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PRACTICAL

Question Words

Numbers & Amounts

Days

Banking

Post

Phones & Mobiles

Internet

Transport

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FOOD

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EMERGENCIES

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HEALTH

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GLOSSARY

baht – bàht; Thai currency

BMA – Bangkok Metropolitan Administration

BTS – Bangkok Mass Transit System

CAT – Communications Authority of Thailand

fà ràng – foreigner of European descent

Isan – isǎan; general term for northeastern Thailand, from the Sanskrit name for the medieval kingdom Isana, which encompassed parts of Cambodia and northeastern Thailand.

khlong – klorng; canal

MRTA – Metropolitan Rapid Transit Authority; agency responsible for the Metro subway.

rai – Thai unit of measurement (area); 1 rai = 1600 sq metres

Ratanakosin – style of architecture present in the late 19th to early 20th century, which combines traditional Thai and European forms; also known as ‘old Bangkok’

reua hǎang yao – longtail boat

rót fai fáa – BTS Skytrain

rót fai đâi din – MRTA Metro (subway)

soi – sawy; lane or small road

TAT – Tourist Authority of Thailand

tha – pier

THAI – Thai Airways International

thanon – thanǒn (abbreviated ‘Th’ in this guide); road or street

TOT – Telephone Organisation of Thailand

trok – tràwk; alleyway

wát – Buddhist temple, monastery

* * *

BEHIND THE SCENES

THIS BOOK

The first Lonely Planet guide to Bangkok was published in 1992, researched and written by Joe Cummings. Andrew Burke was the coordinating author for this 9th edition and researched and updated the Introducing Bangkok, Getting Started, Neighbourhoods, Sports & Activities, Sleeping, Excursions, Transport and Directory chapters. Austin Bush researched and updated the Background, Shopping, Eating, Drinking & Nightlife and Entertainment & the Arts chapters. This guidebook was commissioned in Lonely Planet’s Melbourne office, and produced by the following:

Commissioning Editors Tashi Wheeler, Shawn Low, Ilaria Walker

Coordinating Editors Erin Richards, Louisa Syme

Coordinating Cartographer David Kemp

Coordinating Layout Designer Paul Iacono

Managing Editor Brigitte Ellemor

Managing Cartographer David Connolly

Managing Layout Designer Celia Wood

Assisting Editors David Carroll, Susie Ashworth, Gabrielle Stefanos

Assisting Cartographers Peter Shields, Jacqueline Nguyen

Cover Research Pepi Bluck, lonelyplanetimages.com

Internal Image Research Jane Hart, lonelyplanetimages.com

Project Managers Chris Girdler, Chris Love

Language Content Laura Crawford, Annelies Mertens

Thanks to Helen Christinis, Daniel Corbett, Bruce Evans, Mark Germanchis, Michelle Glynn, Indra Kilfoyle, Lisa Knights, Rebecca Lalor, John Mazzocchi, Dan Moore, Katie O'Connell, Trent Paton, Kirsten Rawlings, Averil Robertson, Mick Ruff, Fiona Siseman, John Taufa, Nick Thorpe, Angela Tinson, Juan Winata

Cover photographs Wat Arun and Mae Nam Chao Phraya at night, Paolo Cordelli (top); Thai girl in traditional dance costume in Bangkok, Bill Wassman (bottom)

Internal photographs All images are copyright of the photographer unless otherwise indicated. Many of the images in this guide are available for licensing from Lonely Planet Images: www.lonelyplanetimages.com.

THANKS

ANDREW BURKE

I’d like to offer a heartfelt kòrp kun kráp to the many people in Bangkok who helped make this book possible. First and foremost it was great to have my wife Anne around for an entire LP job and get her feminine feedback on things Bangkok. Mason Florence and Stuart McDonald were generous with their tips, and May Nekkham, Whan Kullamas, Gun Aramwit and Tui (enjoy the monastery) at MeMay Café helped keep me sane during months of writing. Thanks to my coauthor Austin Bush and at LPHQ in Melbourne a big thank you to my wonderfully patient and good-natured commissioning editors Tashi Wheeler, Shawn Low and Ilaria Walker, and to the editors and cartographers who worked hard to make this a better book.

* * *

THE LONELY