Bangkok is an interesting place to visit with the most amazing sites to see, and a great culture to explore. The following are helpful when you visit this place.
Bangkok Culture:
Visitors are welcomed to Bangkok cordially by everyone. The people here are generally hospitable and you can feel this hospitality not just at the hotels where you stay but also when you go out for shopping and site seeing. Vendors are most polite when selling you anything. Even the smallest of purchases pleases them and brings big smiles to their faces.
Bangkok People:
The people in Bangkok are also quite religious; there is an abundance of places for worship in Bangkok, such as the Phra Thi Nang Vimanmek and Abhisek Dusit Throne Hall.
These places give you a feel of the kind of mindset the people have here in addition to their liberal approaches. This is in terms of the way that they receive foreigners and the types of entertainment they provide them with. While understanding the cordial ways of the people in Bangkok, it must be asserted that there are particular things that one needs to be aware of. This includes things like hygiene and what they may consider offensive actions.
Often you will notice people coming into the streets with damp hair and their bodies covered in talcum powder. This usually happens towards the early evening just after the heat of the day begins to wear off. The talcum powder used is believed to keep them cooler for a longer period and prevents them from sweating.
Something more important to learn about regarding hygiene and belief in Bangkok is that your feet are considered to be the dirtiest part of your body. You should never point your toes or feet at anything you may refer to. Your feet are not to be used as part of a conversation. The soles of your feet should not be seen; they should never be placed on a table or any elevated object. Also, in Bangkok one should never cross over anyone or anyone's food.
Weather in Bangkok:
The weather in Bangkok is fairly good all year round, and you can go out doors almost throughout the year. March through June are the warmest months and are ideal for checking out what the people in Bangkok do on the hottest of days. Some of the best places to go on the hottest of days are the water parks. Here, you can remain cool and enjoy yourself as well. One place that I would recommend is the Siam Water Park, as it is the most visited by tourists.
Aside from the hot days during the months March through June, there is also plenty of rain from July onwards. You can also go out in the rain because life still goes on in Bangkok. It is only when the rains get really heavy that vendors might be driven off the streets.
Shopping in Bangkok:
Many visitors who come to Bangkok have a field day purchasing items. The rates are considerably lower in Bangkok as compared to places like the UK and US, and so, people are known to take back a lot of stuff when they are done with holiday-making. In addition to simply shopping for cheaper articles that are more expensive in other countries, antiques often catch the visitor's eye. The best places to shop include Floating Markets, Narayanaphand, Thailand Duty Free Shops, Flower and Plant Markets, Bang Lamphu, Lang Krasuang and Woeng Nakhon Kasem, and Weekend Market. With all these different places to shop at, you can get a wide range of articles that you could use in Bangkok as well as take home with you.
What to Wear in Bangkok:
With Bangkok being a cosmopolitan city, you are free to wear what you want. The people here are liberal, and they don't mind whether you dress casually with a T-shirt and jeans or if you want to wear something traditional. However, you would be better off, especially during the summer time, wearing something light. Even shorts and a T-shirt would do just fine when you are out in the heat.
Travel around Bangkok:
With plenty of transport to travel around Bangkok, you will have no problem getting from one place to another easily and conveniently. There are roads running to all parts of the city, and taxis can take you anywhere you like. Bus routes are also helpful in getting to important areas, but taxis would be more convenient to get you exactly where you want.
Running almost obliquely from the South to the North, North-East, the Rail tracks head to Ko Kret and Ayuthaya. On thus route, the Roayal Turf Club falls on your left. Lower down the map, in the east, there is Jim Thompson’s House, and below that is the National Stadium. In the South East, there is the Chulalongkom University, and below that is the route leading out of the main part of Bangkok; this route heads towards the Ancient City. In the West, there is the Chao Phraya River that helms in the National Museum (North-West), Sang Luang (North-West), the Grand Palace (West), and some markets in the South West.
Health Services in Bangkok:
When you visit Bangkok, you do not really need to worry about health services as there are plenty of hospitals in this area that cater to locals and tourists. There is a 24-hour service available at most hospitals for medical as well as evacuation emergencies. Some of the hospitals are Bangkok Adventist Mission Hospital, Bangkok Christian Hospital, and Bangkok General Hospital.
Bangkok Nightlife:
Bangkok is believed to be a city that has a great deal of activity going on at night. In spite of a 2.00 am deadline to shut down entertainment, there are many places open. This is because of the fact that there are a number of tourists who enjoy night life. Some of the places where a person can go at night and enjoy beyond 2.00 am are Bars such as Patpong, Nana Plaza, Soi Cowboy and "Impressionists Row", and Party Zones such as Brown Sugar and Bamboo Bar at The Oriental Hotel.
Dining Out in Bangkok:
In addition to getting all kinds of food in Bangkok due to it being so cosmopolitan, there are several kinds of places that provide only local food or a combination of both. From on the street food in busy areas, a good choice would be barbecued chicken and rice, called Gai Yang and Khao Neeow.
Food courts are pretty good as well, and the ones that are worth recommending include: the Emporium at Sukhumvit, and ‘The Loft in Central Department Store’.
Bangkok Business:
Since Bangkok is a busy city, it must be asserted that the common business here is trade. There are many people who are into selling things because they know that they will never suffer as long as there are people there to purchase goods from them.
The tourists are mainly the ones who provide the market for vendors, and much of the population in Bangkok survives this way. There are also many who earn their livelihood through the food business. This is another business in which a person will hardly have chances of suffering, as long as the food tastes good. Hotels and other forms of provisions for tourist stay are yet other forms of business in this city. Since every tourist needs a place to stay and have his or her regular meals, hotels and the like conduct healthy business.
