076: Bangkok 2025
After the relative calm of Chiang Mai, we descended into Bangkok. And I mean that literally - the difference hit us the moment we arrived. The noise, the traffic, the sheer density of everything. Chiang Mai was a gentle warm-up; Bangkok is the main event, whether you're ready for it or not.
Bangkok is a street photographer's dream, really. Every corner reveals something; narrow lanes branching off main roads, vendors setting up in impossible spaces, the constant flow of people navigating the organised chaos. The light changes from one block to the next, harsh and direct in the open streets, filtered and moody in the covered markets. It's the kind of city where you could spend weeks just wandering and never run out of scenes. But that requires time, patience, and the freedom to disappear down random alleyways for hours. None of which you have when traveling with young kids.
Traveling with young kids in a city like Bangkok requires a particular kind of surrender. You give up on the idea of wandering aimlessly, of chasing light at golden hour, of waiting patiently for that perfect composition. Instead, you move with purpose: temple, shopping mall, food court, shopping mall, aquarium, shopping mall, street side food stalls, shopping mall. And then perhaps a few more shopping malls. You follow the itinerary that keeps everyone happy and fed and not melting down in the heat.
We made it to Wat Phra Chetuphon Wimon Mangkhalaram Rajwaramahawihan - which everyone sensibly shortens to the Temple of the Reclining Buddha. I remember visiting it about 15 years ago, back then passing through as a tourist, but now with the family in tow. Trying to infuse some cultural flavours into the trip for the kids. There's something almost comical about the scale of it. You walk in expecting something impressive, and then you see it: this enormous golden Buddha lying there, completely relaxed, taking up an entire building. The kids were fascinated, for the brief moment that they could hold their attention. I managed a few quick frames while keeping half an eye on them, which is pretty much how all my photography went this trip.
IconSiam was next on the list, and honestly, the food court there is worth the visit alone. Chaotic, sprawling, packed with more food options than any human should have to choose from. We ate a simple meal tucked away in one corner. So fascinated by its sheer scale and grandeur, that I forgot to take any photos of the food court!
Central Bangkok was dressed up for Christmas when we were there - massive trees, lights everywhere, that particular brand of Southeast Asian holiday enthusiasm that goes all-in on spectacle. It made for some interesting visuals, even if I was mostly just tagging along while we hopped from one mall to another.
What I did manage to capture, though, were the street vendors. They're everywhere in Bangkok, and they became my default subject whenever we were walking around. Easy targets in the best sense - stationary, focused on their work, part of the fabric of the city. Fruit sellers arranging their displays with precision, noodle vendors working their woks, the fresh produce sellers with almost anything you could ask for. It's a rhythm you can photograph without breaking stride, without asking the family to wait while you set up a shot. Just observe, frame, shoot, keep moving.
Actually, it planted an idea. Next time we're in Bangkok - and there will be a next time, given our now annual tradition - I think I'll dedicate myself to a proper street vendor project. Focus on that specifically. The way they claim their corners, the improvised setups, the small economies happening on every block. It feels like something worth exploring more deliberately, when I have the luxury of time and singular focus.
The photos here reflect the reality of this trip, though. They're not decisive moments. They're not carefully composed street scenes. They're what I managed to capture while juggling everything else that comes with family travel - keeping kids entertained, navigating crowds, the family shopping for stuff, making sure nobody gets lost in the chaos of one of the world's most overwhelming cities.
But that's fine. Not every photo needs to be a statement. Sometimes it's enough to just document being there, seeing these things, moving through a place together. These are the in-between moments, the glances stolen while doing something else entirely. At the very least, we had more time in Bangkok this year end, and I did end up with more photos than the previous year, ones that I am happy to share here. I never got around to doing a dedicated blog post from last years trip.
Bangkok doesn't give you much choice in that regard. It moves too fast, demands too much attention. You take what you can get and keep moving.
Enjoy the photos below.
Cheers.
