First stop, Bangkok.
I took the Thai Airways, listening to the announcement in Thai. Thai Airways hospitality was great that I chose the same airlines for the next few business trips. I was extremely thrilled. This was my first time to Bangkok, and also to Thailand (if the passport-less border crossing at Wang Kelian Weekend Market was not counted). This journey also marked the beginning of myself living alone out of Malaysia, for the first time in my life! How could it not to be exciting?
About 2 hours later, the plane landed, and I started to feel the culture shock. As I grew up in Malaysia, speaking English seems to be a norm, and I was expecting this to happen in such a big city like Bangkok. However, the reality proved me wrong. The taxi driver could barely speak English, and the hotel staffs too! I checked myself into the All Season Sathorn Hotel, and prepared to go to office and get my hostel key. I got up the cab, and told him to go to "All Season Place", which was my working place, and after some chicken-duck communications, only he understood to head to "All 'Sea-Sun' Plate" (in Thai accent). Culture shock, yet again.
Upon reaching the office buildings at All Season Place, I called my fellow colleague to guide me to the office, and I met my mentor the first time. Together with her in the same cubicle, I met some other colleagues as well. I gave a "sawasdee-wai" hand gesture to each of them, as introductory (just like what Ronald McDonald does in every McDonald's outlet in Thailand). These people were funny, outgoing, and made a lot of jokes as well! Knowing that I was first time in Bangkok, they even offered me some guidance on the attractions around Bangkok, which were really helpful to me as a first-timer there.
First attraction that I went was one of the easiest to reach, which was the Chatuchak Weekend Market. This is nothing new to the tourist heading to Bangkok, still I would like to share some tips for the first timer, or for those who wish to go there in future. You can either go by BTS Skytrain and drop at Mo Chit station, and walk over to the opposite side of the road, or you can also opt for MRT and drop at Chatuchak Park station or Kamphaeng Phet station. There are a lot of entrance to the Chatuchak Weekend Market, and the market is so big which you may get yourself confused and lost inside the market. Coming from Mo Chit station or Chatuchak Park station, you will pass by a lot of food stalls & fruit stalls before heading into the market, while entering from Kamphaeng Phet station will make yourself directly inside the market area. Not to forget, the famous coconut ice cream stall is right beside the Kamphaeng Phet station! Don't miss the chance to indulge the coconut ice cream, which the ice cream were scooped into the coconut shell, with your selected toppings, it will surely please your taste bud especially under the hot sun!
In the market of more than 1000 stalls, be sure that you take note on each and every soi that you are into. Those "road signs" are clearly stated in every single corner.
The market is so big and crowded, and in case you are lost, make sure you look for this signature landmark, the clock tower. It could be the meeting point with your friends as well, if you guys are unsure which meeting point is the best.
The market is well known to sell products range from food, clothes, home decorations, souvenirs, up to pets, and this actually draws a lot of crowd! More crowd, more heat, especially if you go in the morning, and you can start to feel the heat of Bangkok as early as 10 am!
Tips: to avoid large crowd & soaring heat, you can visit the market at 4 pm onward.
Child begging was not something uncommon in Bangkok, back then when I was staying there till the end of 2012. I am not sure if this is still a norm there nowadays. They will usually do some trick, like playing musical instrument with totally out-of-tune rhythms, or just simply sitting there with a plastic cup in front of them.
After strolling across the alleys of the Chatuchak Weekend Market, you can take a short break at the Chatuchak Park just right beside of the market.
You can walk around the lake, with a lot of pigeons beside you.
Or you can do as what the Thais do, which is to have picnic by the lake!
So when you are here in Bangkok, be sure to visit this place which is something not to be missed, whether to taste the local food, or to shop for local items and souvenirs, or just to be here to check-in yourself into one of the main tourist attractions in Bangkok. Enjoy and stay tuned for more stories!
