2012 Backpacking to Bangkok (11 days) 12 to 22 June 2012

Ching Neng Bin at Hua Lamphong Railway Station, Bangkok

Day 01 (12.06.2012) Ipoh (by bus) to Butterworth (by train) to Bangkok

This Bangkok trip for my wife Catherine Oon and I came unexpectedly when my son Ching Jin Wei who works in Western Digital Malaysia as Asia R & D SPW Engineering engineer was requested to support the Bangkok plant for two weeks that was badly affected by the worst flood in 2011. Ching Jin Wei insisted that we should visit him in Bangkok and stay with him in the hotel. And why not with free 5star hotel; we immediately accepted his request this time and I decided to give my wife the experience of traveling by train from Butterworth. We missed the 3 month trip to USA in March 2011 when he was sent to Saint Jose California for new project training which coincides with my China backpacking trip.

Getting there we took the 8am Sri Maju bus (RM13.90pp) from Ipoh to Butterworth arriving at 11am. Had lunch at the bus station and then walked to the train station and also to a money changer. The train: 36-Ekspres Antarabangsa a Thai aircon second class berth (RM111.90pp) departed at 2.20pm sharp for Bangkok. The time schedule listed below: 

Butterworth to Bangkok KTM Train – 36 Ekspres               depart at station       time BUTTERWORTH      2.20PM BUKIT MERTAJAM   2.26PM SUNGAI PETANI      3.41PM ALOR SETAR          4.47PM ARAU                     5.21PM PADANG BESAR    6.14PM HAT YAI                  9.09PM THUNG SONG       12.09AM SURAT THANI         1.54AM CHUMPHON           4.42AM HUA HIN                 8.34AM PETCHABURI          9.34AM RATCHABURI         10.24AM NAKHON PATHON  11.22AM BANGSUE             12.49PM BANGKOK               1.24PM

Bangkok to Butterworth Thai Train SP 35 Express  depart at station     time BANGKOK            3.45PM BANGSUE            4.05PM NAKHON PATHON 5.00PM RATCHABURI         5.42PM PETCHABURI         6.19PM HUA HIN                 7.10PM CHUMPHON          10.45PM SURAT THANI         1.40AM THUNG SONG        3.50AM HAT YAI                 7.50AM PADANG BESAR   7.55AM ARAU                  10.40AM ALOR SETAR       11.27AM SUNGAI PETAN    12.39PM BUKIT MERTAJAM 1.27PM BUTTERWORTH    1.51PM

Train fares from Butterworth to:
Stations      Lower berth  Upper berth
HATYAI          RM81.90        RM73.90
SURATHANI   RM92.90        RM84.90
CHUMPHON  RM97.90        RM89.90
HUA HIN        RM105.90      RM97.90
BANGKOK     RM111.90      RM103.90

 

The new railway track under construction across the Prai River, Butterworth.


Another view of the railway track under construction across the Prai River, Butterworth.


The containers at Padang Besar - Malaysian and Thai immigration check point.

At about 6pm the train stopped at Padang Besar for immigration check and then continued the journey with several stopped along the way to Bangkok. On board the train we made many friends from Malaysia and as well as from Europe. Steven Chin and his two lovely daughters were next to our berth and we exchanged and shared lots of our past travel experiences. All of us were saddened when informed that the train canteen is not available for this trip, so we rushed to buy bread, biscuits and water at the next stop in Hatyai.


Steven Chin and his two daughters were next to our berth.

Day 2 (13.06.2012) Hua Lamphong Railway Station to Centara Grand Hotel

We had breakfast near Petchaburi when vendors came on board to sell sticky rice with fried pork (TB40) and a piece of fried chicken (TB40). After a 23 hour overnight train journey from Butterworth we arrived at Hua Lamphong Station Bangkok at about 12 noon. The first thing we did was to purchase our return ticket (TB1,210pp) then a cup of hot coffee (TB60) each at the Black Canyon. The journey may be lengthy; but amazingly Catherine enjoyed the train ride as it was her first. Although she did not sleep through, it was a comfortable and pleasant ride.

At Hua Lamphong MRT Station we took the subway towards Bang Sue station (TB40pp) and with 14 stops we were at MRT Phahon Yothin station getting out by exit 4. From here we walked along Phaholyothin Road on a sky bridge for about 100m and then through the Central Plaza Shopping Mall and a car park to get to Centara Grand at Central Plaza Ladprao Bangkok where we stayed. Centara Grand at Central Plaza Ladprao Bangkok is a 607-room hotel in Bangkok adjacent to Central Plaza Lardprao. 

After a short rest and washed up we walked out to explore the Central Plaza shopping mall. My son came back from work at 7pm and we had authentic Thai food for dinner together at Tops Market food court inside the Plaza. We went back to hotel room for some Chang beer before sleeping at 12midnight. 

 

Catherine Oon and Ching Neng Bin duly survived the 23 hour long train journey from Butterworth to Bangkok.


Hua Lamphong Railway Station, Bangkok.


At Hua Lamphong MRT Station we took the subway towards Bang Sue station (TB40pp) and with 14 stops we were at MRT Phahon Yothin station getting out by exit 4. From here we walked along Phaholyothin Road on a sky bridge for about 100m and then through the Central Plaza Shopping Mall and a car park to get to the Centara Grand Hotel where we stayed.


The main entrance to the Central Plaza Shopping Mall in Bangkok.


Catherine Oon at one of the floors of Central Department Store in Bangkok.


Central Department Store is one of the biggest in Bangkok with 300 shops, boutiques, restaurants and multiplex cinema.


Central Department Store is one of the biggest in Bangkok with 300 shops, boutiques, restaurants and multiplex cinema.


After a short rest and washed up we walked out to explore the Central Plaza shopping mall. My son Ching Jin Wei came back from work at 7pm and we had authentic Thai food for dinner together at Tops Market food court inside the Plaza.


Ching Jin Wei enjoying soup noodle at Tops Market food court in Central Plaza shopping mall.


Catherine Oon loved fried oyster pancake at Tops Market food court, Central Plaza shopping mall.


Ching Neng Bin loved Thai 'padthai' at Tops Market food court, Central Plaza shopping mall.


This comfy king-size bed definitely fit for three at Centara Grand Hotel where we stayed.


Ching Jin Wei hard at work, sending reports back to Head Office in KL at Centara Grand Hotel where we stayed.


Centara Grand 5star Hotel at B3,300 a day room is very comfortable with fruit basket delivered every two days. A newly renovated 5-star Centara Grand at Central Plaza Ladprao is superbly located near the elevated highway system, the underground MRT and the BTS Sky-train, thereby ensuring that any district within the city is very easily accessible. Shopping here is a pleasure, with a covered walkway providing a direct link to the adjacent Central Plaza shopping complex.

Day 3 (14.06.2012) Central Plaza, One Park and Union Mall

My son woke up at 6am and left for hotel breakfast and then straight to work. As for both of us this morning was window shopping - we walked though all the three shopping places as they are located next to our hotel.

Central Plaza Ladprao shopping mall is anchored by a 41,000 square meter Central Department Store, a Tops Market supermarket, and a nine screen 3,000 seat cinema by SFX Cinema, a 565 room Centara Grand hotel and the Bangkok Convention Centre or BCC. The shopping mall has approximately 350 stores, it also has some 90 restaurants and food stands.

The One Park outdoor shopping at Phahon Yothin Road is right in front of Central Plaza Lardprao.
Opposite Central Plaza Lardprao is the eight-story Union Mall, which opened in February 2006.

We had very good chicken rice for lunch at Union Mall Basement Food Hub Dinning. Here we were surprised to meet Steven Chin and his two daughters whom we met in the train on the first day. In the evening Jin Wei joined us at 7.30pm for dinner at the Tops Market food court and then adjourned to Swensen’s for the signature ice-cream

 

Pleasant sunrise view from our room at Centara Grand Hotel Central Plaza Ladprao.


Pleasant sunrise view from our room at Centara Grand Hotel Central Plaza Ladprao.


One Park in front of Central Plaza Lardpra in Bangkok.


One Park in front of Central Plaza Lardpra in Bangkok.


The 50m covered sky-bridge connecting to Union Mall in Bangkok.


A view of Lat Phrao Road from the covered sky-bridge connecting to Union Mall in Bangkok.


A view of Lat Phrao Road from the covered sky-bridge connecting to Union Mall in Bangkok.


The 50m covered sky-bridge connecting to Union Mall in Bangkok.


The unique telephone booth on the 5th floor of Union Mall in Bangkok.


The unique bus on the 5th floor of Union Mall in Bangkok.


Dinner was the delicious rice, vegetable and pork at Tops Market food court, Central Plaza shopping mall.


Dinner was the delicious rice, vegetable and pork at Tops Market food court, Central Plaza shopping mall.


The fantastic fried oyster pancake at Tops Market food court, Central Plaza shopping mall.


The tasty bean-curb soap at Tops Market food court, Central Plaza shopping mall.


The ultimate Thai BBQ sausages at Tops Market food court, Central Plaza shopping mall.


The best for Catherine's sweet tooth - Swensen’s signature ice-cream at Central Plaza shopping mall.


The father and son who loved the Swensen ice-cream at Central Plaza shopping mall.
 

Day 4 (15.06.2012) Chatuchak Park, Or TorKor Market and Chatuchak Day Market

The morning was walking through the Chatuchak Park. We could see many health conscious people walking or jogging along the green tracks and the weight lifting equipments for the public. There is a big lake runs along this thin and long park with three bridges crossing the lake, the Train Museum and a Youth Traffic Garden.

We then continued our walk to Or Tor Kor Market which is a super clean fresh open-air supermarket neatly categorized and well-designed with broad lights. Plenty of local and imported fruits, vegetables, Thai snacks and ready-to-eat delicious Thai meals at the attached food court. We bought some cut pineapples here. From here we walked towards the Chatuchak Day Market and I bought a bag-pack for B800.

Evening was walking around Central Department Store and had spicy dinner with my son at Café’ Chilli Zaap at 1st Floor, Central Plaza Lardprao for some fiery flavors.
 

We walked on the sky-bridge across the elevated highway system into Chatuchak Park.


Chatuchak Park was built in 1975 by donating land from the National Railway Administration of Thailand. The entire slender park is occupied by an artificial lake, and many bridges span the lake to connect the two banks.


The long bridge in Chatuchak Park.



There is also a small train museum in Chatuchak Park which displays Thai locomotives and carriages. 


Jatujak Green Night Market is the coolest place for shoppers located inside Chatuchak Park, which is next to the Chatuchak Weekend Market near Mo Chit Station and Chatuchak Park Station.

The children's discovery museum also located inside Chatuchak Park.


Welcome Rotarian Ching Neng Bin to the Land of a Thousand Smiles at Chatuchak Park.


Or Tor Kor Market is a renowned indoor marketplace for select produce, meat & seafood, plus snacks & kitchen supplies.


It is well stocked with fresh meat and fish in Or Tor Kor Market.


Traditional Thai sweets available here that are not easy to find elsewhere in Or Tor Kor Market.


Plenty of fresh vegetables for sale in Or Tor Kor Market.


The neatly arranged Thai durians for sale in Or Tor Kor Market.


J.J Mall is a large air-conditioned shopping complex which is situated next to the weekend Chatuchak market.


Evening was walking around Central Department Store and had spicy dinner with my son at Café’ Chilli Zaap on 1st Floor, Central Plaza.


Dinner at Café’ Chilli Zaap - fiery flavors for a change and Ching Jin Wei is on fire.


The rice is also fiery hot with pepper at Café’ Chilli Zaap.


Even the fried rice is fiery hot at Café’ Chilli Zaap.
 

Day 5 (16.06.2012) Bangkok shopping around Siam Square

Today is really a shopping / walking day. We first took the hotel shuttle bus at 10am to BTS Mo Chit station (N8). From here we took the BTS sky-train (B30pp) to BTS Ratchathewi station (N1) and walked through exit 4 to get to Phetchaburi Road. We walked along the road passing by the First Hotel, Metro Fashion and arrived at Pantip Plaza. We spent some time here looking at all things IT related: PCs, parts, printers, digital cameras, lens, laptops, iPhones, and more.

We then proceed along the Phetchaburi Road to Platinum Fashion Mall which is a 5 billion baht shopping mall in Pratunam District, specializes in fashion clothes and accessories retail and wholesale. It is a six-storey complex with an 11-storey condominium building above the complex. The clothes shops operate on the principle that buying 1 piece is a retail sale and warrants retail price, but buying 3 up (or sometimes more) pieces is wholesale and you get the wholesale price. An example of pricing structure is 1 shirt retail at 250 baht, 3 shirts wholesale at 500 baht. We had lunch at the food court on the 6th floor. Here we met again our new friend Steven Chin for the 3rd time – 1st in the train, 2nd at Union Mall. We then walked to another building which is Zone 3 that houses all the shoe and bag shops. We had very good coffee at Let’s Sip Coffee beside the mall.

We turned right into Ratchaprarop Road passing by the Big C to Central World Plaza. Central World Plaza is the largest shopping complex in this area and is the site for the yearly Bangkok New Year Countdown celebrations. Catherine bought a shoulder bag at Naraya. We then walked by Zen and Isetan turning right into Rama 1 Road onto the sky bridge to Siam Paragon and spent some time there before walking to Siam Center and the four-storey Digital Gateway.

As we were about to get into Siam Square, my son’s Bangkok colleague called to pick him at 8pm from our hotel for dinner, clubbing and entrainment. We therefore had to rush back by taking the BTS Siam sky-train (B35pp) to BTS Mochit station (N8). From here we changed to MRT Morchit to Phahon Yothin station (B15pp). We got back to the hotel on time at about 7.20pm. In the room we were watching the in-house movie till 2am waiting for our son.

The swimming pool at Centara Grand Hotel Central Plaza Ladprao.


We were walking along the Phetchaburi Road in Bangkok.


Pantip Plaza is one of the most popular Bangkok electronics malls. It's often considered the mother of all IT shops in Thailand and has gained legendary status as the place to find new and used computers and accessories at rock-bottom prices.


Made in Thailand Honda model not available in Malaysia yet on display in-front of Pantip Plaza.


Made in Thailand Honda model not available in Malaysia yet on display in-front of Pantip Plaza.


We were walking along the Phetchaburi Road to Platinum Fashion Mall.


The Platinum Fashion Mall is a five billion baht shopping mall in Pratunam, Bangkok, which specializes in fashion clothes and accessories retail and wholesale. It is a six-storey complex with an 11-storey condominium building above the complex. 


We had lunch at the Platinum food court on the 6th floor.


We met again our new friend Steven Chin for the 3rd time – 1st in the train, 2nd at Union Mall.


We had very good coffee at Let's Sip Coffee cafe in Bangkok.


What a relief with just a cup of coffee after lunch at Let's Sip Coffee cafe in Bangkok.


What a relief with just a cup of coffee after lunch at Let's Sip Coffee cafe in Bangkok.


Walking along Ratchaprarop Road passing by the Big C to Central World Plaza.

Trimurti Shrine or Bangkok Lovers Shrine in-front of Centerpoint in Bangkok.


Walking along Ratchaprarop Road passing by Novotel Hotel in Bangkok.


Jade Buddha image on display in-front of Central World Plaza in Bangkok.


Ching Jin Wei at The Central World Bangkok.


Ching Jin Wei at The Central World Bangkok.


NaRaYa the bag shop is very popular in Bangkok


Catherine purchased a bag at NaRaYa bag shop in Bangkok.


Ching Jin Wei standing beside a pair of gigantic Levis jean display on the skybridge in Bangkok.


Walking along Rama 1 Road onto the sky bridge to Siam Paragon.


Walking along Rama 1 Road onto the sky bridge to Siam Paragon.


Siam Paragon a shopping mall in Bangkok is one of the largest malls in Thailand, along with IconSiam, CentralWorld and CentralPlaza WestGate.
 

Day 6 (17.06.2012) Chatuchak Weekend Market, Siam Square, Siam Discovery Centre

My son came back at 4am local time and we all slept through till 12noon.

Today is Sunday so it is the day to visit the Chatuchak Weekend Market. We took the hotel shuttle bus at 2pm to Chatuchak Market. It was so busy, bustling and bursting with people that we spent most of our time completely lost! There were so many colors and smells, so much to look at that we didn’t know where we were.

This 35-acre area of Chatuchak Weekend Market is a paradise for bargain hunters. Every Saturday and Sunday, 8,000 individual booths are open selling an infinite variety of products from all over Thailand. On a typical weekend, more than 200,000 visitors come here to sift through the goods on offer. But if you have one weekend in Bangkok, squeeze in a day trip to Chatuchak Weekend Market and you will not be disappointed.

At about 4.30pm after finishing our round in Chatuchak market, we proceed to Siam Square by sky-train. Siam Square is a very popular shopping area among Thai and foreign visitors. Siam Square itself has a few blocks area which is centrally located and surrounded by hotels, shopping complexes, movie theaters, shops, restaurants, and it is the main junction of sky train (BTS).

For dinner we did as you do when in Rome. As strongly recommended by Judith Khoo we went to this Thai restaurant called Ban Khun Mae Thai Cuisine which has authentic Thai food and was reasonably priced. I must say we had the best ‘tomyum’ in the world. After dinner we walked around Siam Square and the Siam Discovery Centre and bought another bag at Naraya. We walked to BTS Ratchathewi to get back to BTS Mochit and changed to MRT for Phahon Yothin station to walk back to hotel.


Gate No.1 of Chatuchak Weekend Market in Bangkok.


Chatuchak Weekend Market clock tower.


We had authentic Thai dinner at Ban Khun Mae Thai Cuisine.


Ching Jin Wei at Ban Khun Mae Thai Cuisine in Bangkok.


Very nice ambiance of the restaurant at Ban Khun Mae Thai Cuisine.


Ching Neng Bin at Ban Khun Mae Thai Cuisine in Bangkok.


Best ‘papaya salad’ at Ban Khun Mae Thai Cuisine in Bangkok.


Best ‘green curry chicken’ at Ban Khun Mae Thai Cuisine in Bangkok.


Best ‘tomyum’ at Ban Khun Mae Thai Cuisine in Bangkok.


Siam Discovery Shopping Centre is a 7-storey shopping mall with a sophisticated concept of presenting items on display. The concept was created with the help of a Japanese design company, Nendo. The result is very impressive, each floor, or Lab, follows a specific theme like women’s fashion, digital appliances, and homeware.


The beautiful changing lighting at Siam Discovery Shopping Centre.

Catherine bought another bag at Naraya outlet at Siam Discovery Shopping Centre.

Day 7 (18.06.2012) Union Mall Bangkok

Today is the day that we slowly walked through and explore the eight-story Union Mall which we didn’t do on the third day. We were surprised by its popularity among the locals. Strategically located opposite the ever-busy Central Lad Prao Mall, Union Mall housing over 1,000 retail shops caters especially for a younger crowd, mainly university students, young office workers and those who find Central Lad Prao too expensive and Chatuchak Weekend Market too hot. We had lunch again at Union Mall Basement Food Hub Dinning.

After walking around the sidewalks and the open stalls along the road we walked back to hotel to take a rest. Dinner was late at 9pm as we waited for Ching Jin Wei to come back from his badminton session with his Bangkok colleagues.

 

So many shops just outside Central Plaza complex in Bangkok.


Union Mall is a shopping mall in the north of Bangkok, at the Lat Phrao junction. The mall opened on February 2006. It has eight floors with a total of 150,000 square metres of space. It houses some 1,240 booths and shops and entertainment services.

Union Mall houses some 1,240 booths and shops and entertainment services.


Union Mall houses some 1,240 booths and shops and entertainment services.


We had lunch again at Union Mall Basement Food Hub Dinning.


Top's supermarket in Bangkok. Dinner was late at 9pm as we waited for Ching Jin Wei to come back from his badminton session with his Bangkok colleagues.

Day 8 (19.06.2012) Pratunam Market, Baiyoke Shopping Centre and Indra Square

Today is another hell of a shopping day in Pratunam Market, Indra Square and the Baiyoke centre. This three in one is located at the intersection of Ratchaprarop and Phetburi roads in the district Ratchathewi.

Getting into Pratunam is by way of the sky-bridge from Platinum Mall. The Pratunam Market covers the whole area around and behind the Amari Watergate Hotel and Indra Regent hotel with the rainbow-colored Baiyoke Tower I hotel and the towering Baiyoke Tower II hotel inside it.

This area is known as Pratunam Wholesale Market and is one of Bangkok's major clothing markets. The name Pratunam means Water gate. The market comprises retail stores and outdoor. This area may be the cheapest market for buying clothes, fabrics and textiles in central Bangkok.

Next, we shop around this City Complex Pratunam - a six-storey shopping complex the most sought after places in Pratunam as mainly involved with young ladies, fashionable clothing and shoes. There are a few jewellery and crafts shops, as well as cosmetic stores are located within.

We then walked into Garment Centre (Baiyok Tower 1) - hosts over 3,500 wholesale and retail apparel and shoes shops. It is undoubtedly an amazing place to shop for clothes and related item. Everything is cheap and it gets even cheaper if you buy in bulk.
 

From Baiyok Tower we then walked into the Indra Square which consists of several floors with hundreds of small shops selling from children clothing, men and women fashion wear, to accessories. The mall is directly connected to Baiyoke Sky Hotel, and there are several shops and stalls on the ground level of Baiyoke Sky Hotel, too. We had lunch at its international food court.


The large car park at BTS Mo Chit station (N8).


Mo Chit Station is a BTS Skytrain station, on the Sukhumvit Line in Chatuchak District, Bangkok.


Mo Chit Station is a BTS Skytrain station, on the Sukhumvit Line in Chatuchak District, Bangkok.


The elevated highway runs through Bangkok.


Victory Monument was erected in June 1941 to commemorate the Thai victory in the Franco-Thai War. 


Grand Diamond Plaza in Bangkok.


The sky-bridge from Platinum Mall.


Platinum Wholesale Fashion Mall in Bangkok.


Four Seasons Mall in Bangkok.


Four Seasons Mall in Bangkok.


Four Seasons Mall in Bangkok.


Baiyoke Tower I is a skyscraper completed in 1987 and was the tallest building in Thailand until 1993, when it was surpassed by Sinn Sathorn Tower. Baiyoke Tower is located in on Ratchaprarop Road in the Pratu Nam area of Ratchathewi District, and houses the Baiyoke Suite Hotel.


Baiyoke Tower I in Bangkok.

Baiyoke Tower 2 Sky Hotel is an 88-story, 309 m (1,014 ft) skyscraper hotel at 222 Ratchaprarop Road in the Ratchathewi District of Bangkok. It is the third tallest building in the city, after MahaNakhon and Magnolias Waterfront Residences at ICONSIAM. The building comprises the Baiyoke Sky Hotel, the tallest hotel in Southeast Asia and the seventh-tallest all-hotel structure in the world.

Baiyoke Tower 2 Sky Hotel is an 88-story, 309 m (1,014 ft) skyscraper hotel.


We bought sundries in this Tops market in Bangkok.


Dinner was the delicious Pataya fried rice at Tops Market food court, Central Plaza shopping mall.


Catherine and Ching Jin Wei watching how they cut the mango to go with sticky rice at Tops Market food court in Bangkok.


Interesting variety of Thai sweets of sticky rice to eat with mangoes at Tops Market food court in Bangkok.

Sweet mangoes for sale at Tops Market food court in Bangkok.

Day 9 (20.06.2012) Rest day in Bangkok

Today will be our last night in Bangkok as we will be taking the train back to Butterworth the next day and my son will fly back to KL the day after next. After 7 full days of walking and shopping spree; enough is enough – no more shopping and what we required badly for our sore legs was a good rest in the hotel. We have bought everything we needed. However, this morning as we walked out to the roadside stall, Catherine bought another pair of ‘leggings’ at B140. We also bought a 10 liter ‘Ocean Pack” dry-bag for my son at TB495. See no more shopping, but, still shopping.

In the afternoon at 5pm Ching Neng Bin went for an hour swim at the hotel pool to relax his muscle while Catherine lazying around the pool. Evening after dinner it was packing our bags for the long return journey home the next day.


The swimming pool at Centara Grand Hotel Central Plaza Ladprao.


Catherine lazying around the swimming pool at Centara Grand Hotel Central Plaza Ladprao.

Ching Neng Bin went for an hour swim at the hotel pool to relax his muscle while Catherine lazying around the pool. Evening after dinner it was packing our bags for the long return journey home the next day.

Day 10 (21.06.2012) Bangkok return journey to Ipoh

Strictly no more shopping today. At about 12noon we walked to MRT Phahon Yothin station to get to MRT Hua Lamphong Station in 15 minutes. Our No.35 aircon train departed Bangkok at 2.45pm. We had set dinner on board – not so good and expensive (B250pp).

Day 11 (22.06.2012) Home Sweet Home

We had set western breakfast this morning onboard the train – also not good and expensive (B150pp). Arrived Hadyai at 8am and Padang Besar at about 9am for immigration check. By the time we arrived at Butterworth it was almost 2.45pm and there were many people waiting to get on the train for Bangkok supposed to depart at 2.20pm. I wonder whether they have time to clean the train?

We then walked to the bus station to get the first bus out, we found this Co. (Unititi Express) United Travel Enterprise Sdn Bhd (MR16pp) to Ipoh at 3pm. After two and half hour ride we were at the Ipoh bus station and took a taxi (MR15) home.

Conclusion

When people mention 'Bangkok'.. ..the first thing that comes to your mind is BARGAIN – yes! It’s a non-stop bargain all the way.. and the second thing is THAI FOOD.

Well, with so much of bargain shopping we had done, I think we will not be shopping for the next 12 months or so – we have bought everything we needed – bags and dry-bag, bag-pack and day-pack, shoes, shirts, t-shirts, leggings and some souvenirs.

For those who wish to visit Bangkok, the best place to stay would be around the Pratunam district like the Baiyoke Hotel or Indra Regent Hotel which are much cheaper and in the center of the shopping area. And those who could afford may consider Novotel Hotel and as a backpacker like me, I would stay in Khao San Road area.

Many thanks to our son Ching Jin Wei for the 5star accommodation, the fantastic eating and shopping extravaganza! Well, that is certainly happiness; I promise we will go back again as we are now home in Ipoh and Sitiawan, settling back into our normal life preparing for the next trip to Perth, Western Australia in September. 

'Sawaddeekap'

 

///Backpacking to Bangkok - Shopping Eating Sleeping - 12th to 22nd June 2012