After an almost nine hour flight, a two hour advance in time and a one hour transfer from the airport, we arrived at the Bangkok Four Seasons well after dark, exhausted. Staff welcomed us with fragrant leis of white and red roses, then thankfully, whisked us off to our room. Observing from floor to ceiling windows overlooking the Chao Phraya River, we marvelled at Bangkok’s radiance – the city lights, the brightly lit dinner cruise boats coloring the river in shades of blue, yellow and purple, the full moon.
Most of our time in Bangkok will be spent on or around its waterways. Refreshed after a good night’s sleep, we were ready to explore. We boarded one of the many colorful longtail boats, common in Thailand, its bow adorned with streamers of flowers. By this time of morning the Chao Phraya was filled with boats and we bounced over crisscrossing wakes of ferries, commercial ships and other long tails. The Chao Phraya is the lifeblood of Bangkok, both an important transport route for commerce today and on the ancient Maritime Silk Road, as well as a place where locals have made their homes and livelihoods for centuries.
Today the banks of the Chao Phraya are lined with an assortment of modern hotels, condos and office buildings interspersed with traditional Buddhist temples, pagodas, palaces and parks.
Despite the commercial development, boat traffic and choppy waters, we occassionaly caught a glimpse of nature on the river. One that delighted us – a majestic white crane perched serenely on a small patch of floating greenery, bobbing up and down with the waves.
Our destination this morning was the Thonburi canals, an opportunity to get away from the hustle and bustle of modern Bangkok and catch a glimpse of traditional Thai life. Often refered to as the ‘Venice of the East’, Bangkok, or more specifically the district of Thonburi is crisscrossed with a series of manmade canals or klongs. When King Rama I established this area of Bangkok as the capital of Siam in the late 1700’s, construction immediately began on a network of canals as a means of defense, irrigation and transportation. Today because of differences in water levels, boats access the klongs from the Chao Phraya river though a system of locks.
We waited a few minutes near the entrance of the lock; its gate slowly opened, disgorging a pack of small ferries and longtail boats. Once emptied, our captain carefully motored into the lock along with seven other boats, the gate closed and we began slowly descending as the water level in the lock was lowered. Within a matter of minutes, we moved from the higher level of the Chao Phraya to the lower level of the Thonburi klongs, ready to explore this fascinating area of Bangkok!
Thonburi translates as ‘The City of Treasure Gracing the Ocean’ and although no longer the majestic capital of Thailand, this district of Bangkok remains a cultural treasure. Over one hundred thousand residents make their homes here; some living in ramshackle constructions of wood and corrugated tin perched atop stilts; some in multistory concrete homes or apartments clustered along the edge of the canals.
Whether wealthy or poor, residents of Thonburi depend on the klongs for transportation, recreation and commerce.
Cruising the canals, we were excited to discover a new landmark that appeared since our last visit. Behind a modest row of houses, rose the giant golden torso of Buddha and the white marble stupa of a temple. The height of a 20 story building, the statue, called ‘Dhammakaya Thep Mongkol Buddha’, was completed in 2022 and graces the Paknam Bhasicharoen Temple.
Our first stop in Thonburi was more historical than monumental. We docked at a small pier near Wat Kamphaeng Bang Chak, a modest temple considered to be one of the oldest in the city, dating back to the 14th century. Surrounded by greenery and flowers, the temple is noted for the large mural of Buddha gracing its entrance. Accustomed to masculine depictions of Buddha, it was refreshing to see a more feminine representation.
We removed our shoes and entered the cool, serene interior of the temple. A large androgenoues Buddha seated in the lotus pose on a pedestal of gold, occupied the highest and most prominent position on the altar. This figure was surrounded by dozens of smaller buddha statues in various poses and finishes interspersed with bouquets of fragrant flowers and offerings of food and money. Several worshipers on bended knee quietly prayed. Incense burned. We paused, savoring this brief spirtual moment.
From the temple, it was a short walk to the floating shops at Bang Luang. The Bang Luang Market has a long history. Traders have been selling goods in this location for hundreds of years. Originally established by Chinese immigrants who built wooden shop houses along the canals, the market today services the needs of the local community while still being a tourist attraction. It exemplifies the ‘harmonious integration of Thai and Chinese cultures’ offering food and goods from both cultures – a Chinese herb shop sits next to a Thai noodle shop next to a false teeth kiosk. All shop signs are in both Thai and Chinese.
Cafes and tea shops tucked in the small spaces alongside the canal offer visitors a chance to sample a diverse menu of inexpensive Thai or Chinese food. Snack food junkies can binge on large plastic bags of multi-colored rice noodle crisps.
The market district was reinvigorated years ago when local artists began locating their studios and workshops here. Walking towards Baan Silapin, the Artist’s House, it was obvious we were in the arts district. Art was everywere; a lifesized scultpture of a bright orange pot bellied nude greeted passerbys. Mosaics of teacup saucers adorned the footbridges. Paintings were showcased in storefronts.
A traditional Thai performing art, Hun Krabah was also resurrected in the district two years ago and is now hosted at the Artist’s House daily. Hun Krabah is a short play enacted by performers with half scale articulating puppets. Think Lion King where the performers and the puppets together become the characters. The Artist’s House is a restored wooden building with a performance space, chairs for about 30 guests, a display area for the puppets and an assorted collection of antiques and artifacts ranging from clocks, to radios to china. A small altar with multiple images of Buddha, candles and incense burners is tucked amongst a display of old wooden traveling trunks. Puppets for the performance are displayed in the performance space . Made from wood and paper mache, they depict traditional Thai mytical figures and dieties.
The performance started with six young puppeteers dressed in black offering a silent prayer on bended knee, then demonstrating their moves without the puppets. The three young men, then picked up the puppet, Hanuman, son of the wind god. Hanuman is a famous figure in Thai literature symbolizing strength and victory and is often referred to as the Monkey God due to his monkey like face.
Soon the three women puppeteers introduced Benjakai, a mermaid-like maid, niece of the Demon King, into the performance. Music played as Hanuman attempted to woo Benjakai, at first quite unsuccessfully. Three puppeteers control each puppet, one manuevering a metal coil that articulates the puppet’s neck, head and mouth and one on each side that control an external metal rod moving the puppet’s arm. The puppeteers on the side also also control the puppet’s feet or in the case of Benjakai, her fin. These talented performers are able to skillfilly bring puppets’ expressions, movements and emotions to life. Not surprisely, puppeteers train extensively in a five year program, working together to realisticly articulate their puppet.
As Benjakai continued to rebuff Hunaman’s advances, he began to steal kisses from the audience. All’s well that ends well, as in the end, Hunaman was successful in elicting a kiss from Benjakai.
On the boat ride back to our hotel, we spotted several water monitors ; some swimming, some sunbathing on concrete foundations in the canals. Lizard cousins to the Komodo dragon, they look more fierce than they are and are typically not aggressive with people unless threatened.
After lunch, we decided to explore the area around our hotel on foot. Walking through a nearby residential area, my electrical contractor husband was awestruck by the tangle of wires that brought power to homes and buildings. This would never pass a US electrical inspection!
Walking along the main road, we could see a large ferris wheel which seems to be a standard attraction in all riverfront tourist areas these days. Heading for the riverfront, we turned down a street towards the water but instead dead ended into a local temple.
We came across a sign on the temple grounds asking for a donation for an unidentified corpse. Puzzled, we pondered how an unidentified corpse might have come to the temple and what prompted a permanent metal sign to be installed here. There was money in the donation box, so obviously this solicitation resonated with some people. We dropped a 20 baht note in the collection bin and continued on.
Eventually we manuevered our way to the Asiatique waterfront, an expansive riverside mall with shops, restaurants and a fullsize replica of a Thai Royal navy ship, now serving as a restuarant. It was hot and still on the river with very few people out and about. Stopping for a drink at a waterfront cafe, we learned from our waiter that the mall is more of a night market and doesn’t fill with people until the sun sets and the temperature drops.
Our final night in Bangkok was once again spent on the river; this time aboard a dinner boat cruise. From the deck, we watched the sun set, coloring the sky in lovely shades of red, yellow and orange. With the coming twilight, buildings and bridges and streets and the ferris wheel began to illuninate and glow.
We enjoyed a multi-course dinner followed by a Thai mythical dance performance, a beautiful ending to our day in Bangkok. Thailand has been a lovely halfway stop on our Silk Road adventure. Tomorrow morning we leave for Vietnam.
