Have Suitcase, Will Travel

Bangkok is a city that assails the senses. Around every corner hides another sound or smell, sight or taste ready to spring upon you. It is not a place for the feeble or faint of heart, unless one chooses to hide behind the windows of high-end tour busses and fancy walled-off hotels. To truly experience the beating heart of Bangkok you need to jump into the deep-end and walk its vibrant and chaotic streets and wander down its long, winding alleys and waterways.

At the time of this writing, Bangkok is a sprawling metropolis with nearly five and a half million residents. On top of that, thirty-two and a half million visitors poured into the city in 2024, earning it the title of the most visited city of the year. Some people love it, some hate it. Honestly, I feel a little of both at times, and that's OK. It's more interesting this way.

This is not to say there is no danger. I witnessed two serious accidents in a single day between cars/trucks and scooters. One of your super inexpensive (and exhilarating I’m sure) transportation options in Bangkok is to jump on the back of a scooter. Not me. I’ll stick with taxis and the occasional tuk-tuk, thank you very much. The mournful howl of ambulance sirens is ever present here, and I have no desire to be the passenger.

Just crossing the street is an exercise in patience and nerve. Crosswalks don’t guarantee a safe place to cross, and indeed, in many places with large numbers of pedestrians the city planners have constructed sky bridges to keep people out of direct contract with the hungry horde of traffic. And modern passenger trains glide high above the major routes, keeping their passengers far from harm’s way.

One of the first things you’ll notice is the abundance of 7-Eleven convenience stores here. There is at least one on every block, and sometimes you can find them directly across the street from each other. It reminds me of the dueling Starbucks coffee shops one often finds in Seattle, Washington. I’m not sure what 7-Eleven did to corner the market here, but they are doing well in Thailand.

After a few days in town I began to recognize the pattern of daily life. Street food vendors open up to at 6 AM to sell tropical fruit, juices and smoothies, sausages, noodles, fried chicken, and innumerable other foodstuffs for breakfasts and take-away lunches to all of the men and women making their way to work, and the children heading to schools. The streets are alive and pulsing until about 9 AM, and by 10, most of the food stalls have closed up shop until the evening.

The city grows relatively quiet during the heat of the day. And the heat is real. It was in the mid-to-upper nineties (Fahrenheit) the entire time I was there. Folks who aren’t secured away in air-conditioned shops and offices retreat into their homes or find shady retreats in parks and gardens until later in the day when the sun begins to relent.

In the late afternoon when the schools and offices begin disgorging their occupants, the city springs back to life. Street vendors pull their carts back to the curbs, restaurants roll up their doors and start calling for customers, and the streets and sidewalks are filled to capacity. By 6 PM the restaurants are humming. The bars and clubs start gearing up, and by 10 PM the night-life is in full swing. The pulse of music, live music, and Karaoke echo through the streets and alleyways as young Thai adults, tourists and expats dance, sing, drink, laugh and chatter into the early morning hours.

According to government sources, nearly 93% of Thai people practice Buddhism. Only Cambodia has a larger percentage (nearly 97%) of Buddhists. Buddhist Temples, or Wats, are ubiquitous. Every neighborhood has a Wat of its own where people meditate and pray, and most businesses and homes have their own small shrines with statues or images of the Buddha where people place lights and offer fresh flowers, food and beverages, and other gifts. Some of the Wats are ancient and grandiose, with giant statues, and intricately carved, painted, and gilded structures and facades. One could spend a month here just visiting Wats and barely scratch the surface.

Of course being in close proximity with China, Thailand has a long and varied history with that country, and a large population of Chinese immigrants and descendants of Chinese immigrants. Chinatown in Bangkok is a thriving part of the city. I happened to be in Bangkok during the Lunar New Year, and made my way to Chinatown to witness the festivities. On my way I got caught in a procession of the Royal Thai Princess, Maha Chakri Sirindhorn, to a Wat in Chinatown. The press of the crowd was almost unbearable, and I was unable to move in any direction. The people all waved and cheered and called her name as she passed. One Thai woman of Chinese descent explained to me that she has done great things to further Chinese and Thai relations and that she is cherished by the people of both countries.

Once the crowd began moving again I made my way to the center of Chinatown to witness the Lunar New Year spectacle. It was a cacophony of sights, sounds, colors, and smells. There were lights and lamps of many colors, dragon dancers, performers, food hawkers, mongers of all types of goods and wares, and all of the people and tourists that came to partake. Noticeably absent were fireworks, which makes me wonder if they are forbidden in the city. In any case, it was a fantastic experience, and if you've never been to a Lunar New Year celebration, add it to your bucket list. I can almost guarantee  you won't be disappointed.

Have I mentioned food yet? Thai cuisine is one of the primary reasons I wanted to visit this country first-hand. I have not been disappointed. The soups are probably my favorite. The Tom Kha and Tom Yum rarely fail to please. The best meal I had was in a small restaurant tucked away behind a fruit and vegetable market in the Ratchathewi district. Every bite was an explosion of flavor with a remarkable combination of spices rarely encountered in Western cuisines.

One thing that has been interesting is that I have found it difficult to get any restaurants to make any of my Thai dishes very spicy (hot). I love hot/spicy foods. Even though I ask them every time to make the dish extra spicy, or "Thai hot", it almost never is, at least to me. I suspect they are used to serving Westerners who don't like spicy food at all and are trying to save me from myself. In any case, the quest continues. I hope that eventually  someone along the way will take me up on the challenge and give me a burn I won't forget.