david ovens
Aptly called "Venice of the East", the Thai capital of Bangkok and
its myriad waterways are a way of life for tens of thousands of
people and a community in many ways self-sufficient.
The Chao Phraya river and its klongs are the real highways of Bangkok
and provide visitors with the wonderful contrast of glistening gold
spires and the multi-tiered roofs of Buddhist temples and royal
palace and lines of simple timber floating houses.
The way to view both is from the timber-planked seats of a hong Yao
(noisy, long-tailed speedboats which constantly weave their way
through the rows of houses anchored by chains fastened to huge poles
driven into the waterbed.
Boats of all shapes and sizes are the universal means of transport,
communicating and trade with the predominant vessel flimsy-looking
but sturdy canoes of the klong peddlers who trade within the water
community.
The small skiffs are deftly maneuvered with a single paddle, usually
handled by one woman whose face is barely seen beneath a
broad-brimmed hat of palm leaves, but whose strident voice can be
heard bargaining with customers seeking her vegetables, fruit,
firewood and other produce.
Every now and again travellers through the klongs pass by a stilted
wooden house whose front veranda is a clutter of cooking utensils,
groceries, flowers and some mod. con. electrical goods, like hair
dryers and torches.
Despite these advances the people of the klongs are not yet up to
washing machines and the like. The women of the community are
generally seen doing the family washing in the water passing down the
klongs to the main river.
But the klongs have even greater uses for their inhabitants. The
cackle of children's laughter is never far away as the naked brown
bodies of the youngsters plunge in and out of the water delighting
each other as they splash the passing tourists.
Even a friendly splashing is preferable to the raucous, earsplitting
crescendo in the capital's streets.
For while the speedboats with their tiny engine at the end of a long
pole to allow them to travel through shallow water also make a
terrible racket the noise is not so intrusive in the rural atmosphere
as in the streets lined with glass and concrete.
What's more the rules of navigation in the klongs are paid much more
attention than the heed paid by drivers to the rules of the road.
It is customary, moving through the klongs during the high water
season to see that many of the houses have hung a red flag - or
sometimes a scrap of red paper - in a prominent place to persuade
water craft to pass slowly to avoid washing water into the lower
quarters of the house.
In this water-dominated community older traditional houses now rub
shoulders with some of more modern design, not necessarily so
pleasing to the eye, but evidence that some Thais are rediscovering
the pleasures of life on the klongs.
The hong yao which leave the wharf near the Royal Orchid Sheraton
Hotel take tourists on a journey of a couple of hours which
culminates in a slow cruise back to the wharf on a converted rice
barge.
The entire tour costs about $25 and is a genuine bargain for an
insight into the water peoples' culture.
Adventure World has a three-night package at the four star Pathumwan
princess hotel for $392. It includes breakfast, airport transfers and
a half day temples tour and is valid for travel until March 31, 2008.
More details from 1300-363-055 or visit www.adventureworld.com.au
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PHOTO CAPTIONS:
ALL klonged up: Bangkok's bustling river markets resound with banter
of trade between buyers and sellers.
COLOURFUL riverboat transport gets locals around these frenetic waterways.
Photos: David Baker
