City Guide

Four hours in Bangkok

31 Mar 2016 by Jeremy Tredinnick

1 - Wat Arun

Wat Arun Bangkok Thailand

Also known as the Temple of Dawn, this small but fascinating complex is the only major tourist attraction on the Chao Phraya River’s western bank, accessed via a short cross-river public ferry ride from Tha Tien pier near the Grand Palace.

A curious, almost gaudy temple covered in flowers and other decorative motifs that use unusual materials like china plates, Hindu gods are depicted on top of three-headed elephants, while round the base Chinese statues stand next to buildings filled with Buddhist relics. Among this cultural mix pass an even greater jumble of cultures and nationalities, tourists and local Thais, all appreciating Wat Arun’s relaxed ambience. Open daily 8.30am-5.30pm; admission costs THB50 (US$1.40); watarun.net

2 - Jim Thompson’s House

Jim Thompson House ถนน พระราม 1 Bangkok Thailand

Catch the ferry back to the left bank, then jump into a tuk-tuk – those bastions of Bangkok street travel – for a THB100 (US$2.80) blast through the vehicular mayhem and within half an hour you’re in a small soi, or side street, that runs north from Rama I Road.

Hidden away in this “backwater” of the city centre is Jim Thompson’s House, actually a collection of teak houses built alongside a small klong, or canal, in the traditional central Thai fashion. Thompson was a New York architect who spent World War II in Thailand working for the OSS (which became the CIA). He fell in love with the country and stayed on after the war, reviving and developing Thailand’s now famous silk industry.

A 30-minute guided tour through the main house, made almost entirely from golden teak and other tropical hardwoods, and filled with an exquisite collection of Khmer sculpture, Chinese porcelain, Burmese carvings and Thai scroll paintings, is a wonderful antidote to the noisy bedlam of the 21st century outside. At the entrance a large shop sells all manner of splendid silk products from the Jim Thompson Company, and there is now a bar and restaurant on site as well.

Soi Kasemsan 2 (opposite the National Stadium Skytrain terminus); open daily 9am-6pm; entry costs THB150 (US$4.20); jimthompsonhouse.com

3 - Siam Center

Siam Center ถนน พระราม 1 Bangkok Thailand

Back on Rama I Road, walk east and within a few minutes you’ll find yourself in Bangkok’s busiest shopping district. Huge shopping centres sell a bewildering array of souvenirs, jewellery, books, clothes, etc, running the gamut from budget to luxury products.

While Siam Center is a warren of funky local brands, next door the prices soar in Siam Paragon, a vast seven-storey mall boasting outlets for Chanel, Cartier, Givenchy and the like on one floor, and Zara, Gap and H&M on another. Downstairs is a food court of gargantuan proportions, where any gastronomic whim can be catered to.

Farther down Rama I is Centralworld – almost as big as Siam Paragon – but once you arrive at the intersection with Ratchadamri Road, cross to the opposite corner where you’ll find the tiny but ever-busy Erawan shrine. Overlooked by the sweeping concrete viaducts of two Skytrain lines, this incongruous Hindu shrine houses a small golden statue of Phra Phrom – the Thai representation of the Hindu god Brahma. It is worshiped by both Buddhists and Hindus, who stop by all through the day to light incense sticks and pray; though this was the site of a lethal bomb attack last year, it has not stopped the crowds, and is a wonderful place to people-watch.

Siam Paragon and Centralworld are open 10am-10pm but Siam Center closes at 9pm; access to the Erawan Shrine is free and is open 6am-midnight; siamcenter.co.thcentralworld.co.th/en and siamparagon.co.th

4 - Lumpini Park

Lumpini Park Witthayu Road Bangkok Thailand

A ten-minute walk south down Ratchadamri Road brings you to “the lungs of Bangkok” for some respite from the traffic and noise. Named after the birthplace of the Lord Buddha in modern-day Nepal, Lumpini Park is a refreshing expanse of greenery in the heart of the city. One of the city’s most peaceful locations, it comprises more than 50 hectares of lawns, indigenous flora, a forest park, boating lakes and leisure facilities, including a well-used, meandering jogging track, tennis courts and workout areas. Locals love to come here in the late afternoon and evening to relax, reconnect with nature and escape the city stress. Entrance is free, open daily 4.30am-9pm.

5 - Dome at Lebua

the Dome at lebua Bangkok Thailand

At the end of the day it’s time to head for a sundowner drink – and nowhere has a better panorama for this than the Dome at Lebua, located on top of the State Tower at the river end of Silom Road. A three-stop Skytrain ride (THB28/US$0.80) from Sala Daeng station to Saphan Taksin, followed by a five-minute walk, will get you there; then it’s a long elevator ride to the 63rd floor and out onto an incredible terrace with stupendous views of the city. You can choose from new champagne bar Flute, a Perrier Jouet Bar, or the iconic Sky Bar – the world’s highest alfresco bar. There’s little to match sipping a cocktail around its chameleon-like circular bar (constantly changing colour) while gazing down on the urban sprawl 250 metres below, as millions of lights turn Bangkok into a glittering nightscape. State Tower, 1055 Silom Road; open daily 6pm-1am; lebua.com

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