SketchWalk Chao Phraya

Chao Phraya River is the major waterway that runs through the central plain of Thailand and  was regarded as the blood line of the central region. For some 15 years, a Siamese state called Thonburi, situated on the west bank of Chao Phraya River, used to be the capital of Thailand.

In 1782, King Rama I took over the reign and moved the capital across Chao Phraya River to where Bangkok is today. Bangkok and it’s twin sister, Thonburi, now form the Greater Bangkok.

I captured the Chao Phraya River scene below a couple of years back from a coffee bar by the river.

For three years running, a community festival was held to celebrate a very unique multiracial-multicultural heredity of a specific area on this west side of the Chao Phraya River. Kadee-cheen, as it was called is a living museum of many historical communities, way of life, tradition, environment and architectures. This is where one of the only two Portuguese churches in Bangkok stands next to a Guan Im (Goddess of Mercy) Temple next to a large and very well respected Thai Temple and two of the historical Islamic Mosques.

I was at the river walkway that stretched a few kilometers on Sunday and was attracted by the busy shuttle ferry pier midway between the Guan Im and Kalayanimitr Temple.

As the USk correspondent for Bangkok, I am also involved in a sketching event organised by Bangkok Sketchers, the only sketchers group in Bangkok. The event takes place on 23 and 24 of Feb 2013. A good number of fellow Asean sketchers led by @Tia Boon Sim of USk-Singapore and @Ch’ng Kiah Kiean of USk-Penang are planning to have a great fun in this event.

I wish to extend my invitation to any of my fellow correspondents who might, by chance, be around Bangkok to join us for this event. For more about the event, you might like to take a look HERE or drop by at www.facebook.com/sketchwalkchaophraya.

Asnee