I first visited Bangkok in 1990, and it immediately became one of my favorite cities. I’ve returned many times since, watching it reinvent itself.
Much has changed since that first visit. There was no mass transit, traffic was legendary, and a tuk-tuk ride that ended up on a major highway left me gasping from exhaust fumes, eyes watering and wondering if I’d survive.
By each day’s end, I was coated in a layer of gray grime. Today, the Skytrain, subway, and monorail have transformed the city. Getting around is easier, and the air is noticeably cleaner.
The floating market changed, too. Back then it was a working market where local residents bought vegetables, flowers, fruit, and freshly prepared food from vendors paddling narrow wooden boats. Today, many floating markets cater primarily to tourists, with souvenir stalls replacing much of the everyday commerce.
I wouldn’t trade Bangkok’s cleaner air or modern transportation for the traffic-choked city I first encountered. But I’m grateful I saw it when the floating market was still part of daily life rather than another stop on the tourist trail.
These photographs preserve a Bangkok that has largely drifted into history.