Inferno in Bangkok

Well this particular blog might seems to be some what off beat, however for the sake of my infinite appeties for artistic appreciation. I felt compel to experiment a little mixture art with technology in photo jounalism. Not to wory all, I still dedicate my spare time bringing you all my critical thought on technological impact on our dystopian world. You just have to wait in other blog for the future to come. Fortunately couple of nights ago, I was at the right time and place. There was a massive fire that burn down a slum community that left hundreds homeless, usally this kind of disater would get a lot media coverage plus a timely response to their immediate danger. However that never happened, first becuase the blaze was left untreated due the traffic congestion and the sheer incompetence of the Thai traffic police. Second for all those drama unfolding in front of my eyes, it took the news crew two hours to get their fat ass reporting it on the televison set. Last but not least, all those suffering homeless folks got only these pathetic little column about their lost on this Bangkokpost news , here is a sample of rather dry excerpt.

The Klong Toey fire destroyed 54 houses, left hundreds of people homeless, and caused five million baht in damage.

A make-shift relief centre has been set up near the community for the fire victims.

Police are investigating the cause of the three fires in the city.

So in the spirit of how Web 2.0 can amplify any content to be more dramatic and open ended, I have use a few Web 2.0 tools plus my artistic sense to deliver the same news content in a more dramatic overtone. After all in this technological dystopia, the news agency in Thailand can learn a thing or two from CNN, adding more drama in a timely fashion equals better rating. It is rather frighten that people choose to be persuade by a dramatic misinformation over a boring substance.So here is my photo jounalism without any help from photoshop and tripod.(those are for kids in photo journalism.)



Now here is the story with some great pictures
The Prelude to a Disater



The Beginning of the Slum Fire than rendered hundreds homeless. Here is the news link

The Firestorm Against Bangkok Skyline



The Wind Started to Pick Up the Pace



Some 30 fire engines could only prevent the blaze from further spreading and waited three hours for the fire to consume itself.

The Smoke Thickens


The blaze quickly spread beyond the slum threaten near by convention center and a power plant. Here is the news link

The Spreading of a Disater


The blaze also spread to a building of Metropolitan Electricity Office near the community and destroyed some 20 official vehicles there.

Eerie Lights Electrify the Scene



Over 100 houses on two-rai area were destroyed but the Klong Toey district officials had yet to survey the number of affected people.

A Close Up Look



The fire fighters faced shortage of water, so they had to ask for helps from nearby districts. Strong wind had obstructed the attempts to put the fire.

Lights Out



Police have to close traffic at Asoke Intersection and Ratchada-Rama IV road. Community radios suggested commuters to stay away from the roads near the blaze site.

There Were Some Explosion


Initially, police said the fire started from a furniture shop inside the community but Wallop said he leant that the blaze began at a temporary shelter of construction workers at mouth of the soi.