Well, if you’re in Bangkok – why the heck should you go to the cinema? After all, you can watch those made-in-USA Blockbuster movies all over the world. Why spend your precious Thailand time on such a canned experience?
The truth is – Bangkok can be overwhelming. And if you had it for a couple of days in a row, and you had it intensely, a little bit of cultural comforting might just be what you need to get ready for your next Bangkok sightseeing adventure.
You see, what’s nice about cinemas in Bangkok is that they have comfortable seats, cheap prices, are air-conditioned (sometimes so much so that you want to bring along a scarf or a long-sleeved shirt).
Before the movie starts, the Thai national anthem will be played – and that’s when everybody will get up from their seat and play respect to His Majesty the King. (Getting up at this point is a really good idea too – in fact, it’s mandatory, and it would be very disrespectful and rude not to do so. So better be prepared to get out of that seat just one more time before the movie starts.)
There are different cinemas for example in the Siam Paragon shopping complex. If you really want to spoil yourself, try the VIP cinema – here you get your own couch for you and your partner, with blanket, unlimited snack supplies and so much more – it’s kind of like the equivalent of flying first class, except for the flight.