Bangkok in 1990 (video)

Nice to see again: indeed the BTS and of course the MRT were in full construction and traffic was perhaps a bit easier because there was less traffic, but the lack of BTS made it much more difficult.
At that time it took me a taxi from Sukhumvit to Don Muang (albeit in the rain, but at 21.00 p.m. it took about 3.5 hours and the first time I was only able to catch my flight just in the nick of time. The taxi driver (a lady because her husband had a dinner somewhere) the pick up was in a cafe) drove through all the road diversions and broken up streets to get to the airport on time (for a tip of 500 Thb - which was substantial at the time). The taxi ride itself only cost me 350 baht , but it was my last THb and I certainly didn't have time to do anything anymore and the 150 (approximately: I don't remember the correct number) THb you had to pay to get out of the country I had still.
Nice to see THAT nostalgia for a while and it does me more than photos from 100 years ago.

Indeed, I worked on Don Muang Tollway in all of 1991 and part of 1992. Back then you could still drive a car yourself special Toyota Hillux full station wagon. Friday night was normally German biergarden Secumvit 23 We lived in Chokchai Ruamit Soi 7 behind Thai-Airways. We could cover the distance by car in 20 minutes and beer in hand. The next week it could take 2 hours, not because of the beer.
If we have to be in Bangkok now, we drive to the hotel and the rest by taxi. Firstly, Bangkok is no longer recognizable and secondly, you are nervous in traffic. No, now in Chanthaburi you're already complaining if you don't make it to the traffic light in 1 go. There's a traffic jam!

Thanks for sharing this. I always enjoy flashbacks. Quite unique.

Worked in Thailand for 1996 weeks in 10, Map Ta Phut also had to regularly go to Bangkok to Bangkok Rama Hotel (Baan Siri) Phatthanakan Rd by car and then further by taxi and I enjoyed the traffic light setup, at the front the two-stroke engines then the cars and then the freight traffic (buses and trucks), when the light turned green it was like a TT start, blue smoking two-stroke cars, almost non-smoking cars and then the black smoking freight traffic, and then there was also a traffic policeman standing there for hours watching mistakes and then cashing out, it was a sensation every time.
But sporadically seen an accident.
I don't know if that's still the case now.

I have gradually been able to enjoy the development of Bangkok in about thirty years. The first time I came in 1980.. then again in 1983 and from then on in some years at least once every two months or once a month for a few months in a row.
In all those years I stayed in the Central Plaza (which had changed hands and name several times) in Lad Prao, opposite the Central Plaza shopping mall.
That was useful for us as flight crew because of its location to Don Muang. In between we stayed for several years at the Dusit Thani in Sala Daeng, then back to the Central Plaza and in the last two years I worked (until 2012) at the Pullman Hotel on Silom Road, near Silom Village .
I still remember the time when you had to act before every taxi ride and also the transition when you had to tell the taxi driver to use the meter. I still remember the stench of the exhaust fumes from all those cars without a cat when you were on the road in a Tuk-tuk.
The first Skytrain rides from Chatuchak to the city. I sometimes took a taxi from the hotel to the station or sometimes I walked there (45 minutes walk). When I arrived tired after a flight and wanted to go to Pantip Plaza, I took a taxi so that I could take a nap in the taxi.
I also remember riding the underground for the first time. Stood there all alone on the platform, because no one was riding that train in the beginning.
Bangkok has of course changed and become very busy. But it doesn't smell nearly as bad as it did 20 years ago.
Last weekend I was there with my wife. We spent the night south of the river for the first time. The reason was because of a market my wife discovered and we wanted to take a look. That part of Bangkok is not yet connected to the train network and that saves so much time to go somewhere. Fortunately, we soon discovered that you can sail to Saphan Taksin by boat for 15 baht. A 20 minute trip and quite fun. Everything better than in traffic with a car.
In the afternoon we were at the Chatuchak market and walked from the station through the park to the market. Man am I glad I don't live in Bangkok. The park was simply overcrowded with couples, families, groups and many other people. To have to live like this in a crowded city? No thanks.
We didn't go to the market itself, but I wanted to take a look at the fish market, where you can buy things for your aquarium or pond. It was almost impossible. Rather go back without a backpack and alone… Then I take the minibus from Pranburi to Mo Chit near Chatuchak and drive back in the evening…