Job Discussion Forums

[Christoforos]

Hi all,
I'm searching for an appartment in Bangkok, I hope I'll be coming in September. I've heard several things about various places. I ant to ask the following:
a) is Patpong area full of bars of prostitutes? (I found a room there, so I need to know what area we're talking about). What about Phaya Thai?
b) Sala Daeng BTS station is in Patpong area. How long would it take to walk from Sala Daeng BTS Station to Siam BTS station?
c) is the ECC within walking distance from Siam BTS station?
d) are the rooms in real as nice as they look on the internet?

Thank you very much in advance.

[isanity]

a)Yes. Enjoy. Phaya Thai is very different- mostly Thai residential. Dull, but not particularly unpleasant.

b)Probably 15-20 minutes. Bear in mind that there won't be much shade or shelter.

c)Yes, very near.

d)

[Pauleddy]

Yes, Patpong is one of several sleazy areas, with gay and straight go-go bars. However, it's also right in the middle of (slightly to the side of) Silom (Saladaeng BTS is the main station of Silom). Silom is one of the main business areas, with banks and stuff. The area, and its neighbour Sathorn, is also where a lot of farang (westerners) work and live, in apartments which are more up-market (possibly) than some others, but with higher rents, of course. I live in Sathorn, in a slightly quieter part.

Don't worry too much about Patpong, it isn't that heavy. I have never been hassled too much there. Once you get used to it, it is actually quite nice to walk about in Patpong, especially at night. The worst hassle, mostly, is from guys who want to sell you sex DVDs or want you to buy fake Breitlings. The main straight go-go bars are all in 2 or 3 small roads. The gay go-go bars are mainly in 1 small road.

I was wondering why you want to walk from Saladaeng up to Siam when the Skytrain will take u in about 4 minutes and cost 15 or 20 baht (about 25p). A cab will be about 40b (60p). Always ask for the meter if he doesnt put it on, 1 or 2 will try it on but not many.

Yes, it is HOT. U will not want to walk far. The cabs and skytrains are air-conned. Today it will be about 35-38 degrees c. here, and quite heavy heat. If you have never experienced this, it can be quite something! Your lovely Ralph Lauren Polo will be drenched in about 3 minutes of walking. Most of us send a lot of stuff to the laundry here. And, it is not yet as hot as it will get.............

In general I would advise against taking a room six months before you arrive here, unless it is recommended (etc.). There is loads of stuff to rent, and I would NEVER take something without seeing it. You should wait until you arrive, or arrive a bit early. If you are set on Patpong, stay a few nights in a cheaper hotel like the Rose, which is 1500b a night and is fine. About 20-21 quid.

There may be stuff nearer to your course location.

Also check out www.ajarn.com (you can ask the people on there LOADS of things, and there are those who know the ropes HUGELY).


happy Days

P eddy

[Kent F. Kruhoeffer]

To echo what insanity & Pauleddy have said above:


Take Pauleddy's advice and don't make a firm reservation

until after you arrive and see the place with your own eyes,


unless ECC has specifically recommended it.


Here are 4 apartment-search websites to browse

to give you an idea of what's on offer out there:


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

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

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

http://www.easyhorpak.com/ (Easy Horpak)

http://9apartment.com/ (9 Apartment)


Bangkok is connected by 3 metro lines at the moment:


the BTS Skytrain, which consists of 2 lines (the Sukhumvit and Silom lines)

& the new underground MRT line, which sort of encircles the Skytrain lines.


If you rent an apartment near a BTS Skytrain or MRT station,

you can reach most parts of Bangkok - in under 30 minutes.


For example,


from BTS Sala Daeng to BTS Siam Center,

you're looking at 5 minutes - tops.

It's only 2 stations!


If you walked it, it would take 20 minutes or more &

you'd arrive sweating like a boxer in the 10th round.


click here for a map: Skytrain / MRT Map


If you buy the 540 Baht Skytrain Ticket,

it's good for 30 rides - or one month -

whichever comes first,


which translates into 18 Baht per ride,

regardless of distance travelled.



BTS Skytrain http://www.bts.co.th/







Thailand teaching and travel resources available here :::: The Master Index Thailand ::::

[Christoforos]

thank you all, you were so helpful. Well, I like walking, but after reading your information, I'll be taking the BTS: not expensive and the sweating part, not to mention the fumes of the cars....

ECC suggests some rooms, but they are in Soi 1, in the very centre of Siam and they are over 15 000 Baht. I'm lookinng for sometihng up to 5 000 Baht. A firend told me I could get even with 3 000 Baht somewhere close to BTS but I found only from 4 and above.

I'm glad to know that it's ok to live in areas like PAtpong. I adjust easy, but I'm worried about thing: noise. I like things to be quiet in the aternoon so that I can study. Is that possible in areas like Patpong, Nana Plaza and I don't know what else....

[Pauleddy]

U can find stuff for 3000bt but I wouldn't recommend a room at that price if you want a bit of comfort and peace!

3000b is less than 45 quid, are u talking per month? My comments are based on that presumption.

Something like that is going to be very basic, maybe like the ones that DiCaprio stayed in in the opening shots of "The Beach"....to give you a very rough idea. Such places may not even have aircon, which is a must. Just a fan and a bed, maybe with one or 2 bugs! Possibly a small desk and chair.

The only people I know who stay in such digs are very poor backpackers and the like. Thai people who pay 2-3000 would be (maybe) office clerks or students. A clerk would earn about 7 or 8000 a month. Yesterday I was speaking with a Thai chemistry teacher (with MSc) who earns 10,000 a month. He would pay about 2-3000 and not worry about the noisy neighbour's TV set and the Tuk tuks downstairs. However, you cannot really compare directly with Thais because they will get better value for the 3000 than u would. Farangs tend to pay more for the same thing.

If you want something reasonable, that will start at about 10,000. There are a few places about. Look at the links given to you by K. If you want something with aircon and a nice bed and maybe a nice reception downstairs which has internet etc etc you may be looking at more than 10,000. I paid 19,000 for a month when I first arrived, and that was after a bit of digging. It was like a large studio but had a good bed, aircon, fridge, desk, shower, internet, pool etc. I was able to study there.

Do look at ajarn.com...there are a lot of FAQs etc on there. You can ask people all sorts.

I understand how u must be feeling, I was the same. I had loads of stuff to ask, and still could not get a feel for the place and for what I was being told. Until I actually came here. Keep asking.

P Eddy

[mapraopenrai]

I've never lived and worked in Bangkok, but have you ever been there?
If you're worried about noise, Bangkok is probably not a good place to live. I don't think it ever gets quiet there!
But I like it..

[mapraopenrai]

This is for Pauleddy, but HEY MAN! 19000 a month? That is most of the salary that most esl teachers will make there! Or are you doing something where you earn a lot more money?

[Pauleddy]

I won't go into my personal circumstances, but I have various investments and other income streams. Then again, I am not 24 years old, and at my time of life (over 40), one should have something to show for it all!

Seriously though....I agree that 19,000 is quite a lot, although for something on a high floor, in good condition, pool etc., you can pay 30 or more, especially in Silom/Sathorn. Bangkok Garden is supposed to be nice, with 2 pools, sauna, nice blocks, gardens, and it is about 34,000 for a regular apartment. 19,000 is about 300 pounds a month. Where I come from, that is not a lot. I was very happy in that place.

I know that it is all relative. Please don't remind me that up-country I can pay 1000baht a month for a 3 bedroomed teak house. I know that!

[mapraopenrai]

Well I didnt know that! Thanks for the tip!

I know what you mean about the age the, though I'm still in the last few months of 38, and I don't have so much money put away. I'm just starting to get enough loosed up currency that I can start in on investment schemes. The one I'm just starting on should give me a good moderate return with low risk.

However, I am constantly wondering if there is anything that I can do on the side to make some extra earnings other that teaching more classes. So if you have any tips you're willing to share, I'm all ears on that!

[Christoforos]

This is to Pauleddy: hey thanks a lot. I come from Cyprus, and the rent in Cyprus per month is �at average- 500 Cyprus Pounds per month. Note that 1 Cyprus Pound is 1 British Pound and 20 cents. However, the salaries are huge. The point is that the salary I�ll be getting Thailand will be very very low. Well as you realize I�ll be going with some money, but if I�m asked to sign a contract for at least 6 months, well, if I fail to get a job (in the worse case), I�ll be in financial trouble. And it�s not wise to allow that to happen in a foreign country. But thank you so much, I take everything you say under serious consideration. You are very kind. And congratulations for everything you worked for.

This is to mapraopenrai: I have been to Thailand once for 18 days, 7 of which were in Bangkok. I know it�s a very noisy city but look at this: when I was studying in Athens, my apartment was very noisy, and the apartment opposite mine on the same floor was very quiet, simply because my window was by the road, whereas the noise would have to go through at least 3 walls in order to enter the opposite apartment on the other side of which there was no noise but empty space and then another building. So it�s not just whether a town is noisy or not, but also several other factors, like the one I mentioned, e.g. the specific spot of the room. I don�t know if you are male or female, I�m male and it is said that it is harder for males to concentrate. Or maybe I have very weak brains!

This is to both of you: when you say �up country�, do you mean north of Thailand? If so, you should see the prices for renting rooms in Chiang Mai, now that�s cheap all right�

Thank you all.

[isanity]

'Upcountry' is nothing to do with north or south. It means anywhere provincial- in theory anywhere outside Bangkok, but in practice the implication is usually 'undeveloped place without many westerners' (these are considered synonymous ). It'd be unusual to call Phuket upcountry, for example, while Isan is as upcountry as it gets.

[Christoforos]

I see. Thanks again.