I'm going to Bangkok with my husband next week for the 1st time. We are regular Bali visitors but wanted to try something different. We're staying at the Siam City Hotel.
Can you please give us some great "must do - things to do", "places to eat" and "places to shop"?
Also, need some advise regarding getting a taxi from Bangkok airport to the hotel - should I be worried?
Thanks...

For shopping try MBK (next to Siam BTS station) and Panthip Plaza (for computers/software/mobiles) also check the big department stores like Central & Robinson, plus super stores like Tesco & Carrefore for great bargains.
Many things to see and do in BKK. Take a river trip and visit all the famous temples, when you get to your hotel look in the tourism magazines you'll find in the foyer, they have all the main attractions. Eating depends on if you want local or western, street food or restaurants, so it's a bit hard to recommend not knowing your tastes. You may like to sample BKK's famous nightlife at Patpong road or Nana Plaza, you can reach both places via the BTS train.
No problems with taxi from airport, you can buy a coupon from the counter and off you go. This is not the cheapest method but is best for first timers who don't know the ropes & lingo.

What do you mean about a buying a coupon? Where do I buy it from and how much should I expect to pay?

I thought that you just asked for the taxi to go on the meter?

There are counters in the arrival hall where you can pay in advance a set price, usually around 1000Bt, and you are given a receipt/coupon to give to the driver. These include all tollway charges and you are guaranteed against any trickery because the drivers are registered.

Some people say you can just jump into a meter taxi and pay the meter rate of around 300-400Bt when you arrive at your downtown hotel, but in my experience taxi drivers refuse to use meters with farang, they'll use meters with Thais but they just give farang a set price - usually more than you'll pay at the counters. But how could a taxi charge you 300Bt ($AUD10) to drive you such a distance? The driver would be loosing with the price of fuel as it is today.

Twice this year I've arrived at the airport and taken taxis home to Chonburi, which is about the same distance as into BKK, and both times it's cost me 1000Bt, I've never been able to get the journey for less or to get a driver to use a meter, despite the fact that I speak Thai well.

So I would be prepared to pay around 1000bt for a ride from airport into BKK. That's about $AUD33 and is a reasonable fare for the distance covered.

I have to disagree with BobMac. There is no need to pay 1000 baht to get to your hotel from the airport. Just take a regular taxi from the the taxi counter which is just outside the airport front entrance (follow the signs). You will line up, tell the person at the desk where you want to go and they will give you a receipt (which you keep) and direct you to a taxi. When you pull away just make sure the metre is on-normally not a problem. The fare will be around 250 - 300 baht plus Airport fee of 50 baht and expressway fees of 65 and maybe a small tip of 50 baht. I nor my clients have never had a problem.

When taking a taxi in the city always make sure that they use the metre. If they refuse just get out and get another taxi. The worst places for taxis not using them are those parked in front of tourist attractions and some hotels. Just walk a little distance away and catch a moving one.

The hotel you are staying at is quite nice and a short walk to the skytrain station and Pratunam Market noted for clothes. Usin the skytrain, subway and river ferries you can get to most places without having to take a taxi and usually much quicker.

Thanks for the info, must say now I'm a little concerned about getting a taxi from the airport. But hopefully it will be easy!

Well you live and learn, I only use the airport taxis about once or twice a year and perhaps the taxi situation has improved without me noticing. So next time I arrive I'll look forward to only paying around 400Bt instead of the 1000Bt I've usually been paying.

It is only the taxis going into the city that use the metre. If you are going to say Chonburi from the airport then it will be a fixed rate.

dont go to the limo service before you leave the airport they will rip you for 900 to 1000 bht.
I would not expect to pay more than 5 or 600 including toll.
mind you things may all change with the hike in fuel as from the beginning of this month.

__________________
Kiss
God laughs at people who make plans.

Scotters is right, it is absolutely no problem to take a normal taxi from the airport. Once you come out from the gate there are signs with "public taxi". Just follow the signs and line up, don't listen to anyone trying to tell you something else.

Taxi fares in Bangkok are fixed and as long as the government does not decide to raise fares they will stay the same (as they have been for a long long time). Almost all taxis drive on gas, not on petrol.

Whenever you are in town and your taxi does not put on his meter you just get out and take the next one. The only exception to this is during real heavy rain when they even charge Thais an additional fee.