Photos documenting my 2 1/2 month stay in Thailand.

1. DEAN ICHIKAWA
T H A I L A N D T R AV E L S

2. Chanya & Danica

3. Chanya’s mom, uncle, aunts, and cousin picked
us up from the airport and helped us move in.

4. The toilet at our
apartment had
this interesting
attachment. I
never tried it.

5. High-speed DSL saved my
(work) life!

6. The family’s laundry business had an office
in our complex run by Chanya’s uncle.
Danica looked forward to these daily visits.

7. Motorbikes of all kinds
serve many different
purposes. Love this dog
holding things down too.

8. A more nimble food truck than we have in the US.

9. One of many tuk-tuk rides
for short trips around town.

10. When we could, we took a taxi. Taxis take a little
longer than the more nimble tuk-tuks, but they’re
air conditioned and a little more trustworthy.

11. We used the Skytrain and
sometimes subway as
often as we could. Cheap,
convenient, and ice-cold air
conditioning, but
sometimes they don’t go
where you need to.

12. Not sure if this guy
has something to do
with the protests or
just a random piece,
but makes a bold
statement either way.

13. Getting around on
foot in Bangkok is a
serious task that left
us weary almost
every day.

14. A billboard of Prime
Minister Yingluck
Shinawatra sits atop a
small police office.

15. Here’s something you never see—
a motorcycle actually WAITING for
an opening in traffic!

16. Forget about child safety
seats in Thailand! This was
a very common sight—kids
wedged between their
parent’s legs on a motor
scooter.

17. A neat freak’s
nightmare! In many
spots too, you
could easily reach
out and touch the
wires.

18. An old, lost attempt at
adding life to the
concrete jungle of
Bangkok.

19. I wondered if there ever was a time that this sign looked new and cool.

20. Statue guarding the
entrance to Lumphini
Park, one of the main
protest sites.

21. Rice soup at a street
vendor for a Sunday
morning breakfast.

22. View from hotel in Chiang Mai.

23. Ronald McDonald,
Thai style.

24. Golden buddhas surrounding a courtyard at a Chiang Mai temple.

25. The elongated ear
lobe of a buddha.

26. Small statues that
surrounded a shrine at
a Chiang Mai temple.

27. Reclining buddha in Chiang Mai.

28. Following the set ritual to
pray to buddha.

29. Making the long
descent down from a
Chiang Mai temple to
a waiting tour bus.

31. It would’ve been
faster to carry her
down, but she wasn’t
having it.

32. A surprise smooch from a young girl
dressed in traditional northern
Thailand attire seeking tips for photos.

33. Happy to have a new friend
or relieved that it’s over?

34. This girl was a little badass.
It was infuriating to watch
a tourist snap a picture of
her, not give her a tip, and
then run from her as she
tried to chase him down.

35. A big step up
towards the top of a
Chiang Mai village in
the hills.

37. Preparing to pose for
a picture.

38. Found a fellow tourist
to take our picture.

39. Art in Paradise in
Chiang Mai had
optical illusion art
made specifically
for posing with.

42. Vendor at an indoor market in Chiang Mai
getting set up for the day.

43. Back to our home base, these
topiaries adorned the middle
of a busy Bangkok road.

44. The garden at the
Jim Thompson
house.

52. Our tour guide at the
Jim Thompson house.

53. A typical day in
Bangkok included a
walk to Lotus—the
rough equivalent to
Target in the US.

54. The scenery for the walk to the nearest Skytrain
station from our apartment—National Stadium.

55. A common sight in
Bangkok—traffic! But
watch for an upcoming
photo after protestors shut
this street down and
thousands of pedestrians
replaced the cars.

56. One of two trips to the
doctor to address a cough
that wouldn’t go away. At
least they had a killer
playground to enjoy!

57. Happiness.

58. Benjakiti Park.

59. Before the fall.

60. After the fall.

61. Waiting for a paddle boat
ride at Benjakiti Park.

62. Giant replica of the
Golden Gate Bridge
at the Terminal 21
mall.

63. Exploring the playground
at Benjasiri Park.

64. While Thai adults
loved Danica, kids
not so much, for
some reason. Yet
another little girl that
wants Danica to get
out of her way.

65. Accidentally happened upon a big candlelighting and balloon-releasing celebration
for New Year’s at Benjasiri Park.

69. Reaction to me
releasing her
balloon.

70. Watching it float away.

73. A visit to the Queen
Saovabha Memorial
Institute Snake Farm.

86. Shrine outside of the
CentralWorld mall in Bangkok.

89. These are for the buddha that
enjoys red soda. No joke!

91. Praying and caring
for a two-year old at
the same time is no
easy task.

92. Taxi cabs are all blessed by buddhist monks.

93. Truck taxis aren’t available everywhere, but are
a cheap and convenient option when they are.

94. Our driver for two road trips and to the airport for our
return flight. He was the husband of the cleaning lady at
our apartment and a true professional.

95. We splurged for a suite at the Hilton in Pattaya and it
came with an outdoor tub on a deck that offered a
wide, sweeping view of the entire Pattaya coastline.

98. View from the deck.

100. Base station for paragliding rides in Pattaya.

102. Motorcycle taxis are a cheap and fast transportation
option that I never partook in. It doesn’t look safe at all!

103. Pattaya water taxi.

106. Pattaya at night.

109. New Year’s Eve
prayer at a large
temple in
Chinatown.

110. The odor from so
much incense was
overwhelming.

112. The King.

125. Preparing for New Year’s prayer ceremony.

130. Buses are probably the cheapest mode of
transportation, but this is one of the nicer ones!
Many have no air conditioning and are
completely packed.

133. Storefront and
apartment above
where Chanya’s
father once lived.

134. Before a fire destroyed it and this door was installed to prevent
access, this was an apartment where Chanya once lived as a little
girl.

136. A busy Bangkok
alleyway.

137. Buying some snacks from a street vendor.

138. You have to admire the effort
and passion that most street
vendors put into their work.

139. A picture of dedication.

140. “Don’t take my picture!”

141. Catching up on the news at Starbuck’s.

142. Playing peek-a-boo
with a Starbuck’s
barista.

143. 7-Eleven’s in Bangkok often have a street
vendor outside peddling hot food.

144. Most buildings have a shrine
outside for good luck. The
size varies with the size of the
building.

145. Late night tuk-tuk ride.

146. Street vendor outside our
apartment stayed open until
late at night.

147. The dim lights of the
fountain outside our
apartment was a welcome
sight after long journeys
through Bangkok.

148. The Seacon Square
mall, a big mall that
had kind of a
“Disney” feel to it.

153. For about $3, you could
get a photo shoot in your
choice of themes at an
indoor amusement park
at Seacon Square.

160. Riding the Skytrain.

161. Fun indoor playground at CentralWorld Mall.

165. Flowers in a pond at our hotel in Hua Hin.

166. Baby monitor lizard cruising the
grounds at our hotel in Hua Hin.

168. Failed attempt to get Danica
to go for a horsey ride.

170. Danica declined, I accepted.
She was the smart one.

171. Taking over Uncle’s van.

172. Street vendor is
ready to sell as
protests pick up
steam.

174. Motorcycles back up while
waiting to enter one of the
protest sites. Motorcycles
were the only vehicles
allowed in certain areas of
the protest sites.
Eventually, motorcycles
were blocked too.

175. The street outside of the National
Stadium Skytrain station. The typical
hundreds of cars have been replaced
by thousands of pedestrians.

176. One of Bangkok’s
uglier problems—
sick and
malnourished
dogs are a
common sight.

177. Trash piles beneath a major
Bangkok highway.

182. Protestors camping out at National Stadium.

183. Eating lunch on a hot,
sweaty Bangkok day.

184. Vendor’s point of
view at Chatuchak
Market.

185. The playground at Chatuchak
Park had some unique structures.

187. An unnecessary but amusing
photographer’s stance.

188. The traffic outside of
Chatuchak Park and
Market.

189. Protestors shopping inside
Terminal 21 mall somehow
don’t seem very intimidating.

190. Joining in on a cheesy pose.

191. Unfortunate-butamusing name
with a double
meaning.

192. Sculpture in the street
outside of the Bangkok
National Museum.

194. At Bangkok National Museum.

196. The temple at Bangkok
National Museum.

200. Timeline of Bangkok events hang from a long
wall leading to the Bangkok National Museum.

201. Indoor fortune tellers’ mall.

202. Chinatown from tuk-tuk.

203. Results of Chanya’s week-long baking school.

206. Protestors step up the roadblock
at National Stadium.

207. At the protests’ height, tents
and vendors covered the
streets surrounding the main
stage. In the background you
can see the large video displays
and there were also huge
banks of speakers scattered
around.

211. It looks like a market, but it’s
actually one of the protest sites.

219. Getting brave—climbed up
on stage to dance to some
Chinese New Year’s music.

222. The view from across
a water taxi stand.

224. Chanya reconnected with her
former boss and friends.

226. Cousin’s dog: JLo.

227. Danica and Uncle.

228. Inside Uncle’s shop.

233. Uncle’s cat: Keebow.

236. In an incredible coincidence,
on our last Saturday there, we
went to a Korean buffet,
sitting in a corner with only
one other table next to us.
Another family came to sit at
that table. That family turns
out to be Chanya’s father’s
father, sister, and nephew that
she lost touch with over 20
years ago. Because it had
been so long, Chanya was
hesitant to approach them,
but she did, which led to an
intense, emotional reunion.
This little girl is her cousin’s
daughter, who instantly hit it
off with Danica.

237. Chanya’s grandfather
(father’s father) and
family.

238. Chanya’s grandfather
and cousin’s
daughter.

239. When we left for Thailand, I didn’t
think I would ever be so happy to
leave, but here we are on move-out
day, excited to go back.