The traffic jam has returned to Bangkok which could mean that things are getting much improved after the frozen state during the two years’ lockdown. During those days of shopping centers’ closures, streets empty of traffic, having no flea markets, I thought things would never be the same as the good old days again. To my surprise, it took about six months for some confidence to rise up and commercial activities have restarted with lots of optimism. So, I was glad to see the traffic jam, streets full of cars and lots of people walking along shopping streets, including more tourists in Bangkok.
My heart was singing with joy when I saw my favourite shopping area of Bangrak and New Road became very busy, noisy and crowded all of a sudden one day! I still could remember the melancholy and dark atmosphere in this area during the lockdown. I used to walk alone in darkness around the flea market area and quiet roads in Bangrak. All the fast food joints were closed and Thai sweet vendors could not be found. Even the bus stops hardly had any people.
Nowadays, the flea market has slowly become alive with more shops and fast food restaurants are all open along New Road with Thai sweet vendors returning to their stalls. There are the usual crowds at the bus stop while tuktuk drivers have returned to offer expensive rides to unwitting tourists. The shopping mall, Robinson has started to have long queues at the cashier check out. Recently arrived tourists, without suntan, have been buying up all my favourite peanuts and cheese, ( the friendly cashier told me why I couldn’t get my usual peanuts and cheese).
It was such a joyful experience walking along New Road while observing people’s activities. This kind of real life sensory perceptions and feeling couldn’t be experienced in virtual reality. The vibrant energy of these people engaging in commercial activities with their expressions and vibrations impinged up on my senses strongly.
The atmosphere made me very energetic and hopeful for the future of our society as people had become very resilient and they had the drive to go forward no matter what had happened in the past. I had talked to a few vendors and shop owners; they seemed to let go of past sufferings by not delving into them and tried to focus on the present as best they could. I was quite amazed by their simple application of Buddhist teaching without realising that they were applying Buddhism in real life.
I had a good time surveying the food bazaar and walking along New Road searching for shops selling traditional Thai sweets. I was very glad that some shops have started offering many kinds of Thai sweets. I think Bangrak is the best place to find out about traditional Thai sweets at cheap prices. These old vendors have been selling these sweets since their grandparents’ generations. I wonder if they would still sell Thai sweets in ten years’ time.
New generations of youngsters would rather go for cakes, pastries and air conditioned coffee shops with lots of cream cakes. Perhaps people could invent some new Thai sweets, a kind of fusion between Eastern and Western sweets; flexibility and adaptability could make people quite resourceful for survival purposes.
Wishing you peace, good health and prosperity.
Stay strong and cheerful.