There has been much written in the media in recent months about the political situation in Thailand, particularly Bangkok. I’ve also covered the subject extensively on this site. Reports of shootings, explosions and a state of emergency makes the news. And so it should. I understand that. But there is another side to the story. Life is going on as normal for the overwhelming majority of people in Bangkok and other areas of Thailand. It’s true that the political situation in the country is a mess, but people still have to go to work, earn money and pay the bills. There is a serious political crisis in Thailand, but I also think it’s appropriate to show a snap-shot of life in Bangkok and Thailand that you are unlikely to see in the media at the moment.
Warning:
The images below may contain graphic scenes of normal life in Thailand
This is probably as close as most visitors to Bangkok will get to see it kicking off in Bangkok . . .
photo taken at Wat Pho, Bangkok
There is a very high risk of getting shot in Thailand . . . if you visit mid-April when the streets are filled with smiling Songkran assassins.
It sounds worse than it is. These giant yaksha guardian warriors are the scariest thing I’ve encountered in Bangkok recently.
It already has. And things are up in the air too.
The closest the average visitor to Thailand is going to get to an explosion is the taste explosion in their mouth. Watch out for the som tam!
Babies are in danger of being made a fuss of by Thai hotel staff, shopkeepers and restaurant workers. Older children are in danger of having a great time and wanting to come back again so that they can spend more of your hard-earned money.
Definitely. Don’t forget your sun-screen.
Hua Hin beach
Things have been tense. This usually does the trick for me . . .
Traditional Thai massage
I’ve seen some Muay Thai fights on TV at the weekends, but apart from that this really is the only fighting I’ve seen recently . . .
This may have all been tongue-in-cheek on my part, but I also aim to raise a serious point. Scenes like the ones I’ve shown here have been the reality of my daily life over the last few months. In my opinion, tourists making the trip to Bangkok or other areas of Thailand in the near future are still more likely to experience scenes like this than the scenes of protests and violence that you may have seen in the media. The political future for Thailand may be uncertain, but I’m certain there is nowhere else I’d rather be in the world at the moment. Others may not share the same view-point, but I’m more than happy to share my views of Thailand . . .
Ko Lipe, southern Thailand
