Bangkok, Thailand is the capital of a country of opposites. Thailand is known for its serene jungles and country life, but also for its hectic cities, Bangkok being the most well known. Bangkok has a population of over 10.5 million people, and it is growing extremely rapidly. This past summer I was due to intern abroad in Singapore on a grant I won. However, my plans were demolished by the dreaded coronavirus. from Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam to Bangkok, Thailand in 22 days. I would travel solo throughout Vietnam, Laos, and Thailand, ending up in the large city for my flight home. Instead, I ended up on my couch dreaming of the jungle and this amazing part of the world. When faced with a project in my Global Condition class this fall, I decided to delve into what Thailand was really all about. What would I have experienced this summer had I taken the trip that never happened? And what is Bangkok really like at its core? In this post, I'll share my research into Bangkok and what the current conditions are for people living in the most visited city on Earth.
As an Instagram photographer, I figured that there was no better place to start my research than on Instagram. I used an ethnography technique by collecting samples of photos and information from multiple Instagram accounts that featured Bangkok as their main subject. I mostly found images of crowded streets, heavy traffic, and smog. Many photos were taken at night to show off the glorious lights of the city, but also to avoid the gross atmosphere in the photos. Bangkok is having major issues with air quality due to rapid industrialization. It is not the jungle dream city with floating boats and friendly locals as I had imagined. Bangkok looks like many other major US cities. In fact, it has a bigger population than the island of Manhattan.
Bangkok is not all smog and no sunshine though. It is also known for its nightlife and party scene, which draws in many young people and innovators. The hope for the future is that these young people will create a Bangkok that sustains itself and does not outlive its means. Currently, Bangkok is far behind in environmental protection, and its infrastructure and industry are doing more harm than good. As Bangkok expands, it takes with it more and more green space and natural resources. It also leaves little physical space for its inhabitants. Bangkok is very overcrowded and the lack of green space like parks and room to breathe is alarming. These spaces are needed not only to reduce stress and to have more open space for crowded residents, but also to ensure that the air is cleaner around Thailand. Trees are our main source for cleaning harmful CO2 from the atmosphere, so when a city is producing more CO2 than it can handle, it's time to create more green space and take a look at what methods are being used to create that CO2 in the first place.
In my research, I found that the US Embassy and many other organizations are attempting to convince the industry leaders to take important steps to conserve what Thailand is known for; its natural beauty. Campaigns like World Car Free Day and World Environment Day are celebrated and advertised in order to raise awareness about the irreversible harm that is being done. Although he is a very controversial subject due to his suspected governmental corruption at this time, Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O-Cha created National Dugong Day. He created this holiday to celebrate Thai wildlife after a baby Dugong washed ashore in Southern Thailand with a severe infection caused by ingested plastic. August 17th will now be remembered as a day of hope for progress.
Although Thailand has a very strong tourism industry, the country is at a point of no return. Major cities like Bangkok need to make a change for the people and the planet. Otherwise, Thailand may have a future of very few tourists and business successes. As someone who still has Thailand very high on their bucket list, I can only hope that change is coming soon.
Remember to bring compassion wherever you go,