This trip to Bangkok is the 8th and final trip in 10 years that Wife and I would be travelling as two yay!
This Bangkok trip follows our trip to Australia a day apart, which was with my classmates from Junior College (JC). We have had groomsmen duties at a vineyard at Yarra Valley. Dressing up in air con weather in ang moh land was awesome.
All in all, I can’t ask for more out of life. Two amazing trips back to back with the only two groups I travel with, just before the pop, is amazing. There isn’t a better definition of the end of a chapter and the start of another.
Flying off to Bangkok
The half a year wait for these two trips is finally over. The Australia leg is over, now I’m finally flying to Bangkok again.
Tailoring a suit
The first thing to do upon touch down in any Bangkok trip is to get to the tailor’s. This gives you time for at least two fittings instead of one.
I introduced my BIL to the only tailor I return to every time, and for 10 years already. It isn’t cheap, but it isn’t expensive either. For a reference scenario, if he wanted a cheaper tailor, which he didn’t of course, the only way we could have found a cheaper was to turn to google and then try our luck with some tailors all over again.
Read also: Guide to finding the right tailor in Bangkok
But I have already paid my tuition fees and have learnt all sorts of interesting lessons. Hence, I have no qualms referring my BIL to my regular guys.
Bad tailoring experience
For my first tailoring experience, I literally walked into an ulu malu street in the hopes of stumbling upon an honest, skilled tailor and it is just that he is poor at marketing. I was wrong. The shoulders on my shirt were too broad and the sleeves were too short.
The second tailor I walked into was one of those at pratunam market. They went by package and kept pushing to me. Even after visiting them a second and third time in subsequent trips, their idea was still to push packages to me. I mean they know me and recognise me. Their tailoring was fine but I felt treated more like a perpetual prospect rather than a valued customer whom they built a relationship with. But again, the tailoring was fine. Just gotta deal with their pushiness by insisting no.
Second fitting
Back to my BIL, this trip being an off-season trip, there appeared to be absolutely no customers. The first fitting was scheduled for the next day and the second fitting was the day after. I doubt my BIL got the opportunity to appreciate the full extent of not visiting the tailors immediately upon touch down. I had once taken up to 7 days during peak season to get my suit properly tailored even with these guys. Most people visit Bangkok only over the weekends perhaps with an additional day or two which is too short a time for tailoring.
Food court
Any average food court in Bangkok will give you superior food to the food court in Singapore. The basis for this statement is simple: the average Thai cook behind the counter goes home to cook for their families when they get home. The average Thai around you is a better cook than the average Singaporean. In other words, there is a general know-how in Thai society and it translates very well in their Fnb industry.
Furthermore, their food is not centrally prepared or pre-prepared for heating up upon ordering.
Street food
Roadside restaurant outside 7-11 outside Terminal 21. Comfort with eating street fBangkok
Chilling in Bangkok
Wife and I love boutique hotels and one of the reasons is that the swimming pools and gyms are unused.
After the 4th time in Bangkok, shopping was no longer a priority. Instead, it was the ability to retire. The purpose is to be above it all, consumption included, and chill like a boss.
I mean I already paid for your hotel stay didn’t I? For emphasis, it is 99% chance that one will have the pool all to themselves in a boutique hotel as the other guests are likely on shopping trips, not trips of a relaxing nature.
Chatuchak weekend market
If you have both Saturday and Sunday on your itinerary, I recommend going on both days.
Buying T-shirts and clothes. We really stopped bargaining a long time ago. We used to do so on our first few trips, but after speaking to some vendors over the years, it’s
It wasn’t like in Khao San when we saw a Caucasian tourist bargaining. The price to him was $1200 per T-shirt. He thought bait, then offered $900
Massage
Coincidentally
Siam Center
Visited Fri 27 Nov, my favourite shop in Siam Center, again. The crane embroidery on this blazer itself has value relative to the price. Would have bought it if not for the size. This is in spite of the slightly questionable fabric design Kehe.
Time to~~ say goodbye~~
Keching 