Europe to Bangkok; flying with Eva Airways

Europe to Bangkok; flying with Eva Airways, the flight of my life

Last summer I flew with Eva Airways to Bangkok. Eva Airways provides a good quality service for a low price. Most of the times when I fly to Bangkok I book economy class, but due to my length I started looking for alternative classes. Two years ago I flew with KLM/Air France and I had to pay extra money for a long-leg-seat. This wasn't that pleasant because I had to spend over 120 euros extra on my flight to have some extra space for my legs.

Anyways, this year I decided to give Eva Airways a go. The best thing is that they offer three different classes: economy, evergreen deluxe class and business class. Well the last one was out of my price range, it was about 2.000 euros. So I decided to go with evergreen deluxe. The price was 1.200 euros, which is exactly the same amount I paid a year earlier while flying with KLM/Air France. However, the seats in evergreen deluxe are bigger than in regular economy. So I had more space for my legs, a bigger seat and I was able to check in and drop my luggage off within a few minutes because the line for the evergreen deluxe check in desk was much shorter than for the economy class. I was already having a great time, not even being in Bangkok yet.

After having a nice holiday and having spent my days in the land of smiles, I was ready for my flight back to Europe. While standing at the check-in desk at Suvarnabhumi Airport, the nice flight attendant said that Eva Airways was looking for a handsome young man for a free upgrade. Apparently the business class wasn’t booked full and some people from the evergreen deluxe class were being upgraded, well one of them was me. A big smile appeared on my face. The lady had me sign a paper which stated that I was voluntarily upgraded. She requested me to put on some shoes instead of my flip flops I was wearing. Because other business class flyers would appreciate it if I’d look neatly. So after changing my footwear and dropping off my luggage I made my way to the customs to leave the country and wait at the gate for departure.

Well, the seats were great. It was a big chair which could be turned flat with the click of a button. I had a big screen in the seat in front of me and I had all the space I wanted. Oh, and the service was great, they even laid my table, I had real cutlery instead of those plastic knives and forks you’ll get in economy class. And the food was delicious.

Well thanks Eva Airways, you spoiled me. Next holiday to Thailand will be an expensive one, I better start saving!

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The best sights in Bangkok

Best sights in Bangkok

The grandpalace (Wat Phra Keo)

The Grand Palace, the former royal palace is a must to see. This holy complex located near the river in the center of the city consists of buildings from different periods. Wat Phra Keo is located in the same complex. The Emerald Buddha is the most venerated image in Thailand. The Grand Palace is open daily from 08.30 to 15.30. Appropriate dress is required (shoulders and knees covered). Around the Sanam Luang, the oval square for the Grand Palace, we include the Museum of Modern Art, Thammasat University and National Museum. This building has a stunning collection of artifacts and works of art from the Bronze Age.

Wat Pho

Wat Pho, the Temple of the Reclining Buddha, adjacent to the Grand Palace. The huge, gold-covered statue is 46 meters long and 15 meters high. The soles of the Buddha are inlaid with pearls. The 'School of Thai Massage’ is found in Wat Pho. In two weeks you will learn the intricacies.

Wat Arun

The Wat Arun (Temple of Dawn) to the Chao Phraya River opposite the Grand Palace, is famous for its porcelain inlaid with pieces of 79 meters high central pagoda. The Vimanek Palace (the Heavenly accommodations) is the largest building in the world of teakwood.

The Chao Praya River

The best view of Bangkok from the river and we especially at night. A river dinner cruise is an ideal way to a tasty meal with a fantastic view to combine. Request more information in your hotel or your travel agent or tour operator. A swirling cultural show with an impressive decor you can attend at Siam Niramit Theatre. The theater, which opened in October 2005, is centrally located and offers the show also features a fully reconstructed Thai village where the lifestyle of four regions can experience. Before the start of the show at 20.00 you also have the option to dine in one of the three available restaurants.

Thai Boxing, Muay Thai

Lovers of Thai Boxing, Muay Thai can in two major boxing stadiums, Lumpini and Ratchadamnoen watch matches. Those interested in Buddhist meditation join themselves to the headquarters of the World Fellowship of Buddhists (WFB) on Sukhumvit Road 33, between Soi 1 and Soi 3.

Shopping malls

Thai love spending time shopping, so do most foreigners. Bangkok has the lowest prices throughout Asia, but there's always something to negotiate about. Remain friendly negotiation. The best and biggest shopping centers are at the beginning of Sukhumvit Road and along Ploenchit Road and Rama I road. Shopping Malls as Gaysorn, Mahboonkrong (MBK), Central World Plaza and Central Chit Lom offer everything a person could want. The brand new Siam Paragon is for the top of the market and includes shops and cinemas and also the largest aquarium in Asia (access is about 450 Baht).

Markets

The Chatuchak Weekend Market is a must for anyone who wants to come home with something typical Thai. It is a huge complex, with numerous shops on the Phaholyothinweg, opposite the northern bus station which is accessible by skytrain.

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Which destinations and cities are being visited by foreigners in Thailand?

To which places will most foreigners go to in Thailand?

With twelve billion foreigners flying into the nation every single year, Thailand is actually Asia's main getaway holiday destination. But despite this huge influx of tourists and their money, Thailand's national integrity continues to be mostly undamaged - a nation which adroitly avoided colonization happens to be ready to take in West affects without wholly succumbing for them. Though the high-rises and also neon lights occupy the foreground of the traveler visualize, the typical Thai community remains the traditional farming village. Virtually 50 percent of Thais make their living from the secure, based around the staple, rice, that forms the foundation of the country's distinctive as well as famously sophisticated cuisine.

A large number of journeys start in Bangkok, with its resplendent temples, canalside markets and achingly cool bars and clubs. A popular side-trip will be to Kanchanaburi, home of the infamous Passage in the River Kwai, and then a large number of guests head north, occasionally via the elegant ancient capitals of Ayutthaya as well as Sukhothai, to the enjoyably laid-back city of Chiang Mai as well as close by hilltribe villages. To the northwest, the beautiful highlands around Mae Hong Sonand Pai are really idyllic, while Thailand's northeast, its least visited area, offers ancient Khmer ruins at just Phimai and also Phanom Rung and is home to the country's a large number of available nationwide park, Khao Yai.

After trekking as well as temples within the north, the vast majority of travelers are drawn to the beach. Thailand's eastern as well as southern coasts are lined alongside gorgeous white-sand shores, aquamarine seas and also world-class reefs. The quintessential popular tend to be the east-coast islands of Ko Samet and also Ko Chang, the Gulf shoreline beaches of Ko Samui, Ko Pha Ngan as well as Ko Tao, and the Andaman shoreline idylls around Phuket, Krabi town, Railay and Ko Phi Phi.

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What to bring on holiday to Thailand?

What to bring on holiday to Thailand

Thailand caters for a huge numbers of Western tourists and most things you forget to take can be acquired when you arrive in Bangkok. There are however a few things you should bring on your holiday. Some tend to be obvious, for example the passport and plane tickets, but there are really other things which are neccesary to Thailand to bring on your holiday to Thailand which you have not on your list.

Bring as little as possible

Do not bring to much with you. If you have forgotten something, you can find it in Bangkok for sure. Bangkok is the most Western oriented city of Thailand, so on your arrival you can buy the things you have forgotten. On almost every corner of the street is a Seven Eleven, where you can buy some simple things like a toothbrush your deodorant.

Clothing

Most people forget to take ‘normal clothes’ on their holiday to Thailand. Most Western tourists walk in their shorts with sandals or flip flops. However, in Thai culture it is polite to wear casual clothes. It is better to wear a nice pair of jeans from a well-known brand than wearing swimshorts. However, this depends on your travel destinations. If you stay in the tourist areas it is not necessary to wear jeans and buttoned shirts.

Adapter/Convertor

Thailand's energy supply is 220 volts at just 50 hertz. If or when your electric equipment can't accept this then you will need a voltage convertor. The vast majority of, yet not all, channels will accept simultaneously pin formats. Plug adaptors for many countries are very easy to come by in the main tourist towns and also are very cheap. So you only need to bring one, because you can buy them in Thailand too for a much cheaper price.

Earplugs

You should buy earplugs for when you’re stuck in a loud place or desire to sleep during the bus ride. Sometimes, budget-accommodations do not have mirrors. So it might come in handy to bring one of your own. A large string is also smart to bring with yourself because you could hang your clothes or swim short to dry. Washing is not that expensive in Thailand. You will pay about 20 Bath (3$) a kilo. Not all laundry services accept underwear.

Contact lenses and glasses

A spare pair of contact lenses or perhaps another pair of glasses is a must. Your contact lenses will get dirty fast in the big cities, due to smog of vehicles. Insect spray and toiletries Bring insect spray. Mosquitos are very annoying if you are trying to get a good sleep. Also bring sunblock. Mosquito spray and sunblock are available in most Seven Elevens in the touristic areas as well.

Language guides

The best guidebook out there is the Lonely Planet Thailand . “Friendly and fun-loving, exotic and tropical, cultured and historic, Thailand beams with a lustrous hue from its gaudy temples and golden beaches to the ever-comforting Thai smile.” – China Williams, Lonely Planet Travel Writer. This book really helped me the first time I went to Thailand. It covers a lot of fun places to check out!

A pen

A pen is needed at the airport. Before you land, the stewardesses will hand out immigration forms. On these forms a few basic questions are asked about your purpose of visit, your yearly income and the length of your stay. It is not a big deal, however you should take it seriously, because you don’t want any trouble with the custom authorities.

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Demographics of Thailand

Demographics of Thailand

Thailand's population is quite homogenous, nevertheless, this might be changing since an outcome of immigration. Over 85% communicate in a Thai language and also share a common culture. This core population contains the Central Thai (33% of the population, such as Bangkok's population), Northeastern Thai or known as Lao (34%), Northern Thai (19%), as well as Southern Thai (13%).
The language of the Central Thai population is the academic language and also administrative language.

As much as 14% of Thailand's people are of Chinese lineage, but the Sino-Thai community is the best integrated in South-east Asia. Malay and Yawi-speaking Muslims of the South comprise but another significant minority group (2.3%). Other parties include the Khmer; the Mon, that are notably assimilated when using the Thai; and the Vietnamese. Smaller sized mountain-tribes, like the Hmong and also Mein, along with the Karen, number about 788,000. Some 300,000 Hmong, which actually have resided the region for more generations than the Thai themselves.

The Kingdom of thailand is also home to a vast number of subscribed foreigners from The european union, and The United States, along with an estimated few hundred thousand unlawful immigrants, a few of which are natives.

The people of Thailand is mostly rural, located inside the rice-growing counties of the central, northeastern, and northern areas. However, as Thailand continues to industrialize, its metropolitan population - 31.1% of the total population, principally in the Bangkok region - is developing.

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