Been In Bangkok!
Trip Start
Oct 24, 2011
1
2
21
Trip End
Ongoing
Where I stayed
Bangkok, Thailand
Friday, January 20, 2012
A foggy day when the Sri Lankan airplane landed in Colombo airport. The time was 15 minutes pass six in the morning. I immediately look for Gate 7 to catch my flight to Bangkok. Boarding was already on call and already started. These was my second time in this airport, so it didn't take long finding my connecting flight.
Seated on the window side but I couldn't took pictures on the airport facilities as what I'm always doing because the fogs blurred the mirror. Unlucky! Anyway, after departure and when the aircraft already on the sky, the mirror cleared and I'm happy seeing Sri Lanka country which was covered mostly by coconut trees.
After 3 hours of travel, we landed in Suvarnabhumi International Airport, noontime in Bangkok. I was amazed of its big airport and its different building frames. When we go out from the aircraft, the Thai ground attendants asked us for our boarding passes before we entered in the terminal. It's so huge and I walked very far. I directly change my dollar bills into baht in the money exchange counter before putting myself in a long queue of immigration. Wow, so many nationalities were trying to enter Thailand! As what the tourist is doing, I filled up the immigration arrival form and after an hour of waiting, its my turn to be entertained. It's so easy to visit as tourist in Bangkok. Aside from long queue (usual in all countries), the immigration here was the fastest in stamping my passport without any questions.
After immigration, I looked for my baggage and went out from the terminal area. In the arrival hall, I bought a tourist mobile sim to contact my wife. She will arrive at night from Manila. Then I hired an airport taxi to bring me in Resort Bangphlat for 1,300 baht. To my surprised, its very far and with heavy traffic in Banghplat because of on going road construction. It took more than one hour reaching the hotel which I booked in Agoda. So I add 200 baht more for a tip to a driver for he told that he only paid by his boss for 300 baht for my trip.
HOTEL. Resort Banghplat is a boutique hotel with a wooden old Thai house. A very quite place which is far from the city. The staffs are very approachable whose hardly speak in English except for the lady receptionist. Though language seems a barrier, they helped and guided me on ways and tips to stroll in Bangkok in the fastest and cheapest way.
TIPS. The fastest and economical way to go in the airport is by the sky train. From the hotel, as advised by the resort staff, I rode in a taxi to Phayathai, the last sky train station links to the airport. I paid in the taxi for around 145 baht, and from Phayathai to Subarnabhumi airport by train costs 45 baht. Cheap!
Always bring a hotel pamphlet or anything which shows the hotel address. Some of the driver don't understand what your saying. Just give them the address to make the dialogue shorter.
FUNNY ENCOUNTERED. From the hotel, i stopped a taxi going to Phayathai but the driver didn't understand me. I pronounced it incorrectly, so he dropped me. Again I stopped another taxi, and lucky he understand my term "airport link". In Phayathai, I went in a wrong train station, so I asked the woman inside the booth if where is the station linking to the airport. I was surprised, she answered in microphone and her voice was heard in the area even I'm already very far from the booth. Thanks for helping me but I really don't understand what she was telling. I asked a student and told me the right way.
WAY BACK. My wife flight from Philippines was delayed so I waited for her for almost three hours. We finally met around 11pm and we headed to Bangphlat with the same route. In Phayathai, just below the station, there's a seafood restaurant. We tried their spicy lobster menu and pineapple seafood rice for 300 baht each menu. After huge dinner, a tuk-tuk driver asked us to bring to the hotel. He asked for 400 baht, expensive but its ok because it's our first time to ride in tuk-tuk. This tricycle is so fast and you'll feel nervous after a long ride. However, we arrived in the hotel safe.
We are excited for our activity and Thai breakfast tomorrow.
