Soi Thong Lo

I found the 2014 Mark Wiens video, and it was of Soi 38, at the Thong Lo BTS stop.  I do like walking Soi Thong Lo, at least halfway down and back to the station, along the left side.  There's a fried mussel pancake and pad Thai spot that's been around a while, and there's a beautiful mango market where you can get mango with sticky rice - all on the left side as you walk.  I actually lived near the Thong Lo bts station for six months or so.  Each little soi off Sukhumvit, though, has food stalls, and they change out during the day.  Soi Nana, a mini Patpong, has a lot of street food and is great for freaky people watching.  I saw a full-on sex show there back in 2000, my first time visiting.  I stayed in The Atlanta Hotel then - a moderately priced, historic hotel.  In terms of food, especially nowadays, if you want budget yet very tasty dishes, hard to beat a mall food court.  Terminal 21 has the best of the mall food courts, with great views looking out on the city as you eat your 40-60 baht dishes.  

I did want to mention an area: Pratunam.  It's the garment district, next to a canal behind Central World, in the area around Baiyoke 2, which is still the tallest building in Bangkok.  Pratunam, during the day and at night, has all types of food.  It's bustling, and amazing - a photographer's dream, I would imagine, too.  The Pratunam intersection has food stalls that are some of the best in the city.  They have chicken with rice, grilled pork, a durian and mango sticky rice stand and more.  mostly Thais there.  And, not sure if you have ever seen Bangkok from above.  Baiyoke 2 tower, if you hit it an hour before sunset, has unbelievable 360 views of the city.  Compared to the new Mahanakorn skywalk tower near Silom, Baiyoke 2 is cheaper and has a unique views.  If you want to see how enormous Bangkok is, that's a good place.  Plus, it's in the center of Pratunam.  Massage places are all around, too.  Do y'all get massages?  Hope so.  Traditional ones are nice, as are the oil massages.  I like the oil ones, and will pay for up to 90 minutes.  

Oh, and since you will be on Sukhumvit, I would like to share a gai yang (grilled chicken)/isaan restaurant that is on Soi Ekkimai (bts station is named Ekkimai).  You would have to walk a little ways to it, but it is so worth it.  They specialize in grilled chicken and unique varieties of som tam (like fruit som tam) you cannot easily find.  Thais know this place, of course, as do savvy expats.  I can give you the name and more exact info in coming days.  

One other quick thing:: the Baiyoke 2's revolving rooftop is a casual spot.  You can dress as "down" as you like.  And there's no need to buy drinks up there.

And you mentioned Soi Cowboy.  Yes, lots of neon. I walked through there once, just to look around.  Soi Nana also is a red light area, and has neon galore.  I always enjoy just walking Bangkok!!!

*e-mail to friend 2/25/2020