Lesson from Bangkok

1. Matta Fair  “cheap and big” doesn’t mean good quality assurance

The itinerary was changed to 2 days night and 2 nights pattaya, instead of 3 nights bangkok and 1 nights pattaya as agreed in penang. We met a dishonest so-called freelance “tour guide” who intended to cheat us. We supposed to have another night in pattaya but my sister and I wanted to go back to bangkok. So, we asked Boby (not real name) -the tour guide to arrange for us. He came to us in a short while to tell us that we have to pay RM130 each person for a night in Bangkok City Inn. He didn’t know that we had surveyed the rate before we visited bangkok. It was only RM99 if we book from internet.  When we confronted him, he told us that his company wanted to charge that way..  What a big liar! We called the boss directly and we got the night free instead.

2. Bad tour guide spoilt your day

It happened that in our small group, there was a demanding European from Malaysia. She spotted his cunning side from the beginning and had been complaining to him from day one. Bob was frustrated and kept insult her indirectly. This tour guide supposed to embrace whatever his customers thrown to him and not holding any grudges but he was presenting retaliation in front the rest of us. Instead of concentrating in giving guide, he kept complaining about his problem facing with the demanding tourists since last time till now. We all felt the uneasiness. After all, it was his personal problem.  We are here to enjoy the beauty of Bangkok, not hearing his complain!!

So,

Go free and easy, and when you reach there, there is information center set up by the goverment and they offered many good quality tour advice and service!! I had seen a good tour guide giving ample information about the historical places to a group of tourists with fluent English. Choose the places you want to visit only. You might pay slightly more but you got a happy trip.

If you there to explore by yourself with map..

3. Closed your ears to the friendly local chap

There would be many local who would approach you and friendly to you, offering direction and wishing you good luck. Actually they are cunning wolf in disguise. They led you to other places that selling things instead of giving you the right direction to your destination. My sister and I took water public transport to Chang pier and we walked to Grand Palace. Half way, there came a friendly chap and gave us to the wrong direction of Grand Palace. Initially we believed him. Then I felt something wrong, as I stopped half way and looked across to the wall of Grand palace and down to the end, there was no entrance seen, only side door with soldier. And there was a sign board pointing entrance at the opposite way.  As sis and I planned to go across, there came another chap and told us that Grand Palace is closed! Liar again! It was always open since early in the morning as was told by the information center by the goverment . So, closed your ear to any local chap.

There are two group of people you can trust for enquiry  -

1.the information center/counter/booth by the government (not private ya, mind you)

2. Uniform university students (they wear white T and dark blue pleated skirt)

My last words,

There is about 10 million people in Bangkok. Many are very rich.  Many have become successful. Many of them are from the north part of Thailand, who are poor and uneducated and wish to earn a decent living by doing business. Many are still trying to make end meets. They are setting small business along road side and their target is tourist. They form a group of people who lead the innocent tourists to their market. But I believe there are many hands reaching out to them too. I guess it is a matter of choice.

Bangkok, a vibrant city indeed.