4. Enjoying the city

Just a few days before the UN's ruling on the Preah Vihear Hindu temple in the border region between Thailand and Cambodia the tensions are rising here in the Thai capital.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-22149576

This morning I read in the newspaper that, along the border, Thai military has installed loudspeakers to communicate to the other side its intentions and to avoid an all-out war after the international court announces the decision. It is somewhat of a concern to me since this region lies on my intended motorcycle route. We will see.

For now I am enjoying the city.

Everyone has a Smartphone!

Morning rush hour on the Chao Praya Express boat.

Minor flooding.

Feeding the hungry. Express boat landing.

"I No Signal!". In fact that really never happens in the city. The coverage and 3G+ and sometimes 4G is excellent.

No litter box.

Shop selling amazing bonsai. The plants in the picture are some 100-150 com in height! Stunning!

Today was the "Miss Teen Thailand 2013" workshop at Terminal 21, one of the major shopping centers.

The Thai society puts a great deal of importance on the way one looks. This of course needs sometimes the corrective measures of a surgeon, like at this clinic. The beauty industry here is a 20 billion Baht+ annually revenue industry with growth rates of 15% annually (Bangkok Post.) There are the super-rich, however ~60% of the population lives in slums outside of the city.

The food train. Grab your plate!

Some minor flooding along the Chao Praya river is visible where the water masses from the North and northeast regions of Isaan try to make it to the Gulf of Siam. But nothing out of the ordinary here at the City of Angels.