Arriving in Bangkok

This was the first building that I noticed, a mosque, in Bangkok on my ride from the at the Bangkok airport (Suvarnabhumi) and I was wondering if I was in the right country. It was a long trip here from Los Angeles––11 hours LA to Frankfurt (Lufthansa), then 10 hours, 45 minutes from Frankfurt to Bangkok (Thai Airways). I began my trip on January 17 and arrived in Bangkok on January 19. The last leg was on an A380––the only way to fly, a beautiful, comfortable plane.

I was hesitant about coming to Thailand at a period of political unrest in this country. My Gate 1 tour was a go, but I would still be in Bangkok on my own for four days before my tour. As my Gate 1 tour guide said, it was a great time to come to Thailand as you didn’t know what would happen next. However, nothing happened touristwise except for one of my day tours being canceled––due to the political unrest––and for being stuck in traffic because of the streets being blocked by the protesters.

The photo: I asked my driver about the mosque. He said about 5% of Thais are Muslims, less than 1% Christians, and the rest are Buddhists. I also asked him about the protests and he, as it seemed all the Thais, were anxious to tell visitors their opinion of the situation. His leaned more to politically protecting the farmers but he didn’t like the corruption in the government. More about this later.

At My Hotel

At the Century Park Hotel, very nice but very near one of the protest areas. I had to go to the Tour East desk after checking in to check what time I would be picked up later in the day for my first day tour––a river cruise. I got in so early in the morning–6:10 a.m.––that I didn’t want to sit around all day. The tour representative gave me a map and circled the areas that I should avoid because of the protests and then she gave me her opinion of them––more in support of them as there is so much corruption in the government something needs to be done, but she didn’t like them in front of our hotel a day ago.

At My Hotel

A beautiful mural of Siam, the previous name for Thailand.

Close-up of the Mural

Close–up.

Close-up of the Mural

Close–up.

Close-up of the Mural

Close–up.

Close-up of the Mural

Close–up.

Close-up of the Mural

Close–up.

Close-up of the Mural

Close–up.

An Elephant in Front of the Mural

You will see numerous statues of elephants and also some real elephants throughout Thailand.

Stores in My Hotel

You could get custom–made clothes here, both for men and women. For a man, 1 jacket, 2 pants, 2 shirts, and 2 ties for $269 U.S. You could also be fitted for an Amani or Hugo Boss suit at a low cost. The hotel had a bar, two restaurants, a store, and a pastry/coffee counter. I was happy here.

The View from My Hotel Room

A Buddhist temple, or wat as they are called in Thailand, right under my window. I thought this was unusual until I kept seeing temples almost everywhere. There are over 35,000 Buddhist temples in Thailand. One of my Gate 1 tourmates remarked that we must have seen about 32,000 of them on our trip.

The Buddhist Temple Below My Window

Close–up of the temple.

The Buddhist Temple Below My Window

A Buddha image. There are many images of Buddha including the one we in the U.S. are most familiar with: the Laughing Buddha.

Another View from My Hotel Room

From here, Bangkok looks like a city of high–rises, but we seldom were in modern Bangkok as the tourist sites weren’t in that section. We were mostly in the older areas.

On My Way to My River Cruise

I was picked up from my hotel early for my river cruise because it was not known how long it would take me to get to the Chao Phraya River because of the streets blocked off by the protesters. My driver seemed to know the shortcuts. One thing you soon notice about Bangkok are the colorful taxi cabs––bright pink, bright pink with bright green, bright yellow with bright green, etc. They are different taxi companies. In Thailand, driving is on the left. Since Thailand was never a British colony, there has to be some explanation as to why.  We were told that this goes back to Anna and the King of Siam in the 1860s and the king’s (King Mongkut [Rama IV]) days when he wanted things to be British. It also explains why we were given silverware rather than chopsticks at our meals. The movie “The King and I” is not allowed to be shown in public in Thailand though DVDs of it are available for home viewing. It is felt that the movie insults the king.

On the Way to My River Cruise

The King of Thailand. The Asean Economic Community (AEC) is a joint regional economic pact to allow the free movement of goods, services, investments, skilled labor, and capital between the member Southeast Asia nations. It is to be in effect in 2015. Photos of the king are seen often throughout Thailand.

On the Way to My River Cruise

Many American brands here: McDonald’s, Pizza Hut, KFC, etc., and especially 7 Eleven, which has almost a monopoly on convenience stores. You see 7 Elevens everywhere.

On the Way to My River Cruise

These are tut tuts, with tut tut pronounced tu tu. They are in the category of thrill rides as they drive in and out of traffic at high speeds. They were very helpful in getting around Bangkok with so many roads blocked.

On the Way to My River Cruise

Another thing you see throughout Thailand are dangerous–looking telephone and electrical wires. The wire arrangement in this photo is pretty mild compared to others––photos later. You see the same thing in Vietnam.

On the Way to My River Cruise

Another common sight in Bangkok and throughout Thailand is people eating on the sidewalks and food street vendors.

Arriving at River City

We arrived at River City on the Chao Phraya River from where I would take my river cruise. I was back here again several days later to take a dinner cruise with Gate 1.

The Chao Phraya River

The Chao Phraya River––a busy place with many boats traveling on it.

River City

There are riverside restaurants here.

River City

But watch where you sit!

River City

My driver got me to the river way too early so I had time to investigate the stores in the River City shopping mall. These elephants were cute.

River City

All kinds of Thai products. Here, dried papaya and mango and Thai ginger, each for 60 baht, about $1.80 U.S., depending on how much a baht is worth, from about 30 to 36 cents U.S. You can get the VAT returned at the airport.

River City

Thai yellow curry, red curry, and green curry. 120 baht.

River City

Phad Thai (110 baht), Thai Jasmine rice (60 baht), and Thai black rice (120 baht).

River City

Durian chips made from the world’s smelliest fruit––good in chips and they didn’t smell, ginger biscuits, and rice crackers, 120 baht.

River City

The Pink Pvssy store, a chain. Everything in it sparkles.

River City

At the Pink Pvssy.

River City

Cute elephants.

River City

All sparkling.

River City

At another store.

River City

Close–up.

River City

The Laughing Buddha on the left, the Buddha image we in the U.S. are familar with.

River Cruise

It was time for my river cruise. Photo: the boat that we took. I have put my river cruise photos on a slide show. Go directly to

http://www.peggysphotos.com/bangkok–chao–phraya–river–cruise/

or to Slide Shows, Asia, Thailand, “Chao Phraya River Cruise.”

The Sky Train

A different guide from the one that took me to the river was on rice barge. He asked me if it would be okay for him to take me back to my hotel via sky train and tut tut because it would take forever to take me back via car because of the streets blocked by the protesters. I thought it was a great idea as I had heard about the sky train. Here are SOME of the steps up to the sky train. There were MANY more.

The Sky Train

My guide back to my hotel. He told me that he was one of the protesters––I had met my first protester! And he talked my ear off on the sky train about what he was protesting. Here’s the situation: Thaksin Shinawatra was the prime minister of Thailand. He was charged with corruption during his term and to escape a two–year prison term he stayed in Dubai where he was attending a conference. His sister, Yingluck Shinawatra, who the Thais think is very pretty but also very dumb and who is controlled by her brother, became prime minister. They both are popular with the poorer people of Thailand, who make up the majority of Thais, as they were given many free things by them. They make up the red shirts who support the present government. In November 2013, Yingluck wanted parliament to pass an amnesty bill that would allow her brother to return to Thailand and not face any prison time. The bill was not passed but it caused an uproar. She dissolved parliament and called for early elections. This started the protests by the yellow shirts which are made up of the Thai middle class (doctors, lawyers, the educated people) and most of the extended royal family. The yellow shirts, lead by Suthep Thaugsuban, want Yingluck to resign and an unelected people’s council to serve for two years to reform the government. The yellow shirts have been blocking streets and government buildings and disrupting balloting. The red shirts have attacked the protesters with guns and explosives, with one leader being killed. Arrest warrants have been issued for the protest leaders but the police are protecting the protesters and are not likely to arrest them. A state of emergency was also called and gatherings of more than 5 people were outlawed and other measures put in place, but none of the restrictions were being followed. Further complicating the situation, the rice farmers, who formerly supported the government, started their own protest against the government because they didn’t receive the rice subsidy that was promised them. They did not join the yellow shirts but led their own protests and started blocking roads.

The Sky Train

The sky train station.

The Sky Train

Pizza Hut advertisement at the station.

The Sky Train

Waiting for the sky train.

The Sky Train

The sky train. We had to transfer to another line to get to my hotel. There is another train line that goes directly from Bangkok to the airport.

Victory Monument

My guide asked me if I wanted a view of the protest area at the Victory Monument from the station we got off at to get to my hotel (there were seven protest areas when I was in Bangkok). I said yes––we did this from the elevated station. The Victory Monument is a large military monument made up of five bayonets clamped together and with five statues representing the army, navy, air force, police, and civilian bureaucracy. It was erected in 1941 to commemorate the Thai victory in the Franco–Thai War.

Victory Monument

Close–up.

Victory Monument Protest Area

The protest area. Many people come here after work to join the protesters.

Victory Monument Protest Area

Another view.

Victory Monument Protest Area

Closer–up.

Victory Monument Protest Area

At the protest areas, there were wide–screen TVs, free food, and night entertainment such as dancers.

Victory Monument Protest Area

Women selling protest T–shirts (I have a later photo of one) and other items. In usual times, there are many vendors at the monument.

My Tut Tut

My guide asked me if I wanted to go down to the protests. I said no. We took a tut tut that sped in and out through traffic––definitely a thrill ride––back to my hotel.

Dinner

I felt like having pizza tonight for dinner and had it and a glass of wine at my hotel’s Italian restaurant. Will have plenty of Thai food later.

Bangkok at Night

View from my hotel room at night.