It's hard to think of a more exciti

It's hard to think of a more exciting city in South-East Asia than Bangkok. There is a fantastic buzz to the place, from the fashionable bars and gourmet restaurants to the boutiques and the art scene. Even Thai cinema is becoming trendy. And with the strength of the Pound and the Euro, Bangkok is better value than ever for Europeans. The city's horrific traffic jams, disastrous public transport and pollution used to make it no place to linger. It is still hot and sweaty, with temperatures well over 30C and humidity hovering at 95 per cent, but vast improvements have been made, with a new Metro, the Skytrain monorail; and even the traffic jams are bearable - if you're in an air-conditioned taxi. The key is not to be intimidated by its size. Although it may seem a difficult, sprawling place to get to know, you just need to scratch beneath the surface and be a little organized to get utterly seduced by the place.