Good morning, Bangkok!
This week has seen chaos in various proportions throughout the country: in the South, terrible floods have struck, while at home here in Bangkok, we’ve been struggling with almighty traffic scenes on Ratchadaphisek Road following the demolition of the Ratchayothin flyover.
We recognise that one of these things is worse than the other.
Exciting things to look forward to this month include new passenger boats on the Saen Saep canal, and Christmas cheese tarts at Pablo.
Treats indeed. Holidays are coming…
Here’s what else has been entertaining and enraging Bangkok this week.
News
American abducted in Thailand raises money to fly home
This is the story of a young American woman who was allegedly abducted from a bar in Thailand, tied up in a windowless room and attacked by a man in uniform, before throwing herself off a balcony, hiding in some bushes overnight and finally escaping.
The story as recounted on a GoFundMe page and on Fox17online is missing a lot of details, to say the least, although it appears that the victim refused to file a police report, and that she was denied her airline ticket back home when she arrived at the airport. As such, a GoFundMe page was set up to raise money for her and her travelling partner’s ticket back — it had raised close to $9k by the time it was closed to donors.
Bangkok most inexpensive and desirable city for SEA travellers
In frankly quite unsurprising news, Bangkok has been judged by TripAdvisor to be the most budget friendly and attractive city in Southeast Asia to spend a week in during high season, for other travellers based in Southeast Asia. A week here, including all expenses, was judged to cost in the region of 43,451 baht per person.
For budget chasers, apparently the cheapest high season week in Bangkok is the one beginning January 16th. Good to know.
14 people have died in floods in the South
This is the tragic news of the deaths of 14 people who have died due to various accidents relating to the heavy flooding seen in the South in the past week. Heavy rain has hit areas in Songkhla, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Koh Samui, Koh Phangan and more.
Blogs
Look inside this $30m home on Koh Yao Yai
Breaking Bad star Aaron Paul booked an incredible Airbnb on Koh Yao Yai in Phuket for his wife’s birthday recently, and the pictures of this $30million home are now spreading around the travel blog-o-sphere. We’re usually ambivalent towards celebrity couples, but would not mind a night or two in this pretty sweet pad.
The best Bangkok restaurants of 2016
The best of Bangkok’s new openings this year from BK magazine, together with hints at those who’ll be lucky enough to be awarded one of 2017’s Top Tables. Is your favourite here?
Luxury Bangkok Airbnbs under $50
A little more property porn here — a collection of luxurious Bangkok condos found on Airbnb for under $50 a night. Bangkok’s hotels are notoriously cheap, but if you’d prefer to stay in the luxury of an entire property, you might find a bargain basement diamond in this list.
Forum Threads
A list of the most common scams in Thailand
We love Thailand, but it’s fair to say that there are a fair few scams doing the rounds that people stamped with ‘tourist’ all over them may fall prey to. This long Reddit thread uncovers all the scams that first-timers to Bangkok should be aware of to avoid peril on their holiday. Any to add?
What do you do in Thailand that you’d never do at home?
Thaivisa members list out the things that they routinely do in Thailand yet would never imagine doing back in their homelands. Answers vary from marrying a Thai girl and retiring before they die to thinking of themselves as a ‘hansum’ man.
Our favourite answer:
YouTube
I love how I can be doing 80kph down Ratchada on the Honda, and still get passed by someone on a Vespa in #Bangkok.
— Signore Sammy (@signoresammybkk) December 7, 2016
BROKEN NEWS#Thailand‘s police have confirmed that an international gang of Yakult rustlers is operating in #Bangkok disguised as police.
— The Durian Nation (@DurianNation) December 7, 2016
Today’s very cloudy #bangkok #sunrise: pic.twitter.com/KmRVnSqk0h
— Sheila Dee (@sheila_dee) December 6, 2016
And that’s been The Week On Sukhumvit — see you next time!
