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Ganesha statue Centralworld Bangkok Thailand

Thailand: Hindu god shrines around Sukhumvit, Bangkok

Date: January 19, 2023

Yesterday I didn’t do much sightseeing and ended up shopping.

Puff pastry Meiji strawberry milk Bangkok
Since Retro39 does not offer a breakfast buffet option, I bought & kept some puff pastries in the fridge the night before to have in the morning

I stepped out after doing some work and got off at Chit Lom BTS station.

Magnolias Ratchadamri Boulevard Bangkok
That’s Magnolias Ratchadamri Boulevard building, which houses luxury condominiums and the Waldorf Astoria Bangkok
Praying at Erawan shrine Bangkok Thailand
At the corner, Erawan Shrine was busy as usual

Erawan Shrine is a famous spot which houses a statue of Phra Phrom, the Thai representation of Brahma — the Hindu god of creation.

Erawan shrine offerings Brahma Bangkok Thailand
Daily there are offerings of coconuts, fruits, flowers, and money
Brahma Hindu god Erawan Shrine Bangkok
Brahma’s depiction in Thailand will slightly differ from how temples in India depict the god

Side note: Chennakesava Temple, Somanathapura — an hours drive from Bangalore (India) — has carvings of Brahma from the 12th century.

As for why there are so many shrines for Hindu gods in Bangkok, it’s historical. Thailand used to be part of the Khmer empire, which was heavily influenced by Indian culture and Hinduism. See my Cambodia series and visits to Angkor Wat to know more about that.

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Basket kpop store Siam Square Bangkok

Thailand: Siam Square Walking Street, a good place to find K-pop stores in Bangkok

Date: January 18, 2023

After a lot of walking yesterday, I had some good rest and woke up ‘on time’ as I had to check out of Lemon Siam Hostel.

Breadtalk pastry breakfast Bangkok
I had bought some pastries the night before, to have as breakfast

I only stayed this side of town only because I had to visit DJI’s service center (see previous post). I moved to a hotel in an area that I had not stayed in before. I took the BTS to Phrom Phong, in Watthana district, which is not too far from the core Sukhumvit stretch.

Retro39 hotel Phrom Phong Bangkok
I had booked at Retro39 which is a very shot walk from the Phrom Phong BTS station. That’s a Mercure Bangkok Sukhumvit 24 across the road, if you want something more luxurious.
Retro39 road Phrom Phong Bangkok
There’s a Lawson convenience store right next to Retro39, and it’s open 24/7

Retro39 is a simple hotel. No breakfast buffet on offer and little in terms of amenities. Just a small hotel that isn’t too old, with clean and well-kept rooms, just a few steps away from Phrom Phong BTS station — which is just one stop after the Asok/Sukhumvit interchange stations. So a very good location as far as I am concerned.

Retro39 hotel bed toilet Bangkok
My Superior Double Room cost ฿3,381 (₹7,792/$93/€86) for 4 nights, which was a pretty good price given the location

The only thing I did not like was the bed. Not that it lacked comfort. The mattress was very nice to sleep on and the sheets were clean — but the bed was on wheels. So as I sat on my bed to work, with my back to the cushioned wall, the bed would move forward slowly. It was annoying for someone who often sits on the bed to work!

Im Chan restaurants Phrom Phong Bangkok
There are two eateries serving the ‘essentials’ of Thai food at affordable prices right near the BTS station
Seafood fried rice Bangkok Thailand
This seafood fried rice was quite yum. Cost ฿90 (₹207/$2.4/€2.2)
EmQuartier Watthana mall Bangkok
Just a stone’s throw away from Phrom Phong BTS station is EmQuartier, a new mall housing ZARA, Uniqlo, H&M, Sephora, and other major brands

I’m stunned to see how many malls still keep coming up in Bangkok! The Sukhumvit Road stretch must have some 10 malls by now.

Benchasiri park Bangkok Thailand
And across the road is Benchasiri Park, a nice green space to go jogging or just sit on grass for a while

I decided to explore the area a bit more as this was my first time in this part of Bangkok.

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The Gundam base Bangkok Thailand

Thailand: Phayathai Food Center and Bangkok’s Gundam Base

Date: January 17, 2023

After arriving yesterday, and resting well, I stepped out for the main reason for coming to Bangkok.

Ratchathewi BTS Bangkok Thailand
I took the BTS from Ratchathewi to Phaya Thai

Back in 2019, I picked up my DJI drone just before leaving the city on that trip. Unfortunately, since I picked it up just a day before leaving, it was only once I landed back in India, did I get a chance to properly test the drone and everything that came with it. Upon testing, I found the two batteries that came with my pack were dead upon arrival. Fortunately DJI support managed to ship new ones to me before COVID hit — but I always wanted to go back to Bangkok to see if the service center could try to revive the two dead batteries.

So after nearly 3 years of COVID lockdowns, I managed to return to Bangkok and went to the DJI service center at KSL Tower on Chaturathit road, which was a 10 minute walk from Phaya Thai BTS.

DJI service center inside KSL Tower Bangkok
This image is a screenshot from Google Maps. I thought I had taken a photo on my phone. Anyway, the red arrow points to where the DJI service center is.

Unfortunately, the technicians took a look at the battery and since it had been more than 3 years since I purchased the drone, they said there as nothing they could do. They could not replace them or even try to repair them as it could have been dead for so long. I was disappointed but there was nothing more I could ask from them.

Unicorn skyscraper Bangkok Thailand
So I walked back to Phaya Thai BTS
Phayathai railway track under the bridge Bangkok
This was right underneath the BTS metro line
Food stalls by railway track Bangkok
There were a bunch of small eateries by the train tracks

But just under Phaya Thai BTS station was a food court, chock full of food stalls.

Continue reading “Thailand: Phayathai Food Center and Bangkok’s Gundam Base” »
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