Public Transit-induced Euphoria

Bangkok's traffic is legendary. The stuff dreams are made of. Or nightmares. Los Angeles has nothing on the statuary condition of Bangkok during rush hour (which seems to extend from about 7AM to 10AM, lunchtime, and 3:30PM to 9PM during the week, and not much lighter at any other hours). This lockdown of motorized vehicles would be a bit more bearable if it weren't for the lack of air quality regulations. Buses, tuk tuks (crazy three wheeled mini-taxis) , motorbikes and taxies often spue out black smoke that would have made Pompei jeolous. Thus, if you are comfortably inside an air con taxi it isn't too bad, but may Buddha help you if you have to walk along the sidewalk of a busy street. Each breath pulls in a cocktail of carcinogens that only a poorly maintained vehicle can offer. Put this together with the hot, sticky conditions that come with the territory of taking walks during the day, and you can feel your skin get grimy with the flatulence of petrolium-fueled vehicles. Because the traffic is ever-present and Bangkok is a maze of one way streets, drivers try to take as many short cuts as possible, avoiding traffic lights and laws. Safety is looked upon as a luxury that time cannot afford. Awesome.

But there is hope, and it comes in several forms. Public transport has given the pedestrian hope for a brighter, faster moving future. The Chao Phrya river is filled with boats and ferries that are fast and less invasive to the environment, but nothing new. The real answer comes in two equaly fantastic forms. The first and most widely used is the Skytrain (BTS). With two lines and stops along all the major points of interest, this elevated train is new, clean, fast, and cheap. Who could ask for more? Oh, and it offers views of the city and has excellent air con, so there. The second ideal tool for escaping the heat and the taxi meter is also a train. To board this one you go down, not up. The Underground (MRT) is newer and even faster than the Skytrain. This ingenius piece of engineering is probably among the nicest subways in the world. The subway's single line covers the main business district and also offers easy connection to the further-spanning Skytrain. So cheap, so fast, and so much better than sitting in a parked taxi.
~Bear