| When I first came to Thailand I had not been | | | | payment from the operator of that place. |
| overseas for a long time. I had been booked in | | | | Unfortunately, there was nothing I wanted to buy |
| for my first three nights at a small hotel on Khao | | | | although some of the products looked good. I had |
| San Road in Bangkok. I arrived at 2 am and found | | | | to give him 100 baht to drive me back to Khao |
| the whole street full of foreigners who seemed | | | | San Road. It is important for tourists to |
| to be enjoying themselves greatly. | | | | understand the requirement to buy goods or |
| After three days I moved into better | | | | services when they take a very cheap tuk-tuk |
| accommodation on Khao San, and stayed there | | | | ride. |
| for three and a half months! The new hotel, Rikka | | | | Khao San Road has been changing rapidly in the |
| Inn, did not take credit cards. Few Thai businesses | | | | two years since I first came to Thailand. It is |
| seem to take credit cards. The new hotel was | | | | moving up market and more foreign brands are in |
| clean and comfortable, but noisy and each day it | | | | the area. When I was first there, Khao San Road |
| was fully occupied. The rooms were all taken by | | | | had Starbucks, and one of the American fast |
| about 1 pm. | | | | food chains. |
| Khao San Road proved to be an interesting place | | | | One type of Khao San Road shop which I have |
| but a long way from the centre of things in | | | | not seen elsewhere in Bangkok is the silver |
| Bangkok. It was nowhere near Skytrain which | | | | jewelry shop. There are a few of them in Khao |
| made it quite difficult for travel around Bangkok. | | | | San Road that sell ear rings, necklaces, bangles, |
| There were taxis, tuk-tuks, and motorcycles. It | | | | rings, and much more. They do not seem to sell |
| became obvious that traveling from the foreigner | | | | silver bullion though because I have been back a |
| dominated Khao San Road was expensive. For | | | | few times to ask about purchasing it. There are |
| example, to go to Siam Paragon is a trip that will | | | | many gold shops in Bangkok so I think Thai |
| cost over 120 baht (about $US 4) by taxi. The | | | | people see gold and not silver as a way to store |
| return trip also had to be made so it is a | | | | their money. |
| reasonable cost for a budget traveler. | | | | Khao San Road has been described previously as |
| The taxi drivers often did not want to use their | | | | a 'backpackers' ghetto'. It is true that budget |
| taxi meters and one would get in and out of a | | | | traveling foreigners in Bangkok still seem to |
| number of taxis before finding a taxi driver who | | | | congregate there. My favorite 'hang-out' was |
| would agree to a metered fare. Tuk-tuks can be | | | | Starbucks which is located in an historic building at |
| more expensive than taxis. Tuk-tuk drivers will | | | | the end of a small lane that bisects a single |
| quote an extremely low rate if they think you are | | | | restaurant! There are also many open fronted |
| a recently arrived tourist. On one occasion I was | | | | restaurants on Khao San Road and these become |
| quoted 10 baht. | | | | very full at evening time. |
| It was 10 baht to show me around Bangkok. We | | | | With the general improvement in Khao San Road |
| began by going to different places which included | | | | and the increasing prices for accommodation, |
| a Wat (temple), a gem place, a tailor, and some | | | | goods and services, Khao San is not the cheap |
| other tourist places. As I left each place the | | | | place that it was. But if one arrives in Thailand for |
| tuk-tuk driver got angrier and angrier. Eventually I | | | | the first time and one has no Thai language skills, |
| asked him why he was angry? Apparently, the | | | | it is a singularly good place to begin one's travels |
| deal was that I had to buy something at the | | | | in Thailand. |
| places we went to and he would receive a | | | | |