Quote from Celeb : 2

I joined Khalsa College just opposite Don Bosco in class XI, but soon I quit studies and was sent to Bangkok by my father to learn martial arts, as that is the only place we could afford given that I would also work there to support my training.

Akshay Kumar

It's not like, I don't know, if Madonna has a new record out, then everybody from Bangkok to Birmingham knows what its called and can buy it the same week. But our stuff is not in that mass market.

Evan Parker

I'm sure that President Johnson would never have pursued the war in Vietnam if he'd ever had a Fulbright to Japan, or say Bangkok, or had any feeling for what these people are like and why they acted the way they did. He was completely ignorant.

J. William Fulbright

I think it is immensely difficult to get the U.S. interested in non-U.S. topics. I don't think this is because the average American reader is disinterested, but more because of publishers playing it safe: if a thriller based in L.A. is a sure winner, why spend money plugging one based in Paris - or Bangkok?

John Burdett

Bangkok Quotes from Famous Celeb

Shopping in Thailand is super cheap and generally high quality. Bangkok is also safe. If you see anybody wearing camouflage holding a machete, don't be scared. They sell coconuts.

Bobby Lee

Getting to places like Bangkok or Singapore was a hell of a sweat. But when you got there it was the back of beyond. It was just a series of small tin sheds.

David Attenborough

Comedies are just never that expensive quite frankly. They really aren't. We aren't doing green screen shooting, so even Hangover II in Bangkok might seem like it's expensive, you're flying over and back, but they're just not that expensive to make when you do it the way we do it which is very focused and I've done it before.

Todd Phillips

Travel is very subjective. What one person loves, another loathes. I would say a private paradise in the Caribbean. If you want culture and class, I would say Tuscany. If you want exotic, I would say Bangkok, Thailand.

Robin Leach

How To Live Like a VIP in Bangkok for $285.06 Per Month

By Mark Wiens 

My apartment in Bangkok, Thailand

I’m going to be honest, I don’t live in a luxurious apartment nor do I drive a Mercedes (or drive anything other than my laptop).

I do however live in a safe and quiet neighborhood, enjoy quite speedy internet (most of the time), and dine on world class Thai street food – everyday!

I live in an a studio single bedroom apartment that’s shared among a few in-and-out permanent nomads. It’s more of an open studio room with pads, a place for any of us to crash for the night.

Our apartment complex is brand new, it is clean, in a safe neighborhood on the outskirts of Bangkok, Thailand.

We are blessed with a huge fresh food market about 5 minutes away and an overwhelming supply of Thai street food that never gets boring.

Here’s my budget cost of living in Bangkok for a month:

I normally pay half the rent – we split these monthly expenses. We have NO hot water and NO kitchen, just a single room, a bedroom, bathroom and a small balcony.

Balcony in Bangkok

• Studio Apartment Rent – $108 (3300 THB)
• Internet – $13.10 (400 THB)
• Water – $2.95 (90 THB)
• Electricity – $6.88 (210 THB)

Total Apartment = $131.36 (4000 THB) split by 2 = $65.53 each

• Transportation – $29.57 (903 THB)
• Food – $125.66 (3837 THB)
• Mobile Phone – $13.09 (400 THB)
• Entertainment (Going out) – $23.25 (710 THB)
• Misc – $27.84 (850 THB)

Total Everything Else = $219.53 (6700 THB)

Grand Total = $285.06

(2000 + 6700 = 8700 THB)

1. Internet (400 THB) – $13.10

I pay for the internet by computer, the price is 200 THB per computer per month. It’s apparently an 8 mb connection, but upload speeds are closer to an 1/8 of this. I’m not complaining, for everything I need to do, it’s quite sufficient.

2. Water (90 THB) – $2.95

My apartment has NO hot water. I do take showers, flush the toilet and wash a few dishes here and there. Our apartment is on the 5th floor and the water pressure isn’t too strong (could this be a water saving blessing?).

3. Electricity (210 THB) – $6.88

I’ve never used the air-condition, and my body has adapted to the tropical humid degrees in Bangkok. There’s a fluorescent light in the main room and a small bulb in the bathroom. My computer and a pair of speakers are connected most of the time. I also power a water heater for coffee and two small fans.

4. Transportation (903 THB) – $29.57

My apartment is not located in the center of Bangkok, but it’s only about 10 km away. I don’t live directly on the convenient inner city train links (BTS or MRT), but I live about a 5 minute walk from a bustling major street with cheap buses that flow past constantly and very frequently. I can be to the center of Bangkok in 30 minutes with no traffic.

Buses in Bangkok cost 6.50 THB at the lowest, up to around 20 THB for a ride on buses that take the expressway and use air-con. An average bus costs me 8 THB, old clankers with character and open windows.

Typical all-out dinner in Bangkok

Fruit in Bangkok

5. Food (3837 THB) – $125.66

I guess from my budget, you don’t need to be a rocket scientist to figure out what my passion and priority is; I love to eat. Thai street food is what I dine on 9 times out of 10, but there are the occasions when I make involuntary culinary purchases that comprise of either international cuisine or some kind of classy dining.

For breakfast I eat a selection of tropical fruits and usually supplement them with some oatmeal (don’t like it too much, but it’s cheap, healthy and filling). I then go into feasting mode, often dining on som tam (green papaya salad) and sticky rice for lunch and branching into an extensive street food smorgasbord for dinner. I try not to eat an entire roasted fish by myself every evening, but I do almost every other night. Check out how much food you could eat for $10 in Bangkok!

I do buy water, fill up bottles of filtered water for 1 THB / liter. Usually costs me less than 100 THB per month.

So even though food is cheap, it happens to be my biggest cost of living in Bangkok.

6. Mobile Phone (400 THB) – $13.09

I buy scratch cards to load money onto my mobile phone. I do talk on the phone a fair amount (with my girlfriend), but calls made to the same mobile phone supplier at night are very cheap (I think it’s less than 1 THB / minute).

7. Entertainment (710 THB) – $23.25

My girlfriend is not a big party goer or drinker, and I guess one could say that that is a great thing for my budget. I do go out to meet friends at night on occasion (perhaps once per week), but I don’t go crazy. I tend to just hang out with friends, relax, and chill out.

My entertainment budget is low due to the fact that I consider food as my premiere form of entertainment. I guess one could say that I would prefer to drop $3 on a massive stomach pleasing lavish meal (including an entire grilled fish) than a single bottle of beer.

8. Miscellaneous (850 THB) – $27.84

Soap, Tylenol, toothpaste, a photocopy – I don’t really know, but there are always a few unexpected random things that need to be purchased and it can fluctuate differently every month.

Do I live a deprived life?

On the opposite spectrum of deprived, I consider myself very well-off. I have yet to be dirty, lose sleep, or even come close to being denied of food.

Here are a few random things I do without breaking the budget:

• visit a local floating market
• meet fellow bloggers
• hang out with friends
• walk around local Thai markets
• go on a trip with a local Thai family for the Songkran festival
• discover things like Bangkok’s best fruit shake
• devour Bangkok street food

This budget cost of living in Bangkok, Thailand, is just a taste of living possibilities. I understand that we all have differing priorities, lifestyle comforts, wants and needs – but if you really want to make something happen, it’s feasible.

We each have our own levels of comfort and it doesn’t need to be compared to others.

No matter what anyone else says, I know I’m living like a VIP for $285.06 per month.

History

The area of Bangkok dates at least to the early fifteenth century, when it was a village on the west bank of the Chao Phraya River, under the rule of Ayutthaya.[6] Because of its strategic location near the mouth of the river, the town gradually increased in importance. Bangkok initially served as a customs outpost with forts on both sides of the river, and became the site of a siege in 1688 in which the French were expelled from Siam. After the fall of Ayutthaya to the Burmese Kingdom in 1767, the newly declared King Taksin established his capital at the town, which became the base of the Thonburi Kingdom. In 1782, King Phutthayotfa Chulalok (Rama I) succeeded Taksin, moved the capital to the eastern bank's Rattanakosin Island, thus founding the Rattanakosin Kingdom. The City Pillar was erected on 21 April, which is regarded as the date of foundation of the present city.[7]

Bangkok's economy gradually expanded through international trade, first with China, then with Western merchants returning in the early-to-mid nineteenth century. As the capital, Bangkok was the centre of Siam's modernization as it faced pressure from Western powers in the late nineteenth century. The reigns of Kings Mongkut (Rama IV, 1851–68) and Chulalongkorn (Rama V, 1868–1910) saw the introduction of the steam engine, printing press, rail transport and utilities infrastructure in the city, as well as formal education and healthcare. Bangkok became the centre stage for power struggles between the military and political elite as the country abolished absolute monarchy in 1932. It was subject to Japanese occupation and Allied bombing during World War II, but rapidly grew in the post-war period as a result of United States developmental aid and government-sponsored investment. Bangkok's role as an American military R&R destination boosted its tourism industry as well as firmly establishing it as a sex tourism destination. Disproportionate urban development led to increasing income inequalities and unprecedented migration from rural areas into Bangkok; its population surged from 1.8 to 3 million in the 1960s. Following the United States' withdrawal from Vietnam in 1973, Japanese businesses took over as leaders in investment, and the expansion of export-oriented manufacturing led to growth of the financial market in Bangkok.[8] Rapid growth of the city continued through the 1980s and early 1990s, until it was stalled by the 1997 Asian financial crisis. By then, many public and social issues had emerged, among them the strain on infrastructure reflected in the city's notorious traffic jams. Bangkok's role as the nation's political stage continues to be seen in strings of popular protests, from the student uprisings in 1973 and 1976, anti-military demonstrations in 1992, and successive anti-government protests by the "Yellow Shirt", "Red Shirt" and "Light blue Shirt" movements from 2008 onwards.

Administration of the city was first formalized by King Chulalongkorn in 1906, with the establishment of Monthon Krung Thep Phra Maha Nakhon (มณฑลกรุงเทพพระมหานคร) as a national subdivision. In 1915 the monthon was split into several provinces, the administrative boundaries of which have since further changed. The city in its current form was created in 1972 with the formation of the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration, following the merger of Phra Nakhon Province on the eastern bank of the Chao Phraya and Thonburi Province on the west during the previous year.[7]

Summary

Bangkok (English pronunciation: /ˈbæŋkɒk/[5]) is the capital and the most populous city of Thailand. It is known in Thai as Krung Thep Maha Nakhon (กรุงเทพมหานคร, pronounced  [krūŋ tʰêːp mahǎː nákʰɔ̄ːn] ( listen)) or simply About this sound Krung Thep (help·info). The city occupies 1,568.7 square kilometres (605.7 sq mi) in the Chao Phraya River delta in Central Thailand, and has a population of over eight million, or 12.6 percent of the country's population. Over fourteen million people (22.2 percent) live within the surrounding Bangkok Metropolitan Region, making Bangkok an extreme primate city, dwarfing Thailand's other urban centres in terms of importance.

Bangkok traces its roots to a small trading post during the Ayutthaya Kingdom in the 15th century, which eventually grew in size and became the site of two capital cities: Thonburi in 1768 and Rattanakosin in 1782. Bangkok was at the heart of Siam's (as Thailand used to be known) modernization during the later nineteenth century, as the country faced pressures from the West. The city was the centre stage of Thailand's political struggles throughout the twentieth century, as the country abolished absolute monarchy, adopted constitutional rule and underwent numerous coups and uprisings. The city grew rapidly during the 1960s through the 1980s and now exerts a significant impact among Thailand's politics, economy, education, media and modern society.

The Asian investment boom in the 1980s and 1990s led many multinational corporations to locate their regional headquarters in Bangkok. The city is now a major regional force in finance and business. It is an international hub for transport and health care, and is emerging as a regional centre for the arts, fashion and entertainment. The city's vibrant street life and cultural landmarks, as well as its notorious red-light districts, have given it an exotic appeal. The historic Grand Palace and Buddhist temples including Wat Arun and Wat Pho stand in contrast with other tourist attractions such as the nightlife scenes of Khaosan Road and Patpong. Bangkok is among the world's top tourist destinations. It is named the most visited city in MasterCard's Global Destination Cities Index, and has been named "World's Best City" for four consecutive years by Travel + Leisure magazine.

Bangkok's rapid growth amidst little urban planning and regulation has resulted in a haphazard cityscape and inadequate infrastructure systems. Limited roads, despite an extensive expressway network, together with substantial private car usage, have resulted in chronic and crippling traffic congestion. This in turn caused severe air pollution in the 1990s. The city has since turned to public transport in an attempt to solve this major problem. Four rapid transit lines are now in operation, with more systems under construction or planned by the national government and the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration.

Bangkok : City of Angel

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Here is a list of a few unusual things to do in The City of Angels, after seeing the two "musts": the Grand Palace, and Wat Pho, or Temple of the Reclining Buddha.

Water plays a big role in the capital life. Of course, there is the Chao Praya the river that divides the city in two parts and flows from West to East into the Gulf of Siam. Bangkok is a port. To go to the Grand Palace or Wat Pho, try the water taxi. It is both fun a cheap way to go from one end of the city to the other. For this, take the BTS-line ('Skytrain') to Saphan Taksin ('saphan' means bridge in Thai). Once there, walk down to the river bank and hop into a public water taxi. You pay on board. You can land at Wat Pho or Grand Palace. This is a great ride to see another aspect of the city. Ideally, it would be nice to come back at sunset to get another impression of river life. Besides being an enjoyable experience, it is also a great way to cut through traffic.

Bangkok has an intricate network of 'khlongs' (canals). This is why it is sometimes reminiscent of Venice. The 'khlongs' are not immediately visible, but they are there. The main one has also its public water taxis. And again, this is an excellent way to beat the city traffic.Go on the canal near Jim Thomson's House and take a water taxi westwards to the Old City (the area around the Grand Palace). This is quite a different side of modern Bangkok with all its skyscrapers!

The river area around the Oriental is worth exploring on foot. There are still some beautiful examples of Thai colonial buildings. This is where the two oldest western embassies in Southeast Asia are located, along the Chao Praya riverbank. The old French Embassy (now the residence of the French Ambassador) dates back to the XVI century. It is a reminder of the diplomatic ties between Louis XIV, the Sun King, with the King of Siam. Nearby, lies the old Portuguese Embassy, second oldest building. Both can be seen when riding the Chao Praya taxi boat.

Jim Thomson's House and Museum is another unescapable landmark. It is a collection of old Thai houses reunited into a large mansion containing an extraordinary collection of Asian Art acquired by the mysterious Jim Thomson, who promoted the Thai silk industry. The small garden is also worth a visit. Have lunch at the café there. They serve authentic Thai food in a lovely surrounding. It is slightly pricy for Thai standards, but quite an enjoyable location in the heart of the city.

Another unusual place is Wat Saket or Temple of the Golden Mount. Be prepared to climb a few stairs to reach the top of the rock. But the view over the city is rewarding. It is definitively another unknown side of Bangkok.

In the heart of the modern city, very close to Siam Square, stands one of the holiest oratory in Asia: Erawan Shrine. Pilgrims come from all parts of Asia to pray and make a wish to one of the holiest shines in this part of the world. It is an amazing location to observe the fervor of people amidst incense and candles. Moreover, there is a group of Thai dancers performing there. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Erawan_S...

If ever you are in Bangkok on a Saturday or a Sunday, do not miss Chatuchak Market commonly known as 'Weekend Market'. It is absolutely stunning and so huge that you can spend a whole day there. Prices are unbeatable and it is a definite paradise for shoppers of all kinds. There are plenty of cafés and eating places there with no vehicle. An absolute pedestrian shopping heaven. Both the BTS and MRT lines will get you there.

Lumpini Park, is located right in the middle of the modern city. It is a huge green area with lots of different attractions. It is a nice place to rest or walk away from the city hustle and bustle. But one of its most astounding attraction is the colony of huge monitor lizards, which haunt the water's side around the Chinese Garden. They are totally free and as big as young crocodiles. And this right in the middle of Bangkok!

Finally, see Terminal 21. It is one of the latest shopping malls in town, but with a different concept. It is designed as a huge airport terminal that will take you to destination themed levels: the Caribbean, Rome, Paris, Istanbul, Tokyo, London and San Francisco. It is worth seeing even if you are not into shopping. By the way, many items are original and prices are very reasonable. Terminal 21 is located on Sukhumvit, at the crossroads of BTS and MRT lines.

Bangkok is a huge metropolis, which has a lot to offer. This suggested list is meant to help those who want to see another aspect of the city. Hopefully, it will succeed in helping you make a choice to see attractions a bit off the beaten track.