Where should i stay in Bangkok?

thong lo is your spot honestly. 20 yo, gym, dates, healthy food, it all checks out. tons of condos with decent gyms around bts thong lo station, plus the whole soi 55 strip for cafes and healthy spots like patom or the salad concept. clubbing is a quick bts ride to ekkamai or down to thong lo soi 10, not the main party zone but close enough that u can dip out when u want.

with 2k eur a month u can get a solid 1br in a modern building for like 15-20k thb, leaves u plenty for eating out and dates. for meeting people, check out coworking spots like hubba or the commons, lots of expats and creative types around. if u want more of a social scene with other foreigners ur age, maybe consider ari instead, it's a bit more chill and artsy, but thong lo feels more "entrepreneur" energy if that makes sense.

one thing tho, avoid the super touristy areas like sukhumvit soi 11 or silom, u'll pay more for less and it's all bars and noise. thong lo is the sweet spot between calm and connected. just make sure ur condo is within a 5 min walk to the bts, the heat will kill ur motivation otherwise.

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Ari is worth a serious look if you haven't considered it. It's got that quiet, leafy vibe but is still packed with young founders and remote workers. The gym scene is solid, there's a great CrossFit box nearby if you're into that, and the food leans more local and cheap, which stretches your 2k EUR further than Thong Lo will.

For dates, you've got a bunch of cute cafes and wine bars on Ari Soi 1 and 2, and it's a straight BTS shot down to Phrom Phong or Ekkamai when you want fancier spots. Clubbing is the trade-off, you'll be taking a 20 minute taxi to RCA or Thong Lo on the weekends, but that's fine if you're not going out every night.

On 2k EUR, you can grab a newer one bedroom near Saphan Khwai or Ari for 12-15k THB, leaving you a solid chunk for eating out and training. The community here is more tight knit too, people actually know each other at the local coworking spots like Creatory or the coffee shops on Phahonyothin, which is great for making real connections. Just make sure you're not stuck too far from the BTS station, the walk in April heat is brutal.

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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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