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Central District

Sukhumvit-Silom (CBD)

This is the heart of Bangkok and the place where most expats find themselves, especially when they first arrive. The housing options include high-rise condo blocks (of varying quality) and houses. The majority of the houses here are fairly old although most will have been renovated many times. The residential areas that surround Sukhumvit Road are divided as follows:

Silom/Sathorn

This is the original business district which is home to many multinational companies as well as many residential areas. Many countries have their embassies in this area, close to Lumpini Park and green areas. Silom has many shopping facilities, restaurants and hotels. It’s also the home of the (in)famous red-light district, Patpong, which has turned more mainstream over the years with a night market and fewer bars. Silom is also home to the ‘gay’ area of Bangkok, but this is only a small part of the area.

International Schools:

Supermarkets: Tops, Foodland, Villa Market
Restaurants: Many top Thai and foreign restaurants.
Cinemas: None but close to Siam BTS station where there are many theaters.
Sport Facilities:California Wow, Fitness First

Ploenchit

The Ploenchit area is located between the exclusive shopping areas of Chidlom and Siam to the west and the tourist hub of Nana to the east. It is a popular place for expats to live, mainly because of its location and close proximity to the Skytrain station of the same name. There are many houses here which, although they are old, were originally built for the Thai upper-classes and therefore are very spacious and plush. Most of the houses are compounds containing two or three houses and can be found along the side streets. To the south of the district, there are some very nice condo blocks offering excellent facilities and stunning views across the city. The American and British embassies are also in this area as are many office blocks and some excellent restaurants.

International Schools:

Supermarkets: Villa Market, Tops
Restaurants: Huge selection of top class restaurants and cuisines
Cinemas: None, closest is Chidlom Major Cineplex
Sport Facilities:Spa Athene Fitness, BodyWorx

Chidlom

As with Ploenchit, Chidlom lies in the heart of the shopping and business district and is very close to a number of shopping malls such as Central and Gayson Plazas. There are a number of high rise apartment blocks here, which are mostly located around Langsuan Road and there are also a number of five-star hotels such as Erawan and Intercontinental. This is regarded as being one of the primary shopping districts in town as well as one of the most luxurious places to live. There are a few international businesses located here and it is on the Skytrain making it very easy to get anywhere in Bangkok. The restaurants are as exclusive as the shopping facilities and can be found on Langsuan Road and its side roads.

International Schools:

Supermarkets: Isetan Supermarket
Restaurants: Huge selection of top class restaurants and cuisines
Cinemas: EGV, Major Cineplex, SF World
Sport Facilities:Fitness Club, True Fitness, Clark Hatch, Bangkok Palace Fitness

Phrom Phong

This is the largest residential area in central Bangkok and is located towards the bottom of Sukhumvit Road. There are a number of condo blocks as well as Thai residential areas and new housing developments. The Skytrain station here is linked to the Emporium shopping mall, offering the best and most expensive shopping opportunities in the city. Soi 33 (off Sukhumvit Road) boasts a number of expat bars and restaurants and there are a few hotels dotted around the main road. The area has a large population of expats from Japan and Korea.

International Schools:

Supermarkets: Villa Market, Tops, Fuji
Restaurants: Street Food, Japanese, Korean, Mexican
Cinemas: SFX Cinema
Sports Facilities:Royal Benjasiri Park, Fitness First, California Wow, Raquet Club

Thong Lor

Thong Lor begins at Soi 55. There are many housing developments here which are home to Thais and expats in a number of luxurious high rise apartments. There are new apartment blocks being built every year which introduce more and more lavish features for their residents. The residential areas are mature with all of the houses being over 15 years old, but there are some very large houses with beautiful gardens and a surprising amount of land for central Bangkok. The area itself boasts very nice restaurants, a number of expat nightspots, Western grocery stores, small shopping centres and a variety of high street stores. Perhaps the most upscale and trendy of all the neighborhoods in Bangkok.

International Schools:

Supermarkets: Tops, Villa Market, Foodland
Restaurants: Wide variety of cafe’s, bars and restaurants
Cinemas: None, closest is Major Cineplex Ekamai BTS
Sports Facilities:Clark Hatch Fitness Club

Phra Khanong, On-Nut

These two districts are very close to each other, with On Nut being the last station on the Sukhumvit line of the Skytrain. Many expats live here, although they are fairly scattered about with many housing developments located off the main road and private housing accounting for most of the accommodation options. They are both very much Thai areas, with not so much available to expats, although people choose to live here as they are still regarded as being in the city centre. There is, however, something of an escape from the everyday hustle and bustle of more centrally located areas. The CBD is just a short ride away on the Skytrain. Parts of Soi Pridi (Sukhumvit 71) are rather rough and not really fit for expats.

Supermarkets: Tesco Lotus, Carrefour
Cinemas: Asia Rama Theater
Restaurants: Street Food, Open Food Market
Sports Facilities:Piyarom Sports Club, Bangkok Sports Center

The Suburbs

Ekamai-Ram Indra

This district is the closest of all the suburbs to the CBD and therefore is very popular with expats who wish to enjoy the intimacy of a suburban life but still want immediate access into the city. It can be found northwest of Sukhumvit Road, running between Rama 9 and the Ram Indra artery. Houses and apartments make up the accommodation options with many of these houses located within secure gated estates perfect for the whole family.

There are a few international schools located within this area such as the French school, Lychee, and the Kesinee International School. There are also many kindergartens found here. It does not house as many schools as other suburbs, but most schools offer transport every day. Despite the lack of international schools, it is still very popular with families as there are many conveniences close by. There are some impressive garden centres to be found here as well as shopping centres and entertainment venues. It is also a very trendy Thai area with some excellent local restaurants catering to those who enjoy fine dining.

International Schools:

Bang Na

There are a large number of expats who live out in the suburbs. Many of these have families and want a house with some land rather than a luxury apartment. There is easy access into the city centre from here via the Bang Na expressway. It is far less crowded than the CBD and there are also a number of top international schools located here such as the Bangkok Patana School, St. Andrews Bang Na campus and the Concordian. It is close to Suvarnabhumi Airport and there is much less traffic.

The housing estates are very luxurious, boasting beautiful houses with a fully equipped club house and restaurants on site. They are perfect for families and pets and often have big gardens. There are also condo blocks in this area of town, but not nearly as many to choose from and they are not usually as luxurious as the ones in the CBD.

While there are not as many shopping malls found here, residents will find an abundance of superstores such as Tesco Lotus, Carrefour and Foodland. There is also a good selection of Thai restaurants. It is an industrial area, due to the amount of land, but this has not affected the air quality and you will notice how much cleaner the air is even this short distance out of the city centre.

International Schools:

Nonthaburi

This popular residential district can be found west of the old international airport, Don Muang. There are a number of housing developments interspersed between government buildings, international schools, business parks and universities. It is connected to the CBD by two elevated highways and to other areas of the city by the Western Outer Ring Road so it may be further out, but if you have a car; it is very quick and easy to get into the centre. It is just as quick to drive the 20kms into town as it can to get one or two kilometres down the road in the centre.

Two of the best international schools in Thailand can be found in this district; Harrow International School and the International School of Bangkok. Other amenities include supermarket chains, restaurants, shops and a selection of bars.

Accommodation is much cheaper here than in central Bangkok, but standards are very similar and there are many housing estates from which to choose. The area surrounding the International School of Bangkok is very popular with expat families, although prices are slightly higher. There are a number of new housing estates and brand new town houses and condo blocks.

International Schools:

Bangkapi and Minburi

These outer suburbs are very green areas with many housing estates boasting brand new luxurious homes. During the 1990s it was the area where the Thai middle and upper classes settled, but in recent years has seen many more foreigners move to the area.

There is a wealth of housing options to choose from in gated and secure villages which are perfect for families. It is much less polluted than inner Bangkok and there is also much less traffic. Amenities include a good choice of shopping malls, restaurants, bars and sporting venues. There are also cinemas and theatres as well as parks and gardens to enjoy.

There is a very good expressway which allows access to Chonburi, Pattaya, Rayong, Ayutthaya, Bang Na and central Bangkok and Suvarnabhumi International Airport is fairly close. Many people are buying property as the area is quickly developing and people see a good future in real estate here.

International Schools:

Rangsit/Pathum Thani

This area of town can be found north of Don Muang Airport. It boasts a number of gated villages, many parks and gardens, superstores and modern shopping malls and business centres. It is connected to the CBD by two elevated highways and is also well connected to other areas of the city.

Pathum Thani has seen a lot of development in recent years, with many new houses being built as well as many restaurants and entertainment venues. It is only 30 minutes from the ancient ruins of Ayutthaya and is very popular with people who work there. There is a good sized expat community here, which is slowly growing and is almost a small town in its own right. People rarely live here who work in the CBD as there are many other closer options, but it is perfect for those who work in the suburbs or surrounding towns.

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Interesting fact

In 2010 Bangkok had a population of approximately 8,280,925 residents while the greater Bangkok area had a population of 14,565,547.
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