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Spirit House
What could be more Thai? A garlanded spirit house sits in an auspicious corner of a Bang Khun Thien seafood restaurant overlooking the Bay of Thailand.
As cosmopolitan a city as Bangkok is, there are still spaces where one feels as though one has been transported into the distant past.
The old community of Bang Khun Thian – established around 1867 – is one of the 50 districts (เขต – khed) that the huge and sprawling city is divided into. Tucked into the five kilometre strip between the Chao Phraya River to the east and the Tha Chin River to the west, it is criss-crossed by canals and boasts Bangkok’s only seashore. This is not an area of sandy beaches however: the district’s five-kilometre coastline along the Bay of Thailand is the muddy home to mangrove forests and shrimp farms.
The region was first settled by Mon people from the Irrawaddy basin in Myanmar in the 16th century and Khmers from Cambodia some time before the mid-1700s, followed by Chinese immigrants after 1810. Rice, fruit and poultry agriculture, and shrimp aquaculture, have always been the mainstays.
Today, the Bang Khun Thien Museum – situated in the grounds of a local school – gives school groups and other visitors an insight into the economic and ecological significance of the region, with an emphasis on the vital importance that mangroves play in protecting the environment.
It was many years ago that I was there: on a day-trip out of Bangkok with an expat-women’s group. Like other visitors, we were there to relax along the khlongs (คลอง) and waterways, to learn about the mangroves and to enjoy lunch. Food is always central to any excursion in Thailand, and Bang Khun Thian is known for it’s seafood restaurants.
Looking back – way back – at my photos from that tour in order to process them, I can’t help but be disappointed in the lack of quality in many of them. But, I loved the area, and I found a few I’m willing to share.
Enjoy!
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Schoolgirl in a Recycle Hat
In Thailand, hats made out of sheets of aluminium used to make beer cans, or cardboard for packaging, are actually a “thing”.
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School Children Making Hats
The children at Klong Phitayalongkorn School craft these hats and other products for sale to visitors.
Shy Smile
As is the case everywhere in rural Thailand (even when “rural’ is part of the city), the children are sweet, and polite to their elders.
Schoolgirls
The small Bang Khun Thien Museum is in the Klong Phitayalongkorn School grounds. The children are happy to show us around.
Hammock
It is hard to believe that bustling, chaotic Bangkok is just a short boat-ride away!
Into the Mangroves
Walkways lead us …
School Boy
…and visiting school groups on excursions …
School Girl
… out over the mangrove swamp …
Pergolas in the Mangroves
… to the huts on stilts along the boardwalk that act as outdoor classrooms and house explanatory displays about life in the mangroves.
Fiddler Crab – Chiromanthes Eumolpe
The displays are simple – and in Thai.
Mudskipper
I first knew this creature by its Thai name of “foot-fish”. Mudskippers are amphibious fish which contribute to the complex mangrove ecology.
Tour Boat
Just outside the museum/school area, simple wooden boats wait to take visitors on tours of the rivers, klongs, and the Bay of Thailand – and to transport them to the seafood restaurants.
Hazel in the Light
Hazel, the trip organiser, gives the group a brief rundown about the area …
Our Boatman
… while our boat operator keeps a careful lookout for traffic and obstacles.
Boat on the River
The rivers and canals are the lifeblood of the community. Like many Thai who work outdoors, these fishermen wear full skin-covering clothing.
House on the River
The houses along waterways are simple bamboo structures on stilts to protect against tides and flooding.
Boundary Marker
A concrete pillar in the bay designates the boundary between Bangkok and Samut Prakan provinces.
Shellfish Farm
Aquafarmers drive stakes into the seabed and seed them with clams. The clams cling to these stakes and grow until they are picked off at harvest.
Seafood Restaurant
Built on pylons over the waterways, the Bangkok Seaview Restaurant is only accessible by boat.
Cook in the Kitchen
Seafood and produce fresh from the local farms is all prepared on the premises by smiling staff.
Javan Pond Heron – Ardeola Speciosa
Fish-loving birds hang around the restaurant, hoping for scraps.
Restaurant Walkway
After a fresh, tasty lunch, we work our way back along the extensive walkway …
Reloading the Boats
… to get back into our boat.
Bamboo and Grass Buildings
Motoring through the waterways …
Concrete Pylons
… gives us a glimpse into a different world.
Egret in the Mangroves
Feel the Splash!
Over sections of the route, our boat can pick up speed, …
Bridge over an Intersection
… but in many places, a no-wake rule applies.
Man and Girl Child
People come out of their houses to watch us pass by.
It was a wonderful day out!
Maybe one day I’ll get back to these waters – I’m pretty sure the area won’t have changed much.
Until then,
Happy Travels!
