Hi everybody:

Long time no see!

I was last in Bangkok in February of 2020 for a week or so right before everything shut down.

I stayed at Le Siam Hotel, which used to be the Swiss Hotel. It's along Soi Convent, one block up from Silom. I liked it. The place was super clean and exquisitely comfortable. The price was relatively low, and the location couldn't be beat. Soi 4 and Patpong were right on the other side of that big construction site. I liked it so much I made a mental note to return whenever I'm in Bangkok, but I attached an asterisk next to that note: Ask about the huge construction site right across the street. Two-and-a-half years ago there wasn't any work going on. It just looked like a building had recently been demolished to make way for a shiny new tower.

Now I'm planing a short trip to Bangkok in November, and I'm wondering if any Bangkok residents on this board know if that site has construction work going on? Maybe there are some terribly loud noises emanating from that site and I should consider a different, not so convenient neighborhood.

I looked on Tripadvisor, which only has two reviews of the place written after 2020. One was from this past March and the latest from earlier this month. Both reviews say the hotel is quiet, but the most recent one also mentions that construction site.

What's going on there? Did covid kill the plans for the shiny new tower?

Thank you for any info anyone might have. 

Love,

Biggus Dikkus

I'm not a resident  but I was in that area on my last trip in July. A large, new building is going up on the block bordered on three sides by Silom rd., Convent rd., and the narrow soi that runs behind the Silom complex. Most of the food vendors on the periphery of the site have had to relocate. I would not be surprised if the construction work generates much noise.

Best wishes for a good trip. Just spoke with a bartender at a Patpong club and he says business is steadily picking up.

Swiss lodge, now Le Siam, has, for many years, been our hotel of choice whenever we pop down to Bangkok for a few days. We were last there in early April this year. Noise was not a problem then and the hotel is double or triple glazed. Sadly, although they were serving breakfast, unlike our stay in December 2021, it was in the form of a set meal and nothing like what we were used to. Even the coffee makers and the lifts (elevators) are still Swiss made reminding one of the past. I could never understand why they channged the name. I would  also add that we have always been treated very well by the staff, many of whom are long serving.

I have stayed there two or three times a year for several years now, and always happy. My last visit was last month, and the construction appears to be nearing completion. The long term staff are as lovely as ever, but like billyhouston I do miss the lovely buffet breakfast and tended to go out to eat. Hopefully in this high season coming up things will get back to normal. 

A pretty recent picture shot from Mahanakhon Tower.

Thank you for the replies everyone, especially Billy Houston. I was a big fan of your movies back in the day.

I am a fan of Le Siam/Swiss Lodge too.  It was the very first hotel I stayed at on my first Thailand visit. Biggus could request a room facing away from the construction.  But, judging by 10tazione's photo, it appears like the construction is pretty far advanced, so maybe less of a problem.

Wow, the construction is quite fast. Or possibly because the last time I was there was pre Covid 2 1/2 years ago. 
That time nothing constructed above ground yet.

I stayed in this hotel just when the Covid begun on March 2020 there was no noise coming into the room , the service was remarkable although they just  canceled their famous buffet the breakfast was very delicious , the location is unbeatable and no problem with guests,  the only downside is the very small pool .

Did you see any shirtless Thai construction workers?  Enjoy.

8 hours ago, scott456 said:

Did you see any shirtless Thai construction workers?  Enjoy.

those days they are mostly Myanmarese, Khmer and Lao but your point is still valid.

And in Myanmar in the evening the workers shower right next to the street. That makes them look even more sexy!  Not as sexy as in my bed though ...

Having spent this past weekend at Le Siam, I can say that there was hardly any noise at all. They are now installing the glass in that building. Most of the heavy construction work appears to be done.