Khao San Road 6PM- one of the busiest BKK Night Market
Thailand, as a tourist country, is often known as ‘The Land of Smiles’. The culture there is unique and refreshing, mainly because Thailand has always been independent and it is the only country in Southeast Asia that has never been a Western colony.
I. Temples, Buddha, and incensories compose the mass majority of the city scene. These Thai architectural temples bear a good fame of ‘an intimate magnificence’, and then ‘a heavy and dear decoration of jades and gems’. I was encouraged to take pictures at almost every temple, where usually forbids photographing and videoing for sake of solemn and respect. But Thai temples are not any that rigid. Maybe the Thais all have a remarkable artistic temperament, or maybe Buddha lives in their heart rather than a severe God to worship but more of an intimate friend, temples and Buddha in Bangkok show grand invitation to take pictures with you. Temple Painters can be captured anywhere, refreshing the look of its grandness and majestic beauty. Yes. I’m truly impressed by Thai Temples’ artistic flavor.
The Royal Grand Palace in Bangkok is in reality a walled town covering an area of over a square mile besides the Chapel Royal (Wat Phra Kaeo), where the Emerald Buddha is enshrined. I was captivated by two of the principal objects of interest in this Palace: 1)The Dusit Maha Prasad, which is considered the finest building inside and is certainly one of the jewels of modern Thai architecture. Heard from some passing-by tourist guides that the building was erected for ceremonial purposes such as receiving envoys from foreign countries. 2)The Chakri Palace is an imposing building constructed after the plans of a British architect in the style of Italian Renaissance, but covered with a roof of pure Thai style.
II. Up close to those Freaks and Transvestites, I felt my expectations are fulfilled and my eyes satisfied. I completely don’t understand why porn industry could be so prosperous and brazen in Thailand, and not in any other country. As a religious country there’s little sign of somber and respect from this stand. You’ll see girls kissing this guy at this moment, but transferred to another guy in ten minutes, and you’ll peacefully get used to it after witnessing so many even in some high end diskette as CM2 in Novotel, and pubs as Hard rock Café. The thing I’m not going to elaborate is something called PingPong show at PatPong. I’m not sure why I was there – Westside is the pub name as I remember (300 Baht per charge excluding tips). The show is just weird and astonishing. Girls on the stages all developed some unbelievable techniques with their body. After that I saw a naked girl (a cute girl I have to say) walking to sit onside a white guy’s thighs, trying to sneak her skillful hands into his pants. Surely not that enjoyable…hehe…because the American guy, can’t tolerate any longer and jerked her hands out instantly. However, I did enjoy much when shopping at MBK at Siam Square, seeing a couple of transvestites imitating Japanese dancing in front of a DVD shop, in an effort to promote sales of a Memos of Geisha. They’re beautiful, friendly, and feminine.
III. Thais daily life. The city is vibrant and interesting, but always troubled in chaos with endless horns on streets and diligent hawkers lining up the pedestrian yearning for more businesses. I was obliged to buy souvenir on the one-hour river cruise, which already overcharged me 1000Baht. In our tourist group to Kanchanaburi, almost all tourists pay different prices to travel agency depending on their bargaining ability. In Kao San Road you should try your best to resist temptation of those cheap clothes, jewelries and shoes. Sure there’re good bargains if you are a shrewd shopper, but to my experience, the stone necklace I bought dyed my clothes and towels to scarlet red when I washed my face...hopefully the hotel understand this and therefore, didn’t charge for compensation. :P
Crystal
Private Notes
2006 Apr, with Jimmy Chan.