Like many areas of Bangkok – and many Southeast Asian cities in general – the Thai capital’s Phra Khanong neighborhood is undergoing massive transformations.
A construction boom in the capital has brought Phra Khanong, a satellite district nestled between two large canal systems and the Chao Praya River, closer to the city center. In a recent article from Maptia, photographer Richard Friend observes the changes in this area, where the sky train system has begun to replace local markets and family-run shops with shopping malls and condominiums.
While much of the cityscape in Phra Khanong is changing, its charm is still visible in local trading centers, where barbers, hairdressers, dressmakers, craftsmen and traditional Chinese pharmacists continue to do business. Friend reports that being one’s own boss is “highly prized” here because the people of Phra Khanong generally prefer the freedom of taking time out to relax, chat with their neighbors or read the news.
Yet changes are under way; in just a few years’ time, the small businesses of Phra Khanong may be gone. “The pace of change in cities in Thailand is so rapid that people don’t always recognize it as it is happening,” writes Friend. “Then all of a sudden much of the old world is gone and forgotten.”
Sound familiar?
Take a look at Friend's photography below:
[Photos via Maptia]
