Colors of Bangkok

First time visitors to Bangkok can be forgiven for wanting to immediately reboard the aircraft and return to their home country. Nobody prepared them for this bland, grey still life that sweeps past them, mile after mile as they charge from the airport to their hotel on the overhead tollway. This is paradise?

The only visual relief to this monotony are the frequent overscale billboards pitching everything from Ipods to Slim Bods.

But coming back to earth after exiting the expressway, you notice something surprising. A riot of color darting about the streets like budgies on speed. Taxis, everywhere, decked out in colors that would make most tropical fish jealous.

Lime green, hot pink, even hotter pink, electric blue, lemon yellow, royal purple, fire engine red and colors that are hard to even put a name to. The effect is mesmerizing to the point that you've totally forgotten your initial impulse to bail out on this trip. Brilliant. That's all I can say. Conventional wisdom paints taxis black, white, yellow or a combination of the three colors. Boring!!! Bangkok will have none of that. The city may be blighted with way too much concrete, all in various shades of Payne's Grey but our ever ready, ever reliable fleet of taxis will dazzle you anytime, day or night. Quick! let's get the pink one.

In a future post I will talk abit more on this topic. Actually though, not the cars, but the amazing taxi drivers.

Joe

Airport Rail Link, what else will be linked as well?

A lot of people have patiently been waiting for the rail link connecting our new airport - Suvarnnabhumi - to the city of Bangkok to finish. It is not a big surprise that this mega project has sufferred delay after delay. Isn't it always the case w/ every other big project in this country?

Anyway, looks like the dream-come-true day is near, as we can see the construction is well approaching completion.

Without a doubt, tourists will greatly benefit from this fast train. The flat-fee fare is said to be 150 Baht (around 4.5 US dollars or 3 Euros.) Good ol' meter taxis cost around 400-500 Baht including toll way.

What else will be linked as well?

Well, while one train will not stop until it reaches the airpot or the city, the other will be allowing ordinary people to up- and unloading themselves along the way. There will be six stations in total, and thousands of Bangkokians will have a new, upgraded way to commute. Then, we will see changes and new additions on the streets and malls of Bangkok.

I still remember vividly when the subway was opened some 4 years ago. I remember being surprised seeing on a train how many provincial-looking people the capital apparently harbored (call me a snob, if you will, but I insist I'm observant.)

It was such a far cry from the metropolitan passengers on the skytrains that had been in use for about 4-5 years already.

The subway that was once opening up a less polished part of Bangkok is now helping expand what is considered cool sections of the city. Appearance-wise underground commuters are catching up w/ those on the elevated trains. No kidding!

The airport rail link (28-kilometer or 17.4 mile long) will have impact the way the BTS skytrain and the MRT subway have. For one thing, you will never be deprived of beauty product ads and commercials whichever direction you're taking. Especially skin whitening cream!

A European friend of mine once said Bangkok people have a lot of attitudes even though the city is not that great. Well, great or not quite, be prepared for more people like that, my friend, 'cause after all.....you are what you ride, right?

Especially when what you ride is infested w/ what 'should" make you look right!

Kiss,
Boy de Bangkok