Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
(2357 Th Sukhumvit; mains 70-2800B; 8am-9pm; ; Bang Chak exit 1)
Rosdee is known for its
consistently tasty, well-executed Chinese-Thai favourites such as the garlicky
or sòo·an
(oysters fried with egg and a sticky batter), or the house speciality, braised goose.
Rosdee is located on the corner with Soi 95/1, a short walk from the BTS stop at Bang
Chak.
SALT$$$
(
www.saltbangkok.com
; Soi 7 (Ari), Th Phahonyothin; mains 220-1350B; 5pm-midnight Mon-Sat; ; Ari
exit 1)
With a DJ booth flashing a strategically placed copy of
Larousse Gastronomique,
Salt is the kind of eclectic place that's currently shaping Bangkok's restaurant scene. Ap-
propriately located in Ari, suburban Bangkok's trendiest 'hood, the menu ranges from
sushi to wood-fired pizza, with a few forays into contemporary French.
INTERNATIONAL
TAXI ALTARS: INSURANCE ON THE DASHBOARD
As your taxi races into Bangkok from the airport, your delight at being able to do the 30km trip for less than
US$10 is soon replaced by uneasiness, anxiety and eventually outright fear - 150km/h is fast, you're tailgating
the car in front and there's no seatbelt. You can rest assured (or not), however, that your driver will share none of
these concerns.
All of which makes the humble taxi trip an instructive introduction to Thai culture. Buddhists believe in karma
and thus that their fate is, to a large extent, predestined. Unlike Western ideas, which take a more scientific ap-
proach to road safety, many Thais believe factors such as speed, concentration, seatbelts and actual driving skills
have no bearing whatsoever on your chances of being in a crash. Put simply, if you die a horrible death on the
road, karma says you deserved it. The trouble is that when a passenger gets into a taxi they bring their karma and
any bad spirits the passenger might have along for the ride. Which could upset the driver's own fate.
To counteract such bad influences most Bangkok taxi drivers turn the dashboard and ceiling into a sort of life-
insurance shrine. The ceiling will have a
yantra
diagram drawn in white powder by a monk as a form of spiritual
protection. This will often be accompanied by portraits of notable royals. Below this a red box dangling red tas-
sels, beads and amulets hangs from the rear-vision mirror, while the dashboard is populated by Buddhist and roy-
al statuettes, and quite possibly banknotes with the king's image prominent and more amulets. With luck (such as
it exists in Thailand), the talismans will protect your driver from any bad karma you bring into the cab. Passen-
gers, meanwhile, must simply hope that their driver's number is not up. If you feel like it might be, try saying
cháh cháh
soothingly - that is, ask your driver to slow down. For a look inside some of Bangkok's 100,000 or so
taxis, check out
Still Life in Moving Vehicle
(
www.lifeinmovingvehicle.blogspot.com
)
.
