ABSTRACT
The neologism ‘simultopia’ was coined to describe the unique social and spatial organization of contemporary Bangkok. It is an ambiguous term. While ‘-topia’ means place, ‘simul-’ implies both simultaneity – occurring at the same time – and simulacrum – a copy with no original. Both associations apply to Bangkok. While syncretism provided a mechanism for pre-modern Siam to overlap animist, Hindu and Buddhist influences from neighbouring kingdoms and cultures, in modern Thailand the social practice of ‘face’ has facilitated the absorption of successive penetrations of both Western and Eastern capitalisms. Together syncretism and ‘face’ produce Bangkok Simultopia: a hypermodern milieu of surfaces and signs without an authentic centre or origin over-occurring within the same space of ancient beliefs, practices and rituals.
