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Thailand 2005-2009

My home for nearly four years was Bangkok. Here's a few older pictures Koh Samui, and recent pictures from Bangkok.

On the Chao Phraya river. All the rest of these photos were taken after I moved to Bangkok in 2006. The river is the most interesting part of Bangkok. Always a lot going on. Long tail boats - all equipped with an ancient V8 engine from a long-dead car. On the boat this day were my colleagues from work. Speaking of work, this is us setting up our new office. Ryan and Clem are working hard trying to understand the new edit rules... or something. These next pix are from Wat Po and the Grand Palace in Bangkok. Got a rare chance to see a full monk's blessing in progress at Wat Po. Joining me was my colleague Daniel, from Jakarta. On the right: Reclining Buddha. On the Left: Upright Man. Pet, pet, pet! ("Hot", in Thai) Flower market. The temples are constantly being re-binged. This is one part of a very long, detailed and violent painting that tells the mythical story of something or other. Guard at the Grand Palace. Also pictured: tourist about to be bayoneted. More Grand Palace. Back on the river. There are still some abandoned buildings, left over from the Asian financial crisis of 1997. I wonder how many will be abandoned in 2009? Plastic durian fruits hanging from a lamppost. Why? Why not! Here are the world's two closest 7-Eleven stores. What were they thinking when they opened the second one? Lost in the back-alleys of Bangkok. Headless fishes. Various edibles (?) I eat lunch at stalls like this every day at work. However, I don't buy my meat here! Octopus. Bicycle taxis are common in the suburbs. Tukituki, the scourge of Bangkok's streets. The view from my living room window: Bangkok's most famous cabaret/brothel - the Pegasus Club. How convenient! The Pegasus New Year's party in full swing. (From left to right) Serbia, Paraguay, Poland, Portugal, Saudi Arabia, Holland, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Togo, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Ukraine, USA, Cuba, Cambodia, Nazi Germany, Nazi Germany Nazi Germany, Nazi Germany. The fascist flag count is 11, I believe. The King of Thailand is much revered, and his image is everywhere in Bangkok. This image occupies 14 stories of a building. Went to the wedding of one of our Muslim staff. Not pictured: the bride. Wedding guests. On the company annual trip, south of Hua Hin, on the Gulf of Thailand. Our staff on the 7 hour bus ride. The other bus. Souvenir shop on the way back home. Flying away from Bangkok's infamous Suvarnabhumi International Airport. Headed down to Krabi for a few day's R & R. Met up with my friends from Indonesia: John, Yonna and young Liam. (No, I never shave on vacation) Hotel on Ao Nang Beach. Monkey on hotel on Ao Nang Beach. Christmas party in Bangkok. Dined on the 68th floor - outdoors! Me, having shaved, for a change. Day trip to Ayuttayah: Thailand's ancient, ruined capital. The train is a tight squeeze through the urban jungle. There were severe delays on the line that day. People just settled-in and waited. Joining me was my colleague Dan, from Ottawa. The expensive remains of Bangkok's first attempt at a mass-transit system. I told you I don't shave on vacation. Ayuttayah. More Ayuttayah. Buddha at Ayutthaya. More Buddhas at Ayuttayah. Souvenir shop? No, religious shrine! Religious shrine? Actually, yes. Shop or shrine? You make the call. Lotto ticket shop inside a shrine. The best of both worlds. More ruins at Ayuttayah. A younger ruin at Ayuttayah. Our driver for the day (on right). One night in Bangkok and the world's your oyster. Visiting Bangkok, before I moved there in 2006. Traffic in Bangkok has been reduced with an elevated train The endless suburbs Close-up of the endless suburbs Temple Temple #2 Temple #3 Temple #4 Bridge over the River Something-or-other Don't tailgate this guy The famous house of Jim Thompson in Bangkok The not-so-famous tree at Jim Thompson's house Rotten Ronnie welcomes you in the traditional Thai way Downtown Lamia, Koh Samui, Thailand The beautiful beach at Lamai Unfortunately, you can't go anywhere now without running into Germans in Speedos The right-side of my face