SOMETHING OLD
Silom Road. This road was the introduction of the first outsiders into the Siam of old. As a traditional fish landing, the population had gone into this thoroughfare to buy, to trade and to mingle with their neighbors. Now, the trees have been replaced by electric posts, the paths into various intertwining Soi, and the hills transformed into modern buildings.

Sukhumvit Road. The Sukhumvit road is over 300 kilometers long and extends all the way to Cambodia. There are sections and stretches with specific types of stores. You can’t miss the luxury hotels along this road, from the JW Marriott to the Westin, including the Sheraton where we had our dinner that first night. Some intersections have convoluted traffic controls that I certainly couldn’t make out, but it’s an organized form of chaos that you see in every big city, whether its Bangkok, Jakarta, Manila or even Singapore.

Khao San Road. Starting 4 p.m. daily, Khao San road is restricted to only pedestrians and the people come from every part of the globe. An eclectic collection of budget hotels and internet cafes fight for space with the streetside vendors that have setup makeshift stalls, selling anything from jungle knives to the ubiquitous “all I got from Bangkok” t-shirts, interspersed with spots of tattoo artists and barber shops. Here, you can get anything from a power bank, to an iPhone-controlled drone, to a drunken Englishman.

SOMETHING NEW
The Bai Pai Cooking school. It was established by Eakpoom, or Khun Mick and Ruchaneevan Indragarunwet. Khun Noi is the powerhouse behind all the kitchen effort, and her measured movements reveal enough to know that her 15 years of experience cover all the training going on. The school is located in a quiet part of town and the training stage is set slightly higher than the preparation tables, with a large mirror hanging above them, putting these prep stations to good view. A one-day, three-hour crash course that prepares four iconic Thai dishes is also offered. On our session, we prepared a feast of chicken with cashew, Thai beef salad, classic pad Thai and water chestnuts in coconut milk.

Address: 8/91 Ngam Wongwan Road, Soi 54 Ladyao, Chatuchak Tel: +66 (0)2 561 1404)

The Jam Factory. Most residents and most commercial activity is located on the east side of Chao Praya. The “other side of the river” as the west side is referred to, has seen a blossoming of late, and more boutique establishments have been mushrooming to draw more people into this enclave. The Jam Factory hosts a plethora of dining options and visual elegance. From a tree-lined avenue, you enter a compound centered around a large banyan tree. Surrounding this central courtyard is a collection of galleries, home décor stores, a coffee shop and Duanggrit Bunnag’s design office. Known in architectural circles as the quintessential architect of more than one too many resorts and high rises in Asia, he holds fort here. He opened up The Jam Factory to provide a most cool, warehouse chic destination.

Address: 41/1-5 Charoen Nakhon Road, Khlong San, Bangkok 10600, Thailand, “on the other side of the river.”)

SOMETHING BORROWED
Bangrak market. It stretches along the Charoen Krung road and leads out to the bay, as it sits in a reclaimed area. Traditionally a flower market, it has ballooned into a dry goods and wet market with an exploding population of other curio shops and restaurants. Some of the restaurants and food stalls are considered now as institutions. Prachak Roasted Duck has been around for over a century and access is through an iconic wooden door proudly displaying its year of establishment in 1909. Another store displays its desserts which have been prepared there daily for the last 80 years. It's tight, it’s crowded – but it’s alive.

Address: Charoen Krung Rd., Bang Rak, Bang Rak, Bangkok 10500 Thailand