Bangkok is a city of multitudes and there are a thousand ways you can access and enjoy it. The time I first went to Bangkok 10+ years ago when backpacking in SEA, I found it relentlessly busy, overwhelming, humid, muggy and tiring. It wasn’t top of my list to return to, however in recent years it’s jumped into poll position as one of my top destinations for a quick city break with a good amount of hedonism attached.
It seems counterproductive to leave one spralling city scape such as Singapore for another even bigger and busier like Bangkok. For me, Bangkok signals a level of freedom. The minute I jump on the back of a grab bike and weave through the Thong Lor traffic I will breath in the polluted air but feel a sense of freedom and relaxation wash over me. When you live in an expensive and over saturated metropolis like Singapore or London it’s hard to be hedonistic as the pressures of work and societal norms build. When I’m in Bangkok I eat what I want, drink what I want and buy what I want. I guess I have the mantra of ‘it’s cheaper here’ or ‘I can’t find that back home’ but really I just like to feel free to do as I please and Bangkok still facilitates that.
Chatuchak market - 87, 10 Kamphaeng Phet 2 Rd, Khwaeng Chatuchak, Chatuchak, Bangkok 10900, Thailand
We flew early on the Sunday morning arriving around 9am and headed straight to Chatuchak market. As a place for finding bargains, it’s a little hit and miss. I think you need to spend a good few hours there to really traipse through the touristic shit. It’s worth it for second hand Dickies and Carhartt etc and also for a lot of practically new trainers. There are also some interesting stalls with salvaged Japanese denim. As with most flea markets, it’s down to perception, one mans rubbish is another mans treasure. We didn’t really buy much here apart from some knock off Jelly cat toys for the nieces then we managed to grab a quick bite of a handmade kuih; blue pea flower glutinous rice with salted coconut and pandan custard. Seriously moreish.
We spent too much time trying on glasses in a locally branded shop, each pair was a bit more crazy and the sales rep was adamant that Rachel got these ones. Needless to say the seed was sewn and all three of Rach, Pete and Vivian bought glasses at Same old days in Yaowarat.
Same old days: 647 Talat Noi, Samphanthawong, Bangkok 10100, Thailand
Lunch - Prik Yuak - 108 Pradiphat Rd, Phaya Thai, Bangkok 10400, Thailand
Our first proper food was at Prik Yuak considered a more refined approach to Thai food. Speaking to the owner after our meal she was quite adamant on not using oyster sauce or overly salting the food. She had developed a cuisine which was labour intensive but maintained the natural flavour of the produce. This was an eye opening perspective in a cuisine usually known for assaulting the taste buds with salt, sugar, spice and funk. A highlight for me was the local Thai banana with salted coconut milk, the banana quite dense and not overly sweet.
Attached to the restaurant was a small shop selling antiques and vintage kitchenware. The owner apparently has a whole garage full but was remiss to bring us. We all managed to pick up some interesting ceramics and plates but Vivian and Pete hit it out the park with these highly unique ceramics.
Red building - จังชั่น 511 อาคารศูนย์การค้าบางซื่ิอ Kamphaeng Phet 2 Rd, Chatuchak, Bangkok 10900, Thailand
A little further out of the centre of town is the red building market featuring a number of antiques stalls set up like a flea market. This is quite hard to come by in Singapore and not without a premium on the product. Luckily we managed to get a Le Creuset kettle, Ikebana x 2, Peugeot salt and pepper mill and marble grape ornament. It was fun to chat to the store clerks and haggle a little bit, definitely worth it!
Clothes shopping - Hide Selected - 42 Soi Ari 5, Phaya Thai, Bangkok 10400, Thailand
I’m notorious in not really seeing the value in clothes shopping, even more so now I’m living in an extremely hot and humid country. I’ve gotten quite bad at wearing the same old shit day in day out… t shirt, uniqlo shorts and keens? It’s sooo boring but I can’t yet stomach wearing and sweating through trousers or shirts. I do however stock up on clothes at a specific shop in Sri Ari. Hide Select curate a multi label store of local brands. I find the materials to be of high quality, the designs on point and often a bit tongue in cheek and the wear on the clothes is really good. I will always buy a lot as the price is good and I am a sucker for that bargain.
Here’s me and Rach in my Boyis tee, stupidly comfy CeeCee trackies and her in the Wood and Mountain trousers.
Part 2 will likely look into all the random places we have eaten in Bangkok to give a mini guide to the night time too. Bangkok is really a wonderful place if you want to eat, shop and drink till you drop.
I have curated a small playlist of what I would like to hear whilst on the back of a Grab bike roaming round Bangkok.