“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