Contents
Page No.
Introduction 2
Do this…… Don’t do that 3
Soi Lasalle & Map 4
Places you might want to go 6
Health matters 10
Local wildlife 12
Money matters 13
Paying bills 13
Taxis 15
Odds and Ends 16
Random Bits & Bobs from Jen Bramwell 17
(Class of 2008)
Introduction
This booklet was produced by Pat Barlow in August 1996 to help new colleagues settle into life on the Soi. It has been updated several times since then and gives brief insight into life in Thailand. It will hopefully help as you start exploring your new home particularly the map found at the back of the booklet. Pat left Patana in July 2004 having worked at the School for 12 years. She always helped new staff to settle in and I know I will miss her help this year. If you have any suggestions for the next edition please let me know. I know when she contacts me next she will ask how the class of 2010 is getting on. (Jackie Houghton)
There are plenty of books available in Bangkok giving advice on how to settle in and make the most of your stay here. I would recommend that you take the time to read some of them as they are full of useful information. The following are particularly helpful:
Bangkok Guide Australian-New Zealand Women’s Group
The Thai and I Roger Welty and Community Services of Bangkok
Healthy Living in Thailand Thai Red Cross Society
The Big Chilli Bangkok's news magazine
These books are all available in the school libraries and if you want your own copy they can be bought in most books shops (Asia books will give you 10% discount if you show your Patana ID card.)
The Barlow’s Guide to Bangkok is based on what I wanted to know when I arrived here and what other new staff have asked over the last few years. Most of the information is just what I have gathered over the years and I believe it to be fairly accurate, some of it is personal opinion. If you find that something has changed or there is something else you think I should have included, please let Jackie know. I hope you find some of it useful. Hopefully by next year, you will be so settled in Thailand that you will be answering all the questions for the new staff! I hope you enjoy yourself in Thailand as much as Steve and I have done. It’s not all perfect and we also have our off-days but generally it’s a great place.
In your first few days and weeks out here there will be plenty of people who will help you settle in and answer your questions. As the weeks go by and you are no longer ‘new’ the support will become less obvious but it is still there for you. If you need to know something or you are worried about anything just ask. Usually your colleagues will be able to help.
IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS……PLEASE ASK SOMEONE
Do this……Don’t do that……
As with all countries, Thailand has various practices and customs that are quite different to those of our home countries. Please take the time to find out a little bit about them so that you avoid offending anyone and/or embarrassing yourself. Here are a few to start you off…
1. The Thai Royal Family are very highly regarded. If you do talk about them, do so with respect, ‘lesse majeste’ is an offense in Thailand and can result in a jail sentence. If you go to the cinema or theatre the entire audience, including children, will stand silently while the King’s Anthem is played.
2. Buddhist Wats or temples are sacred places and appropriate dress should be warn when visiting them. Buddha images should always be treated with respect. Women must never touch a monk or give him something directly. If you are a woman, don’t sit down next to a monk.
3. ‘Heads are high, feet are low’. In general terms this means don’t touch Thai people on their head and don’t point your feet at them. Pointing your feet at someone’s head is definitely out of order. It is also impolite to push something with your foot especially if you are expecting a Thai to then pick it up. I was once even advised not to stop a rolling coin with your foot, it has an image of the King’s head on it, although that sounds rather extreme.
4. Keep calm no matter how difficult the situation may seem. If you lose your temper you will be causing people to lose face and as a result you will lose respect and no matter how hard you try, it can be very difficult to regain it.
5. When entering someone’s home you should remove your shoes. Some shops are also homes so if in doubt look at the doorstep. If you see shoes or sandals there… remove yours, just follow the example of the Thais. You may not want to remove your shoes when you enter your own home but it’s a sensible habit to get into. If you keep your shoes on, you will be treading dust and dirt into your home and that can include small worms, insects and their eggs.
Generally speaking, a combination of ordinary good manners and a touch of common sense will be all you need to survive the possible pitfalls of Thai etiquette.
Soi Lasalle
Soi Lasalle is the name of Sukhumvit 105, it takes its name from Lasalle College which is one of the worldwide group of Catholic schools founded by the French priest Brother La Salle. In the Thai language, if a word ends with the sound ‘l’ it becomes a ’n’ sound. Soi Lasalle is therefore pronounced Soi Lasan. If you want taxi to take you home ask for ‘Sukhumvit loi-haa, Soi Lasan.’ (105 is loi-haa)
There are Soi buses running up and down Soi Lasalle. They cost 5.50 Baht no matter how far you go. There are also motor-cycle taxis. The riders wear waistcoats with numbers on. They are quick and cheap but can be rather scary. (Personally I don’t use them any more as I fell off one a couple of years ago when another motorcyclist drove into us, it hurts!) If ever you fall off a motorbike-taxi, make up a different story for the hospital, rumour has it that your health insurance does not cover this. If you want to go to the end of the road just point in the right direction and say “Pak Soi.’ When crossing the road, always watch out for traffic going the wrong way and watch out for cars and motorcycles that drive around with no lights on at night!
Soi Lasalle is in the Bangna area of Bangkok and is quite near to the river which is tidal. In previous years the road has flooded during the rainy season. This usually occurs if the rainfall coincides with a high tide as the water cannot flow away down the drains. It can be a nuisance but the new, larger drains that were put down during the recent road-building programme seem to have alleviated the problem. Some parts of town still get very wet, grin and bear it, buy some Wellington boots and go out and look for unusual sights such as Thai children fishing in the middle of the road! If you do have to walk through flood water be extra careful of pot-holes and the occasional uncovered drain-hole!
There are a few roads off Soi Lasalle that lead straight to the Bangna-Trad Highway. These can be very useful to know as they save you the hassle of driving right down to either end of the road.
The public have right of way through Moobahn Saraniwade 2 (1.5 km) and they can also use Taworn Ni Wade (1.9 km);
Pranda Jewelry is a private road but allows traffic through. Sripong 1, Sukhumvit 105 Soi 55 (3.4 km) used to be a private road but now cars are allowed through;
In Moobahn Tantawat (3.9 km) the guards sometimes let ‘farangs’ through although it is supposed to be access for residents only.
Places You Might Want To Go
Central City: Ask for Central City, Bangna. There is a Post Office at the back near the stairs by Kentucky Fried Chicken. Marks Spencers is at the back of Central. There is also a Body Shop and a branch of Boots the Chemist. TOPS Supermarket is on the Ground Floor. It has good quality food and does a home delivery service. There is a large cinema on the top Floor and an open air swimming pool.
BIG C: A large hypermarket located next to Central and is good for buying household goods.
Seacon Square: One of the largest shopping centres in South East Asia. About 2-3 km down Srinakarin Road. Lotus is good value for food but it gets very crowded at weekends. There is a good IT centre. There are several cinema screens if you fancy going to the movies but take a jacket as it gets really cold sitting in the air-con.
MBK Center (Mah Boon Krong): A multi-level, maze-like shopping centre on the corner Rama I and Phayathai Roads (opp. Siam Square). BTS: Siam or National Stadium. It is popular with locals for ‘market-style’ general shopping at good, usually negotiated prices.
Seri-Centre: A large mall on Srinakarin Road, excellent for computers. There is an entertainment area on the top floor which is good for children. 10 pin bowling, cinema and play area.
Makro,Tesco Lotus, Carrefour: Large supermarkets located on Srinakarin road where you can buy lots of household goods.
Foodland: This is a 24 hour supermarket on the Srinakarin Road. At the end of Soi Lasalle, turn right and drive a few kilometers down the road. It is just before the Golf Driving range. Good quality food and full of western foodstuffs. Also has a good selection of wine. There is an ATM there but they will not accept credit cards. The café is good to eat at quality food and reasonably price.
Chatuchak Weekend Market: Ask for Su-an Ja-tu-jak. Open Saturday and Sunday fascinating place but very busy and very hot, make sure you keep stopping for a drink. Very good for Thai Handicrafts. Traffic is usually worse on Sunday. Very large animal section…. Some illegal and many diseased. I recommend you group together and hire a school bus then you can load it up with all your shopping and return to buy even more things! It is the last stop on the sky train.
Suan Lum Night Bazaar: This is located near Lumpini Park which is in central Bangkok. It is a good place to take visitors to buying souvenirs. There are also some good places to eat. There has been talk that it will close down but the vendors seem to be ignoring this fact.
Imperial World Shopping Samrong: This is located on Sukhumvit Road, Thai in style. Not as many westerners go here but it has an ice skating rink, cinema, and bowling alley at the top.
Villa Supermarket: Sukhumvit 33 (Soi sam-sip sam) is the original one and there are now several other branches around Bangkok. This is the place where you can buy imported foods that you can’t usually find elsewhere. Excellent wine department is upstairs. Behind Villa is The Bull’s Head, a British style pub just in case you are missing home already, selection of seafood, karaoke if you wish. The Londoner is also nearby and it shows major sporting events on TV. There are even TVs in the toilets so you don’t miss the goals! The Dubliner Pub is also here and does good Sunday Lunch.
Pampering: There are two hair-dresses on the Soi that people from Patana use. Dao’s Salon at La Salle Market and Panipa’s which is at Todsamon. Dao’s salon has a massage place above it called the Ladies Hideaway. A great place for a relaxing massage.
Places to eat near Soi La Salle:
Thook Lae Dee at Foodland: (means cheap & good) is a good place to eat serving quality food at a reasonable price.
Chili La Roni Restaurant: This place is located in quiet private area of Bangna near the Novotel where you can enjoy Thai & International cuisine such as famous Italian pizza made in wood fire oven, charcoal grill steak and Homey Pasta.
Novotel & Royal Princess Hotels: These two hotels do a reasonable buffet lunch and dinner.
Fai Kam Restaurant: This is located on Bangna-Trad Highway. Excellent Thai food and very popular with Thai people.
Bua Rod: Serves good Thai food and a clean café style restaurant on Soi Lasalle.
Krua Khun Oan (Red & White): This is located in front of Todsamon. Delicious Thai food, not expensive although a little spicy. Remember to ask for “Mai Ped” – not spicy.
Royal Dragon: The largest restaurant in South East Asia located on Bangna-Trad Highway. A Chinese restaurant serving Thai food. It is a good place to take visitors as there is a Thai dancing show.
Krathorn (Flying Chicken): Located on the Bangna-Trad km.1. They fire chickens through the air and a man on a unicycle catches it on his head. Honest!
Areas in town:
Silom: This is a road in town with plenty of bars and restaurants, ranging from Irish pubs through to considerably less reputable places. It is here that you will find the notorious Patpong, well-known for its dubious nightlife but it also has a large night-market. The bars in Patpong are full of tourists and as such the prices can be steep. Bars downstairs are safe to drink in and if you like Elvis or Tom Jones then there is a bar with pretty good impersonators. Some of the upstairs bars run scams… it could work out expensive.
Soi Thong Lor: Sukhumvit 55 (ha-sip ha) / Soi Ekamai: Sukhumvit 63 (hok-sip sam) These Sois are developing and have good bars.
Khao San Road: Backpackers paradise. Cheap drinks, accommodation and tourist shopping.
Bars, Pubs and Restaurants in the City:
Here are a few places to check out in the city that have been recommended by staff: (Thanks go to Lorna Dolby for compiling the list.)
Bars
Vertigo @ The Banyan Tree Hotel – Thanon Sathorn
A classy, open-air, rooftop bar and restaurant on the 61st floor of this 5* hotel. Well worth a visit for a cocktail and amazing views of Bangkok.
V9 @ Sofitel Silom – Thanon Sathorn