Despite the pandemic, Thailand is now completely open for tourists again. There is, of course, a huge caveat. That you need to spend two weeks on arrival in an Alternative State Quarantine (ASQ) facility which is basically a government-approved hotel that has a tie-up with a local hospital and keeps you locked in your room for the entire stay.
OK, so that's not quite true. After a second negative test after Day 7, you can schedule an hour a day outside around the hotel's pool. No gym, no swimming, no guests and 3 meals a day in your room. Its jail; and you pay through the nose for it. The official list of ASQs starts at 32000 Baht (£800 GBP, $1100 USD) and rises up to over 100K Baht.
On top of this, you need a Certificate of Entry (COE) which you need to get from the Embassy and is issued when you show them your flight booking, ASQ booking, proof of $100K USD medical insurance which MUST include Covid cover, a negative RT-PCT test within 72 hours of flying AND a separate, Doctor issued fit to fly certificate.
When the 15 nights are up, you're in!
Anyway.....domestic tourism is being promoted heavily and to that end, we recently got a new 'walking street' in the old part of Bangkok with the completion of the renovation of Klong Ong Ang, which opened at the beginning of November.
Khlong Ong Ang was formerly the home of the second-hand photography and toy shops, budget hostels and a vast population of ethnic Indian and Chinese inhabitants.
It's not just another market. There is street art and buskers a plenty, as well as free kayaks and the night we went down it was hustling and bustling and the pandemic raging outside our borders was all but forgotten by most.
Opening times and how to get there.....
The market is open each Friday, Saturday and Sunday starting from 4pm until 10pm and handily, it's only a few metres from Sam Yot MRT station! Thee is loads of local street parking for bikes in the multitude of side streets.
Time for the pictures!!
Check-in point for the track and trace App and obligatory temperature checks. Face masks on and off you go!
This is at the entrance and says....errr......On Ang Walking Street and some other things.....
It was a balmy Sunday evening and it was busy. The canal itself is tucked away in the middle between the railings.
First signs of some street art celebrating the area's multicultural history.
Street food stalls at the ready!
First busker of the night readying their tackle! Not going to earn much sitting on their arse looking at their guitar!
Told you! Kayaks and Paddleboards were free to hire but there was rather a long queue. However much they cleaned it up, you still wouldn't want a mouthful!
This was one of my favourite pieces of art. I loved the eyes.
To improve their 'green' credentials, you could even borrow a bicycle to take a ride around the local area. Not sure how that worked but if that were in Leeds, those unlocked bikes wouldn't be there too long!
That romantic image of Thai street food is often ruined for me by the ubiquitous presence at every market of pink sausages on sticks!
The crowds on the bridges simply show you the best photographic vantage points!
I actually had to throw an old woman off the bridge to get this shot. But it was worth it, I think!
The guy in the yellow shirt saw me do it. Turns out it was his mother, hence the disapproving glances...
The kids from the local art college were taking a break from protesting but were still out in force doing portraits to raise money for their fines.
A bloke dressed as a clown was impressing the kids by making animals from blown-up condoms...
She can't stand it if I take photos that she's not in!! Get out of my way you daft mare, I'm trying to earn a fortune in upvotes here!!
Some people were selling Cactii which seems to be a trend here at the moment.
There is very little in the way of old architecture here but the bit there is, is in the older parts of town around the predominantly Chinese areas. I would have loved to have had a wander down this back alley.
All fake but very colourful.
Free Christmas presents! Everyone else didn't seem to want them, so I took 2! They don't feel very heavy though.....
Getting darker and the reflection of the lights from the oily surface of the canal was beautiful!
Another artwork I absolutely loved!
One bloke and a guitar? Pahhhhh, let's get a full band set-up. In all seriousness, the girl had a great voice and I stopped to listen for a while. Didn't give them any money though, bloody beggers!
The wife partaking in her favourite hobby.....get off the photos woman!!!
A bloke taking a photo of a bloke taking a photo of a girl pretending to hold a painted butterfly......Anyone nodded off yet?!
I genuinely really like this photo.
Errr the footpath and hmmm a clothes stall......I'm losing the will to live here. How many are left?
Another gorgeous alley that was lit with traditional lanterns. It was a scrum trying to get a picture down there.....so I didn't bother!
How much is it? 40Baht.....
That woman with her hands on her hips is giving me daggers! I wonder if she's related to the bloke in the yellow shirt......
Awwwwww look at all the pwetty lights!
Then just as we were about to leave, we bumped into a load of singing and dancing Santas. They weren't even rattling a collecting bucket so I assume this is simply how some Thais get their kicks! Anyway....time to eat...
Good to see some normality back in Bangkok
It's been 'normal' for 6 months but as I suspected a long time ago, it's all a cover. On Thursday they admitted one confirmed case in a market in Samut Sakhon, tested 1000 contacts and got 547 positives...in just one market. They locked the province down instantly last night and now we are waiting for them to admit the rest of Thailand is screwed and lock us all down again.
The 3 month 9pm to 6am curfew we had earlier in the year was awful so we are preparing for the worst again. It is what is I guess.
You take care and have the best Christmas you can :-)
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Thanks for the share, love it.
the lights adorn the beauty of the are