Yiw, Dum, Bam, Pim, Ying, Laurence and Nui downstairs at Srinuan Court where I stayed for most of the year, on Sukumvit Soi 22
Por, Ben and Co at Air Bus disco, Ratchada Pisek Road. Free bottle of Johnnie Walker Black label and the slickest bands and dancing since I saw Prince in concert. Refreshingly clear of The Zone.
Giving a farewell speech at Samsen Anuban School on the graduation day of Pratom 6. My fear of speaking in public didn't hold in Thailand, largely due to hardly being understood! Ceremonies at school are extremely formal and pleasant. I could hardly understand a thing though, because a more formal variation of Thai is used on such occasions.
Restaurant near Samsen School, where I had breakfast for most of the year. The first time I ever spoke to the family was when I returned to Bangkok in September 2000. They're very friendly, as can be expected.
Dhammakaya jedi, north of Bangkok. I spent the day at the absolutely massive adjoining meditation hall and there was an impressive ceremony of fire around the jedi in the evening. 300,000,000,000 baht were spent on this jedi, funded by sponsorship of its one million Buddha images. Ten thousand baht gets a soul-saving Buddha near the bottom and thirty thousand baht gets you the premium spiritual insurance near the top. It's all in the name of merit-making.
Chinatown, Chinese new year 2543. The dragon was commissioned for the King's 72nd (end of 6th cycle) birthday on 5th December 2542, and is 72 (metres?) long.
Fireworks for Chinese new year
Ai, smiling in the Happy Pub, Washington Square
Friendly faces outside the New Cowboy bar, Soi 22
David Beckham and Michael Owen, spotted between training commitments in the shop by Peter's workplace, Soi 22. I travelled down the coast overnight in the back of a pickup truck with Peter and his friends the first night I met them on the street. I also stayed at Peter's village in Issan during the Songkran (Thai new year) holiday in 2543.
Bang Yai, at the end of the long-tail boat service up Bangkok Noi klong (canal)
Along Bangkok Noi, virtually in central Bangkok! The boat departs from Tha Chang, outside the Palace on the Chao Phraya river. The local boat is much more of an experience than the tour boats, much cheaper and therefore more difficult to get directions to.
