Bangkok and Pattaya advice

[malmacdowall]

Hi all,

I'm off to Bangkok and Pattaya in Thailand to visit a number of companies for work. 2 of us will be traveling.

In Bangkok we will be at the BITEC exhibition centre and I would live done advice on where to stay ? Hilton and Accor member but open to anything .

Travel - any recommendations for the transfer from Bangkok to Pattaya? Car and driver ?

While in Pattaya we will be traveling around to 3 factories per day . Can anyone recommend a car and driver to use?

Any suggestions for Pattaya hotels?
Looking for something a little quieter (not too loud and touristy ).

Any "must do" things around Pattaya if we get a chance in the evenings?

Any extra info would be great .... Thanks Mal .

 

[JohnK]

If you stay in Pattaya the Holiday Inn near Naklua on Soi 1 Beach Road is quite OK and out of the way. The Hilton is pretty much in the middle of the action and you will find it harder to avoid the Russians than anything else.

Walking Street is a nice touristy thing to do in the evenings but on the expensive side. Otherwise the Soi Buakhow/LK Metro area is OK or walk up and down Soi 7/8 on Beach Road. Just go with an open mind and relax.

 

[Wezza]

The markets along the waterfront in Pattaya is a good way to spend some time, also very touristy but I enjoyed it. The street vendors do some great pad thai.

 

[malmacdowall]

Food and water - safe or not?

I assume the usual rules apply.. Bottled water , no ice, cooked food...

Is it safe to eat food from street vendors?

 

[Wezza]

I ate from the street vendors all the time over there, no problems at all. I also went there with a no tap water & no ice in my drink policy. Whilst I stuck to the no tap water one, the no ice idea went out the window with my first drink. Completely slipped my mind. :mrgreen: Had no problems though. I still wouldn't attempt to drink the tap water.

As far as Bangkok to Pattaya, get a Hiace van & driver, they're all decked out pretty nicely & it's not so far. Maybe 1.5 to 2 hours drive.

 

[JohnK]

Food and water - safe or not?

I assume the usual rules apply.. Bottled water , no ice, cooked food...

Is it safe to eat food from street vendors?

Food is safe almost anywhere although I usually stay away from the stuff that has been cooked and is out in the heat all day without proper protection.

Bottled water is a must and I even clean my toothbrush with bottled water. Even most locals drink bottled water. I know the water cannot be avoided when having a shower but I have never had an issue.

And never had an issue with ice at all. I drink lots of it as I like my beer cold and unless one tops up ice with each glass the beer can get very warm....

 

[malmacdowall]

Thanks for the tips... Keep Em coming....

For this that have been there on business :

- any reccomendations on business attire ? (visiting large factories) suit and tie or slacks and short sleeves?

- On business, she would take a gift for our hosts at each factory ?

- anyone had a suit made in Thailand ? Thinking about getting a lightweight suit for the warm climate...

 

[simongr]

In Bangkok we will be at the BITEC exhibition centre and I would live done advice on where to stay ? Hilton and Accor member but open to anything .

I have stayed at the Millennium Hilton and it was the only nice part of the visit to Thailand.

Any "must do" things around Pattaya if we get a chance in the evenings?

Leave. It is a god forsaken cr4phole that should be burnt to the ground, the earth salted and mines placed liberally to prevent any risk of it being re-inhabited.

 

[JohnK]

Leave. It is a god forsaken cr4phole that should be burnt to the ground, the earth salted and mines placed liberally to prevent any risk of it being re-inhabited.

So you had a bad experience.

I love the place and one can end up meeting some great people. Whoring is just a very small part of it....

 

[amaroo]

Another that loves BKK & Thailand in general. Haven't been to Pattaya but in BKK we love staying at The Peninsula.

 

[Jmrocky]

There's so many great hotels in Bangkok it's hard to list. Try and go with one close to a Skytrain station (around Silom or Sukhumvit basically). A close MRT station can be incredibly handy as well, particularly if travelling outside the inner cbd.

Regarding night time, Pattaya and must do's, it really does depend on what your tastes are.

 

[malmacdowall]

Thanks for the info.

Regarding tastes - good food, beer, nice atmosphere and sights / wildlife ... Not so big on the "darker side" of nightlife ....

 

[Fantic125]

In Bangkok I usually stay at the Dusit Thani across from Lumphini Park. Has a Skytrain stop right next door.

Can't help with drivers as the Company I visit have their own which pick me up and return me to the hotel each day. (The company is located in a trade free zone near Pattaya -takes around 1.5 hours to get there depending on traffic).

For business attire I usually go business trousers and polo shirt or light shirt, no tie. YMMV.