Filed Under (Bangkok) by Farang on 13-01-2011
When I first came to Bangkok and Thailand I wasn’t ever tempted to get a motorcy or motorcycle taxi. I saw the orange vested drivers sitting at the end of my road playing draughts and drinking beer waiting for a fare but I never felt the urge to find out how fast they could get me from A to B. Not only did it look dangerous but it also seemed a bit confusing; what do the different coloured vest of the drivers mean? do I need a helmet? how much do they charge?
One day, after a few months of being in Bangkok, sitting in traffic for the umpteenth minute I decided enough was enough and got out the taxi and got on a nearby motorcy taxi. That first journey was a white knuckle ride. Weaving in and out of the gridlocked traffic on Sukhumvit was bad enough but when we hit the open road and the driver had a chance to pull away I thought I was going to fall off the back!
I got to my destination in one piece if not a little shell shocked but had saved many minutes I would’ve been stuck in traffic in the taxi.
Now, nearly a year on I get a motorbike taxi nearly everyday. Mainly for short distances to work or the nearest BTS station but sometimes for longer journeys when traffic is especially bad like a Friday afternoon/evening.
Apparently five people die every hour on the roads of Bangkok but in my time out here I’ve probably seen about three crashes involving a motorbike and considering I must see 1000s or motorbikes on the road each day that seems like a very low number of crashes.
Motorcy taxis really open up Bangkok and give you a freedom cars, taxis and the BTS and MRT cannot compete with. If you are thinking of giving them a try or have had enough or being stuck in traffic then I definitely recommend you give them a try. Here are some Bangkok Motorcy Taxi tips:
- Raise your arm as you approach the group of drivers and they will usher you to the driver at the front of the queue.
- Agree on the price before getting on the motorcy taxi. They have fixed fares but its best to agree beforehand so they don’t try and rip you off on arrival.
- It doesn’t matter what colour vest your motor taxi driver had on. They just indicate what areas they can work in, not which gang or political party they are affiliated with!
- Wear a helmet! I don’t always and sometimes the driver doesn’t even had a spare but it is the law to wear one, not that you’d realise as the police don’t seem to enforce it very often.
- Don’t hold on to the driver. Use the handle at the back of the seat (if there is one) but don’t wrap your legs around the driver or put your arms around their waist. They don’t like it!
Filed Under (Bangkok) by Farang on 13-01-2011
They say riding a motorbike in Bangkok is dangerous but it is a pretty cool way to get around. Realising this Honda have adopted this as their slogan to promote the new Click i bike in Thailand (and perhaps elsewhere).
I had to have a chuckle when I saw the new advert for the Honda Click at a BTS station which featured the ‘Dangerous Cool‘ tagline. I’m sure they were trying to create the imagery of the 125 cc scooter being a bit edgy rather than dangerous but we can only guess.
You can see for yourself here: http://www.techaumporn.com/index.php?lay=show&ac=article&Ntype=22 or at your local BTS station, just look out for the scooter in the plastic case.
Dangerous Cool? You decide.
Filed Under (Bangkok) by Farang on 06-12-2010
Even though there are so many great places to eat in Bangkok and most of them do delivery via ChefsXP or Food by Phone I still keep eating McDonald’s whether home or away.
The McDonald’s Bangkok delivery service runs 24 hours a day is only ever a phone call away. McDonald’s in Thailand also has a few extra items on their menu I don’t get at home so there is even more options to temp you. Add the low prices, the home delivery and the bigger menu and you have a recipe for disaster!
My favourite at the moment is the double Big Mac set with large french fries but I make sure it is the healthy version that comes with Coke Zero and I am good as I don’t get the cheesy french fries they do out here.
The home delivery number for McDonald’s in Thailand is 1711 or sip-et sit-jet in Thai.
Filed Under (Bangkok) by Farang on 06-12-2010
It looks like Chang have launched some flavoured versions of their popular bottled soda water. Today I was in my local 7 and I spotted a Chang soda water with a green label which after a closer look I saw it was apple mint flavour! There was also another flavour available which I will check out next time.
I had the Chang apple mint soda water on its own but I think it would go great with vodka so will be stocking up soon for the next time we have drinks at the flat.
What do you think of the new flavours?
Filed Under (Bangkok) by Farang on 06-12-2010
Dean & Deluca, a deli from New York, have recently opened their first branch in Bangkok so I thought I’d go and check it out. Dean & Deluca Bangkok is located in the new Mahanakhon building right outside of Chong Nonsi BTS on Naradhiwas road (even number side).
The design is very modern and quite minimalistic with a high cling. The decor doesn’t really give the place a very warm and cosy feel and comes across as being more clinical than a Starbucks. There is one sofa area to sit on with the rest of the seating being hard plastic tables and chairs. There is also an outdoor searing area. We went to Dean & Deluca at lunch time on a public holiday and the place was packed with HiSo looking Thais and the odd upmarket farang which probably helped to give the place a bit of an atmosphere it might be lacking at less busy times.
The food on offer is deli-style with lots of different types or bread based snacks and a good range of salads and I even saw a Thai green curry there too. Its pretty hard to find a good sandwich in Bangkok and I was very pleased to see the array of sandwiches on offer. In the end I opted for the Meat Ciabatta and a banana shake.
As it was pretty busy in there the ordering system was a bit complicated with table numbers to collect and no one near the food on display to take your order. In the end someone came over to the crowd huddled around the sandwich display and took our orders on the customer side which we then passed onto the cashiers who we paid. Now were we supposed to go and sit down or wait for our food at the counter? In the end we took some of our food to sit-down (and our order number) and the rest was brought over. It was a little confusing to say the least. So far so Thai!
Once all our food had arrived I was pleased to discover it was all very nice although the ham in my ciabatta was a bit Thai rather than Western ham. Normally I wouldn’t order ham in Thailand as its quite different but I must’ve been confused by the Western décor of the place!
The food at Dean & Deluca Bangkok is pretty good value considering what it is and the bill for two drinks and two sandwiches came in at around 500 baht (£10). They also have UK newspapers too.
I’ll be going back at some point as I want to try the Greek salad and maybe the Beef and Horseradish sandwich.
Filed Under (Bangkok) by Farang on 06-12-2010
Sambuca is an Italian restaurant in Bangkok, near Silom. The décor is pretty up market although not in the realms or Opus or Eat Me but still very nice and it’s clear you are in Thailand rather than Italy. This is reflected in the prices also as although it’s not cheap it’s not as expensive as the other two aforementioned Italian restaurants. A pizza is about 300-400 baht and a steak is no more than 800 baht. It is a ++ restaurant so make sure you factor this in when picking your dishes if you are on a budget! There is a good drinks menu which as the name suggests includes Sambucca, although the wine list does not come close to Opus or Eat Me.
The pizzas are cooked in a big oven which is on view from the restaurant so you can see the chef freshly preparing your pizza to order. They are stone backed and served in a thin crust and are pretty big. You can double the size of the pizzas to 40 cm but the standard ones are big enough!
A meal for two with non-alcoholic drinks came to about 1,800 baht so it’s not cheap but it’s not going to break the bank either and you could probably get away with sharing a pizza between two if you weren’t that hungry.
The service is really good and there was no trouble getting the attention of a waiter/waitress when we wanted to order dessert of check the bin. There is also outdoors seating with beer Sing on tap.
Sambucca is definitely worth a visit if you want something nice but a bit cheaper and more casual than the other high end Italian restaurants in the area.
The exact location off Sambuca in Bangkok is on Naradhiwas Soi 7 or Sathorn Soi 7 depending on which way you come. It is also within walking distance or a short motor-taxi ride from Chong Nonsi BTS on the Silom line.
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Filed Under (Bangkok) by Farang on 06-12-2010
Opus is an Italian restaurant in Bangkok, near Silom. It also doubles up as wine bar and has a massive wine list. A few bottles are served by the glass but the majority comes by the bottle.
The menu is pretty big too with all the Italian classics present like pastas, pizzas, salads and steaks. The décor is very nice and posh and there are no clues that you are in Bangkok. It’s not cheap though but if you are looking for somewhere special then I definitely recommend it. The food and service were great and we will definitely be coming back when the occasion arises!
Opus Wine Bar and Restaurant is located on Thanon Pan which is off Silom road and close to Silom Soi 11. Thanon Pan is harder to pronounce than it looks and the Taxi driver didn’t know what I was trying to say until I said it more like Thanon Bun. The nearest BTS is Chong Nonsi but is probably too far to walk from there on a humid night so jump in a Taxi or on Motorbike from the station.
There is no dress code but you will probably feel more comfortable in a shirt or at least a smart t-shirt as the place is quite posh!
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Filed Under (Bangkok) by Farang on 06-12-2010
Eat Me restaurant in Bangkok is located on Soi Pipat 2, just off Soi Convent which in turn is just off of Silom road. The nearest BTS is Sala Daeng although not really a walking distance away. Eat Me is open every day from 3pm to 1am with a full kitchen and bar until closing time.
Food is served on the first floor with a bar on the ground floor. The majority of the tables are inside and there is also outside terrace garden area with seating and overhead fans to keep you cool. Thanks to its 1am closing time you can come later in the evening when it is not as hot and dining outside becomes a bit more comfortable.
The menu at Eat Me, Bangkok, is described as ‘Modern International Regional’ and is quite varied with a good selection of French, Italian and Thai dishes. There is a good wine list with a few wines served by the glass and the rest by the bottle. Although different to Opus it is probably in the same league and our meal for two with one glass of wine came to around 5,000 baht.
The décor is sleek, modern and minimalist and has less of a wow factor than Opus although both are good in their own way. If you want to impress guests then I’d probably go for Opus over Eat Me but if you want something more contemporary and stylish then go for Eat Me.
Booking a table is recommended and was easy enough to do by phone (02 238 0931). There is no dress code but smarten up a bit to avoid feeling out of place (jeans and shirt).
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Filed Under (Bangkok) by Farang on 21-11-2010
PM Abhisit at Bangkok British Fair 2009
This Saturday (27 November) is the annual Ploenchit Fair AKA the Bangkok British Fair. It is being held at Shrewsbury Internationl school again which is down by the river near Silom and easy to get to by the free boat service from Saphan Taksin BTS station. Just get on the free boat to the Chatrium residence and you will be at the school in a few minutes. There is also lots of parking at the school.
The fair is a good laugh with lots of Birtishness going on. Some might find it a bit much but if you want your yearly dose of pork pies, fish and chips and warm bitter then its worth going along. There is lots of stuff for kids with a large fun fair out on the playing fields and there will be a live band performing.
Last year the PM, Abhisit, opened the fair so it might be worth getting there early to see who is doing it this year. I think its about 100 baht to get in but is for a good cause.
Filed Under (Bangkok) by Farang on 21-11-2010
This Friday (26 November 2010) is the 3rd Bangkok Fight Night at the Bangkok British Club. I’m told there will be about 10 fights on the night with fighters from around the world taking part. Quite a few of them are training at the Fighting Spirit Muay Thai gym in Silom, Bangkok and there is a mixture of Thais and farang fighting on the night.
Tickets start at 800 baht and there is an optional sit down meal on the night too.
There is also the Ploenchit Fair AKA the British Fair the following day at the Shrewsbury International School down by the river near Silom. So if you are feeling home sick or want a thoroughly British weekend then this one’s for you!
