Exchange Report
I had an absolutely wonderful experience during my exchange programme in Bangkok, Thailand.
Firstly, I would like to thank my home university Nanyang Technological University (NTU) and my
host university Chulalongkorn University (CU) for providing me with this opportunity. This report
serves as an account of my five months stay in Bangkok, including the good and also the not so good
experiences I had.
Life on Campus
I studied Aerospace Engineering under International School of Engineering (ISE). All the office staff in
ISE are very friendly and helpful. Be assured that they would always try their best to help in any
situations or queries that you may have. P May, P Care and P Pan are three of the more noticeable
staff that are so helpful that we became friends. Not only the office staff, the professors and
lecturers have also been most wonderful. Their knowledge of the subject they teach is more than
ample and their methods of teaching were also easy to understand. The language that they use is
English although Thai is used sometimes as well for the benefit of Thai students.
It was unfortunate that I did not participate in any extracurricular activities in CU, thus I am unable
to comment much on that. They do have many student bodies and clubs like AIESEC and CU Band
but I have little knowledge on these. Next, students are also really friendly and approachable. Feel
free to stop any students along the way to ask about anything and more often than not they would
help you as well. Unlike most part of Bangkok, CU is generally well maintained. Floors are clean and
there are much greenery around the campus. Although certain buildings are old, the architecture is
really appealing and exotic in my opinion. There are shuttle buses in CU known as the CU Pop Bus.
These buses help you to get to different parts of the huge campus without having to walk under the
sweltering heat. Certain shuttle buses like service number like 1 and 4 also bring students out of the
campus to Siam area which is really convenient! Be prepared to face the infamous traffic jam during
peak hours though. Walking may sometimes be a faster option.
Life in Bangkok
The fact that Bangkok is one of
the most popular tourist
destinations for both Westerners
and Asians is enough to show
that Bangkok must be a really
attractive place to live in.
Bangkok has plenty of high-rise
modern structures yet blended
with many cultural temples and
heritage sites make it all the
more interesting to explore.
There is an exotic charm to
Bangkok that draws people there. The best part of Bangkok is that the living costs are comparatively
low, everything is really affordable!
The food here is simply amazing. There is no lack of varieties and each of them has its own unique
feature! The must-eat Thai food includes Mango Sticky Rice, Tom Yum Kung, Rice with Basil Pork,
Yen Tau Foo and many many more! The downside is that the portion may sometimes be small and
might be too spicy for people that cannot handle spiciness well. However since the costs are really
low, feel free to order a second helping or try other food instead!
CU recommends its students to stay in the newly built CU iHouse, which is at a walkable distance
from the CU campus. The rent is also comparable to the other apartments elsewhere; therefore I
would recommend students to stay there if you have a roommate to stay with. If you are alone,
perhaps you might want to look for cheaper alternatives elsewhere like the nearby Ratchathewi
district. I stayed at a studio apartment near Victory Monument BTS. Although slightly further from
the school, the neighborhood here is bustling with activities. There are plenty of night market,
shopping malls and bus to travel to different parts of Thailand. There is also a park just beside my
apartment where I go to exercise occasionally.
The transport system in Bangkok is generally good. The main mode of transport here is by cars, BTS
and MRT and bus. The BTS and MRT system links most part of central Bangkok together and it is
clean, beautiful and reliable. You can get a student card for cheaper fares if you travel by these trains
often. The outstanding part of taking these trains is that you need not worry about traffic jams.
Personally, I travel to CU by bus most often because there are many buses that go to CU from my
place and the fares are surprisingly cheap. The most expensive bus ride I have taken is only 13Baht
and some non air-conditioned buses are even free to ride! Alternatively, you could also choose the
more expensive option of taking a taxi. They are very common and comfortable but be warned:
some taxi drivers are known to scam foreigners! Always ask for meter if you do not want to be over
charged.
I can’t even begin to mention the number of activities you can do in Bangkok for entertainment.
Basically, you do not have to worry about having nothing to do during your time here. CU is located
in a really central and strategic position and the famous shopping malls such as Siam Paragon, MBK
and CentralWorld are just a short distance away. This means that you can go shopping everyday!
When the shopping malls are closed for business at night, you could also visit the many night
markets around Bangkok. Bangkok is really a shopper’s paradise! There are also many night pubs
and clubs around Bangkok. People who like to chill with friends over a beer can visit the pubs while
party-goers can visit the clubs. During the school break or even just over the weekends, you can also
take a van to other nearby cities such as Ayutthaya, Hua Hin or Pattaya for some travelling as they
are near. In the case when you have a longer break, you can also fly a domestic flight to Southern
Thailand such as Phuket or Krabi for a beach getaway.
If you like to have an unforgettable experience studying abroad, I would highly recommend Bangkok
for its exotic charm, affordability and friendly people. Together with its first class education in
Chulalongkorn University, I totally enjoyed myself during this semester. Believe me, I can’t bear to
leave this place! So, what else are you waiting for?