Phanom Yothin | Bangkok Photo Walks, Issue 89

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With walk whisperer Mark out of the country, Greg decided to try something a little different

for the 114th Bangkok Photographers Group photo walk. Rather than a specific route from

one point to another, we instead released the photographers into the Chatuchak subdistrict

from Phanon Yothin MRT station and invited them to roam free.

This particular part of Bangkok has plenty to photograph. There are no fewer than three

parks right next to each other — Chatuchak Park, Wachirabenchathat Park, and Queen

Sirikit Park, covering a total area of 113 hectares (about 280 acres). There’s also the famous

Chatuchak Weekend Market, Bang Sue Grand Station, and Mochit Bus Terminal, but we didn’t

get many photos of these. The parks alone were more than large and varied enough to keep

everyone busy for a few drizzly hours.

Greg led about half of the group into Chatuchak Park. The 30-hectare (75 acres) park is one

of city’s oldest, opening in 1900. It was dedicated to King Bhumibol Adulyadej (Rama IX) on

the occasion of his ‘fourth cycle’ (his 48th birthday) and earned the name “Chatuchak” (จตุจักร),

which means ‘four cycles’. The Chatuchak district and subdistrict were named after the park

when they were formed in 1989, having been separated from Bang Khen district.

Ben led the rest of the group into the 60-hectare (148 acres) Wachirabenchathat Park,

which is also known as Rot Fai Park (State Railway Park) because it was built on the State

Railway of Thailand’s old golf course. The name translates as “Vajira’s 50” as it was dedicated

in 2002 to celebrate the 50th birthday of His Majesty King Vajiralongkorn (Rama X).

There are no prizes for guessing who Queen Sirikit Park is named after. The 22-hectare

(54 acres) park opened in 1992, on the 60th birthday of the queen mother.

More than 30 photographers joined the walk and 25 went on to submit photos for the

magazine. This being slightly fewer than usual, Ben decided to try something new, too. While

we usually group the submitted images by the photographers who took them, we instead

tried telling the story of the walk, grouping them somewhat chronologically and by themes.

We don’t expect this to be a permanent change — we’re just trying something a little different.

Have fun,

Greg, Mark, and Ben.

Bangkok Photo Walks

Magazine Issue #89 • Walk #

Bangkok Photo Walks is a not-for-profit, community-created
publication. All photographs herein are copyrighted by their
respective creators and published only with their permission.
Reproduction of this magazine in any form is not permitted
without the written permission of the publishers.
Please contact: [email protected]

Head of BPG Greg Rhodes

Magazine Editor Ben Reeves

Photo Walk Coordinator Mark A. Hathaway

Logo Design Ubonpayom Ongsara

Front Cover Photos Jennifer Ferris

Title Page Photo Ketsada UNs

Group Photo Greg Rhodes

Back Cover Photo Mousumi Sen

© 2023 Bangkok Photographers Group

Trying something a little different