Rainy Day Traveler - Bangkok 
The eastern City of Angeles gets a lot more rain than the one in the west, with Bangkok averaging about 58 inches of rain per year compared to L.A.’s fifteen. A little rain, or even a lot, doesn’t stop the Thai people from going about their everyday business as usual. This month, writer and photographer Jamie Rector shares some of her favorite rainy day activities in Bangkok, Thailand. From the frenetic energy of a Muay Thai Boxing match to the serenity found inside the city’s thousands of Buddhist temples, Bangkok has something for every taste.
Kayte Deioma
Editor
There are certain things you can count on when traveling in Bangkok: Traditional Thai food, tuk tuks, crazy traffic and monsoons. When the torrential rain strikes, you can either go out and play in the storm, or you can opt for one of the many drier options. A rainy day is a great time to pick up those souvenirs for yourself, friends and family.
When the nights fill with rain, you can stay dry inside while whetting your whistle with a cool drink and some lively company. The nightlife in Bangkok has a bit of a wild and lusty history. As the visitors of the past were mostly American GI’s and German or Arab sex tourists, the nightlife offered a wide array of scandalous choices. But as the tourist census has changed and more couples come for shopping and innocent-natured fun, the range of places available to spend an evening has grown. Still, even venues that appear innocuous, may have servers who will go home with you for a fee.
Rain on a hot tin roof only adds to all the cheering and excitable noise you’ll find at a Muay Thai Boxing event at Lumpini Stadium in Bangkok, one of the top venues for Muay Thai. Excited fans spread throughout the stadium. Money changes hands as bets are made and people cheer before the boxers have even made their first hit.
