Brand-new Bangkok

The first impressions of Bangkok are usually of a city full of hustle and bustle, ancient temples, electrifying nightlife, massage parlours, night markets and the singsong speech pattern of the local folks.

Everything, it seems, can be bought, price negotiable. Divide that by the exchange rate you go by and you realise that you can get some serious bargains, provided you can find your way around this teeming city of up to 10 million people - depending on who you ask.

As time goes by, the seemingly haphazard crisscross of streets begins to make more sense and you get used to the crowd. Best of all, you realise that this city has another side to it - one filled with boutique hotels, state-of-the-art spas and quaint restaurants. And all you did, really, was to turn a corner.

For those who have been to Bangkok, quite a bit has changed over the past year. The ageing Don Muang Airport has been replaced by the strikingly handsome Suvarnabhumi International Airport.

An increasing number of travellers are coming for medical spa visits, luxe shopping and the boutique hotels sprouting throughout the city. Have you been to Bangkok lately?