NONTHABURI, Thailand -- In the eyes of Sulak Sivaraksa, Thailand's most caustic social critic, Bangkok has become "a third-rate Western city." Monster malls, condos, fast-food franchises, discos and billboards for Western clothes and appliances have gradually eroded the city's Asian look and atmosphere.
So where can a visitor to Bangkok find the real Thailand? Easy: Nonthaburi.
For a very modest fare you can board a boat at one of the piers on the Chao Phraya River and, in less than an hour, be in Nonthaburi, only 10 km north of the nation's capital. From the main pier, travelers can head off to catch a traditional hun lakorn lek puppet show or charter a long-tail boat to explore Koh Kret, an isle of artisans and home to a thriving community of Mon people, and the scenic, history-drenched waterway called Klong Om.