45 Fascinating Photos Capture Everyday Life in 1980s Bangkok

Bangkok in the 1980s was a dynamic city, caught between tradition and rapid modernization. The streets were bustling with a mix of old markets, ancient temples, and emerging skyscrapers. The skyline began to change as new construction projects sprouted up, reflecting Thailand’s economic growth during the period.

The city’s iconic tuk-tuks and colorful street vendors coexisted with new cars and high-end malls. Meanwhile, Bangkok’s nightlife was vibrant, with bars, nightclubs, and karaoke joints drawing locals and tourists alike.

These fascinating photos were taken by David Pirmann that show everyday life in Bangkok in 1987.

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40 Fascinating Photos Capture Life Along the Canals (Khlong) of Bangkok in the Early 1970s

A khlong, alternatively spelt as klong commonly refers to a canal in Thailand. As of 2019 there are 1,682 canals in Bangkok, totaling 2,604 kilometers in length. Nine canals are primary flood drainage conduits.

In years past, the Thai capital was crisscrossed by khlongs, and so gained the nickname “Venice of the East”. Khlongs were used for transportation, for floating markets, but also for sewage disposal. Today, most of the khlongs of Bangkok have been filled in, although the Thonburi side of Bangkok (covering areas west of the Chao Phraya River) still retains several of its larger khlongs.

Khlong Saen Saep in central Bangkok is a significant thoroughfare in traffic-congested Bangkok’s public transportation network. These fascinating photos were taken by Nick DeWolf that show life along the canals of Bangkok in 1972.

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Fascinating Photos Capture Street Scenes of Bangkok in the Early 1970s

Bangkok is the capital and most populous city of Thailand. The city occupies 1,568.7 square kilometers (605.7 sq mi) in the Chao Phraya River delta in central Thailand. Bangkok is an extreme primate city, dwarfing Thailand’s other urban centers in both size and importance to the national economy.

The city is an international hub for transport and health care, and has emerged as a centre for the arts, fashion, and entertainment. It is known for its street life and cultural landmarks, as well as its red-light districts. The Grand Palace and Buddhist temples including Wat Arun and Wat Pho stand in contrast with other tourist attractions such as the nightlife scenes of Khaosan Road and Patpong.

Bangkok is among the world’s top tourist destinations, and has been named the world’s most visited city consistently in several international rankings. These fascinating photos were taken by Nick DeWolf that show street scenes of Bangkok in 1972.

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40 Amazing Color Photographs That Show What Bangkok Looked Like in the Early 1950s

Probably many will be interested to see what Bangkok looked like in the 1950s. Postwar Thailand, remaining deeply feudal country, got into a zone of U.S. influence and actively develop the business.

Take a look back in Bangkok through these amazing photographs taken by LIFE photographer Dmitri Kessel in 1951.

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25 Color Photos of Bangkok in 1955

Bangkok is the capital and most populous city of Thailand. The city occupies 1,568.7 square kilometres (605.7 sq mi) in the Chao Phraya River delta in central Thailand.

The city, incorporated as a special administrative area under the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration in 1972, grew rapidly during the 1960s through the 1980s and now exerts a significant impact on Thailand's politics, economy, education, media and modern society.

Bangkok is known for its street life and cultural landmarks, as well as its red-light districts. The Grand Palace and Buddhist temples including Wat Arun and Wat Pho stand in contrast with other tourist attractions such as the nightlife scenes of Khaosan Road and Patpong.

The city is among the world’s top tourist destinations, and has been named the world’s most visited city consistently in several international rankings.

Here below is a set of vintage color photos from jcator that show street scenes of Bangkok in 1955.

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50 Amazing Photographs Capture Daily Life on Bangkok’s Chao Phraya River From the Early 1950s

The Chao Phraya River is an iconic symbol of Bangkok and a life-giver to Thailand’s various provinces through which it flows. The ‘River of Kings’ has a rich history, acting as a gateway to some of the capital’s most prestigious attractions.

The importance of the Chao Phraya River stretches as far back as the 15th century. Settlers chose the area that is now Bangkok for its fertile lands (it was once a swamp, after all), in addition to its strategic position close to the river’s mouth. The Thai capital was later relocated from Ayutthaya to the Chao Phraya’s western banks (modern-day Thonburi), and later still to the opposite side of the water. Both settlements were ultimately joined as one larger capital, now known as Bangkok (or Krung Thep in Thai).

Modern-day development across Bangkok has evolved the landscape along the river beyond recognition. Authorities have evicted numerous communities along the river in Bangkok during recent years, alleged to have been illegally occupying land. This is to make way for the controversial development of an enormous riverside promenade, stretching all the way from the Rama 7 Bridge in the north to Phra Pinklao Bridge towards the south.

Here, a gallery of 50 amazing photographs of life on the Chao Phraya river taken by Dmitri Kessel for LIFE magazine from the early 1950s.

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Portraits of a Beautiful Bangkok Girl, ca. 1950s

These fascinating portraits of an unknown Bangkok girl were taken by photographer Dmitri Kessel for LIFE magazine in the 1950s.

Dmitri Kessel (1902–1995) was a photojournalist and staff photographer on LIFE magazine known for his courageous coverage of war on the front line, including reports on the liberation of Europe and conflict in the Congo.

Kessel was born as Dmitri Kesselman in Kiev to the family of sugar beet farmers and landowners Solomon and Sonja Keselman. He emigrated to the US via Romania in 1923 (naturalized 1929) to New York City and worked at part-time jobs in the fur industry and for Russian-language newspapers. He attended night classes at City College, then in 1934 attended Ben Magid Rabinovitch’s (1884–1964) School of Photography. His training in photography coincided with rapid changes within the medium itself.

Exploiting his industrial experience and contacts, he specialized in photography for factory owners. This led to his being signed on as a freelance for Henry Luce’s Fortune in 1935, which secured his success as a photojournalist, with assignments to cover World War II from 1939. He became a staffer and war correspondent for LIFE in 1944, and he remained with the magazine until 1972.

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50 Amazing Vintage Photographs Capture Everyday Life in Bangkok, Thailand in 1950

Bangkok became the capital of Siam (as Thailand was previously known) in 1782, when General Chao Phraya Chakkri, the founder of the ruling Chakkri dynasty, assumed the throne as Rama I and moved the court from the west to the east bank of the Chao Phraya River.

Since World War II Bangkok has grown with unprecedented rapidity, which caused problems with transportation, communication, housing, water supply, drainage, and pollution. Tourism rose in importance during the Vietnam War, when the city became a popular destination for U.S. military personnel.

Bangkok was beguiling, charming, soft, sophisticated, relatively orderly but always accommodating, adapting to the demands and needs of a modernizing Siamese public and American influences. From the 1950s, rapid changes took place throughout the nation. Free enterprise in commerce was the order of the day and a free-wheeling social scene was swinging. The pleasure-loving, gracious and hospitable Siamese made it easy then for Americans to thrive here.

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Inside a Bangkok Bar in the Early 1970s

Bangkok is the capital and most populous city of Thailand. It is known in Thai as Krung Thep Maha Nakhon or simply Krung Thep. The city occupies 1,568.7 square kilometres (605.7 sq mi) in the Chao Phraya River delta in central Thailand.

Bangkok is now a regional force in finance and business. It is an international hub for transport and health care, and has emerged as a centre for the arts, fashion, and entertainment. The city is known for its street life and cultural landmarks, as well as its red-light districts. The Grand Palace and Buddhist temples including Wat Arun and Wat Pho stand in contrast with other tourist attractions such as the nightlife scenes of Khaosan Road and Patpong.

Bangkok is among the world’s top tourist destinations, and has been named the world’s most visited city consistently.

These candid photos were taken by Jack L Green that show the inside of a Bangkok bar in 1972.

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40 Old Snaps That Capture Everyday Life of Bangkok, Thailand in the 1960s

Bangkok is the capital and most populous city of Thailand. The city occupies 1,568.7 square kilometres (605.7 sq mi) in the Chao Phraya River delta in central Thailand.

The city grew rapidly during the 1960s through the 1980s and now exerts a significant impact on Thailand's politics, economy, education, media and modern society.

The city is known for its street life and cultural landmarks, as well as its red-light districts. The Grand Palace and Buddhist temples including Wat Arun and Wat Pho stand in contrast with other tourist attractions such as the nightlife scenes of Khaosan Road and Patpong.

Bangkok is among the world's top tourist destinations, and has been named the world's most visited city in several rankings.

Take a look at these old snaps from Santos Torres to see what everyday life of Bangkok looked like in the 1960s.

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