65
Unfortunately the only person responsible here is you. You knowingly booked separate tickets with a very tight connection, and you lost the gamble.
Finnair has nothing to do with this, they promised to get you to Bangkok and they did.
Expedia has nothing to do with this, they sold you a perfectly valid ticket.
And you not checking in on time for the ...
44
Had something similar happen going from Tunis airport to central Tunis. The driver (who had a "mate" with him, so I was skeptical from the outset) had the meter on, but just before the destination he turned it off (at which point it had reached 5 dinars). I only had a 20 note to spare and he wanted to give zero change. He eventually gave 3 dinars back (LOL!) ...
41
According to TripAdvisor, in taxis, "both Thais and local ex-pats commonly round up the fare (i.e. 51 baht fare rounded up to 60 baht)." As ฿7 is equivalent to US$0.22, I wouldn't worry about it much.
35
Remain calm and say you have left your wallet in the other bag, which is in the trunk. He will of course know that's a lie, but he will also realize nobody will proceed until the baggage is offloaded first. Prepare to wait several minutes if he is really stubborn.
Eventually the taxi will attract the attention of security personnel or his colleagues by ...
28
Even when I can read signs, it's not always easy to navigate public transport. [Try the New York subway system, although there may be announcements they are not always intelligible. Add in a few service alterations (The downtown F will be running on the Q) and all kind of fun may ensue ;-]
Strategies for buses in general, not just in Bangkok:
1). Research ...
22
My favourite resource for such questions is weatherspark, which tells me that for Bangkok:
Over the course of a year, the temperature typically varies from 23°C
to 35°C and is rarely below 20°C or above 36°C.
...
The cold season lasts from November 18 to January 31 with an average
daily high temperature below 32°C. The coldest day of the ...
21
In situations like this I never pay, I simply leave, if they want trouble ok lets get the police involved, in most countries, the driver has a lot more to loose than a tourist who brings money into the country to spend.
Moreover many countries do not want a bad reputation either with this type of things.
But be VERY careful if you are not a seasoned ...
20
As a rule, taxis are fine in Bangkok, it's the tuk-tuks that really prey on clueless tourists. But there are four simple things you can do to reduce the odds of taxi problems:
Rule 1, learn taxi colors. Yellow/green taxis (below) are owner-operated, and this group contains the vast majority of bad apples. All other cabs are company-operated and generally ...
16
Notice that the main thoroughfares in Bangkok are all called Thanon something (where Thanon is sometimes anglicised as Road), and they all have small streets, often dead ends, sprouting off them all the way along, which are called Soi something (anglicised as Something Alley), and they are usually also numbered sequentially along the Thanon, with odd Soi ...
14
Write the following phrase in Thai script on a piece of paper:
"Please tell me when when we reach < insert destination >"
Then show this piece of paper to the conductor/driver when paying your fare.
The phrase in Thai script is: รบกวนบอกผมลงรถถ้าถึง < insert destination here > แล้ว
Example, if you are going to 'Sukhumvit Rd' you would write:
...
13
If it was a split ticket, your only option is probably travel insurance. Many policies will cover the cost of a new ticket in the event of a missed departure up to EUR 500-800, often at zero excess. Quite often the airline is happy to just put you on standby for the next flight at no extra charge, but it is usually at their discretion.
12
Along with @jpatokai's excellent answer,
Rule 5: Never put anything in the trunk. You lose considerable leverage if you can't simply leave the taxi. This also prevents drive-off theft.
In addition, this isn't quite a rule, but I also found it helpful to have my phone's mapping program open and visible. This prevented metered taxis from taking the long way ...
11
First I'm Thai and I'm from Bangkok so I know the cost of living there pretty well.
You can get an 'OK' apartment around 4,000 - 5,000 bath around Lad Prao MRT or somewhere further and you can walk. It's going to be very expensive if you want to find somewhere around 'Siam' or 'Si Lom' because it's quite central. For the safety, I would say it depends if ...
10
No. Thai Air does not provide transit accommodation even if you are in international first class. Also, their lounges in Suvarnabhumi Airport are closed in the wee hours (02:00 - 05:00).
There are many inexpensive (less than USD$35) hotels with free 24h shuttles close to the airport. My wife and I have used this option several times. I suggest you look at ...
10
You're asking how to win an argument when being fleeced. You can't. All you can do is hope it doesn't turn into a robbery. No thinking person would ever honestly believe that you agreed on a higher fixed price... The problem is that in countries like these the police either don't care or are part of the racket. Even if they do care they won't come in time to ...
9
You'll find that the major restaurant chains (the ones found in Central Malls) accept Amex, as do many of the department stores and major brands. High end restaurants, bars and clubs, as well as 4*+ hotels are also no problem.
Outside of the above then many restaurants accept only visa or master, and even then, they may badger you for cash or a surcharge.
...
9
The Marshalls are tiny and remote, and consequently flight connections (specifically, to Majuro, the only airport of any size) are extremely limited. Getting there from Bangkok will involve at least two hops.
The only two airports with longer-distance connections to Majuro are Guam (GUM) and Honolulu (HNL). Your least bad option will thus likely involve ...
9
The answer is to pay off the driver, and hail another cab when the police let you proceed.
8
As far as I am aware, the Public Transit Navigation option never made it back into Google Maps but Citymapper and Moovit both will happily warn you with a voice to get off the bus.
7
There are actually only three areas in Bangkok licensed for actual go-go bars, meaning scantily dressed girls of negotiable virtue dancing on stage:
Patpong, the original, the most infamous, the seediest and the touristiest
Nana Plaza, essentially a single building packed full of go-gos
Soi Cowboy, a short lane packed full of more go-gos
There are also a ...
7
There are already some great answers here, and I realize I'm late to the party.
However, one thing that I didn't see mentioned and that I've found helps prevent fixed fares most times is to simply get into the backseat of the taxi before telling the driver where you're headed. Standing outside and asking if he will take you to wherever you're going is ...
6
I think you should start by looking at these several websites which could help you compare the cost of living in one city in comparison to another. The best one I have found and used for my travels (it has been quite accurate in its findings) is Expatistan.
Another good site is Numbeo. They have also provided me with resonable numbers in the past. Even ...
6
A tourist visa for US citizens can obtained upon arrival for 25 USD, preferably cash, exact change.
After you deplane you first stop will be immigration. Before immigration there will be some well signed, official, booths for obtaining visa on arrival (VOA). There will be a fee of 25USD (this it not a bribe or anything of that nature, but a legitimate fee). ...
6
Taxi.
Get in the official taxi stand queue just outside the airport doors and give the person at the counter the address you're going to. They will tell you how much it will cost (or more likely the ride will be metered - it won't matter much either way, as Bangkok taxis are cheap). They will give you a docket, and point you towards the taxi driver who will ...
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