I decided to take a walk down Yaowarat this weekend. I was thinking that since Chinese New Year is around the corner, I should brave the heat and haze to feel the beats of the festivity. Though the Yaowarat does have some resemblance to the Chinatown back home in Singapore, I feel that the sight and sound of Chinatown Bangkok is more authentic than those in Singapore. I see area Chinese community thriving in this corner of a big city. Yaowarat has formed a unique feature in the heart of a city that is fast losing its flavour and smell.
Sometimes, the mess and the disorder add much flair to the place and diffuse a strong fragrant of human spirit and the will to survive in a kingdom that is predominantly Thai. Perhaps, as a foreigner in this land, that is the reason why coming to Yaowarat always allow me to connect with my root and my culture as an ethnic Chinese.
I guess this will be more so during a season of reunion and family celebration like the New Year. I am looking forward to head back to Singapore to usher in the Year of the golden boar together with my family!
阿福
Anthropology 