3 work-friendly Bangkok office escapes
There comes a time in every Bangkok white collar worker's nine-to-five life when he or she simply must escape the office. Same goes for those who work at home. You still need to work, of course, but you want to see some new faces, drink some different coffee or just give your creativity a boost with a change of scenery.
While the city has no shortage of Starbucks, steer clear of the monolithic Seattle-based behemoth and head for one of these three venues:
True Urban Park
True Urban Park, on the third floor of Siam Paragon Mall (BTS: Siam, tel +66 (0)26 10 9956), is a high-end web café and electronics store run by Thai ISP telecom True. There's a variety of beverages on offer, as well as cell phones and music for sale. Sometimes there are even DJs. Web access costs about 50 baht per hour. This is the place to go if you're inspired by activity, as it can feel like a hive of typing, clicking, gadgets and ambient tunes.
TCDC
The Thailand Creative Design Center -- or TCDC -- opened in 2005 as a resource for designers and creative types. Located on the 6th floor of the Emporium shopping mall (BTS: Phrompong, tel +66 (0)26 664 8448), the sleek Resource Center contains books, magazines, journals and other inspirational materials. TCDC offers memberships for a fee, but those interested in using the facilities for as many as 10 consecutive days can pay a daily rate of 200 baht. This includes WiFi.
Hundred Children
For a more traditional café -- with a Far East twist -- check out Hundred Children, near Sukhumvit soi 14 next to the Asoke BTS (tel +66 (0)2 229 4424). The place is not just a café. It's also a furniture store jam packed with Chinese-themed home furnishings and antiques. The restaurant portion serves snacks like waffles and pastries and the cappuccinos are excellent. There's free WiFi and staff are friendly but not overly chatty. Moreover, there are usually just a few customers so this is a great place to work if you prefer quiet surroundings.
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