In-transit BKK to Singapore

It's actually all about temporal dynamics, spatial density and probably about a 

pressing drill of modernité. Asian cities are supposed to be the laboratory, where 

times is compressed and space is extended vertically.

Exploring Asia @ Spring 2013


Bangkok  @ March 2013

Since cities, specially southern and southeastern Asian cities, have become epicenters of cultures in all their variety;  economic hubs, places of enhancement of communication and inducing mobility, it is obvious that the way of life and all those modes of exchange and channels  of communication within these giving geographic areas we call city are supposed to be determined by the very URBAN specifics.

BKK is not merely the "dream city" of youth and aged subpopulations originating from  rural areas of Thailand, who may move transiently or permanently to the city, in order to receive education, to find work, to be included in the society, thus to enhance the standard of life. Some move back, the vast majority, still, stay in the city for longer times than planned.  The recent fresh air, encompassing minor changes in the political arena, the decrease of administrative power of military, mirco reforms of the legislative and executive organs; and especially, the rise of a middle class with a solid educational background acquired in USA, UK, Japan or India is correlating systematically with the increasing financial potency,  has caused basic tectonic movements in Thailand. The epicenter of the tectonic moves has always been BKK. The wave of critically acclaimed social organisations founded in the last decade, the impact and the radius of their cultural influence and with special regard to their mass media transmitted color coded visibility (yellow shirts, pink shirts) in Asia and abroad, seem to cause sub-terrain chain reactions within the politics and in the realm of the urban cultures. This, will change BKK's economic functions and cultural impetus, respectively.
 

Retrospectively seen, BKK has been for long time, at least in the last three decades, a classic touristic destination  for the small but economically potent group of upper society of India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Indonesia and other Asian countries.

Here, the situation has been changing more forcefully and with a unseen velocity than the internal Thai  developments would have made it imaginable.

First, the emerging economies of Southern Asia since end of eighties, creating new classes and social groups, inducing new exchange cultures and communicative streams in the region; has been producing a strong push in the region. Thailand, and its economic hub, BKK, got affected positively by this dynamics. The Thai economy has been triggered in the same direction as they were in Singapore, Taiwan, Malaysia, Philippines and Indonesia.

Second, the rapid explosion of the Chinese economy since mid nineties, influenced the region and the the world. Almost everything has been said on this topic.

Third, India is awaking. To date, March 2013, 15 % of the population could be defined as a middle class by economic parameters, re-directing cultural and social criteria in the subcontinent and in Asia.
Indian people have immigrated in large groups to BKK since mid seventies, importing not just special skills and knowledge, but huge cultural influence. The new Indian middle class needs simultaneously new fields for expanding business and for selling goods made in India, they need also places for vacation and consumption. This is, how BKK is getting more Indian, than ever before.

Fourth, since the tourism from Golf states has been long time a productive factors for local BKK business in terms of consumption, the context of involvement of Arabs is changing now from the passive consumption to active business in real state, light industries and service industries.  This means, again, more cultural impact in the realm of the daily life and increasingly in the mass media.

Fifth, the russians are coming. Massively.

Not to forget, the Japanse highly appreciated invasion of the high-end luxury hotels, restaurants and SPA's.

Last but not least, new and old riches from Iran or West African countries, as well low income immigrants looking for work or any kind of social activities from these regions, have become a factor in BKK: visible and involved.

BKK is becoming a global hub, a paradox hybrid, geographically condensed in the urban spatiality, determined by mobility and communication technologies and strategies, culturally diversified in a unimaginable way.
Gone are days of Britisch clubs and middle age English men with Arsenal shirts and Gin and tonic. Gone are nights of American tourist groups, made of Vietnam war veterans, getting nostalgic for those lost memories.

BKK is hosting forty-something Japanese business men in larger quantities than ever in a marvelous place simulating little Tokyo, but, in real, better than Tokyo, BKK is hosting  fifty-something Japanese women in super luxurious hotels haunting for European Farangs, hotels they dream of in Kyoto and Osaka, but dreams are becoming reality in BKK. It is transporting thousands of Russian guests from the deep cold Siberia through the city, which are evidently suffering the heat and smiles and touching density. BKK is home of large families from Golf states, feeling good at Soi 1-3 Sukhumvit, listening the Egyptian music telling stories of pain of all those days gone lost. West African magicians, Iranian basar entrepreneurs, Turkish DJ's are in BKK present, representing attitudes, desires, expectations, nightmares and multiple futures.
And, yes, I admit, you also find all those backpackers from Berlin, Barcelona and Poznan, who really did not get anything from this global city and its unconditional beauty.




Bangkok  @ March 2013

At the bright day, BKK is merely a victim of different shades of gray. The sky is gray and tired, the light falling from sky is at its best colorless, if not clearly gray differential. And it is obviously obliged to be, nothing more. Major urban infrastructures, determining the city, as they are buildings, this endless silhouette of skyscrapers, seem to reflect the grayness of the sky. All those highways, navigating cars and sky trains, do the same. In spite of being dynamic, rapid, noisy, dirty and unbearable hot, BKK is bored at the day.

At the night BKK starts to live. Sky is playing a magic game of colors, starting at late afternoon, aiming to reach the beautiful dark purple and  later the absolute noire. BKK is awaking at night, which is always a long night, starting 7PM till 6Am. 

The first color game of the early and short evening lasts just  45 minutes. It‘s a rush, an obscene move toward darkness, without any warning. A game, which is played almost everyday with a recurrent image and a recognizable pattern. One may be cautious not to oversee the first change away from day gray to a spectrum of red-based colors, darkening toward the real night. Watching the game from a higher point than the ground, seeing the entire sky and not just a small outlook, let‘s say, from the roof at Lebua building or like today from the roof of Baiyoke Sky Hotel (82 fl) 



Bangkok  @ March 2013

Bangkok is noir. 



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Hongkong @ March 2013

Arriving in HKK is inducing good feelings. The avant-garde of Asian tigers, the most greedy tiger at all.


Hongkong @ March 2013

HKK is quite.