“Sniper Dog” Photograph

Looks like the recoil from this sniper dog’s rifle has sent it flying backwards.

I’m not sure why some of these street dogs end up wearing clothes. They are perhaps “semi-pets” but free to roam as they wish and spend their lives outside but even the coolest nights in the middle of the cool season should not really be a problem for a street dog in Bangkok.

Some perhaps acquire shirts as a way to stop them scratching at fleas or mange but it’s hard to believe this would ease either the torment or the condition.

Or maybe it’s just a fashion statement.

Photograph taken at Zeer, Rangsit, Bangkok, Thailand

“Lovely Shoes” Photograph

And who is going to argue with her?

Photograph taken at Zeer, Rangsit, Bangkok, Thailand

“Year of the Snake” Photograph

A young Thai boy slithering into the Chinese Year of the Snake. His rubber cobra actually had quite a realistic wriggle as he carried it along.

Happy New Year (a few days late).

Photograph taken at Zeer, Rangsit, Bangkok, Thailand

“Taxpayer” Photograph

Perhaps the Tax Office give her a rebate for the free campaign advertising. But then why would be in English here in Thailand?

More likely, the design and cost of the shirt were far more important then the content.

Photograph taken at Zeer, Rangsit, Bangkok, Thailand

“Walldog” Photograph

To me it almost looks like the dog in this photograph was somehow stuck to a wall and is now getting nervous about slipping down.

I had never seen a dog in this spread-legged position before I came to Thailand but it seems to be the fashion amongst the country’s street dogs, perhaps as a cooling aid.

Photograph taken at Zeer, Rangsit, Bangkok, Thailand

“Large Doll” Photograph

Walking around Thai markets where stallholders often have to bring their children along, I regularly see young kids latched onto mannequins like this. At first sight it looks a bit like the mannequin is acting as a surrogate mother but it’s probably truer to say that it’s just an enormous doll to play with.

Photograph taken at Zeer, Rangsit, Bangkok, Thailand

“Dog Carriers” Photograph

In his book “The Truth about Dogs”, Stephen Budiansky begins by pointing out just how parasitic dogs are: they have effectively conned us into providing their every need for them and, on the whole, really do not provide very much in return. And they have been extremely successful with this strategy.

The signs are that they are now stepping things up to a new level and have started forcing us to make cute little bags for them so that we can carry them everywhere and feed them little tidbits along the way.

Beware, dogs are more organised than you think. They have a plan and it must be stopped before it’s too late. Don’t allow yourself to become a dog carrier.

Photograph taken on Saturday Walking Street, Chiang Mai, Thailand

“Reader” Photograph

It’s revealing to me how the fortune teller here does not seem to be reading the cards on the table but the woman herself. Of course, it could just be that as I took the photograph he happened to glance up at her for a brief moment but I suspect that the real trick is to keep her focussed on the interesting-looking cards so that he can carefully study her demeanor and reactions to guide the telling of her fortune.

I don’t think he’s a policeman even though the pouch on his belt claims so.

Photograph taken near Siam Center, Bangkok, Thailand

“Bangkok Men” Photograph

Two men idly waiting at a bus stop and sharing the shade from his hat.

The “Bangkok Futsal Arena” mentioned on his shirt was a large, expensive indoor stadium built on the outskirts of the city last year for the FIFA Futsal World Cup tournament which took place in Thailand. Unfortunately, it was not ready in time so this shirt has probably had more use than the arena.

Photograph taken at Victory Monument, Bangkok, Thailand

“Hands in Black” Photograph

I like this as a compositionally strange photograph that, for me at least, somehow still works.

The hands are the only clear subject so your eye goes straight to them even though they are tucked away in the bottom corner. Then there must be a body attached so you look upwards and perhaps make out an arm and realise that the light patch at the top is actually the side of her head which then directs you down to the left where she is looking but there isn’t enough detail to see what she is looking at so it’s back to the hands. These three points form a triangle for the eye to wander around.

There is infact no story to tell here as she is just looking at a trolley of goods being slowly pulled along while she waits behind.

Photograph taken near Siam Center, Bangkok, Thailand

“What’s in the Bag?” Photograph

Some might believe his bag is full of goods to sell on a market stall, perhaps shirts or maybe large, torso-covering underpants like the ones he is modelling, but I know it’s actually the last person to call him a sissy for wearing an orange plastic belt.

Photograph taken near Siam Center, Bangkok, Thailand

“Zoom” Photograph

Looks like this guy has run out of zoom.

The two bags are full of clothes to sell and he’s waiting for his other half to arrive to set up their market stall. His waist-line suggests they do quite well from trading.

Photograph taken near Siam Center, Bangkok, Thailand

“Non-infectious Laughter” Photograph

The laughter looks a little forced anyway so no surprise this woman hasn’t joined in.

She looked like she was waiting for somebody and when I walked passed again twenty minutes later she was still waiting in the same place and still not laughing.

Photograph taken near Victory Monument, Bangkok, Thailand

“Coffee Spillage” Photograph

There has been a little unseasonal rain in Bangkok recently but the chances are that the residue left from this spillage after the heat has evaporated the water away will sit there slowly getting mixed by feet and wheels and paws with all the other residues of various types until the real rain arrives in two or three months. Looks like there is already a good accumulation and it makes me grateful for the Thai tradition of removing one’s shoes before entering a home.

The fact that the cup was also left there suggests that in this case it may have been the whole cupful spilled.

Photograph taken near Victory Monument, Bangkok, Thailand

“Begging For Sales” Photograph

Crouched down on the ground at the bottom of these steps this old woman has the demeanor of a beggar but is actually trying to sell something (I didn’t notice what). Unfortunately, nobody is interested in buying so she has adopted even more of a begging posture but still doesn’t seem to be getting any sympathy sales.

Not sure why she has removed her shoes, though (they are tucked underneath her).

Photograph taken near Victory Monument, Bangkok, Thailand

“Connection” Photograph

Buddhist monks always seem so incongruous in commercial settings but they can be connected as shop owners do sometimes request a few monks to come and bless their shop particularly when it first opens. This is all part of the service they provide to the local community, which is still quite strong, even in Bangkok.

The other connection between the shop and the monk in this photograph is the happy coincidence of colour.

Photograph taken near Victory Monument, Bangkok, Thailand

“Bangkok Waterfest” Photograph

Munich has its Oktoberfest with traditionally-dressed waitresses carrying up to eight one-litre beer steins at a time. This is a Bangkok version involving iced water in metal mugs but with the added bonus of a yellow straw in each!

I suspect that the buxom Oktoberfest waitresses earn better tips than this guy.

Photograph taken at Victory Monument, Bangkok, Thailand

“Shadow Kissing” Photograph

A man walking up the steps and a woman walking down. They ignored each other as passersby usual do but as shown in this photograph their shadows took the opportunity for a quick kiss.

Photograph taken at Victory Monument, Bangkok, Thailand

“Child Storage” Photograph

“Behave yourself or I’ll put you in the blue box with your brother!”

Photograph taken at Victory Monument, Bangkok, Thailand

“Don’t Jog Me” Photograph

Jogging’s not for everybody. Particularly on a relaxing Sunday afternoon but I can imagine that the rhythmical sound of joggers passing by makes a good lullaby.

Photograph taken in Santiphap Park, Bangkok, Thailand

“The Governor” Photograph

“Vote for me or I’ll punch you!”

It’s Bangkok Governor election time and the incumbent is seeking re-election. To some, his campaign poster might look like he’s threatening the residents if they don’t vote for him but the residents all know he’s just not a natural in front of camera and shouldn’t try to copy the more modern, visually dynamic, publicity-savvy, younger politicians.

Photograph taken near Victory Monument, Bangkok, Thailand

“Puppy Pen” Photograph

She gave the impression that she didn’t much care for her puppies. If one tried to climb out of the pen it was very roughly, almost aggressively, pushed back. She was bored and simply waiting for a sale.

Puppies like these don’t get the best start in life and therefore don’t aways make the best of pets but at this age their cuteness is a great hook to catch an impulse buy.

But what happens if they don’t sell? The older they get the less chance they have of being bought. Perhaps a few are saved to produce their own sellable offspring in heartless puppy farms but the evidence suggests that many will get dumped by the roadside or “donated” to a temple.

The "puppy mill" trade is callous, cynical and irresponsible. Please don’t support it.

Photograph taken at Victory Monument, Bangkok, Thailand 

“Oriental” Photograph

I just like this photograph as a street portrait of a woman with a classically oriental face.

Photograph taken on Saturday Walking Street, Chiang Mai, Thailand

“Social Hub” Photograph

These gaggles of motorcycle taxi drivers at the corner of so many streets in their coloured vests can be like a social hub for an area’s community. Being there all the time they see a lot of what’s going on and know both the area and the people in it. They also get to overhear conversations such as this one between the woman and the man in the facemask. It would be no surprise if they also offered their own opinions on whatever is being discussed.

Photograph taken near Victory Monument, Bangkok, Thailand

“Roadside Cleansing” Photograph

Thailand is full of little customs and rituals related to religion and other beliefs, such as blowing your car horn when passing a roadside shrine or adorning yourself in protective amulets but the guy in this photograph was just washing his hands.

Photograph taken at Victory Monument, Bangkok, Thailand

“Masked Tong Lady” Photograph

Sifting through other people’s rubbish is a good reason to wear a mask even on a hot Bangkok afternoon but it does give her the look of a bandit. Imagine being confronted by her down a dark street at night with her tongs threateningly poised. Weaponry like this could probably cause a nasty injury so it would be best to hand over all your recyclables without a struggle. Although being Thai, underneath the mask she would probably still be smiling good-naturedly.

Photograph taken at Chatuchak Weekend Market, Bangkok, Thailand

“Don’t Shoot” Photograph

I did shoot her, photographically speaking.

Photograph taken at Chatuchak Weekend Market, Bangkok, Thailand

“Annoying Hair” Photograph

Photographically I quite like the way this woman’s face is partially covered by the out-of-focus girl’s hair. It makes for an unusual composition and produces a surprising automatic sense of irritation in me. I want to brush the hair away from her face as if it was my own mouth being tickled.

Photograph taken at Victory Monument, Bangkok, Thailand

"Fortune Teller” Photograph

A queue of students waiting their turn as a woman has her fortune told by a card reader. If the news is not good they can always try somewhere else, but knowing this the fortune teller will probably be careful enough with his interpretations not to drive his customers away.

In this photograph I like the way the sunlight falls on the fortune teller whilst the customers remain “in the dark”.

Photograph taken at Victory Monument, Bangkok, Thailand

“Squeezed In” Photograph

Bangkok is a crowded place and sellers squeeze in wherever they can without wasting their space on a comfortable place to sit.

Photograph taken at Victory Monument, Bangkok, Thailand

“No Story Here” Photograph

As far as I am aware the only connection between this woman and the two behind her are that they are in this photograph together. Composition and cropping of an image can easily give the impression of relationships or associations that do not actually exist. I doubt they are gossiping about her and as she is wearing ear-plugs I’m sure she isn’t eavesdropping.

It’s a bit of a recurring theme in this blog that I find nothing wrong in such implied stories as long as people bear in mind that it is not (necessarily) reflected in the reality of the lives of the people shown.

Photograph taken at Victory Monument, Bangkok, Thailand