Bangkok & Around - Thailand - page 264

Tourist Police ( 24hr hotline 1155) The best way to deal with most problems requiring police
(usually a rip-off or theft) is to contact the tourist police, who are used to dealing with for-
eigners and can be very helpful in cases of arrest. The English-speaking unit investigates
criminal activity involving tourists and can act as a bilingual liaison with the regular po-
lice. Although they typically have no jurisdiction over the kinds of cases handled by regu-
lar cops, they should be able to help with translation, contacting your embassy and/or ar-
ranging a police report you can take to your insurer.
INTERNET & TELEPHONE ACCESS
There's no shortage of internet cafes in Bangkok competing to offer the cheapest and fast-
est connection. Rates vary depending on the concentration and affluence of net-heads -
Banglamphu is cheaper than Sukhumvit or Silom, with rates as low as 15B per hour.
Many internet shops have Skype and headsets so that international calls can be made for
the price of surfing the web.
A convenient place to take care of your communication needs in the centre of Bangkok
is the TrueMove Shop ( www.truemove.com ; Soi 2, Siam Sq; 7am-10pm; Siam exit 4) . It has high-
speed internet computers equipped with Skype, sells phones and mobile subscriptions, and
can also provide information on city-wide wi-fi access for computers and phones.
Wi-fi, provided mostly free of charge, is becoming more and more ubiquitous around
Bangkok and is available at more businesses and public hot spots than we have space to
list here. For relatively authoritative lists of wi-fi hot spots in Bangkok, go to
www.bkkpages.com (under 'Directory') or www.stickmanweekly.com/WiFi/
BangkokFreeWirelessInternetWiFi.htm .
MEDIA
Daily newspapers are available at streetside newsagents. Monthly magazines are available
in most bookstores.
Bangkok 101 ( www.bangkok101.com ) A monthly city primer with photo essays and reviews of
sights, restaurants and entertainment.
Bangkok Post ( www.bangkokpost.com ) The leading English-language daily with Friday and week-
end supplements covering city events.
BK ( www.bk.asia-city.com ) Free weekly listings mag for the young and hip.
Coconuts Bangkok (bangkok.coconuts.co) News is almost certainly a stretch, so let's just say that
Coconuts does a good job at covering... stuff that happens in Bangkok.
Nation ( www.nationmultimedia.com ) English-language daily with a heavy focus on business.