# Bangkok, oriental city!



## Benonie (Dec 21, 2005)

*April 2014.*

Some pictures I took during eight days in the brooding Thai capital and surroundings. 

Enjoy it! :cheers:

Airport Link at Suvarnabhumi Airport



The City Line entering Makkasan Station:


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## Benonie (Dec 21, 2005)

Our condo for the next week: The Adress Asoke:


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## paul62 (Jan 27, 2012)

kay:You get to see some very good places Benonie. I cannot fault you.


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## Benonie (Dec 21, 2005)

^^ Thanks Paul, we just love to travel so now and then.

And really, this was the view from our flat:


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## christos-greece (Feb 19, 2008)

Amazing, very nice photos from Bangkok :cheers:


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## Benonie (Dec 21, 2005)

Thank you Paul and Christos! :cheers2:


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## hkskyline (Sep 13, 2002)

Nice perspectives!


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## openlyJane (Feb 3, 2010)

Wow! New thread......

Bangkok looks full on and chaotic? You sure get around, don't you?

Are you a Man United fan by any chance....?


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## Benonie (Dec 21, 2005)

hkskyline said:


> Nice perspectives!


Thank you! 



openlyJane said:


> Bangkok looks full on and chaotic?


It is chaotic. But there's order in chaos, and once you analysed that, it's an easy city to explore. Even at 40°C! :cheers:



openlyJane said:


> Are you a Man United fan by any chance....?


Not at all. I'm not even a big football fan. But there seems to be lots of Man United-fans in Bangkok, and even Liverpool-fans, as we noticed on cars.


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## Benonie (Dec 21, 2005)

At Asok-Petchaburi Pier we take the express boat and sail across Khlong Saen Seap to the old city center:


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## Benonie (Dec 21, 2005)




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## marlonbasman (Apr 21, 2012)

you must have enjoyed your trip to this city....for its vibrant lives and the foods too.


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## Benonie (Dec 21, 2005)

We sure did! Love Thai food, simply the best oriental kitchen.


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## openlyJane (Feb 3, 2010)

How exciting! Traveling by water bus, taxi or ferry is such a great way to see a city - from an entirely different perspective....


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## Benonie (Dec 21, 2005)

^^ Indeed. In the hectic and traffic-congested Bangkok, water boats on canals and on the Chao Phraya River are an essential way to get around. It's a great addidtion to BTS-skytrain, the MRT-metro and City Line/Airport link, which doesn't have service in the historic city center. 
We've managed to rent a condo at the crossing of MRT, City Line and Khlong Saen Seap, which made travelling in the heat of this oriental metropolis a lot easier.


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## paul62 (Jan 27, 2012)

What a fantastic experience it must have been. Nice shots Benonie.


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## bansatorn (Sep 28, 2009)

Benonie said:


> At Asok-Petchaburi Pier we take the express boat and sail across Khlong Saen Seap to the old city center:


Taking boats in canal or Chaopraya river is good way to escape traffic jam on roads. In old day, canal and river are main transporations . It's pitty that many canals in BKK were filled and become road and some become sewer.


*Saen Sap Canal 50 years ago*
*credit: http://board.postjung.com/m/761202.html*


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## bansatorn (Sep 28, 2009)

Benonie. Please show more pics in BKK.


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## Benonie (Dec 21, 2005)

I will!


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## Benonie (Dec 21, 2005)

Old Bangkok:


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## Benonie (Dec 21, 2005)




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## Benonie (Dec 21, 2005)

openlyJane said:


> Beautiful!
> The place that really draws me though is Myanmar ( Burma).


It is beautiful indeed. Myanmar seems to be pretty too, with even more stunning tempels and palaces.


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## Benonie (Dec 21, 2005)




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## paul62 (Jan 27, 2012)

Awesome and colourful too.


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## openlyJane (Feb 3, 2010)

Stunning and gorgeous images. So colourful. What a wonderful, civilised culture!


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## Benonie (Dec 21, 2005)

Thanks! Next set:


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## openlyJane (Feb 3, 2010)

Gorgeous!


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## Benonie (Dec 21, 2005)

^^ It is!


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## paul62 (Jan 27, 2012)

Beautiful colours.


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## Benonie (Dec 21, 2005)

Thank you Paul! :cheers2:


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## Benonie (Dec 21, 2005)




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## openlyJane (Feb 3, 2010)

Such sublime beauty.....


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## Benonie (Dec 21, 2005)

I agree, Jane! Some more from the Grand Palace:


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## paul62 (Jan 27, 2012)

What an intriguing place!! Nice shots.


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## Benonie (Dec 21, 2005)

Thank you Paul. Imagine, it was midday in the hottest period of year, 37°C in the shadow, but almost no shadow... :lol: Still, we had a great time in this magical place.


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## bansatorn (Sep 28, 2009)

Benonie said:


> Thank you Paul. Imagine, it was midday in the hottest period of year, 37°C in the shadow, but almost no shadow... :lol: Still, we had a great time in this magical place.


IF the weather in BKK is cooler about 25 celcius or below , BKK will be more livable place.
Hot and humid plus car fume make some people dislike BKK.


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## Benonie (Dec 21, 2005)

bansatorn said:


> IF the weather in BKK is cooler about 25 celcius or below , BKK will be more livable place.
> Hot and humid plus car fume make some people dislike BKK.


Bankok has got a bad reputation concerning air pollution. But allthough it was hot and humid, it doesn't seemed worse than in most European, African and American cities. I should know, I usually suffer from poor air and extreme heat.


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## Benonie (Dec 21, 2005)




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## Benonie (Dec 21, 2005)




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## openlyJane (Feb 3, 2010)

Those temples are simply stunning. Wow!


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## Benonie (Dec 21, 2005)

openlyJane said:


> Those temples are simply stunning. Wow!


^^ They sure are. 

We take a tuk tuk to another amazing jewel: the temple of Wat Traimit, in Bangkok's Chinatown. Here we admire the worlds largest solid gold statue, the Golden Buddha (_Phra Phuttha Maha Suwan Patimakon_) made of 5,5 ton pure gold!


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## bansatorn (Sep 28, 2009)

Benonie said:


> ^^ They sure are.
> 
> We take a tuk tuk to another amazing jewel: the temple of Wat Traimit, in Bangkok's Chinatown. Here we admire the worlds largest solid gold statue, the Golden Buddha (_Phra Phuttha Maha Suwan Patimakon_) made of 5,5 ton pure gold!


Did you visit the museum of Golden buddha and China town in second and third floor of this building? It's very good and informative museum.

*In old days , nobody know that this buddha is gold *because it was covered in plaster and lacquer, most likely in an attempt to hide the valuable icon from thieves or looters.

*Until 1955* when the image was being hoisted into its new home, the ropes broke, dropping the statue.* Some of the plaster was chipped off, revealing the gold underneath.*

http://topicstock.pantip.com/blueplanet/topicstock/2010/05/E9214665/E9214665.html


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## MyGeorge (Mar 4, 2012)

beautiful! the city is built massively and yes, full of vibrancy too.


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## christos-greece (Feb 19, 2008)

Great, very nice updates from Bangkok


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## Benonie (Dec 21, 2005)

^^ Thank you!


bansatorn said:


> Did you visit the museum of Golden buddha and China town in second and third floor of this building? It's very good and informative museum.


No we didn't. It was quite late and I think the museum was closed or we didn't had time. Anyway, it's a fascinating story.


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## bansatorn (Sep 28, 2009)

Benonie said:


> ^^ Thank you!
> 
> No we didn't. It was quite late and I think the museum was closed or we didn't had time. Anyway, it's a fascinating story.




This old town ,Chinatown Yaowarat will be slightly change in future when blue line mrt (subway)( which pass this area ) will be finished in next 4 years.

After mrt blue line completion. It's very easy for tourist to travel from Down town like Siam Square or Silom to old town like Wat Pho, Grand palace, Flower market or Chinatown.

*The construction of Wat Mangorn (China town) station *

http://www.mrta-blueline.com/progresses/report/52a53663d0fc7a6f8c000001










*The construction of Sanamchai station (which locate at Flawer market and Wat Pho)*


http://www.mrta-blueline.com/progresses/report/525bb7b1d0fc7a3d2600001e


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## Benonie (Dec 21, 2005)

Thanks for the information! I didn't know the blue MRT line will pass there in the near future. Will be a big improvement for the accessibility of the old town. kay:


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## Benonie (Dec 21, 2005)




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## Benonie (Dec 21, 2005)

Si Lom, with interchange between MRT metro and BTS skytrain.


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## paul62 (Jan 27, 2012)

Fantastic tour Benonie.


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## Benonie (Dec 21, 2005)

Thank you Paul!


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## christos-greece (Feb 19, 2008)

^^ Great, very nice updates :cheers:


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## Benonie (Dec 21, 2005)

Thank you again Christos! :cheers1:


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## Benonie (Dec 21, 2005)




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## openlyJane (Feb 3, 2010)

Very atmospheric!


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## Benonie (Dec 21, 2005)

Boats are an essential part of Bangkok's public transport. Not only on the canals, but of course also the ferries along and across mighty Chao Phraya river are a fast way to avoid traffic congestions. We take an orange flag Chao Phraya Express Boat at Sathorn and a ferry to Wat Arun.


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## paul62 (Jan 27, 2012)

Very nice boat photos. Good updates. Like this one


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## Benonie (Dec 21, 2005)

Thanks!









Approaching Wat Arun:


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## Benonie (Dec 21, 2005)

Wat Arun:


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## paul62 (Jan 27, 2012)

I like the boat pictures. Fantastic updates Benonie.


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## Benonie (Dec 21, 2005)

Sicily is on our list too, in Istanbul we will be in April and Chicago and Boston are on top of our wish list, but exchange rates are not very good for us this moment.


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## Benonie (Dec 21, 2005)




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## paul62 (Jan 27, 2012)

Bangkok looks enormous. I think I would enjoy getting lost there.


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## madonnagirl (Aug 7, 2011)

lovely place...it has an exotic culture.


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## Benonie (Dec 21, 2005)

Thank you. It's a huge, hot, colorful, exotic, but above all a friendly metropolis. We loved it!


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## Benonie (Dec 21, 2005)

Baiyoke Tower II


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## Benonie (Dec 21, 2005)

Songkran, Thai New Year and the world biggest water fight!


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## paul62 (Jan 27, 2012)

^^You just can`t beat having fun. 
Did you get to join in yourself?:lol: Good shots again Ben.:cheers:


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## Benonie (Dec 21, 2005)

paul62 said:


> ^^You just can`t beat having fun.
> Did you get to join in yourself?:lol: Good shots again Ben.:cheers:


We didn't have a watergun, but were sprayed frequently. Of course we had to take care for our electronic devices like camera and cell phones and our passports. But it was fun, people were happy and enjoying themselves and a refreshing shower was welcome given the hot waether. :cheers:

Anyway, it's a pure local affaire, expats flee the cities in that period and it's rather dangerous on the roads, because of drunken drivers.


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## El_Greco (Apr 1, 2005)

I transited through Bangkok airport on my way to/from Taipei, so only saw the city from above. However on my short little walks in the airport I noticed that 80% of Western tourists seem to consist of hipsters/hippies. Is that the case on the streets too?

Cool shots as always, man!


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## karlvan (Jan 31, 2011)

nice...this is one big city to explore.


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## Benonie (Dec 21, 2005)

El_Greco said:


> I transited through Bangkok airport on my way to/from Taipei, so only saw the city from above. However on my short little walks in the airport I noticed that 80% of Western tourists seem to consist of hipsters/hippies. Is that the case on the streets too?


Not really. Of course there's a backpackers district in the city center, where hipsters meet. But Bangkok is a main hub and the main gateway to southeast Asia. Young people travel by plane, train or bus to southern Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, Myanmar and Cambodia.


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## Benonie (Dec 21, 2005)




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## Benonie (Dec 21, 2005)




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## Benonie (Dec 21, 2005)




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## Benonie (Dec 21, 2005)

Ancient Siam or Mueang Boran, the world's largest outdoor museum. 
If you want to see Thailand in one day... on a bike!


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## openlyJane (Feb 3, 2010)

Lovely!


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## danmartin1985 (Mar 5, 2012)

fantastic!...looks like lots of fun.


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## christos-greece (Feb 19, 2008)

Great, very nice updates from Bangkok :cheers:


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## Benonie (Dec 21, 2005)




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## capricorn2000 (Nov 30, 2006)

wow! this is one big city - full of life, energy and activities.
so what are the things you're loving and gonna miss about Bangkok?


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## ajgallion (Apr 19, 2015)

Beautiful and futuristic.


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## Benonie (Dec 21, 2005)

capricorn2000 said:


> wow! this is one big city - full of life, energy and activities.
> so what are the things you're loving and gonna miss about Bangkok?


The temperature, the open air swimming pool on the 42th floor of our condominium, the excellent food, the friendly people, the buddhist temples and the fast waterbuses.


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## Benonie (Dec 21, 2005)




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## christos-greece (Feb 19, 2008)

Amazing, very nice updates from Bangkok :cheers:


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## Benonie (Dec 21, 2005)

Thanks mate!


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## Benonie (Dec 21, 2005)




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## christos-greece (Feb 19, 2008)

Benonie said:


> Thanks mate!


Welcome and thanks for the above updates; very nice as well :cheers:


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## Limak11 (Apr 14, 2014)

Very nice pics, thanks :cheers:


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## Benonie (Dec 21, 2005)

Thank you Christos and Limak! 

Maybe you could be interested in my old Warszaw/Poland thread.


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## paul62 (Jan 27, 2012)

^^From what I see, you DO capture people and scenes perfectly Benonie.
Great shots mate.


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## Benonie (Dec 21, 2005)

paul62 said:


> From what I see, you DO capture people and scenes perfectly Benonie.


These are just touristic shots anyone with a camera could take. Not real life street scenes like yours. 

Anyway, almost finished this thread.


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## paul62 (Jan 27, 2012)

Great shots, and it`s been a very good thread Benonie.


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## Benonie (Dec 21, 2005)

Thank you Paul! More refreshing water.


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## Benonie (Dec 21, 2005)




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## paul62 (Jan 27, 2012)

Love those dragons.


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## christos-greece (Feb 19, 2008)

Amazing, very nice updates as always :cheers:


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## Benonie (Dec 21, 2005)

^^ Thanks mate! 


paul62 said:


> Love those dragons.


My favourite pets!


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## Limak11 (Apr 14, 2014)

Great updates :cheers:


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## Benonie (Dec 21, 2005)

Thank you Limak!


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## Benonie (Dec 21, 2005)

We take the fast Airport Link back to Suvarnabhumi Airport:











So that's it for hot, exotic metropolis Bangkok, Thailand.

Thank's to all for watching, liking and commenting. :cheers1:


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## paul62 (Jan 27, 2012)

Very enjoyable Benonie.


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## falp6 (Jun 26, 2013)

Exotic Bangkok 

The cities of Asia's South East captivate me.


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## openlyJane (Feb 3, 2010)

A full on metropolis....great pictures.


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## seldomseen (Aug 10, 2010)

Bangkok = The most amazing city on earth! :banana2:


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## skylark (Jan 27, 2010)

beautiful....looks like a grand vacation.


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## Mksmart (Jul 6, 2015)

tuyệt vời. nhìn để biết họ phát triển ở đâu


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## christos-greece (Feb 19, 2008)

Amazing, very nice updates as always Ben


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## Benonie (Dec 21, 2005)

Thanks again friends. Leaving this thread to eternity now. :wave:

Feel free to visit my new Wonderful Istanbul-thread.


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## karlvan (Jan 31, 2011)

very nice photo collection and Bangkok is such a big and modern.....quite interesting.


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## Benonie (Dec 21, 2005)

^^ It's a huge metropolis indeed. Where modern life meets tradition. Without clash!


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