Ratchaprasong is the area in central Bangkok that has numerous shopping areas including several fantastic multistory shopping malls; several of the best hotels and a complex variety of transportation modes.
Above is a view of the Erawan Shrine from the Skywalk above the street level.
Traffic an be very dense and slow in this area as shoppers, tourists and business people swarm to this area
This photo shows the 4 levels of transportation that moves people around this area.
The first level is the street level with autos on roads and walkers and food vendors on the sidewalks.
The second level is the Skywalk which is an elevated sidewalks that wind between the Siam Paragon, Central World, MBK and Siam center shopping malls as well as office buildings.
The 3rd and 4th levels are the BTS Skytrain tracks...an elevated rail system similar to a subway, but 3-5 stories above the street!
There are vendors and multiple beggars on the Skywalk. This one of the several children at his post looking vulnerable and asking for coins to be tossed in his cup. The parents come around at regular intervals to secure the bounty. After I took this photo, there was no way he would let me go without a contribution waving his cup at me..I gave him 5 Baht (about 17 cents)
A very peculiar thing was the New Year's Countdown Bunnies that dotted the area. They are used for entertainment with musicians appearing with them and passersby take each other's photos standing next to them. Digital clocks countdown the time left until the new year...with Australian time usually appearing becuse it is the first major country to pass into the new year.
I go to Phuket Island on Friday to celebrate the New Year.
