One Killed in Silom Grenade Blasts

Posted on 23 April 2010 by christao408

Note: As of 4:40 pm Friday Bangkok time, I’m revising this entry from the original three killed to only one, based on updated reports being released by local news media.

The political situation in Bangkok continues to heat up. In the past few days, counter protests (pro-government groups who are against the Red Shirts, but are not necessarily part of the Yellow Shirt movement) have formed in the Silom business district. These protests are ostensibly formed of office workers, business owners, and others who oppose the Red Shirts’ desire to spread their protest into this business district.

Before heading to the Foreign Correspondents’ Club to listen to a panel discussion about the future of politics in Thailand, I headed to Silom to take some pictures and see what the protests looked like. I have learned my lesson, though, to heed the warnings from the US State Department. An hour after I left the area, ~~five~~ four M97 grenades were launched (ostensibly from the Red Shirts demonstration area) into the “No Color Shirts” crowd, killing ~~three~~ one. This happened in exactly the area I had been filming and taking pictures.

This map shows you the affected area. The Red Shirts have set up an encampment in the plaza in front of Lumpini Park. They have also established an impressive barricade made of tires, concrete blocks, and sharpened bamboo sticks, effectively cutting off Ratchadamri Road at Rama IV.

Note: As of 4:40 pm today local time, both police and Red Shirts have agreed to back off from their respective positions 100 meters (300 feet) today to help lower tensions at that particular location.

Crowd along the south side of Silom Road. The elevated walkway connects the Saladaeng BTS Skytrain station to the Silom subway station. The soldiers have closed the walkway, hung black tarp to obscure their movements, and are stations above the crowd.

Police officers in riot gear try to keep crowds on the sidewalk so traffic can continue to move. There were about 1,000 “No Color Shirts” and probably 500 police and army troops in the area. The police vans are in the picture are at the middle of the intersection. The Red Shirts’ barricade is behind the vans.

From the median in Rama IV road looking back towards Silom Road. The Dusit Thani Hotel is on the left – the first “high rise” in Bangkok, decades ago.

Soldiers take pictures of the crowd. There was a row of razor wire immediately to my left between me and the soldier.

Back at Chidlom Road, the Red Shirts have erected barricades and are carefully checking any vehicles coming into their protest area. I returned to the Chidlom area where the Foreign Correspondents’ Club is located about 7:30 and met with Ken for a quick bite at the only place open – McDonalds – before heading to the club.

The audience for the panel was standing room only. There were four panelists: the head doctor of the BMA Hospital, which received the majority of cases after the April 10th confrontation between the soldiers and Red Shirts; the ambassador from Sweden; and two academics, one who spoke of the history of political protests in Thailand and the second of whom is part of an organization working to mediate the situation and arrive at a workable, peaceful solution.

Here are some highlights of what they had to say, as I’ve digested and paraphrased them:

The doctor shared a summary of casualties from the protests and showed forensic pictures of the “hard object” wounds. Quite gruesome. There is a lot of debate between the “committee” that has been formed to review the forensic evidence from the April 10th events, with printed rumors that the head forensic specialist disagrees with the committee’s conclusion. The doctor himself was very careful to avoid drawing any conclusions, even when pressed during the questioning by journalists. In fact, he wouldn’t state how many deaths were caused by bullets, perfering only to classify them as “death by hard object”. I sense that there are bigger powers struggling to prevent the release of this information. The speculation of one journalist was that based on the photos of the wounds to the Japanese photojournalist who died, he may have been hit by a rooftop sniper. No comment by the doctor.
The ambassador spoke unofficially representing the opinion of the global diplomatic community, expressing his concern that whereas the Thais have managed time and time again to pull themselves back from the brink of political disaster, that this time things may have gone too far and become too escalated to result in a peaceful outcome. Nonetheless, he expressed his hope that for the Thai people’s benefit, a peaceful, negotiated settlement occurs.
The historian compared this current political situation with previous protests that ended in violence in 1973, 1976, and 1992. The biggest thing that distinguishes this movement, which he feels started with the coup in September 2006, is that the rank-and-file members of the Red Shirts represent a first-ever truly widespread popular political uprising. His opinion is that in the past, people who showed up at protests, etc. were either just a few ideological individuals or large masses of mostly paid pawns. This time, he feels there is some legitimate self-concern and sense of empowerment by the members of the Red Shirt protests. His big question is, even if the Red Shirts win the conflict, will they be able to effectively govern this new, politically aware class of citizens?
The negotiator has been working over the past six weeks to secure a peaceful settlement between all sides in the conflict. He differed with the historian, identifying former Prime Minister Thaksin’s sale of his company, Shin Corp, to Tamasek, the Singaporean sovereign wealthy fund, as the real starting point of this current conflict. (You may recall that this sale, on which Thaksin and others made a huge sum of tax-free money) led to protests calling for his resignation, ultimately leading up to the coup. The negotiator explained that the major parties have agreed in principle to a five point settlement: Dissolution of the House in five months; Free and fair elections; Acceptance of the election results; Respect for the rule of law – court verdicts, peace and order, etc. will be respected; an independent commission to look into the events of April 10. The problem, he explained, is that neither side is willing to be the first to accept the terms, for fear of “losing face” and looking like the loser.

So where does that lead us? It is Friday afternoon. There is widespread speculation that the government will make a move to clear out the protesters before the weekend is over. 60,000 additional troops have been brought in from the south. The BTS Skytrain is closing operations at 6pm tonight – bear in mind today is a payday so normally people are out and about spending their monthly salary. All signs point to a bad weekend here in Bangkok.

Let’s hope the negotiations work.

Revisiting the Red Shirts

Posted on 19 April 2010 by christao408

Will return to the review of Hong Kong restaurants tomorrow. In the meantime, I went to check up on the Red Shirt protesters Sunday afternoon. Here are some video and photographs. The link to my first visit to the protest area on April 9 is here.

T-shirt being sold by one vendor, commemorating the move from Saphan Phanpha to Ratchaprasong. Last week a few days after the army clashed with protesters at the Panfa Bridge (“Saphan Phanpha”) in the old city, resulting in two dozen deaths and more than 800 injuries, the Red Shirts left that encampment, moving instead to the Ratchaprasong intersection at the heart of Bangkok’s high-end shopping district.

There are probably 4-5,000 protesters at the intersection, although they are spread out in the midst of the day seeking shade. This view is looking south along Ratchadamri road. The Grand Hyatt Erawan is the first all building on the left behind the Skytrain tracks. Gaysorn Plaza shopping center is the building immediately on the left of the picture.

Turning around and looking north towards Phetchaburi Road, you can see Central World Plaza and Isetan department store on the left, and Big C on the right.

In the old city, protesters defaced much of the encampment they evacuated, including the Democracy Monument. It seems that their respect for property (or lack thereof) continues at Central World Plaza.

The famous Erawan Shrine, a popular destination for tourists from elsewhere in Asia, is closed. A few Red Shirt protesters used a small side entrance to light incense and candles, paying their respects to the Hindu god depicted in the shrine.

One thing I noticed was a large number of monks who have joined the protesters. Unlike the situation in Burma, where the government is clearly repressing the people and I can understand why the Buddhist clergy is at the forefront of the protests, the Red Shirt position doesn’t seem to lend itself to religion. Of course, neither does the position of the Yellow Shirts, who are threatening to counter protest this week.

There were a few other farangs wandering around. Most were taking pictures while this couple just seemed to not have received the news about the area being shut down. Note to visitors to Thailand: when I talk about Thailand being a conservative country, I’m talking about the inappropriateness of this lady’s manner of dress: cover your shoulders and a bit more of your legs, please.

This farang seems to really be getting into the act, joining his wife (girlfriend?) in the crowd. I guess it is nice to support your spouse’s politics, but I’d remind him that the Immigration Department might not look too kindly on foreigners engaging in political protest.

This was about the only thing for sale in the protest area that wasn’t red.

It was a family affair with children dressed up and indoctrinated into the fun. Perhaps they are planning on being away from home for several weeks more so brought the whole family.

The heat was immense, especially in the direct sun, and I was impressed at the organization of the crowd. There were security patrols, meals being dispensed, and first aid facilities. With so much infrastructure, you have to wonder who is bankrolling the protests.

Two Attempts by Army to Clear Streets Fail – 15 Dead

Posted on 10 April 2010 by christao408

Unfortunately, what the Army had hoped would be a relatively easy and bloodless campaign to clear the Red Shirt protesters from the Ratchadamnoen Avenue area in the old city has been suspended after two overnight attempts left fifteen people dead and more than 670 injured. The dead are reported to include four soldiers and eleven civilians including a 43-year old Japanese photojournalist.

Above: protesters flee in the face of teargas dispersed by the Army along Ratchadamnoen Avenue.

The protesters at the Ratchaprasong intersection, the heart of the business and commercial district, are still in place. This is the strategically more difficult position for the military to access and protesters have blocked the roads with trucks and other barricades.

Police and protesters face off on Tuesday along Rajadamri Road underneath the BTS Skytrain station looking north towards Ratchaprasong intersection.

This is the worst political violence in twenty years in Thailand and begs the question of how a resolution will be reached. Tawn and I leave this afternoon for the week and are worried about how this impasse will be broken. No doubt it will be, but at what cost?

Update: After a previous entry about the protests, Jason had asked whether or not this is basically a class war, as that is the way it is portrayed in some foreign media. It really isn’t. In fact, Voranai Vanijaka, a Thai columnist in today’s Bangkok Post, summed it up very astutely: “In the present strugles, the new elites are making pawns of the poor and the old elites are making pawns of the middle class.” It really is more about a struggle between two groups of elites for control of a society that is very much a patronage society. The Red Shirts represent the new elite.

Bangkok Broils Under Red Shirt Protest

Posted on 9 April 2010 by christao408

Those of you who follow the news from Thailand know that for almost the past week, the center of the shopping district – the Ratchaprasong intersection – has been taken over by “red shirt” protesters. An estimated 100,000 were sitting in the street and plaza outside Central World shopping center this weekend and while the numbers have diminished significantly, the area is still paralyzed.

And as the Kingdom bakes under warmer than normal temperatures during what is already the usual peak of our hot season, tensions are rising on the political front. I went down to the area yesterday to take a look around and snap some photos.

I’ve updated my initial entry with some more pictures, explanation, and responses to your questions and comments.

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Looking west towards the Ratchaprasong intersection from the walkway that leads to Gaysorn Plaza, which is to the right of this picture.

Who are the Red Shirts?

The “Red Shirts” are a coalition of interested parties under the banner of the National United Front for Democracy Against Dictatorship (UDD). They are mainly supporters of Thaksin Shinawatra, the former Prime Minister who was ousted in a September 2006 coup and subsequently convicted in absentia to two years in prison and the seizure of about $1.3 billion in assets on charges of corruption. The UDD also represents some other interests, including those who aren’t supportive of Thaksin but who are against the coup and what they see as subsequent interference with the democratic process by a military/judicial elite.

A map of the area around Ratchaprasong intersection that is affected by the protests.

Affected Area

While there are scattered protests in other areas of the city, especially in the “Old City” where the government ministries are, the area that is attracting the most attention at the moment is the Ratchaprasong intersection. This is where Rama I Road (what turns into Sukhumvit as it heads southeast) and Rajadamri Road meet at the heart of the shopping district.

Is it paralyzing the city?

Vivek asks about the effect it is having on everyday life in Bangkok. Central World Plaza, Gaysorn Plaza, and Erawan shopping centers are all located right at the intersection. It is also the site of the popular Erawan Shrine, often mistakenly called the Four-Face Buddha by tourists. Siam Square with the Paragon, Siam Center, and Siam Discovery shopping centers is only a block away. These six major shopping centers have a combined floor space of more than four times the Mall of America’s and have been closed for almost a week now causing an estimated 200-300 million baht ($6-9 million) in losses per day.

View from the bridge connecting BTS Chidlom station to Central Chidlom department store, looking west towards Ratchaprasong.

UDD guards have set up barricades and are limiting traffic on the affected streets to only local traffic. For example, the Intercontinental, Holiday Inn Ploenjit, and Renaissance hotels are all in the affected area. Taxis and private vehicles going to and from these hotels are allowed to enter. Notice that in the picture above there are no police offers – they seem to be keeping their distance and letting protesters handle things.

Other businesses in the area are shut down or are operating on a very limited basis. Hotel bookings in the area are down significantly and bookings and tourist arrivals are off about 30% from normal for this time of year, particularly bookings from elsewhere in Asia. The Stock Exchange of Thailand dropped about 3.5% Thursday on news of the latest emergency decree and anticipation of a worsening political environment.

As for those of us who live here, it is kind of like having the middle of your living room be a no-go zone. You can still live in your house and get around, but you have to avoid one of the main areas that you would regularly travel to for work or entertainment. It is inconvenient but not impossible. Thankfully, this is the slow season for tourism and it is also summer break for students, so there is already less traffic than normal.

Looking south at the Ratchaprasong intersection. The Erawan shrine beyond the stage and to the left. Central World Plaza is back over your shoulder to the right in this picture.

At the main intersection, a stage is set up beneath the BTS Skytrain tracks. There is a bit of irony in the placement of the stage beneath the metropolitan government’s “Bangkok – City of Life” advertising.

Turning around 180 degrees and looking north along Rajadamri Road, Central World Plaza is on the left. There is a second pedestrian walkway in the distance. Over the weekend the entire street stretching beyond that second walkway was filled with protesters. At noon on a Thursday the crowds had dwindled and most were seeking refuge in whatever thin stretches of shade they could find.

Protesters camp out in the median strip foliage under the Skytrain tracks. Based on the number of plastic bags and other bits of rubbish strewn about, the UDD isn’t doing a very good job caring for its environment.

Are they compensated?

Rob asked whether protesters are there of their own volition or whether they have been paid to be there. There is no doubt that in a country where the vast majority of people earn less than $150 a month that there has been some compensation in addition to assistance transporting them to the capital. These protests have gone on for more than four weeks in different parts of the city. There are reports that protesters have received up to 2000 baht – about $60 – to come to the city. Most of the supporters are from the Issan region, northeast Thailand, a very poor and relatively dry area in comparison to the rest of the country.

The banner reads “Welcome to Thailand – We just want democracy”

Is it safe for you to be there?

Jason asked after the safety of me going to the protest area and several other people raised their concerns about my safety in general. Thanks to everyone for your concern. In deciding to visit, I evaluated the situation carefully, first viewing it from the passing Skytrain to see what the crowd looked like, and then approaching it on foot from a half-kilometer away.

As I walked from the Rajadamri BTS station back towards the Ratchaprasong intersection, my senses were on heightened alert and being one of the only foreigners on the street, I was very cognizant of what was going on around me. Had there been any signs of aggression or any direct conflict between protesters and security forces, I would not have entered the area. As it was, the police have stayed well to the fringes of the protest and other than scuffles at other locations – the protesters stormed the Parliament building briefly yesterday, for example – there has been a notable lack of confrontation between the protesters and security forces.

These plastic clappers have become symbolic of the UDD, who use them to cheer speakers and signify their protest. The ones in the shape of a foot have special meaning because the foot is considered the lowest and dirtiest part of the body. By raising your foot against whomever (authorities, military, the PM, etc.) you are insulting them.

Why is the government taking a hands-off approach?

Gary commented about the low-conflict approach that the government has taken so far against the protesters. Among some Thais and almost all foreigners, the question has been why the police and military aren’t moving in and arresting and/or dispersing protesters who are in clear violation of the law.

The answer is complex and there are some areas of speculation I won’t get into here. The larger, safer answer is that the military does not want to provoke a situation that could escalate into violence, much like what happened in April 2009, when police moved aggressively against protesters who responded with Molotov cocktails, bombs, and other violence. For all their image of being peaceful people, Thais’ tempers can be as easily triggered as anyone else’s and the history of such confrontations in Thailand politics (1973, 1976, 1992) have led to the conventional wisdom that such conflicts are not resolved until blood is shed, an outcome nobody wants.

There’s always money to be made as vendors sell color-appropriate supplies in front of the Louis Vuitton store at Gaysorn Plaza. At some point, you have to wonder which of the vendors (the foot masseuses, the ice cream vendors?) are there for capitalistic purposes rather than because of their political beliefs.

What’s going to happen next?

Meg commented that she had heard that martial law has been enacted. While it isn’t exactly martial law, the “Internal Security Act” has been invoked, giving the government and the military more powers to intervene in affairs of safety and security. Specifically, gatherings of more than five people for political purposes is not allowed. Additionally, the cable TV and radio stations supporting the UDD have been shut down because they are “spreading misinformation” and “destabilizing the peace”. The Internal Security Act applies to Bangkok and parts of surrounding provinces.

The protests show no signs of abating and while some people expect the crowds to diminish during the three-day Songkran (Thai new year) holiday next week, you can be certain that the situation will continue to simmer. We were lucky last year to be out of the country when things boiled over and with a trip to Macao and Hong Kong scheduled for next week, perhaps we will be lucky again.

Without turning this into a news blog or a political blog, I will share any significant developments with you. In the meantime, I have more food porn to post!

For more information: You may find this article in the Economist helpful in explaining some of the context and background of the current political situation, about which I will not write in this blog because of Thailand’s strict lese majeste laws.

Random Photos Around Krungthep

Posted on 8 March 2010 by christao408

Welding of a column at the Terminal 21 construction project, Sukhumvit and Asoke roads.

Abandoned structure on an overgrown property, Soi Phrom Phong near Khlong Saen Saeb.

Passenger riding in the back of a delivery truck, Rama IX Expressway near Ekkamai Road.

Monk collecting alms and giving blessings in the morning at the corner of Sukhumvit and Thong Lor roads.

Crowded street near the Flower Market on Rattanakosin Island in the old section of the city. The yellow flags are the flags of King Rama IX.

Abandoned cars at a junk yard on the frontage road running along the eastbound train tracks, parallel to Phetchaburi Road.

Sunset over Asoke Skytrain Station.

Thai Language Newspapers

Posted on 6 March 2010 by christao408

One aspect of living in Thailand that has caught my attention is comparing Thai language newspapers to the English language papers. There are some interesting differences.

For starters, there are approximately ten daily Thai language newspapers and two English language papers here in Krungthep. Bear in mind that the population of the greater metropolitan area is between six and ten million. The lower number represents the officially registered population, but the higher number represents the many laborers who come in from the countryside but never re-register their address from their home province.

It amazes me that there are so many newspapers here. Now, they aren’t all newspapers in the way you might define a newspaper if you are from the US or Canada. Some are more political, some focus mostly on sports, others are mostly tabloids. But they are all daily news publications.

The English language papers – the Bangkok Post and The Nation – looks and feel much more like a traditional Western paper: news section, sports section, business section, and lifestyle section. One could argue about the quality of their reporting, but that’s for another entry.

The Thai language papers, even the ones that profess to be serious news outlets, are not shy about using shocking, barely redacted images on their front pages.

Almost every day there is a scene from an accident, a murder, a bomb attack in the South, etc. The bodies are pixelated in an attempt to protect the sensitivities of the readers, but they don’t try very hard.

These two examples are pretty tame. The worst image I’ve ever seen was in the case when a young man rather stupidly climbed a pole supporting high-tension power lines. He was electrocuted and his charred body was caught up in the lines. The image on the front page of one paper showed the unmistakable image of a charred body, twisted up in the power lines. Gory.

I guess you could make the argument that showing more graphic images keeps people from living in the illusion of a sanitized world, free of death, violence, and ugliness. However, I’m not sure I need to see such graphic sights over my breakfast to help me fully apprecaite the world. Thoughts?

Motorcycle Taxi Ride

Posted on 6 March 2010 by christao408

One of the best (if not the safest) ways to get around the narrow alleys of Krungthep are the motorcycle taxis. I shot this video a few months ago but didn’t put it together until this afternoon. I hope you enjoy it.

Skytrain Sukhumvit Extension – Update

Posted on 25 February 2010 by christao408

Being a transit/infrastructure/civil engineering buff as well as a long suffering resident of this traffic clogged metropolis, I’m always curious as to the status of different mass transit projects. One of the two that I’m eagerly anticipating is the extension of the Sukhumvit Line of the BTS Skytrain.

Sukhumvit is the main east-west running road in Krungthep. It changes names along the way, but it pretty much runs from the heart of the old city, through the Siam Square area, past the Asoke, Thong Lor and Ekkamai neighborhoods, before turning to the southeast and eventually – a few hours later – ending up in Pattaya.

Even with the existing Skytrain line running to On Nut, traffic on Sukhumvit remains very heavy. Currently, an extension is underway that will take the line all the way to Bang Na on the border of Bangkok and Samut Prakhan provinces. There is an additional extension planned that will take the line well into Samut Prakhan and would help many commuters to reach the city.

Earlier this week I was dropping our car off at the Nissan dealership at Sukhumvit 101 and I decided to snap some pictures of the current progress. It took me a while to find the previous pictures I had posted from the same spot.

Before and After – Taken from a pedestrian bridge just south of the future Punnawithi Station (at approximately Sukhumvit Soi 101), I was able to look north (back towards On Nut, Thong Lo, Asoke, and Siam) along Sukhumvit Road. The top picture was taken in December 2007. The bottom picture (taken just about 30 feet to the left of where I was standing for the top picture) was taken this week:

Of course the big question is, when is it going to open? It seems that the infrastructure is largely complete. According to reports, the delay in opening was caused by someone at city hall who didn’t process the paperwork to order track switching equipment. Pardon me while I roll my eyes.

Meanwhile, after dropping my car off at the dealer, I decided to catch one of the dozens of bus lines running along Sukhumvit to connect back to the On Nut Skytrain station, which is the current end of the line. These busses do not have air conditioning, have wooden floorboards, and don’t quite come to a stop when picking up or dropping off passengers. At 7 baht (about US$0.21) they are a bargain, though. Thankfully, it was mid-day and there were few passengers. I was able to snag a seat beneath one of the oscillating fans.

Concert in Lumpini Park

Posted on 22 February 2010 by christao408

A few Sundays ago, Jason and Ben invited me to join them for the second to the last concert in the Bangkok Symphony Orchestra’s annual winter Concert in the Park series. While you would never think that the weather here, even in winter, is cool enough to enjoy an outdoor concert, it was actually the perfect event.

Located in Lumpini Park, the closest thing we have to a central park, the full symphony orchestra performed to a crowd of more than 1,000 picnickers. Spread out on rental mats, lawn chairs, and blankets, the audience enjoyed the pleasant after-sunset breezes and moderate temperatures of about 80 F / 28 C. Not too bad.

Jason and Ben own a little cafe called Kiosk and borrowed the beanbags and ice chest from the cafe, packing quite a spread. Prosciutto and melon, cheese and crackers, fruits and salami, nuts and spreads – we were well satisfied.

Ever stylish, Ben and Jason (and their friend Zenya – in red pants) artfully arranged our spread. The one drawback of the event, one we worked around, is that the Bangkok Metropolitan Authority prohibits the consumption of alcohol inside city parks. Now, I can understand not wanting winos wandering around drunk but a nice bottle of bubbly goes so well with al fresco music.

Security guards were keeping an eagle eye out for violators, confiscating any alcohol (which they no doubt later consumed for themselves). We got around it by keeping the bottles in the cooler and discreetly pouring the glasses inside the cooler, too. Nothing could ever be seen outside the cooler except our paper cups of “apple juice” and “white grape juice”. Ha ha…

Thank you to Ben and Jason for their invitation and lovely hosting.

View from Zense

Posted on 19 February 2010 by christao408

A few weeks back we had another Xangan visitor, this one David from London. He and I did a day trip down to the evening floating market in Amphawa, which was written about in this entry. After he went to Phuket for several days of relaxation he returned to Krungthep and Tawn and I met him for drinks and dinner.

We had eaten at Zense before with another David (this one from Singapore) and his partner Chor Pharn, so decided this time to stick with drinks only before moving on to the Italian restaurant at the Amari Watergate Hotel for dinner.

Zense is located on the 17th floor of the Central World Plaza mall, above the Zen department store. It is one of several new restaurants that are either on rooftops or offer elevated, outdoor dining areas.

The view looking west (above) is quite nice. You can se the police headquarters (low buildings on the left), the Novotel hotel in Siam Square (tan building with blue sign left of the train tracks), the Skytrain Sukhumvit line, the Siam Paragon mall, and next to it – squeezed between Paragon and Central World Plaza – Wat Phatumvanaram. This temple is worth a visit as it makes for a very tranquil oasis in the midst of Krungthep’s shopping district. Looking out from the temple grounds to the surrounding structures gives one a sense of the contradictions that are a part of life here.

Looking south, you look beyond the police headquarters and police hospital (tall building in the immediate left foreground) towards the Royal Bangkok Sports Club – one of only two horse racing tracks in the city – and beyond that, the Sathorn and Silom business district. The tall buildings under construction on the left are at Ratchadamri Station, a very popular area for short-term expats teeming with many new high-rise service apartments and hotels.

Turning around and looking overhead, the top of the Central World Plaza building has this interesting fiberglass structure that looks like a waterslide and changes color every few seconds in a slow process that is mesmerizing to watch. Peeking out from behind this structure is the full moon.

Our dinner at the Amari Watergate was pleasant and the food was good, but the lighting was not conducive to taking pictures. The only shot I managed that was worth sharing was this one, of my “tiramisu in a teacup” that was my dessert.

christao408

The adventures of an expat American who moved to Bangkok for his husband.

Tag Archives: Krungthep