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Bangkok ApartmentGuide;the essential reference for quality rentals under 30,000 baht

220 p.

ISBN:978-974-09-0434-0 (print version)ISBN ebook: 978-616-222-040-1E-book published byBangkok BookHousewww.bangkokbooks.com

All photos were taken on locations and are copyright © 2007Updated copyright © 2010copyright© and published byAndrewFerrettwww.BangkokBAG.com

Cover designbyRichardBowling

Printedversion available inAsiaBooks,ThailandEbookversion available throughBangkokbooks.com

Theopinions, photo and estimate in this publication are the responsi-bilityof the author, and should not necessarilybe considered asreflecting the viewsor carrying the endorsement of theGovernmentofThailand.

The use of this publication inwhole or in part for sales or otherpurpose, includingpublicityandadvertising, isprohibitedwithoutthewrittenpermissionof the copyright holders.

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Locate your apartment here!

Detailed maps of Bangkok are hard to find, so BangkokBAG haveteamed up with Thinknet and PNMap to bring you the best mapspossible. Plus - you can locate the apartments we feature using the.MMT overlayCDwe supplywith the Thinknet Bilingual MappingSoftware.

Visit our website for details.

www.bangkokbag.com

*Best maps for accuracy* Printablemaps for reference* Detail youwon’t find elsewhere*Apartment locator software* Software you can use on your PC*Maps for all over theKingdom

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Apartment Rentals - on a budget

As a foreigner arriving in Bangkok, finding suitable (and affordable)apartments can be a huge undertaking. The backpacker rooms available inevery Soi seem cramped & squalid, and the large serviced condos seempretentious and overpriced.

Good properties below 30,000 Baht per month just aren’t found easily.Owners find it unnecessary to advertise as there is a ready demand, andagents are more interested in the higher commissions.

This book is designed to give you access to most of the more interestingproperties in this price range. Aimed primarily at rents from 8,000 Bahtupwards, we have included some rooms as low as 3,000 Baht where we felt itworth mentioning. Every listing shows a photo of the property to give a realimpression.

Thai advertising doesn’t conform to internationally recognized tradedescriptions, and beautiful pictures of properties can bear little resemblanceto the reality. ‘5 minutes walk to the BTS’ can be a grueling half hour down anarrow Soi, the beautiful photo of a condo with parkland in front is actually apetrol station, and ‘24 hour security’ can be left to the local Soi dogs.

We concentrate on popular areas close to reliable public transport; bus, taxis,BTS, MRT, river boats, and motorbike taxis. Location and contact details areshown, together with a photo, a list of facilities and a personal view.

Prices and sizes can vary from room to room,. We show a guide-average foreach property. Furniture, decor, and owners opinion can vary the price. Goand have a look and decide for yourself.

Calling the management to check for apartment availability may not beenough. A personal visit may be necessary as private owners will notnecessarily be represented. Making enquiries in the coffee shop, laundry ormini-mart can often be rewarding, check the residents’ notice board, and besure to take along a Thai speaker to help in the negotiations.

Email us! Properties change, facilities change. New properties are beingdeveloped all the time. The views printed here are purely the personal opinionof our researchers. Send us your feedback and personal propertyrecomendations.

info@bangkokbag.com

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Where do you need to be?Rush hour traffic can grind your journey to a halt. Can you get to whereyou need to be, when you need to be there? Buses get stuck in traffic,do you need MRT or BTS? Will a boat or motorbike taxi get you therequicker? Is a supermarket within reach? And after a long days work canyou find somewhere to eat easily?

PriceMake sure you take a Thai speaker to negotiate. Can you get it cheaper ifyou sign up for a year, or pay everything in advance? Deposit is usually 2months, but this can vary. How easy is it to get it back afterwards? Try totalk to other tenants and see how much they’re paying.

TV, Telephone and InternetIs TV just Thai TV or more? Is it an extra charge, or must you arrange asatellite contract yourself? Test the TV picture and check the signal issatisfactory. Can you connect to the internet? And if the property is oldensure the cabling is good enough to supply you with ADSL.

Reception areaFirst impressions are important for your visitors, and the reception areawill tell you a lot about the attitude of the staff. Is it kept clean, and howhelpful are the staff?

Aspect and sizeIs the size of the apartment to your liking? And does it get hot at mid-day? Is the view over the highway acceptable? Or do they have anotherone available on the other side? If you like views ask to see one on ahigh floor.

SecurityIs there 24 hour security, and how secure is the car park? Is there a fireescape on your floor? Are there fire alarms?

UtilitiesWater, telephone and electricity charges should be checked. For instance5 Baht for electricity is usually acceptable, but if you use air conditioningregularly, 7 Baht can make a big difference. Test that the shower workssatisfactorily, and check how much noise the air conditioning unit makes.

LaundryIs there a machine in your apartment or downstairs? Is there a laundryservice in-house at a reasonable cost?

FacilitiesDoes the property have a swimming pool or fitness centre? Does theminimart sell more than rice and pot noodles? Is there a cafeteria, or arethere foodstalls within walking distance?

Considerations;

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Area Index Page

Bangkorlaem & Yannawa 7

Banglamphu to West Silom 15

Dusit - Victory Monument - Payathai 24

East Silom - Lumpini - Sathorn 50

New Petchaburi Road & East 87

Ratchadapisek, North & Northeast 98

Siam - Pratunam - Chitlom 128

Sukhumvit 140

West of the River 206

Apartment Index 211-------------------------------------------------------------------------Facilities keySP Swimming pool CP Car Park

L2 Number of lifts CA Childrens area

MM Minimart FT Fitness

LY Laundry RT Restaurant

IS Internet shop SL Short lets

PO Pool table FD Food stallsnearby

Std Studio1Br One bedroom apartmentRoom sizes; square meters (approximate)

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Baan Buddharaksa 34 Soi Satthu Pradit 30YannawaBangkok 10120

Tel. 081 933 7397

Price guide; 8,000-9,000Room types; StdRoom size guide; 36-45

Only 18 units in this small, new building. Situated in a quiet, narrow residential Soioff the Satthu Pradit Road. Rooms are furnished in modern style. No kitchen, but thereis room to put cooking facilities.

Personal comment; no public transport in this area, but very convenient for the Rama3 Road and it’s connections to other areas.Transportation; Motorbike Taxi

CP FT FD

An executive 2 bedroom condo with a convenient location. In a palm tree lined Soiwith not too much traffic. Good shops, and the road is full of foodstalls in the eve-nings. Opposite the Sathorn International School.Personal comment; the Soi is full of condominiums and other tall buildings. Thisrestricts the outlook and views slightly, hence the reduced price here.Transportation; Motorbike Bus Taxi

Fortune Condominium Soi Satthu Pradit 13Naradhiwas Rajanagarindra 24Bangkok 10120

Tel. 02 674 1133

Price guide; 20,000-27,000Room types; 2BrRoom size guide; 86-90SPL2MM LYCPRT FD

Bangkorlaem & Yannawa

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H PTower 2029/41 Charoenkrung RoadNear Soi 77Bangkok 10120

Tel. 02 212 7740

Price guide; 7,000-8,000Room types; StdRoom size guide; 34-50L2 LY CP FD

Older style apartments with a pleasant smart interior and well designed rooms in amodern style. All rooms have nice large windows giving good views. At the back youhave pleasant views, at the front you have river views. Comfortable furnishings.Personal comment; a little traffic noise at the front of the building is compensatedwith river views. Good value in a convenient location. 5 minutes to the Chao Phrayaexpress ferry.Transportation; Motorbike Taxi Boat

A few minutes by taxi from Surasak BTS station, or 500 meters from the intersectionwith Rama 3 Road. These are serviced apartments in the hotel style taking short termbookings as well as long lets. Well furnished rooms with a nice restaurant.Personal comment; nice apartments but no swimming pool. Busy main road, good forcommuting to other areas. Cheaper eating places nearby.Transportation; Motorbike Taxi

Howard Square Apartment 3641/10 Charoen Rat Road,BangkhloBangkok 10120www.howardsquare.comTel. 02 291 5995

Price guide; 22,000-28,000Room types; Std 1BrRoom size guide; 28-58L1 LY CP FT RT SL FD

Bangkorlaem & Yannawa

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KC Court 2 1755/6 Chan RoadSathornBangkok 10120

Tel. 02 678 8670

Price guide; 9,500-19,000Room types; Std 1Br 2BrRoom size guide; 40-62

The address is a bit misleading as KC is situated in Chan Kao Road off NarathiwasRajanakarindra Road. Smart apartments with comfortable modern furnishings. Allrooms have a kitchen area and pleasant outlook. Nice restaurant and small minimart.There is also a 7/11 store nearby.Personal comment; pleasant decoration with ornaments and pictures on every floor.Public transport a little limited.Transportation; Motorbike Bus Taxi

L1 MM LYCP FT RT SL FD

Standard rooms in a convenient location for connecting to Rama 3 Road and Sathorn.Basically furnished. Ask for a corner room for more windows, natural light, and abigger balcony.Personal comment; Basic but could be made to be comfortable. You’ll need to buy alittle furniture though.Transportation; Motorbike Taxi

KCC Apartment 518 Satthu Pradit RoadYannawaBangkok 10120

Tel. 02 295 4482

Price guide; 4,000-6,000Room types; StdRoom size guide; 30-45CPFD

Bangkorlaem & Yannawa

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Lee Place Serviced Apartments 727 Soi Pradu 1 (Rama 3 Soi 25)Ratchadapisek RoadBangkok 10120www.leeplacebangkok.com

Tel. 02 683 8333

Price guide; 12,000-39,000Room types; Std 1Br 2BrRoom size guide; 30-90SP L2 LY IS CP RT SL FD

Executive serviced apartments in a hotel style. Smart carpeted rooms with balconies.Nice smart restaurant, and a comfortable coffee shop. Swimming pool on the roof. Goodconnections through Rama 3 Road and Ratchadapisek Road.Personal comment; useful if you have a car. Taxis can be called, but no other publictransport here. Most rooms don’t have any space for kitchen area or washing machine.Transportation; Motorbike Taxi

Older Thai style apartments. One room size here with basic standard fittings. Higherfloors have views from the small balcony.

Personal comment; small but practical if this is the area you want to stay in. Goodaccess to other areas from here.Transportation; Motorbike Bus Taxi

Louis Mansion 104 Soi Chan 24Chan RoadBangkok 10120

Tel. 02 212 0465

Price guide; 4,000- 5,000Room types; StdRoom size guide; 31L2 MM LYCPRT FD

Bangkorlaem & Yannawa