BANGKOK
BANGKOK8BANGKOKINFORMATIONpitals listed below. In case of a police or safety
issue, contact the following emergency services:
Fire (%199)
Police/Emergency (%191)
Tourist police (%1155; h24hr) An English-
speaking unit that investigates criminal activity
involving tourists, including gem scams. It can
also act as a bilingual liaison with the regular
police.
Internet & Telephone Access
There’s no shortage of internet cafes in Bangkok
competing to off er the cheapest and fastest con-
nection. Rates vary depending on the concentra-
tion and affl uence of net-heads – Banglamphu
is cheaper than Sukhumvit or Silom, with rates
as low as 20B per hour. Many internet shops are
adding Skype and headsets to their machines so
that international calls can be made for the price
of surfi ng the web.
A convenient place to take care of your com-
munication needs in the centre of Bangkok is the
TrueMove Shop (Soi 2, Siam Sq; h7am-10pm;
BTS Siam). It has high-speed internet computers
equipped with Skype, sells phones and mobile
subscriptions, and can also provide information
on city-wide wi-fi access for computers and
phones.
Wi-fi , provided mostly free of charge, is becom-
ing more and more ubiquitous around Bangkok
and is available at more businesses and public hot
spots than we have space to list here. For rela-
tively authoritative lists of wi-fi hot spots in Bang-
kok, go to http://www.bkkpages.com (under ‘Bangkok
Directory’) or http://www.stickmanweekly.com/WiFi/
BangkokFreeWirelessInternetWiFi.htm.
Media
Daily newspapers are available at streetside
newsagents. Monthly magazines are available in
most bookstores.
Bangkok 101 (www.bangkok101.com) A
monthly city primer with photo essays and re-
views of sights, restaurants and entertainment.
Bangkok Post (www.bangkokpost.net) The
leading English-language daily with Friday and
weekend supplements covering city events.
BK (http://bk.asia-city.com) Free weekly list-
ings mag for the young and hip.
CNNGo (www.cnngo/bangkok) The Bangkok
pages of this online listings mag are a good
source for the lowdown on restaurants and
events.
The Nation (www.nationmultimedia.com)
English-language daily with a heavy focus on
business.
Medical Services
Thanks to its high standard of hospital care,
Bangkok is fast becoming a destination for
medical tourists shopping for more aff ordable
dental check-ups, elective surgery and cosmetic
procedures. Pharmacists (chemists) throughout
the city can diagnose and treat most minor
ailments (Bangkok belly, sinus and skin infec-
tions etc). The following hospitals off er 24-hour
emergency services, and the numbers below
should be contacted if you need an ambulance
or immediate medical attention. Most of these
hospitals also have daily clinics with English-
speaking staff.
Bangkok Christian Hospital (Map p 82 ; % 0
2235 1000; http://www.bkkchristianhosp.th.com; 124
Th Silom; BTS Sala Daeng, MRT Si Lom)
BNH (Map p 82 ; %0 2686 2700; http://www.bnh
hospital.com; 9 Th Convent, off Th Silom; BTS
Sala Daeng, MRT Si Lom)
Bumrungrad Hospital (Map p 92 ; %0 2667
1000; http://www.bamrungrad.com; 33 Soi 3/Nana
Neua, Th Sukhumvit; BTS Phloen Chit)
Samitivej Hospital (Map p 92 ;%0 2711 8000;
http://www.samitivejhospitals.com; 133 Soi 49, Th Su-
khumvit; BTS Phrom Phong & access by taxi)
St Louis Hospital (Map p 82 ; %0 2210 9999;
http://www.saintlouis.or.th; 215 Th Sathon Tai; BTS
Surasak) Money
Regular bank hours in Bangkok are generally
8.30am to 3.30pm, although branches in busy
areas and shopping malls are open later. ATMs
are common in all areas of the city. Many Thai
banks also have currency-exchange bureaus;
there are also exchange desks within eyeshot of
most tourist areas. Go to 7-Eleven shops or other
reputable places to break 1000B bills; don’t
expect a vendor or taxi to be able to change a bill
500B or larger. Post
Main post office (Map p 80 ; Th Charoen Krung;
h8am-8pm Mon-Fri, to 1pm Sat & Sun; river
ferry Tha Si Phraya) Near Soi 35, services
include poste restante and packaging within
the main building. Branch post offices through-
out the city also offer poste restante and parcel
services. Toilet s
Public toilets in Bangkok are few and far
between and your best bet is to head for a
shopping centre, fast-food restaurant, or our
favourite, a luxury hotel. Shopping centres might
charge 2B to 5B for a visit; some newer shopping
centres have toilets for the disabled. Despite
what you’ll hear, squat toilets are a dying breed
in Bangkok. Tourist Information
Offi cial tourist offi ces distribute maps, bro-
chures and advice on sights and activities. Don’t
confuse these free services with the licensed
travel agents that book tours and transport