Bangkok Chinatown

I last came to Bangkok in 1991. Then, there were rumours of an imminent coup. A few days later, the then Prime Minister Chatichai Choonhavan appeared on state television to deny the rumours. Soon after his assurance, Chatichai was deposed. That was February 1991. Coup leader General Suchinda Kraprayoon made himself the new Prime Minister without democractic elections although he promised one earlier. Public protests took to the streets ending with a blood bath after Suchinda brought the tanks to the capital.

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The King intervened in May the same year to bring in fresh elections bringing democracy to Thailand and Chuan Leekpai as Prime Minister in 1992.

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Fast forward 14 years, and another coup happened on 19 Sep 2006. This time deposing Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra (first elected in Jan 2001). Here we go all over again!

In the aftermath of the coup, the military junta has tried digging out skeletons out of Thaksin's closet. One of them is the much criticised new airport of Bangkok, alleging heavy corruption and shoddy workmanship. I can't comment on the shoddiness, but surely there seems to be lots of heavy metal. Whoever decided and designed the place must love heavy metal!

As a trained civil engineer, it all looked structurally very over-designed.

Enough of those grey iron. This beautiful orchids are taken at the hotel. Thailand has in recent years, become the biggest orchid exporter in the world.


This is Bangkok Chinatown. We stayed in the hotel opposite called Chinatown Hotel. :)
In case you are wondering, the billboard is depicting a giant shark fin!!!



We were hungry after a hard day's work, so we head for the street stalls. No shark fins served!

We had some tea and coffee, watching the world go by.



This mug is really cool! Years ago, it used to be very fashionable in Singapore. It is basically a tin mug with hand crafted patterns.

This stall sells sweet gingko soup.

One full bowl. They are very filling and yummy!

Dusk in Chinatown.

And the night life thickened

Traditional Chinese Medicine Shop

A religious artifact shop

Night Market

This little boy was wanting me to snap his pix. So I did.

The white flowers are jasmine. An Indian influence.

These dollar bills are real!!!

They are hanged as decoration in the reception of the massage parlour where we went.

Pictures of the King and Queen are everywhere.

The people has very high regards for their King.

The mobile phone sales girl shrugged her shoulders and said she didn't care if Thanksin is in power or the military. And when I added that she only liked the King, she corrected me by saying she loves the King.

It was late, and time to retire to the hotel.

Look at the building on the left, it looks like preserved vegetables!!!

Lovely old Peugeot

Captured this lotus pots amid the noise and haste of the city.

It grows up beautiful despite starting in muddy waters.

Traditional Chinese Temple

For those of you who are not familiar, Chinese Temple goers pray to Taoist dieties and also Buddha. Thai temple goers pray only to Buddha.

A local talk shop

This fruit stall managed to get some shop space in between two parking lots! :)

Chinatown skyscraper! :)

Pawn shop

Buddhist amulets

I can feel the vibrations amongst them.

Some stronger than others.

Some hardly any vibes.

The seller asked me if I can tell which is real and which is not.

I told him I couldn't.

This is a display in the airport.

Kind of a tug-of-war between good and evil with the judge in the middle.

I guess this is the good side.

Erhem, any guess which side is this?

This is the figurine in the middle.

I guess he is the aribitrator of peace.

Much like what the King did after each military coup.

Fu Lu Shou

Europeans and Americans who have not been to Singapore think that we are all martial arts exponents donning traditional Chinese silk and doing all things Chinese here. Some who have visited expressed their surprise and dismay that it is so modern and Westernised (not Chinese enough); and too organised and clean, unlike the impressions they have of Asian cities.

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The truth is somewhere in between, as there are some places, like Orchard Road, that are very Westernised, and some places like the Waterloo Street area, that are very Chinese. Some say the latter is even more Chinese than Chinatown. You can judge it for yourself from the pixs. My Taiwanese friend thinks that it is even more Chinese than Taipei! That means it is even more Chinese than a capital city that sometimes claims to be the rightful heir of China. Taiwan also have not gone through the Cultural Revolution and is highly motivated to remain more Chinese than the mainland Chinese are!

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We started in the Fu Lu Shou (Fortune, Success and Longevity) shopping centre...

"Hall Full of Gold and Jade"

This is a Thai Buddhist shrine.

Devotees come here to pay their respects and also consult the lady inside about their future.

Notice the brigade of untidily parked trishaws in the background?
Very unlike the usual prim and proper orderliness of Singapore.
close up

Here's how aura pixs are taken using Kerlian photography.

I had mine taken too. ... more


These pigs rotate around greeting visitors to the shopping mall.
I love those kitchy Chinese colors! :)


A Buddhist artifact shop.
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Outside, there is this pig greeting everyone.

Then I notice a little Thai dancer figurine on the lower right corner. See next pix...
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This Thai figurine welcomes the visitor to pick up a rolled paper containing 4 digits (4D).

*sigh* She is encouraging gambling

- not a good karma to have as for one to win, many have to lose.

Inside the shop... lotsa glitter...

The Buddha with his protectors at his side...





It has been a long time since I have seen a notice board with only Chinese posts.

This one is rare, in multi-lingual and multi-racial Singapore.




Usually there are dollar bills inside during Chinese New Year!

When I was a child, it was called "Ang Pow" in Hokkien.

But nowadays, people speak Mandarin more and called them "Hong Bao".

In Singapore, we even change our languages with the times. *sigh*

I come back after 20 years and the natives now speak different languages.

It feels surreal!





Broaches and gold nuggets.






Incense sticks are meant to be aromatic, but Chinese ones are mostly just saw dusts.

Originally, they were made of dried flowers so that when burned their fragrances can still be enjoyed during the winter months.



The smoke coming from the incense sticks meandering to the sky symbolises our eternal spiritual evolution; and that though we may experience ups and downs in life, like the meandering of the smoke, in the long term we evolve progressively through the cycles of samsara by reincarnation.

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Incense paper




Dried fish stomach and shitake mushrooms





Outside a feng shui and face reading shop ...more





"Weight Gaining Centre".


No, you didn't read wrongly. This one is special.


Especially when there is only 1.6% of obese people in Singapore.


Most Singaporeans spent a lot to keep slim.





One happy customer.


Guess which one!




Free Buddhist books.
I took one entitled, "Reflections" by No Ajahn Chah
Very inspiring book.




Bigfoot

In Traditional Chinese Medicine, all our meridian points passes through our feet.

Massaging the soles therefore clears the energy blocks due to toxins.

Different parts of the foot correlates to different organs the meridians lead to and serve.

A crowd gathers around some kung fu flicks on TV.





God of Fortune
Don't worry, more money coming in ...


Here it is,... it says "Wealth" on his tummy!
Hey! He even has a pink nipple!!! haha




This is the famous Waterloo Street Kuan Yin Temple.
It has this crowd of devotees everyday.

Lotus and Chrysantenum.

Lotus symbolises that beauty can emerge even from murky waters or humble beginnings.

Flowers offered to the Gods symbolises impermanence.

Fruits symbolises wisdom.

(Non-hindu) Chinese people praying the Chinese way, outside a Hindu Temple.

Can only happen in Singapore, I think.