Christmas in Bangkok.

[Hvr]

Snake encounter reported every 15 minutes in Bangkok

Snakes are a much bigger problem in Bangkok than many people think. Just ask the staff at the 199 emergency hotline. On average, they say, they get a call for assistance with snakes every 15 minutes, with about 60,000 snake removals taking place each year.

www.bangkokpost.com

Thailand has an abundance of venomous snakes. Among the neurotoxic family Elapidae, there are three species of the genus Naja (cobras), three of the genus Bungarus (kraits), and the king cobra of the genus Ophiophagus. Other Elapidae snakes in Thailand include sea snakes and Asian coral snakes of the genus Calliophis.

Venomous snakebite in Thailand. I: Medically important snakes - PubMed

Thailand has an abundance of venomous snakes. Among the neurotoxic family Elapidae, there are three species of the genus Naja (cobras), three of the genus Bungarus (kraits), and the king cobra of the genus Ophiophagus. Other Elapidae snakes in Thailand include sea snakes and Asian coral snakes...

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

 

[drron]

So back to the TR. Google maps told me that there was a road from the Red Cross compound to the middle of the Uni. So of I went . Th0e Red Cross not short of donations.


Then around the back of this building where the road had been. It is now a building sites.
So back to the front of the Red Cross compound and up the road to the Uni next door.

 

[drron]

Magnificent old Thai buildings.





This is the Uni library.


.

This is where I was and what is on Google maps.

 

[drron]

So an idea for those with children. Start off in Lumphini Park. The kids will be able to see all the water monitors and the parents can enjoy the comparative serenity.
Then walk over the 4.There is an elevated walkway in the north east corner of the park crossing Ratchmadiri road to get to the hospital.
Go through the food hall for refreshments or lunch then when at the other side of the hospital cross the road to the Red Cross and visit the snakes.

Not a bad idea then to walk north past the Uni. Good idea to do walk into the Uni. Then continue walking north and you will come to the MBK centre.
And even better it should have worn out the kids. For this activity it is best to be done between December and February. It is not as hot and not humid.

 

[drron]

Now a time to cross road and head south past the Racecourse and golf club. At the end of the property there is road back to Ratchamadiri road but it is used as a storage area so members only even though there is a barbed wire fence preventing you from accessing the private property it is members only so you can't use. So back to the hospital and back to the hospital to get back to Lumphini Park.
There is an overpass from the hospital to the park which has lift access but the lift is not working.

Lots of food stalls at the park end.



Then back to the apartment.


Watch the footpaths they can be narrow and dangerous.


Close to the apartment a couple of places being renovated.

 

[drron]

I was a day ahead of myself and the next posts are from Friday 30th December. First breakfast.


Now I had noticed on a BTS map that there was a station called Royal Thailand Air Force Museum. I looked up the website and it was open until 1500 on Friday except for a public holiday. Now the Thais had New Year holidays from Thursday 29th December until Wednesday 4th January. The Snake farm also said closed on public holidays yet it was open on the Thursday

Then looked up the Thailand Tourism sites which had the RTAF Museum open that day. Then looked at a list of Thailand public holidays and only Tuesday 3rd January was listed so off I went.
Got a little worried as more stations than I thought so went and had a look at the on-board map and saw a station listed as Air Force in the opposite direction. So hopped of to see a better map at the station but none available unless you went through the ticket barrier and no staff with much English so I decided to go back a station which was a busier one.

Took a couple of pictures whilst waiting. The station was for a hospital.



So back 1 station and they had a large map which showed I had got off 1 station before the museum. I knew that the museum was connected to the Don Mueang airport. As I turned around I saw an Air Asia plane take off. Now the windows of the BTS carriage are not designed to let you take photos but this shows Don Mueang in the distance.


Off at the right station but about a 500 metre walk to the main gate.


At the main gate a sign that it was closed for the National holidays but it had been open on Thursday and would be open on the Tuesday even though that is a Public holiday. Unfortunately we are flying out on Tuesday

Decided to walk around outside.

 

[drron]

Looking in from the outside.

 

[drron]

At this point I was nearly at the main gate for the base. I saw a couple walking around the planes and went inside one. So I walked over to the fellow at the gate and asked if I could do the same. But it was a service member with one of his family so no dice. A few more photos.






Across the road it looked like the actual base.

 

[drron]

Surprised that at the Air Force Base they had a picture of the previous King and not the present King. Especially as the current King did become a fighter pilot.


There was a walkway underneath the train line. I thought I might get a look at the museum but they had made sure that you couldn’t.


There was another access to the walkway where you could see a little.




The BTS only cost 44 baht from the centre of town. The name of the station is easy to remember.

 

[craven morehead]

At this point I was nearly at the main gate for the base. I saw a couple walking around the planes and went inside one. So I walked over to the fellow at the gate and asked if I could do the same. But it was a service member with one of his family so no dice. A few more photos.

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Across the road it looked like the actual base.
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Photo #2 Plane looks a little weird. Is it one of the planes that does the vertical take-off and landing?

 

[drron]

Photo #2 Plane looks a little weird. Is it one of the planes that does the vertical take-off and landing?

Maybe some of the plane buffs may know. I just thought it was a weird plane.

 

[Quickstatus]

#2 Plane

weird plane.

It’s the twin tail Israeli Aerospace Arava

 

[drron]

Now having taken far less time than I had planned I decided to go to the Victory Monument. I hadn't been there for nearly 50 years. 33 baht on the BTS.
I Don't think it has changed but the surrounding district has gone downhill. Here are the pictures.



I went down to the markets that surround the Monument.





Pretty uninspiring. So back to the elevated walkway.

 

[drron]

The bus station.


A food stall area.


And dining klong side.




I really don't think it is worth it.

 

[Quickstatus]

Victory Monument

For what Victory?

Re the ugly airplane - Arava: even the Israeli airforce hated them, that the only people to use them outside of Israel was the developing world. I can’t see a pilot wanting to be seen in one of those.

 

[drron]

Erected in 1941 to celebrate victory in the Franco- Thai War. It was actually ended by the Japanese who forced the 2 to end the hostilities.

Of course Japan invaded Thailand on 8/12/1941. The Thais surrendered after 8 hours. A little later they declared war on the UK and the US.

So at the end of WW2 they had to hand back the territory they gained in 1941.

 

[Quickstatus]

Franco- Thai War.

Ah yes, forgot about that war over French Indochina disputed territories. Though the result was more of a forced armistice.

I suppose a victory in the sense that the French handed over territory.

 

[drron]

Back on the BTS to Chit Lom. Earned some karma points at the next station. It’s holiday season so train not full so I had a seat and next to me was the courtesy seat for injured, old or monks but invariably these days by the healthy young.
An old Japanese woman and I presume her daughter were struggling to get on. Sadly pushed aside by a couple of teenagers. I immediately covered the spare seat with my left leg and called out sumimasen and indicated the seat. Both of them were very thankful especially as 2 stops later I got off and the daughter got the seat next to her mother.

For our early dinner that night we went next door to a small Japanese udon restaurant called Shiko Shiko. I enjoyed it but Mrsdrron not so much as chopsticks were out due to her left arm being out of action.
I had the warm udon with mushrooms which I enjoyed. We also ordered prawn and vegetable tempura but far too much batter. Dashi marinated eggplant which was very good as well as deep fried sweet prawns which were not as expected.

 

[love_the_life]

Back on the BTS to Chit Lom. Earned some karma points at the next station. It’s holiday season so train not full so I had a seat and next to me was the courtesy seat for injured, old or monks but invariably these days by the healthy young.
An old Japanese woman and I presume her daughter were struggling to get on. Sadly pushed aside by a couple of teenagers. I immediately covered the spare seat with my left leg and called out sumimasen and indicated the seat. Both of them were very thankful especially as 2 stops later I got off and the daughter got the seat next to her mother.

For our early dinner that night we went next door to a small Japanese udon restaurant called Shiko Shiko. I enjoyed it but Mrsdrron not so much as chopsticks were out due to her left arm being out of action.
I had the warm udon with mushrooms which I enjoyed. We also ordered prawn and vegetable tempura but far too much batter. Dashi marinated eggplant which was very good as well as deep fried sweet prawns which were not as expected.
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Prawns look rather grey - assume they had shell intact which caused much amusement last time we ordered chilli prawns in Tokyo.

 

[drron]

They certainly didn’t look grey at the time and were in the shell. Actually didn’t worry me as I have become accustomed to eating prawns shells and all since going to Japanese restaurants. Have been known to be able to catch the prawn head thrown at you in Teppanyaki restaurants with chopsticks.

So back to the show. On New Year’s Eve I realised that you could see over the US Embassy compound.



For breakfast that morning a nice ham.


Unfortunately the fellow after me was the arrogant English man who took half of it back to his room. Because of his behaviour there is no longer any smoked salmon or bacon at breakfast.
So after my ham and roast pork I had a Thai omelette.