Natthapol Meesuk Nonthaburi Bang Rak Yai Thailand

A small boat jauntily plies the Chao Phraya River, swollen from the monsoon rains. The young man’s name is Natthapol. His family has lived on the water for generations on the outskirts of Bangkok. “Boats used to be how we got around every day, but now it’s cars. We hardly ever use boats any more to get around. But I like boats. I’ve been driving them since I was just a little boy. I used to even go to school by boat.” He bought a boat just for fun two years ago. It’s powered by a modified Honda outboard motor. “It runs really well and I like how it can run for a long time. I enter boat races with it several times a year too.” We tend to like things that are an extension of our culture and nature. And that is a beautiful thing.