This photography series is a quiet journey through the city, an exploration of the often overlooked mailboxes that still stand along Bangkok’s vibrant soi.
In a world wired for instant connection, where friends, family, and even the farthest corners of the globe are just a tap away, our trusty mailboxes have quietly receded into the shadows. They used to be these hopeful, exciting symbol, the little portals to surprise and the distant voices of loved ones. Now, they mostly stand as charming relics, whispering tales of a slower, more deliberate era of communication.
Walk around Bangkok, and you’ll still spot them: mailboxes tucked onto gates, clinging to walls, painted in every shade imaginable. They’re still waiting. Their role has certainly shifted; these days, they’re more likely to be stuffed with bills for electricity, water, or maybe a pesky traffic fine. Yet, beneath their chipped paint and rusted hinges, there’s a quiet story brewing. It’s a story of what they once were, and what, in their own silent way, they still represent.
This photography series is my journey through the city, exploring these unassuming boxes scattered across Bangkok’s vibrant soi. Each one is unique in its shape and color, but they’re all bound by that original, simple purpose: to connect. To carry a message. To be that little bridge between here and somewhere else. Through these images, I hope to invite you to look at the humble mailbox anew, to see its quiet dignity, and perhaps, to recapture just a sliver of the anticipation and joy they once brought into our lives. the extent of your imagination.
Martin Chen 