I have been in Bangkok for two years now and I have never gone to most of those places. I did get to Wat Arun during Sonkran and walked around a bit. There were so many people that no one bothered me.

I live up by MRT Sutthisan and never have any trouble since no one is on the make here. It is just a quiet neighborhood. If a Thai person talks to me here it is because they are interested. I go to my local market and have no dream of ever visiting Khao Sahn Rd. I'm one of the people who would be ripped off left and right if I ever tried.

In my first month, I went on a long day trip to a floating market somewhere. This was the most expensive day of the whole two years and I bought nothing at all because the taxi and boat ride were much more expensive than promised. I had to use my "hidden" cash to even get on the boat and it was less that the guy wanted. I was glad I had no money left as people came up in boats for the whole long trip trying to sell this and that. You missed nothing.

The only temple I have been to was for a funeral. This is enough for me. I count on photos and posts like this to show me what I am missing. The food looks like the food up here, but there are no tourists, and no one is sitting on the floor eating it :)

One tip I know now is that if anyone does try to talk to you is those tourist places you can stop them easily. Just hold out your hand palm down and wave it back and forth gently as you keep walking. This means "no" here.