the viewing deck: Transit in Bangkok last part; Red Light & Night Market of Silom Road

4-days Self-guided Solo Tour in Myanmar (Burma)

February 02-08, 2014

Transit in Bangkok 1st part; Suvarnabhumi(BKK) to Don Mueang Airport(DMK)

3-days in Thailand, the beginning of my travel addictiveness (Jun. 2010)

I decided to spend a short visit to Silom road as my spare time in-between BKK-DMK Airport transfer was enough to perform it. I visited this place way back June 2010 (almost 4 years ago) where the Red Shirt protesters ended their renegade retribution just days before my Bangkok arrival. Now, again, set of protesters emerged because of the alleged corrupt Thai government. Though I witnessed both, it did not linger or lessen my expectation to experience Thailand backpacking. Silom is just 2 sets of railway away from BKK Airport and combination of bus and metro from DMK Airport.

Silom is the closest Bangkok gets to Wall Street, with glistening skyscrapers all boasting the names of financial institutions. After nightfall the character of the place changes considerably though: the small sois between Silom Road and Surawong Road come alive with people out for a good time, including the infamous den of sleaze that is Patpong. Patpong is internationally known as a red light district at the heart of Bangkok's sex industry, it is in fact only one of numerous red-light districts some catering primarily to Thai men and some others, like Patpong, catering primarily to foreigners. A busy night market aimed at tourists is also located also in Patpong. Patpong Night Market has offered souvenirs, gifts, clothes, handbags and jewelry amidst entertainment establishments since the late 1960s. This is one of the best known open air night markets in Thailand.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patpong

Transit in Bangkok; Red Light & Night Market of Silom (Patpong Street)

Tourists had been warned to stay away from the demonstration areas but many came to see the spectacle for themselves, picking their way gingerly among the prone bodies on the ground, like welcome but nevertheless uninvited guests.

"Shut down Bangkok. Restart Thailand." That was the message on the T-shirts of tens of thousands of protesters blocking all major roads and bridges into and out of the Thai capital on Monday. The message, along with a picture of a computer power-on power-off key, said it all. Anti-government protesters want the lights to go out on the Shinawatra dynasty and are prepared to make it happen anyway they can, even if it means hugely inconveniencing themselves and others. One exasperated protester said: "It won't make any difference. We don't want any election until the whole political system in Thailand has been broken down and rebuilt from new. "We won't accept corruption any more. Shut Ddwn Bangkok. restart Thailand."
http://news.sky.com/story/1194502/thailand-protesters-shut-down-bangkok