David Hilgier Photographs

The metro is the great equalizer. The rich, the poor, the young, the old, and everyone in-between can get from point a to b on it. Generations distinguished by how they spend their time before arriving at their destination.

As the day faded, these two fisherman followed the shoreline looking for the evening catch. Their method was to capture fish from the water with a small net on a poll. Others would wade into the water encircling fish with large nets.

A touch of the past that can still be found throughout Bangkok are the city’s public transit buses such as this one. I loved the simplicity of the stenciling on their sides and watching the commuters pass by many of whom utilized open windows for respite from the heat.

Vespas parked somewhere in Bangkok’s Chinatown. An image that encapsulates the rich aesthetic of this area of the city as well as the ability to leave at a moments notice.

Wearing brightly colored numbered vests are the porters of the Khlong Toei Market. They can be found throughout the complex with large bags retrofitted to hand trucks assisting patrons transport their purchases out of the market.

Khlong Toei Market is an expansive market with blocks and blocks of vendors selling everything from trinkets, household goods, produce, meats, seafood, and live animals.

With space at a premium in Bangkok as it is in any large city, alleyways are transformed into smaller versions of the streets they connect. Utilized for commerce, food stalls, entertainment, and in this instance a workshop for craftsmen and women.

Returning to Bangkok, we stayed amongst its maze of high-rises and skyscrapers. For better or for worse, the modernization of the city seems to be occurring at a rapid clip. From this height we were able to gaze out over the city, the traffic weaving through it, and the development changing the skyline. Returning to street level hints of an older Bangkok still remain which are hidden from view at this height.

Longtails are a transit icon of Thailand’s coasts and islands. With their weathered wood hulls adorned with colorful fabric flags powered and by automotive engines, these boats are a quintessential part of the visual and auditory landscape of the region.

I’m not one to shoot pure landscape photography, so think of this as a recommendation if nothing else. On our last day in the Krabi region we made the hike up to the Dragon Crest Summit (Khao Ngon Nak) for the incredible views of the limestone formations protruding from the landscape and surrounding bay. The hike is well worth the effort and the time transversing through the jungle is equally enjoyable as the summit view.