text: [{"text_idx": "#000042", "text": "Nong Bua Lamphu to Bangkok"}, {"text_idx": "#000048", "text": "Ranong to BangkokRanong to Phuket"}, {"text_idx": "#000057", "text": "Trang to BangkokTrang to Phuket"}, {"text_idx": "#000079", "text": "Pak Bara Pier to Koh Lipe"}, {"text_idx": "#000091", "text": "Phitsanulok to BangkokPhitsanulok to Chiang Mai"}, {"text_idx": "#000117", "text": "Chuvit Gardens is a 11,200 square metre park between Soi 8 and Soi 10 on the Sukhumvit Road in Bangkok, which is some of the most expensive real estate in South East Asia. Chuvit Gardens is in appearance unremarkable, but it has an interesting backstory that involves politics, corruption, prostitution and redemption."}, {"text_idx": "#000118", "text": "Chuvit Gardens is located on a space privately owned by Chuwit Kamonwisit, famous for a number of things including at one time reputedly owning more massage parlours than anyone else in Thailand. Prior to 2003 the park was occupied by food stalls and beer bars. On acquiring ownership of the plot Chuwit Kamonwisit, by his own admission, in 2003 hired policemen and soldiers to evict these legal leaseholders paying low-rents so he could redevelop the area. Chuwit Kamonwisit ended up being arrested for doing this, although eventually and incongruously (given his admission of guilt) he was acquitted by the criminal court. Following his arrest Chuwit Kamonwisit decided to very publicly recant his former crimes, implicating senior police officers for corruption, selling most of his massage parlours and becoming a Member of the Thai Parliament. He also decided to turn the disputed plot of land into a garden for use by the public at his own cost in 2006. The park remained for the sole use as public garden until 2018. The park is now used for a very nice new hipster market called ARTBOX open from the late afternoon onward every day."}]