Job Discussion Forums

ghostdog · Posted: Sun Jun 12, 2005 5:21 am Post subject: Best place OFF Khao San Road....

Any suggestions on places to stay short-term in Bangkok that are NOT Banglampoo (too far away from decent transport and in any case I've done enough time there, thank you)? Would need to be reasonably cheap, quiet (or quiet in BKK terms, anyway) and with an ensuite bathroom. AC would be nice but not a necessity. Would also need to be within walking distance of Skytrain and/or MRT. Looking for something temporary that I don't have to commit to long term while I hopefully do some part-time things and see what else is available. But because I expect to be working I need someplace where there is actually enough space to unpack some and hang up my monkey clothes between gigs. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

kenkannif · Joined: 07 Apr 2004 Posts: 550

Not sure if it's near the transport doodahs you require (SG or others please correct me if I'm wrong) but Big John's gets the thumbs up from me and a lot of other people:

http://www.bigjohnsworld.com

Kent F. Kruhoeffer · Joined: 22 Jan 2003 Posts: 2129 Location: 中国

^ Big John's is very near the Thong Lor

Skytrain Station on Sukhumvit 55, Soi 9:

http://www.bigjohnsworld.com/html/maps.html

A good, central location ... and right around the corner from Fun Language,

located on Sukhumvit 55, Soi 13: http://www.funlanguage.co.th/

There are also quite a few 'reasonable' apartment rental opportunities

in the Thong Lor / Ekkamai area since it's a bit south of the city centre.

from Big John's website:

Rooms can be booked from 290-430 Baht - single, 390- 530 Baht double and 490-630 Baht triple.

Prices vary based on room size, windows, early booking

and weekday/end and may be adjusted without notice.

BTS Skytrain & MRT Metro Map:

http://www.bts.co.th/en/map.asp

Sheep-Goats · Joined: 16 Apr 2004 Posts: 527

There are also some quite nice guesthouses oppostie MBK at BTS National Stadium -- you have to walk up the first soi you come to once you're on the sidewalk and walking away from the BTS and toward the river.

I have a really good realtionship with the people I rented my apartment from in Bangkok, so if I were to visit the city for a month or so I'd likely see them (they'll give me a key to an aircon room that's clost to Surasak BTS for 5500 a month with only one month down -- and they're aboslute angels about getting that one month deposit back to me) but if I didn't have that kind of a relationship set up I'd probably either stay at Big John's (week or so) or one of those places opposite MBK (for a monthly situation).

ghostdog · Posted: Fri Jun 17, 2005 7:17 am Post subject:

Thanks for the suggestions, but the impression that I'm drawing from Big John's website is that it's basically a hostel and doesn't have any rooms with a private bathroom. Is that correct?

I didn't realize that there were so many monthly apartment rentals, or that the rates hadn't gone up very much since the last time I was there several years ago. This is a definite option but there is, as Sheep-Goats points out here, the danger of not getting your deposit back. Any places anyone can recommend that can be trusted? (Feel free to pm me if you wish.) Thanks again.

Kent F. Kruhoeffer · Joined: 22 Jan 2003 Posts: 2129 Location: 中国

Hi ghostdog:

Maybe you could hang out at Big John's for a few days while scouting for a real apartment?

As I mentioned above, you'd definitely be in the right neighborhood for that.

Small, furnished studios with air start out around 4,000 Baht per month.

I agree 100%; a private bathroom is a MUST.

http://thaiapartment.com/ (Thai Apartment)

http://www.mrroomfinder.com/ (Mr. Room Finder)

http://www.click4apartment.com/ (Click-4-Apartment)

http://www.easyhorpak.com/index.php?lang=en (EasyHorpak)

Sheep-Goats · Joined: 16 Apr 2004 Posts: 527

ghostdog · Posted: Mon Jun 20, 2005 7:31 am Post subject:

Thanks for all the info, folks, with a special nod to Kent for the apartment rental websites (stumbled across one of them on my own, but I doubt very much I would have found them all). I think I will try the area near the National Stadium first, perhaps on a weekly basis, and then shop around for one of the less expensive furnished/serviced places. It would probably help if I knew where I was going to work first, don't you think?

Any other ideas, please feel free to pass them on.

Sheep-Goats · Joined: 16 Apr 2004 Posts: 527

ghostdog · Posted: Fri Jun 24, 2005 9:49 am Post subject:

And what other things might those be, he asked, batting his eyes innocently? Embarassed

Kent F. Kruhoeffer · Joined: 22 Jan 2003 Posts: 2129 Location: 中国

Libraries

Lots of public libraries down in that neck O' the woods,

he said, batting his eyes innocently. Twisted Evil

ghostdog · Posted: Sun Jun 26, 2005 4:34 am Post subject:

Well, I always have been a voracious reader.... Rolling Eyes

Sheep-Goats · Joined: 16 Apr 2004 Posts: 527

amandabarrick · Joined: 30 Dec 2004 Posts: 391

Not sure if you're still looking, but the Woodlands Inn is 470 THB per night, private bathroom, A/C, quiet, but a long walk from the MRT station.
It is also not very clean, and the bed is not great, but you get what you pay for.

www.woodlandsinn.org

Another hotel worth checking out is in Chinatown called "The Golden Chain" across the street from the Grand China Princess on Yaowarat Rd. It was cleaner and more comfortable than Woodlands, but the street is soooo noisy even at night, so try to get a room not facing the street.
also around 500 THB.

AB