Thailand under construction

I wish I had Dad's and Uncle Bob's eyes here with me to notice the construction details; you'd speculate about the best concrete mixture for the climate and the structural choices made--

What my eyes notice is the bamboo scaffolding, the utter fearlessness of heights, the artistic detail. From what I can tell there's no non-working boss; everyone on site pitches in and does the same steady work. Occasionally I've seen a monk stroll over to confer. There must be someone behind the scenes making decisions and organizing the project...

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The pictures above are of our nearby Wat Sala Daeng, means temple of the red pavilion. It's walking distance from my house and the school, so I've been able to watch progress. The temple itself is gorgeous and elegant; this new construction is side buildings, maybe a main meeting hall-to-be. I like the doors. I'm guessing they're teakwood, the favored wood in Thailand as it withstands the weather. Apparently it's quite expensive and saved for special purposes (a temple is a special purpose); most people can't obtain teak for a private residence, though there are lovely old teak homes, weathered but in very good shape. They like the weathered look, similar in feel to Cape Cod shingles--not to be painted, just enjoyed as it ages.

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And I notice the prevalence of construction sites. Many temples are under (continual?) construction, and somehow they're finding space for new construction even in crowded Bangkok. Building seems to go on at least 6 days a week; Sundays may be days off, or maybe it's only holiday weekends they take off.

Construction workers usually wear sun hats and cowboy-style face kercheifs, probably for protection against dust. They are usually fully covered, long pants and long sleeves; they are out in the sun more than anyone else needs to be.