When you live here in Bangkok, life isn’t just bars, restaurants and girls — it also includes more mundane aspects of life such as grocery shopping, going to the gym and getting your hair cut. Occasionally it’s good to get a bit of advice on the best places for dealing with mundane tasks. For example, thanks to a recommendation from Dean Barrrett, I often do my grocery shopping at the Villa Market near Soi 33, which I never would have found on my own.
So it seems valuable for Bangkok residents to share information about improving quality or saving money on the mundane aspects of life here in Bangkok. The particular aspect of mundane life that concerns me today is finding English language books to read.
I read a lot — often two books per week — and I spend a lot of cash on books. I have a friend here in Bangkok who has been encouraging me for a year or more to visit the Library on Surawong Road, where he has been a member for a long time. This week I finally took his advice.
The Neilson-Hays Library is about the same size as a typical Asia Books, and it is filled with English language tomes. Like most libraries, it has a mixture of fiction and non-fiction, and is predominately filled with hard-back volumes, though there is a modest sized collection of paperbacks available. Of course there are daily newspapers available.
The building which houses the library is more than a century old, with hardwood floors, and wooden furniture. It looks like every library I remember from my youth (in the middle of the last century), and it has the comforting smell of aging paper in the air.
It’s probably been a quarter of a century since I have been in a lending library, and I was surprised to find that this one is still using the Dewey-decimal system, and has an extensive collection of cards in tiny wooden drawers for keeping track of the books. Don’t they have computer software for libraries now???
If you’re in Patpong on your way to Star of Light for a blow job, and you think you might need a bit of light reading to keep you occupied while the young lady is on her knees, then you’re in luck. From Star of Light (in my world, every journey begins and ends at Star of Light) walk straight to Surawong Road (the end of the Patpong nightlife district opposite Silom Road). At Surawong Road turn left. You will need to walk about 10 minutes. You will pass TWO 7-11 shops. The Neilson-Hays Library is on your left, just several meters past the British Club. If you want to go by taxi, the British Club will offer the best landmark for your destination.
Membership costs:
Single 1900 baht six-months 2500 baht 0ne-year
Family 2400 baht six-months 3300 baht one-year
There is an historical marker at the front of the property providing a brief history of the library and its buildings. One of the buildings houses a small collection of art pieces. I believe the art on display is changed periodically. The grounds have decent landscaping and a pleasant environment for enjoying a book or a cup of tea. All in all it’s very civilized.
So, if you live in Bangkok, you read a lot, and you’d like to save a few baht per year, check out the library. Remember, when you’re at Star of Light your girl will have her mouth full, so you’ll probably need a book to occupy you while you’re sipping your drink!
another good option is Dasa book cafe (2nd hand books) near soi 26 sukhumvit corner
View all comments by the-adventurer
Thanks for the mention of the library.
For cheap books check out Elite Used Books on Sukhumvit near Phrom Phong BTS. Other side of the road (odd numbered soi side) from Emporium.
It’s like an old bookshop on Charing Cross Road. They have a decent selection of paperback novels for reading on the plane for between 110 and 200B. Also lots of books in Japanese and many European languages.
They will also buy your used books and either give you credit or cash (at a lower rate of course).
View all comments by Arthur
Chaps…..
Can you recommend any ‘good reads’?
I’ve been through the usual…
Private Dancer
The Scribe
Bangkok Kiss
Thailand Fever
Sukhumvit Road
Pattaya Tales
Butterfly Trap
etc.. I think you see the pattern……
Although a lot of these are similar, I do find some of the little tales humorous and entertaining.
I spend a lot of time flying. I don’t watch the movies as I’ve seen them all months before in BKK!
View all comments by Day walker
I think bangkok 8 is one of the best in this so called genre
the new one by Jake needham is a good read, the ambassador’s wife.
sightseeing - another cool but less talked about one:
http://www.amazon.com/Sightseeing-Rattawut-Lapcharoensap/dp/0802117880/
also the platform:
http://www.amazon.com/Platform-Michel-Houellebecq/dp/1400030269/
View all comments by smitty
Fab… Orders placed with Amazon!
View all comments by Day walker
For second hand ‘airplane novels’ try the corner of Sukhumvit Road and Soi 4 (Nana) where all paperbacks are 100 baht.
View all comments by werewolf
Check out “Confessions of a Bangkok Private Eye”.
View all comments by Mark
Just finishing “Laundry Man”, worth a read.
View all comments by Rob
S/hand book stall on Soi 4 Corner.. always a pleasure!
All good tips.. Muchas fanks.
View all comments by Day walker
‘the damage done’ is a good read
does the suk4 corner have all the seedy bangkok tales?
as you touched on going gym, im a lifetime member of ‘ california wow x’ so i can use all of there branches and all of them are awful - really dont know why i signed up. any recommendations of good gyms around sukhumvit?
View all comments by myspace.com/penfold_xxx
What??? No one has yet mentioned ‘The Big Mango’? A classic, in my view. Heck, some idiot even named a bar after it…….
View all comments by Old Asia Hand
@OAH: That’s funny… I re-read the Big Mango about a month ago and I liked it even better the second time! Definitly a good read.
myspace: it’s pretty hit or miss with the used bookstand at Soi 4… they tend to have mostly American and English ‘airplane’ novels, but you’ll occasionally find a Thailand-based novel there. Probably better luck at Soi 26.
Don’t know what you like in a gym, but you can look at Fitness First in the Landmark hotel, and the new place in the Millenium Building (corner Asok & Sukhumvit road).
View all comments by werewolf
ww- Elite used books a short walk up from Villa 33. Packed books by author and genre - a shophouse full. Not the cheapest but v. good selection.
View all comments by psi100th
i keep hearing about different gyms being ‘terrible’…..what’s terrible about them ? i’m a member at Fitness First in BangNa and it seems ok to me…i mean, what do you want besides access to machines, a sauna and a shower ?
btw, the Villa Supermarket was the only place to get imported items 20 years ago….most supermarkets have everything these days
View all comments by bo
The Big Mango by Jake Needham. - If you can find an UNSIGNED copy, it’s worth a lot of money.
- Landmark Hotel has a decent gym.
View all comments by Day walker
my - I don’t have a problem with the wow gyms. seems to be the best value for the money in bkk.
oah - yes. big mango is a classic. fyi - jake did try to talk us out of this whole bkk world we have created. I think all of Jake’s books are a good read btw.
View all comments by smitty
“Death in the Kingdom” by Andrew Grant. I’m about 100 pages in and its quite entertaining.
I think Suk 23 Cal. Wow is an ok branch. not too crowded and big locker room.
View all comments by bkk22
Wouldn’t it be good to have a list of ‘Bankok reads’ listed on this site.
I guess smitty is too busy ‘p4-ing’?
View all comments by Day walker
I would second smitty’s recommendation of John Burdett’s Bangkok 8. The sequel, Bangkok Tattoo was also great, and I notice the third in the series, Bangkok Haunts, has also just hit the airport bookshelves in enormous paperback size. I’ll buy it as soon as the regular size comes out.
Regarding books, there must be more than a few second hand book shops around Khao San Road. At least there used to be.
View all comments by Combover
i guess gyms are all about personal tastes, but i find with all the c wow gyms they are too crowded and have a ’sterile’ feel
the locker rooms at the paragon branch and asok are stupidly tight, plus im not a fan of the gyms being split on to 2/3 floors
i used to be a personal trainer for celebrity fitness in penang and KL and maybe i am comparing too much as those gyms are stunning.
i never tried true fitness whats that like?
View all comments by myspace.com/penfold_xxx
@myspace: I haven’t been into True Fitness, but it opened a year ago or less. There’s a fascinating (but long) story attached to it. The short version is that the guy who opened this gym used to be partners with the guy who runs California Wow… they owned California together in Singapore. Because of this background, I assume that True Fitness runs on the CW model, but this part is only a guess.
View all comments by werewolf
@werewolf - from what i understand from my days working at celeb fitness the guy is called ‘patrick’ who is the main man @ true fitness, and all of the guys behind C-WOW, True and Celeb were all part of 24hour fitness in the states till it dispanded or went public
C-WOW and celbrity have a mutual agreement not to open in the same city/country so u wont see celebrity in BKK which is a shame because they are beautiful
i had the misfortune of meeting the guy who owned celebrity and he was an obnoxious american prick - im talking a right piece of work
all i want are smart freeweights, and i like doing the spinning/RPM classes which are good for my football (cycling shorts and bobbing arses is a real fetish of mine) as not all gyms have classes
View all comments by myspace.com/penfold_xxx
My personal trainer is called Lek.
View all comments by Young Royal
I enjoyed reading Patpong Sisters by Cleo Odzer.
Regarding gyms, does anyone knows a place in Bangkok where you can pay day by day? Since I’m only a tourist I don’t need a year’s membership. I used to go to Lumpini Park or Tower inn hotel on Silom but I’m looking for something new.
View all comments by hanuman
Hanuman: I believe the Landmark Hotel is a place you can pay-as-you-go.
View all comments by Daw Walker
the gyms royally pull your pants down if you wanna go day by day - i think California WOW charge 1500baht for a week long which is shocking as they charge that per month as far as i know
might give true fitness a whirl
View all comments by myspace.com/penfold_xxx
Just get the CWOW lifetime membership I paid 20000THB for it 100 THB per year renewal after the first 2 years which you can pay in advance, Works out much cheaper than getting monthly or weekly gym memberships everytime you come to BKK if your a frequent visitor as Im sure most people that read this forum are.
The price of admission is worth it alone just to watch the cute TGs Pumping Iron.
View all comments by royman39
@Royman im a lifetime member of CWOW too, you must of got a better deal, i paid 23000baht if i remember right, so they had my pants down there
in the long run its a good deal i guess, i just dont like the layout of there gyms (dumb i know to sign up)
they just opened 1 in pattaya aswell
the RPM and cycling classes are always good for some flesh
View all comments by myspace.com/penfold_xxx
Yeah my visits to bangkok are for long weekends every couple of months.
I would like to go to a gym but my option would be pay daily.
Any good options and what are the prices I’d be looking at?
cheers
View all comments by Jimmy Cricket
I have a lifetime membership at California too…
does True Fitness and/or Fitness First have reasonble lifetime memberships available too? I’d like to have some variety in Bangkok (and wider choices around Asia too when I travel)….
View all comments by Jon
I got quoted 45,000 baht @ true fitness opposite cowboy @ exchange tower for Lifetime, however i chose California purely due to the number of chains they have in BKK
From what i have heard, Fitness First is pretty lame (However the ‘Fitness First Plus’ on the way to Silom/Sathorn, looks pretty sweet)
My pet hate about the California gyms are how they are spread on different floors, they have little natural light, and the changing rooms are too cramped with too many mirrors
View all comments by Penfold
@Penfold: by my count that’s four pet hates
View all comments by werewolf
@ Werewolf, your too sharp for me, if im honest i got a list as long as my arm so while we’re on the subject of pet hates about California…..
Why when i signed up i was given a slip that said i could bring 5 friends 5 times for a ‘completely free tryout’ - When i did bring a friend, before he was allowed to work out he was sat down, cornered by 3 sales-girls and a contract pushed under his nose and told he can only get the free workouts till he signs up? I told them this was bullshit and they ordered him out unless he paid?
I worked for a gym in Penang before so i know the schpiel, but refusing entry is just utter bollocks
And why do i always seem to land the flamboyantly gay desk/towel attendant EVERY time i go?
View all comments by Penfold
There is a new one recently open. Great for family with young kid and teen. They have a lot of books for young people. Its at Seri Center. I met the owner. She’s a mother so her stock is for kids but she said she will expand and add more stock for grown up.
View all comments by Chompoo