Bangkok After The Rain: The Return Of The Venice Of The East

[webfact]

TELL IT AS IT IS

Bangkok after the rain: The return of the Venice of the East

Pornpimol Kanchanalak

Special for The Nation

BANGKOK: -- This new city of canals is in full view on most afternoons and evenings these days. It is adorned with bright lights, silvery and red, along the waterways. The city and its surrounding metropolitan area is home to 14 million inhabitants, or 22.2 per cent of the country's population. As a nation of car lovers, the city of Bangkok alone boasted by last October 6.8 million registered vehicles.

Every day on average, 1,225 new cars are registered, while the length of the combined road network remains constant at 4,149 kilometres. These vehicles participate in the magnificent light show every evening after the rain that turns roads into canals. And the show lasts for hours.

Out of necessity, the residents of this city have learned to master mass meditation. It is an exercise that makes sitting behind a steering wheel for hours perhaps the most productive time of their day.

Those who are not so good at meditation fidget with their gadgets that do not fully cooperate during these few hours. This is due to our "earlier" generation mobile communications network, while most neighboring countries have already opted for the more forward-looking generation. The uncanny ways by which the transmission of voice data bounces between the already narrow and even narrower bands give real meaning to the Yellow Pages' advertisement, "Let your fingers do the talking." In the end, in most cases, meditation seems to be a more sensible choice.

Children in Bangkok grow up on the fly during long hours on the roads-turned-canals. They eat, drink, do homework, or simply be naturally rambunctious in the little spaces where they are confined. Who said it takes a village to raise a family? Here, we need only a universe of a few square metres.

This city is equipped with giant drainage tunnels that are more tunnel than drainage. These tunnels, in and of themselves, represent civil engineering ingenuity. The last anybody heard about them was they were still awaiting water from the canals around the city to reach them, so they could then fulfill both parts of their name. If these tunnels are the bloopers, the taxpayers are the dupes.

Across this city, residents are building their own dykes, ditches, drains, trenches and barricades to ward off water from surrounding canals that could spill over into their living rooms or bedrooms. There is no coordinated plan or implementation. It fits with our traditional ethos: to follow one's own whim is to be Thai, and vice versa.

It is suspected that the sandbags, sand and debris from fortifications from last year's floods have found their way into the city's sewer system, and prison inmates deployed as sewer saviours have yet to complete their rounds across town; the job is just too big for them to handle. There are only so many jailbirds, and far too many manholes they can enter per day before the rush-hour rain comes again.

Back in 1782, when King Rama I moved the capital city to Bangkok - then a small trading post located near the mouth of the Chao Phraya River - the area was swampland. Construction of an intricate waterway network - that was carried out during the reigns of kings Rama I through to Rama V in the late nineteenth century - gradually drained the area and turned it into a fertile agricultural spread. During those years, the extensive waterway network served as the main means of transportation, and Bangkok was often referred to during those years as the "Venice of the East". Back then, the canals were dug with a clear purpose and were governed under a term has since been forsaken - "city planning".

The modernisation of the country necessitated road construction. Canals were gradually filled in and paved over. In the early days of "modernisation", this was done with a clear vision and planning. If we take a look at Rajadamneon Avenue, built during the reign of King Rama V, we can understand how far-sighted our forefathers were. Nothing constructed during these years was whimsical.

Unfortunately, our modernisation, which accelerated so rapidly from the 1960s onward, has contributed to the complete disregard for proper urban zoning and design. The city began to grow organically, both horizontally and vertically.

The fundamental incoherence of our urban growth, corruption and individual greed underlies the city's renowned sense of possibility, but it has brought gridlock and traffic chokepoints. That the city still manages to thrive in spite of itself gives the term "constructive chaos" a new resonance.

As Bangkok turned into the city that cars built, with absolutely no urban planning involved, its citizens have had to turn to makeshift measures to deal with natural phenomena such as rain. After a downpour, more and more canals re-emerge where roads used to be. Unfortunately, despite our uniquely adaptable nature, we still have not found a way to turn motorcars into boats or gondolas. As the gridlock worsens, Bangkok city slackers have no choice but to resignedly embrace the central concept of Buddhism - tathata, or thusness/suchness.

Since the glorious days of the "Venice of the East", Bangkok has wretchedly come a long way - to an atrocious second incarnation as a city of canals. The continued disjointedness and shortsightedness of all parties at the national, local and individual level in the wake of this new reality erodes the country's productivity. Lest we forget, the Bangkok metropolitan area represents more than 44 per cent of the country's gross domestic product.

The ceremonial name of Bangkok - Krung Thep Maha Nakorn, meaning the "Great City of Angels" - has proven very prophetic. It is becoming more uninhabitable to us mortals, as we are not equipped with wings to fly around town and bypass the gridlock. Neither do we possess the ability to lift our houses up and away from surging waters. As our governments - in their usual incoherent manner - remain perpetually incapable of initiating effective response measures, we have to live with thusness so not to lose our minds.

-- The Nation 2012-09-29

[kurnell]

How the hell does Bangkok look even vaguely like Venice?

[canardo]

How the hell does Bangkok look even vaguely like Venice?

Well, not exactly looks like, but normally it smells like Venice (in summer) and there is a similar tourist rip-off happeing here and there...

)

[Dr Robert]

Venice of the East huh? still subject to the hegemonic notion that it is in the East (it is East releative to Europe if you are standing North South) For Vietnamese is it the Venice of the West?

[LuckyLew]

My soi in Bkk has flooded 5 or 6 times in the last 10 days

I sure could use a gondola

[Hornell]

Just to add a bit of balance to all the talk about floods, down here in Jangwat Prachuap we haven't had any meaningful rain for so long that many of the local reservoirs are empty - and I mean empty. If I could find out how to attach a photo to this post, I would.

[asiawatcher]

I think this article nailed it. Good job. No town planning, a city organically growing, and 6.8M cars within Bangkok's 100km zone. And the continuing reason?

As our governments - in their usual incoherent manner - remain perpetually incapable of initiating effective response measures...

[F4UCorsair]

Venice of the East huh? still subject to the hegemonic notion that it is in the East (it is East releative to Europe if you are standing North South) For Vietnamese is it the Venice of the West?

'East' and 'west' refer to hemispheres, not relative geographical positions, e.g., East Indies = Indonesia and parts of SE Asia, West

Indies = the Caribbean islands, old historical terms referring to geographical locations. Those living in the 'civilized' world, Europe what is now the UK, and possibly the early explorers/navigators, back several hundred years, coined the terms.

You're right kurnell, Bangkok is nothing like Venice, but when the network of klongs, far more extensive than it is now, was the primary means of transport, and before long tailed boats, the early explorers and travelers gave it that name. Incidentally, there is a host of places referred to as 'Venice of the East' right through SE Asia, and a few elsewhere in the world.

Good point canardo, but I suggest Venice in summer smells a LOT worse than Bangkok at any time, and you're right on with the tourist rip offs, but Venice may even have the edge on that one.

Edited September 29, 2012 by F4UCorsair

[terry101]

Just to add a bit of balance to all the talk about floods, down here in Jangwat Prachuap we haven't had any meaningful rain for so long that many of the local reservoirs are empty - and I mean empty. If I could find out how to attach a photo to this post, I would.

Here where I work in Prachuab our resort has a canal running through it, this canal hardly has any water at the moment, last year this time it was filled to the brim. Rain fall this side has been pretty dismal the year round.

[alchik]

A good piece of writing. Witty and to the point.

[IMA_FARANG]

When I first came to Thailand....back in 1977 or so there still were actual canals in Bangkok, but they are now long since covered over with cement....mostly roads for automobiles.

This is called "progress".

I can remember when Sukhumvit road actually had canals on both sides of the street. There were small bridges every short distance that crossed those canals,

All that's long gone of course, it's all covered over with concrete now.

[Mitker]

Venice of the East huh? still subject to the hegemonic notion that it is in the East (it is East releative to Europe if you are standing North South) For Vietnamese is it the Venice of the West?

Actually, from the original Venice, you have to look East.

[lizardtongue]

When I first came to Thailand....back in 1977 or so there still were actual canals in Bangkok, but they are now long since covered over with cement....mostly roads for automobiles.

This is called "progress".

I can remember when Sukhumvit road actually had canals on both sides of the street. There were small bridges every short distance that crossed those canals,

All that's long gone of course, it's all covered over with concrete now.

Am I right in thinking that this being Thailand they just 'covered' the canals with cement, making the canals into a water table?

[CosmicSurfer]

Definitely written by one of the more literate writers in the newsroom....

Western-educated (and maybe raised) sure!

CS

[HiSoLowSoNoSo]

Was this "The glorious days of the "Venice of the East" ?

[Farangdam]

twisted tourism promo....

[hanuman2543]

"There is no coordinated plan or implementation. It fits with our traditional ethos: to follow one's own whim is to be Thai, and vice versa."

"Unfortunately, our modernisation, which accelerated so rapidly from the 1960s onward, has contributed to the complete disregard for proper urban zoning and design. "

"The fundamental incoherence of our urban growth, corruption and individual greed underlies the city's renowned sense of possibility, but it has brought gridlock and traffic chokepoints. That the city still manages to thrive in spite of itself gives the term "constructive chaos" a new resonance."

"As our governments - in their usual incoherent manner - remain perpetually incapable of initiating effective response measures,.."

These is not only valid for BKK traffic problems, these are the root causes for so many problems in this country.We can hear, read or see it everyday in the papers, radio or news. The complete disregard for advice is still the biggest disadvantage for Thailand and its people.

[HiSoLowSoNoSo]

"There is no coordinated plan or implementation. It fits with our traditional ethos: to follow one's own whim is to be Thai, and vice versa."

"Unfortunately, our modernisation, which accelerated so rapidly from the 1960s onward, has contributed to the complete disregard for proper urban zoning and design. "

"The fundamental incoherence of our urban growth, corruption and individual greed underlies the city's renowned sense of possibility, but it has brought gridlock and traffic chokepoints. That the city still manages to thrive in spite of itself gives the term "constructive chaos" a new resonance."

"As our governments - in their usual incoherent manner - remain perpetually incapable of initiating effective response measures,.."

These is not only valid for BKK traffic problems, these are the root causes for so many problems in this country.We can hear, read or see it everyday in the papers, radio or news. The complete disregard for advice is still the biggest disadvantage for Thailand and its people.

They don't need any advices they are the "human über race" (what they think about themselves compared to us)

[h90]

How the hell does Bangkok look even vaguely like Venice?

equal dirty water in the canals?

[Thai at Heart]

Uniquely adaptable?

I await babies born with webbed feet and gills in one generation.

[cowslip]

Both re on river deltas, both stink and both are sinking into the sea.....after that the similarity ends.....e.g. - architecture, culture, conservation, flood control.........

[Deez]

How the hell does Bangkok look even vaguely like Venice?

Really?? Thats all you can come up with?

[soi41]

Uniquely adaptable?

I await babies born with webbed feet and gills in one generation.

So are the pervs in Pattaya

[techboy]

How the hell does Bangkok look even vaguely like Venice?

It is a rhetorical allusion suggesting that the rain flooded streets of Bangkok resemble parts of the transportation network of the city of Venice, which are waterways. So happy that I am able to assist you with this complicated bit of deduction

[davejones]

Another pathetic article. Don't know why some people just can't grow up.

[Ajaan]

How the hell does Bangkok look even vaguely like Venice?

Bangkok was NEVER known as the "Venice of the East"...that was Ayuthya. Read your REAL Thai history (e.g. David Wyatt), Nation--and Thai Visa--hacks...

[noitom]

Too bad there are no sane people implementing steep parking fees and main city entrance toll points. That would be a good place to start.

[HAL9000]

No one's going to call them out on the misquoted Yellow Pages ad? "Let your fingers do the walking", not "talking"!

[tragickingdom]

How the hell does Bangkok look even vaguely like Venice?

I suppose you go to work or to the club by car? Never taken a bicycle to ride the pavements near the canals or never took the boat? If you do so you might notice that Bangkok exist only out of waterways and as the article says they are paved over. Lift one of the manhole covers and you are in a klong. That is why the roads are flooded after the rain. The water is rising below the roads that were sloppily designed.

[kennedy]

Was this "The glorious days of the "Venice of the East" ?

They sure looked like a happy lot, compared to now.