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c h i k k a
d i s p a t c h
PHOTO
1000
WORDS/SHUTTERSTOCK (CHATUCHAK)
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TOP TIP
Take a walk. It’s the only way you’ll notice
the hole-in-the-wall eateries, local spas,
second-hand bookshops and more.
SIGHTS TO SEE
If it’s your first time or you only have a few days to spare, visit the Grand Palace
.
It’s a cluster of
pavilions, halls and temples where the former kings of Thailand used to live. It’s by the banks
of the Chao Phraya River; from there you can take a long tail boat and explore the river and the
khlongs
(
canals). Going through the khlongs you’ll see old Thai houses and a lot of greenery –
it’s like taking a peek into what Thailand looked like 20 years ago. I also bring visiting friends to
the Museum of Siam, which has interesting, thought-provoking exhibits on, for instance, what it
means to be Thai. There are also interactive sections that are fun for kids.
STOP TO SHOP
I think most tourists would make a beeline
for Chatuchak, the big weekend market, for
discounts. But I would actually recommend
the Platinum Fashion Mall over it.
Platinum is open daily, comfortable and
air-conditioned; it also has the same (if not
more) quantity of clothing and accessories,
with similar discounts.
CHECK THESE OUT
The Bangkok Art and Culture Centre is very
accessible and free to the public. It has
more than a hundred art exhibits going on
at the same time. Scala and Lido (
apexsiam-square.com
)
are these two old-
school cinemas where you’ll experience
what it might have been like to go to the
movies in the ‘60s. Even the ushers are in
suits.
BEST TIME
TO GO
I enjoy Bangkok in January the most,
because the weather is pleasantly
cool. Most of the year it’s hot, humid
and always with a chance of rain. It’s
because of this amazing weather that
there’s a free concert by the Bangkok
Symphony Orchestra in Lumpini Park
every Sunday. You come with a mat,
your own basket of cheese and wine,
and listen to the beautiful music with
hundreds of people.
Chatuchak market
Find treasures at a
second-hand bookshop
Lumpini Park
The Grand
Palace is a
must-see!
