Sam is our guide in Bangkok. 30 years old, he’s lived in the Bangkok Metro area 9 years (he came from an outlying town) and speaks very good English. All of our trips have been filled with tidbits of information that we’ll try hard not to share beyond anyone’s breaking point.Incidentally, for those of you freezing your backsides off right now, he’s never seen snow in person. It’s a dream of his to one day walk in the snow. Just in case you’re wondering about the fairness of weather about now.
Bangkok is the capital of Thailand. There are 15 million people in the city of a country of 67 Million.
They have three seasons – hot, very hot, and wet. Right now is the “hot” season.
Long pants are the norm. Short pants are generally inappropriate for visits to shrines and other places of historical significance. You don't see many people around in cargo shorts.
Most people live in studio type apartments, which run about $200 US per month in the Center City area and $150 per month in the ‘burbs. Sam commutes about an hour by public transportation.
On average, without a college degree you will make $300 US per month. With one, $400, and with a Masters or advanced degree that can jump to as much as $600.
Dollars per month. Think about that. You still have to have most of the things we need in the states – car, gasoline, electricity, cable, cell, internet, etc.
Ex Patriots (ExPats) are a growing group in the population. They tend to buy into apartment buildings and neighborhoods with others from their point of origin. As of a couple of years ago, it’s now possible for non-citizens to own an apartment outright; before they could just lease them for long periods of time.
A nice 1 bedroom (non-studio) apartment of roughly 60 Square Meters (about 550 Square feet) is $100,000.
This was all provided on our first trip, to the Mandarin Oriental Hotel for lunch. We promise, no more encyclopedia recitations of facts.
Probably.
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