We think just one word is sufficient to describe Bangkok this week: hot. Or, rather, HOT.
So hot, in fact, that we’ve taken on a less-than-attractive hue of ‘tomato red’ and are seemingly permanently damp with sweat. Bangkok – you’ve turned us into a hot mess. Bring on the rains!
It’s definitely the wrong time of year for the air-conditioner to break down…
In other news, there was a small explosion at Hua Lamphong station this week, caused by a man stubbing out his cigarette in a cough syrup bottle. Two people were mildly injured. He’ll be adding Mentos to a bottle of Coke at Bang Na BTS next…
There’s been more scuffles surrounding GrabBike drivers and the motorsais toiling day in and day out, and a very curious story involving an American expat wishing to recreate the scenes of 9/11 in the Thai countryside. He just needs ฿10 million to make it happen. Of course.
Here’s the best of the weeks news, blogs, videos and social media updates.
News
Shoot-out at KFC
Two men were injured in a Samut Prakan branch of KFC on Friday morning after a man entered the restaurant with a baseball bat and a gun, shooting at them. He escaped immediately on a motorbike. Are food bloggers finally at war?
Silom night market is no more
The famous Silom Road night market is the next market spot to be cleared up by the government as 600 vendors have been given notice to clear out by the end of the month. As well as blocking the pavement, causing traffic and selling illegal goods, it’s been claimed that their dumping of waste into the street’s sewers are making the Silom area look and smell dirty.
Cats have taken over 7-Eleven
So, this ‘news’ story is essentially a compendium of cat photos inside various 7-Eleven branches. We’ve included it here thanks to the pithy headline – ‘Meow Mafia’ – and, you know, we really like pictures of cats.
Blogs
Cycling the khlongs of unseen Bangkok
Cycling in Bangkok doesn’t have to be a dangerous duel with the traffic – this blog takes us around the cycle paths along Bangkok’s canals, through the communities that live there, through the Mom and Pop shops and by the street food stalls. There are some caveats – the routes can be treacherous, with elevated, narrow pathways and no safety rails. Be careful, because those khlongs look pretty stinky! Some great storytelling here.
Why I loved Bangkok the second time around
Many tourists on their first visit to Bangkok can get a little overwhelmed – perhaps they fall foul of a scam, or only end up spending their time in MBK and Khao San Road. This blog explores why the city is much better the second time around; once you’ve got used to the transport system, know where you want to go and perhaps have a little bit of Thai on you so you can avoid getting ripped off.
Beautiful photos of Thailand
This photo diary is a beautiful compendium of this one blogging couple’s journey around Thailand – from Bangkok to Samui to Khao Sok to Krabi to Koh Lipe to Chiang Mai. Luscious.
Forum Discussions
Thailand is awesome!
Expecting a discussion heavily laced with cynicism, we were pleasantly surprised by this Reddit thread, which simply celebrates the wonders of Thailand. It’s easy to get caught up in bad news over here, but important to not take for granted the things that are so wonderful about this country.
How much sin sod did you pay?
An interesting exploration here of how much the western men of the Thaivisa forum forked out in sin sod (the traditional Thai dowry paid to the bride’s parents) when they married their Thai brides. Some are proud of paying nothing and not giving into the pressures of an arguably outdated tradition while others simply paid enough so as not to empty their wallets but to still rightfully honour their bride’s family. There are a few horror stories here, including unceremonious dumpings by the bride-to-be when some men point blank refused to pay.
Our favourite tidbit:
What do Thai women look for in Western men?
We’ve got one more forum discussion this week and it’s a gem – western men discussing what they think it is Thai women are looking for in a foreign boyfriend. Never mind the fact that Thai women are an incredibly diverse set of people with hugely differing wants and needs from a relationship. There’s quite a lot of humour here, but also the airing of some quite depressing views, for instance:
AKA: I have bought myself a servant.
YouTube
My wife is eating durian indoors. Goodbye cruel world.
— Somchai the Dog (@bkksomchai) May 10, 2016
@abroadwithalec @Ajarncom @WOSBangkok Thong Lor spits me out and sends me back to the streets where I belong, and prefer
— Glenn (@_GlennCollier) May 10, 2016
The back of my BTS rabbit card does state: “If you’re playing Candy Crush and getting a high score, no need to accommodate other riders.”
— Justin Dunne (@justindunne) May 12, 2016
Bangkok trufax. pic.twitter.com/FSKuIswji1
— Derek Hopper (@derekmhopper) May 13, 2016
A photo posted by InThaime (@inthaime) on
That’s been the Week On Sukhumvit – see you next time!
Featured image is by Ben Stephenson and is used under a Creative Commons licence
