Accommodation and travel advice in Thailand

This is the 2nd in my series of people in and around Gauteng, South Africa,giving a different view of Gauteng to those that don’t know it as a City by looking at the people who live and work in it. I know a woman who is in her 80′s living here in Gauteng who wrote and illustrated a book a few years back, about Dragon’s. She did it for a little boy who she met while on holiday in Majorca. She was reading a book about Vesuvius at the time and obviously described it to him and he became intrigued by Volcanoes. Since doing the first book for the little boy she has continued with what can be described as ‘self publishing’ by colour copying the book, having it bound and selling or giving it to people who have shown interest. The illustrations and rhyming story capture the imagination of children in the 4-6 year bracket. She asked me if I thought it could be published and I suppose until it is sent to publishers in that field we won’t know. But is that the only route? The things against it are that it is not necessarily African in it’s content – but does everything we produce in this country have to be African? Children’s imagination goes beyond the limits of their location and don’t we want to encourage unrestricted creativity.?Apart from that, I can’t see any reason why it could not be published except maybe the numbers in South Africa make it difficult for any children’s book to be published. But wait… we have thousands of school children that need to learn the culture of reading and writing, so there is a market out there, but not a high paying one? So the answer to it being considered for publication might be that it can be produced at a reasonable cost so affordable for distribution among the numerous small schools throughout the country. How can this be done? To publish it without huge overheads and profits – Marion despite being in her 80′s is keen for the story to be published and enjoyed by a whole generation of South African kids rather than looking for high profits, might be the first step. So maybe a seed has been sown?…

How does one find a starting point… I suppose just to start. So October 18th is the day to start my long promised blog. Sitting outside in Gauteng with a glorious October evening, radio Midrand playing some good music (a change from 5FM and Classic FM), mozzies beginning to bite, birds still active. I decided a starting point was to write about some of the people I come across in my day to day activities and maybe present a different face of Jhb.

Kelvin is my local yokel shopping centre – Post Office, Pick n Pay, Hardware and Pharmacy etc. About a year ago I noticed new car guards – what first struck me was they smiled and worked together as a team and unlike many other car guards around the city added to my day – for those that are not familiar with this service, they provide an informal guarding service for our cars when shopping (sounds more serious than it is?) but generally we see it as help when we have a full trolley and a way of supporting the informal sector who desperately need some sort of income. I decided to tell them what a pleasure it was to see them working as a team and not in competition with each other. A refreshing change and in particular the car guards at the new large Woodmead centre who won’t help you unless you are in the ‘correct lane’! I have got to know these four – Guy (pronounced Gi), Jo jo, Fausten and Laurence while practicing my school French and they their English. One can only be humbled by meeting people like this – they come from a country of unrest and violence, are far away from home and are here as there is more opportunity. They have an energy about their work despite it being so humble – a lesson to those of us with so much more who complain rather than be grateful for what we have. I have many questions in life but one is ‘where does their natural charm come from? Their exposure to the French Colonialists for so many years? Or is it just the French accent? Or have the Congolese always been like this!’ Well! I’m pleased to have met them and will rather go to Kelvin, pay a little more at the Pickn’pay and leave feeling part of a community rather than just getting the cheapest deal!

Chatuchak Market in Bangkok was easy to get to on the subway and going early in the morning we had a chance to look around before it got too crowded. Prices generally better than the other markets visited closer to the centre of Bangkok and Chiang Mai. To get to Chatuchak -take the skytrain (BTS) to Mo Chit station and exit down the right-hand stairs and then it is a five-minute walk or take the subway (MRT) to Chatuchak Park stationand follow thesigns. Open: 08:00 – 18:00 on weekends and Fridays (wholesale day).  The other markets in Bangkok are:

Suan Laum Night Bazaar in Bangkok provides the most sophisticated outdoor market shopping and has a huge food court that needs to be experienced. Tends to be more expensive than Chatuchak. How to get there: Take the MRT subway to Lumpini station; the market is near Lumpini Park, a short walk from the station.Open: 18:00 – 00:00 (every day)

FLOATING MARKETSEven though they are more concerned with tourists rather than locals these days, the floating market boats are still intersting to see, piled high with tropical fruit and vegetables, fresh, ready-to-drink coconut juice and local food cooked on the boats. There are guided boat tours of Damnoen Saduak market, floating markets are Taling Chan Market, Bang Ku Wiang Market and Tha Kha.

How to get there: Damnoen Saduak – it’s colourful, noisy, totally touristy but said to be great fun. You can take a guided tour or take a bus from the Southern Bus Terminal (+66 (0)2 434 5557-8) to Samut Sangkhram Ratchaburi province, 80 km southwest of Bangkok. You can then walk along the passageway to the market, or take a boat to the market pier. Fresh fruits, vegetables etc. Open: 07:00 – 11:00 (every day)

Taling Chan – close to Bangkok and can be visited by hired boat. You will see small villages where you can organise Homestays or take bus numbers 79 or 83, which crosses the Chao Praya River to the Thonburi side of Bangkok. The market is located near the front of Taling Chan District Office.Open: 09:00 – 17:00 (weekends only)

Bang Khu Wiang – Perhaps the best choice for a traditional Thai floating market without being too touristy. Rent a boat from Chang Pier (in Bangkok), and ask to be taken to Noi-Khlong Om-Bang Khu Wiang Floating Market or a cheaper option is to catch a boat from Wat Chalo Pier for a 45-minute ride to Bang Kruai (5 baht), which runs every 15 minutes from 05:00 – 20:00. From there it is a 10-minute boat ride to the market. Open: 04:00 – 07:00 (every day)

Tha Kha – Less touristy – the market is only open six days a month in accordance to the lunar calendar. Follow the same directions to Damnoen Saduak market, and then hire a taxi to the market. Another option is to hire a taxi from Bangkok to Tha Kha (around 500 baht). Open: 06:00 – 12:00 check when open 

LOCAL BANGKOK MARKETS
Often not visited by tourists they offer an array of items for the locals. We went to the one in Chang Dao and found it a very pleasant shopping experience. The markets in Bangkok tend to be on the outskirts – they include Klong Toey, Ying Charoen (Saphan Mai), Minburi, Major Ratchoyothin, Or Tor Kor, and Khlong San.

How to get there:
Khlong Toey – (Fresh meat and vegetables, cheap clothes and household items). Take the subway to Klong Toey station, go up the escalators and then walk east on Thang Rakfaiko/Rama IV Road for ten minutes until you reach the large intersection of Rama IV and Narong Road. The market will be on your right-hand side. Open: 06:00 – 02:00Or
Tor Kor – imported fruits and local fruits. A small food court selling delicious Thai foods, although at a slightly higher price than most places. The Chatuchak Market plant section is directly across the road, and can also be explored if you come on a Wednesday, Thursday, or any weekend.Saphan Mai market (fresh foods and cheap clothing for locals) is 15 minutes by taxi or 30 minutes by bus on Phahonyotin Road with a wider variety and a more interesting market. Take the MRT subway to Kamphaeng Phet station. Exit number three, and you’re in the market. Open: 06:00 – 20:00 (every day)
Minburi – Similar to Saphan Mai, and also a bit of a distance from the Skytrain, friendly vendors and caters for the locals. More congested than Saphan Mai but a lot less than the central Bangkok markets and is worth a trip for the experience of a true local market. Take BTS Skytrain Mo Chit station, you can take a taxi down Lad Phrao Road to the market (20 – 30 minutes, 100 – 120 baht). As with Chatuchak get there as early as possible (09:00) and leave by 15:00 to avoid traffic.
Khlong San – clothing for 18 – 25 year old girls and several riverside restaurants in the area. Directly across the Chao Phraya River from River City, the Shangri-La hotel, and the Si Phaya Pier, the market can be reached by the Si Phraya ferry (2.5 baht). Coming from Chinatown, take a boat at the nearby pier to Si Phraya Pier, and then to Khlong San. Open: 07:00 – 22:00
Major Ratchoyothin – similar to Khlong San, but in the northern part of the city. Trendy. Take the MRT subway to Phahonyothin station, catch a tuk-tuk and tell him to take you to ‘talat’ (market) Major Ratchoyothin.or a taxi from BTS Mo Chit station to the market (five to ten minutes, 40 – 45 baht). Open: 16:00 – 23:00 (every day) 

A trip to Thailand in November 2005 created an interest in the waterways of Bangkok -being driven around in a Taxi I could never gets my bearings. I would imagine that using the canals or the Sky Train would avoid not only the traffic jams and but I would get a clearer picture of where everything is in Bangkok.The canals are know as khlongs . Bangkok was known as the Venice of the East because there were so many used for transportation and trading. Today, most of the khlongs of Bangkok have been filled in and converted into streets, but on  the Thonburi side of Bangkok (covering areas west of Chao Phraya River) some of the larger klongs remain.Khlong Saen Saeb, in central Bangkok is a route for a boat service that provides public transportation, a necessary alternative to the traffic congested streets in Bangkok.The traditional floating markets are mainly tourist attractions – the most famous one at Damnoen Saduakin the Ratchaburi province.I have been pleasantly surprised by how much information there is on the web and will be better equipped for the next trip.