The Daily Commute

My Thai lessons are in town; each morning I join the millions of commuters heading into Bangkok. There's a choice of transportation options, each allowing me to join a different stratum of Bangkok society. Cheapest and most entertaining are the government buses; with no aircon and guaranteed to be packed absolutely solid, these offer a lively morning workout just in the process of staying on one's feet. The more aspiring will splash out a few extra baht on an aircon bus; just as packed, but as well as keeping you comfortable, the cool air means the driver isn't so hot-tempered on the brake pedal. The middle classes will board a minibus, with the promise of a seat, speedier travel and personalised drop-offs. Of course, there's always the taxi option, but at £1, that's 10 times the cost of the bus with none of the entertainment.
So generally I'm to be found on the bus, enjoying the contrasts of cruising down a 26-lane superhighway whilst watching saffron-robed monks wander the pavements performing their age-old morning alms rounds.
The quickest route into town involves a change on to the skytrain, which speeds you above the hectic streets in chilled comfort. There's also the ultramodern underground, for those looking for a cool trip. And I am talking about the temperature; whilst London abandons efforts to cool its underground, the Bangkok version is chilled to the point that you worry about ice on the line. And mobile phones seem to work down there too. Smart.