BANGKOK
BANGKOKSHOPPINGBANGKOKSHOPPINGdinner shows 6.30-7pm Thu-Sun; BTS Victory Monu-
ment) A variety of performances are now held
at this modern theatre, but the highlight is
performances of the Ramakian by using
knee-high puppets that require three pup-
peteers to strike humanlike poses. Come early
in the week for a performance in the Aksra
Theatre, or later for a Thai buff et dinner cou-
pled with a show.
National Theatre TRADITIONAL PERFORMANCE
(Map p 60 ; %0 2224 1352; 2 Th Rachini; tickets
60-100B; river ferry Tha Chang) After a lengthy
renovation, the National Theatre is again
open for business. Performances of kŏhn are
held on the fi rst and second Sundays of the
month, lá·kon, Thai dance-dramas, are held
on the fi rst Friday of the month, and Thai
musical performances are held on the third
Friday of the month.
Thai Boxing ( Moo·ay tai)
Thai boxing’s best of the best fi ght it out at
Bangkok’s two boxing stadiums: Lumphini
Stadium (Sanam Muay Lumphini; Map p 90 ; % 0
2251 4303; Th Phra Ram IV; tickets 3rd/2nd class/
ringside 1000/1500/2000B; MRT Lumphini) and
Ratchadamnoen Stadium (Sanam Muay
Ratchadamnoen; Map p 60 ; %0 2281 4205; Th
Ratchadamnoen Nok; tickets 3rd/2nd class/ring-
side 1000/1500/2000B; bus 70, 503, 509, klorng
taxi Tha Phan Fah). You’ll note that tickets are
not cheap, and these prices are exponential-
ly more than what Thais pay. To add insult
to injury, the infl ated price off ers no special
service or seating, and at Ratchadamnoen
Stadium foreigners are sometimes corralled
into an area with an obstructed view. As
long as you are mentally prepared for the
fi nancial jabs from the promoters, you’ll be
better prepared to enjoy the real fi ght.
Fights are held throughout the week, al-
ternating between the two stadiums. Ratch-
adamnoen hosts the matches at 6.30pm on
Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday.
Lumphini hosts matches at 6.30pm on Tues-
day and Friday and Saturday at 5pm and
8.30pm. Afi cionados say the best-matched
bouts are reserved for Tuesday nights at
Lumphini and Thursday nights at Ratchad-
amnoen. There is a total of eight to 10 fi ghts
of fi ve rounds a piece. The stadiums don’t
usually fi ll up until the main events, which
normally start around 8pm or 9pm.
There are English-speaking ‘staff ’ stand-
ing outside the stadium who will practi-
cally tackle you upon arrival. Although there
have been a few reports of scamming, most
of these assistants help steer visitors to the
foreigner ticket windows and hand out a
fi ght roster; they can also be helpful in tell-
ing you which fi ghts are the best match-ups
between contestants. (Some say that welter-
weights, between 135lb and 147lb – 61.2kg to
66.7kg, are the best.) To keep everyone hon-
est, though, remember to purchase tickets
from the ticket window, not from a person
outside the stadium.
As a prematch warm-up, grab a plate of
gài yâhng (grilled chicken) and other north-
eastern dishes from the restaurants sur-
rounding the Ratchadamnoen Stadium. 7 Shopping
Welcome to a true buyer’s market. Home to
one of the world’s largest outdoor markets,
numerous giant upscale malls, and sidewalk-
clogging bazaars on nearly every street,
it’s impossible not to be impressed by the
amount of commerce in Bangkok. However,
despite the apparent scope and variety, Bang-
kok really excels in one area when it comes
to shopping: cheap stuff. The city is not the
place to buy a new Nikon SLR or a (real)
Fendi handbag – save those for online ware-
houses in the US or bargain-basement sales
in Hong Kong. Ceramics, dirt-cheap T-shirts,
fabric, Asian knick-knackery and yes, if you
can deal with the guilt, pirated software and
music – are the things for sale in Bangkok.
The diffi culty is fi nding your way around,
since the city’s intense urban tangle some-
times makes orientation diffi cult. A good
shopping companion is Nancy Chandler’s
Map of Bangkok, with annotations on all
sorts of small and out-of-the-way shopping
venues and đà·làht (markets). Antiques
Real Thai antiques are rare and costly. Most
Bangkok antique shops keep a few authentic
pieces for collectors, along with lots of pseu-
do-antiques or traditionally crafted items
that look like antiques.River City ANTIQUES MALL
(Map p 80 ; http://www.rivercity.co.th; Th Yotha, off Th
Charoen Krung; h10am-10pm; river ferry Tha Si
Phraya) Near the Royal Orchid Sheraton Ho-
tel, this multistorey shopping centre is an
all-in-one stop for old-world Asiana. Several
high-quality art and antique shops occupy
the 3rd and 4th fl oors. Although the quality
is high, the prices are too, as many wealthy
tourists fi lter in and out. Many stores here
close on Sunday.