Here is a list of links to Bangkok Serviced Apartments that you can book direct online. These Serviced Apartments are a good choice for when you first arrive in Bangkok in order to get your bearings. Most of the Serviced Apartments quote a daily and weekly rate - their monthly rates are likely to be substantially cheaper but are only available on request.

I have listed the general location of each Serviced Apartment and the nearest Skytrain or MRT station where applicable. Location is a major consideration for choosing a Bangkok apartment, especially its proximity to the public transport network. Bangkok traffic is still a major issue.. For more info about location, see Where to Rent in Bangkok.

It’s wise to avoid making a long term commitment until you have seen the specific Apartment you will be staying in and have a first hand idea of the level of service and amenities. Each Apartment Booking page also has reviews written by previous guests which are worth checking.

Park 9 Living Near Suvarnabhumi Airport No Skytrain / MRT nearby
Floraville Pattanakarn No Skytrain / MRT nearby

Cape House Lang Suan Skytrain: Chitlom
Riverine Place River side No Skytrain / MRT nearby
Regent Silom Silom Skytrain: Saladaeng MRT: Silom
Royal Suite Rama 9 Skytrain: Ekkamai (10 min taxi ride). Near Bangkok Hospital
Amanta Ratchada Ratchadapisek MRT: Thailand Cultural Centre
Unico Grande - Asoke, Sukhumvit Soi 21 Skytrain: Asoke MRT: Sukhumvit
Sala Daeng Colonnade Saladaeng Skytrain: Saladaeng MRT: Silom
Pantip Court South Sathorn Road MRT: Silom or Lumphini
Omni Tower Sukhumvit Soi 4 (Soi Nana) Skytrain: Nana
Grand President Sukhumvit Soi 11 Skytrain: Nana
Royal President Sukhumvit Soi 15 Skytrain: Asoke
President Park Sukhumvit Soi 24 Skytrain: Phrom Phong
JS Tower Sukhumvit 50 - 54 Skytrain: On Nut (20 mins walk)
Varindavan Park Ekkamai. Skytrain: Ekkamai / Prakanong

I’ve written up two articles on my other website Travelhappy that can help you with finding cheap apartments in Bangkok:
Finding long term accommodation in Bangkok - this gives an overview of the different apartments I looked at when trying to find a place under 20,000 Baht a month. I list websites, prices and pros and cons of the different places I looked at.
Using Facebook and Craigslist to find Bangkok Apartments - this describes the way these social networking sites make it easier to find Bangkok accommodation

If you just want to start browsing, here’s the sources I found most useful

• Bangkok Craigslist - lots of estate agents post their rentals here
• Facebook Thailand Marketplace - lots of listings but for the whole country so need to skim
• ThaiVisa Thailand House Rentals - lots of listings for Bangkok from this very well established Thailand site
• BK Magazine (a free weekly listings magazine for Bangkok) has an excellent website where its Classfieds section lists all Bangkok apartment ads online
• Bangkok Post newspaper (daily English language paper in Thailand)
• The Nation newspaper (daily English language paper in Thailand)

– the websites for both these newspapers are not much good for apartment hunting, but the daily Classifieds section is worth checking at least every couple of days.

• 1) Does the AC work? Is it noisy?
• 2) Does the hot water in the shower work? How is the water pressure?
• 3) Does the toilet flush properly?
• 4) What are the cooking facilities like? Many Bangkok apartments only have 1 or 2 hotplate rings for cooking and a microwave and sink. No oven or dishwasher.
• 5) Is there a phone line installed? Is it easy to reconnect?
• 6) Can the internet be installed? An increasing number of apartments have access to wifi, but this is not to be taken for granted.
• 7) Is the apartment secure? Are there good locks on doors and windows? Is it visible to passersby?
• 8) Do the apartment staff speak good English and are they available at regular hours? What do you do in case of emergency (eg. water leak at 3am)? Try and get clarity about exactly how much you need to pay for the rent, deposit, electricity per unit, and water - plus check about the phone line and internet access.
• 9) What is the surrounding area like? Are there building works nearby? Are there any schools nearby? (Thai teachers are fond of megaphones in the early morning - not fun). Are there lots of dogs around? If you can, try and view a place several times at different times of the day - or at least visit the outside. Bangkok is an incredibly noisy place so you should bear that in mind.
• 10) What are local amenities like? Is there a supermarket in walking distance? A Skytrain or MRT station? How long does it take to walk to them? Is there a laundry service nearby?

• Apartments in Bangkok usually lease on a minimum 12 month period. You cannot break the contract without losing your total deposit. You can ask for a “diplomat” clause to be inserted into the contract to let you exit after six months with one month’s notice, but this will still lose you 1 month’s deposit. It is not a given that a diplomat clause will be offered.
• Bangkok serviced apartments offer the flexibility of month by month leasing but are more expensive in terms of monthly rent and also utility pricing. However, they offer a great start to Bangkok living - cleaning, bedlinen changing and kitchen utensils are included in the price, so you’re ready to go as soon as you move in.
• Bangkok apartments are usually furnished, but do doublecheck that is the case
• Bangkok apartment landlords, whether leased or serviced, expect two months rent as a deposit and one month in advance. The last month of the lease is typically paid from the deposit.
• Monthly utilities to consider are electricity, water, UBC (satellite TV), phone landline, high speed internet. Depending on usage, these can be 5000 Baht a month added to your basic rental cost. If you rent in a condo, the condo administration office should be able to handle payment of all your bills for you. Check this before leasing, otherwise you could have some tedious bill paying to do yourself (especially if you don’t speak Thai).
• You may also want to consider getting a cleaner that visits a couple times a week. This can be a couple of thousand a month, or less if you can bargain down.
• Never sign up to a lease or make any sort of commitment without inspecting the apartment in person first. Take a checklist with you to ensure that you remember to look at everything.

Unless you’re mega rich, your choice of apartment in Bangkok is likely to be determined mainly by price.

Bangkok apartment rentals are good value compared to Europe and America, but they are still not particularly cheap. The average monthly price for an upmarket, well located 2 bedroom Bangkok apartment with access to a swimming pool, gym and public transport networks is around 40,000 to 60,000 Baht. ($1300 to $ 1800 US). You get a lot for your money, but the base price is still quite high. You also need to consider the additional monthly expense of utilities (see below).

There is a burgeoning market for Bangkok apartments around 30,000 baht a month and you’ll find this is the starting point for most apartment rentals shown in Bangkok real estate agent windows. Below that price bracket, it gets difficult for the agents to make a decent commission to rent apartment

There are plenty of apartments available in Bangkok that rent for less than 30,000 Baht a month, but it is not so easy to locate them. Bangkok landlords are only now getting savvy to using the internet to promote their apartments - and even when they do have a website, it is often poorly designed and lacking in vital information. Cheap Bangkok apartments still require phoning around from classified ads and arranging viewings if you are keen to find a bargain. If you are specifically interested in cheap Bangkok apartments, please read my Travelhappy article Finding Cheap Long Term Accommodation In Bangkok.

Bangkok’s traffic situation has greatly improved since the advent of the Skytrain and MRT at the beginning of the 21st century. However, the streets still regularly gridlock, so if you live somewhere that requires a taxi journey to move around, be prepared for unpredictable delays on a regular basis.

The best way to see all of Bangkok’s Skytrain and MRT stops is to get a good Bangkok map like the Bangkok Groovy Map. This clearly shows all the station stops and Bangkok’s points of interests, including landmarks, restaurants, shopping complexes and more, all in one easy to digest fold out map. I’ve tried a lot of Bangkok maps and this is definitely the best one I’ve found so far.

Once you’ve got a grasp of the different areas of Bangkok and how they are related to one another, you can start looking for Bangkok apartments with a much better idea about location.

The most popular - and most expensive - area for foriegners to rent apartments in Bangkok is Sukhumvit, the 5th Avenue of Bangkok. Sukhumvit is Bangkok’s longest street with over 100 substreets - or sois - branching off it. There is a huge amount of rental apartments located around here with hundreds more being built, mainly in the mid to luxury range.

Sukhumvit is the entertainment centre of Bangkok, while Silom towards the river is the business district. Both are well served by the Sky train and the MRT, Bangkok’s underground railway. These two public transport networks form an interconnecting circle around Bangkok’s central districts. There are increasing apartment rental opportunities available around each of the Skytrain and MRT stations, especially the MRT as it only opened a couple of years ago. These apartments tend to be cheaper than Sukhumvit and although still pay a premium for being located near a public transport station, prices can be a lot more affordable with the convenience of easy transport.

Bangkok Apartment Terms of Lease - What To Expect

Bangkok Apartment Checklist

Where to find Bangkok Apartment Listings

Where to rent in Bangkok

What you need to know about Bangkok traffic