Bangkok is different! On arrival your first coherent thought is often, "Run away!" The traffic seems chaotic, the air unbreathable, everyone’s trying to sell you something and you can’t get your bearings because everywhere looks the same!
But nose around down leafy sidestreets just a few steps from the concrete jungle or take a canal boat through the sleepy sprawl on the west bank of the river and you’ll still find poignant reminders of the vanished “Venice of the East”. Take a sincere interest in the people and you’ll find beyond the surface image of taxi-drivers trying to rip you off, clinging jewelry-shop touts and pushy sex-workers that in reality most Thais are gentle, considerate, humorous and inexhaustibly patient. You may soon find yourself joining the many who have already fallen for Bangkok’s idiosyncratic and dynamic lure.
There can be few cities of its size where you can feel so safe. You may need to keep your wits about you in commercial dealings and your eyes open when crossing roads, but for a city of at least 10 million people, street crime is still extraordinarily rare.
Thais look with contempt on any expression of aggression or anger - even mild irritation - in public and no matter how pressured the situation, they remain outwardly calm and gracious. Forget about attitude, forget about those scowling rush-hour crowds - for Thais there’s rarely any day so bad or job so tiresome it can seem reason to begrudge another human being the small gift of a smile.
In Bangkok, eating well is an obsession and it’s no exaggeration to say there are restaurants on every corner. Patronising them every night won’t burn much of a hole in your pocket, either. International cuisine is increasingly fashionable and readily available, though high quality western food comes with a western price tag.
Nightlife in Bangkok starts late and finishes later. There are bars and clubs to suit every taste from tango to techno, trampling over jazz, blues, dance and heavy metal. Bangkokians are also movie-crazy! There are 18 cinema screens within walking distance of our head office, for instance, but if your interest is in anything other than Hollywood action movies or Thai historical blockbusters, you’ll need to wait for the European, British, Australian or French Film Festivals which each come round once a year.
Apart from dancing, there are other ways to use your energy, swimming pools, sports and fitness centres, an ice rink, and the opportunity to practise martial arts. However, shopping is the national pastime and roundabout haggling a useful art to acquire.
There are countless palatial shopping malls to tempt the fashion-conscious and several huge markets for those in search of atmosphere and bargains. Things like English-language books, imported CDs and western foodstuffs can be found easily, but they don’t come cheap and don’t expect the range you’d get at home.
Bangkok's chaotic charm doesn't appeal to everybody. The traffic and pollution can be overwhelming. If you hold punctuality and prompt responses in high regard, or if you’re looking for up-to-the-minute efficiency in services, you won’t find life here easy. A sense of humour and an enjoyment of the absurd is also essential.
If you’re not into new culinary experiences and your idea of hot food is adding a smattering of pepper, then Thailand may not be for you. And if you start to complain about the heat when the temperature reaches 25C, forget it!
from http://www.eccthai.com
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