My condo was located on a side road called Soi Thanpuying Phahon off Ngamwongwan Road, which is a major artery running through the northern part of Bangkok. The nearby major intersection is with Phahon Yothin Road. Also known as Highway 1, Phahon Yothin goes all the way to the northern edge of Thailand and connects into Myanmar.
I to Bangkok with many specific sightseeing goals in mind. Rather, my goal here was more abstract - I wanted to reconnect with the city that shaped and defined much of my life as a young adult. Bewarned that this blog entry is somewhat introspective.
I landed in Bangkok on the evening of December 2nd. From the airport, I took the Airport Rail Link to my hotel, FX Metrolink Makkasan. I stayed in this hotel back in 2013, and I specifically chose it again because it is located next to three critical transport lines: the Airport Rail Link, Petchaburi MRT station on the blue line, and Asoke Pier, a stop on the Klong Saen Saep water taxi route. After checking in, I took the MRT to Terminal 21 where I ate dinner in the food court, and then I called it a night.
My first order of business on the first full day in Bangkok was to take a Covid test so that I could return home to the United States. The testing center I chose - Huanji Gene Technology - was close to Ratchadapisek station, five stops north of
I lived on the corner unit on the top floor of this condo. I had a nice rooftop deck next to my apartment.
my hotel. Exiting the station, I bought a sandwich from a street vendor and made my way to the testing center just before they opened at 8.30 a.m. I was fourth in line, and I was out of the center within 15 minutes. I got my negative result the same day at 4.00 p.m.
Since I was already in the northern part of the city, I decided to take a trip down memory lane by visiting my old neighborhood. I worked in Bangkok (specifically, Don Muang Airport) in Back then, the metro system hadnt been built, and only a small fraction of todays vast network of elevated expressways had been built. Traffic was horrendous. It would have probably taken me up to two hours to get from my hotel in Makkasan to my old neighborhood near Kasetsart University. Because of the traffic, I was severely constrained by geography. Foreigner friendly and facilities were scarce in the areas surrounding the airport, so I had few options on where to live. When I settled into my I very quickly learned that very little English was spoken in the area. That said, my condo building had enough of a
A closer up view of my condo. It is difficult to take photos of the building at street level because it is off the street and surrounded by low rise buildings.
critical mass of foreign expats that one restaurant nearby created an English menu. Regardless, I had to adapt quickly. I learned enough Thai to conduct transactions, and I got to know the street vendors so I didnt have to always eat at the one slightly overpriced restaurant with the English menu.
26 years on, taking the Bangkok Sky Train to my old neighborhood, I marveled at the ease of movement. I also marveled at how the traffic actually moved. Dont get me wrong; there were still a lot of vehicles, but they werent stalled bumper to bumper inching their way forward. Walking from the Sena Nikhom station (where I disembarked) to my old neighborhood, I saw that Ngamwongwan Road had been widened, and the intersection with Phahon Yothin now featured an overpass and an underpass for traffic, which explains why the traffic actually moved now. I also noticed much more English signage, and many new eateries featuring different international cuisines had sprung up. A number of luxury developments had also sprung up.
But, many things had not changed. My condo building was still standing, although it was showing its age. The where the male and female staff
conspired to figure out who I would be interested in was still on the corner.
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