Bangkok, Thailand - Day 1 (Chatuchak Weekend Market - GUMP’s Ari Community Space)
This is my first leisure trip to Bangkok. My first visit was eleven years ago, on a business trip. We chose to fly from Penang to Bangkok because there are no direct flights from Kota Kinabalu, Sabah. The return flight with Firefly costs RM 991.60 per person and took about 1 hour and 50 minutes. Our flight was scheduled to depart at 10am, so we stayed at the Olive Tree Hotel the night before.
We checked out of the Olive Tree Hotel at 8am and took a Grab ride to Penang International Airport. It's only a 5-minute ride. After we checked in our luggage, my partner chose to hang out at the Plaza Premium International Lounge, as his credit card provides free access to it. The lounge was crowded, and the food section was small and cramped, with limited options. I only had a bowl of porridge, a cup of hot Milo and sandwiches. The hash brown looks oily and overall the food tastes average.
Plaza Premium International Lounge
Plaza Premium International Lounge
Plaza Premium International Lounge
Plaza Premium International Lounge
Plaza Premium International Lounge
Roti canai and curry
Hash brown
Baked beans and baked tomato
Baked potato and chicken sausage
Chicken kurma and fried noodles
Nasi lemak and cereal section
My breakfast
His breakfast
Hot Milo
Address:
Plaza Premium International Lounge
Near Gate A3,
Mezzanine Floor, International Departure,
Lapangan Terbang Antarabangsa Bayan Lepas,
11900 Bayan Lepas,
Pulau Pinang
Our flight departed on time, and we landed at Suvarnabhumi Airport at 10.50am (Bangkok time). Bangkok is 1 hour behind Malaysia time. We are really lucky to have an empty middle seat because my partner prefers the aisle seat, and I prefer the window seat. There was a lot of turbulence during the flight.
The immigration process was quick, and we didn't have to fill out any arrival cards. By 11.30am, we had retrieved our luggage and were on our way to the Airport Rail Link, which is located on level B. The Airport Rail Link connects the airport to the BTS (Skytrain) station at Phaya Thai. We purchased a single journey ticket (THB 45 per person) at the ticket machine. When the train arrives, we are not allowed to board until the security check is completed.
Since Krit Thai Residence is directly beside National Stadium Station, we must take the BTS from Phaya Thai Station to Siam Station, which is an interchange station, and then take the BTS from Siam Station to National Stadium Station. Instead of taking the BTS to our hotel, my partner decided to take a Grab ride from Phaya Thai Station to the hotel (Grab fare - THB 130). While waiting for our Grab car, we noticed that many people used the motorcycle taxi without wearing any helmets. Due to the traffic congestion, it appears that it is highly popular for Thai people to take a motorbike rather than a car.
Suvarnabhumi Airport
Walking towards the Airport Rail Link
Airport Rail Link
Airport Rail Link
Airport Rail Link single journey token from Suvarnabhumi to Phaya Thai - THB 45 per person
Phaya Thai Station
We checked into the hotel at 2pm and waited for my partner's buddy to join us for the Chatuchak Weekend Market. Four of us took a Grab ride to Chatuchak from Krit Thai Residence (Grab fare - THB 146). Chatuchak is Thailand's largest market, and the best time to visit is during the weekend. The market is large and confusing. You can find anything, including clothing, food, antiques and even pets.
We headed to the food section, where Yuan bought crispy pancakes, also known as Khanom bueang. There are three flavours: foi thong (egg), coconut salty original and coconut with pandan leaves. It is a traditional Thai street snack with a crispy skin, and the flavour varies depending on the toppings. It is slightly sweet and definitely not one of my favourite street snacks. My partner bought a sausage from a nearby stall, but it was cold and didn't taste good.
Chatuchak Weekend Market
Chatuchak Weekend Market
Chatuchak Weekend Market
Taicrispy pancake
Foi Thong (egg), coconut salty original and coconut & pandan leaves - THB 49
Fried red sausage - THB 20
We decided to try Thai food in Chatuchak as we hadn't had lunch yet. The food area was crowded and heated. There are so many stalls, and our friend just strolled into one. We ordered a bowl of beef noodles, pad Thai and crab fried rice. The initial taste of the crab fried rice is good. Later on, we found out the rice was not properly fried. The fried rice still has large clumps of rice. The beef noodles had a chewy texture and the food was generally average. Our friend Wilson bought a cup of coconut smoothies and it's very sweet. My partner on the other hand, had milk tea which is overly milky yet not sweet.
(Total bill - THB 420)
Chatuchak Weekend Market
Milk tea - THB 50 and coconut smoothies - THB 60
Pad Thai
Beef noodles
Crab fried rice - THB 150
Chatuchak Weekend Market
We strolled around the market and came across Coco JJ, one of the most popular stalls in Chatuchak. The stall sells coconut ice cream, fresh coconut juice and coconut shake. You can choose from four flavours of ice cream: original coconut, mango, Thai milk tea and durian (an extra THB 20). You also get to select two toppings from a menu of nine options (peanuts, palm seeds, corn, coco jelly, red beans, barley, pumpkin, mung beans and sticky rice). Extra toppings cost THB 5 each. I had coconut ice cream with coco jelly and peanuts. The coconut ice cream tastes good. It is served in a coconut shell and contains coconut flesh.
Coco JJ original coconut ice cream with peanuts and coco jelly - THB 70
We walked to Mixt Chatuchak Shopping Center, which is close to the Chatuchak Market, to hunt for Swensen's Thai tea ice cream. However, it was completely sold out. So, we wandered around and spotted a pet market with cats, rabbits, dogs and other animals. On the way out from Chatuchak Market, there are people giving away free samples of chewy jelly that is not too sweet and refreshing.
Chatuchak Weekend Market
Chatuchak Weekend Market
Chatuchak Weekend Market
Mixt Chatuchak Shopping Center
Chatuchak Weekend Market
Namthip drinking water - THB 10
Chatuchak Pet Market
Spotted a humongous dog
Free sample of chewy jelly at Chatuchak Weekend Market
Address:
Chatuchak Weekend Market
No. 587, 10 Kamphaeng Phet 2 Rd,
Khwaeng Chatuchak, Chatuchak,
Bangkok 10900,
Thailand
Opening hours: Wednesday to Thursday - 7am to 6pm (plant section only) / Friday - 6pm to 12am (wholesale only) / Saturday and Sunday - 9am to 6pm (whole market open). Closed on Monday and Tuesday
We met up with his friends and took a Grab ride to the Ongtong Khaosoi Ari Branch (Grab fare - THB 147). We ordered a bowl of Khaosoi with chicken and a plate of stir-fried Khaosoi with beef. Khaosoi is a traditional Thai curry noodle soup. The coconut curry noodle soup is very spicy but flavourful. The stir-fried beef is tender but a little salty. I enjoy the texture of the noodles; they are neither too hard nor too soft. You can order your Khaosoi with chicken, pork or stewed beef.
(Total bill - THB 384)
Ongtong Khaosoi Ari Branch, drinking water - THB 30 each and ice THB 3 each
Khaosoi with chicken - THB 139
Stir fried Khaosoi with beef - THB 179
Address:
Ongtong Khaosoi Ari Branch
31 Phahonyothin Soi 7,
Phaya Thai,
Bangkok 10400,
Thailand
Opening hours: 9am to 8.30pm daily
GUMP’s Ari Community Space is a 4-minute walk (300m) from the Ongtong Khaosoi Ari Branch. The place has cafes and Instagram photo places where people can relax and unwind. It's rather small, and you can skip it because there is nothing particularly interesting here.
GUMP’s Ari Community Space
GUMP’s Ari Community Space
Address:
GUMP’s Ari Community Space
No. 25 Ari 4 Fang Nua Alley,
Phaya Thai,
Bangkok 10400,
Thailand
We walked all the way to Victory Monument, which is around 2.2km (30 minutes walk) from GUMP’s Ari Community Space, because my partner needs to meet his 10,000-step goal every day. Baan Kuay Tiew Ruathong is just a 2-minute walk (130m) from the Victory Monument. It is a boat noodle restaurant, and the bowls are so little that you'll need many if you arrive hungry. We were still full from our previous meals and the four of us shared three bowls of boat noodles.
We ordered the tom yum noodles with pork, spicy Thai noodles with pork and dried tom yum noodles with pork. The spicy Thai noodles have a strong herbal taste that I don't particularly enjoy. The tom yum noodles are a little spicy and the noodles are a little firm. Overall, I prefer the dried tom yum noodles with pork.
Victory Monument
Baan Kuay Tiew Ruathong
Baan Kuay Tiew Ruathong
Restaurant ambience
Tom yum noodles with pork - THB 18
Spicy Thai noodles with pork - THB 18
Dried tom yum noodles with pork - THB 18
Baan Kuay Tiew Ruathong
No. 1/7 Ratchawithi Rd,
Samsen Nai, Phaya Thai,
Bangkok 10400,
Thailand
Opening hours: 9am to 8.30pm. Closed on Monday
Address:
Our next stop is Jeh O Chula. We decided to take the BTS from Victory Monument Station to National Stadium Station (Fare - THB 32 per person) and then walk all the way there. The BTS Skytrain ticket can be purchased at the machine using the TnG app. Jeh O Chula is approximately 1.1km (16 minutes walk) from National Stadium Station.
Victory Monument Station
Single journey BTS card
Single journey BTS card
Siam Station
We arrived at Jeh O Chula at 7.35pm, and there was a long queue outside the restaurant. You can download their QUE Q app and book an online queue within a 2km radius of the Jeh O Chula shop starting at 3.30pm. They will start calling queue numbers at 4pm. The business closes at 12am. The lady stated that the waiting period would be roughly 1.5 hours. We can take a stroll and return later because the app will display our queueing number.
Jeh O Chula
We walked to Ginger Bowl, just a 2-minute walk (170m) from Jeh O Chula. It's a Hong Kong dessert shop and we ordered a bowl of sweet dumplings in hot ginger tea and red bean sago. The ginger soup has a strong ginger flavour with a slight bitterness. The glutinous rice balls are stuffed with peanuts and black sesame, with a dash of salt. The skin is soft, thin and chewy, yet there are some thick areas. When you bite into it, the filling oozes out. The red bean sago is served with shaved ice and tofu. The beans are too hard and we don't really enjoy it.
(Total bill - THB 193 including 10% service tax)
Ginger Bowl
Restaurant ambience
Restaurant ambience
Sweet dumplings in hot ginger tea - THB 75
Red beans and sago - THB 100
Address:
Ginger Bowl
No. 975-977 Bantadthong Rd Wang Mai,
Pathum Wan, Krung Thep Maha Nakhon 10330,
Thailand
Opening hours: 12pm to 2.30pm / 4.30pm to 10.30pm
We returned to Jeh O Chula after dessert and were finally seated around 9.30pm. Basically, the waiting time is roughly two hours! We ordered stir-fried water spinach, stir-fried clams, fried chicken wings and their signature Mama tom yum seafood. The water spinach is fresh and young. However, it is a little salty and spicy. Stir-fried clams, on the other hand, have an unusual sauce flavour due to the addition of basil leaves, which I dislike. The fried chicken wings are dry and not really tasty.
The main course is the mama tom yum seafood noodles. The noodles have precisely the right texture. Neither too firm nor too soft. The dish comes with four raw eggs, lime slices, prawns, roasted pork, pork balls, ground pork, squid and crab meat. The portion is just right for four people. The tom yum is not extremely spicy and has a faint sour taste. I just love the roasted pork. It's tender with a crispy skin but not greasy. The pork balls are also tasty. Unlike those firm pork balls, which have a lot of tendons, their pork balls are soft, tender and juicy. Besides that, both crab meat and prawns are fresh, but the squids are chewy. Overall, my partner enjoys it very much.
(Total bill - THB 1,160)
Jeh O Chula
Book an online queue from 3.30pm using their QUE Q app
Drinking water - THB 30 and ice
Stir fried water spinach (kangkung) - THB 50
Stir fried clams - THB 100
Fried chicken wings - THB 100
Signature Mama tom yum seafood - THB 850
Address:
Jeh O Chula
No. 113 Soi Charat Muang,
Rong Muang, Pathum Wan,
Bangkok 10330,
Thailand
Opening hours: 4pm to 12am
We returned to our hotel after that. My partner and his friends ended the night with a foot massage right next door to our hotel.
Gold Hand Thai Massage - THB 350 for 1 hour foot massage
Address:
Gold Hand Thai Massage
Kasem San 2 Alley,
Wang Mai, Pathum Wan,
Bangkok 10330,
Thailand
Opening hours: 10.30am to 12am
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