Bangkok/ Pattaya Trip Day 1

Day 1 26 Nov 2007
Home>Budget Terminal>Bangkok International (BKK)>To hotel-Baiyoke Suite>Platinum Fashion Mall>Back to Hotel>MahBoonKron>Hotel(Home)-Sweet-Hotel(Home)

Before travelling, I will always find information of the country, their language, their cultures, and some places of interest that must not be missed. Before setting off, the i was told of the shopping mall near our hotel. Platinum Fashion Mall has 6 stories high, and selling mainly skinny clothes, shoes, eating places etc. S$1= 20 Baht, (UTC+7)

An overall introduction of Bangkok, Thailand.

95% of the Thai population is Buddhist, 4% Muslims and 1% Christian. Their working hours is from Monday to Saturday, 8:30am to 5pm. Every morning, the Thais will have Chinese bread (you2 tiao2) with coffee; porridge. Some Thais could not afford to buy a bed, so that sleep in the coffin. Clothes and footwear are cheap. But the material of the clothes may not be good. There are many imitations in Bangkok such as Thai Silk, Crocodile Skin.

It was early in the morning, 4am. We brought all the luggages down and took the taxi to Budget Terminal. After checking in, we went to catch a small bite at Han’s Cafe. I love their Apple Crumble Pie. It’s delicious and crispy. And it costs S$1.50.

Photo Credit: Jeff Ooi
The cafe was packed and we could not find any unoccupied table. Then, a Caucasian stood up from his seat and let us have the table. By looking at his outfit, I guessed that he is a pilot. After meal, we went into the Departure Gate. Normally, when you go Changi Airport, there will be staff at counters to do the Departure Immigration for you. But in Budget Terminal, we have 12 Departure Immigration Auto Clearance System (IACS) Counters.

1. First, scan your passport. And the first automated gate will open for you.
2. Second, place your thumb on the IACS screen. This IACS was introduced on 15 Dec 1996. Frequent traveller’s fingerprint data is stored in Checkpoint Access Card(CAC).

Photo Credit: Jeff Ooi
Since we were early and the boarding gate was still closed, we went to the Internet Kiosk to surf the Internet and check our emails.

Photo Credit: Jeff Ooi
Departed from Singapore at 06:30am, and arrived in Bangkok International Airport at 07:50am Bangkok Local Time. We were having difficulty to locate the belt our luggages were at. The TV Screen did not show our flight and belt number. So, we went to the service counter. It took a long time for us to know the belt number.Way out to Exit 3A, we tried to find the representative from the tour agency.

Checked in to Baiyoke Suite Hotel. Baiyoke Suite Hotel is centrally located in the heart of downtown Bangkok. It is surrounded by large department stores and, wholesales shops selling various kinds of goods. My room was at level 41, the 3rd highest level in the hotel.

Photo Credit: Baiyoke Suite Hotel
After checking in, went to Platinum Fashion Mall for lunch. It was a 5 minute walk from our hotel. There are small shops along the street, selling clothes, accessories and foot-wear. The shop-houses along the streets. The traffic was bad. One small lane walks people, cars, motocycles. And many people lug big bags of clothes and goods.

Across the over-head bridge, we reached Platinum Shopping Mall Level 3. The food court is located at 5th level. Before you buy your food,you have to go to the ticket counter to purchase a cash card. The food court collects money through the cash card. Deposit any amount and use it when purchasing food. You can get your refund after that.

We seldom see this in Singapore right? But in Platinum Fashion Mall, we can see this box on every table. It is a tissue box cum tooth-pick box. This gives great convenient to people who seldom bring tissue papers around.

Shark Fin Soup + One bowl of free rice
150 Baht (S$7.50)



Hor Fun and Pork with gravy
30 Baht(S$1.50)



Fried Chicken with rice
35 Baht (S$1.75)

Then, started retail therapy from Level5, all the way down. Each level is divided to many lanes. It is like the expanded version of The Heeren. The clothes shops operate on the principle that buying 1 piece is a retail sale and warrants retail price, but buying 3 (or sometimes more) pieces is wholesale and you get the wholesale price. An example of pricing structure is 1 men’s shirt retail 250 baht, 3 shirts wholesale 500 baht. There, i bought a shoe, bargained from 399 Baht to 299 Baht. On the way back to hotel, there is this lady pushing around a trolley, cooking something like carrot cake(with cabbage and bean sprout). The sauce is super hot, and i was struggling to finish it.


Spicy Carrot Cake
30 Baht(S$1.50)

Back in the hotel, i explored the facilities they have. Swimming pool.. massage area..restaurant.. After that, took taxi from our hotel to another shopping center-Mah Boon Krong Center. The taxi fare was 100 Baht(S$5).





Photo Credit: MBK Center



Photo Credit: MBK Center

Again, the food court at level 6 uses coupon to buy food. I ordered beef soup at 50 Baht(S$2.50). And i felt cheated. It only gives a few piece of beef and alot of bean sprout. I could not take the photos of the food in MBK Center as photography is restricted.After dinner, went retail therapy again. Bought Escada perfume at 420 baht(originally 450baht. bargained.), and bought a rope-weaved bag at 100 baht(S$5). Then, took the pink taxi back to hotel.

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