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Photo
tour around Bangkok
with
Allen W.Hopkins
 ALLEN W.HOPKINS
Since his passing almost two years ago, Allen's photo
feature has steadily gained in popularity. Allen loved
Bangkok and he loved to complain about Bangkok, but
his true feelings are captured through the eyes of
his camera.
Allen
was an American photographer and a graduate of
Brooks Institute of Photography in Santa Barbara,
California.
He was Managing Director of Asia Images Co., Ltd.,
which he established in Bangkok in 1988 to provide
assignment photography, a stock photo library,
and publishing services to the corporate, advertising,
and magazine markets. He was a pioneer in the
sponsored coffee table book format here in Thailand
Through commissioned work, he was the photographer
for The Mekong:
A River and Its People; Laos: Land of a Million
Elephants; Vietnam: The Ascending Dragon; Golf
Thailand, and the CD-ROM: Beyond the Nine Dragons.
Mr. Hopkins and Bangkok based writer John Hoskins
also collaborated on the successful new book Bangkok
By Design, a study
of architectural diversity in the City of Angels.
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Elephant
 I
was sitting in a bar one night, and just outside
the door, with his gigantic ass waving in the
doorframe was a fully-grown elephant. Right
in the middle of town, mind, begging for bananas
he was.
This is one of the unique aspects to living
in Krung Thep, as Bangkok is called by Thai
people. It is still an Asian city, and an elephant
in the town center in the middle of traffic
is not all that unusual.
However, yours truly is really not interested
in checking out the mother's tonsils like the
less than intelligent example above.
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Jim
Thompson
 Thailand is justifiably
famous for Her fantastic collection of Thai silk. The samples
shown here can be viewed at the Jim Thompson Silk Company on Surawong
Road. This, by the way, is not far from most centrally located,
reasonably priced hotels. A maximum of 100 baht should get you
there in a metered taxi. A lot less from most hotels. One can
also see some cheaper possibilities at the Patpong night market
just down the road.
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Saen
Saeb Canal
 If you do nothing else during your stay in Bangkok,
take a river trip. Go roaring down the Chao
Phraya, the River of Kings. For about Baht 350
for an hour and a half, the driver will take
you through the many "khlongs" or
small canals that run through this city. It
is a real insight as to how people live and
sometimes work. A word to the wise. When leaving
this area that is behind the Royal Orchid Sheraton
Hotel near River City shopping centre, be careful
of the taxis and tuk-tuks in the area. They
will almost certainly try to overcharge you.
Better to walk a little ways and hail a taxi
that is not waiting around to prey on unsuspecting
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Vimarn
Mek Palace
This beautiful Teak Palace
is located in the Dusit Area of Bangkok, not far from the town
center. A hundred Baht should get
you there by taxi from most hotels.
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Wat
Arun in the setting sun
 Wat
Arun in the setting sun is probably the most spectacular view
of this famous temple, and besides it's easier than getting
pictures at dawn anyway.
You can
take a river taxi or a long tail boat to see this monument.
The latter can be rented privately by the hour, about 350
baht. It is highly recommended
that you get a long tail boat at the River City shopping
center by the Royal Orchard Sheraton Hotel.
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Floating
market
 There is an official floating market of course,
the one you are most likely to see during your
stay in Bangkok. That one is way out of town
and you will be best to go with a recognized
tour operator.
However carrying on business of almost every
variety on the river is a tradition among Thai
people. Any time you are on the river you are
bound to see a sight like the one above. It
goes with the territory.
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No
Hands Restaurant
 Dining
out in Bangkok is a treat at any time. Besides
spectacular and spicy Thai food, there is just
about every other type of cuisine under the
sun. There
are also almost as many ways of serving food
as well.
The world famous "No Hands Restaurant"
will be an experience you won't forget in a
hurry.
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Thai
Wah 60 building
 The
ever changing, and we mean ever changing Bangkok skyline is best
recorded and commented upon in the recently published book,
"Bangkok
By Design". In the book the photographer
Allen W. Hopkins, and writer
John
Hoskins take a fresh look at the unprecedented architectural
boom in the "City of
Angels".
At the right is the magnificent
Thai Wah Tower, a 60 storey building on Sathorn Rd.
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Wat
Arun at night
 Wat Arun,
The Temple of Dawn, is one of Bangkok's most
famous landmarks.
Decorated with glazed ceramics
from top to bottom, this temple also has a 280-foot high pagoda.
The above shot is obviously
taken at night. |
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The
Grand Palace
 The Grand Palace is one of Bangkok's most visited
monuments. Here, visitors can also see The Emerald
Buddha and Wat Phra Kaew.
Please remember to dress properly, as only folks
with proper and respectful attire will be allowed
entry. Translated that means no shorts, no shoes
and no tank tops. Getting to the Grand Palace
should cost no more than 100 Baht from just
about any major hotel. |
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The
Rose Garden
 The Rose Garden is located
some 30 kms. outside Bangkok on the banks of the Tachin River.
Although it is a great place to see folk dancing, village
handicraft,
and that kind of cultural stuff, one of the main attractions
is the 18-hole golf club.
What a great idea for the whole family
to go for the day with each member doing his or her own thing.
You probably won't go here by taxi, but, if you do, be prepared
to pay around 800 Baht upwards. Hey. Take a tour.
Ask at your
hotel tour desk. By the way, did you know Thailand has almost
exclusively lady caddies?
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Traffic
 Rollin' right along
here,
or not rollin' right along as the case may be, Bangkok's traffic
is infamous world wide, and rightfully so. It is the blight of
our lives, and creates pollution and grief.
Perhaps that is one
of the reasons why the river plays such a huge role in the day-to-day
lives of Bangkokians. Did you know that the average rate of speed
in peak traffic hours in Bangkok is 4kms. per hour? Put that in
Ripley's "Believe It Or Not", Clyde.
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The
Chinese Temple
 Also
known as Wat Bhoman, this is as beautiful with visitors
as it is for locals. The Chinese temple is located on Sathupradit
Rd. in Bangkok.
This is a stunningly beautiful temple with
a Chinese pottery museum inside. Taxi fare will set you
back at least 150 baht from most hotels.
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Photos copyright Asia Images
Co., Ltd. 1996 All rights reserved
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