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5 Things To Know When Planning Your Trip to Bangkok, Thailand

Planning a trip to Bangkok? This city is so diverse and exciting, you’ll be surprised what it all has on offer for you. When I first visited in 2011, I stayed on one of the most popular tourist streets, the famous Khao San Road, and I could have sat there and people watch the whole day. Delicious street food (so cheap too!), fresh fruit juices, vendors, restaurant and bars – this street is a compressed version of the whole city. Before you go, make sure you know a little bit about the city that never sleeps. In this guest post, you will learn about the five things you should know when you go on a trip to Bangkok.

Golden temple in Bangkok, Thailand. Trip to Bangkok

Are you one of the lucky few who get to work as a digital nomad while visiting exotic destinations like Thailand? If you’re headed for Bangkok, you can be sure that your trip will be a captivating one. It’s a place where you can enjoy open markets, exotic dishes, and fascinating temples.

If you’re a digital traveller who wants to make sure to have a good trip where you can both work and enjoy the city, the following tips will help. They are just some of the things that you must do while in the city, what to watch out for, and how to make the most of your time:

You’ll want to learn some words before arriving

While many people in Bangkok speak English, it’s always a sign of respect to learn the language. Learning to speak fluently may not be possible before you arrive, but learning simple words and phrases can go far in helping you to adapt to the country, gain respect from locals, and even bargain at markets. If you plan on staying a while in the country, learning to speak Thai is a great idea.

Basic Thai phrases to get you by when on a trip to Bangkok:

Sawatdee (krub/kah)  Hello
Sabai dee ru (krub/kah)  How are you?
Sabai dee (krub/kah)  Fine
Khob Khun (kup/kaa) Thank you
chai Yes
mai chai
No
dai (you/ I) can
mai dai can not
mai pen rai 
never mind (handy all purpose phrase to express the Thai go-with-the-flow attitude)
pood Thai mai dai I can not speak Thai.
kow jai mai do you understand?
mai kow jai I do not understand
nee Tao Rai? How much?
pang expensive
pang mak very expensive
lot noi dai mai can you give a little discount
took cheap
naam water
chok dee good luck
sanaam bin Airport
ron hot
nao cold
hong naam toilet
naam keng ice
nit noi small – not much – a little bit
yai large
bia beer
soopburi smoke (inhale cigarette smoke)
neung 1
song
2
sam
3
see
4
haa 5
hok 6
jet
7
paed
8
gow
9
sip
10
sip-et
11
sip-song
12
yee sip
20
saam sip
30
roi/loi
100

Source: Tripadvisor.

You can’t leave Bangkok without visiting the markets

When people ask you, “why to travel to Bangkok,” you can be sure one reason is to get to know a new culture. As you consider unique and captivating experiences to be had, you’ll want to put “visit markets” on your list. There are markets of every kind, from food to souvenirs, as well as night markets, day markets, and even floating markets. A favourite market for many locals is the Amphawa Floating Market, where you can find anything from food to souvenirs.

 

Bangkok Chinatown is located along Yaowarat Road. It is the hub of street food
Bangkok Chinatown is located along Yaowarat Road. It is the hub of street food © pexels

 

A visit to the temples is worth it, but you don’t have to visit all of them

There are several temples in Bangkok and in the entire country, so unless you have a fascination with temples and want to make that your priority, you could stick to a few favourites to save time. Wat Phra Kaew is one that you should make a priority, along with the Grand Palace. Wat Arun is also a top choice for many visitors and is located right next to the river. If you plan on living there for an extended period of time, there will be time to see them all if you so wish, but if you’re just visiting, there are many more places that you’ll want to see while in the city, so pace yourself.

 

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Prepare coworking spaces ahead of time

Bangkok is not just a tourist city. It turned to a startup hub of Southeast Asia too. As you consider the idea of working remotely while travelling around Bangkok, you can trust that it will be an unforgettable experience. Of course, you’ll also want to realize that it won’t be the same as working back home. But, there are many good cafes around the city that can offer you more than just a good coffee.

You’ll be busy and will want your co-working space to be close to where you’re staying. You may have a favourite coffee shop to work at back home, but that specific one isn’t found here. While it will require you to do some research beforehand, you can find great co-working spaces that are worth your time in the ideal area for you. These spaces don’t cost much and help you make sure that you have a great place to work while in Bangkok.

The colorful taxis can be mostly seen everywhere in Bangkok, be sure to go with meter on your trip to Bangkok
The colourful taxis can be mostly seen everywhere in Bangkok, be sure to go with meter © pixabay

 

Learn how to bargain on your trip to Bangkok

As you enjoy the lifestyle of the wireless workforce who can live anywhere they want, you may appreciate spending less in Thailand. With that being said, there will be some locals who will want to charge you more for the simple fact that you are a foreigner. Avoid spending more than you should be, by taking your time to bargain. You can also find better prices in different places, as many places offer a “best deal,” so whether it’s lodging or food, you could spend less with a bit of research. Thailand isn’t expensive but if you happen to be travelling on a budget, it’s always a good idea to save a few dollars whenever you can.

For the most part, Thailand is the ideal destination for the digital nomad. Why you will want to know what to be careful in Bangkok, other than pickpockets and the occasional scooter accident, it’s a country with friendly people and beautiful destinations. If you want to be able to visit a nearby beach and lounge around after a work week or enjoy eating some of the best cuisines in the world, Bangkok may be the country for you.

As with any country that you go to, you’ll want to respect the laws and customs, but most of all, you want to enjoy Thailand and make it feel like home. Immerse yourself in the culture, visit nature, enjoy the food, and if you have time, don’t forget to take a trip to Chiang Mai, Phuket or Koh Samui. Thank your lucky stars that you’ve been blessed to work anywhere you find a wireless connection and this often means getting to experience exotic locations like Bangkok. Happy travelling!

 

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5 Things to Know When Planning a Trip to Bangkok

 

About the author: Riya is an inspired writer, passionate about travelling, lifestyle and encouraging startups. She is currently in Thailand. As a freelancer, she understands the importance of productivity at work. Riya never stopped finding new ways to create her work productivity. Twitter, @sanderriya.

 

 

By Julia Jerg

Julia is the founder and chief editor of Jey Jetter, a site that showcases the option of working remotely and travel as much as you like. Julia is a former PR/marketing consultant who turned into a remote working social media manager, travel writer and public speaker living location independently since 2011. She has been to 86 countries on all 6 continents and lived in several different countries for more than six months. Her laptop is her office and the label 'digital nomad' fits best to describe her lifestyle. On this site, she writes about personal freedom, remote work and her passion for travelling.

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