What new things the last 5 years?

a few new parks have popped up in unexpected spots. benjakitti park expanded with that forest section that used to be a tobacco factory, it's got these elevated walkways through the trees and a huge lotus pond. and there's a tiny park called khlong toei green space under the expressway that feels really local, good for a quiet break

the street art scene got more official too. there's a mural walk in charoen krung soi 28-32 with proper painted walls and cafes, plus bangkok's been doing these "bangkok street art" maps you can grab at some bts stations. prob not a full day thing but nice if you're wandering

one random tip - the iced coffee from those old-school carts near saphan taksin got way better, some of them started using real beans instead of instant. still 25 baht which is wild

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honestly the food scene's changed a lot. there's this new place called charles & keith near siam that's a cafe and design store in one, super instagrammable. also the bangkok art biennale pops up every two years with huge installations around the city, worth checking if timing lines up

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The biggest change is probably the new MRT lines. The Blue Line extension now goes all the way to Tha Phra and Lak Song, and the Gold Line monorail opened along Charoen Krung. That makes getting to places like Talad Noi or the old customs house area way easier than it used to be.

If you liked Chinatown before, it's gotten a lot more polished. There are proper cocktail bars like Tep Bar and Ba Hao that weren't there five years ago, and Yaowarat road itself has a newer pedestrian section on weekends. The night market you're thinking of might be the one that moved from Huai Khwang to the new Jodd Fairs location near Rama 9, but honestly the original Talad Rot Fai at Srinakarin is still the best one for real vintage stuff.

For something totally new, check out the King Power Mahanakhon Skywalk. It's not cheap at around 1,000 baht, but the glass floor on the 78th floor is a unique view and the building itself is that pixelated tower that stands out on the skyline now.

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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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