A city that captivates

POSTBAG

Published: 29/10/2011 at 01:43 AM
Newspaper section: News

For any artist, falling in love with Bangkok is inevitable. Its rich architecture, culture and history capture your heart. When I first visited Bangkok several years ago, I knew that if I ever chose to live in Asia permanently, it would be here. As an artist, I could never get enough of this palatial paradise.

Koh Tao beach has lostsomeof its cleanliness and natural beauty, partly due to poor environmental and tourismmanagement on the island.

In 2008, I narrowly escaped the closure of Suvarnabhumi Airport due to the PAD protest. Later I came back, only to witness a city under UDD siege. Now once again Bangkok is under great tension, due to the flood waters looming over the city.

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egon
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Discussion 16 : 30/10/2011 at 10:32 AM16
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I moved to Thailand 30 years ago.Of course there was corruption but not as blatantly as in the last 10 years.I still remember the Isahn villages where helping each other was central.Nowadays the communal sense has been lost.For this change I indeed blame Taksin who stressed consumerism and materialism destroying the buddhist tenets,egoism has grown considerably in the last decennium.Nowadays I hardly see happy faces,all are stressed not being able to drive a bigger car than their neighbours.Poor staying poor?What nonsense.The opportunities for the people to improve themselves are legio.But with handouts instead of giving tools one destroyes this wish/need.
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paul_giles
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Discussion 15 : 30/10/2011 at 02:19 AM15
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@bkk-farang, D13: As long as the global financial system doesn't collapse sending us all back to the days of yore -- things will probably improve, just not everything and not all at once. I believe Bill Gates said that people tend to overestimate the amount of change in 3 years and underestimate the amount of change in ten years. I think there's much truth in that.

Sometimes change just happens.
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bkk-farang
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Discussion 14 : 29/10/2011 at 03:40 PM14
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@egon #7: We can rightfully blame Thaksin for a lot of things but greed and corruption existed in Thailand a long time before he was in power and probably before he was born. I think I can consider myself one of the “old hands” after living here for more than 15 year, long time before Thaksin made his first honest mistake.
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bkk-farang
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Discussion 13 : 29/10/2011 at 03:33 PM13
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I wonder if anybody will ever reduce the amount of scams and corruption in Thailand. The mafia taxi drivers and the all the tourist resort scams are just the tip of the iceberg.
Just yesterday I saw some tourists sitting in a Tuk Tuk and the driver started to explain to them that the Grand Palace is closed, this time because of the flood, but he would bring them to another wonderful temple – the usual scam started. I saw it, I heard it and I knew what was happening - but what could I do? Sure, I could have told the tourists what’s going on but I am sure the Tuk Tuk driver and his friends nearby would not be amused (and I live in that area). Should I have informed the next police officer in his air-conditioned office or call the tourist police? I did nothing because I think there is nothing an individual can do without bringing himself into serious danger.
All these scams would not exist if the police would do their job. But as usual they do (almost) nothing to protect and serve the public!
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steveyinasia
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Discussion 12 : 29/10/2011 at 03:11 PM12
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Good to see that nepotism is still alive and well in Thailand, Chalerm's son used everything he learnt in university to produce that sign and if that is the total of his contribution to the improvement of the Airport Missing Link, then we are all if for some interesting times.
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lungstib
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Discussion 11 : 29/10/2011 at 01:38 PM11
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Gelveen, whatever you are on I'll buy some. If its not chemical you must have a wonderful imagination. My Rose tinted glasses were lost a long while ago and I tend to see realities same as Perry and John de L. I feel very sorry for flooded residents of Bangkok but keep asking myself "why does anyone stay there?". Dwindling paradises in Thailand and growing horrors.
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Renaissance
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Discussion 10 : 29/10/2011 at 11:57 AM10
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Geoffo, Chalerm's son will be very sad to read your comment. It may affect his night life. That sign together with his relation's taxi outside is his solution to the Airport Link problems. Now he'll be looking for his next assignment.
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geoffo
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Discussion 9 : 29/10/2011 at 11:18 AM9
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re: Rail Link Woes
I don't understand. The son of the famous Deputy PM and Chief of Everything K. Chalerm was given the task and a budget to solve the problems at the Airport Link , in particular to deal with the taxi mafia (after all it takes one to know one -right!)

You are telling us the result of his work for a month is one A4 sign with the word TAXI and an arrow.

Chalerm -how about sending your son to an inactive post, it will be better for everyone.
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DocN
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Discussion 8 : 29/10/2011 at 10:56 AM8
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@egon: please?! Are you for real? A society that takes bribes as part of their culture, where poor will always be poor, where age or position are vallued higher than knowledge...it all started with Thaksin? Isn't the world a nice and comfortable place, if you have someone as a scapegoat and a oure "black or white"- vision?!
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egon
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Discussion 7 : 29/10/2011 at 10:40 AM7
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Gelveen Gill:Read Perry!!Evidently you were not in Thailand when it was still a paradise.The rot started about the arrival of Taksin when greed became a accepted policy.Remember Taksin,s words"When you are poor it is your own fault"?Would like to hear if the "old hands" agree with this opinion.
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A city that captivates | Bangkok Post: opinion