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Article: Thailand, After Two Decades of Growth, Poised to Be the Next `Little Tiger' of Asia
- Article from:
- The Washington Post
- Article date:
- October 9, 1988
- Author:
CopyrightThis material is published under license from the Washington Post. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Washington Post. (Hide copyright information)
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An American who first visited Thailand in the mid-1960s remembers
when Silom Road was a klong, a smelly canal bordered on either side
by a narrow lane of traffic-at that time mostly bicycles and
pedicabs.
Today, Silom Road is one of Bangkok's main thoroughfares, lined
on either side by gleaming new skyscapers, department stores, airline
offices and restaurants. The street is still clogged with traffic,
but now it consists of buses, taxicabs, motorbikes, imported Japanese
sports cars and motorcycles.
The sidewalks on either side are also packed, with vendors
selling dried squid and fried pork on skewers, bootleg cassette
tapes, fake Lacoste polo shirts, imitation Rolex watches and a ...