Insider's guide to...Bangkok

AIRPORT TO CITY
By car: 45 minutes to one hour.

BEST HOTELS
1. The Oriental Bangkok
www.mandarinoriental.com, Tel: +66 2 659 9000
Sumptuous rooms and a classic design give the hotel a grand colonial feeling.

2. Shangri-La Hotel Bangkok
www.shangri-la.com/bangkok, Tel: +66 2 236 7777
Consistently voted one of the best hotels in the world in an elegant and exotic setting.

BEST RESTAURANTS
3. Sirocco
State Tower Building, Silom Rd, Tel: +66 2 624 9555
Amazing panorama view meets great Mediterranean dining and excellent wines.

4. Blue Elephant
233 South Sathorn Rd, Tel: +66 2 683 9353
Gorgeous 100-year-old building with imaginative Thai cuisine in stylish environs.
BEST CAFES & BARS

5. Hu’u Bar
Sathorn Rd, Tel: +66 2 676 6673
Funky design with dark ambiance and a large liquor showcase hanging from the ceiling.

6. Bed Supperclub
26 Soi Sukhumvit 11, Tel: +66 2 651 3537
Trendy club with white tables and ‘beds’, as well as white sink interior. Great tunes.

7. Kuppa
39 Sukhumvit Soi 16, Tel: +66 2 663 0495
Floor to ceiling windows and comfortable couches make it a great place for coffee.

A FEW HOURS TO KILL
8. Jim Thompson’s House and Museum
Soi Kasem San 2, Tel: +66 2 216 7368
Jim Thompson’s House is one of the best preserved traditional Thai houses in the city.
A large and interesting collection of antiques and artworks from all over Southeast Asia
and a nice selection of silk products.

9. MBK & Siam Square
MBK (Maboonkrong) is Bangkok’s legendary shopping mall with eight floors packed with
2,000 shops, mostly at bargain prices.

BUSINESS ETIQUETTE
- Thai people do not shake hands; they wai –
a gesture made by placing your hands together in front of your face and bowing a little.
- Shouting and showing of annoyance indicate a lack of discipline and are frowned upon.

TIPPING
Not compulsory, but appreciated.

SECRET OF THE JET SET
Songkran Festival (Thai New Year) April 13-15 The traditional Thai New Year is an occasion
for merriment all over the city, but most notably at Khao San Road and the Bang Lamphu area.
Bert Chamrernnusit is business development manager, Pacific World,
Thailand, Vietnam and Cambodia