A stay in Khlong San - Bangkok District

[Jimbob]

A visit to Khlong San and a ‘Beauty clinic’ whose motto is ‘Your Happy Face is our Happiness’.

My Thai girlfriend, K, had saved enough to go to a Khlong San clinic not far from IconSiam for some facial ‘rejuvenation’. She asked ‘Would I stay with her for the week or so' as she was required after procedures to stay indoors, cool and out of the sun’? ‘Of course Tilac’. I would be free to wander around the local area but do little other than fetch and carry for her.

When in Bangkok we usually stay in Din Deang or more centrally along Sukhumvit, but this was too far from the preferred clinic so staying Khlong San was definitely a new experience. Staying on the Chao Phraya right bank would be a new experience.

So we booked into the Foodotel on Soi 4 Charoen Nakhon Khlong San for a few days. This is a 3 star hotel with Thai breakfasts. Its big attraction was being 300 meters from said clinic, just a walk up the road and on the same side but across from IconSiam Mall.

Other local hotels, such as the Peninsular and Millennium, were definitely unaffordable.

Charoen Nakhon road becomes mighty busy for traffic heading in and out of the Icon Siam parking station. The gold line BTS was adjacent so I could use the station lift/stairs to cross the road to the mega mall or travel cross river. That saved a lot of time and risk crossing that road.

The Foodotel rooms were basic, a 3 star rating would be a stretch. The building had been an old warehouse converted into a ‘boutique’ hotel. The bedroom section of the room was a raised timber floor with mattresses directly on the floor. No chairs but it was quiet.

We went to the Khlong San street market the first morning for her essentials: street food, clothing to take up country to her mum. I noticed people walking through the market down a laneway and so followed them on find the Khlong San cross-river ferry that shuttles across river to Si Phraya wharf and River City art center. I crossed with the ferry and bought a few gifts for family at the center.

Initial clinic consultations had been by video link. K walked up to the clinic on Sunday midday to locate it ready for her Monday appointment but up ended up having a procedure that afternoon and I did not get to see her until 10pm.

The clinic is a production line. The interior was very plush and the female staff wandered around like princesses. Some doctors were suits and the obligatory white coat but the senior staff wandered around in jeans by contrast.

The doctor’s carpark only had German cars. K estimated that the clinic turned over 4 million baht a day. I witnessed a salesman/doctor recommending that that this older woman have another 100,000 baht procedure as well she was already booked in for. Becoming beautiful is expensive.

In the mornings it was down for breakfast and kitchen staff dipping into large pots for a choice of Thai food with advice for me what was not too spicy.

K soon spotted other clinic patients part-wrapped in scarves from the clinic so they started collecting at a common table and share stories ‘who was having what done to where’. This happened most mornings with patients being mainly of Asian origin but coming from Finland, USA, Korea, Japan etc. It seemed most of the hotel clientele were also using the clinic.

Everyday K would go down for breakfast, meet other patients, then off to the clinic for a shampoo by the clinic staff to reduce infection risk and a patient review or some other minor procedure. All this was ‘first come first served’ basis.

In the meantime I would go for a walk and find a coffee shop. I was surprised to find quite a few family-run coffee shops of very good quality. I also wandered into a massage ‘spa’ right next to IconSiam. For an oil massage disposable underpants were issued to customers. A nice idea. Everything this side of the river seemed nicer.

We then extended our stay beyond the first three days on the basis that the location near the clinic was ideal but the next morning a reception sign said that the kitchen would close for three days of renovation. We then had to cross to the street market for takeaway food or to IconSiam food court.

One side trip for me was to take the BTS to visit the new Pak Nam Tower in Samut Prakhan. This is an interesting observation tower 25 floors high with great views of the coast and up the river.

While K was busy or resting I found along the street the ‘Save Our Souls’ Beer and burger bar. The beer was mainly good, German on tap with Thai craft beer also available. The clientele were predominantly professional Thai couples. I had to check it out quite a few times.

Next to my hotel I found the ‘Mute Mute’ café the staff being predominantly mute with the owner looking after her deaf and dumb young relatives by opening the café. There was always someone there who could hear and speak and take orders. Upstairs was a room for playing board games being a meeting place for those still doing games like ‘Dungeons and Dragons’.

Strolling further down the street I observed locals walk down a passageway to the river. Aha, another wharf and a ferry to Wat Suan Plu and the Bangkok’s Catholic Cathedral. I wandered around the Cathedral’s precinct which included a school and convent.

Security guards were at all gates as chauffeured driven or Mum driven SUVs dropped off school children who were met by waiting teachers and escorted to class rooms. Every bit of concrete road or wall was epoxy coated and spotless. The French embassy was also next door. And a short walk to Jewellery wholesalers and outlets. Perhaps some other time I might take K there.

Visiting IconSiam Mall was a staggering experience. All international brands such as Porsche showrooms were represented and included Cinemas. It is spacious, well laid out but it seems like Hotel California song ‘you can check out anytime you like but you can never leave’. I had great trouble finding the right lobby to leave by.

Khlong San seemed a great place to be based BTS access and with four ferry wharfs to quickly cross the river reducing taxi needs. Very few non Thai tourists were evident and so no scammers and street workers,

As K was flying out early from Suvarnabhumi Airport to Chiang Rai the next morning we moved to a Lat Krabang hotel, The Golden Jade close to the airport. This was a much better hotel and good value. K was also very happy to see a huge ‘Market Land’ street food stall centre across the road.

[PeteC]

Really good trip report.

[PeteC]

A lot of interesting info there Jimbob, and the "Mute Cafe" establishment I find intriguing and is surely a place not too many foreigners come across I don't think.

Please continue on with stories about your adventures while "K" is up country.

How long has it been since you've been back here?

I hope both of you enjoy your visit. Have a Happy Holiday if you're here over Christmas and New Year.

[caller]

Great report Jimbob. Very interesting. Look forward to more.

Maybe we should all follow BB's and Jimbobs examples. Including me!

Edit - and of course, Buksi!

[Big Boy]

Please do, I love to read and learn from other people's personal experiences.

[migrant]

Great report, Thanks!!

[KhunLA]

Good stuff, enjoy.

We always prefer to stay at Khlong San district, away from the 'farang'' tourist ghettos. Rarely venture to Suk/Silom/Asok area, unless necessary.

50 districts to Krung Thep, and most never venture past lower Suk

[buksida]

Interesting report. Bangkok is definitely like a different country to the rest of Thailand, I should venture up there more often.

[caller]

50 districts to Krung Thep, and most never venture past lower Suk

I am not sure that is trrue, certainly of expats. More a case I never go to lower Suk, apart from passing on the BTS.

Bang Yai for plants, Bang Kapi for shopping, Emquartier and Thonglor for food shopping, Udon Suk to visit family, Siam/Chit Lom for my watch browsing. Regular visitor to private galleries, BACC and River City for exhibitions. The walk from there to China Town is well worthwhile along the river, and so on.

[Big Boy]

50 districts to Krung Thep, and most never venture past lower Suk

I am not sure that is trrue, certainly of expats. More a case I never go to lower Suk, apart from passing on the BTS.

It was true for my first couple of visits to Thailand, but probably since 1990, I have only been in that area for Embassy (or similar) visits.

The Rajamangala area is probably my most visited area for sporty type events, but generally all over Bangkok for sport events - outside of that, Bangkok holds little attraction for me. This dislike of Bangkok is nothing against Thailand - I just hate capital cities.

[KhunLA]

The Rajamangala area is probably my most visited area for sporty type events, but generally all over Bangkok for sport events - outside of that, Bangkok holds little attraction for me. This dislike of Bangkok is nothing against Thailand - I just hate capital cities.

I have to admit, I'm running out of things that interests me. Not that there isn't plenty there, just that I've been there so many times, getting harder to find new things to see & explore.

If not for the daughter living there now, I'd probably only visit once a year. Even before she lived there, we'd pop in about 6 times a year, over 20 years, so yea, not a whole lot new to see & do. If wondering why, always a couple days pit stop, between Udon Thani & points South for 16 yrs

[buksida]

Likewise, having been to most places its a struggle finding new ones. Not a big fan of cities which is why I haven't spent longer than a day in Bangkok over the past 6-7 years. Largely avoid the overpriced and overcrowded tourist spots now and I reckon I've visited most provinces here at least once.

Maybe food for a new thread!