Turmoil in Bangkok and a day in Ayuthaya

If you’ve been watching the news… you may know that things have been a bit hectic in Bangkok.

During the passed few years, Thailand’s political pot has been getting stirred quite a bit. Each time it happened, the international media had a special way of blowing things way out of proportion (as they often do). Assuming this was still the case, I went through with my prearranged travel plans and decided to go to Bangkok. I was in no way trying to jump into the political fray, but it just so happened that the day that I left, Thailand declared martial law. I guess this time they meant business…

Upon arrival, I headed for the airport’s SkyTrain to bring me into the downtown area- just like I always do. (If you’ve ever ridden Bangkok’s SkyTrain, you know that it’s just about the cleanest, quietest, most peaceful monorail route in the world). However, I knew things were quite serious when the SkyTrain showed up at Suvuarnabhumi Airport, and after the passengers disembarked, scores of armed military guards exited every door of every car and inspected the perimeter. On top of the armed guard’s inspection, I could also sense the city’s turmoil because my 9:45 PM inbound train was the final one; there was a 10 PM curfew! Yikes!

Finally getting into the ghost town that was central Bangkok, I checked into my hotel and immediately flipped on the news. I heard all about the martial law, learned about the curfews that were now instated, crossed conflicting bits about a massive protest that would take place Saturday… Bangkok seemed to be changing before my eyes.

The next day I sort of tip-toed around the city, trying my best to stay away from the tumultuous areas, the protest quarters and any electric spots I saw on the news. There was only one thing that absolutely had to be accomplished that day (besides avoiding the political madness): getting a tailor-made suit for my upcoming wedding. Luckily, I didn't bump in to any trouble accessing my favorite, local tailor shop...

Though there was an extremely strong military presence all throughout the city, it was still quite evident that the majority of the population was just trying to go about their daily lives as normal. With curfews, restrictions and pockets of protests scattered all around the city, I decided now was the best time to get out and cross off another destination on my travel list… Ayutthaya.

Ayutthaya: The Ancient Kingdom of Siam

Ayutthaya

After researching online as to what the best means of reaching Ayutthaya was (special thanks to the outrageously informative forums on TripAdvisor), I decided to take the Mini Bus. The train was apparently the easiest and most reliable means… but it took three times as long. The public bus was located on the opposite side of town in the middle of nowhere… and wasn’t exactly the fastest means either. The Mini Bus took some finding (down a random alley near the Victory Monument area), but it was ultimately the easiest and fastest mode of transport.

After flexing my basic guidebook Thai language skills and boarding an A/C bus with no signs depicting our destination (remember, it’s all a part of the experience), I reached the central historic area of Ayutthaya. An hour-long ride, no problems & smooth sailing… I couldn’t have asked for a better journey!

Ancient Kingdoms and Pimped-out Rickshaws

After the 90 km journey into historic Ayutthaya, I was surprised to see what was awaiting me. Thailand is famous for their tuk tuks, but the ones in Ayutthaya were out of this world! The best way I can explain these funky machines? Pimped out. They were all painted wild colors, rocking chrome wheels, giant sound systems… they were unlike any other tuk tuk I had ever seen in Thailand. I approached the hipster machines, sought out a driver who spoke some English, and hired myself a tour guide for the day. You can see my very hip ride below:

A quite unusual tuk-tuk; note the outrageous speaker system!!

As he drove me out into the bones of Ayutthaya, he explained the scene surrounding us.

Known as the kingdom of Siam, Ayutthaya was established in the 14^th century and expanded (by the 18^th century) to be one of the biggest cities in the world. While Europe was creeping through its Dark Ages, Ayutthaya was booming as one of the world’s great trading hubs. Any significant explorer or merchant during this time in history was at some point headed for this global capital. With a population reaching one million, the sprawling kingdom must have been an absolutely amazing sight to see. So what happened to it?? The Burmese Army.

Around 1767, the Burmese Army moved into the capital and burned the entire area to the ground. The only structures that remained were intricately carved stone stupas and stone Buddha statues… that were all beheaded. Even though these Buddha statues sat silently, symbolizing peace (many of them are literally signing “peace” with the Buddhist mudra positions), they were still beheaded and defaced for conflicts that have long since been forgotten. A striking reminder of the futility of war.

A Hauntingly Strange Sight to See

I walked around the amazing Ayutthaya grounds with the optional “headset” (which I would definitely recommend for only $1-2 USD), and listened/learned about the amazing history and culture that once thrived here. Despite being reduced to stone stupa skeletons, I could almost imagine (as I walked around) the opulence and booming civilization that once inhabited this place. Though it’s a shame what became of Ayutthaya, the beauty that came out of it is now known as Bangkok!

Instead of rebuilding on top of the existing rubble, the kingdom was moved 90 kilometers away, which is where modern day Bangkok now stands. Like the mythological phoenix, Bangkok emerged from the smoldering ashes of Ayutthaya, and became the grand city that we know today… though I guess I was catching it at sort of a bad time. Even though Bangkok and Thailand are undergoing a bit of a political face lift (or whatever you want to call it), it’s still one of the world’s greatest destinations.

By the time I left the city on Saturday, the locals (and probably the military, too) were getting tired of the curfew. Restrictions were a bit more lax, places were staying open later and things were returning (somewhat) back to normal. I flew out of the injured city after a fantastic day trip and a few days around the front lines… though I never really felt unsafe at any point. Hopefully things look up in the near future for the “Land of Smiles” and everyone is allowed to go back to their regularly peaceful existence!

Living History: There are no restrictions in Ayutthaya for visitors exploring the grounds... some of the stairs and temple complexes were ridiculously narrow!

A beautiful reclining Buddha in Ayutthaya. Local Buddhists have woven this golden silk robe to cover the entire Buddha... it was nearly 30 yards long from head to foot!!

A Photo of the Grounds

One of Ayutthaya's many amazing Buddha images