Soi Cowboy

Soho Village Food market Pattaya

Thailand amazing street food

Thailand amazing street food culture is a great way to eat, very cheap and lots of choices. This market in 2nd rd North Pattaya is only 5 minutes walk from my condo.

Prawns & scallops.

Really well cooked fresh food, these two dishes cost me 300 Baht or $10.

So many decisions to make. 🙄

The Thai people have taken street cooking to an art form. Most Thai’s in fact eat out on the street rather than cook at home.

Thailand amazing street food, more seafood

Too much seafood is never enough. 🙂

Fantastic ribs

These pork ribs are so good they are addictive. 150 Baht per rack and I always take a couple home to snack on the following day.

Soi 11 Bangkok

A great street for food and restaurants.

Hard working street vendor

Still in Soi 11 off Sukhumvit in Bangkok. iCheck Inn is a good place to stay when in Bangkok, for a great rate use this link.

Thailand amazing street food, Phad Thai.

Thailand street & market food would not be complete without Pad Thai, probably the most popular Thai dish worldwide, 100 Baht or $3 at the Pattaya 2nd rd market, & delicious.

Wine or beer sir?

There are always one or two bars in every market so you won’t go thirsty. 😆

Plastic chairs, but who cares?

Order your food, grab a table and wait a few minutes while you watch the passing parade.

Banana Pancake, YUM!

This is one of my favourite snacks, 30 Baht or $1, great value & a great taste. Thailand street food at it’s best.

Perhaps bugs are more your style?

Thailand street food comes in all forms however I must admit I still can’t convince myself to eat bugs or insects.

Frog kebabs, delicious.

Ok I’m exaggerating here, this is another meal I have not been brave enough to sample this Thailand street food. Please click on Google + to help my page ranking.

The pig arrives on a bike.

Each night outside my local bar in Soi 3 North Pattaya the pig arrives on a motorbike.

Sometimes there are 2 pigs

Two pigs are better than one. 🙂

Try this Thailand amazing street food if you dare.

I’m fairly sure most Thai people have their taste buds removed at an early age, some of these dishes are so spicy Self-immolation can start within 3 seconds of your first mouth full. 😳

Thailand amazing street food

Book your hotel through AGODA for a great deal.

Fresh fish at Naklua market

The girls at the market will kill , clean & gut fish while you wait.

Car park dining in 2nd rd beside Alcazar.

Great food served here for lunch & dinner. The only downside at night are the exhaust fumes from the dozens of busses leaving the car park.

Street seafood, delicious.

Lots of seafood in Koh Larn which is a 30 Baht, 30 minute ferry ride from Pattaya.

BBQ fish, calamari & prawns.

Is it any wonder Thailand street food is famous throughout the world? In Thailand street & market food is everywhere so you don’t have to walk too far for dinner.

Fresh food

Taking up most of the sidewalk these food stalls are part of Bangkok’s charm & character.

Sidewalk restaurant on Soi 22

The graffiti certainly brightens up the decor. 🙂

Fresh fruit stall

Right outside my apartment building in Soi 1 North Pattaya every day.

Thailand amazing street food

A very big outdoor kitchen. 🙂

Late night street cafe

It’s 5 am & no customer tonight, I guess I should eat. 🙂

Thanks for visiting my Thailand amazing street food photo blog.

CNN did an excellent story on the world’s best street food.

Holiday Inn

Fabulous views, excellent restaurants & a very good room rate if you book through THIS LINK.

The building in the middle is the Holiday Inn, on the left is the Amari Hotel which is another very good five star hotel. Use THIS LINK to book for a very good room rate.

Sabai Wing North Pattaya

The best Pattaya budget hotel, 3 pools & opposite Central Marina shopping mall. For a great room rate just book through THIS LINK.

This is the view from Horizons the amazing rooftop bar. A great five star hotel located opposte the beach & above the Central Festival shopping mall. Just book through THIS LINK for an excellent room rate.

Soi Cowboy Nana Plaza Patpong

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Free Cancellation.

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Pattaya live webcam

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Click bottom right hand corner for full screen.

Live fish at the market

Fresh fish in Bangkok Thailand

Watch this video on YouTube

Some nice shots of Pattaya here

Post by Travel blogger Fivestarvagabond.com”.

Check out Soi 6 on Xmas day 2014

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Siam @ Siam is one of Pattaya’s most interesting hotels

Post by Travel blogger Fivestarvagabond.com”.

Have a look at some Bangkok bars

Post by Travel blogger Fivestarvagabond.com”.

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Jim Thompson House Museum

December 13, 2013 by David Herd

The legend lives on.

Jim Thompson House Museum

Jim Thompson House Bangkok Museum showing traditional Thai architecture combined with Western influences. In 1967, Jim Thompson went on holiday with friends to the Cameron Highlands in Malaysia. There he set out for a walk in the surrounding jungle but never returned. Thus began the Jim Thompson legend.

Jim Thompson House is a museum in Bangkok. It is a complex of various old Thai structures that the American businessman Jim Thompson collected in from all parts of Thailand in the 1950s and 60s.

Jim Thompson House Museum

Jim Thompson, an American businessman was perhaps ‘the best known foreigner in Bangkok, and possibly in Southeast Asia’. “In the twenty years before his ill-fated holiday in Malaysia, he had accomplished more than most men in a full life. He had built a major industry in a remote and little known country whose language he could not speak; he had become an authority on an art that, previously, he scarcely knew existed and had assembled a collection that attracted scholars from all over the world; he had built a home that was a work of art in itself and one of the landmarks of Bangkok; and, in the process of doing all this, he had become a sort of landmark himself, a personality so widely known in his adopted homeland that a letter addressed simply ‘Jim Thompson, Bangkok’ found its way to him in a city of three and a half million people.”

Living Room

In 1958 this American businessman began what was to be the pinnacle of his architectural achievement, a new home to showcase his art collection. Formed from parts of six antique Thai houses, his home (completed in 1959) sits on a klong (canal) across from Bangkrua, where his weavers were then located. Most of the 19th-century houses were dismantled and moved from Ayutthaya, but the largest – a weaver’s house (now the living room) – came from Bangkuar.

Without a doubt AGODA is the best online Hotel booking site.

Silk Loom at Jim Thompson House.

With his natural flair for design and colour, and driven by his single-minded dedication to reviving the craft, Thompson soon gained worldwide recognition for his success in rebuilding the silk industry in Thailand, for generating international demand for Thai silk and for contributing to the growth of the silk industry.

Spooling silk at Jim Thompson House

Jim Thompson Bangkok Museum is only about 15 minutes walk from the MBK centre.

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Elevated rooms.

In the hot and humid tropical climate, the airy, open quality of a Thai house and the broad overhangs of its roof protect the interior from both sun and rain. Elevated houses facilitate the circulation of air and offered a more comfortable living space. It was cooler to live in and protected the home from the risk of floods in the monsoon season. It also offered protection from hostile wildlife. The open space beneath the house was versatile. It was used as a living area in the hot season, as storage for the season’s harvest, and as a place to keep livestock.

All visitors have a guide.

It’s such a popular Thailand tourist destination you are not allowed to walk around the property by yourself, you must wait for a guide to take you in groups.

Rice storage.

This separate room was where they stored the rice. It is such a unique property in the heart of Bangkok, you can see why it’s such a popular Thailand tourist destination.

Entertainers at Jim Thompson Bangkok Museum

These lads looked terrific in their traditional costumes.

Thai welcome at Jim Thompson House.

Thai welcome at Jim Thompson House in Bangkok, beautiful dancers.

Here is a slide show.

Jim Thompson in 1962

A rare old photo of Jim Thompson.

Thanks for visiting my Jim Thompson House museum photo blog.

When I’m in Bangkok I like to stay in Sukhumvit Soi 11, here is an excellent budget hotel, if you USE THIS LINK you will get a great rate of around B1100 per night, or $30 USD.

The best Bangkok budget hotel I have ever stayed in.

Thanks for visiting my Jim Thompson House Bangkok Museum photo blog.

Here are some more posts to check out

Holiday Inn

Fabulous views, excellent restaurants & a very good room rate if you book through THIS LINK.

The building in the middle is the Holiday Inn, on the left is the Amari Hotel which is another very good five star hotel. Use THIS LINK to book for a very good room rate.

Sabai Wing North Pattaya

The best Pattaya budget hotel, 3 pools & opposite Central Marina shopping mall. For a great room rate just book through THIS LINK.

Sutus Court is a great budget hotel right i the heart of one of Pattaya’s main bar areas, just use THIS LINK for a terrific room rate. 420/100 Moo 9 Soi Buakhao.

Pattaya Hilton

Soi Cowboy Nana Plaza Patpong

Please check out these fabulous posts

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Great hotel room rates anywhere in the world if you book

through these links below. Book now & pay later.

Free Cancellation.

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That’s all folks

Pattaya live webcam

Click here for my post on Bangkok bars.

Post by Travel blogger Fivestarvagabond.com”.

Heavy rain in Pattaya

Tropical storm floods Pattaya, I love to see the storm clouds roaring across Pattaya bay from my condo. https://fivestarvagabond.com/tropical-storm-floods-pattaya/

Posted by Travel blogger Fivestarvagabond.com” on Saturday, April 4, 2015

The River Kwai

On the Burma railway the dead POWs included 6,904 British personnel, 2,802 Australians, 2,782 Dutch, & 133 Americans.

Posted by Travel blogger Fivestarvagabond.com” on Thursday, February 19, 2015

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Chao Phraya Iconic Bangkok River

December 12, 2013 by David Herd

State Tower at Silom

Chao Phraya Iconic Bangkok

Chao Phraya Iconic Bangkok River is a great way to explore this magnificent city. There are many different boats to take you to all the interesting places. Large & small ferries, long-tail boats and dinner cruises. The photo above shows one of the many wharves where you can board the boats.

Long-tail boat

The long-tail boat, known as Ruea Hang Yao is a type of watercraft native to Southeast Asia, which uses a common automotive engine as a readily available and maintainable power-plant. A craft designed to carry passengers on a river may include a lightweight long canoe hull, up to 30 meters, and a canopy. There is much variation among these boats, some have evolved from traditional craft types, while others have a more improvised look—the sole defining characteristic is a secondhand car or truck engine.

Huge truck engine

Advantages to the inboard engine with a long drive-shaft include keeping the engine relatively dry. Following the basic design pattern allows a variety of engines to be attached to a variety of different kinds of hulls. This flexibility simplifies construction and maintenance while sacrificing the efficiency and comfort that might be expected of a typical mass-produced product.

Cooling to the engine is provided by a shaped metal pipe strewn underneath the rear running board which is used as a rudimentary heat-exchanger. This is then coupled to the engine using rubber or plastic hoses. Clean water is then used as the coolant.

Control is achieved by moving the engine with a lever stick attached to the inboard side. Ignition and throttle controls provide simple means to control this simple craft. Larger boats may include more than one “tail,” with several operators piloting in tandem.

Chao Phraya Iconic Bangkok River

How would you ever find a life-jacket if there was a problem with the ferry?

Here is another photo blog on the Chao Phraya river.

River City shopping mall on the Chao Phraya river

When it was completed in 1984 the complex was awarded the Gold Medal for the “Best Commercial Complex” by the Association of Siamese Architects under the Royal Patronage of Thailand. The complex is an art and antique center that showcases Thai art and culture. On the third and fourth floors are over 100 art and antique shops with antiques such as Buddha images, gold ornaments, large blue and white vases, porcelains, silver boxes and betel nut sets, art deco clocks and sculptures, intricate wood carvings and other artwork also from China, Thailand, Burma, Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam. Monthly auctions held at the River City auditorium on the fourth floor every first Saturday of each month are organised by the Riverside Auction House Ltd.

The Royal Orchid Sheraton Hotel

The Sheraton joins river city with an elevated walkway.

Long-tail boat at the Sheraton Pier.

Without a doubt AGODA is the best online Hotel booking site.

Not all buildings on Chao Phraya Bangkok’s major river are modern.

One of the many dilapidated buildings on the Chao Phraya river. Here is my live webcam from my balcony overlooking Pattaya beach in Thailand.

Chao Phraya Iconic Bangkok River waterfront living

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Magnificent C.A.T. Telecom Building.

CAT Telecom Tower, Bangruk, this building holds Largest Thailand’s Internet Exchange. The C.A.T. Communications building. Bangkok features some beautiful modern architecture, and the government budgets are usually high enough to afford it. CAT is the state-owned communications company, their real company name is CAT Telecom Public Company Limited. Why the name CAT? Because it used to be known as the Communications Authority of Thailand.

Centre Point Hotel

Centre Point Hotel Silom is the white building, excellent 45 M2 rooms, for a discounted room rate just book through THIS LINK.

State Tower

Sirocco Sky Bar is the world’s highest open-air bar on the 64th floor of the State Tower located on Silom Road, Bang Rak business district, Bangkok, Thailand, the second tallest building in Thailand.

Centre Point Hotel Silom

Centre Point Hotel Silom is the white building close to the State Tower, excellent 45 M2 rooms, for a discounted room rate just book through THIS LINK.

Wat Arun.

Wat Arun, “Temple of Dawn” is a Buddhist temple in Bangkok Yai district of Bangkok.

What could possibly go wrong?

Who said you need to pay attention on the

Waiting for the lock to fill.

Here I am in a long-tail boat with two English friends. Thanks for checking out my blog Chao Phraya Iconic Bangkok River, if you need to book a hotel in Bangkok there is no better site than AGODA. Four English friends came to Bangkok January 2013 and had a wonderful holiday.

Not everybody is happy on the river

A Vietnamese cargo ship ploughed into riverside houses along the Chao Phraya River in Phra Pradaeng district yesterday April 5t 2017, damaging three homes.

Residents fled to the streets in panic as the cargo ship loomed over them. Three houses were damaged, one badly, but nobody was injured.

iCheck Inn Soi 11

When I’m in Bangkok I like to stay in Sukhumvit Soi 11, here is an excellent budget hotel, if you USE THIS LINK you will get a great rate of around B1100 per night, or $30 USD.

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Pattaya Hilton a great location

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Wonderful Bangkok shopping mall

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Everything you wanted to know about Bangkok but were afraid to ask. 🙂

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Chinatown Bangkok

Notorious Nana Plaza

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Patpong red light district

Canal cruise long-tail boat

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Bangkok famous sexy go-go bars

December 10, 2013 by David Herd

Nana Plaza

Bangkok famous sexy go-go bars

Bangkok famous sexy go-go bars can be found in three areas, Patpong, Soi Cowboy & Nana Plaza. Patpong is where it all started many years ago. It has even been filmed in in a James Bond chase-sequence. Patpong has long since lost it’s title of number one for sexy shows Go-Go bars. Soi Cowboy now reigns supreme with Nana Plaza in 2nd place.

UPDATE: Since writing the above comments in December 2013 Soi Cowboy has now slipped somewhat in popularity in February 2017. Mainly because during the last couple of years the drink prices, and in particular the lady drink prices have risen too high. In many cases you will now pay over B200 the buy a lady a drink.

Say no more…….

As you can see Lollipop is now Suckers.

Here is a YouTube video taken February 21 2016.

Nana Plaza Bangkok sexy bars

Beer Bars & Go-Go bars in Nana Plaza

Greeting you when you pass beneath the ‘Nana Entertainment Plaza‘ entrance sign is a mass of glowing neon signs, yelling at you from all directions. Shouting even louder than the neon is the intriguing cast of upfront characters , lady-Boys and girls who will try and accost you, it’s all light-hearted and non threatening.

On the ground floor are mostly open-air beer bars to choose from. Girls will try to tempt you in for a drink or a game of Jenga but not much really happens here, however it is where I prefer to drink and watch the passing parade. The shows and the A Go Go Bars with naughty names like Lollipop,Pretty Lady and Red Lips are located on the first floor. Girls here will step into your path and will try to drag you in for a look.

Here we are at Nana Plaza

I’m with my friend John Martin aka “Pothole Bin Ladin” at the first bar on the right as you walk into Nana Plaza, it’s the best place to watch all the girls & Lady-Boys walk past on there way to work. I have been visiting the Plaza for 20 years and have seen many changes in that time. Back then it was 10% Lady-Boys, now it seems more like 50% which does not suit me at all. 😥 On the other hand it does suit Pothole as he has been known the cross that dreaded line fairly often.

Nana Plaza with Landmark hotel in the background.

The five star Landmark hotel backs onto Nana Plaza.

For many years this great song has conjured up all sorts of Bangkok memories for me.

Nana Plaza as it was.

Nana Plaza has been cleaned up quite a bit recently, there are no more cars & motorbikes allowed to park there anymore, you can see in this photo how it used to be.

Bars in the centre of Nana Plaza have been rebuilt.

Two hotels close by are very popular with expats, the Nana Hotel & the Dynasty Inn, personally I prefer the Dynasty. If you want to go upmarket choose the JW Marriot or the Landmark.

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Nana Plaza exit

The bar you see on the left is where I like to sit & observe, straight opposite is the Nana Hotel car park.

Nana Plaza in daylight

The Dynasty Grand is a good hotel close to the action

Lots of Bangkok famous sexy go-go bars in Soi 4 Nana

Without a doubt AGODA is the best online Hotel booking site.

Here is a short video of Nana Plaza.

Nana Plaza, Bangkok's sexy red light Go-Go district.

Terminal 21 near Soi Cowboy

Soi Cowboy was named after the cowboy hat-wearing African-American who opened the first bar here in the early 1970s, this red-light district has a more laid-back, carnival-like feel to it than Patpong or Nana Plaza. Soi Cowboy is just next to Terminal 21, this very popular new shopping mall, so just cross the street and see it for yourself, or use Terminal 21 as an excuse to have some fun! Remember, you may not see this again anywhere else in the world!

No wonder they call it a red light area. 🙂

Pretty face in Soi Cowboy

Soi Cowboy Bangkok is in my opinion the best of the red light areas in this great city. Nana Plaza comes in 2nd place with Patpong Rd a distance third. Located near Sukhumvit Road, between Sukhumvit Soi 21 (also called Soi Asoke) and Soi 23, within walking distance from the BTS Skytrain’s Asok Station and the Bangkok Metro’s Sukhumvit Station. The Grand Millennium Hotel is nearby.

The go-go bars follow the pattern common in Thailand: alcoholic drinks are served and women in bikinis dance on a stage. Topless or even nude dancing.

David Herd and Roland Bonnici in Soi Cowboy

Here I am with my friend Roland who is a Sydney Barrister specialising in criminal law. He has more energy and staying power than I do so I now call in the Bangkok Energiser Bunny.

Bangkok famous sexy go-go bars

As you can clearly see there is always something to look at in Soi Cowboy.

Country Road Soi Cowboy

Cowboy is a great “people watching” venue.

Nana Plaza

นานา - กับอีสานโปรเจ็ค - NANA - The Isan Project Ft Errol Reid and Pui Duangpon

Nana Plaza, Hooters & Hillary bar.

Hooters Bangkok Nana Plaza

When I’m in Bangkok I like to stay in Sukhumvit Soi 11, here is an excellent budget hotel, if you USE THIS LINK you will get a great rate of around B1100 per night, or $30 USD.

No photos please.

I think she may be a little shy.

Happy hour at Patpong

Happy hours and happy endings are always available in Patpong Road.

Happy hour in Patpong 1993

Travelling from Europe to Australia in 1993 naturally I had to stopover in Bangkok for some R & R.

I hope you enjoyed my post on Bangkok famous sexy go-go bars.

Post by Pattaya Thailand Videos.

HOW NOT TO GET RIPPED OFF IN PATPONG!

Go-Go bars located on ground level along the two streets of Patpong are free to get in as long as you order a drink, which costs around 120 baht… but be aware that there are tricky places that will cost you a lot more without actually delivering anything better – and they may even be worse.

How to recognize the trick:

Someone will approach you with a nice list of fun entertaining features such as a ‘ping pong show’ and other well-known activities with ‘colorful’ names. So far, nothing really unusual.
He will say “It’s free to see for five minutes”… which means it won’t be free after the five minutes are up and as the guy seems trustworthy and speaks really fast, you somehow forget this fact.
The place not even be on Patpong itself but if the bar is upstairs and the bar has no sign and no name, get ready to be ripped off (nicely but effectively).
Once you are in, the show will have only one act and you will be asked for a tip, and another tip, and another… Basically you will have to tip for each ‘trick’ performed. And believe me, these girls have mastered the art of making you feel really cheap if you don’t tip them.
The girls will ask you for a lady drink, whether she sits next to you or even stands across the room… each drink costs at least 200 baht.
You will not see the bill until the last minute. In most normal Bangkok Go-Go Bars or beer bars, your bill is placed in a small box in front of you, which allows you to check the damage as you drink and let you decide if you want to offer another round or not. Usually a drink is around 100 to 120 baht. In the dodgy ones the bill never comes until the last moment
If you ask a girl how much her drink will cost you, she only knows once answer: ‘same as yours’, so naturally you think 100 to 120 baht… wrong, it’s 200 to 300 baht.
When the bill comes, it’ll be about 1,000 baht and don’t even waste your time arguing; you won’t win… just pay up and smile, realising you’ve got a nice story to tell your friends – just like I’m telling you now!

Thanks for visiting my Bangkok famous sexy go-go bars photo blog.

Good budget hotel in Soi 11 Nana.

When I’m in Bangkok I like to stay in Sukhumvit Soi 11, here is an excellent budget hotel, if you USE THIS LINK you will get a great rate of around B1100 per night, or $30 USD.

The best Bangkok budget hotel I have ever stayed in.

Please check out some of the most popular below, and thank you for visiting.

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Bangkok restaurant reviews

December 9, 2013 by David Herd

Sirocco at the State Tower

Bangkok restaurant reviews

Bangkok restaurant reviews, I guess I’m allowed to call myself a Bon Vivant given my obsession with eating out at good restaurants. Lets start with the most spectacular restaurant in the whole city. The view from the Sky bar at Sirocco is amazing, the restaurant is very popular with the trendy Bangkok crowd, the food is good but the price is ridiculously high.

Sirocco on the 64th floor.

Sirocco is one of the world’s great Sky bars.

Seafood salad at Sirocco

As you would expect the food at Sirocco is excellent.

Centre-Point hotel from Sirocco.

A very good hotel near the river and the Sky train.

Magnificent sunset at Sirocco.

I’m sure Bangkok has more sky bars than any city in the world.

Breeze on the 53rd floor.

Here is a tip if you want to save some money, have a couple of pre dinner drinks at the Sky bar on the 64th floor then go down to Breeze on the 53rd floor and dine there, much better value.

Spectacular lights at Breeze.

Far less expensive than Sirocco.

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Shangri-La Buffet

The 5 star Shangri-La hotel on the river has several restaurants to choose from. I found the best value was their incredible buffet featuring Sushi, Alaskan crab, shrimp, Dim Sum, soups, B-B-Q & a terrific selection of deserts. Free flow wine & beer was included for 2,250 Baht or $90 AUD.

There was a nice surprise when I paid the bill, received a 15% discount for using my Platinum Visa card. So the price came down to $65. Considering I had 5 glasses of wine from Chile, it was super deal.

Seafood at the Shangri-La

If you want a great buffet in Bangkok look no further.

Dinner cruise

The Shangri-La has a dinner cruise leaving at 7.30 every night.

Vintage at Silom

What a great find this was, I was strolling around the back streets of Silom and stumbled across this very nice Italian restaurant with super friendly staff.

Bangkok restaurant reviews The Vintage

Good food, nice atmosphere, a large selection of wine & friendly staff, what more would you want? 😀

Fettuccine with scallops & rock lobster at Vintage

Very good food at Vintage.

Vintage at Silom

You will find the Vintage at 19 Silom Soi 21

Basilico Pizzeria in Soi 33

At the other side of the city in Sukhumvit Soi 33 is another very good Italian restaurant Basilico Pizzeria. Good atmosphere and excellent pizzas. Have a pre dinner drink at “The Office” a very good sports bar just around the corner at Sukhumvit Soi 33, Wattana.

Bangkok restaurant reviews

For over 10 years I have been going to the Bus Stop in Sukhumvit Soi 4 Nana to have their Oxtail stew. I spent 3 days in Bangkok last week and managed to have it twice for lunch even though the price has almost doubled in 4 years, it is still only 350 Baht or $10 AUD.

I introduced Pothole & he is also hooked.

Here is my friend John Martin AKA Pothole at the Bus stop Sukhumvit Soi 4 Nana.

I had an unhappy experience at the Bust Stop in Soi 4 Nana in Bangkok 2 weeks ago. For many years I have been ordering the oxtail stew which is fantastic, lunch on the Thursday was excellent, then I returned for dinner on Friday night and they only served 2 pieces of oxtail instead of the normal 3. I complained as the price of B350 remained the same, well the chef was quite rude and unhelpful and refused to make it right, so I paid for my wine and left. After around 16 years of enjoying this great dish I guess it is time for a break, just saying………

Bus Stop Soi 4 Nana

Don’t expect too much at the Bus Stop, it’s a good value bar with excellent low priced food, and the Oxtail is to die for.

Hanrahans Irish pub

Right next door to the Bus Stop is Hanrahans Irish pub & sports bar. Good pub food and lots of screens showing all the popular sports.

Quintessential English breakfast.

Breakfast 180 Baht or $6 AUD.

Monsoon restaurant in Soi 8 Nana, great food.

A couple of streets away from the Bus Stop is a terrific restaurant in Soi 8, Monsoon.

Calzone at Monsoon in Bangkok restaurants reviews

Bill Austin from England likes Monsoon.

Beef & Oyster sauce at Monsoon.

Prior to the beef I had a very good pumpkin soup, my friend had an Australian steak which was magnificent.

Great prawn dish at Monsoon

One of my favourite Bangkok restaurants.

Terrific new restaurant.

Terrific new Bangkok restaurant, the Pirate Chambre at Chidlom. Hard to find but worth the effort. The fabulous lamb shank was only B480.

Enjoying a red wine at Pirate Chambre

Put this excellent restaurant on your bucket list.

Oysters at Crab and Claw, 7th Floor Emquartier.

Lobsters, New England Clam Chowder and a good selection of oysters (Kumamoto, Calm Cove, Royal, etc…) and fresh home-made pasta. Lots of choices at this popular establishment. The lobster roll is Crab & Claw’s signature dish, however it will set you back around B1000.

Gulliver’s

Always good value at Gulliver’s in Sukhumvit Soi 5, excellent bar to watch your favorite sports. Food is consistently good & terrific atmosphere for a sports bar as is the one in Beach Rd Pattaya.

Bangkok from the Moon bar at Vertigo

Vertigo and Moon Bar at the Banyan Tree Hotel located at 21/100 Sathon Tai, Thung Maha Mek, Sathon, Bangkok 10500. Another breath-taking view of the Bangkok skyline. Sit back and enjoy the Bangkok city view.

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Terrific food court at Siam Centre

A great variety of food here.

El Mercado El Maginifico

El Mercardo as well as being an excellent restaurant pride themselves by including in their charming complex a premium fresh supermarket offering reasonable prices which is most certainly dedicated to food enthusiasts.

Bon Vivant Bangkok

Thanks for dropping by folks, here I am at Sirocco paying a huge amount for an Australian red, however the view is worth it. Thanks for visiting my Bangkok restaurant reviews photo blog.

Don’t forget to follow me on Twitter. Follow @David_Herd

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Click ohere for some very good restaurants in Pattaya

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Siam Center food court

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Bangkok night life at Soi Cowboy

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Bangkok Grand Palace

November 28, 2013 by David Herd

Iconic Bangkok Temple

Bangkok Grand Palace

Bangkok Grand Palace is quite remarkable, put it at the top of your list of places to see. The palace has been the official residence of the Kings of Siam since 1782.

The photo above is Wat Phra Kaew or the Temple of the Emerald Buddha as seen from the Outer Court.

Big crowds arrive every day.

The late monarch, King Bhumibol Adulyadej (Rama IX), used to reside at Chitralada Palace, but the Grand Palace is still used for official events. Several royal ceremonies and state functions are held within the walls of the palace every year. The palace is one of the most popular tourist attractions in Thailand.

Phra Si Ratana Chedi

Phra Si Ratana Chedi, a 19th-century stupa built in Sri Lankan style enshrining ashes of the Buddha.

Entrance to Wat Phra Kaew.

As regards the historical legend of Wat Phra Kaew, it was originally known as the “Wat Pa Yia”, (Bamboo Forest Monastery) in the Chiang Rai province of Northern Thailand. The wat was struck by a lightning storm in 1434, when the octagonal Chedi broke up and revealed the Emerald Buddha (made of Jade), locally known as Phra Kaew Morakot. From there it was moved, initially to Vientianne and finally to Bangkok where it was deified in the temple by the original name, Wat Phra Kaew.

Another legend mentions that attempts made by the King of Chiang Mai to possess the statue after it was found in 1434; these failed thrice because the elephants transporting the statue refused to proceed beyond a crossroad in Lampang. The King of Chiang Mai considered the incident to be a strong divine directive and allowed the Buddha statue to remain in Lampang, where it remained for the next 32 years in an exclusively built temple.

Lots of photo opportunities at the Bangkok Grand Palace

The Palace is a photographers paradise.

Temple of the Emerald Buddha (Royal Pantheon)

The Royal Pantheon was constructed during the reign of King Rama IV in 1855. He intended to place the Emerald Buddha here but the building was not completed until after his death. His successor, King Rama V, considered the building too small to accommodate the congregation at royal ceremonies so the Emerald Buddha was not placed in this building. A small gilt stupa belonging to King Rama IV was placed there instead.

Phra Thinang Chakri Maha Prasat

The throne hall forms the front or the facade of the entire building group. In front of the throne hall is the Rathakit Field; on either side of the throne hall are the Phrom Sopha Gates. The throne hall is constructed in an eclectic style, a blend of Thai and European (more specifically Renaissance or Italianate) styles. The lower part of the structure is European, while the upper part is in Thai-styled green and orange tiled roofs and golden spires or prasats.

Bangkok Grand Palace, Monks at the Throne Hall.

Their orange robes are a great contrast to the trees in the background.

Bangkok Grand Palace

The Bangkok Grand Palace is probably Thailand’s number one attraction.

Phra Thinang Chakri Maha Prasat.

Two elephants and one lonely guard on duty.

There are lots on nice hotels along the river with fabulous views.

Fantastic monuments.

Absolutely spectacular.

Gold, gold, lots of gold.

Give yourself plenty of time as the Palace is huge.

Smile

Mother & daughter having fun at the Bangkok Grand Palace.

The students wanted to interview us for a project.

I guess they had a project from school to interview a foreigner.

We could be twins.

Thanks for visiting Bangkok Grand Palace photo blog, put it on your bucket list.

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When I’m in Bangkok I like to stay in Sukhumvit Soi 11, here is an excellent budget hotel, if you USE THIS LINK you will get a great rate of around B1100 per night, or $30 USD.

The best Bangkok budget hotel I have ever stayed in.

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Click here to see my post on Krabi.

Post by Travel blogger Fivestarvagabond.com”.

Here is a great Bangkok shopping Mall

Post by Travel blogger Fivestarvagabond.com”.

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Koh Larn Island is close to Pattaya

September 27, 2013 by David Herd

Koh-Larn-beach-island-Pattaya-Thailand-ferry

Here is my live webcam from my balcony overlooking Pattaya beach in Thailand.

Koh Larn Island

Koh Larn Island is close to Pattaya, in fact it is only 35 minutes by ferry from Bali Hai Wharf at the end off Walking St. Many people take the speedboats every morning from Pattaya beach, they cost between 1,500 and 2,500 Baht depending on the size of the boat.

Pattaya City sign

I guess Pattaya wanted to be like the Hollywood of Asia.

Thousands head for Koh Larn.

Every morning thousands of Chinese tourists head for Koh Larn.

Dolphin seafood restaurant.

As we get under way we pass the Dolphin seafood restaurant which doesn’t look too impressive in daylight but when lit up at night it is quite spectacular. One the right overlooking the bay is the Pattaya Hilton.

Royal Cliff Hotel.

Looking to the left or Port to be more accurate we see the Royal Cliff Hotel, it opened in 1974 & in fact was where I stayed on my first visit to Pattaya in 1980. Look closely and you will see the elevator that takes you down to Cosy beach.

Behind the ferry is Royal Cliff hotel.

Please always make sure you have a life jacket close by.

Koh Krok.

Koh Krok is a small island about 8 km off Koh Larn, popular for diving and snorkeling.

Na Ban pier Koh Larn

Ferries go to both sides of the island, Tawaen beach is on the other side.

The crowd arrives.

B30 is great value for the 40 minute trip.

Tawaen Beach.

Every morning on Pattaya beach thousand of tourists, mainly Chinese (some Indians) climb aboard at least one hundred speedboats and head for Koh Larn. There is one place on Koh Larn where they all gather like lemmings, Tawaen Beach. They really should change the name to China beach, they are all here crammed together like sardines, but I guess if you come from China you are used to crowds.

Tawaen Beach on Koh Larn Island.

Two Russians among 2000 Chinese on Tawaen beach at Koh Larn.

Tawaen Beach.

As you can see the water is so much nicer than Pattaya.

Glass bottomed boat for viewing fish.

Boats of all shapes and sizes come to the island.

Fresh seafood at Tawaen beach.

Lots of fresh seafood here, the restaurants are huge and packed with people from 11 am.

At 11 am everyone is hungry.

Thousands of Chinese tourists visit every day. They travel by speedboat not by ferry.

Tawaen pier.

This is the most crowded beach on Koh Larn Island.

Sangwan beach

Unless you are completely crazy and love being swallowed up by thousands of Chinese tourists, walk 5 minutes around the corner to a much quieter and more peaceful Sangwan beach.

Beautiful Sangwan beach Koh Larn Island.

Now this is more my style, not so busy and close to the pier.

Lookout point at Sangwan beach.

The colour of the water here reminds me of when I was in Cancun in 2001.

Photo shoot at Sangwan beach.

The water here is so clear and clean unlike Pattaya beach only a short distance to the east.

Tai Yai beach Koh Larn Island.

At the north of the island is a delightful little beach named Tai Yai. Almost deserted with beautiful clear water. Only one small Thai restaurant but very few people on the beach.

Posing on Tai Yai beach Koh Larn Island.

Gorgeous young girl striking a pose on Tai Yai beach.

The only restaurant on Tai Yai beach.

A very peaceful part of the island.

Samae Beach

The solar array looks like a weird spacecraft. There is a very nice, large Resort located just steps from the beach called Xanadu. They have free shuttle service from Naban Pier for their guests. They also have a conference hall that can accommodate 200 people.

Samae Beach Koh Larn Island

Here I am with my friend Irina from Ukraine in November 2014.

Ferries waiting for the crowds.

Make sure you check the timetable so you don’t miss the last ferry.

David Herd at Koh Larn Island.

Well folks, many thanks for visiting my blog on Koh Larn Island, I hope you enjoyed it as much as I enjoyed being there. Please send the link to your friends https://fivestarvagabond.com/

Sabai Wing Soi 1 North Pattaya

Sabai Wing Soi 1, 3 swimming pools and nice rooms, 100 meters from BigC, great value at only $30 usd per night as of 2017. I live in the high-rise in the background, Markland. For a great room rate book here.

For something a little more upmarket overlooking the beach book through THIS LINK.

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Holiday Inn

Fabulous views, excellent restaurants & a very good room rate if you book through THIS LINK.

The building in the middle is the Holiday Inn, on the left is the Amari Hotel which is another very good five star hotel. Use THIS LINK to book for a very good room rate.

Sabai Wing North Pattaya

The best Pattaya budget hotel, 3 pools & opposite Central Marina shopping mall. For a great room rate just book through THIS LINK.

Sutus Court is a great budget hotel right i the heart of one of Pattaya’s main bar areas, just use THIS LINK for a terrific room rate. 420/100 Moo 9 Soi Buakhao.

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When you come back from Koh Larn check out the Pattaya beer bars

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Make sure you see the LadyBoy show in Pattaya.

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Some great views in Pattaya

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Check out Walking St

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Hawker Chan Hollys Coffee

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Southern tropical Thai island

August 30, 2013 by David Herd

Koh Chang is a place to relax

Southern tropical Thai island

Southern tropical Thai island, beautiful white sand beaches and pristine clear water. Koh Chang is one of Thailand’s most beautiful islands with long white sandy beaches, most half deserted. The island is also home to a wide range of wildlife, including a good selection of birds, snakes, deer and a number of elephants. The island and its vicinity are great places for snorkeling, diving and jungle hiking. The “discovery” of the island as a tourist destination since 2000 has brought on a large amount of rapid development, and while still far quieter than places like Phuket or Koh Samui, it’s probably better to go now than later.

The beach at Coconut resort.

Ko Chang has the same seasons as Bangkok. The best season to go is the (comparatively) cool season between November and February. March to May are roasting hot and between June and October it rains, and a lot at that: 4,000 mm in an average year. Many guest houses close during this season, so accommodation is limited.

Coconut beach resort

Coconut beach resort is just south of White Sands beach, it is very peaceful and relaxing with some bars & restaurants across the road. They have bungalows on the beach or more modern rooms if you prefer.

Bungalows on the beach

Koh Chang has turned into a major tourist destination, both for foreigners and local Thais. This sudden tourism boom however, has been fraught with controversy concerning land use, etc. The government is trying to “develop” it from a backpackers’ paradise to a top-level destination, and construction work is going on throughout the island, with basic huts torn down to make way for fancy resorts. Sadly it will end up being another case of “paradise lost”.

Southern tropical Thai island White Sands Beach

White Sands Beach has lots of hotels and restaurants.

My friend from Beijing

Mable & I met in Beijing last year so I flew her over to spend some time with me in Thailand.

Southern tropical Thai island beach bungalows

When you stay in a bungalow it seems to feel more like a Southern tropical Thai island.

Peace and serenity

Beautiful calm waters of Koh Chang.

Gorgeous children

Such happy beautiful faces

Starting very young

They start learning to box at a very young age.

Chang means Elephant in Thai.

Elephants are such wonderful beasts.

Koh Chang sunset

There are some wonderful sunsets in Thailand.

Beautiful Koh Chang

It would be ten long years before I would go back to this lovely Southern tropical Thai island

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Free Cancellation.

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Bangkok travel tips with photos

August 2, 2013 by David Herd

Bangkok, one of Asia’s most dynamic & exciting cities.

Bangkok travel tips with photos, I hope I can offer some travel tips & advice to help you plan your trip to Bangkok one of the great Asian cities.

Below is the magnificent Sirocco restaurant at the Dome in Bangkok, a magic experience awaits you, located on the 63rd floor with breathtaking views of the City of Angels, ph(66) 2624-9555 click here.

One night in Bangkok makes a hard man humble
Not much between despair and ecstasy
One night in Bangkok and the tough guys tumble
Can’t be too careful with your company
I can feel the devil walking next to me

Murray Head released One Night in Bangkok in 1984.

Murray Head - One Night In Bangkok "From CHESS"

Watch this video on YouTube

Damnoen Saduak Floating Market 2 hours north of Bangkok.

An excellent adventure.

The Grand Palace in Bangkok.

The Grand Palace is a complex of buildings at the heart of Bangkok, Thailand. The palace has been the official residence of the Kings of Siam (and later Thailand) since 1782. The king, his court and his royal government were based on the grounds of the palace until 1925. The present monarch, King Bhumibol Adulyadej (Rama IX), currently resides at Chitralada Palace, but the Grand Palace is still used for official events. Several royal ceremonies and state functions are held within the walls of the palace every year. The palace is one of the most popular tourist attractions in Thailand.

MBK shopping center Bangkok

Lots of bargains to be had here.

Bangkok is famous for it’s traffic jams.

Bangkok travel tips, it is so much easier to get around the city using the Sky Train.

Bangkok is famous for its Street food.

Thai people love to eat out on the street, it is so cheap it’s not worth the effort to cook at home.

They not only eat on the street they shop there also.

Street vendors are all over the city selling all types of gadgets, food etc.

Soi Cowboy Nana Plaza Patpong

Please check out these fabulous posts

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through these links below. Book now & pay later.

Free Cancellation.

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That’s all folks

Pattaya live webcam

Super travel tips & information.

Hotel bookings. For the best deals in Asia, book now and you can choose to pay when you check out.

MBK is one of the best shopping centers in Bangkok, see the above photo, if you want to stay in a good hotel connected to the shopping mall then Pathumwan Princess Hotel is the place for you.

Pratunam market. If markets are more your thing you should stay at an older hotel, the Indra Regent which is across the road from Pratunam markets, which I think are the best in Bangkok. This is a major market selling clothes, shoes, and fashion accessories at wholesale prices. Enter the small alleys and jam-packed small streets and you will find yourself in the middle of a clothes-maze. Prices are very cheap, you may have to pay retail prices for single pieces.

Bumrumgrad hospital, great place for all your health needs & checkups.

Check out the best rooftop bars in Bangkok.

Bangkok taxis are very cheap, but avoid catching them from outside your hotel, walk up the street a little and always confirm the meter is on before you depart. Many drivers will try to charge an over the top fixed fare, politely decline, get out of the taxi and wait for another one. You can easily negotiate a 2 hour taxi trip to Pattaya for only 1000 Baht.

A Longtail boat river cruise is a great way to see Bangkok, the most popular choice for travelers is stating from the Central Pier at Sathorn (easily access from BTS at Taksin station) cruise to the north and get off at Tha Chang Pier (N 03 pier). The Grand palace wall is opposite to this pier. Views from this route are really fantastic. The fare is just 10 Baht.

Damnoen Saduak Floating Market 2 hours north of Bangkok is also a must do tour. Here is a nice little YouTube video of the market.

Damnoen Saduak Floating Market near Bangkok, Thailand

Watch this video on YouTube

Please be very careful in Bangkok

This shocking incident took place on August 23 2013, don’t let it happen to you.

Two Thai policemen have been arrested and authorities were hunting for two others yesterday for allegedly kidnapping and extorting money from Italian tourists. The officers were arrested in Bangkok on Friday after Interpol lodged a complaint against them, the Bangkok Post newspaper reported yesterday.

Danillo de Vito, 51, and Antonio Di Muno, 62, were allegedly detained by four policemen last Monday, hours after they arrived in the kingdom on holiday, while withdrawing cash from an ATM, Metropolitan Police commander Suebsak Pansuri said. They were accused of using a fake ATM card, and told to pay 2 million baht ($64,515) for police to drop charges.

The Italians managed to reduce the amount by half and alerted their relatives in Italy to the scam when calling them to ask for the money. Their relatives alerted Italian police who passed on the complaint to Interpol. Police found the two Italians in a Bangkok motel on Tuesday, after they had already transferred the money to Thailand. The two men were unharmed.

Police have also arrested an Uzbekistani national, Muhiddin Sharipov, who acted as interpreter for the police officers, The Nation newspaper reported yesterday.

Bangkok travel tips & other posts I have on this great city I hope will help you enjoy this great city.

Click on the photo below to see my post on Chiang Mai.

Post by Travel blogger Fivestarvagabond.com”.

Two hours south of Bangkok is Thailand’s sin city Pattaya, click here.

Post by Travel blogger Fivestarvagabond.com”.

Jet Ski scammers

Along the Beach Road in Pattaya, often between Soi 10 and Soi 13/4 (entrance to Walking Street), Thai Jet Ski touts will approach the tourist. Most likely time to witness the scam unfolding would be between 5pm – 5:30pm as it is getting dark. Particularly outside Mike Shopping Mall, Royal Garden Plaza, and Soi 13/2 to Soi 13/4. The tourist is required to sign a contract with the Jet Ski operators before they board the Jet Ski and have their fun. Cost is around 700 baht ($20) for thirty minutes. When the tourist returns to the beach the Thai Jet Ski operator will board the Jet Ski and bring it up on to the beach. Here is where the scam starts, as they (theatrically and dramatically) point out the damage and demand that the tourist pay for it, typically ranging anywhere from 30,000 baht ($950) to 70,000 baht ($2,200), but it can be 100,000 baht ($3,180) and up. Of course this damage (deep scrapes on the underside of the Jet Ski, scratches to the paintwork, or a broken plastic bumper) has been there all the time. Often, if not most times, it is a group of tourists that are scammed. More people, more money.

If they use the version of the scam where the tourist boards the Jet Ski when it is already submerged in the water, thus hiding the damage that is already on the underside, the scammers don’t need to cover the damaged areas. The damage is revealed once they bring it on to the shore after the tourist has rented it.

More government warnings etc here.

Be careful, you have been warned.

Everything you wanted to know about Bangkok but were afraid to ask. 🙂

Amazing shopping mall

Chinatown Bangkok

Notorious Nana Plaza

The fabulous Commons

Patpong red light district

Canal cruise long-tail boat

Spectacular Bangkok Sky Bars

Mahanakhon Sky Walk Bangkok

Jim Thompson Bangkok Museum

Soi Cowboy Bangkok

Pattaya live webcam

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Soho Village Food market Pattaya

Prawns & scallops.

So many decisions to make. 🙄

Thailand amazing street food, more seafood

Fantastic ribs

Soi 11 Bangkok

Hard working street vendor

Thailand amazing street food, Phad Thai.

Wine or beer sir?

Plastic chairs, but who cares?

Banana Pancake, YUM!

Perhaps bugs are more your style?

Frog kebabs, delicious.

The pig arrives on a bike.

Sometimes there are 2 pigs

Try this Thailand amazing street food if you dare.

Thailand amazing street food

Fresh fish at Naklua market

Car park dining in 2nd rd beside Alcazar.

Street seafood, delicious.

BBQ fish, calamari & prawns.

Fresh food

Sidewalk restaurant on Soi 22

Fresh fruit stall

Thailand amazing street food

Late night street cafe

Live fish at the market

The legend lives on.

Jim Thompson House Museum

Living Room

Silk Loom at Jim Thompson House.

Spooling silk at Jim Thompson House

Elevated rooms.

All visitors have a guide.

Rice storage.

Entertainers at Jim Thompson Bangkok Museum

Thai welcome at Jim Thompson House.

Jim Thompson in 1962

State Tower at Silom

Long-tail boat

Huge truck engine

Chao Phraya Iconic Bangkok River

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River City shopping mall on the Chao Phraya river

The Royal Orchid Sheraton Hotel

Long-tail boat at the Sheraton Pier.

Not all buildings on Chao Phraya Bangkok’s major river are modern.

Chao Phraya Iconic Bangkok River waterfront living

Magnificent C.A.T. Telecom Building.

State Tower

What could possibly go wrong?

Waiting for the lock to fill.

Not everybody is happy on the river

iCheck Inn Soi 11

That’s all folks

Say no more…….

Beer Bars & Go-Go bars in Nana Plaza

Here we are at Nana Plaza

Nana Plaza with Landmark hotel in the background.

Nana Plaza as it was.

Bars in the centre of Nana Plaza have been rebuilt.

Nana Plaza exit

Nana Plaza in daylight

Lots of Bangkok famous sexy go-go bars in Soi 4 Nana

Terminal 21 near Soi Cowboy

Pretty face in Soi Cowboy

David Herd and Roland Bonnici in Soi Cowboy

Bangkok famous sexy go-go bars

Nana Plaza, Hooters & Hillary bar.

No photos please.

Happy hour in Patpong 1993

HOW NOT TO GET RIPPED OFF IN PATPONG!

Good budget hotel in Soi 11 Nana.

That’s all folks

Sirocco at the State Tower

Sirocco on the 64th floor.

Seafood salad at Sirocco

Centre-Point hotel from Sirocco.

Magnificent sunset at Sirocco.

Breeze on the 53rd floor.