Oh dear! More entertainment news!

 

Broadway star Lea Salonga (of Miss Saigon and the Disney movies Aladdin and Mulan 1 and 2 fame) is returning for a Valentine's Day concert with the Bangkok Symphony Orchestra at the Queen Sirikit Convention Centre. The programme inevitably is 'love' related.

 

Eric Clapton has one gig at Impact Arena on 16 February.

 

The Eagles are here, also at Impact Arena, on 20 February.

 

Santana returns in a show entitled Guitar Heaven at Impact Arena on 1 March.

 

Another singer, Katherine Jenkins, has 2 shows, also with the Bangkok Symphony, but this time at the Thailand Cultural Centre on March 22 and 23. British readers will know of Ms. Jenkins whose albums have consistently topped the charts. Two years ago she signed a huge deal with Universal

For those, I guess not many, of you maybe playing with the idea of going and also just happening to be in BKk at those days (I myself have no idea if these concerts are sold out already or not-they may be, tickets are always via thaiticketmaster, who have outlets in most big centre-city Malls-just ask infodesk where):

Impact, the |Thai just say Im-Pek, is in Muang Thong Thanee, the Thai/BKk version of Glasgows inner city skyscrapers low-class housing, and an awful way from centre-city, roughly as far as old Don Muang, but more westerly, beside the expressway. Transport going there is in 1 word; HORRIBLE, esp. when there are any main concerts or shows. And expect same-same coming back.

You will have enough trouble finding a taximeter goinng there-they know what it is like. The fare from Silom should be about 150/180, plus the time for waiting.

By public transport: take bus 166, from the Vict. Monument, north-west corner, most forward section of lanes direct on the traffic, which goes then right on the expressway, but makes a 6 kms double run into pak Kred before going into Muang Thong. or VANS=minibus, from the big que at the north/park side of the Mochit BTS end. Just ask others, but the right vans will be stormed as soon as they arrive in.

Thai Cult. Centre is much easier to go to: simply take MRT=metro/underground, to stop with same name.

Pong is 100% correct about the difficulties of getting to Impact Arena. I'd suggest getting some nice sandwiches and going early, before the start of the rush hour. How you then kill 2 or 3 hours, I don't know as I was only there once. But concerts held there by major artists are almost always sold out.

 

The Queen Sirikit Convention Centre is easy to reach as there is a subway stop underneath the venue. The Thailand Cultural Centre also has a subway station named after it, but you still have to navigate a complicated 10-minute U-turn walk once you leave the station. Check the maps at the station exit. There is a map here -

 

http://www.chiangdao.com/bangkokmap/location/MRT+Thailand+Cultural+Centre