Koasan Road in Bangkok is an amazing place to be. All places that have been embraced by the sensuous yet bitter taste of tourism have a place such as Kaosan. A haven for the falangs that penetrate the culture of the locals, devour the scene and then leave in their wake a consistent trickle of tourism dollars to encourage the ongoing patronage of the locals.
Tourism is not a modest market in Thailand. Perhaps, once, Thailand was an untouched Kingdom, but now it is a contemporary nation of entrepreneurs consistently developing new ways of economic survival. One should expect that in any place dubbed the " entrepreneurial kingdom" that tourism would not only be present, but also be a quickly exploited means of revenue and ever-increasing business. And thus, Thailand has embraced tourism with open arms, and since, the tributary has become a raging river complete with rapids; and similar to rapids, the persistent and powerful flow is shaping the future of the river.
Koasan is a creation of these rapids. As falang flow into the capitol of Bangkok the demand for a haven carves out its environment. Koasan is a collection of everything that the average falang wants from varying levels of lodging, to restaurants and bars, to shops and entertainment. It is a colorful mixture of needs, wants and wishes ready to satisfy the wims of all who enter from the benign sight-seer to the venal sinner.
"Falang" is a term that means "foreigner" generally meaning "white and not from around here". I am certain that when the word "falang" is said little bells go off in a Thai person’s head that say "money, good times, and easy life". Perhaps that is why Thai people so enjoy pointing at us and saying it like a happily proclaimed label. Kaosan is a direct reflection of this. It caters to one's wants as a traveler no matter who they are and it encompasses good times and fun with an affordable price tag attached.
Kaosan Road is a very fun place to go be. I still remember the first time Cheryl and I ventured into downtown Bangkok and visited the glory of Kaosan. It was night and we were hungry and thirsty (two very good things to be when visiting Kaosan). We knew we were close because there seemed to be a backpacker element present as all the t-shirts being sold on the sidewalk were of various pop-culture icons from Bob Marley to Sesame Street. This place definitely screamed "good time-money-fun" and we hadn't even rounded the corner. And then we did - stretching before us was a street teeming with falangs from all over the world all milling about the small cart shops selling t-shirts, jewelry, simple stir-fry food, and almost anything a falang could want. Above our heads was a circus freak show of neon lights promising places to stay, drink, buy, relax, party, massage, eat, and every other service a traveler may wish to have offered. It was like walking into the backpacker’s version of Disneyland complete with mascots (I have never seen so many Thai people dressed like Captain Jack Sparrow trying to sell necklaces and dred-locks).
The aura of Kaosan is not unlike that of a street festival except that it extends down every alley and sidestreet similar to how a river breaks into creeks, tributaries, and streams. And all you have to do is follow the flow to any corner and you will find something interesting, satiating, or somehow entertaining.
Cheryl and I have spent many in-town weekends on Kaosan Road. We'll take a taxi ride into town and troll Kaosan and the surrounding tributaries taking part in various foods, drinks, and fun. There are young people, old people, and everything in-between enjoying themselves. We now have our favourite restaurants and inexpensive guesthouses where we like to stay. Our mental map of Kaosan grows with each visit. Over time we have discovered new avenues to walk down and found entire new ecosystems of markets and people to see and be entertained by. There is always another corner with more to see. It was only a week-and-a-half ago that Cheryl and I discovered what I have dubbed “Importer’s Alley” (which of course was a great find for two aspiring importers such as ourselves).
Kaosan is not only a great place to be but also serves as a great base of operations for both the training and the seasoned traveler. During the days we venture out to surrounding Bangkok such as the vast Jatujak weekend market, ancient temples, or the Grand Palace. Bangkok stretches onward in all directions with many places to see but Kaosan is a great place to start and finish,
I will miss visiting this place amongst many others when Cheryl and depart for Canada. So many little details that started with wonder have now become cherished and common place for us here. We have made ourselves a home complete with a job to work, an island to visit, and a place to eat and rest on the weekends. Kaosan is just one of many places I tip my hat to.
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