Bangkok is one of the most exciting cites in South East Asia. The shopping, food and manic atmosphere just takes you into overdrive mentally. Howeve,r that atmosphere would soon turn to terror, shock and fear because of a bomb exploding at the Erawan shrine killing 20 people and injuring over 100.
Thirty minutes before this horrific incident was to unfold, I happened to be outside Central World shopping centre about 100 meters from the Erawan shrine, with my family and friends. I don’t believe in coincidences and I also don’t believe in luck. But all of a sudden we all broke out into this unusual state of panic and just out of the blue, it was time to leave. I mean, we left in such a heated hurry it seemed we were getting a warning sign to get the hell out of this area.
Off I went into the taxi and my other family member decided to take the sky train. Right at that section was a bomb ready to go off. It was diffused after the first bomb went off 30 min later. Upon arrival at my hotel, I heard the bad news, and my heart goes out to all those victims. Words can’t explain how I felt, but I was there too feeling your pain.
Erawan Shrine in Bangkok – Scene of the deadly bombing
Why Was I Spared the Experience?
You can imagine the shock when we heard the news one hour later. The only reason it took us that long to realise was because I was stuck in traffic for one hour. You can imagine how we felt when we found out the bomb was right where my family members were on the sky train. You can even imagine the shock when down in the hotel foyer, there was a gentleman looking white as a ghost reporting to military officers and press. One hour before the bomb exploded, he heard a loud ticking noise and noticed the backpack. Surveillance footage showed a suspect leaving a backpack at the scene shortly before the explosion.
Why did it seem that I had to be observing the horrific events after and happened to be in places capturing this investigation? What was I being shown throughout this unusual event? It was as if I was there but I was not. I was a spectator observing the very essence that humanity and this evil world has to offer. My family and I were simply spared of going through the whole experience. But I couldn’t help thinking, of all days, of all the moments, why did it happen right at the time I was in Bangkok City?
Tensions were very high the next morning, but you can imagine how we felt when we heard that in a separate attack in Bangkok, another explosive device was thrown from a bridge near a boat pier shortly after 13:00 ICT on 18 August 2015, but it caused no injuries. The device, possibly a grenade, appeared to have been thrown at the busy Sathon pier in Bangkok but landed in water where it exploded. The district’s deputy police chief said, “If it did not fall in the water, then it certainly would have caused injuries.” Some damage was done to the bridge.
My shot the day before the Bombing
This city of millions of people all of sudden became very small to me and anything and everything was like walking on egg shells. Hotels were advising people to stay indoors and not to panic. Yeah right. Of course you were not going to panic but you just thought, where do I go that is deemed safe? I have to say the military and police were absolutely amazing. Security was very high and the speed they shut this section of the city and diffused bombs was epic!
Do I Stay Or Do I Fly Out?
However, there was a sense of peace that overwhelmed me and the reason was that I had been attacked in Kuala Lumpur 6 weeks before, which left me with a broken hand. Then. I had to encounter a volcano in Java that had a mind of its own. This meant the airport in Bali was closed for days for aviation safety reasons throughout this peak summer tourist season. It was unsettling as well for me because in mid air, planes were being turned around if the ash started to affect flights.
What Was I Been Taught?
Live each day as if it’s your last. Do not worry about tomorrow because tomorrow may never come. Appreciate that when you get stuck in traffic, it does not matter. Pursue peace and happiness as if your life depends on it. Most of all, live your dream and stop making excuses. My Asian tour was amazing and you can check out all my lifestyle reviews here.
You’d think that after leaving Bangkok, it would be a smooth flight home. Of course it was not. I missed my connecting flight from Paris to Madrid and half way through, we had an emergency landing. Due to lack of fuel, we had to land elsewhere.
What can I say? I am the real Bond Lady after all, living on the edge. I serve a faithful God who obviously does not want me in heaven anytime soon. Amen. Bangkok is an epic city and please go there when you can.
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