Happy Sunday, Bangkok!
What. A. Week.
Thailand is predicting hordes of American TEFL teachers to its shores come January 2017 as the news sunk in this week that a 70-year old reality star is now president elect of the USA.
Interestingly, The Simpsons predicted Trump’s presidency back in 2000.
Back in Bangkok, we’ve had a passenger beating senseless a security guard at a tollbooth, a man drowning in the Saen Saep canal and the news that bath bomb behemoth Lush are opening up a store in Siam Center.
Of course, there’s been plenty more entertaining and enraging Bangkok this week — let’s take a look at the best news, views, videos and social media updates of the past seven days.
News
Boat passenger drowns in Saen Saep Canal on Soi 15
This is the tragic news that 50 year old Theerapong Silalit fell into the Saen Saep Canal when missing his footing after jumping from the boat to the pier before the passenger boat had been safely moored. His body wasn’t found until hours later, around 100 metres away from the pier, where it’s thought Mr Theerapong had been pulled under the stern of the boat. Hopefully this will discourage more passengers to not disembark until boats have been safely moored.
70 giant stingrays are found dead in Mae Klong River
70 endangered giant — the size of small cars — stingrays have died in the Mae Klong River in the past few weeks, according to this National Geographic report. The cause of the mass deaths is not yet known although pollution, a recent spill from an ethanol plant and even cyanide poisoning are all suspected.
Why Trump’s election could be good news for Asian startups
It’s been all doom and gloom across much of the traditional media since Trump’s ‘surprise’ election as US president this week but, as this Forbes article says, the startup ecosystem in Southeast Asia and the rest of the continent could actually benefit. Talent may start migrating from Silicon Valley over here and investors may want to put their money against surer economies. Watch this space…
Blogs
Khon Kaen vs Bangkok
American expat Kelsey Littlejohn blogs about her experiences working as a teacher in Khon Kaen versus her experiences doing the same since moving to Bangkok. Her conclusion? There’s a lot more going on and people to meet in Bangkok. Who knew?
Rooftop bar hopping in Bangkok
The bloggers at Dose of Life attempt to do the nearly impossible and commit to a night of hopping between 5 of the city’s best rooftop bars, spending just 30-45 minutes at each one. Of course, they go the distance with cocktail tastings and end up staying a little longer, having to skip a couple of the bars on their tightly packed itinerary. Entertaining read and some great cocktail recommendations.
Experiencing Bangkok via the hospital
An American blogger documents the start of her travels in Thailand, which unfortunately for her begins from a patient bed in Bangkok hospital. After a long flight from the US and a freezing cold layover in Beijing, Quinn The Girl is suffering severe nausea, abdominal pain and the emergence of a few painful lumps in her neck upon arriving into Thailand. The reader is left on the edge of their seat until she reveals… she had trapped wind.
Praise be for travel insurance.
Forum Threads
Could you survive on 14,000 baht a month?
The original poster on this Reddit thread asks the community as to their opinions if a single person can survive for just 14,000 baht in Thailand. As the replies point out, 14,000 might bag you a perfectly adequate lifestyle upcountry but Bangkok is likely to be a struggle. Interesting insights here into other people’s spending habits as well as how little some people spend here on rent — blindingly good value compared to the West.
Bad habits of Thai wives
This is a somewhat revealing Thaivisa thread composed of forum members complaining of their partners’ bad habits and, we have to admit there are some real stinkers in there. Open mouths while eating, jealousy, hoarding the dregs of food and drinks and, er, stealing toothpicks.
Also mentioned are the complex dynamics of cross-cultural relationships:
YouTube
New film set in Thailand
The light show in #Bangkok #Thailand continues. #Sunset #Clouds #CloudScape pic.twitter.com/T1fYtebLNm
— Eric Hoffman ✈️ (@TheHusbandInTow) November 9, 2016
“Day Care”#Bangkok#Thailand pic.twitter.com/WbsXCXZxsB
— ρhαετhøṉ (@PhaethonTweets) November 7, 2016
100 baht beers at this Sukhumvit street bar at soi 1 beside the railway tracks. #Bangkok pic.twitter.com/1XhAzGBM4z
— Stickboy Bangkok (@StickboyBangkok) November 6, 2016
And that’s been The Week On Sukhumvit — see you next time!
Featured image is by nasrul ekram (CC BY 2.0 licence)
