The political protests continue at several spots around Bangkok closing streets and bridges. One is on busy Silom Rd. and about 6 blocks from the guesthouse. With the street closed Thai have responded in typical fashion and turned it into a market particularly lively at night.
The downside of the protests is that they have really hurt tourism and the economy. 6% of Thailand's economy is based on tourism. The local night markets near here, usually jammed with tourists, is almost deserted. The irony in this is that the party in protest are the ones we'd consider aligned with the Chamber of Commerce in America.
Navigating around the protests has been no problem because I don't need to be where they are. Also they do not effect the elevated train which is my primary method of travel.
Yesterday I took the express river taxi up the Chao Praya River (the Mississippi of Thailand) an hour north to its final stop at the island of Nonthaburi. It's not on the tourist agenda so I saw very few foreigners. Though it is still part of Bangkok it feels like rural Thailand. The trip cost 50 cents each way.
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