What is the fastest & cheapest way to downtown from Quality Suites?

[shilps]

Hi! We are arriving in Bangkok in April & staying at Quality Suites Airport Bangkok, 99/401-486 Soi Benjarnite, Chaeng Wattana, Bangkok. Please tell us if there is skytrain or subway closeby, going towards downtown. By road where do we have the bus stand? How much does it cost by metered taxis to go to Grand Palace? Also, any good veg restuarants closeby? Thanks.

[BUCKY]

wow... chaeng wattana?! ....... its not near any skytrain, dear... in fact, jus across the river is already Nonthaburi province...... its near the railway though.... i think its call the laksi railway station? If u take the wipavadee road, u're pretty near JJ market.... and Central Sofitel and Latphrao Central shopping mall....... I won't recommend anyone staying this area unless u're here for the Exhibitions at Impact Arena.......... kinda out of place.......

I'll say probably around 150THB to get to Grand Palace if u take the taxi.. excluding the toll fees.........

Not sure about veg restaurants but there's a nice khao phat poo place near Cheang Wattana Big C......

good luck.... :p

[Mike]

There's a map on their website. Like Bucky said it's not really in the downtown area, it's main attraction is that it's near to the airport so useful if you've just got a brief stopover I guess. To get around anywhere you'll probably have to resort to taxis I think.

[BUCKY]

WOW! COOL MAP!!! Thanks!
Now Laksi Plaza is call IT Square.... newly renovated... but nothing fanciful.... jus like Paragon, 70% of the shops still unoccupied... there's actually van (20THB/pax) along Cheang Watanna taking u to Victory Momenum.... but then its useless if u can't read the Thai scripts on the front of the van.

I didn't know that soi inside Big C is call Soi Benjamit! I go there often for the khao phat poo (crap meat fried rice), suki heng (fried rice noodle) and kah pot plaa (fish maw soup) ..... only 30THB each.... or there's a nice stall selling jim joop, som tam and all kinds of Isarn food..... nice place but definetly not convenient for tourists....

shilps, u might want to consider changing hotel since ur trip is in April.... there're many hotels to consider along sukhumvit.....

[Khun Don]

Bangkok Veg restaurants listed here:-

http://www.happycow.net/asia/thailan...kok/index.html

[Stephen Cleary]

Hey, that's one heck of a funky map there posted by Mike!

Best visuals i think ive ever seen on thailandqa.com, blew me away for sure.

[Richard Barrow]

That is probably because we didn't make that map ourselves

[Mike]

Yep just to clarify, that map is the one made by the hotel and on their website. My only contribution was linking to it!

[shilps]

Thanks a lot Bucky. Your info will be of great use. I know that Quality Suites is out of the way but we had no choice as it is a free vacation provided by our resort in India. What is khao phat poo? Mike, your Map is great. Thanks. Khun Don, I checked out the Happy Cow site & it is really neat-was a bit worried about veg food as my 5year old daughter is coming with us. If anybody can suggest how I can get to Pattaya, please let me know. Thanks again.

[BUCKY]

If anybody can suggest how I can get to Pattaya, please let me know. Thanks again.

Khao phat poo is fried rice with crab meat....
hmm.... to get to pattaya from Cheang Wattana .... these are the options:
1) check with ur hotel front desk. They might have hotel transport providing such services. The fee is probably around 3,500THB to pattaya. 1 way.
2) take a taxi.... but u need to negotiate a fee with the driver first. Probably around 1,500THB to 2,000THB exluding toll. 1 way.
3) take a taxi to Mo Chit Bus Station and take a bus there. Bus fee is around 100/pax if i'm not wrong... been a while since I took a bus there. This will probably be the cheapest option.
4) hire a private transport. My friend is offering 2,000THB 1 way in his brand new Fortuner.