Bangkok Chronicles: Life along the canal
There is the Bangkok that millions of visitors experience - ancient temples, the Grand Palace by the Chao Praya river, towering skyscrapers in Sukhumvit and alluring shopping malls that are designed in a manner that ensures swift entry and an almost impossible exit. The other Bangkok is a forgotten city of the past that thrived along its canal routes. The modernisation of the 1960s led to a rapidly expanding road network some of which was built over long-used waterways. Slowly homes, offices, shops and much of the city's activity shifted along local and arterial roads. Fortunately, some canals remained and others are being restored. Today life along the canal or 'khlong' displays a unique character. Modest, low-rise developments are interspersed with historic buildings and local buddhist temples. Let's start with Pratunam Pier along Saen Saep canal. This is a major interchange that connects a few canal lines and is close to a large shopping district and a popular nig...