Thailand

[matsuki]

So I have to go to Thailand next month for a meeting and the company put me up in Bangkok. Besides avoiding the advances of ladyboys and hookers, any general advice or recommendations on "must do" or "must see" things? I've googled and done some research but it's always best to hear some info from the FG's mouth...preferably one who doesn't reside in the anglosphere and worried about eating with chopsticks.

[Samurai_Jerk]

So I have to go to Thailand next month for a meeting and the company put me up in Bangkok. Besides avoiding the advances of ladyboys and hookers, any general advice or recommendations on "must do" or "must see" things? I've googled and done some research but it's always best to hear some info from the FG's mouth...preferably one who doesn't reside in the anglosphere and worried about eating with chopsticks.

Go see real Muay Thai (as opposed to the BS MT dinner shows) at Lumpinee or Rajadamnern stadiums. I sat ringside back in the day and it was fucking awesome except getting splashed by sweat.

And the easiest way to spot the lady boys is they're the good looking ones.

[matsuki]

Go see real Muay Thai (as opposed to the BS MT dinner shows) at Lumpinee or Rajadamnern stadiums. I sat ringside back in the day and it was fucking awesome except getting splashed by sweat.

That does sound good!! I remember some annoying Korean dude in HS who was always bragging about his Taekwondo skills...friend's cousin moves in from Thailand and the Korean dude starts talking shit about kickboxing. Oh, how I wish I had video...amazingly short fight would have made for a great gif.

And the easiest way to spot the lady boys is they're the good looking ones.

LOL, I know a few hot boin Thai chicks....but there seems like a huge gap between them and the missing link lookin' girls I've seen.

[wuchan]

see a fight.
bang a slut (not hooker)
eat food.
beware of street dogs, they will hunt you down like wolves.

Other than that I recommend getting out of the city. Bangkok is a bit of a shit hole with scam artists and gangsters everywhere that isn't a tourist trap. The country side is beautiful and the people are much nicer than here.

[Samurai_Jerk]

Don't know about now but Siam Square used to be a good place to meet regular chicks.

[matsuki]

see a fight.
bang a slut (not hooker)
eat food.
beware of street dogs, they will hunt you down like wolves.

Other than that I recommend getting out of the city. Bangkok is a bit of a shit hole with scam artists and gangsters everywhere that isn't a tourist trap. The country side is beautiful and the people are much nicer than here.

Sounds like a plan!

Don't know about now but Siam Square used to be a good place to meet regular chicks.

Nice!

Any hotel recommendations? The owners with $$$ are staying at the Grande Centre Point Hotel Ratchadamri for 3,800 a night (like 12,500円) and the two J-dudes that I'm meeting there are saying Bangkok Palace...but most of the reviews there are raving about what assholes the staff are there.

[kurogane]

If I remember, a couple of cool old former capital historic sites are within a day trip of Bangcock. Pretty cool ruins and shiite like that. Other than that, what I remember is an open sewer festering and steaming. The bars were gross, and the other foreigners even grosser. My ex enjoyed the ping pong ball strip shows, until the Kiwis beside us tried to buy her for a take home. The only thing I liked about Bancock was leaving, so not much advise there. Should be a nice break from Peaceful Japan, though

[Samurai_Jerk]

If I remember, a couple of cool old former capital historic sites are within a day trip of Bangcock. Pretty cool ruins and shiite like that. Other than that, what I remember is an open sewer festering and steaming. The bars were gross, and the other foreigners even grosser. My ex enjoyed the ping pong ball strip shows, until the Kiwis beside us tried to buy her for a take home. The only thing I liked about Bancock was leaving, so not much advise there. Should be a nice break from Peaceful Japan, though

That's why Bangkok is cool. All the tourofags say it's a shithole so once you get away the few areas they hang out, you're in Thailand. I almost passed out from walking around in that air pollution though. Of course my intel is 16 years old so I'm sure things have changed.

[matsuki]

I can already imagine the terrible tourists and pedophiles....but the factory is in the countryside so there's that to look forward to.

[TennoChinko]

Any hotel recommendations? The owners with $$$ are staying at the Grande Centre Point Hotel Ratchadamri for 3,800 a night (like 12,500円) and the two J-dudes that I'm meeting there are saying Bangkok Palace...but most of the reviews there are raving about what assholes the staff are there.

I dunno... Pas Cher Hotel de Bangkok?
Trip Advisor reviews: http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review ... ngkok.html
* b/t 1000 to 1400 THB/night

or, Villa Phra Sumen Bangkok?
Trip Advisor reviews: http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review ... ngkok.html
* a bit over 2000 THB/night

[Russell]

A couple of decades ago I stayed at Mrs. Freddy, the most low-end and cheapest one could find in Bangkok. Seems it is not around anymore...

[matsuki]

Any hotel recommendations? The owners with $$$ are staying at the Grande Centre Point Hotel Ratchadamri for 3,800 a night (like 12,500円) and the two J-dudes that I'm meeting there are saying Bangkok Palace...but most of the reviews there are raving about what assholes the staff are there.

I dunno... Pas Cher Hotel de Bangkok?
Trip Advisor reviews: http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review ... ngkok.html
* b/t 1000 to 1400 THB/night

Thanks Tenno!! This actually looks really good and the reviews are muuuuch better than that palace shit. (and about half the cost!!)

[kurogane]

That's why Bangkok is cool. All the tourofags say it's a shithole so once you get away the few areas they hang out, you're in Thailand. I almost passed out from walking around in that air pollution though. Of course my intel is 16 years old so I'm sure things have changed.

Well, my info is 22 years old, so you win. I get what you mean about leaving the usual tourist traps, but it was just too dirty and too noisy.

BTW, I cannot believe how expensive Thailand has got. Even that hotel Tenno mentioned to Matsuki is 55 CAD a night, which is Tokyo Toyoko Inn level. I looked up the beachfront places we used to stay at in Koh Samui and Koh Tao and they seem to be at least $100 a night. Now, they're much fancier than they were and there's even a heated beachfront pool ( ), but $100 a night in F'in Thailand!!????? The only real charm of that place is that it's supposed to be dirtass cheap, in MYHOMO. Are those places the norm now? I get that their clientele is tattooed track suit Brittrash, etc. that come for 4 nights instead of 40, but we were paying $5 a night for a self-contained clean bungalow on the beach. Freaky.

[matsuki]

The bossman is staying at some balling ass $150 a night place...his excuse is location. He claims the traffic is so bad that it's worth paying for the shittiest room at his hotel rather than somewhere further away and deal with any commute. (but at 4X the cost per night....jeeebus)

[Samurai_Jerk]

That's why Bangkok is cool. All the tourofags say it's a shithole so once you get away the few areas they hang out, you're in Thailand. I almost passed out from walking around in that air pollution though. Of course my intel is 16 years old so I'm sure things have changed.

Well, my info is 22 years old, so you win. I get what you mean about leaving the usual tourist traps, but it was just too dirty and too noisy.

BTW, I cannot believe how expensive Thailand has got. Even that hotel Tenno mentioned to Matsuki is 55 CAD a night, which is Tokyo Toyoko Inn level. I looked up the beachfront places we used to stay at in Koh Samui and Koh Tao and they seem to be at least $100 a night. Now, they're much fancier than they were and there's even a heated beachfront pool ( ), but $100 a night in F'in Thailand!!????? The only real charm of that place is that it's supposed to be dirtass cheap, in MYHOMO. Are those places the norm now? I get that their clientele is tattooed track suit Brittrash, etc. that come for 4 nights instead of 40, but we were paying $5 a night for a self-contained clean bungalow on the beach. Freaky.

Everyone says Bangkok it shit and complains about the shady sex tourists and gogo bars but then they go to beach resorts that are full of shady sex tourists and gogo bars. And in those places there's nothing to do that doesn't involve those things whereas in Bangkok there is. Plus the Thai food in the resorts was often shit that had been dumbed down for the the blandest European and Japanese palates (the beach BBQs were great though). In BKK all I had to do was dip into a side street and find a place with no white faces for some awesome food. That was my point. If your goal is to relax though BKK ain't the place for that. Of course I'm biased because being (a) fat and (b) blessed with the complexion of my Scottish ancestors, the beach ain't really my thing.

From what I hear Thailand isn't that cheap anymore. Sure you can still backpack there for relatively little money but there aren't anymore under $20 a night air conditioned beach bungalows. I think you have to go to Laos or Cambodia for those kinds of prices these days. The Philippines is still super cheap too apparently. Vietnam is somewhere in the middle. The Thai tourists I hung out with there couldn't believe how cheap everything was.

[TennoChinko]

Any hotel recommendations? The owners with $$$ are staying at the Grande Centre Point Hotel Ratchadamri for 3,800 a night (like 12,500円) and the two J-dudes that I'm meeting there are saying Bangkok Palace...but most of the reviews there are raving about what assholes the staff are there.

I dunno... Pas Cher Hotel de Bangkok?
Trip Advisor reviews: http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review ... ngkok.html
* b/t 1000 to 1400 THB/night

Thanks Tenno!! This actually looks really good and the reviews are muuuuch better than that palace shit. (and about half the cost!!)

Another positively-rated hotel nearby (actually closer to the hotel your friend is staying at) is the Lullaby:

URL http://www.lullabysilom.com/

Trip Advisor: http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review ... ngkok.html

Their rooms start from around 1300 THB per night.

[kurogane]

Vietnam is somewhere in the middle. The Thai tourists I hung out with there couldn't believe how cheap everything was.

This sounds increasingly like the new default. Nicer people, and middle of the range sounds about right. I am too old and lazy to go super cheap anymore anyways, but the rise in prices in Thailand really surprised me, esp. given what it is. Apparently Laos is sort of cool and super cheap but all I want is a beach and nice water, so that's sort of out. Cambodia appeals to me like a bad crotch rash. I don't know why.

Good points on the rest of it. We used to try and duck down those same side streets like you but my ex couldn't handle the spice levels and felt unsafe/unwelcome/ unpleasant more than a few times. Thais often wouldn't buy that she was Jpn and would get Thai-ish when she "refused" to speak Thai to them.

[matsuki]

Any hotel recommendations? The owners with $$$ are staying at the Grande Centre Point Hotel Ratchadamri for 3,800 a night (like 12,500円) and the two J-dudes that I'm meeting there are saying Bangkok Palace...but most of the reviews there are raving about what assholes the staff are there.

I dunno... Pas Cher Hotel de Bangkok?
Trip Advisor reviews: http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review ... ngkok.html
* b/t 1000 to 1400 THB/night

Thanks Tenno!! This actually looks really good and the reviews are muuuuch better than that palace shit. (and about half the cost!!)

Another positively-rated hotel nearby (actually closer to the hotel your friend is staying at) is the Lullaby:

URL http://www.lullabysilom.com/

Trip Advisor: http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review ... ngkok.html

Their rooms start from around 1300 THB per night.

Dammit Tenno, that looks even better and is much closer. Only about 1000yen more per night but I figure the time/money saved for transportation will make it worth it.

[Papa-Lazarou]

Nana Hotel is great value at 1100 Baht a night

it smells a bit funny tho

[matsuki]

So I ended up at the Lullaby Silom and while it was slightly away from all the major shopping and whatnot, it was only a few Baht drive away from anywhere worth going. Hotel was super clean, decent size, and they upgraded me to a balcony room because...I don't even know why. Elevator, 24-7 staff, would totally stay there again.

I was in meetings everyday but still managed to get dragged around by the two J-customers that came with me and get chased by ladyboys (holy shit, SJ wan't kidding) while they searched for their fav local strip club. The shopping centers are waaaay more international than Japan...more foreign shops, brands, languages, etc. Japanese malls could take a few lessons from them on how to attract and better handle foreign customers. Apparently fake Japanese (and a few authentic) restaurants are a thing and I swear over 50% of the restaurants in the larger places were Japanese....real or not. They had the whole Chinese New Year going on in full effect and the hordes of Chinese tourists they were appealing to were there in crazy numbers.

Anyhow, for the benefit of anyone going there anytime soon: One thing I soon figured out and was lectured on afterwards...is the taxi driver's habit of not turning on the meter and trying to extort you for double or triple the actual fare. My friend's sister was with me the first night and we almost got run over by a cabbie who tried this and didn't take to well to her snapping a pic of his license, him, and then videoing the dude telling us to fuck off. Some places it's not as workable if you're in the boonies but if you can, I totally recommend using Uber rather than a taxi. Not only do you get cheaper fares without any haggling, you're guaranteed GPS navigation whereas most regular cabs have no navigation, often "get lost" intentionally, and/or really have no clue where the fuck they're going. Not to mention the Uber cars are cleaner, driver's more friendly, and the AC tends to work.

[Coligny]

So there are worse cab than in Seoul ? ... Who knew...

(yeah I know, Singap00r is pretty bad too)

[matsuki]

So there are worse cab than in Seoul ? ... Who knew...

(yeah I know, Singap00r is pretty bad too)

Come to think of it, i was able to avoid using them in Seoul all together.

Really can't express how much better using Uber was than taxis. The only exception really being long distance to the airport. (Uber was 2X the price most of the cabbies wanted for that) Everywhere else it was less hassle, cost, and just an overall better experience.

[Samurai_Jerk]

That one dude packs a fucking punch

[canman]

Man, that kick to the head the lady took was brutal! Was it a robbery of some kind, or what?

[Samurai_Jerk]

Man, that kick to the head the lady took was brutal! Was it a robbery of some kind, or what?

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/a ... ng-holiday

Three members of a British family were punched to the ground and knocked unconscious by kicks to the face in an attack at a Thai beachside resort.

The holidaymakers – believed to be a man in his 40s and his parents, both in their 60s – were attacked by several men earlier this month during Thai new year celebrations in Hua Hin, a coastal town about three hours south of Bangkok, popular with older Europeans.

CCTV footage posted online shows a vicious and prolonged assault in a street, which starts when a British man briefly touches shoulders with a Thai man carrying a bottle who appears to push him to the ground.

The British woman takes the Thai man to the side and an argument ensues. Several Thai men punch the family until all three are on the ground. When they try to rise, they are kicked in the face and left unconscious before onlookers come to their aid.

Although the attack occurred on 13 April, the video only recently made it on to the internet. The family are believed to be still in Thailand but leaving soon.

Col Chaiyakorn Siradecho, of Thai police, said he met the family on 15 April, two days on from the attack and shortly after the three had left hospital.

He said the younger man and his father had head and face wounds. “The mother had a bump on her head and she still has a headache, which she needs to go and get checked at the hospital,” he said.

Police had arrested three men in their 20s and 30s who were charged, according to Chaiyakorn, after the family gave statements. A fourth is still at large. “The attackers admitted being drunk. There was no gang involved. They were simply drunk and lost control,” he said.

Thai media reported that the three men had been released on bail but Chaiyakorn said all were still detained in Hua Hin. He said the police had not leaked the video. A news website, Thai New Agency, posted a story on 17 April with photos of two men in the custody of Hua Hin police.

During the Thai new year’s Songkran festival, also known as the water festival, major streets are taken over by a giant water fight for three days as people party continuously. The water is a symbol of cleansing and renewal.

The British embassy had launched a safety campaign to make sure tourists were aware of the dangers. Car accidents spike during the festival and revellers are often drunk – but attacks on tourists are rare.

An anonymous user posted in a Hua Hin-based online forum on 13 April, hours after the assault, giving an eyewitness account of the attack and saying he was attacked himself while trying to intervene. In the footage a man in a red and white striped shirt does step in, but is himself attacked and overwhelmed.

[matsuki]

Wow....that was pretty brutal. Knocked zafuckout, at that age, can't be good.

[Samurai_Jerk]

There's a jump cut when the son falls so it's not so clear what happened but it seems like maybe he stumbled after one of the Thai dudes pushed his shoulder. Also, if you watch closely you'll notice the mother slaps one of the Thai guys a couple of times before they start attacking. That's no excuse for knocking out a woman in her 60's but white people should know better than to escalate violence in the third world. It seems like a bunch of drunk assholes met up for a cross-cultural exchange.

[Takechanpoo]

[Takechanpoo]

those english fellows must have been concealing something inconvenient for them and been behaving like innocent helpless victims.
it cannot be that Thai people do that kind of things for no reason.

[kagemusha]

There's a jump cut when the son falls so it's not so clear what happened but it seems like maybe he stumbled after one of the Thai dudes pushed his shoulder. Also, if you watch closely you'll notice the mother slaps one of the Thai guys a couple of times before they start attacking. That's no excuse for knocking out a woman in her 60's but white people should know better than to escalate violence in the third world. It seems like a bunch of drunk assholes met up for a cross-cultural exchange.

The white guy makes contact with the drunk guy first, unnecessarily shoving him when the Thai pass by him 'too close'. I have seen white tourists doing it a few times, usually from the old empire, they feel the locals shouldn't get too close unless they serve cheap cocktails.
The drunk prick shove the fat man like the idiot he is. The shove is not strong but white bread is not prepared and stumble on what look like a step and falls like a bag of potatoes hitting his head.
The white grandma argues with the drunk, when she finds out that members of the East India Company are not treated as gods anymore she gets upset and slaps the drunk - great move.
All hell breaks loose.
Bottom line - all of them should be taken to the backyard and be shot.