Bangkok - Holiday Break

BANGKOK 19 - 23 Dec 2004

DAY 1 – Sunday, 19th December, 2004

Bangkok, City Of Angels they say. I imagine angels as those dressed in flowing dresses, with beautiful tresses and a lighted wand in one hand. Four days and nights in Bangkok, neither did I meet nor did I see any angel but I did see angels of a different kind. There were those elegantly dressed, for the office or some function or other, those dressed casually, many of them looking like foreigners in Bangkok like me, carrying tote-bags, cameras, various models mostly of the digital kind, a map and a bottle of mineral water in one hand. Another kind of angel is those young, and also those trying to look as young, girls, skimpily or is it scantily dressed, flaunting flesh and assets, obviously hoping for a foreign catch. Are they the reason why Bangkok is called "City of Angels"? Perhaps "City of Angels in the Night” is more appropriate…… I wonder.

Sometime in the month of November 2004, while surfing the net, I came across Air Asia's "Go Holiday" site, touting "free and easy" holiday packages. I picked the one for Bangkok simply because I have not been to Bangkok except in transit at the airport a couple of times previously. I thought this would be a good opportunity for Ram and I to explore the city, at leisure, and see the sites and heritage of the capital of Thailand. I obtained as much information of the hotels from the internet, read the reviews by recent visitors, saw the map on-line to get an idea of the location of hotels and simplicity to move around the city on my own, and also information on places to visit or tour at our leisure. A four night stay in a 3-star hotel “the Menam Riverside Hotel” by the Chao Phraya River (River of Kings) inclusive of breakfast for two and the Air Asia ticket to and from Kuala Lumpur cost only RM980.00, which I thought was a good deal indeed. I picked this hotel based on the reviews written by recent guests to the hotel.

We left KL on the evening of 19th. December 2004. Tessa sent us to the airport. The flight to Bangkok was delayed by about an hour. Arriving at Don Muang Airport, Bangkok, going through immigration, custom clearance, and currency exchange was a breeze. On exiting the arrival lounge of the airport, we came across a few taxi-touts soliciting our patronage of their services and I remember the advice given on the net by previous foreign visitors to Bangkok that we should avoid them. One said he could take us to the hotel at a special price of Baht 800.00 and we of course turn him down. We got into the taxi queue, got one ‘metered taxi’ through the taxi counter and got to the hotel in about 45 minutes by way of the toll expressway. The airport taxi surcharge was Baht 50, toll was Baht 70, and the taxi meter charge came to Baht 240, a total of Baht 360, less than half of what the ‘great’ guy’s special offer of Baht 800!!

Checking into the Menam Riverside Hotel was also without a hitch and the room allocated to us was reasonably comfortable. We went down to the coffee house to have dinner and we were pleasantly surprised that they have quite a wide selection on the menu, with many vegetarian and seafood dishes thus, at once removing our apprehension on obtaining suitable food. We were earlier told by friends and relatives that it would be quite difficult for us to get suitable food in Bangkok. On the contrary, we later found that there are many “halal” restaurants available in Bangkok. The hotel is situated on the south side of Bangkok by the Chao Phraya River. Services available are adequate and the staff are helpful and friendly although English conversation can be quite exasperating at times!! A complimentary boat shuttle service is provided hourly from the hotel’s jetty to the terminal of Bangkok Sky-Train. This service, we hope, would make our movement around Bangkok easier whilst we do not have to depend on the public road transport. The roads in Bangkok are almost always jammed with traffic.



Day 2 – Monday, 20th December 2004

Woke up early and had breakfast. The breakfast spread was very good with a wide variety and choice of food. As the different foods were clearly labeled and marked, we had no problem in selecting our choice. We took the boat shuttle to the terminal for the sky-train and took the train to an area called Salom. Our intention was to get used to the transport system while at the same time familiarize ourselves with the major tourist areas in Bangkok. However we found that we were too early for Salom as it was then 9.00am or so and things only begin to pick up at 10 or 11 am onwards. As we were browsing around the main street and side streets we met an elderly local who spoke very good English and advised us of what to do and see. He recommended and guided us to a factory outlet close by which was already open and offered sale discounts of up to 40% on their products for the festive and end of year holiday season. Later we continued to browse around Salom area and the various other outlets and complexes. They are a little up market but no different then those in KL or Singapore or for that matter any big city anywhere!! Although most offered discounts but the prices are not that much cheaper than those available at home.

We were back in the hotel by late afternoon. Ram was rather exhausted by the long walk around Salom. After a little rest, I went out alone and walked around the vicinity of the hotel within a one or two kilometer radius hoping to find some food outlet that I can buy take-away dinner. I found a mosque, within walking distance from the hotel, but it was closed then as it was already passed ‘Asar’ prayer time. There were many stalls and one or two little restaurants within the area selling halal stuff but I was not at all impressed by them. It appeared as though hygiene was not a priority, food left exposed in the open and the surroundings unkempt, quite pathetic really. Certainly not inviting at all and will not do justice to my palate. Dinner that night was taken in the hotel coffee house.

Day 3 – Tuesday, 21st December 2004

Jim Thomson House

After breakfast we took the shuttle boat and a day-ticket for the sky-train and headed for a visit to the legendary Jim Thomson House. Jim Thomson, an American architect turned Thai Silk King who disappeared in 1967 in the jungles of Cameron Highlands, Malaysia and whose body was never discovered, built this house in the traditional and ancient Thai architectural design using mostly local timber and other local materials, a rich artistic and cultural heritage.

The house, which combines six teak buildings, representing traditional Thai architecture stands on a piece of about one acre of land within the city. The houses, at least two centuries old, were dismantled and brought to the present site, some from as far away as the old capital of Ayudhya. In his quest for authenticity, Jim Thomson adhered to the customs of the early builders in most respects and personally supervised their reconstruction. The houses were elevated a full story above the ground, a practical Thai precaution to avoid flooding during the rainy season, and the roof tiles were fired in Ayudhya employing a design common centuries ago but rarely used today. The red paint on the outside walls is a preservative often found on many old Thai buildings. The chandeliers, modified and a concession to modern convenience, belong to a past era having come from 18th and 19th century period.

Jim Thomson had also a wide collection of traditional Thai arts, carvings, statues especially of Buddha, antique plates and vases, and paintings mostly on silk although there are others on various materials. These are on display in various parts of the six houses. Statues of Buddha, being the object of worship of the Thais are placed at strategic locations in the house based on the varied local beliefs in the protection of the house and households. Furniture displayed in the rooms depicts their functionality of purpose. As example, the bidets in the bedrooms are designed according to the sizes of the user of the rooms, girl’s room or boy’s room or adult’s room. The dining furniture is a combination of two mahjong tables placed together and the chairs appear to be of rosewood materials. There are carvings on these furniture mostly of local folklore motifs.

The main entrance to the house is off a canal and there is an imposing entrance archway by the side of the canal although this entrance is now no longer in use. In the olden days people commute by boat via the many canals within the city, but most canals apparently have now been covered over and redeveloped. However the canal in front of this house still exists and I hear motorized boats plying by several times while there. The main door to the house, which opens to a wide entertaining area is itself wide, windows many and the design of walls and roofing unique in that there is an easy funnel-type flow of air providing very good ventilation for the house. The walls are constructed slightly tilting inwards at the top and the roof and ceiling overlapped to allow for natural ventilation.

The Suan Pakkad Palace Museum

From the Jim Thomson House, we proceeded to visit the Suan Pakkad Palace Museum, four stations away by sky-train. This palace used to be the private residence of their Royal Highness Prince and Princess Chumbhot. They decided to convert the palace into a museum and added on more buildings and facilities to accommodate the various exhibits which has been passed down through successive generations. It is a fine combination of fine arts and ancient artifacts from the era of Prince Paribatra Sukhumbahandhu the son of King Rama V, King Chulalongkorn (Note: The present king is King Rama IX).

The museum consists of eight Thai houses connected by a raised walkway within a compound of about 6 acres. A new building stands at one side of the compound which houses the office of the Chumbhot – Pantip foundation and some permanent exhibit rooms. In one of the rooms are displayed artifacts dated back into the prehistoric period, in the Ban – Chiang Period. Red painted pottery, glass beads, bronze bracelets and clay design stamps are displayed. The discovery of these artifacts was quite unexpected. A student of archaeology, visiting the area tripped on the roots of a tree and fell face down on the ground and while on the ground he found small pieces of pottery chips that he suspected to be old. He referred this finding to the professor in-charge of archaeology in Chulalongkorn University and a team was assembled to excavate the area. That was where most of the exhibits of the Ban – Chiang Period were found.

In another building, sort of a boathouse, the Royal Barge used by the Prince was displayed. The barge did really look very old and had been properly preserved for display. Another building, the lacquer pavilion, dating back to the 17th–18th century AD stood in another part of the compound. The outer walls of wood are beautifully sculptured and the inner walls are painted in gold on black lacquer. The paintings depict various events from the Buddha period along with others from the Hindu epic, Ramayana and also the daily scenes of Thai life. It is the only painting of its kind in Thailand.

There is a music room in one of the other buildings where ancient drums, big and small, xylophones of various sizes, fiddles, gongs and other musical instruments are displayed. Also in this building are images of Buddha in various styles, Chinese porcelains of the Ming and Ching Dynasty period, and various royal decorations, weapons and shields, and other war paraphernalia.

The displays in this museum are varied and they tell a story allowing visitors a wide knowledge of the way of life, culture and olden day practices of the Thai Royalty and the people alike. It provides historical evolvement of lifestyles and living needs of the people.

That night we met up with an old friend who was working in Bangkok on a gas transmission project. Had dinner with him at Nana area where there were many restaurants serving food from various parts of the world. There is one street that resembles a street in Saudi Arabia!!

Day 4 – Wednesday 22nd December 2004

Today we decided to use the Tourist River Boat. Just like the sky-train, one can buy a day pass and travel on the river boat any number of times in the day. The boat makes many stops along the Chao Phraya river, most stops having their own attractions, shopping, temples, museums and palaces etc. We decided to visit the Grand Palace today.

We arrived at the palace at about 11.30am and was advised by an official that the place will close between noon and 2.30pm, today being an auspices day for Buddhists and the closure is to allow the Monks in the temples within the palace grounds to have their special prayers and also lunch. The official suggested we visit another site close by which we can reach by using a ‘tuk-tuk’, the motorized trishaw. We did so and the site is called Golden Mount, a 200 meter hill with a temple of Buddha on the peak. From the peak of Golden Mount one can view the city and the surroundings. It is worthwhile noting that most of the tourist sites around the city and the surroundings beyond will include one or several temples or “Wat” with either a standing Buddha, a sitting Buddha, or a reclining Buddha within each of them. There appear to be a Wat at every turn!! I also noticed that there are Government Officials available at major tourist spots, mingling with the crowd and approach tourists with advice and guidance. At the grand palace, we crossed the busy street using the zebra-crossing. The official approached us and advised us to be extra careful crossing busy streets in Bangkok even at the zebra-crossings. Drivers do not heed nor give way to pedestrians at zebra-crossings.

To while away the time the tuk-tuk driver took us to a few souvenir outlets including a tax-free shop to browse around. In one of them he requested that we stay browsing for at least 15 minutes. We found out later that the tuk-tuk driver is given free gasoline if the tourist he brings to the outlet stays longer than 15 minutes.

We returned to the Grand Palace Complex at about 2.30 pm and proceeded to purchase entry tickets. The number of visitors was overwhelming. It was as though there was a major football league, or a major concert going on within the compound. There were just people and more people everywhere we go. Within the compound are several Wats, the Royal residences (there are several of them) for the king and his princes and princesses, Throne Rooms, Official Halls and Administrative Buildings. The various Wats contained statues of Buddhas in stone, emerald, gold and others. The Royal Residence is ceremonially guarded and the guard on duty appears to be the most photographed person then. It took us more than two hours to walk around the complex and that too without looking at the exhibits in detail.

The Grand Palace Complex was established in 1782, built on the order of King Rama I. Prior to this the royal palace and centre of administration had been located in Thomburi across the river Chao Phraya. The various other palaces and Wats were subsequently built to accommodate the expanding royal family and the needs current. This includes the renowned Temple of the Emerald Buddha.

The Emerald Buddha, carved from a block of green jade and discovered in 1434 by an abbot who initially thought that the stone was emerald (thus the legend of the Emerald Buddha began), is enshrined on a golden traditional Thai-style throne made of gilded-carved wood placed in the ordination hall of the royal monastery within the temple. The statue is clad with one of the three seasonal costumes, summer, rainy season and winter and the costumes are changed three times a year in a ceremony presided over by the King. There is a colourful history behind the Emerald Buddha. It had been moved from the original place of discovery in Chiang Rai, to Chiang mai, then to Laos and later brought back to Thailand when the Thai army under the command of Officer Chao Phraya Chakri and who later became King Rama I invaded Vientiane, the Laotian capital. When this king built the current city of Bangkok, the Emerald Buddha was housed within the Royal Monastery with due pomp and ceremony. We noticed that this exhibit attracts the most number of visitors.

The walls of the buildings around the complex are painted with colourful murals depicting selected events in the life of Buddha and scenes of folklores and Thai stories, traditions or the Buddhist Cosmology. The buildings’ design is of the traditional high walled, sharp inclined roofs and mostly brightly painted in gold or gilded in a myriad of tiny reflective stones, glass and other shining materials giving them a very rich, shining appearance.

We returned to the hotel at about 5.30pm using the river boat and the Hotel’s shuttle boat. After resting our tired legs, with all the walking we did earlier in the day, we went out again for dinner at one of the restaurants in Nana area.

Day 5 – Thursday 23rd December 2004

Our last day in Bangkok. We had a leisurely breakfast, walked around the area near the hotel and packed our bags. Our flight back to KL was scheduled for 2020hrs. We checked out of the hotel at noon and left our bags with the concierge and took the sky-train to the city. We had lunch, walked around a little in the shopping area and returned to the hotel at about 4.30pm.

The journey to the airport took about an hour and a half using the toll highway, as traffic was rather heavy being after office peak period then. Checking-in for the flight at the airport, immigrations and customs checks went without a hitch. The flight was however delayed by about one hour. Finally arrived home at about 2.00 am Friday 24th.

NOTE: Ram had begun to complaint of uncomfortable feelings in her right eye today. At the airport she felt the uncomfort a lot more than earlier in the day and on landing in KLIA she said that there was some pain……… (I was determined to take her to the THONEH as soon as they open in the morning)


MKI Ramblings Unlimited
Petaling Jaya