag had been a recurring thing when walking around Bangkok and I missed so many shots because of it.  I figured to kill 2 birds with one stone so to speak and try out a handy point and shoot that fits in any pocket.

A Face-off with what I usually Shoot with & the S95

Buying the Canon S95 in Bangkok

The choice was not easy as there were numerous attractive cameras for sale including the brand new Canon PowerShot G12 a level up from the S95.  I tried the G12 out and thought it was fabulous.  Everything from the controls to the performance were excellent.  What impressed me with the most was the close focusing as it could focus on something like my finger from a couple cm away and the photo had a perfect sharp view of my finger print.  I read that the G12 was basically the S95 with a better lens and more advanced body but when it came down to it, the G12 was just too bulky.  I already have a SLR why would I get a bulky point and shoot?

There was also the Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX5 which boasts Leica components and is the same camera as the $800 Leica D-Lux 5.  What attracted me to this camera was the maximum wide angle (24mm) which was 4mm wider than both Canons (28mm).  What turned me off from the Panasonic was the size and the lens cap.  It was almost small enough to fit in your pocket but a little too wide.  A lens cap on a point-and-shoot is completely stupid, just something else to lose and an annoyance every time you turn it on to get a shot.  I have read and assume the Panasonic Lumix LX5 along with the Leica D Lux 5 take great photos, but again in a point-and-shoot camera pocketability is my #1 priority especially since I own an SLR and a host of lenses.

I saw on Amazon and most online retailers the S95 selling for $399.99 so I set off in Bangkok seeing if I could get a deal.  I guess the camera’s popularity allowed the stores to jack up the price because the cheapest I could find it for was 12300 baht ($411 USD).  I bought it at a new AV center which is the place I have confidence in finding all the cheapest camera equipment in Bangkok although this AV center was not in Pantip Plaza but in MBK where I found myself to be shopping for a business print shop.

One of the first 10 shots I took with the S95 after I bought at MBK

S95 First Impressions:  Things I like Immediately Liked

Besides the still cam on my old Canon HG10 HD camcorder the S95 was the first new point-and-shoot camera I have bought in at least 6 years.  I really have nothing to recent or in it’s place  to compare it to except my D700 incidentally which costs almost 10x more with a lens.  Even though I have shot with a digital SLR exclusively for the last 16 months I was still impressed by the Canon S95.  I already knew this one but I liked the size as it fit nicely in my front pocket.

As you can see by my most popular photos (according to Flickr) I love night cityscape shots.  I managed to take the photo above using the camera’s manual settings which allowed me to use an exposure of up to 15 seconds while using an aperture of f8.  I was really impressed with the ability for the S95 to take low light shots.  I also really like the menus and special effects the camera offers.  I basically bought it for the gimmicky miniature time lapse videos and still shots.

S95 First Impressions:  Things I Do Not Like

Even great cameras have faults and while it may be due to people being  nitpicky or spoiled the S95 has a few faults for me.   First and foremost is the lack of control in most of the specialty modes.  The specialty modes (SCN on camera dial) are great but many of them are in the auto-modes which do not allow changes such as exposure compensation, colors, white balance, etc.  This limits what you can create with the camera although you can use software later to edit them later.

Another thing I don’t like is the tiny mode dial on the top right of the camera.  There is very little to grip when you turn it and any sweat or grease on your hands will make it a pain to turn.  I know it is like that to conserve space and limit things protruding from the camera but it seems like it could be better.  The last thing I don’t like is the battery.  First of all it doesn’t pack too much power.  Canon says it can take 200 shots but I find that 10-15 minutes of video eats the battery life significantly.  In addition to being rather weak, the battery is perfectly rectangular and can fit in the compartment all 4 ways.  This is slightly annoying as it takes a couple seconds to figure out how to put it in.

Overall Impression

I like the S95 a lot.  I was buying it specifically to test for this blog and do a fake time lapse video (posted below) but after taking some shots I have fallen in love with the ability to pop the camera out of my pocket and be shooting within seconds without drawing attention to myself.  Do I see myself hiking to the top of a mountain to get a beautiful landscape shot of a lifetime with the S95, no.  I will still use my D700 for night cityscapes, landscapes, and anything in which I know I will be shooting a lot of photos but I my S95 will definitely be in my pocket when I’m out and about.  Stay Tuned as I took some test shots w/ the Nikon D700, Nikon N90 film camera and the S95 to compare low light photos.

Coming Soon:  Night Image Quality Comparison between Nikon D700, Nikon N90 film camera and Canon S95

Pick your Location

I had watched Muay Thai at both of the 2 primary Muay Thai stadiums in Bangkok when I had visited for the first time over 5 years ago.  I remember having a great time at Lumpini (often spelled Lumpinee) Stadium which had exciting fights and even a Muay Boran demonstration.  Muay Boran (Muay means ‘boxing’ & boran means ‘ancient’) is the ancient style of Thai boxing in which competitors wore ropes around their fists instead of gloves.  I also remember my night of Muay Thai at Rajadamnern stadium not being as fun so obviously I wanted to go to Lumpini Stadium.

It turns out picking the location to watch Muay Thai in Bangkok really depends on the day you wish to view it.  Lumpini Stadium has the fights on Tuesday, Fridays and Saturdays while Rajadamnern stadium holds the Monday, Wednesday, Thursday & Sunday fights.  On a side note, there are also Wednesday night Muay Thai which is free, often has women fights and is located at the MBK shopping center.  The major stadiums do not have women fights and women are not even permitted in the ring.

2 Girls Duking it Out at MBK's Muay Thai Fight Night

Getting There & Buying Tickets

I knew that Lumini Stadium had the fights on Friday night so I planned to go there after my trip to the Grand Palace and Wat Pho I planned to take a taxi all the way from the old section of Bangkok to Silom during rush hour to catch the Muay Thai event that started at 6pm.  I told the taxi driver to take me to “Sanam Lumpini” (sanam means ‘stadium in Thai) and he told me there was no boxing there that night and I would have to go to Rajadamnern Stadium which was very close to the Grand Palace where I had just been.

I thought the driver had a commission arrangement w/ Rajadamnern Stadium or something so I continued to argue until I realized that it was Thurdsay and not Friday.  The taxi drivers are usually more than happy to take you to a Muay Thai event which suggest they get a commission.  Most farang (Caucasian foreigners in Thai) are offered the front row seats at a price of 2000 baht ($60 USD).  I had planned to sit as close as possible to get some photos with my Nikon D700 and assorted lenses so paying for the “better” seats was no problem.

Orono Wor Petchpun - Famous Muay Thai Great

The Event

It turns out that the ringside seats were not really great at all for taking photos as every shot had the ring ropes in the way.  You can view on the slideshow on the bottom of this post.   Rajadamnern Stadium has 3 main levels of seating (refer to the photo at the top of the post).  The floor level has seats mostly foreigners, boxes for the judges and standing room for the fighter’s crew.  The secondary level of seating has mostly Thai people from what I saw.  This is where the people place bets on each fight with hand signals like the New York Stock Exchange.  Then there is a top row of seating which is inside a chain linked fence.

One side of the 2nd level is completely devoid of people as it holds the TV cameras.  Other than being able to put the camera through the ring ropes, like the paid event photographers, this middle section which is elevated over the ring ropes would probably be the best place to take photos.  I am not sure how much it costs or even if non-gambling foreigners are allowed.  The event had mostly young kids with the exception of  a Muay Thai boxer I had heard of by the name of Orono Wor Petchpun (Muay Thai fighter’s last names are actually the names of their gym) who is one of Thailand’s best boxers.  He has 2 KO wins over the great Yodsanklai Fairtex and 2 decision wins over the K1-Max  international superstar Buakaw Por. Pramuk.  Check out this YouTube clip with him in action.

To me, most of the fights were pretty boring.  I remember the first time I went to Lumpini Stadium the fights were all exciting which makes me want to go back there and check it out again.  Not a single fight had a KO and there was a LOT of clinching.  I’m not sure what the exact rules are or how to score the fights, but it seemed that clinching and throwing was happening more than striking.  The event got lively for what I believe was the main event.

The championship fight pitting what appeared to be a couple 13 year-olds got lively when both entered the stadium with their entourages.  One was dressed with a pointy medal hat (see in slide show) while the other had a whole “hype crew” of a painted face guy, a huge fat guy waving a flag and of course, a Chinese-style dragon dancer!  The crowd was especially rambunctious for this fight but it ended with one being crowned champion, and of course, like all the other fights that night, I had no idea who was going to win the judges decision.

Scenes from the Championship Fight

Overall Impression

While I didn’t have the best time at this Thursday night event at Rajadamnern Stadium I still would highly recommend anyone who is visiting Thailand to check out a night of fights.  Like I stated before, I remember having a better experience at Lumpini Stadium but any place you watch Muay Thai in Thailand you will see a different side of Thai people.  People who are generally reserved and quiet are going crazy in a raucous crowd which had a few scuffles amongst fans likely over gambling.

For tourists, also keep in mind that Rajadamnern Stadium is very close to Khao San Road, Wat Arun, Wat Pho and the Grand Palace, some of Thailand’s major tourist attractions.  For those who live in Thailand and have never been to Muay Thai it is worth going as well.  I would be willing to bet a night of the real championships would be a very fun night to attend Muay Thai fights at Rajadamnern Stadium.  For those who don’t care to see fighting and especially don’t want to pay 2000 baht to do so, head to MBK shopping center on Wednesday evenings and you can see what Muay Thai is all about for free.

Bangkok’s Best Kept Secret?

I happened to be looking at an apartment on Sathorn 3, Suan Plu Soi 8 one night when I walked past a unique food stall/restaurant.  Outside from the main dining area was a food stall with 2 pans with wonderful looking, sizzling steaks.  The minute I saw the steaks I new I had to try this place so I sat down and ordered.

After a few minutes I received my steak flambe’ and was immediately impressed by the presentation as well as the aroma.  I was hooked after the first bite as the meat was tender and delicious while the sauce was extraordinary.  After I finished the best steak I’ve had in Bangkok I asked for the “Check Bin” (check bill in Thai) and I was amazed that the price was only 150 baht!  ($4.63 USD).

I knew there was something fishy about this particular place to eat in Bangkok because I noticed the chef was paying incredible attention to detail while preparing the food.  I started talking with chef Sanjorn (or John).  It turns out Sanjorn is a current/former chef at the Sukhothai which is one of the swankiest 5-star hotels in all of Thailand!  He is an incredibly nice guy who is more than willing to tell you everything about his food as well as practice his English while you practice your Thai.

Sanjorn Cooking on Suan Plu Soi 8

Sanjorn Cookshop’s Location

Although the area is out of the way for most foreigners it is a great neighborhood.  I remembered vividly how much I liked the neighborhood because it was where the old Thai immigration center was.   In addition to the many food stalls on Thanon Suan Plu, there is a wonderful outdoor food market right at the beginning of the soi.  It is easy to see the area is close to a major university as there are uniformed students everywhere.

The actual location of Sanjorn Cookshop is on Sathorn (Thai: สาทร) or Sathon 3, Suan Plu Soi 8.  It is 4 shops down on the left hand side where you will see the outside cooking area and the inside dining area.  It is relatively close to both Sala Daeng BTS, and Lumpini & Silom MRT stations but I take my bicycle there.  It takes me around 20 minutes via bicycle to get to Sanjorn Cookshop from my apartment at Sukhumvit Soi 13.

The Food & Menu

The steak is what I order almost every time I head to Sanjorn Cookhouse.  Each time the steak meal  has subtle differences based on what’s available and so far everything has been absolutely delicious.  The menu is hardly limited to steak as the other menu items which include everything from salmon, to fish, to pork to traditional Thai dishes look amazing.  The best part is everything on the menu is affordable.  I have had food at restaurants in Bangkok that cost several times more than John’s food but the taste pales in comparison.

My Favorite Steak in Bangkok for 150 baht

Some more of the Amazing Menu Items for less than 200 baht at Sanjorn Cookshop

Overall Impression

When dining out at a place for the first time I can immediately categorize the place into one of 3 categories:  1.  Will never eat at again, 2.  Will possibly eat at again and 3.  I’m coming back tomorrow and Sanjorn Cookshop easily fit in the number 3 category.  The chef John is a very nice guy who can provide a lot of information about the food he prepares.

John’s experience and abilities as a chef are likely in the top 1% of Bangkok restaurants and he offers his tasty creations for a fraction of the price that it would cost elsewhere.  Since the price is so affordable I look at Sanjorn as an affordable “personal chef.”  Even though the location is “out of the way” to most foreigners living in Bangkok, it is a breath of fresh air with mostly Thai people, some cool shops, markets and of course my favorite place to eat in Bangkok, Sanjorn Cookshop.

http://web.me.com/garycollier1/Sanjorn/Welcome.html

What is Ancient Siam?

Ancient Siam is also known as Ancient City to anyone who speaks English.  In Thai it is called Muang Boran.  According to the Ancient Siam brochure you receive on arrival, “Ancient Siam is an excellent reflection of Thailand’s multi-faceted ancient culture presented in an authentic and visually exciting setting.”

From some of the information I read about Ancient Siam, it was originally going to be a miniature golf course.  What Ancient Siam is today is basically an outdoor museum set on a plot of over 200 acres shaped like the country of Thailand (see map below).  Ancient Siam contains 116 ‘artifacts’ of Thailand’s culture.

The ‘artifacts’ range from everything from a simple small statue, to giant Buddhas, to the aforementioned floating market to giant temples which you can walk in.  Each ‘artifact’ has a sign with a description printed in English and Thai.  According to the free map given at the ticket purchase each ‘artifact’ is either real, taken from the real site for reconstruction, duplicated from an original in Thailand or a creative design built specifically for the Ancient City.

Ancient Siam Map (Click to Enlarge)

Getting to Ancient Siam from Bangkok

Ancient Siam is located in Samut Prakan province, between 30-40km from Bangkok depending on where you depart from.  You can get there by bus by taking the air-conditioned bus #511 (Pinklao-Paknam) to the end of the line and from there, taking the mini-bus #36 which passes the entrance of Ancient Siam.

If you take a taxi as I did, be prepared to negotiate.  Make sure you negotiate the price for the fare before you get in the cab. Even if the driver starts the meter, and you tell him Muang Boran he will likely try to overcharge you.  Make sure you get a return trip as well as the driver will be more than happy to sleep in his car while you’re in the park for 1, 2 or even 3+ hours.

When negotiating, keep in mind that the trip is about as far as a trip to the airport.  There will also be a tollway fee of 45 baht ($1.39 USD) each way.  I ended up paying 800 baht ($24.68 USD) total for the round trip having the driver pay the highway tolls.  I feel I may have overpaid a bit, so you may want to offer a couple hundred less and try to get the round trip for around 600 baht ($18.51 USD).

How long the trip takes depends on your taxi driver and above all traffic.  When I went, around 1:30pm, returning around 5:30pm it took me around an hour each way which I though was not bad considering there were few of those Bangtkok moments when your car is stopped motionless for minutes at a time.

Ticket & Transportation

Like I mentioned, Ancient Siam is no miniature golf course.  The overall area is 200 acres so walking in the sweltering heat is probably the last thing you want to do.  Aside from walking there are 4 primary options of transportation within the park;  1.  You can pay a fee to allow your private vehicle or taxi driver to drive through the park; 2.  You can get on a tram with a group for a guided tour; 3.  You can rent a bicycle which I saw hundreds available for rent; and 4.  You can rent an electric powered golf cart with either 2 or 4 (possibly more) seats.

I chose to rent a golf cart which cost 100 baht ($3.08 USD) per hour.  After I bought the admission ticket which cost 350 baht ($10.80 USD), renting the golf cart from the booth right outside the air conditioned ticket office took about a minute.  There seemed to be a shortage of golf carts although I could be mistaken.  I was there on a Wednesday afternoon, so if you go on the weekend, you may want to prepare to wait for a golf cart, use one of the guided tours or rent a bicycle.

The golf cart was perfect for me because I put my my camera bag in the passenger seat and lazily drive around sipping multi-colored Fantas while shooting photos with my Nikon D700 and  my Nikon Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8 VR telephoto lens .

Getting around the Ancient City's Nice Wide Roads via GOlf Cart

Overview of Ancient City & More Information

Muang Boran had an interesting variety of sites.  While some were replicas of actual temples, or the actual ‘refurbished’ temples others were pretty cheesy “creative designs.”  While some of the sites seemed pretty authentic, compared to sites you will see traveling all around Thailand, others such as Sumeru Mountain (pictured below) seemed right out of an amusement park.

Besides just looking at things, there are also things to do such as the floating market, a deer farm and possibly more things I didn’t see.   Look to spend at least 2 hours just sight seeing at Ancient City.  If you want to get out of your golf cart, and check out the various temples and the floating market you could spend 3-4 hours there easily.  There is plenty of places to get drinks, snacks and food.  The park closes at or around 5pm so going early is the best option which will let you avoid the extreme heat and humidity as well.

Sumeru Mountain

Overall Impression

I enjoyed the 2 hours I spent touring Ancient Siam.  While my focus was less about learning the culture about the 116 ‘artifacts’ of the Ancient City the time I spent there I felt “busy” without long periods of nothing to do.  When I was thirsty it was easy to find something cold to drink, and I stayed cool from the breeze while driving the golf cart.

While to some, especially people who have traveled extensively throughout Thailand, Ancient Siam may seem like a cheesy “canned tour” others will consider Ancient Siam as a cultural experience.  I would highly recommend Muang Boran, the Ancient City to anyone who is spending a limited time in Thailand, specifically in Bangkok as it will give them a decent look into Thai culture and history.  I would recommend Ancient Siam to photographers who want to get some shots, but to hardened “templers” or other people who travel far and wide just to see yet another temple, I would only slightly recommend Ancient Siam.

The overall cost for me, including ticket, golf cart rental and transportation was 1300 baht ($40 USD) may be a little high for a budget traveler traveling alone but going in a group will slash the cost a lot.  I probably wouldn’t go back to Ancient Siam but I think for anyone in Bangkok for a few days, especially those who don’t have the time to travel around in Thailand, to spend an afternoon exploring the Ancient City.

Passed by 100 Times

Bangkok Baking Company is located in the JW Marriot hotel in between Sois 2 and 4.  I had passed by it probably 100 times because it is right across the Sukhumvit Road crosswalk I use to go grocery shopping.  Since I usually spend around $1 USD for Thai food, I seldom feel like spending several times more in “fancy places” but I was hungry and nothing was appealing so I thought I’d try and blog about Bangkok Baking Company.

Every time I walk by, I see suits and ties eating in Bangkok Baking Company ans also a sushi restaurant, generically named “tsunami” which is below.  I’m used to wearing workout clothes or shorts and a T-shirt so I often avoid “finer establishments” just to avoid any awkward situations especially with the language barrier.  I decided to chance it as I was very hungry.

Inside Dining Area - Bangkok Baking Company

Dining at Bangkok Baking Company

I was seated right away and read a copy of Bangkok Post while I waited for the waitresses to take my order.  They spoke decent Engrish but still misunderstood when I tried to order a small side salad.  I received my food in a timely manner and the pasta and garlic bread were hot.

Giant Salad

Big plate of Tasty Pasta Bolognese

Menu - (Click to Enlarge)

The Menu

As well as the obvious (baked goods) Bangkok Baking Company has a full menu which includes everything from pizza to salad to hamburgers.  This is not unlike most restaurants in or near hotels but the quality of western food was a lot better than the food of your average budget hotel or guesthouse.

I ordered the pasta bolognese which I have ordered in Thailand numerous times only to get the generic “Chef Boyardee” bland tasting pasta.  I also wanted a small side salad but when they came out with the salad it was this huge bowl of bell peppers along with feta cheese.  I got both dishes at the same time so I chose to eat the pasta first because I was really hungry.

Overall Impression

The pasta bolgnese was no substitute for Mom’s authentic Italian cooking but it was very good not to mention filling.  If you’ve ever eating a meal in Thailand you probably know the portions are smaller than we’re used to in the US but Bangkok Baking Company delivered a nice, filling bowl of pasta for 240 baht ($7.42 USD) which is expensive for Thai standards but if Italian pasta is on the menu, Bangkok Baking Company will not disappoint.

My bill which included the salad, pasta and a Tiger beer was 669 baht ($20.70USD) which is likely more than anyone wants to spend for a lunch, especially in Thailand but I basically ordered 2 main courses.  As long as I live in Bangkok there is probably a 100% chance I return to Bangkok Baking Company because it’s close to where I live and I will likely get sick of eating the same thing over and over again and look for something new.  While I wouldn’t advise anyone to book a flight to Bangkok just to eat at Bangkok Baking Company, it is a more than solid option for anyone who finds themselves on Sukhumvit Road looking for some non-Thai and non- bar food.

Learning the Hard Way

On my previous photography posts about choosing a digital SLR camera and the Nikon D90 I was a true Bangkok camera shopping rookie.  I had only been to MBK and the larger and newer, obviously more expensive retail malls.  In only a few months I have went from becoming a rookie to almost a professional when it comes to getting the best deals in Bangkok.

Primary Shopping Options

Besides the shops in the major shopping malls such as Central World and Siam Paragon where you can expect to pay full retail prices there are 3 primary options where you can find wholesale prices on brand new camera equipment including the top of the line digital SLR lenses from Nikon and Canon.

The three shopping locations are MBK which I have posted about numerous times.  While MBK has a whole tech floor and numerous camera and lens shops, I found the prices to be more expensive than the next two places I will mention.  MBK does have one of the better camera shops in Bangkok for gear such as filters and second hand equipment.  The shop’s name is photofile and there are 2 locations in MBK, the main store being on the first floor.  I will talk about selling SLR camera lenses later in this post.

The 2^nd shopping option is an IT mall named Fortune Town.  Fortune town is located near the Fortune Hotel near the Ratchada area of Bangkok off of Ratchada road.  I have only been to fortune town twice.  The first time I was there I bought the Tokina 11-16mm f/2.8 lens at a small camera shop for a price which I thought couldn’t be beat as it was lower than the cheapest price I could find on Hong Kong Ebay.  It turns out I went to the 3^rd shopping option for lenses and found out I was wrong.

The 3^rd and best place in Bangkok to buy digital camera lenses, not to mention all electronics including digital SLR camera bodies, computer parts, laptops, cell phones is Pantip Plaza.  Pantip Plaza is an IT mall located in Pratunam area of Bangkok.  It can be reached by a 10 minute walk from Central World and is an experience to say the least.

Bangkok's 3 Primary Camera & Lens Shopping Options

Pantip Plaza

Pantip Plaza has a bustling hock shop atmosphere that some people like while others hate.  It is much like most other shopping areas in Bangkok, the only difference being as you walk in you will have hardcore porn DVDs shoved in your face.  As you ascent the 5 floors via escalator you will get more hardcore porn DVDs shoved in your face but if you’re looking for the best prices on Digital SLR and camera lenses this is your place.

I have read a lot and talked to numerous people about Pantip Plaza and heard many mixed reviews.  Some claim that stores in Pantip sell tainted products, products with their expensive components replaced and counterfeit products.

While I haven’t experienced any of this, I wouldn’t doubt it.  There are some smaller camera shops in Pantip that I wouldn’t fully trust but other shops such as AV Center where I buy all my equipment seems to be 100% trustful.

I mentioned I had bought the lens at Pantip and the appraiser at Photofile scoffed at me and offered me a lowball price.  Whether he was just an elitist who wanted to continue to offer absurd prices for stuff you can get for much cheaper elsewhere or he knew what he was talking about I don’t know for sure.

Looking down from the Top Floor of Pantip Plaza

AV Center in Pantip Plaza

Pantip Plaza has numerous specialty camera shops, the best I have found to be AV Center.  AV Center is actually 5 or 6 separate stores located throughout Pantip Plaza.  Each store has almost identical prices and equipment.  Ask one of the AV Center stores for a lens and they don’t have it, they will likely have it on another side.

At least 3 of the 5 AV Center stores are big with equipment on display but I would consider the primary AV center store is in the middle of the 3^rd floor and can be viewed from any escalator.  There is a nice showcase with all the equipment, multiple employees and some space to move around.  The prices are offered pretty much as low as they go.

As with buying anything throughout Asia, always try to get them to knock down the price.  With high-end camera equipment at AV center and the already low prices, they will usually knock down the price a couple hundred baht which isn’t much but will add up if you keep buying from them.

Camera Lenses & Gear I Bought at AV Center and was Fully Satisfied

Nikon D700 DSLR Body
Nikon MB-D10 Battery Grip for D700
Nikon Nikkor 14-24mm f/2.8 Lens
Nikon Nikkor 10-24mm Lens
Nikon Nikkor 50mm f/1.4 Lens
Sigma 18-50mm f/2.8 HSM

Read about Developing the Right Camera Kit

One of Many AV Centers in Pantip Plaza

Selling your Unwanted Digital SLR Lenses in Bangkok

Photofile at 1st Floor of MBK

As you can tell by my list of lenses, unless you’re made of money, you will be needing to sell lenses as well.  You may want something a little better, lighter, more versatile which better suits your needs.  As you can probably tell by the list of the lenses I have bought in just the first few months of owning a digital SLR camera, I have had to part with lenses as much as I’ve bought them.

While craigslist.org is not the megasite it is in much of the USA, especially San Francisco, there are people who look at Bangkok craigslist for deals on used equipment.  I have learned from experience, since some camera stores are so cheap, don’t expect a quick sale.  Whoever responds to your ad will haggle to no end which may not be worth it as meeting them across Bangkok may also be a challenge.

I found 2 camera stores in Bangkok that buy used lenses and Digital SLR bodies but any store that sells second hand equipment may be willing to buy but it is worth it to get estimates from all the places.  The primary store is Photofile in MBK.  They sell equipment for much more than the stores in the IT malls and it turns out they buy lenses for more as well.

Photofile will offer you top dollar if you have the box, all accessories and a warranty card for your equipment.  The second place was a small camera shop in Fortune Town.  I asked them to give me an estimate when selling a lens and they offered me 4,000 baht ($120 USD) more than Photofile for the same lens but also offered 2,000 baht ($60 USD) less on another lens.  The moral of the story:  Get multiple Estimates if you want to get back the most for your used SLR lenses while selling them in Bangkok.

When buying a lens in Bangkok you should note that when you get a cheap price 99% of the time you will NOT get the Nikon 5 year manufacturer warranty.  You will likely get the 1 year in-store warranty which I would not have too much confidence in.

Being Cheap

Most people I know want cheap prices.  If you have no problem buying retail, spending 25% more when buying camera equipment or anything go to any store in Central World or the Siam Centers.  I have priced SLR lenses in Taipei, Hong Kong, Singapore and the USA and the prices in Bangkok are the cheapest I’ve found for new equipment.  If you’re looking for the cheapest prices in Bangkok, possibly in the world, just go to AV Center in Pantip Plaza, test, buy and admire your photography.

Read about Developing the Right Camera Kit