Bouquets for Bangkok

I had seen Thailand from a distance, but never set foot on it. That was in 2003 when as a tourist I took a memorable boat tour around Langkavi, a lovely island resort in Malaysia, the guide pointed out an island, shrouded in morning mist, saying “That’s a part of Thailand, so we can’t go there.” I wished I could.

Six years later I am a part of a group that is in Bangkok as guests of Thai Government. There are people from other parts of Asia also. Thailand relies heavily on tourism but the unfortunate event at the airport in December when people opposed to the government took over the entire premises, resulting in cancellation of flights and subsequent drop in the number of tourists. However, that’s a thing of the past. Everything is back to normal. The Prime Minister of the country, who spoke to us at a reception, said that the government has made sure that there would be no repetition of the ugly incident.

I was amazed to learn that the people who took over the airport didn’t damage anything. When they vacated the place they saw to it that even the toilets were in ship shape. A lesson our protestors should learn from them.

Another point we can learn from the Thais is their warmth and friendliness, which I realise the moment I step into their aircraft shortly before taking off on a smooth flight. Our ever smiling guide Pammy says “We don’t have the word tourists in our language. We call them guests.”

We meet Pammy soon after we check in at a centrally located hotel and exchange ‘Swadeekaa’, their traditional greeting, with so many people. The Thais make it a point to fold their hands in the ‘namaste’ style, as they utter ‘Swadeekaa’. I am reminded of the delightful movie The King and I, which starred Yul Brynner and Deborah Kerr in title roles. In those days the country’s name was Siam. Interestingly enough, the change took place more than once.

After a quick shower and a much needed cup of tea, we are on the way to the Siam Ocean World. The traffic is worse than Karachi’s at its peak hours, but certainly more orderly. No one jumps the red light or changes lanes suddenly. It is more reminiscent of Bombay’s, except that no irate driver makes generous use of the horn.

A large colourfully painted bus – all tourist buses and taxis are painted in a variety of colours – took us to the Siam Ocean World, which is aptly billed as Southeast Asia’s largest aquarium. It has something like 400 species of sea creatures including colourful fish of different colours and sizes, menacing sharks and rays, sea jellies, penguins, turtles and water rats. Seeing divers feeding them is a sight to remember. We take a glass bottom boat ride and watch a number of fish examining us from below with curiosity but not in the same degree as the school children on a field trip look at the marine creatures with awe and thrill. Any meaningful description of the Siam Ocean World would merit a full fledged article.

An early dinner at a fabulous restaurant, on tables serving halal and vegetarian cuisines, is most welcome after what seems to be an endless walk in the aquarium, spread over 10,000 sq metres.

A show in a huge auditorium, mentioned in the Guinness Book of World Records and built at a cost of US$ 40 million, is quite an unforgettable experience. Depicting the history and culture of Thailand, the Journey to the Enchanted Kingdom of Siam, featuring 150 performers and three elephants who appeared on the humungous stage, holds its viewers in awe. The special effects are amazing and no less surprising is that there are no glitches at all during the 80-minute long show. 

On the second day Pammy takes us to the Safari World. Seated on the upper deck of the bus we have a good look at different animals, from lions and tigers to giraffes and zebras, and birds of different sizes and colours. Two hundred species of animals, including rare and endangered ones, are sights to behold, particularly the multicoloured macaws, some of which are not to be seen in the wild. As in other places in Thailand, strollers and wheel chairs are available on nominal rent.

Of the four shows that we watch, one is not much to write home about. Thais dressed as cowboys and enacting scenes from cowboy movies is not a sight to write home about. However, the dolphin show is exciting. But we have to rush back to the hotel to get dressed up for the reception hosted by the tourism department, where we get to meet the prime minister. We are astonished to see that there are no bodyguards around him and that he arrives at the reception on the dot. We are told that the traffic is not disrupted when he moves around in Bangkok. Are our rulers listening?

The reception over we decide to explore the city on our own. I escort journalist Shanaz Ramzi, an incurable shopaholic, to the Night Bazaar, where the name of the game is bargaining. A salesgirl selling display items mentions 150 baht (Rs 325) as the price for a pair of salt and pepper dispensers but later agrees to sell it for one-third the prize. We take a taxi to go to Robinson, a large and prestigious store, where my co-traveller is bent upon emptying her wallet.

The taxi drivers in Bangkok don’t take you for a ride (idiomatically speaking) but the Tuk Tuk drivers (Tuk Tuks are large motorised rickshaws) do. The cabbie who takes us to our hotel stops at a point to ask for the directions to our hotel and the policeman who is approached for help rebukes the driver for not wearing his uniform properly. After some bit of admonishment he gives the direction, much to our relief.

The third day all of us shop at a mall and leave for a small museum which depicts the history of the land. I don’t take down notes because I am told the website of the museum has all the details. Much to my horror, just before I begin writing this piece I discover that it’s in Thai, which as the saying goes is Greek to me.

A quick meal at Bawarchi, a desi restaurant, is the only discordant note struck on that visit to Bangkok. The food is steeply priced and poorly prepared. It’s a big no-no for anyone pining for subcontinental food in Bangkok.


Our next stop is two hours away at Pattaya Beach but that’s a different story altogether, better left for another day.

Text and photos by Asif Noorani