Has anyone ever been to Bangkok?

What exactly do you want to know? I used to go for work there on a regular basis.

If I was going to be offered a job there, I would ask:

Housing: Included? If not, housing can be tricky

Vacation: Will they pay for you to return to the US for however many times you want (at least twice)

Food: Thai food is cheap, you can get great food for a dollar on the street, but plenty of western options

Sex Tourism: In certain parts of town if you are white, they will assume you are there for that and that only. But outside of the tourist areas, pretty normal life. So be careful of where you would be based.

Commute: Like any big city, it can suck, but the subway is actually great. If the company is providing, a driver is pretty reasonable to pay

King: Never joke about the Royal Family. I know it sounds funny, but you will make enemies quick


But if you are based there, you will be a quick cheap flight from everywhere and you will get to see so many cultures. If the money is right, you would be hard pressed to do better.

I lived there a while. Had a nice apartment off Sathorn Road near Rama IV. Rarely saw Americans around even with the Embassy not far away. I never learned to speak much Thai and did just fine. A lot of folks speak English so the language barrier was usually not a problem. I will say most cab drivers speak no English. My building had little cards with my address on them in Thai to give to drivers. Sometimes helped but a lot of the drivers can't read. Made a bunch of Thai friends I don't really talk to anymore. Would do it again.

Yes for one night

I never felt unsafe in Bangkok. But then again, just like the US, I try not to act like an idiot.

As for the language, minus the 10 words of thank you, and what not, none. As turner said, Bangkok is built for tourists and getting around is easy. If your company is putting you there, they are not expecting you to speak the language, so you should be good.

And heck, when I could not speak the language at road side stalls, you can point and get what you want.

As for downtime, when I was younger, some rugby. As I got older I joined a Muy Thai gym just to go get a workout. I was not fighting, just hitting the bag. There is a huge expat community, so you will find things to do. Heck, if you like running, join the hash runners. I did that in Korea and made all kinds of connections.

And with the internet, you will never miss sports here, but times will suck to watch :)

You’ll feel a lot safer walking around Bangkok at night than NOLA or BR. My drunk arse got lost walking home more than a few times and I never had a problem. Bangkok has some sketchy people but they are more of the pickpocket type and not the shoot you in the face and steal your wallet type. If Plank Road at 2am is an 8 then BKK is probably a 2-3.

Bob I’m going alone for three weeks soon. I’m keeping it on the down low IRL because of the ladyboy jokes too. Especially since I’m happily married and my wife has been very supportive of my need to wander the globe alone. I have all kind of cheap day trips planned and you can pay guides to take you places alone. I’m a noob Buddhist practitioner so I’m doing kind of an anti- sex tourist trip. More monk less junk.

When I get back in December I’ll tell you what I found.

So what did you do after work? Were you constantly going out and drinking? Were you mostly hanging out in your apartment streaming tv?

I would imagine you spent a lot of weekends traveling to tourist sites and exploring neighboring countries.

quote:

---

Bangkok is a ton of fun, but the beach life down south is what I enjoy the most.

---

How long does it take to get from "downtown" to the beach areas if one doesn't drive themselves? (i.e. by taking taxi, train, etc)

[quote]So what did you do after work?[/quoteI]

I did the same stuff I do in America. Drank, gym, pool, tv, whatever. Primetime American sports are on in the morning. Day games start when you're leaving the bar. There's a channel called Star sports that plays big games. I never really traveled on weekends besides going to weird arse Pattaya a couple of times. I actually didn't even see the tourist sites in Bangkok (Grand Palace, Buddhas, etc) until my last week living there. Paid some kid on a scooter a tank of gas to take me to see everything a couple days before I left. Bangkok is basically like living in America except not. There's a 7/11 on every corner and you can eat McDonalds/Burger King/KFC for every meal if you want to. There was even an Outback and a Hooters over by the MBK mall when I was there. You make friends easy because there's not a lot of white folk around and people are curious... that is unless you're around the backpacker area (Khao San Road. It sucks.)..

quote:

---

There's a 7/11 on every corner and you can eat McDonalds/Burger King/KFC for every meal if you want to

---

Nice to know I have the option even though I don't think I'd want THAT Bangkok experience

quote:

---

There was even an Outback and a Hooters over by the MBK mall when I was there.

---

Out of morbid curiosity, how was the "talent" at said hooters? I know Bangkok is a sex tourism place, and I'm really not into that, but I find the disparities in "talent" between Hooters locations to be a subject of at least minor interest.

quote:

---

This is actually something that should be repeated again and again. I know it sounds cruel, but Americans (or canadians, germans, etc) begging should be avoided at all costs.

---

Not cruel at all. That principle doesn't change no matter where you are in the developed world.

quote:

---

Also, learn rugby, it is a great game to watch :)

---

It would be nice to see professional level Rugby in front of college-football-esque crowds. Rugby is definitely an entertaining sport.