The short version
Phra Khanong is a useful east Bangkok compromise: closer to the centre than the outer suburbs, more local and less glossy than Thong Lo, and well connected along the Sukhumvit corridor. The label covers the BTS station area, W District, canal side lanes and a broad suburban district beyond them.
Pick the side street carefully
Near Phra Khanong BTS, the streets are easy for eating, small shopping and meeting friends. The main road is noisy and heavily trafficked, while the quieter sois can lose their pavement quickly. Towards Punnawithi and the outer edge, the area becomes more car oriented and the “Phra Khanong” label becomes a marketing shortcut rather than a walkable description.
Getting around
The Sukhumvit BTS line is the reason to shortlist the central pocket. Buses and motorbike taxis handle the canals and side streets. If work is on the same rail corridor, car free life is straightforward. If school, office and errands point in different directions, the road network is less forgiving than the map suggests.
Verdict
Phra Khanong suits a professional or couple who wants an active local street without paying for Thong Lo’s polish. I would live near the station but not on the arterial, and I would test the walk in wet weather. It is a practical neighbourhood with enough personality, not a retreat from Bangkok’s traffic.