It’s dark days when the venerated king lives in a hospital. Two different taxi drivers today mentioned that the king now lives in Siriraj Hospital – and they both pointed it out as we passed. “He has a great heart. He is a good man who has done so much.”
The king has been a resident of the hospital since September, 2009 when he went in for treatment of his flu and pneumonia. While he has made appearances since, he has not returned to Chitralada Palace.
His highness’ failing health has allowed new and ongoing instability in government and politics. Our taxi driver had to change routes yesterday because of a political rally by the “yellow shirts” who support the party of the current prime minister.
The yellow shirts now create rallies to combat the recent political power of “red shirts” who created mass riots in support of the opposition party. There was no chaos yesterday, but it was hard to ignore the difficult truths as our new route took us in front of Chitralada Palace where the great balancer of power no longer resides.
We made our way to Taling Chan market – a combination of standard local weekend market and a floating market. At the end of the pathway lined with stands of various street foods and fresh produce are a set of docks floating in a khlong – a canal of the Chao Praya River. Surrounding the docks on all sides are little boats in which people sit and prepare food for patrons seated at low-to-the-ground tables on the dock above.
Vendors have different “zones” and you choose which set of foods you want, and your area vendors – in partnership with their floating chefs below – get your food. It costs only a few baht more per item than any other street cart or land-loving vendor down the walkway.
With our som tam, sticky rice and satay, we joked with the vendors, listened in on a foreigner and his hooker having their “morning after” brunch, and watched the long-tail boats zip past. Locals from around the city were there to enjoy their Sunday with friends and family – enjoying not just the tastes of roasted salt-covered fish, but a taste of an older Bangkok.
A “Bang” is a waterway somewhat larger than a khlong. Bangkok is actually one of the central waterways of the city and thus evolved in to the city’s official name used mostly among foreigners. Thais know their city as Krungthep – City of Angels.
A network of khlongs – many constructed under command and supervision of Rama V in the late 19th century – run from the Chao Praya deep into the city’s heart. Banglamphu, Bang Kapi, Bangkok Yai, Bangkok Noi, Bang Waek, Bang Phrom….Krungthep once lived and breathed around these waterways. Long-tail boats weren’t just for toting around tourists.
Sitting at Taling Chan, with people in boats grilling, chopping and frying, you could get a glimpse of that Bangkok.
After our neighbors had exchanged phone numbers and we all finished our brunches, Emily and I headed to the Grand Palace – which was closed – and to the Chao Praya itself.
Like Los Angeles and the Pacific Ocean, in the course of daily life in Bangkok, it’s easy to never see the Chao Praya. Just like when I go to the beach at home, I wonder why in all my time in Bangkok have I not seen the river more? It runs along some of Bangkok’s most central areas. Like so many cities, Bangkok was born on the river – fresh water is the source of life.
The wide, deep and alive river runs south until it reaches the Gulf of Thailand. It links Bangkok to the sea and makes it so that the royal capitol itself is part of the Thai-Siamese historical claim of being Water Lords.
From a water taxi moving down river, we got our view of the Grand Palace in its shimmering emerald glory and the bejeweled Wat Pho – the Temple of Dawn. We also saw a mixture of towering five-star hotels, old wooden houses and remnants of warehouses, and wholesale markets. All reminders of an older Krungthep which lived and traded on the water.
Although it lacks the energy and crispness of the Bosphorous Strait, the Chao Praya’s relationship to Bangkok reminds me of Istanbul where from the water, the city appears completely different. From the river, Bangkok is mellower. It has history and more Thai-ness. Something besides Siamese catfish with their curly mustaches runs through the Chao Praya.
Siriraj Hospital sits along the river – on the bank opposite the Grand Palace and Emerald Temple – a fitting place for a king to live in a hospital, if he has to live in one. I imagine he must have a very nice suite and the best view in the house. I wonder if perhaps the Chao Praya – the link between the past and present; the streaming heart of Krungthep; the river that has been central to Thai history and culture brings the king any solace.
More limited than he’s ever been, the king is unlikely to see much of the country he guided with kindness and his best abilities for 65 years – his life’s work. But he can see the center point of it all, including the very building in which he grew up. I doubt there’s more you can do for an 84 year-old monarch and the people of his 773 year-old kingdom.
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