Bangkok Starter Pack

Two airports: Suvarnabhumi (BKK) for most long-haul, Don Mueang (DMK) for low-cost carriers.

Airport Rail Link: Suvarnabhumi to Phaya Thai in about 30 minutes, connects to the BTS.

Taxis from the airport: use the public taxi queue and insist on the meter plus the airport surcharge.

Don Mueang has no rail link of its own: bus, taxi or the A1/A2 shuttle to Mo Chit.

Ride-hailing (Grab, Bolt) works at both airports and removes the meter argument entirely.

Arriving overland: trains and buses from Chiang Mai, the south and Malaysia all terminate centrally.

Tip: allow two hours between a Don Mueang and a Suvarnabhumi connection. They are on opposite sides of the city.

Visa exemption: many nationalities are admitted visa-free for a stay of up to 60 days.

Extensions: Bangkok Immigration at Chaeng Wattana handles the standard 30-day extension for a fee.

Destination Thailand Visa (DTV): multi-year, multi-entry, aimed at remote workers and soft-power activities.

Long-Term Resident (LTR): ten-year route for high earners, retirees, skilled professionals and investors.

Non-Immigrant O-A / O-X: the retirement routes, with income or savings requirements.

TM30 and 90-day reporting: your address is registered by your landlord, and long stays report every 90 days.

Rules here change more often than the forums do. Confirm the current position with immigration or a reputable agent.

Cool season (November to February): the pleasant months, and the busiest.

Hot season (March to May): brutal, regularly above 95°F with high humidity.

Rainy season (June to October): heavy afternoon downpours rather than all-day rain.

Flooding: sudden street flooding after a hard rain is normal. It drains within hours.

Air quality: January to April brings PM2.5 haze. Check an AQI app and consider an air purifier.

Everything indoors is air-conditioned to arctic levels. Carry a layer.

Tourist Police: 1155, English-speaking, the number to call first as a foreigner.

Police: 191

Ambulance and rescue: 1669

Fire: 199

Save your embassy number and your insurer’s emergency line before you need them.

BTS Skytrain and MRT: fast, cheap and the reason living here without a car is easy.

Rabbit card for the BTS, a separate stored-value card for the MRT.

Grab and Bolt: cheap, metered and the default for anything off the rail lines.

Motorbike taxis (orange vests) at the mouth of every soi. Fastest option in traffic.

Chao Phraya express boats and the Khlong Saen Saep canal boat beat the traffic entirely.

Traffic is genuinely bad from about 4pm. Plan around it rather than through it.

AIS, True and dtac all sell tourist SIMs at the airport, with cheaper deals in the malls.

Bring your passport: SIM registration is mandatory.

Home fibre is fast and inexpensive, usually installed within a few days.

Condo internet is often included but shared. Ask about the actual speed before signing.

Coworking is everywhere: Sathorn, Silom, Ari, Ekkamai and Thong Lor have the densest clusters.

Cafes expect you to keep ordering if you sit for hours. Coworking is cheaper for full days.

Opening an account as a foreigner usually needs a long-stay visa, a work permit or an agent.

Kasikorn (K Bank), Bangkok Bank and SCB are the most used by foreigners.

ATM withdrawal fees for foreign cards are high and fixed per transaction. Take out more, less often.

PromptPay QR payments are accepted almost everywhere, including street stalls.

Cash still matters for markets, motorbike taxis and small vendors.

Wise and Revolut are the usual way to move money in, once you have a local account to receive it.

Sukhumvit (Asok, Phrom Phong, Thong Lor): the most international, the most expensive, the most convenient.

Ari: leafy, low-rise, cafes and independent restaurants, popular with remote workers.

Sathorn and Silom: the business district, quiet at weekends, strong transport links.

Ekkamai and On Nut: cheaper than Thong Lor, still on the BTS, plenty of condos.

Rattanakosin and Thonburi: the old city and the river, atmospheric and less served by rail.

Rent by the condo building rather than the district. Two towers on the same soi differ enormously.

Bangkok is a regional medical hub: private hospitals here treat patients from across Asia.

Bumrungrad, Samitivej and Bangkok Hospital are the most used by expats, all English-speaking.

Private care is excellent and far cheaper than the US, but not cheap by regional standards.

Pharmacies dispense a great deal without a prescription and pharmacists give sound advice.

Dental care is a genuine bargain and a common reason people fly in.

Get insurance with an inpatient limit that reflects private hospital pricing here.

Street food is a daily meal, not a novelty, and often better than the restaurant version.

Yaowarat (Chinatown) after dark is the single best eating street in the city.

Every neighbourhood has a fresh market, an evening food street and a mall food court.

Or Tor Kor market for produce, Khlong Toei for everything, at scale and at dawn.

Imported groceries are available at Villa Market and Gourmet Market, at import prices.

Alcohol has restricted sale hours in shops. Plan around the afternoon gap.

The Grand Palace, Wat Pho and Wat Arun: go early, dress covered, expect crowds.

Lumphini and Benjakitti parks for running, and a connecting elevated walkway between them.

Chatuchak weekend market: thousands of stalls, best before the midday heat.

Live music and jazz around Thong Lor, Ari and the river.

Weekend escapes: Ayutthaya by train, Kanchanaburi by bus, the gulf beaches in a few hours.

Muay Thai at Rajadamnern or Lumpinee stadium for the real thing.

Any stranger who tells you a temple is closed today is running a scam. Walk on.

Agree tuk-tuk fares first, or just use Grab and skip the negotiation.

Never disrespect the monarchy. Lese-majeste law is enforced and applies to foreigners.

Dress modestly at temples: shoulders and knees covered, shoes off inside.

Learn a few words of Thai. The reaction is out of all proportion to the effort.

The city rewards a slow pace. Nothing that requires rushing across town at 5pm is worth it.