Moving to Bangkok for 6 months for work at UN. Any advice that you would've loved to know before moving there?

The UN offices are up near the Dusit area, which is a bit quieter than central Sukhumvit. Traffic on Sri Ayutthaya Road can be brutal during rush hour, so living near the BTS Saphan Khwai or taking the canal boat along Saen Saeb might save you time. Grab a Thai SIM card at the airport arrivals hall, it's cheaper than the shops in town and you'll need data for navigating the soi taxis. Don't bother with a big apartment near work, the commute from a cheaper spot like Ari or Saphan Khwai is easy and you'll have more cash for the street food.

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6 months is kind of the sweet spot for Bangkok tbh - long enough to actually settle in but short enough to not get jaded by the humidity. one thing i wish someone told me was how much the air quality changes by season. february to april is burning season and it can get rough, so maybe grab a decent n95 mask for those months, not the cloth ones. also the bts skytrain is fine but the mrt subway is usually less crowded and has ac that actually works, so check if your route lines up with it. for weekends, skip khao san road entirely and head to bang krachao instead, it's this green island on the river that feels like a different world and you can rent a bike for like 60 baht

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honestly the biggest thing nobody told me was how much of a pain it is to find actual drinkable water. tap water isnt safe to drink and even some of the filtered water machines in condos are questionable. i just buy the big 6-liter bottles from 7-eleven for like 15 baht each and refill a reusable one. also if you're at the UN you'll prob be dealing with a lot of visa paperwork at immigration, go to the IT Square Laksi office not the Chaeng Wattana one, it's way less crowded and the staff are actually nice. oh and the canal boats along Saen Saeb are super useful but watch your bag, i had my phone almost snatched by a guy on a motorbike once

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Krua Dok Mai Kao is solid but I've always found their som tam a bit tame on the pla ra. If you want the real funky version, try the shophouse spots along Soi Udomsuk 26, near the night market end. They pound it fresh with fermented fish that'll clear your sinuses, and it's like 60 baht. Different style from the On Nut places, more Lao-leaning.

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for som tam specifically i'd say the Isaan spots in Chatuchak are underrated, weekdays only though since the weekend crowd ruins the vibe. there's a stall near gate 2 that does tam pa with fermented bamboo shoots, super sour and funky, not something you see much in On Nut. if you're already heading north for Or Tor Kor anyway its worth the detour.

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honestly the som tam at Krua Dok Mai Kao is good but what got me hooked is their nam prik pla raa dip with the raw veggies, that funk hits way harder than the papaya does. think most people sleep on it cuz they just order the som tam and gai yang. also pro tip, go before noon on weekdays, after that teh pla ra gets milder cuz they batch it for the lunch rush

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