Shopping Area Around Bangkok

previous story.. Amazing Tiger Temple - Kanchanaburi


From Tiger Temple, we rode back to River Kwai Bridge. Our guide said that we have to change the car, what? geezzz...
We stopped right in front of gem market, I guessed this was his trick so we go for shopping gems. There were so many gem shops that selling various colours and shapes of gems here.. :p

Gem Market, near River Kwai Bridge and Jeath War Museum

This gem market is not far from River Kwai Bridge, about 200 m, and also close to Jeath War Museum. Yupp.. Jeath War Museum was next to me and I did not relize it until I saw an old train in front of the museum.. ;))

In front of Jeath War Museum.

During world war II, the japanese used this train for transportation of ammunitions to expand the fight into India & Burma.

Some pictures which are representing the old time - World War II and museum entrance.

But, I did not interest to come inside of the museum. I prefered to sit in front of the entrance and ate ice cream.. :D
Around 30 minutes waiting in front of Jeath Museum, our car finally arrived. The car that we use to go to Bangkok was different with the one before, but same type. When I came inside, there were three white girls and a white man sat at the back. I assumed that they used the same tour agency with us to go to Bangkok. Then I sat in the middle, next to window.

It was getting dark when we leaved Kanchanaburi. At first, people who sat at my back talked and laughed often. But slowly, they stopped talking. It was so quite in the car, no one talking. Seems all of us felt asleep that time.

After 2 hours driving, we arrived at Bangkok. It was about 07 PM when I hit at Khaosan Road. Then I looked for dinner at Rambutri Road and choose Pad Thai Noodle with chicken as dinner.. yummyy.. (^_^)

Pad Thai Noodle with various noodles and only 50 bath. Eh ada risol juga ;))

Day 5, Saturday 11 Dec' 2013

At 07.30 am in the morning, I left hostel and go to Chatuchak Market. But first, I bought Thai Tea to acompanying me, hihihi.. I guess it a must to buy Thai Tea everytime I left the hostel.. :p

Hot Thai Tea, only 20 bath.. ^_^

Then I walked along Ratchadamnoen road and stopped at the bus stop. Again, I confused what number of the bus that I should take to go to Chatuchak Weekend Market. Lucky, I saw an officer near the bus stop. I asked him about the bus, but he did not answer my question, he just took my notes (paper) and my pen. Then, he wrote number 157, 503, 509, and 59 at paper. Whoahh... nice help sir.. ^_^

After not long enough waiting, the bus number 157 passed in front of me. And when the bus stopped, me and other passangers quickly ran and came inside the bus. The bus was enough empty, only a few people inside of the bus. A woman who was collecting the fare came to me. I have to pay 17 bath for fare. Then I tried to communicate with her, I told her that I want to go to Chatuchak Weekend Market. Well, she can not speak English but she knew what I meant.. :D

Chatuchak Weekend Market

Almost one hour driving, finally I arrived at Chatuchak Weekend Market. Chatuchak Weekend Market was across the street, so I must walk up the bridge. According to its name, Chatucak Weekend Market open only at weekend. At weekdays, this market is close. Chatucak open at 10 AM, but I came too early, at 8 AM.. The market did not open yet, only some sellers have opened their shops. I went into the market and started to find souvenirs for my family at home... :D

JJ Outlet acrossed Chatucak Weekend Market.

The benefit from came early is you will get more discount for being the first buyer, hehehe.. ^^
Oya, you can do bargain in this market and do not be shy to do that.. ;)

Something happened when I stopped at a t-shirt vendors. When I want to pay 200 bath for 2 t-shirts, I look like lossing my mind. Well.. I did not have 200 bath, but I have a sheet of 1.000 bath and some sheets of small change and coins.

I did not realize that I gave her (one of the seller-red) 1.000 bath plus some sheet of small change. I thought it was 100 bath, not 1.000 bath.. I completely wrong!
But did you know what happened next? she just smile when she took my money and looked at her friend (a pregnant woman who sat next to us, a seller too-red) while she waved 1.000 bath of mine to the air.
The pregnant woman looked at her friend and shook her head.

And then, the woman who was holding my money, gave back my 1.000 bath. Then she explained that it was 1.000 bath not 100 bath. Goshh!... Those women are good people and honest, alhamdulillah... They were not cheating on me!.. (^_^)
I can not stop saying thank you to them for they kindness and I also pray that those women have many many luck in their future, ameen.. (^_^)

After bought some bags, t-shirts, and other souvenirs, I left Chatuchak. This time I used bus, number 509. Bus no. 509 is passing Democracy Monument which is near Ratchadamnoen Road. I have to pay 17 bath for its fare (AC).
When the bus stopped at Democracy Monument, I must walk long enough to reach the hostel. It is because the bus stop is far enough from where I stayed.. (-_-*)

Democracy Monument was full with demonstrans.

It was around 10.30 AM when I reached at hostel and put my stuffs there and changing t-shirt. As you might not know, I only brought 3 t-shirts from Jakarta, and t-shirt that I used to go to Chatucak was stinky hihihi... :))
Afterwards I went back again to the street, this time I like to go to Pratunam.

Pratunam Area

Pratunam area is an area whose filled by shopping centers around its sides. To go to this place, I used bus number 2 from bus stop at Rachadamnoen Road. Bus number 2 is serving Ratchadamnoen klang road - ekkamai bus terminal route.

It was a little bit shocking when the officer who should collect fare did not do her job. She did not collecting fare at all, it is free!
Ahh.. I remembered an article whose said that on every weekend, some buses at Bangkok do not collecting fare from their passanger. It is free!.. (^_^)
But, only buses that have no air conditioner (AC) whose free.. (^_^)

FYI: bus number 29 (Don Mueang airport - Hua Lamphong) is free also on weekend.. ;)

The first bus stop in Pratunam area is Pantip Plaza. Honestly, I did not realize that I have arrived at Pantip Plaza. I just saw a lot of people stop there and there were crowds outside along the street.. :p
From where I stopped I must walk up the bridge to reach Pantip Plaza.

Pantip Plaza.

Pantip Plaza is a shopping center whose selling electronic stuffs. You can find any kind of electronic stuffs here, such as flash disk, laptop, computer, camera, cellular phone, etc.
In front of Pantip Plaza, there were some street vendors who were selling various of food and beverage. But for moslem you must becareful, cos many of them are selling pork.

My simple lunch that I bought from street vendors was good and very cheap. The shrimps only 30 bath, orange juice 20 bath (this one you must try cos the orange juice is original and so fresh..), and rice with egg 20 bath.

Scenery at Pratunam area.

Beside Pantip Plaza, there are other malls in this area such as Platinum Fashion Mall, iSetan, and Big C. You can visit those places by foot. Platinum Fashion Mall is one of famous mall in Bangkok. Here you can find many kind of cloths, gown, t-shirt, skirts, pants, fashion stuffs, etc.

When I looked inside of Platinum Fashion Mall, I met alot of Indonesian people who were shopping here. I can meet them in every floor inside of the mall.. :O
It was so contrast, as long as I stayed at Khaosan Road, I never met Indonesian people.. :O

Indonesian people love shopping here, some of them to resell again but some of not. They said that shopping here is cheaper. But I do not agree 100%, cos in my humble opinion, the gap of the price between malls in Jakarta and in here are not much, around IDR 0-20K for cotton t-shirt. The price of cotton t-shirt here around 120 - 200 bath/piece.

iSetan, Platinum Fashion Mall, and Big C.

From Platinum, I went to iSetan mall. iSetan mall is a luxury shopping center. It is look like sogo, plaza indonesia, and other luxury malls in Jakarta. Right across iSetan, is Big C. In this mall, you can find supermarket. But I did not went inside this mall cos I was so tired walking around mall to mall that day.. (-_-*).

San Saeb Boat Express

Then I decided to go back again to Pantip Plaza, but in the middle of the way, I saw something interesting when I passed the bridge. Acrossed the bridge I saw many people standing and looked down the bridge. What was there?

Pushed by curious, I acrossed the street straight to those people, and when I get there, my mouth turned into 'O'... I saw two boats down the bridge, filled by people who went in and out the boat.

Khlong San Saeb River & express boats at Pratunam Pier.

Gosh! I found what I was looking for! As long as I stayed in Bangkok, I wondered where was San Saeb River. I was very interesting with this transportation. It was because this transportation is serving some route through the river. No traffic jam and it is very cheap, only 12 bath for more than one pier, and 10 bath if we go only one pier.

Khlong San Saeb River is a small river with green colour. The river is clean enough eventhough I saw garbage at some corners of this river.

FYI:This river has 18 km route and served by 100 boats of 40-50 seats. Operates from 5:30am to 8:30pm daily.

Then I went down to the pier, I want to use this boat to go to MBK mall. The name of the pier is Pratunam Pier. According to my notes, MBK can be reached by this boat.

at Pratunam Pier

From Pratunam Pier, I went to Hua Chang Pier with this boat. I just paid 10 bath cos it is only one pier that I should go.

When I reached Hua Chang Pier, I only have to walk about 200 m to reach MBK mall.
MBK mall locate at the crossroad. Across MBK, there are Siam Discovery and Siam Paragon which are another shopping center. To reach Siam Discovery and Siam Paragon from MBK, you should take skybridge whose connecting those shopping centers.

The first shopping center that I entered was MBK. MBK is look like Mangga Dua or Tanah Abang (shopping center in Jakarta). Here you can find many kinds of stuffs, food, beverage, cosmetics, t-shirt, cloth, etc.

The price of t-shirt between MBK and Pratunam are same. But when I compare the price for food (like snack for souvenirs), MBK is cheaper than Chatucak Weekend Market. As example, for a bag of durian snack you should pay 400 bath at chatucak Weekend Market, but in MBK you only have to pay 300 bath.
So... if you want to buy snacks (for souvenirs) you should go to MBK.. ;)

Skybridge, MBK, and Siam Discovery mall

Me & Tom Cruise in front of Madame Tussauds at Siam Discovery ^^ Ticket for this place is open at 10 AM - 19.50 PM, 800 bath/person.

Siam Discovery and Siam Paragon, also look like other malls in Jakarta. After took a walk around at MBK mall, Siam Discovery, and Siam Paragon, I went back to Hua Chang Pier. I used express boat at San Saeb River again.. :D
It was 18 PM when I reached Hua Chang Pier. Something wrong happened when I want to pay for fare. I took wrong boat! hihihi...

The boat that I should took was across the river, and the woman who was collecting the fare said that I must disembark at the next pier. And she refused when I want to pay for fare... how nice she is, alhamdulillah.. ^_^

Then, I disembarked at Pratunam Pier (again! hahaha..) I did not straight to cross the river, but I used this opportunity for went back to Pratunam street and buy food for dinner. I got rice + chicken wings, only 20 bath.. ^_^

Afterwards, I moved to Pratunam Pier again, and went to Phan Fa Leerad Pier. Phan Fa Leerad Pier is the closest pier to Khaosan Road and Rachadamnoen Road. I just have to pay 12 bath to go there by boat at San Saeb River. It took about a half hour to get there.

When I stepped out from the boat, I just realized that Phan Fa Leerad Pier is far enough with my hostel but near Democracy Monument. It was around 20 PM. The road sides of Rachadamnoen Road were full with street vendors and demonstrans. As you might know, Thailand people were doing demonstration to overthrow Prime Minister of Thailand, Yingluck Shinawatra.

Me at the center of demonstration at Democracy Monument.

But, the demonstrans who were gathering near Democracy Monument, were not Yingluck's supporters. They can be recognized by yellow t-shirt. As you know, there were two groups of these demonstrans. One using yellow t-shirt and other using red t-shirt. Yellow t-shirt is the one who against Yingluck Shinawatra. So, it was dangerous if I came to this place (Rachadamnoen area-red) wearing red t-shirt.. :p

These snacks made by coconut and they were delicious, only 20 bath/each. Indonesia also has these kind of snacks, such as klepon, ketan, klapertaart, cenil, etc.. ^^

So, after I took some photos, I walked at road sides of Rachadamnoen that night and sightseeing. I saw many street vendors selling many kind of stuffs, food, and beverage. I bought some snacks here.
Around 20 PM I reached hostel. God!.. I was so tired that day... zzzz


to be continue... The Grand Palace - Bangkok


Salam

Ifa Abdoel