Rangsit

Effectively a suburb of Bangkok, Rangsit is directly north of Bangkok on Phahonyothin Rd, 20 km from Don Mueang Airport.

By bus

Local buses 29, 34, 39, 59, 95, 504, 510 and 522 will get you from Bangkok to Rangsit Future Park (8 baht in the basic non air-con buses, 18-22 baht for air-con). You can catch most of these from the bus stop next to BTS Mo Chit station. The journey takes 30–60 minutes depending on the traffic and bus (the orange 5xx services are faster).
Nearly all central, north and northeast-bound long-distance buses stop next to Major Bowl Shopping Centre, Which is right next to Future Park Shopping Mall as a hub from Rangsit in or out of the main city of Bangkok, and often almost half the bus gets off. And with reason: it's still another hour from here to the city, so this is an excellent place to hop out, stretch your legs, and get a decent meal.

By taxi

A taxi to central Bangkok will cost at least 300 baht. Always insist on using the meter. In the midnight hours a "service charge" may be required, but one shouldn't have to pay over 50 baht extra.
Taxis to and from Suvarnabhumi Airport approximately cost 380 baht, Although the touts outside will try and get you to pay 1,000-1,500 baht, wait in the taxi line outside the airport and you should be fine.

• National Memorial

  phone: +66 2 532 1021
  address: Viphavadi Rangsit Rd
  Covering an area of 38 rai, the National Memorial is under the responsibility of the Armed Force Education Department, Supreme Command Headquarters. There are wall paintings depicting historic events in Thai history from the Sukhothai period to the Rattanakosin period, replicas of royal decorations, bas-reliefs of the establishment of the city and models recounting historic battles in Thai history. A speaker is available for a group visit, but advance contact is required.

• National Science Museum

• Royal Thai Mint

• Wat Phra DhammakayaHumongous hypermodern temple home to the controversial Dhammakaya (Thammakai) cult/sect, dubbed the Thai version of the Church of Scientology. The size of the complex can hardly be overstated: crowds on special events can number in the hundreds of thousands, and the unreal scale of everything makes it appear like a science fiction movie set built by Albert Speer. As you enter, you'll first see the golden dome of the Memorial Hall of the sect's founder, Phramonkolthepmuni. Behind it lies the aircraft-hangar-sized Meditation Hall, and once you've walked through it (which takes a solid 15 minutes of hiking!) you'll spot the main event, the stupendous Maha Dhammakaya Cetiya. This is a golden UFO-shaped chedi covered with "one million" (in 300,000 outside and 700,000 inside) golden Buddhas, in the centre of a massive square and surrounded by the concrete platform of the Meditation Amphitheatre. There are free shuttle services from Victory Monument and Sanam Luang in Bangkok starting at 07:00 on Sundays only; otherwise, find the elusive shuttle bus 1008 from Rangsit market, or just take a taxi from Future Park (80-100 baht one way). The temple is free to all and open daily, but devotees gather the first Sunday of each month and there are English-language meditation retreats several times a year. Dress decently (women must cover shoulders and legs) and try to pick a cloudy or cool day because there's a lot of walking to be done.

• Dream World

  phone: +66 2 533 1152
  At km7 of Rangsit-Ongkharak Rd, this large amusement park houses a European-style plaza, miniature land of major world legends, and offers exciting rides, shows, and games.

Rangsit hosts over a dozen higher education institutes, including:

• Asian Institute of Technology

  address: Phahonyothin Rd
  Thailand's equivalent of MIT has its main campus in Rangsit, 6km north of Future Park. Get there on buses 29 and 39.

• Muay Thai InstituteThe MTI trains both Thai and foreign students (instruction in English) in Thailand's national martial art of muay Thai. Basic, intermediate, advanced, and professional muay Thai skills courses are available, as well as general training for fighters. Rooms are available in the institute.

• Rangsit UniversityIn the centre of the small community of Muang-Ake, RU is one of Thailand's largest universities and home to an international college with English language instruction.

• University Studies Abroad ConsortiumPlaces international students at Rangsit University.

• Future Park Rangsit

  address: Phahonyothin Rd
  In Rangsit, the future seems to mean huge shopping malls. Here you can find Robinson and Central department stores, Big C and Tops hypermarkets, a Major Cineplex Future Park Rangsit cinema, Office Depot and HomePro outlets, all packed tightly together. Future Park contains five floor: Basement Floor (B), Ground Floor (G), 1st floor, 2nd floor, and 3rd floor. Future Park itself is divided into several Park such as Gourmet Park (Floor B,G) which has many restaurants, bakeries and coffee shops; Fashion Park (floor G,1) which has clothing stores; Banking Park (2nd floor, near Central Department Store) where several banks are located; Campus Park (3rd floor) where tutorial schools and education centres are located; Digital Park (3rd floor) which has shops selling computers, mobile devices, electronics, and movie and game CD, DVDs; Alive Park (Ground Floor) outside the store, have some coffee shops (Starbucks and Cake Walk) and a clothing store. Alive park also has indoor domes where several events and a concert (usually on Sunday) are held. Forest Park has no store but contains a lot of trees and playgrounds to take a break from shopping. A musical fountains show is performed in the evening.

• IT Zeer Rangsit

  phone: +66 2 534 324
  address: 99 Phahonyothin Rd
  A centre for the sale of computers, mobile phones, and other electronics.

• Major BowlLarge shopping mall with a large selection of local merchants owning stores and large food court. The best place for Thai department stores.

• Rangsit MarketsBasically a huge flea market with street vendor after street vendor selling his wares. If you like the local food and aren't shy of the local cuisine and traditional Thai wares this is your place.

• Gyudon ExpressAn authentic quick-service Japanese restaurant specializing in rice bowls topped with beef (Gyudon).

• Rangsit Boat NoodleOn the west side of Future Park Rangsit is the Rangsit-Nakornnayok Rd. There are several boat noodle shops in the stationary boats floating in Rangsit canal along the road. Some also serve steaks and other Western food too.

• Talad Thai

  phone: +66 2 908 4490
  One of Asia's largest fresh produce markets, Talad Thai is designed to be spacious and convenient, completely different from the traditional central market by dividing the market into sections of various products which can support large quantities of products of more than 15,000 tons from farmers from all over the country. It is divided into the areas of the Orange Building, a tangerine market, the Mixed Fruits Building, selling many kinds of fruits from farmers from all over the country such as mangoes, cantaloupes, santols, custard apples, guavas, papayas, sapodillas, jujubes, melons, pomelos, acid less oranges, bananas, rose apples, grapes, Manila tamarinds, etc. Moreover, there is the Seasonal Fruits Square. It is because during the fruit season, this square is open for farmers and buyers to come and directly conduct the sales of many categories of fruits in a large number. There is also the Flowers, Decorative Plants and Plant Cuttings Market which is a gathering location of sellers of the products from the important production areas, as well as, sellers of the planting tools and vegetable building. The Fresh Market is a place selling every kind of consuming products such as beef, pork, duck meat, chicken, fish, seafood, vegetables, fruits, and grocery stores. On the second floor, there are grocery products. The Flowers Market offers various kinds of flowers and decorative plants such as roses, orchids, gerberas, wreath making shops, as well as, shops selling offerings for monks. Moreover, in communities and villages, there are OTOP handcrafted products such as mini Sam Khok water jars as souvenirs, artificial lotus flowers, and leather bags.