Where There's a Will, There's a Waterway

While the City of Bangkok's population increased 10- fold since the 1950's, more than half of its major navigable canals, known as klongs, have been filled in for roads and development.

In the past, the klongs housed floating restaurants and markets. "The changes have affected more than the merchants along the canals. Houses, once constructed to face the water, now turn their backs, opening onto alleys instead."

In addition, "Bangkok's population boom and the reduction in waterways taxed the remaining canals, filling many of them with sewage and making them unsuitable for anything but transportation. People who once used canal water every day will now hardly touch it."