(Polluted) Venice of the East

King Rama I founded Bangkok strategically on the Chao Praya River to allow for easy trade and transport through the canals that criss cross the city, so it is naturally referred to as a Venice-like city. The average Bangkok resident is not dependent on the waterways as they once may have been because of cars and buses, but tourists get a kick out of a 200 baht ferry ride to see houses on stilts, floating markets, and mangrove trees. The main Chao Praya stretch supports cargo barges and a widely used ferry system, which is probably why the water is so polluted. On the ferry to school each morning, it is not uncommon for me to see a Thai toss their cigarette into the water. Trash litters most canals as street vendors toss garbage onto nearby banks. It's a shame that people here generally do not express concern for the state of the Chao Praya. Perhaps they think it is beyond repair.