Submitted by New York Photographer, Paul Kan (thanks buddy!)

hey guys,

i'm sure you're getting tons of tips from everyone, and probably know
most of this already, but thought i'd put in my own two cents. ;-)

not sure where you're staying or how much you're paying, but when i
was just in bangkok a few weeks ago, i found a few new places that
were a lot quieter and nicer than KSR on the street just behind KSR
(Rambutre Road).

Four Sons Inn
327/2-3-4 Rambutre Road
+66 (0)2 629-5812
http://www.foursonsinn.com (site not quite up yet)
brand new inn, large rooms, A/C, electric outlets
600THB/night for large corner room with windows with A/C and bathroom
i think its ~450THB for interior smaller rooms
DVD library, satellite TV

Tuptim Bed&Breakfast
82 Soi Rambuttri
+66 (0)2 629-1535
http://www.tuptimb-b.com/499THB/night A/C with bathroom
250THB for rooms that share a bathroom
AC, but no electric outlets! (to charge phones, etc.)
TV, outdoor cafe downstairs

Viengtai Hotel
full service hotel
i think it was about 1500THB

around Sukhumvit, i always used to stay at the Royal Benja Hotel. but
its gotten to be kind of expensive. it used to be about 1200THB, but
now its around 2000THB.

Royal Benja Hotel
Sukhumvit Soi 5 (the huge tower at the end of the road)
pool, about 30 stories of large spacious rooms with very large
bathrooms just a few blocks away from Bumrumgrad Hospital (the best,
nicest, and cheapest hospital in SEAsia apart from HK!) and just
across from Nana Plaza (on soi3)

in Nana Plaza, there are lots of more seedy establishments, but one
that is pretty good is G-Spot on the second floor in the far right
corner. they are very pleasant, cute girls, have good A/C, and you
can order burgers and fries which are very good! i used to go to
relax after a long day, just to have a beer and those great
burgers! (with entertainment of course!).

you can also get good burgers at one of the stands just at the opening
of nana plaza. (i wonder if that guy is the one supplying burgers to
the places inside?) for an authority on this kind of thing, or really
on virtually everything in bangkok, you should check out
http://www.stickmanbangkok.com
if you want to get shirts or suits made, there is a good tailor shop
in the mall on the Nana side of Sukhumvit Soi2 just across from the
McDonalds on the ground floor. the manager is named Surat. last
time, i had a tux made and several shirts. this time i had a few
shirts made from quality thick egyptian cotten for about $30 each,
that would have easily cost $150-200 here in NYC. you can also order
cheaper fabrics for about half the price. (btw the KFC opposite the
mall on Soi2 is very good. i feel like all the KFCs in Bangkok are
easily much better than they are in the states!!)

Intercollection by Mr Tommy
Ploechit Center
Sukhumvit Soi 2
+66 (0)2 656-9168
+66 (0)1 310-7442 mobile

be sure to take a water taxi through some of the canals in bangkok
across from chinatown side (you can take water taxis that end up in
chinatown). the floating market two hours north of Bangkok is really
not worth it, as its 60+% tourists, its far, and you have to go at the
crack of dawn. but if you're bored, and have lots of time, you might
still want to go.

not sure if you're carrying mobile phones, but you can buy Orange or
1-2-Call SIM cards in the 7-11s. orange only works in bangkok though.
i think 1-2-call works everywhere as its on the GSM Thailand network.
(it even worked in koh tao, where orange did not)

lastly, if you want anything computer related, check out the Computer
City at Pantip Plaza on Phetburi Road (across and down from the Amari
Watergate Hotel). they also have a big selection of music CDs and VCD
and DVDs, although i found their variety was not as good as in
vietnam! bangkok tends to have more of a smaller selection of the
same mainstream movies.

if you have any other questions just give me a hollar!

-- Paul
http://www.paulwhkan.com

ps. planning to write up my Koh Tao scuba trip, and i really ought
to finish-up my 2001 travelogue already!