Wet, wet, wet
Going door to door and staying dry!
We can at least attempt to escape a number of those rainy season downpours by living as close to the BTS and MRT stations as possible, and in fact some of the condominium developers in Bangkok have gone one stage further and actually linked their buildings to a station
Movie madness
Property choices for movie buffs
If you are interested in living on Sukhumvit like many expats, then there are three main cinema complexes, all with multi-screens and English language films showing every day.
Neighborhood watch
How do Bangkok neighborhoods differ?
I've been thinking about the five different neighborhoods I have lived in during my twenty-odd years in Bangkok. Which ones did I enjoy? Were there any neighborhoods that I particularly hated? What were the advantages and disadvantages of each community that I spent time in? Perhaps it would be interesting to draw some comparisons.
A room with a view
From airless studio apartments to dingy guest houses
I was thinking the other day about how many different styles of accommodation or housing I have lived in during my years in Bangkok - rented houses, tiny studio apartments, dodgy neighborhoods - I didn't realize there were so many. So in chronological order, here are the places that have provided a roof over my head at some stage.
Property possiblities on the BTS Sukhumwit extension
Only a few more months to go until the long-awaited Sukhumwit extension
I'm sure if you live in Bangkok it would not have escaped your notice that the popular BTS system is receiving a long overdue extension in the Eastern part of the city center.
Across the riverbank
Are Krungthonburi and Wongwian Yai the new Silom and Sathorn?
Has the area just over the river, namely Thonburi, become the new Silom and Sathorn since the opening in May 2009 of the new Krungthonburi and Wongwian Yai BTS stations?
Let's play Bangkok monopoly
What would the Bangkok edition of the Monopoly board game look like?
Recently I was asked to play the Thai edition of the game, first produced in 2005, but I was disappointed to discover that the game is not based on Bangkok, but on Thailand, with the likes of Samui, Phuket and Pattaya dotted around the board
Perils of the Thai property market
Some pitfalls to watch out for in terms of after-sales service
There are reputable and quality players in the Thai real estate markets, but there are also many ‘me-too' entrants. Politely and in the nicest possible terms these people can be referred to independent agents or freelancers.
Is Ratchadaphisek the new Sukhumvit?
An area of Bangkok that is rapidly gaining in popularity as a place to live
So what has happened to Ratchada to transform it into this now arguably superior status? Well obviously it has benefitted immensely from the MRT stations and metro line and this has given Ratchada not only a new lease of life, but has encouraged others to come and live in the area.
Low cost living in the Sukhumwit area
Where are the good deals in this popular area?
Many expats of all nationalities from Japanese to German, from Indian to Italian, and of course all those in between, flock to Sukhumvit and make it the most popular expat ‘district’ of Bangkok.
