The water taxi's are the bomb. Very fun way to see the city as noted above.
Patpong night market is interesting. VERY interesting...
For the types of goods you can show your family, stay in the middle. Great bargains, though understand that the "name brand" stuff is almost guaranteed to be knock-off. Fun place to go with alot of vibrant people and a fun energy. The further to the edge of the market you go, the more adventurous it becomes. The vendors will show you flip charts of a very, very different type of market. Honestly thought I was going to die when I realized what the little flip charts were. I thought it was a menu as I did not have my glasses on. Holy Toledo, was I embarrassed - LOL!
Though any large city has rough areas, there was never a place during daylight that I felt unsafe even at the night market.
angela