sawasdeechowlok!

Back in Bangkok. From the airport to the Chao Praya, so many familiar sights!

The new Suvarnabhumi airport is unfortunately not the greatest achievement since the matchstick. It's larger, but it seems to have preserved the same bottlenecks as Donmueang. Maybe it gets better with time and habit, which is a pity since they built it on a swamp. According to Khun Thong, some of the glass panes are already cracking, no doubt as the whole edifice sinks to its boggy grave. How sad.

The old centre is beautifully lit up as the city prepares for The Royal Plowing Ceremony. The tensions caused by the inefficiency and controversial legitimity of the current regime aren't apparent through the window of a taxi, so more on that later.

Plans to go to Kasakhstan aren't materialising, so the near future holds a brief trip to Isan where Khun Thong's project is taking shape, then straight up to Nong Khai province for a stint of relaxing on the banks of the Mekong. Dates aren't yet absolutely clear, of course, but keep in touch!