Out to Space

When Thailand has recovered from economic and political crisis, Bangkok is woken up by excavators and cranes again. Some sites are revived from the meltdown ten years ago. But some places such as, green areas and unregistered heritages are flattened down for the sake of city growth. It is simply a fact of life.

Work Pile

Following the last photo essay about on-hold construction sites due to the economic meltdown a decade ago, this essay is looking at a fading memory of an aged place.

Entrance

There was an old house on Petchburi Road I always admired. It was one of the best examples of colonial architecture in the heart of Bangkok. In my memory, it was a backdrop in some films and commercials representing the era. It was an evidence to show how modernised the kingdom was.

However, the city is moving on and the area is being transformed. Unfortunately, a new development does not spare a room for this old mansion and it has to go. There are some buildings that have been compromised the city growth, such as the old Russian Embassy and Thai-Chiness Chamber of Commerce on South Sathorn Road but not this one.

I always wanted to have a look beyond the closed gate. Sadly, when the gate was open, there was almost nothing left to see except the structure of memory that would not last long.

When I was in Thailand, 2007 was the tenth anniversary of Asian economic crisis. The Thai Baht currency had been weakened by several attacks from international funds. Finally, the Thai Government at that time was forced to float the currency. The result of this bubble burst, aka Tom Yum Goong Disease, triggered the financial collapses throughout Asia.

Hopewell, Invisible Railtrack

Although Thailand have recovered from the crisis and paid off IMF’s bialout, there are still monumental traces of the melt down, especially, big projects stopped their constructions ten years ago. These are some of the unfinished enterprises in Bangkok: Hopewell Project, upper level train link from the old Bangkok Airport to the city, a building that has never been erected from the ground, a luxury apartment that has been painted only half way through, and a site that is converted into a street vendor park.

What did we learn from this expensive lesson?

Grandparents, the Housekeepers

There are always rooms for gods no matter how crowded Bangkok is. Habitats of gods and spirits can be anywhere in any forms: elaborate shrines, old spirits houses, or even temporary set ups. They show how people spiritually relate to the lands and the offerings reflect the strong bonds between the both worlds, convenient ways to comfort their souls.

Unlike Sydney, Bangkok is not a scenic city. It is impossible to catch the sunrise and absorb a sublime aura of a new day. On the other hand, what makes up for it is the morning vibe that people create. I am familiar with daybreak actions in a suburb when morning market starts and Buddhist monks come out for the ritual of almgiving, meanwhile middle class cars rush to the jam to workplaces and schools.

However, in the heart of the city, just before the traffic begins to get stuck, there are something very intriguing as I found on one early morning on Sukhmvit Road.

Wrap up the Night and Will Disappear