The woman had a firm grip on the handle leading to the plastic curtain

Woman holding handgrip on water-bus — Woman grabbing handle on water bus

I took a water bus from Pratunam Pier. This water bus route is the only one that still runs in Bangkok. As soon as the passengers boarded the bus, it proceeded along the Saen Saep Canal. The canal was free from the traffic jams on the ground, and the buses were moving along at a brisk pace, splashing through the water. As I gazed at the scenery in a daze, the conductor came to collect my fare. The conductor moved around on the rocking boat and collected the fare by hand. It was my first time to ride a water bus, and all of this was new to me.

A woman was riding in front of me. She was holding the handle firmly. At first glance, it looks like the same thing as a train's strap, meant to keep one's balance on a swaying water bus. But these are not for dealing with the swaying. A string extending from the handle is connected to a plastic curtain, which, when pulled, raises the curtain. The woman was not holding on to it because of the shaking, but to pull up the plastic curtain as needed to prevent splashing water from entering the water bus.

I arrived at my destination in no time as I observed my surroundings with a sense of excitement. I realized how convenient the water bus is to go between the Royal Palace area and the Siam Square area.

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