One Night In Bangkok; Wat Arun and Together Festival 2018

04 May 2018 Friday in Bangkok, Thailand

​2010: 1st visit for 1st solo trip abroad
2014: 2nd visit for transit to Myanmar
2018: 3rd visit for thanksgiving party

8 years ago I started my first solo backpacking adventure right on this country. Presently I have 66 countries across 3 continents on my list. Who would know I've reached this far in unexpected ways. Visiting Bangkok after 8 years and attending Bangkok's famous EDM, Together Festival (headed by Hardwell, Alan Walker, etc) is my way on paying tribute where I officially started being a Wandering Andoy abroad. Thank you very much Thailand!

Wat Arun Rajwararam (Temple of the Dawn) is the most elegant pagoda, landmark of Thailand, located on the west bank of Chao Phraya River. It has been the Royal Temple dedicated to the 2nd reign of Chakkri Dynasty.

1130H BTS Silom line Saphan Taksin Stn 59
speed boat to Wat Arun 100 (one-way)
1200H Wat Po Pier; Padthai lunch 80; boat to Wat Arun 4; Wat Arun entrance fee 50
1245H Wat Arun; public boat to BTC 15
Total: 308 THB

One Night In Bangkok; Wat Arun and Together Festival 2018

2 Days Solo Trip in Rainy Phuket Last Part: Windy Phi Phi Island Day Tour

sightseeing the Phuket, Thailand best tourist attraction

September 21 to 23, 2017

2 Days Solo Trip in Rainy Phuket 1st Part: Patong Beach and Bangla Street

PHI PHI ISLAND DAY TOUR ITINERARY (September 22, 2017 Friday)
0730H Hotel pick-up
0845H ETA Sea Angel Pier
0930H ETD Sea Angel Pier 
Sightseeing around Phi Phi Lay Island by big boat. Due to strong winds and huge waves, we had only a very quick look to western side of the island. 

1200H ETA Tonsai Pier, Phi Phi Don Island; buffet lunch; beachbumming
1430H ETD Phi Phi Don Island
1630H ETA Sea Angel Pier
1800H ETA Hotel

Phi Phi Islands are some of the loveliest in Southeast Asia. The two main islands are Phi Phi Don and Phi Phi Leh. The larger and inhabited Phi Phi Don attracts hundreds of visitors to stay on its lovely shores while the smaller uninhabited Phi Phi Leh hosts stunningly beautiful bays and beaches, including the world-famous Maya Bay, which was the set where The Beach (with Leonardo Di Caprio) was filmed.
http://www.phiphi.phuket.com/

2 Days Solo Trip in Rainy Phuket Last Part: Windy Phi Phi Island Day Tour

2 Days Solo Trip in Rainy Phuket 1st Part: Patong Beach and Bangla Street

sightseeing the Phuket, Thailand best tourist attraction

September 21 to 23, 2017

"When people have compassion, friendship, and unity, they speak and think in a constructive way to ensure national independence and prosperity." - Bhumibol Adulyadej

My 54rd solo backpacking trip, 29th country to visit in Asian continent, total of 62 countries visited so far and of course, usual budget do-it-yourself itinerary from arrival to departure. This trip served also as my 3rd visit to Thailand following the transit to Myanmar (2014) and 1st international solo trip (2010).

timezone - UTC +0700H
capital - Bangkok         language - Thai             currency - Baht (THB) 1 USD = 33 THB
visa - Philippine passport holders are visa-on-arrival and visa free-of-charge for 30 days

Phuket Island, is Thailand's largest at 48km in length and 21km at its widest. It's in Southern Thailand, on the west-facing Andaman Sea coastline, suspended from the southern tip of Phang Nga Province by a pair of short but substantial road bridges. Phuket has a busy nightlife, second only to Pattaya among Thailand's beach resorts. Patong is by far the busiest, and seediest, of the lot, but in addition to go-go bars there are also plenty of other bars, discos and clubs.
https://wikitravel.org/en/Phuket_Island

2 Days Solo Trip in Rainy Phuket 1st Part: Patong Beach and Bangla Street

Transit in Bangkok last part; Red Light & Night Market of Silom Road

4-days Self-guided Solo Tour in Myanmar (Burma)

February 02-08, 2014

Transit in Bangkok 1st part; Suvarnabhumi(BKK) to Don Mueang Airport(DMK)

3-days in Thailand, the beginning of my travel addictiveness (Jun. 2010) 

I decided to spend a short visit to Silom road as my spare time in-between BKK-DMK Airport transfer was enough to perform it. I visited this place way back June 2010 (almost 4 years ago) where the Red Shirt protesters ended their renegade retribution just days before my Bangkok arrival. Now, again, set of protesters emerged because of the alleged corrupt Thai government. Though I witnessed both, it did not linger or lessen my expectation to experience Thailand backpacking. Silom is just 2 sets of railway away from BKK Airport and combination of bus and metro from DMK Airport.

Silom is the closest Bangkok gets to Wall Street, with glistening skyscrapers all boasting the names of financial institutions. After nightfall the character of the place changes considerably though: the small sois between Silom Road and Surawong Road come alive with people out for a good time, including the infamous den of sleaze that is Patpong. Patpong is internationally known as a red light district at the heart of Bangkok's sex industry, it is in fact only one of numerous red-light districts some catering primarily to Thai men and some others, like Patpong, catering primarily to foreigners. A busy night market aimed at tourists is also located also in Patpong. Patpong Night Market has offered souvenirs, gifts, clothes, handbags and jewelry amidst entertainment establishments since the late 1960s. This is one of the best known open air night markets in Thailand.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patpong

Transit in Bangkok; Red Light & Night Market of Silom (Patpong Street)

Transit in Bangkok 1st part; Suvarnabhumi(BKK) to Don Mueang Airport(DMK)

4-days Self-guided Solo Tour in Myanmar (Burma)

February 02-08, 2014

Country of Myanmar; the Golden Land

Bangkok is my chosen transit airport to Yangon, Myanmar due to no direct flights offered to Yangon, Free Visa Arrangement and very cheap round trip flight fares offered by Air Asia Thai.

AirAsia affirms its readiness to transfer all operations to Don Mueang International Airport by October 2012. The airline's flights will retain their original schedules. The uncongested Don Mueang Airport is sure to prove a benefit to AirAsia when it boosts its fleet of Airbus A320s to a total of 48 and welcomes more customers. 

http://www.airasia.com/ot/en/press-releases/don-mueang-airport-transfer.page

Assuming standard flow of traffic, travel from Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport (BKK) to Bangkok Don Mueang Airport (DMK) has around 45 minutes with distance of 49,5 kilometers. During peak hours can take up to 1.5-2.0 hours. Make sure you allocate as much time as possible. For more information, please check http://www.airasia.com/ask/template.do?id=548

Give enough allowance time to departure and arrival flights from this 2 Airports for unfortunate events such as flight delay and traffic jam. As what happened to me, my flight departure from DMK was delayed by 1.5hr.

Transit in Bangkok; BKK to DMK Airport (Air Asia boarding Pass)

Erawan Bangkok Gem Scam Successful Refund

the epic battle to claim my money back

September 24, 2010 - February 13, 2012 (507 days)

After 17 months of follow-up to Thailand local authorities regarding scam complain during my 2010 solo backpack, my money is 90% refunded..

Thanks to Mr. Edgar Badajos, (Consul-General of Philippine embassy) and to the Department of Internal Trade of Thailand. I appreciate wholeheartedly the efforts eventhough it lasted this long.

How was the scam and the process of refund undergo, here it was ....

It happened during my 1st solo backpacking Bangkok way back June 5, 2010 around 1000H. I never thought it was scam until after over 2 months while researching the web due out of curiosity that there is something wrong with how I bought this item.

the gem scam from bangkok

Visiting the Siam Ocean World

my 1st solo international backpacking (bangkok-kanchanaburi-ayutthaya)
June 4-8, 2010 friday to tuesday

objective: to visit the best tourist spots that fits my taste and budget accordingly.
additional tasks: to witness the wonders of there architectural ruins and experience the thrill of 1st lone traveling abroad

Thailand, beginning of my travel addictiveness

day 1: bangkok temple trip

day 2: kanchanaburi rail trip

day 3: ayutthaya ruins trip

continued...

DAY THREE:
SIAM OCEAN WORLD

rode an mrt subway bound to siam station for siam paragon mall. my next trip lined-up was the siam ocean world, the largest indoor aquarium in southeast asia at the basement of this mall. for only thb990 package, activities includes glass bottom boating with the sharks beneath, 30-minute sanyo 4d max movie adventure, aquarium sightseeing, massage therapy of happy feet and free large drink and popcorn. there are also schedules of shark, eagle ray, otter, water rat and penguin feeding show.

siam ocean world

Ayutthaya Ruins Solo Trip

my 1st solo international backpacking (bangkok-kanchanaburi-ayutthaya)
June 4-8, 2010 friday to tuesday

objective: to visit the best tourist spots that fits my taste and budget accordingly.
additional tasks: to witness the wonders of there architectural ruins and experience the thrill of 1st lone traveling abroad

thailand, beginning of my travel addictiveness
day 1: bangkok temple trip
day 2: kanchanaburi rail trip

continued...

DAY THREE:
AYUTTHAYA RUINS TRIP

Check-out by 0600H, then depart at 640am. Ordinary train ride availed at thb20(php28). upon alight to ayutthaya station, there were standby official tuktuk for ruins tour so standard price was implemented at thb200 per hour on 1 tuktuk ride. the driver showed laminated pics to which you can choose what type of tourist spot yoo like to visit. around 0830H i started my journey.

Wat phanan choeng

Kanchanaburi Rail Solo Trip

my 1st solo international backpacking (bangkok-kanchanaburi-ayutthaya)
June 4-8, 2010 friday to tuesday

objective: to visit the best tourist spots that fits my taste and budget accordingly.
additional tasks: to witness the wonders of there architectural ruins and experience the thrill of 1st lone traveling abroad

thailand, beginning of my travel addictiveness
day 1: bangkok temple trip

continued...

DAY TWO:
KANCHANABURI RAIL TRIP

Woke-up 530am, check-out on my guest house then went to hua lampong train station by foot for 10 mins. Around 0640H, the train moves, start of excursion trip, goodbye bangkok for a moment.

hua lampong station

hua lampong station trains bound to kanchanaburi

inside the hua lampong station checking the train departure times

Bangkok Temples Solo Trip

my 1st solo international backpacking (bangkok-kanchanaburi-ayutthaya)
June 4-8, 2010 friday to tuesday

objective: to visit the best tourist spots that fits my taste and budget accordingly.
additional tasks: to witness the wonders of there architectural ruins and experience the thrill of 1st lone traveling abroad 

Thailand, beginning of my travel addictiveness

continued...

arriving at the suvarnabhumi airport:
the location of this airport is the same also with ours, its not in the capital city. upon aircraft touchdown, fall in line to immigration officer, get a map nearby for free, then straight ahead to ground floor exit 3 left side. since 0500H is the 1st trip of shuttle bus, idle mode for the meantime in airport. studied the city map then took a nap on bench nearby the exit. yes, napping is allowed in their airport.

loha prasat

3 Days Budget Solo DIY Trip in Rainy Thailand

The Beginning of my Travel Addictiveness, my 1st solo international backpacking June 4-8, 2010 friday to tuesday

2 Days Solo Trip in Rainy Phuket (2017)

One Night In Bangkok; Wat Arun and Together Festival 2018

The country is a kingdom, with most recorded reigns in the world; a constitutional monarchy with King Rama IX, the ninth king of the House of Chakri, who has reigned since 1946, making him the world's longest-serving current head of state and the longest-reigning monarch in Thai history. The king is officially titled Head of State, the Head of the Armed Forces, an Upholder of the Buddhist religion, and the Defender of all Faiths.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thailand

INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT KINGDOM OF THAILAND

timezone - UTC +0700H   capital - Bangkok    language - Thai    currency - Baht (THB)

visa - Philippine passport holders are visa upon arrival (free of charge).

1. Thailand is the world's largest exporter of rice.

2. Thailand is a constitutional monarchy, much like England.

3. Around ninety per cent of Thai people are Buddhist.

4. The world "Thailand" means Land of the Free.

5. Thailand was actually known as Siam until 1939 (and again from 1945 to 1949).

php14,000 converter into usd300 as my budget pocket money on my 3-days 1st-time thailand journey