Tourism
Is THIS the cheapest five star hotel in the world? Right here in Bangkok | VIDEO

Is THIS the cheapest five star hotel in the world? We think it is! It certainly passes all the legal expectations of a 5-star property and it’s smack bang in the middle of a touristy area of Bangkok.
It’s ‘of an era’ and it’s easy to imagine this older style Bangkok hotel in its heyday, probably in the late 80s. But it’s certainly luxurious and looks like a steal for a lot less than 1,000 a night.
Chris sneaks in for a quick look. Let’s check it out.
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Tourism
Day trip to Bangkok’s closest island – Koh Si Chang | VIDEO

Ko Si Chang (or Koh Sichang) is a district of Chon Buri Province, Thailand. It consists of the island of Ko Si Chang and its adjoining islands. Ko Si Chang is in the Gulf of Thailand, 12 kilometres off the shore of the Si Racha District coastline. It’s the closest island to Bangkok and a popular weekend away for Bangkokians. Pangrum takes us on a quick visit to the island with today’s latest Thaiger Vlog.
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Coronavirus (Covid-19)
Thailand acknowledges wildlife markets could be dangerous to humans

The Thai Ministry of Public Health is being praised after seemingly doing an about face over whether Bangkok’s Chatuchak Weekend Market could be the source of Covid‐19. After health officials denied that the World Health Organisation was investigating the market, a recent Facebook live press conference saw the Ministry acknowledging that wildlife trades may endanger public health.
The recent investigation by the WHO of Wuhan, the province in China where Covid19 is thought to have originated, has concluded that the virus most likely did not come from a laboratory, and instead, came from animals supplied by Chinese wildlife breeding farms, or from infected animals traded somewhere in Southeast Asia. As Chatuchak Market is arguably the region’s largest illegal wildlife trade market, a Danish virologist on the WHO investigation team pointed towards the Bangkok market as a potential source of the Covid19 virus.
Now, the Thai Ministry of Public Health is going to collaborate with the Ministry of Environment and its Department of National Parks to closely inspect Chatuchak market, and roll out a joint plan to increase wildlife protection and stop the wild animal trade in markets.
Southeast Asia has historically supplied most of China’s wildlife trade, which the virologist sees as worrisome. As commercially traded animals can carry pathogens that could compromise a human’s immune system. For example, in 2019, zebras that were legally imported into Thailand, carried a small fly species that jumped to local horses, causing African Horse Sickness. The mortality rate was over 90%, causing over 600 horse deaths.
Some animals are especially susceptible to viruses hosted by bats, such as the SARS virus. That virus jumped from a civet cat that was infected by a bat. Other viruses that are thought to have jumped from bats to other animals include rabies and Ebola. Minks and Pangolins have also been discovered to carry a coronavirus and are still being commercially traded in Southeast Asia today.
In a spotcheck carried out by Freeland, a global nonprofit organisation, Chatuchak Market is still selling ferrets, coati, civets, polecats, mongoose, raccoons, meerkats, scarlet macaws, capybara, african gray parrots, cougars, multiple species of turtles, snakes, rodents and lizards from Latin America, Africa and Australia.
SOURCE: Freeland
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Coronavirus (Covid-19)
Health officials deny WHO investigation into Bangkok’s Chatuchak market as potential origin of Covid

Health officials in Thailand are denying reports that the World Health Organisation is investigating Chatuchak market in Bangkok in ongoing efforts to establish the origin of Covid-19. The reports have surfaced in Danish media, following a WHO visit to Wuhan last month, with doubt hanging over the theory that the pandemic started in the central Chinese city.
Nation Thailand reports that the Department of Disease Control has held a press briefing in which it refutes suggestions the virus could have come from wildlife traded at Chatuchak market. The market has previously come under fire from animal welfare and wildlife protection organisations. In 2016, research by wildlife protection group Traffic pointed to the market’s ongoing illegal trade in protected bird species, while an earlier report highlighted the market’s role in the illegal trade of freshwater turtles and tortoises.
Despite several conservation experts pointing to the risks associated with the wildlife trade, Chawetsan Namwat from the DDC denies the suggestion the WHO is investigating the market for potential links to Covid-19. He says the media reports are based on evidence that the Thai horseshow bat carries another SARS virus that shares over 91% of its genetic code with the Covid-19 virus. He adds that this virus cannot be transmitted to humans, saying the DDC’s advice continues to be that humans should not consume wild animals.
“This is just an academic assumption, not absolute truth. We are constantly monitoring the animal-trading zone in Chatuchak weekend market. Even if there is no clear evidence on the origin of this virus, we still need to be vigilant and maintain strong disease-prevention measures.”
SOURCE: Nation Thailand
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Toby Andrews
Thursday, February 18, 2021 at 6:05 pm
Expedia are advertising a room for $36 here.
Is this person a Thai?
However there is a price from Trip.com which is $23, which goes up to $27 with tax, and this is a prepay price.
Why?
Does the room not have a window?
This person could be a promoter in the pay of the hotel. The room was not shown.
I smell some Thai trick here.
Of course I could be completely wrong!
Ray
Thursday, February 18, 2021 at 6:07 pm
Nice vlog. Looking forward to more. My experience with these old style hotels in BKK is that you have to be aware they don’t give you a room which is half of a family suite. It seems they have a lot of such rooms. Happened to me twice in comparable hotels. Of course the connecting door is locked but you can hear everything. At one point I woke up thinking drunk partygoers had literally entered my room and I only could sleep again when they did.
Toby Andrews
Thursday, February 18, 2021 at 6:15 pm
No he is from Hong Kong, however he posts links to all the companies and services he used.
Does he get a discount. Does he collect commission?
Does he post bad reviews – I did not see any in face book.
Gosport
Thursday, February 18, 2021 at 6:42 pm
Very nice, Mr. Question. I used to have a hotel room of many stars by mileage. It turned out to be a room with small hole looked like a window of wing hotel of the many stars hotel. Much more shitty than a guest house. But, it is good to have a wild party inside. No noise can be heard outside.
Issan John
Thursday, February 18, 2021 at 7:11 pm
All a bit odd. A “5 star” hotel that’s obviously 3 star out of a time warp, with a deserted reception that’s moved to the 11th floor, a weird vlogger who’s wandered round the two empty pools and a fitness room without the hotel security stopping him, but who they wouldn’t let see any of the rooms – a year ago.
WTF 😮
EdwardV
Thursday, February 18, 2021 at 11:23 pm
He clearly doesn’t understand what makes a hotel 5 star. I agree John, from the volg alone this looks more like a 3.5 star hotel, probably a 4 star back in it’s day. You can have all the facilities, amenities and plush furnishing in the world, you still are not a 5 star hotel. Hotels don’t get that 5th star without an amazing level of service. From the vlog there are hardly any service people at all, let alone that white glove over the top service required for that 5th star. Reminds me of the Landmark, but more past it’s prime.
Toby Andrews
Thursday, February 18, 2021 at 11:02 pm
I agree I John. Could it be that there is another Thai scam going on here?
Forget your bias for all matters Thais and give an honest opinion.
Issan John
Friday, February 19, 2021 at 9:01 am
“Honest opinion”?
WTF 😮
Toby Andrews
Friday, February 19, 2021 at 11:00 am
No honest opinion huh?
I see your quandary, which is all matters Thai can be debated, as long as this does not conflict with your first rule, all matters Thai are never wrong.
Stephen King
Friday, February 19, 2021 at 6:20 am
Not allowed to see room = not staying at this (3 star) hotel thank you very much.
James Pate
Friday, February 19, 2021 at 10:01 am
You get what you pay for. Yeah, 700-800 baht would be about right. I don’t know the Bang Lamphu area well, but this looks like a good deal and would probably be close to full in normal times. Reminds me of the old YMCA Hotel or the old Rattanakosin; dated, but ok all around. 4* back in the day, now a 3*.
Mr cynic
Friday, February 19, 2021 at 8:54 pm
Good location if your a tourist interested in seeing the major historical sites.
Checked the hotel own site and it’s less than a 1000 thb per night.
Looks like pretty decent value to me.
The guy points out it has a well maintained 80’s look about it.
Nothing wrong with that and will probably soon become fashionable again anyway.
Issan John
Sunday, February 21, 2021 at 6:09 am
having lived in Thailand for 11 years, I stayed at many BKK 5 start hotels. Well, the Thai rating of 5 stars is about equivalent to a 2.5 star rating in 1st world countries.
Lancev32
Tuesday, February 23, 2021 at 7:54 am
“Today is February 17th 2020” ? Is this vid a year old or did he say the wrong year?