Yesterday afternoon my wife and I went to Kho San Road and Soi Ram Butri - the road that runs around the temple at the police station end - and were surprised to see that the latter was full of travellers. Back-packers and flash-packers.

By about 5.00 pm almost all the tables in virtually all the restaurants in that soi were occupied with many more eating at the numerous tables set up in the road aginst the wall surrounding the temple complex - tables two deep in places. All the time we witnessed more and more travellers arriving with back-packs.

This is in stark contrast to another time I visited the soi - 1997 or 1998 - in the low season - afternoon - when I recall I didn't pass more than a dozen people- when I walked the entire length of the soi - and there were very few if any diners/drinkers in the restaurants.

Also a lot more western children and families nowadays.

Things must be bad in the west!

In contrast the bars of lower Sukhumvit were mainly quiet Monday afternoon.

Yup, I Twas the other day for lunch, quite busy in that sawadee guesthouse place.