6 Things That Surprised Me About Bangkok

Here are interesting facts about Bangkok that I didn’t know, and I’m simply sharing these fascinating things with you as part of my travel this year with my family to the Land of Smiles- Bangkok, Thailand.

Cabs in Suvarnabhumi International Airport Are Organized 

The airport alone is huge, and Suvarnabhumi is just one of two international airports in Bangkok. Upon exit of the arrivals area, we approached the taxis lined up outside. But one of the drivers said we had to print out numbers at kiosks in the corner before we can ask any of the cabs to take us to our hotel. That’s how organized they all were. There was none of the screaming at potential passengers, everything was calm and regulated. 

Cabs can take you anywhere in the city, just be prepared with your local currency and toll fees. Each cab waits for passengers under numbered LED boards and that takes out the guesswork for your ride from the airport. I hope our airports can learn from Suvarnabhumi, to take away the problem of overcharging cabs.

There Are Approximately 400 Temples in Bangkok Alone 

And just by looking at the sides of the road from the cab, each block has a huge temple that stands for this or that. In our first day tour, we immediately visited four temples: the Standing Buddha, the Sleeping Buddha, the Sitting Buddha, and the Walking Buddha. In Bangkok alone, and not including the other cities of Thailand, there are 400 temples for both Buddhism and Hinduism, all while allowing tourists to visit and to make donations. I convinced my parents to limit our visits to only the relevant temples, because it would be impossible to visit all 400 in a single day.

Bangkok Is Spotless!

Now this one requires you to visit the city to take a look at it and affirm that the Thais take cleanliness seriously. Even I’m impressed with how clean Chatuchak Weekend Market is, where there are so many tourists and vendors, but none were so careless with trash in the area. Even when we bought food by the streets, like the market beside MBK Center, or the street vendors selling in Chatuchak Market, everybody was responsible with their own trash. I somehow wish I could boast of my city this way. This must also be another reason why tourists like to come and enjoy in Bangkok, because the Thais know that a clean city is easily promoted. 

Thai People Admire Manny Pacquiao

Well, not only the Thai taxi drivers but also our Khmer driver in Cambodia knows very well that Manny Pacquiao is Filipino. I guess our Pambansang Kamao just has so many fans beyond Philippine shores. It’s also good to be able to have common ground with these people because we’re also fans of the Pacman, plus we get to know their interests.

Both Thai and Khmer Drivers would always smile once they found out that we were Filipinos and they always mention Manny Pacquiao. If I were Pacman, I’d be flattered to know that Thais and Khmers are his fans too. 

Every Corner Displays A Portrait of His Majesty, The King 

TheThai people love and take pride in their king. Make no mistake about it, which is why every corner displays a framed photo of their venerated king. One can even hear the anthem during regular visits to the street food corner downtown. Almost every Thai establishment, be it a bank, restaurant, shopping mall or government office has a towering portrait of King Rama X displayed in front. Displaying portraits of the incumbent King and Queen Mother are a means of the Thai people showing their loyalty to their beloved royals.

Tuk-tuks Can Speed Up, As In Really Speed Up! 

If you’re connected with me on Facebook, I posted a video about a speeding tuk-tuk as we made our way to Khaosan Road to the Bangkok Library to meet up with my cousin’s friends. I even proposed for a Bangkok Drift movie as part of the Fast and Furious Series, make a feature on tuk-tuks too if you please. But getting onboard a tuk-tuk in Bangkok is just a priceless experience. No visit to Thailand is complete without a tuk-tuk ride, so all you have to do is hold on to dear life and enjoy the ride.

I’m sure though that if I stayed longer in Bangkok, I’ll be able to share more observations with you, but for now, here are just the fascinating experiences we have had in Siam.

Reminders

·  When visiting other nations, we are responsible for our own behavior and should observe proper customs as the locals do, as we are only guests in their country.

·  Be responsible travelers by disposing of trash properly and being courteous to those you meet, especially the elderly and locals. 

Note: All input are based on my personal experiences in Bangkok, Thailand. Our group made arrangements prior to our travel dates. This is in no way, a sponsored post.

*Photos taken with the Samsung Galaxy A50.

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