Defining photos of Thailand ...

[Smiles]

For myself, there are a few photos in my collection of shots of Thailand which I could easily say are almost vital in their power to take me back there. They flood my mind with images and memories of the place. Good for them . . . it keeps me in warm antipation of my next visit, in this case a long stay of 7 months starting in November.
Often they end up for months at a time as my computer background wallpaper.


Here are my two favourites-above-all:



NICE TO BE WANTED


Pretty hard not to shuffle out a snapshot of my guy with a subject line like that of this thread. A bit obvious of me I'd guess you'd say, but how can I help it? This man makes Thailand come alive for me much more so than it would were I not having the pleasure of sharing his life with him.

This shot was taken in Hua Hin in 2006. He had taken his car 40 clicks down the road for a regular warranty tuneup at the nearest Nissan dealership. I had spent a lazy and enjoyable afternoon alone on the beach with a good book, a few beers, and a heaping plate of khao pad gai. But by 4 oclock he had not yet returned and I was getting a bit concerned . . . he'd been gone since 11 that morning. I missed him.

I walked back to the hotel and waited on the patio outside the room. Finally I saw him walking back down the courtyard . . . the biggest smile imaginable creasing his face, those high cheekbones forced up as high as they could go, and that mouthful of white choppers blazing in the sun.
My camera was next to me and I quickly grabbed it and fired off this great shot of my old man, obviously ecstatic as all get out to see me after most of the day apart.

He finally made it to our door, flopped down in the empty chair beside me, cracked open a cold Singha when offered and proceeded to tell me all about the rigmarole and wait time he had to go through to get the car serviced. At the end of that story, he added: " ... stop to check lottery ticket. I win 5000 baht ... "



http://my.photodump.com/sawatdee/pot1.jpg



HOW MANY KIDS ON A BIKE?


This is not my photo. I found it on a blog-about-Thailand somewhere on the net and it struck me with great power.

How many times have I seen this stunt of carrying as many people on a tiny 125cc Honda as is humanly possible? How many policemen have I seen in Bangkok driving their wives to work and their kids to school on the back of a dented 2-stroke? How many times have I counted the number on the bike and marvelled at their dexterity, their foolishness, their denial of danger, and their crazy Thai joi de vivre?

Once I saw the above cop-with-wife sailing down Rama 4 Rd., weaving in and out of traffic at a dangerous clip . . . wife/girlfriend on the back dressed to the nines, sitting serenely upright in tight skirt and with a long flowing silk scarf trailing backwards in the windy wake of that motorcycle. In that instant, I remembered that wrenching scene in the move 'Isadora' where she (Vanessa Redgrave) was strangled to death by her scarf which got caught up in the spoke wheel of the convertible sportscar they were wheeling about in.

But for all that, I love this shot . . . father and kids, all happy as larks, bumping down some dusty back road, never for a moment thinking that the photographer may well have been saying to himself " ... what an iconic frozen moment of Thailand I might have in this shot ... ".
And he would have been right.

(There are 7 crazy Thais on this bike.)


http://my.photodump.com/sawatdee/how%20many%20on%20a%20bike.jpg



Do you have any of the same importance to you (I can't believe you don't)? What are your memories when you look at them? What special person do feel love for through a photo? What snippet-in-time do you re-live when you bring out a certain photograph?

One or two (at the most) only please. Make 'em the Important Ones.


Cheers ...

[Lunchtime O'Booze]

just what is happening here..???
http://i238.photobucket.com/albums/ff216/mickeyde2007/ele.jpg

http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c156/Jons_photos/Croc.jpg

No, that's not my boyfriend. He was standing nervously by my side but he loves animals and so I've seen every such show from one end of Thailand to the other.

[Smiles]

" ... No, that's not my boyfriend. He was standing nervously by my side but he loves animals and so I've seen every such show from one end of Thailand to the other ... "
Same same :blackeye:
But you know, I can't watch these head-in-croc shows for very long ... a few minutes at best and I wander off to pet the elephants or tour the aviary. You know, the 'nice' animals. Wimpy eh?
My guy also enjoys watching the crocs, and stays till the end ... which at least until now has never been sad.

There was a story circulating around here some time ago regarding a woman who flung herself into a pond full of hungry crocodiles in Samut Prakhan . . . obviously committing suicide in the most spectacular way possible. I would prefer the hose in the tailpipe in a sealed garage schtick, but that's just me.

Cheers ...

[TOQ]

Buddha Day in Khlong Lan

http://i110.photobucket.com/albums/n108/suneeplaza/KHLONG%20LAN/BUDDHADAY19.jpg

http://i110.photobucket.com/albums/n108/suneeplaza/KHLONG%20LAN/BUDDHADAY06.jpg


Riding around the countryside:

http://i110.photobucket.com/albums/n108/suneeplaza/KHLONG%20LAN/NEIGHBORHOOD1.jpg

http://i110.photobucket.com/albums/n108/suneeplaza/KHLONG%20LAN/RICEFARMER3.jpg

http://gaycocklibrary.pimpedhost.com/paul/esan/dance2.jpg

My first stay in Isaan village - tried to join in with the dancing.

My ex (asleep in abckground) did have a buffalo and it did get sick lol

http://gaycocklibrary.pimpedhost.com/paul/esan/buffkids.jpg

One of my fondest memories of LOS. (pierced tongue and all)

http://gaycocklibrary.pimpedhost.com/paul/friends/nicky.JPG

[alipatt-old]

Oogleman.

I sure would love to have been able to take that photo.

Would have been a defining moment for me as well

OK say what you want, this scary number has to qualify for the category of "defining photo of Thailand" along with local with head in crocodile.
Ps Smiles my kind of man, is he looking for part time, I'll even give up driving if he wants, strictly no funny stuff.

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1392/701515762_ea15f6f893_o.jpg

I know it's obvious but a defining image of Thailand for me has to include my boyfriend and that means a photo of him eating or buying food as that's what he spends most of his time doing. That's when he's not sleeping...

http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c156/Jons_photos/Thai_Food.jpg

[Michael]

Don't want to be associated with the picture of a crocodile above without my post which was removed from this thread by jinks.

[adman5000]

Personally, I like the defining photo of the young man in the background with the 83 T Shirt on from the pic of Khlong Lan!

And Mama prepared our bed...

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v467/Joe_M01/PICT0024.jpg

[TOQ]

Personally, I like the defining photo of the young man in the background with the 83 T Shirt on from the pic of Khlong Lan!


Thank you, thats my BF. :)

john

And Mama prepared our bed...

Ahhhhhh thats cute, I assume you slept on the left hand side. No flowers? I don't take a camera, the odd emergency one on the mobile phone is about it.

[bao-bao]

How did this get off topic. Isnt this thread about posting pics ?

Yes, it was indeed. I was really pleased to see Smiles start this thread, and sorry to see it derailed.

[pronto]

Thank you bao-bao.

A wonderful story ! As well as wonderful pics.

[TOQ]

Loy Krathong

http://i110.photobucket.com/albums/n108/suneeplaza/ROBERTS%20PICS/loy%20krathong/PB040009.jpg

http://i110.photobucket.com/albums/n108/suneeplaza/ROBERTS%20PICS/loy%20krathong/PB040025.jpg

http://i110.photobucket.com/albums/n108/suneeplaza/ROBERTS%20PICS/loy%20krathong/PB040030.jpg


Street Scenes

http://i110.photobucket.com/albums/n108/suneeplaza/ROBERTS%20PICS/Street%20Scenes/PA220040.jpg

http://i110.photobucket.com/albums/n108/suneeplaza/ROBERTS%20PICS/Street%20Scenes/PA080020.jpg

http://i110.photobucket.com/albums/n108/suneeplaza/ROBERTS%20PICS/Street%20Scenes/PA140004.jpg


john

[TOQ]

Songkron

http://i110.photobucket.com/albums/n108/suneeplaza/ROBERTS%20PICS/Songkron%202007/P4130005.jpg


http://i110.photobucket.com/albums/n108/suneeplaza/ROBERTS%20PICS/Songkron%202007/P4130006.jpg


http://i110.photobucket.com/albums/n108/suneeplaza/ROBERTS%20PICS/Songkron%202007/P4190031.jpg


TakeAway

http://i110.photobucket.com/albums/n108/suneeplaza/NOODLE%20EMPORIUM/PA060018.jpg

What a Smile !!!

http://i110.photobucket.com/albums/n108/suneeplaza/STREET%20SCENES/DSCF0281.jpg

Afternoon Sprinkle

http://i110.photobucket.com/albums/n108/suneeplaza/STREET%20SCENES/PA160019.jpg


john

[Smiles]

Nice pics TOQ and thanks for adding them.

Love these shots of the Thai kids. (The big brother security guard is no throw-a-way either :blackeye: )


http://my.photodump.com/sawatdee/toc3.jpg


Cheers ...

This pair looked so longingly at my lunch that I eventually gave it to them:

http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c156/Jons_photos/Thai_Children.jpg

[Brad the Impala]

THE MOTORBIKE BOYS

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/1003/alcibiades/File0001.jpg




THE MONKS

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/1003/alcibiades/998968.jpg







THE PICNIC

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/1003/alcibiades/App0001.jpg

[Smiles]

Yo Brad! 'THE MONKS' (along with their story): a favourite photo for me. That strangely-colored brick wall in the background reminded me of "something" from my past and I had to think hard about remembering. But I finally got it . . . takes me back to the sensuous and dominating bluish tones in the Marc Chagall stain-glass windows in the Cathedral at Metz.

And then .... noticed Bao Bao's 'Blue Bangkok', and added it as well.



http://my.photodump.com/sawatdee/monksandmarc2.jpg


Cheers ...

Thanks for the great photos.
Does anybody have a copy of the photo of 7 or 8 guys standing around a table. It appears as though they are at a Bar B Q or an outside food station. They are all (or most of them are) shirtless.

The photo was posted on this web board 6 or 7 months ago.

Sorry that I cannot describe it better but I'm hoping some of you can figure out which photo I am referring to. If you have it, can you post it here??

Thanks again for all the great photos. makes me want to be there!

[Smiles]

I think these are the shots you're referring to.

The BBQ Boys (1 & 2) from Bao Bao's album here on Sawatdee. Bao Bao is number 1 in my books for his candid shots of Thai folks.
I'm really shy when it comes to pointing my camera in someone's face, but Bao Bao has no qualms, and his album shows it. ( http://www.sawatdee-gay-thailand.com/fo ... er_id=1556 (http://www.sawatdee-gay-thailand.com/forum/album_personal.php?user_id=1556) )


http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v18/sawatdeephotos/bbqboys2.jpg



http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v18/sawatdeephotos/bbqboys1.jpg


Cheers ...

[bao-bao]

I think these are the shots you're referring to.

The BBQ Boys (1 & 2) from Bao Bao's album here on Sawatdee.

Yup, you beat me to it by about 10 minutes, Smiles!

Through a freak of luck I'm flying to Bangkok in just a few days for a short break from the madness here. I'll post more to the album here after I get back.

It's been my experience that overall people there are usually pleased to "play along" and have their picture taken. I make an attempt -- most of the time, anyway-- of asking if it's OK by pointing to the camera, gesturing towards them (without pointing, as I've been instructed) instead of just aiming the camera at them. If I make it obvious that it's "sanuk" for me, usually they're willing to join in, too. I also try to stop afterwards, turn on the view screen and show them their picture before I thank them and move on - that almost always gets a smile or laugh when they see themselves.

In the case of the BBQ boys I think they were ready for ANY excuse to stop setting up chairs and tables for the evening's opening, and once I asked two of them to stand together they turned and called to others and soon there was a whole smorgasboard -- oops, I meant bunch of them -- assembled. The challenge then was to act as nonchalant as possible and not let on that given the chance I'd have been curious to see if those tattoos above the nipples would come off with a little saliva (just joking... kind of)... When they saw THEIR pictures, there was a lot of whooping and teasing amongst themselves. It was fun.

The kids there (as they are most anywhere) seem the least affected by the camera. Their pure innocence usually bowls me over. In the case of kids I ask the adult with them if there is one, to avoid any thoughts of impropriety. The mother of this kid actually pointed to my pen, borrowed it, tore off a piece of paper and gave me an email address. I sent the scaled-down image to the address and got a two word reply - "thank you".

Why can't people here at home be as nice?!?

http://www.sawatdee-gay-thailand.com/forum/albumpics/1863.jpg

[TOQ]

http://i110.photobucket.com/albums/n108/suneeplaza/KHLONG%20LAN/BUDDHADAY10.jpg

http://i110.photobucket.com/albums/n108/suneeplaza/KHLONG%20LAN/BUDDHADAY15.jpg

http://i110.photobucket.com/albums/n108/suneeplaza/KHLONG%20LAN/BUDDHADAY17.jpg

http://i110.photobucket.com/albums/n108/suneeplaza/KHLONG%20LAN/BUFFALO2.jpg

http://i110.photobucket.com/albums/n108/suneeplaza/SONGKRON/SK07.jpg



Ahh, The Warriors

http://i110.photobucket.com/albums/n108/suneeplaza/STREET%20SCENES/Warriors1.jpg

http://i110.photobucket.com/albums/n108/suneeplaza/STREET%20SCENES/Warriors2.jpg


Brothers

http://i110.photobucket.com/albums/n108/suneeplaza/ROBERTS%20PICS/hospital/PB160026.jpg

http://i110.photobucket.com/albums/n108/suneeplaza/ROBERTS%20PICS/hospital/PB160018.jpg


This was taken at an outing to Tuxedo in Pattaya for the Seeing and Hearing Impared. It was a wonderful night

http://i110.photobucket.com/albums/n108/suneeplaza/ROBERTS%20PICS/TUXEDO/TUXEDO-14.jpg

http://i110.photobucket.com/albums/n108/suneeplaza/ROBERTS%20PICS/TUXEDO/TUXEDO-09.jpg

http://i110.photobucket.com/albums/n108/suneeplaza/ROBERTS%20PICS/TUXEDO/TUXEDO-10.jpg


Hope you enjoy the pics. I know I do.

I find it amazing that when you bring out a camera most all of the girls run away and all the boys want to pose..


john

Thanks a lot you guys. I really appreciate it. Those were the exact pictures that I was trying to describe with writen words.
The additoinal photos from TOQ of the children are really precious. I love the last one with the boy and the ice cream cone.

Thanks again for sharing these images with us.

[Brad the Impala]

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/1003/alcibiades/E0161.jpg





http://img.photobucket.com/albums/1003/alcibiades/CIMG0969.jpg




http://img.photobucket.com/albums/1003/alcibiades/CIMG0972.jpg

[bao-bao]

Not to change the subject -- besides, I'm sure BG was close to an apoplectic fit seeing all the photos of the kids and I really wouldn't want that -- but one of my most memorable "wow" moments was watching the sun set near a friend's home north of Udonthani.

I've taken quite a few others in this same area but only one other that has the emotional impact for me that this one does. It was an easy choice to use for my avatar here.

Time and circumstances won't allow me to get up there this trip starting in a few days, but I'll be there next time for sure.

http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z56/khunbaobao/PA262617-adj-W.jpg

Im in love, but sadly no longer as keen, these are very bless boys. Just spent a few weeks with some of the nephews and thats more than enough. It plays havoc with the bank balance, not to mention the sanity, though I wouldn't have the buggers any other way.
Can kids eat? They're like caterpillars, head down and way they go, all fucking day. OK a bit unfair on these two.

Its a bit off having children mixed with rent boys here, isn't it? De rigueur for the wangkhars of infamous Putty Yah perhaps, but a little self control here is surely not that difficult, what do yah say Brad?

http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c156/Jons_photos/Thai_Children.jpg[/quote]

[alipatt-old]

Woke up on Xmas morning and took this photo. A day I will never forget - The area was very old and traditional and although I have spent a long time looking at maps I can not locate it -- It was called Ampuwa and stayed with a group of friends and family of my partner. Went for a meal on a boat on the river looking at glow worms .

[bao-bao]

Woke up on Xmas morning and took this photo. A day I will never forget - The area was very old and traditional and although I have spent a long time looking at maps I can not locate it -- It was called Ampuwa and stayed with a group of friends and family of my partner. Went for a meal on a boat on the river looking at glow worms .

What a lovely shot, alipatt. I really love the "ethereal" effect mist/fog on the water gives a shot. It must have been fabulous in person!

http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z56/khunbaobao/XmasMorning2.jpg

[globalwanderer]

http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff167/streetlad/Phi_Phi_2004_0315_044936.jpg

[globalwanderer]

Pattaya After The Rains

http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff167/streetlad/Boys_After_The_Rain_2006_0914_15363.jpg

http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff167/streetlad/Boys_After_The_Rain_2006_0914_15-1.jpg

http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff167/streetlad/After_The_Rain2006_0914_152157.jpg

[TOQ]

Nice photos guys, please keep posting..


john

[Brad the Impala]

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/1003/alcibiades/DSCF0102.jpg[/img]

At last a thread that has some interest. I live in Thailand but these pictures were still nice to look at.
A moment in time, captured forever. Thanks to the brave cameramen. I am one to be very shy about pointing my camera at anyone - 8 to 80.

[llz]

Woke up on Xmas morning and took this photo. A day I will never forget - The area was very old and traditional and although I have spent a long time looking at maps I can not locate it -- It was called Ampuwa and stayed with a group of friends and family of my partner. Went for a meal on a boat on the river looking at glow worms .
There is a place in Samut Songkhram province which is called Amphawa ; it is well-known for its floating market and is a convenient trip from Bangkok. I would bet this is where this (beautiful) pic was taken ..

Going back a few years for these, pre digital. The monks were by the river at Phitsanulok. I think everyone should recognise where the first one was.

http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c156/Jons_photos/Thailand_Island.jpg

http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c156/Jons_photos/Thailand_Monks_02.jpg

http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c156/Jons_photos/Thailand_Monks_01.jpg

Two more...

Part of the initiation prior to becoming a novice monk.

http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c156/Jons_photos/Becoming_a_Monk.jpg

Flower sellers in Chiang Mai.

http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c156/Jons_photos/Thailand_Chiang-Mai.jpg

http://i227.photobucket.com/albums/dd149/kenrfc/Phitsanulok6.jpg

From Phitsanulok last year.
Boyfriend (in the front) spent 3 years as a novice in the main temple in Phitsanulok. We visited last year and I met his friends who are still novice monks. And ALL gay too. In fact the novice on the left kept sighing after a cute tourist who was also wandering the grounds. I decided to tease him a bit and went up to the tourist and said "Excuse me, the Monk would like to know where you are from?" The poor tourist was from France and barely spoke English and was very perplexed (but very cute!). The poor novice was embarrassed and smiled and turned a bit red, but he was still smitten.
Later, in more conversation with the novices and boyfriend, I learned that these temples are more gay than an English Boarding School or a Catholic Seminary. There were all sorts of things going on and many discussions about who made a good "wife" and who was the "king" etc.

But this picture....
This was in front of the famous Buddha statue (with the "halo" around it) and one of 4 I took. I just noticed when I was choosing this pic how "right" it seemed over all the others. It took me a while to realize this was the one photo that the boys posed themselves. All the others I composed.
Notice the position of their heads. The Buddha highest, the oldest novice next, the 2 younger ones beneath him, and finally Boyfriend. They knew something I didn't at the time. The other pics seemed "off" or forced. This one is the most natural.
There is a world view that we don't quite get. I'm still learning all the time.

[Bob]

Okay, I'm going to take a stab and this and suck up some bandwidth somewhere.
One of my favorite things to do is attend and photograph various Thai festivities and simply catch people having some fun. Here are some photos taken during Songkran in Chiangmai this past April:
http://tcbob.smugmug.com/photos/197840558-M.jpg
http://tcbob.smugmug.com/photos/197840569-M.jpg
http://tcbob.smugmug.com/photos/197840578-M.jpg
http://tcbob.smugmug.com/photos/197840580-M.jpg
http://tcbob.smugmug.com/photos/197840584-M.jpg
http://tcbob.smugmug.com/photos/197840833-M.jpg
http://tcbob.smugmug.com/photos/197840838-M.jpg
http://tcbob.smugmug.com/photos/197840842-M.jpg
http://tcbob.smugmug.com/photos/197840853-M.jpg
http://tcbob.smugmug.com/photos/197840861-M.jpg
http://tcbob.smugmug.com/photos/197840874-M.jpg
http://tcbob.smugmug.com/photos/197840878-M.jpg

Okay, I'm going to take a stab and this and suck up some bandwidth somewhere.
One of my favorite things to do is attend and photograph various Thai festivities and simply catch people having some fun. Here are some photos taken during Songkran in Chiangmai this past April:
.....
http://tcbob.smugmug.com/photos/197840853-M.jpg


Now THAT'S a kid who's really into the spirit of things! :cheers:

Just look at that grin saying "Ah ha! here comes a Farang with a camera. Watch me get his shoes wet!"

[Doug]

The feast and the farang who doesn't know what to do with his feet.


http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v345/siamboy/MLNA0035.jpg

[piston10]

What a warning! I've always tried to keep the etiquette rules about feet, but I think up to now I've felt them as just that - etiquette. Never again! The guy's got his bare feet on the table cloth/mat. However, it won't make it any easier to tuck one's feet underneath after not practising for 60 years. Still, I'll be motivated!

[Bob]

Okay, I'm going to take a stab and this and suck up some bandwidth somewhere.
One of my favorite things to do is attend and photograph various Thai festivities and simply catch people having some fun. Here are some photos taken during Songkran in Chiangmai this past April:
.....
http://tcbob.smugmug.com/photos/197840853-M.jpg


Now THAT'S a kid who's really into the spirit of things! :cheers:

Just look at that grin saying "Ah ha! here comes a Farang with a camera. Watch me get his shoes wet!"

The funny thing about this was the kid was sitting off on the sidewalk (under an awning near his mother preparing food on the typical roadside stall) and he was just too young and out of it to mix it up with the real water tossers. He eyed me and surely wanted to splash water on me. So, I stood next to him, waited for an ungodly time for him to be able to grab some water and to inexorably stand and finally toss the water on my lower legs. It was worth it though to then watch him plop down in the tub and to giggle like a banchee. He made my day and I made his.

What a warning! I've always tried to keep the etiquette rules about feet, but I think up to now I've felt them as just that - etiquette. Never again! The guy's got his bare feet on the table cloth/mat. However, it won't make it any easier to tuck one's feet underneath after not practising for 60 years. Still, I'll be motivated!

Yes, the behaviour shown by this if this foreigner is extremely rude. I don’t think he could discredit himself more.

[jinks]

I've moved the "which camera?" posts to a separate thread......

Smiles, be ready it will eventually go Global :cheers:

[bao-bao]

My time hasn't been my own since I got back from my short trip there, but I'll add more photos to my album here when I can.

For now here's a "defining" shot that shows the warm camaraderie that's so prevalent Thailand. These guys were together several mornings in a row and guy in the middle had such a smile!

Speaking of smiles, our own Smiles may recognize the tablecloths at the restaurant behind the guys. :cheers:

http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z56/khunbaobao/MotocyGuys1-W.jpg

[Smiles]

" ... Smiles may recognize the tablecloths at the restaurant behind the guys ... "
Perhaps I should, but I've scraped the back sois of my fast-receeding memory for a tiny snippet of remembrance and have come up blank. Certainly I'd remember the infectious smile on the guy in the middle, but I'm not that big on tablecloths. So help me out ... where is it?

Cheers ...

[bao-bao]

" ... Smiles may recognize the tablecloths at the restaurant behind the guys ... "
Perhaps I should, but I've scraped the back sois of my fast-receeding memory for a tiny snippet of remembrance and have come up blank. Certainly I'd remember the infectious smile on the guy in the middle, but I'm not that big on tablecloths. So help me out ... where is it?

Cheers ...

Oops! Sorry, Smiles тАУ that was a VERY obscure reference to a restaurant you mentioned in a post about the Elegance Suites a year or so ago.

If memory serves (and it may not be in this case) itтАЩs the Grong Soi Restaurant behind the guys, just a few doors down from the hotel. YouтАЩd posted their address as 23 Soi Charoenwing on Charat Wiang Road, but the photo may actually have been a block or so over from there so it may NOT have been the Grong Soi. Sorry to have scorched your memory banks with that one!

Since the sign for the Grong Soi was in Thai I didnтАЩt find it myself and didnтАЩt get to try it, sadly enough. On our after-dinner walk back to the hotel on my final night there I pointed to the sign and asked my friend тАЬhey, maybe this is the place we were supposed to try тАУ whatтАЩs the name of it?тАЭ тАЬGrong Soi,тАЭ he replied, as if I hadnтАЩt mentioned it beforeтАж but now I know!

A good excuse to go backтАж as if I (or anyone here on the forum) actually needed a new reason :cheers:

[Smiles]

I certainly do remember that little hole-in-the-wall . . . the food was really good, and the place really packed.
But I'm not so sure that is the same place Bao-Bao. I recall a restaurant on a small corner lot, with 2 sides open air. The place in your photo looks as if it has solid wall on both sides of the entrance. Also that place has a long table with stools. I recall small tables with 2 or 4 backed chairs only.

Well, I could easily be wrong. That was about a year and a half ago I think, and there were a number of similar restaurants on that soi. Bangkok is chock-a-block full of little places like that, all looking vaguely the same.
What separated the place I was referring to from the rest was that most of the others had a few patrons at most. Our place was bustling and noisy ... obviously a favourite hangout in the very-Thai neighbourhood.


http://my.photodump.com/sawatdee/restaurant.jpg



Cheers ...