Bangkok Street Life

Meet the local residents and hear about their daily life

Sad times at the flower market Bangkok Street Life - Sad times at the flower market Bangkok’s beautiful and vibrant flower market, Pak Khlong Talat, is sadly undergoing some changes that will affect the atmosphere of this area forever. Street vendors in Bangkok, including those around the flower market, have slowly taken over many of the city’s main roads. The sheer number of street vendors has obstructed footpaths forcing pedestrians to... Read More Mr Tum the motorbike taxi driver Bangkok Street Life – Mr Tum the motorbike taxi driver Motorbike taxi drivers have built their reputation on getting customers to their desired destination in super quick time. As such, motorbike taxis are a popular mode of public transport in Thailand, especially for locals who are travelling solo for a short distance. In Bangkok motorbike taxis are mostly used for short journeys up and down... Read More Vendors making Kanom Krok Bangkok Street Life - vendors making Kanom Krok Kanom Krok, coconut pancakes, are a very popular traditional Thai street food snack; in fact, it is one of the ancient Thai desserts that are sold by street food vendors throughout Bangkok and Thailand. “On our Bangkok bicycle tours that pass through Pak Khlong Talat, the biggest fresh flower and vegetable market in Bangkok, we... Read More Khun Prawit the street performer Bangkok Street Life - Khun Prawit the street performer If you have been to Bangkok you will know that the street life can be intoxicating. Where ever you go, and at whatever time, there is so much going on that you could easily drift through the hours just observing and soaking up the atmosphere. Occasionally, you will stumble upon someone who just happens... Read More Street food vendor selling fruit in Bangkok Bangkok Street Life – it's just a matter of choice Wake up at the crack of dawn, visit the local fresh market to restock the supplies, collect the pushcart from where ever it was parked overnight, drag the cart through the awakening streets of Bangkok to the allocated rented patch on the pavement or just to a preferred area of the city. This is... Read More Temple caretaker in Bangkok shrine Bangkok Street Life – Khun George the Chinese Shrine caretaker and the Vegetarian Festival It’s the time of year again, the ninth Chinese lunar month, where Thailand celebrates Tesagan Gin Je the vegetarian festival. In certain areas of the city, especially Chinatown, Bangkok street life during this festival evolves into a spectacular event that should not be missed by any visitor or local resident. “Sawadee Krap, my name is... Read More Local shop keeper in Bangkok Bangkok Street Life – Khun Abdulormarn the local shopkeeper Cycling through the streets of this great city we, and our guests, are very fortunate to experience the daily Bangkok street life up close and we take every opportunity possible to share these experiences with you.  “On our Siam Boran and Siam Chiva Bangkok bicycle tours we always cycle through the small but interesting Haroon Muslim... Read More Mobile shop vendor in Bangkok Bangkok Street Life – Khun Jamnien the mobile shop vendor Getting to know someone takes time, especially in a big city, but bumping into the same person everyday whilst guiding visitors through the maze of the Bangkok streets then it’s inevitable that we eventually become friends and look forward to greeting each other. “I’m Peter, a tour guide at Follow Me Bangkok Bicycle Tours, we... Read More Isan street food vendor in Bangkok Bangkok Street Life – Khun Samran the Isan food stall vendor Bangkok, the outdoor dining capital of Asia. “Hello this is Ar again from Follow Me Bangkok Bicycle Tours. Today we have Matthew behind the video camera so hopefully the video quality will be much better, Ha Ha Ha I really hope so. We thought it would be interesting for you to learn something about the... Read More Local recycling man in Bangkok Bangkok Street Life – Khun Sompong the local recycling man One man’s trash is another man’s treasure! What ever you may believe the members of the urban work force that endlessly search through our rubbish, sorting and collecting any materials that can be recycled, are the backbone of the recycling drive in Bangkok which can only be a good thing for this country, and ultimately... Read More Flower garland vendor in Bangkok Bangkok Street Life – Khun Faad the flower garland vendor On our daily tours through Bangkok we come across some amazing things. Each day we discover something new, it’s almost as if the city is slowly and deliberately exposing itself to us! The urban fabric would not be what it is without the street life, something that we sometimes take for granted, but it’s... Read More

Discovering Bangkok

Follow our amazing journey through the streets of Bangkok

View look up to the Golden Mount in Bangkok Discovering Bangkok – Golden Mount (Wat Saket) The Golden Mount is one of Bangkok’s famous landmarks located in the Wat Saket temple complex. Wat Saket is often referred to as the Temple of the Golden Mount. It is one of Bangkok’s oldest temples surrounded by a quiet neighbourhood in the historic old town of Bangkok. View on Map History of the Golden Mount The... Read More Standing outside Wat Hua Lamphong in Bangkok Discovering Bangkok – Wat Hua Lamphong Wat Hua Lamphong is an authentic working Buddhist temple where many aspects of Thai culture and Buddhists beliefs can be observed on a daily basis. Most Thai Buddhists believe in karma, if you do something good in this life then you will accumulate good karma for a better next life. Wat Hua Lamphong attracts many... Read More Inside the Kudeejeen Bakery in Bangkok Discovering Bangkok – Kudeejeen Bakery The Kudeejeen bakery, Thanusingha Bakery House, was the first bakery to be established in Thailand. For over 200 years this bakery has been making traditional Portuguese snacks. View on Map This award-winning bakery is located in the Kudeejeen community, a small and relatively unexplored local neighbourhood in Thonburi, on the west side of the Chao Phraya... Read More View across the lake in Lumpini Park in Bangkok Discovering Bangkok - Lumpini Park Lumpini Park is often referred to as the outdoor playground of Bangkok. Attracting people of all ages it is a fascinating place to observe Bangkok residents, and visitors, as they enjoy the tranquility of this peaceful oasis in the heart of the city. Brief History The area that Lumpini Park now occupies was once known as... Read More Erawan Shrine Bangkok Discovering Bangkok – Erawan Shrine Shrines in Bangkok have been erected for a variety of deities such as Brahma, Ganesha, and Kuan Yin. The Erawan Shrine is dedicated to Lord Brahma, the Hindu god of creation. The Erawan Shrine is also known as the Tao Mahaprom Shrine, which means ‘Shrine of Lord Brahma the Great’. Without a doubt, it is... Read More Chinatown in Bangkok Discovering Bangkok – Daily life in Chinatown Bangkok’s Chinatown is reported to be one of the largest Chinese communities outside of Mainland China. On any day of the week, just wandering through the bustling, vibrant, aromatic and colourful streets of Chinatown is an amazing experience. “This afternoon we are on Yaowarat Road that runs through the heart of Bangkok’s Chinatown. Daily life... Read More The old customs house in Bangkok Discovering Bangkok – The influence of the early traders The early traders from the east and west that settled in Bangkok have had an enormous influence on the city. With the threat of being colonized King Rama IV, in the mid 19th Century, was effectively forced to sign the Bowring Treaty that eventually lead to foreigners being allowed to trade freely in Bangkok.... Read More Kindergarden school in Bangkok community Discovering Bangkok – Supporting the local community Did you know that an estimated 20% of the population of Bangkok live in slums! As we have mentioned before, many poorly paid farmers from the rural areas in the northern and central provinces of Thailand move to Bangkok in search of better employment. With the shortage of affordable community public housing, many of... Read More Talking to a local shop keeper in Bangkok Discovering Bangkok – Flavours of past generations Bangkok has often been described as the food heaven of the world, and if you have spent time here you will understand why. If you have ever unknowingly stumbled upon one of its numerous restaurants or street food vendors that have been passed down through several generations, then you would have been very fortunate... Read More Catching the ferry on the river in Bangkok Discovering Bangkok – Avoiding the traffic jams What is your fondest memory of Bangkok? Is it the captivating Thai smile, the fantastic street food, the exotic scents or the bustling street life? Whatever it may be, there is no doubt that one of your unforgettable memories of Bangkok would be the dreadful traffic, however, there are many ways of avoiding the... Read More Traditional Thai house and modern city in the background Discovering Bangkok – Preserve the past & embrace the future What is the future of Bangkok? That is an interesting question for discussion because like most capital cities around the world, Bangkok’s population is rapidly growing and drastic changes are required just to keep up with the demand. With the poor urban planning and limited regulations of the past, the inadequate infrastructure that is... Read More Street vendors preparing lunch Discovering Bangkok – Preparing for the feeding frenzy! As lunchtime approaches Bangkok’s shopping malls, food courts and streets suddenly become choked with the mass of hungry workers searching for a quick meal. Resembling a chaotic feeding frenzy appetites are easily satisfied by the overwhelming abundance of food that is on offer. It goes without saying that food is probably one of the... Read More View of the Chinese cemetery in Bangkok Discovering Bangkok - Where the dead rest and the living live When we think of a cemetery most of us would conjure up images of a quiet and solemn place, a resting place for the deceased. This is probably true for most cemeteries that we have personally experienced around the world, but then this is Bangkok so you can always expect something different! Discovering Bangkok... Read More Picture of Thailand flag Discovering Bangkok - The colours of Thailand From the orange robes of Buddhist monks to the brightly coloured market stalls colour has been an important part of Thai culture for centuries. Discovering Bangkok through colour may not be that obvious, for both visitors and sadly the younger Thai generation, but luckily on a Follow Me Bangkok Bicycle Tour we come across... Read More People in the local streets of Bangkok Discovering Bangkok - local life in the heart of the city Bangkok is a city of contrasts; on every street and every corner there are a multitude of hidden stories and amazing facts waiting to be revealed. On a Follow Me bangkok Bicycle Tour discovering Bangkok is so much fun. “Sawadee Krap, my name is Ar, I am a tour guide at Follow Me Bangkok Bicycle... Read More

Taste of Thailand

Experience the unique flavours of Thailand

Making palm sugar in Thailand Taste of Thailand – The natural sweetness of palm sugar Palm sugar is a healthy natural sweetener that has been used for thousands of years in South-East Asia. In Thailand palm sugar is an important ingredient that is used daily in many Thai dishes. Palm sugar is still made in the traditional way by collecting the sweet sap from the cut flower buds of coconut... Read More Restaurant in Silom Road Bangkok Taste of Thailand – Searching for the Khao Moo Daeng secret Khao Moo Daeng is a classic Thai dish that is very popular throughout Thailand. Many of the local eateries that serve this dish have their own very unique recipes, a combination of the ingredients and method of preparation, which they tend to keep as a closely guarded secret. Located on Silom Road this 52-year-old restaurant,... Read More Making Somtum in Bangkok Taste of Thailand – The spicy flavours of Isan food The north-eastern area of Thailand is known as Isan, it is the largest region in Thailand and is famous for some of the most unforgettable and spiciest salads that can be found in this country. Isan food is typically very spicy and heavily seasoned with various fresh herbs; although the flavours are enticingly complex,... Read More Making Thai food Taste of Thailand – Experience the diversity of flavours We are often asked: “Name one Thai dish that we absolutely must try to give us a taste of Thailand?” This is almost an impossible question to answer not only due to the huge variety on offer but also because most individual dishes can be tailored to meet the individual’s specific taste. Regardless of the impossibility, we... Read More

Thai Culture

Discover how Thai customs and beliefs influence daily life

Thai Culture – Buddha Images There are Buddha images that depict significant moments in the life of Lord Buddha. These are known as the Buddha images for the seven days of the week. Read More Thai Culture – Spirit Houses Spirit houses can be found outside almost every home and place of work in Thailand. Normally the spirit house is a replica of a small house or temple. The spirit house plays an important role in Thai life where folk law and beliefs about ancestors, spirits, and ghosts have a strong influence on daily... Read More Caged bird waiting to be set free Thai Culture – Believe in karma and set the bird free After releasing the small bird it flew swiftly up from its small hand made bamboo cage, straight into the blades of the full blast fan above me causing an instant explosion of blood and guts that rained down on me. There’s a belief, shared by many Thai Buddhists, that if you pay for a... Read More thai-culture-fortune-tellers Thai Culture – Fortune tellers, should we believe them? Approaching the temple grounds, I had to navigate my way through the street food vendors and the array of fortune tellers who’d set up their tables outside using a number of divination techniques to inform the superstitious, and gullible, of their fate. Once inside, for some bizarre reason, I decided to buy a coffin.  It was... Read More thai-culture-buddhist-alms-giving Thai Culture - Buddhist alms giving The sun had begun to make its ascent, lending the sky a temporary rose hue and illuminating the numerous shop houses and street vendors getting ready for the day’s business. Small groups of saffron-robed monks walked slowly past, others just stood motionless with their alms bowls raised, awaiting alms giving of food donations from the... Read More