Bangkok Street Life

Though it’s between two major avenues, Rama IV Road and Sukhumvit Road (and is only a block from rama IV Road), it’s an entirely different world from that found along the capital’s major arteries.

The streetlife in Bangkok is vibrant just about everywhere, but especially in the out-of-the-way places, where people get to know each other. In my small area, there is an amazing number of sidewalk vendors selling just about everything, beauty shops, Mom-‘n-Pop “doo-dad” shops, so selling food and drinks, others selling other stuff, even tailor shops. And the occasional actual sit-down, indoor restaurant. There’s even a 7-Eleven nestled in the soi that does a brisk business!

The biggest draw is the people. I live in a tiny quadrangle made up of two condo buildings facing each other in one direction, and a private residence and another condo building facing each other in the other direction. The area in the middle is actually a car park, but functions for all the world as a village square. As I write in mid-afternoon, there are countless small children playing and laughing, and various residents outside visiting each other. Sometimes I go out when an ice cream vendor comes inside our little square — more to buy treats for one of my neighbor’s little boys than for myself. Almost daily, another neighbor’s little girl will come to my door and stand quietly until I notice her. Once she has my attention, she smales, wais me, (To wai is to greet someone by placing your hands in front of your face by your chin and nose, then to nod, or even bow, depending on the perceived different social status — the deeper you wai, the more respect you show.) She is absolutely fascinated by my computer, and loves to come in and quietly stand at my side to watch me typing, surfing the Internet — whatever I’m doing at the moment.

And the adults are just as wonderful as the Wee Ones. Virtually everyone smiles at me — Thais are

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