Bangkok by skytrain: Phrom Phong
Related reading
Jump to story list
Phrom Phong station is number E5 on the Sukhumvit line, and is in the area that's come to be known as 'Farang Alley' by some. There are many Western style restaurants, shops and attractions here, so it's inhabited by a large population of foreigners and tourists. Even so, it's possible to find some pleasant Thai touches in this area, and is an interesting area to spend an afternoon exploring. The road under the station is Sukhumvit Road, which has several small sois running off of both sides along its length.
Underneath the station via exit 4 is soi 24, where you can find perennial restaurant favourite Lemongrass. Just before you get to Lemongrass, you'll see a small dead-end soi that runs past a tiny 7-11. Inside this soi are two well stocked used bookstores. The first one is on the right and simply has a sign in the window that says "Book." You can find books in multiple languages here. Across from this is Thaibrary. Thaibrary sells as well as loans their books out, and the space is clean and relaxed. Tea and internet service are available as well.
The biggest attraction in this area is the massive Emporium shopping mall connected to the BTS station .One of the better malls in Bangkok, Emporium is home to some very upscale stores (Louis Vuiton, Prada, etc) as well as less expensive shops. Books Kinokuniya (4th floor) is one of the better bookshops in Bangkok with a selection which, while huge, often lacks depth. On the 3rd floor lies the original Greyhound restaurant and the Emporium Department Store which has everything from expensive perfume to the latest kids toys. The entire 5th floor is a mass of restaurants, deli's, coffee shops, fast food outlets and even a supermarket. The 6th floor is home to one of Bangkok's better cinema complexes.
West of the shopping complex is Benjasiri Park, a fantastic little oasis amid the raging traffic. There are lots of grassy areas to take a nap and a large pond in the middle that provides some nice photographic opportunities. The best time to come is during the late afternoon and early evening, where you can see crowds of people taking part in group aerobics, Tai-Chi or just strolling with their families. Make sure to check out the teams playing the incredibly acrobatic game of takraw, a kind of cross between volleyball and football. Be aware that at 08:00 and 18:00, all pedestrian traffic comes to a complete stop to recognise the national anthem that plays over the loudspeakers.
If you walk past Benjasiri park heading west on Sukhumvit Rd, you'll come to a large recessed building - this is the Mambo Cabaret, now playing host to one of Bangkok's better known ladyboy cabaret shows -- in a previous live however, this was Bangkok's first cinema. Shows are nightly at 18:30 and 22:00 and the price is 600B. Right out front sits the Dubliner, a popular Irish pub that's a favourite among many an expat.
If you cross Sukhumvit Rd in front of Mambo Cabaret and head back towards the BTS station, you'll come to soi 33. In the basement of the UBC II tower on the corner is the Londoner, a British pub that is another popular place for expats to down a pint.
The first 200 meters or so of soi 33 are pretty standard massage parlours and men's clubs, where the girls opt for fancy evening gowns rather than mini skirts. Across from the large Novotel Lotus is Bascillico, a reasonable Italian restaurant. Around the corner from this on soi 33/2 is the Office, a friendly little bar tucked away out of sight. The Office is mostly popular with expat men in shirts and ties after work, attracted by the extensive sports coverage screened here.
Further down Sukhumvit you'll come to Villa, a well stocked supermarket chain that specialises in imported goodies from back home that you'll have a hard time finding in other supermarkets. Inside the unmarked soi between Villa and Subway Sandwiches is a popular French/Thai butcher shop and a couple of small, eclectic stores. This soi connects to soi 33/1, where you can find the Bull's Head pub, a Blockbuster video store and another mid-size supermarket that caters to Japanese tastes.
On the corner of Sukhumvit and soi 33/1 you'll find the Robin Hood, yet another entry in the pub scene in this area. A few steps further and you come to Pita Pan, a little place that serves good Middle Eastern food.
Directly underneath the station on this side of the road is a Nike store where you can find genuine Nike gear (at genuine Nike prices). Further east of the BTS the attractions peter out and you'll find mostly small hardware stores, a few small bookstores and the such, but nothing to go out of your way to see.
First published 27th October, 2005
Feature story quicklinks
- Burma (3)
- Cambodia (12)
- All stories
- A Cambodian Eco-lodge
- Angkorian traffic woes
- Battambang weekend
- Is Preah Vihear safe to visit?
- Kompong Cham escape
- PEPY:Sustainable Cambodian tourism
- Phnom Tamao Wildlife Refuge
- Sihanoukville beaches lure expats
- Spas, shopping & seers in Siem Reap
- The best islands in Cambodia
- The best places to stay on Cambodia's islands
- The Death Highway
- Indonesia (8)
- Laos (12)
- All stories
- Elephant trekking in Laos
- Exploring Laos' Bolaven Plateau
- Huay Xai to Pak Tha by slowboat
- Is Lao Airlines safe to fly?
- Laos' vanishing elephants
- Luang Prabang escape
- Muang Ngoi Escape
- Photos of Luang Prabang, Laos
- Southern Laos by scooter
- The Gibbon Experience
- The Phonsavan adventure
- Vientiane's Chinatown
- Malaysia (2)
- Singapore (7)
- Thailand (44)
- All stories
- 10 Bangkok galleries worth a look-see
- 10 Thai treks aside from Chiang Mai
- 24 Hours in Bangkok: Sukhumvit to Siam Square
- 5 Southern Thai towns to lose time in
- A Thai homestay in Ayutthaya
- A weekend on Ko Samet, Thailand
- Ayutthaya temple tour
- Brilliant Bangkok
- Chiang Dao getaway
- Corruption in Thailand
- Eating on the edge
- Exploring Lamphun
- Exploring the Lungs of Bangkok
- Far southern Thailand: Go or not?
- Ko Mun Nork: a nearby paradise
- Ko Pha Ngan 7-day detox:Colonic fast
- Ko Phi Phi on a budget
- Ko Tao for non-divers guide
- Ko Yao: the islands you're looking for
- Motorcycling the Chiang Rai loop
- Narathiwat: residence of good people
- Navigating Bangkok: The BTS Skytrain
- Phuket by night
- Phuket for Kids
- Phuket's secret beaches
- Planning around Thailand's civil unrest
- Roll your own Kanchanaburi
- Should I book for the full moon party?
- Should I cancel my Thai holiday? No.
- Soi Thong Lo, Bangkok
- Sorting out Suvarnabhumi Airport
- Staying at a Thai monastery
- Thai visa FAQ
- Thailand tsunami wrap
- Thailand: Where to from here?
- The bridge over the River Kwai festival
- Travelling through north-east Thailand
- Trekking in Thailand
- Trisara -- decadent luxury at its best
- What is the best beach on Ko Tao?
- What is the best island in Thailand?
- What's a good beach on Ko Pha Ngan?
- What's a good beach on Ko Samui?
- Which island in Trang?
- Vietnam (23)
- All stories
- A short break in Nha Trang
- Being fed Fido: Eating dog in Vietnam
- Buying a touring motorbike in Vietnam
- Con Dao escape
- Do nothing and see the best of Hanoi
- Doing the DMZ from Hue
- Exploring Kon Tum
- Exploring Vietnam's Mekong Delta
- Ha Long Bay conclusions
- Ha Long Bay for backpackers
- Ha Long Bay for budget-busters
- Ha Long Bay for flashpackers
- Hanoi escape
- Hoi An -- Walking over the dragon
- How to do the Dien Bien Phu loop
- How to enjoy your time in Vietnam
- How to pick a good Ha Long Bay cruise
- Is the Hoi An culture tour worth it?
- Motorbike Vietnam's Central Highlands
- One day in Hanoi
- Responsible shopping and eating in Hoi An
- Saigon's top 10 cafés
- The DMZ: Traveller tactical briefing
- Accommodation guides (16)
- All stories
- 2005 Top guesthouses in Bangkok
- 2005 Top guesthouses in Chiang Mai
- 2006 Top guesthouses in Hanoi
- 2006 Top guesthouses in Phnom Penh
- 2006 Top guesthouses on Ko Phi Phi
- 2006 Top Luang Prabang guesthouses
- 2008 Top Bangkok airport guesthouses
- 2008 Top Luang Prabang guesthouses
- 2008 Top spots on Phu Quoc Island
- 2009 Top guesthouses in Bangkok
- 2009 Top Phnom Penh guesthouses
- 2011 Best places to stay in Kuala Lumpur
- 2011 Best places to stay on Ko Phi Phi
- Cheap Phuket guesthouses & hotels
- Five special hotels in Cambodia
- The changing face of Khao San Road
- Travel with kids (7)
- Opinion & advice (10)
- All stories
- 10 reasons to do an adventure tour
- 10 reasons to travel independently
- Beach hideaways in Asia
- Do I need reservations for my holiday?
- Fifteen tips for a great holiday in Asia
- Getting a cheap airfare to Asia
- Hotels should never charge extra for WiFi
- Mass tourism in Southeast Asia
- Nine Asian upcountry hideaways
- Ten Southeast Asian trips for 2008
- How do I? (11)
- All stories
- Bangkok to Ko Samui, Pha Ngan & Tao
- Bangkok to Siem Reap
- Catching a train in Thailand
- Catching a train in Vietnam
- Cheap flights with Discovery Airpass
- Chiang Mai to Luang Prabang
- Crossing the Cambodia Laos border
- Ko Chang to Phu Quoc Island
- Siem Reap to Ko Chang
- Stops between Bangkok & Chiang Mai
- Visa run from Thailand to Burma
- Cycling Asia (13)
- All stories
- 24 hours in Bangkok
- An Angkor cycling guide
- An introduction
- Battambang, bamboo trains & guides
- Confessions of a "cheating cyclist"
- Cycles of all sorts
- Ha Long Bay independently
- Ko Samet Vs Pattaya
- Muay Thai night
- Phonsavan and Luang Prabang
- The hills of Vietnam
- The road less travelled
- Tubing in Vang Vieng
- Health and safety (5)
- Money and finance (4)
- Diving guides (6)
- Photo essay (3)
- Guest blog (2)
- General (12)
- All stories
- 10 Christmas days in Asia we're yet to have
- 10 dumb things I've done while travelling
- 34 ways to travel greener
- Call me Mr Massage Magic
- Chefs Without Borders
- Mr Golden
- On being a travel writer
- Teaching ESL in Asia
- The 211 country honeymoon
- The Boxing Day Tsunami: 5 years on.
- To Teach or Not to Teach
- Tuk to the Road Charity ride
- Book reviews (5)
- Interviews (8)
- Explore Bangkok by BTS (13)
- All stories
- Bangkok by skytrain: Ari
- Bangkok by skytrain: Chid Lom
- Bangkok by skytrain: Chong Nonsi
- Bangkok by skytrain: Phaya Thai
- Bangkok by skytrain: Phloen Chit
- Bangkok by skytrain: Phrom Phong
- Bangkok by skytrain: Ratchadamri
- Bangkok by skytrain: Ratchathewi
- Bangkok by skytrain: Sala Daeng
- Bangkok by skytrain: Sanam Pao
- Bangkok by skytrain: Saphan Taksin
- Bangkok by skytrain: Surasak
- Bangkok by skytrain: Thong Lor

Add your comment