As you likely know, Bangkok has, for the past several nights, been under curfew. This isn’t something I’ve experienced since I was about 15 years old, so to say it was a bit odd is an understatement; knowing that you’ll likely be arrested by the army if you’re outside after 9pm is the adult version of a kid running home at sunset to avoid the monsters that come out after dark. Seeing the city asleep has been very strange. Normally buzzing with the sound of cars, motorbikes, music, food and general city sounds, the city is quiet and lifeless. Standing on my balcony looking out out across the blinking lights, I felt a bit like Will Smith in I Am Legend, but without all the abs.

There are arguments to both sides as to the benefits of the curfew… some say a curfew is unnecessary while others say that it’s needed to make sure people are safe and to root out any dangerous people or paraphanaelia left over from the protests. My take on it is that it’s inconvenient, but I’m not planning on creating a room temperature superconductor over the next few nights, so I don’t mind staying in and catching up on Fringe instead.

Chinatown during the protest. Eerily quiet.

Chinatown during the protest. Eerily quiet.

But that silent city… There are no cars whoosing down the highways, no buzzing motorbikes off in the distance, no clattering dishes and background chatter at the numerous foodstalls in Chinatown, where I live. Mom and Pop stores are shuttered, the ubiquitous 7-11s are all closed (at least I think they are – I’m not allowed outside to check), and the river is empty and silent — without customers there’s no reason for boats to operate.

Last night a few friends and I congregated at an apartment with a few extra beds so that we could hang out and not worry about how to get home when we were tired. It’s amazing how helpless you feel when you can’t meet a friend for dinner, head to the corner store for a drink, or go out to watch a movie.

Getting mooned by Bangkok isn't as bad as you may think.

Getting mooned by Bangkok isn’t as bad as you may think.

And not being outside means no access to the life-giving Bangkok street food that so many of us regularly gorge on. Sleepovers, then, become a great excuse to stock up on all the food you don’t normally eat, comfort food for the isolation generation. I even had my William Wallace moment — they can take our freedom, but they’ll never take our Cap’n Crunch!

At any rate, as Bangkok slowly gets back on its feet, the curfew is lifted, and life gets back to normal, I imagine that forcing everyone to stay inside will remind them what a great city Bangkok is and how much vitality it has. All of this comes not from the city itself, but from the people and personalities that call it home, and once back on its feet, it’ll be even more badass than it was before.

"I would have followed you my brother... my cap'n... my king!"

“I would have followed you my brother… my cap’n… my king!”