Vehicles and motorbikes raced noisily through the intersection, large groups of people went about their business, and foreign smells from nearby food carts wafted past.
How could people go about their lives as normal just hours after such events?
A New Zealand expat who has been living in Bangkok for two years offered me an explanation.
"People in Bangkok are very resilient," former Christchurch man James Burford said. "They're used to working through difficulties."
That didn't mean they were unsympathetic, however.
"Most people are still going to work today but there's a sadness in the air," Mr Burford said. "People are really horrified by what happened ... It's nice to be around your colleagues at this time."
Those sentiments were clear among Thai people as well.
A worker at a Starbucks cafe down the road from the explosion site said only the odd customer had talked about the night's events.
"I think most people have just been trying to get on with their day."
It was the same in the nearby office of insurance worker Thee Aewedaroan, who said he had no worries or fears.
Local resident Nonthiphat Pakvipastawat said he hadn't heard any explosions and when he saw it on the news, he didn't think it was real.
"It's heartbreaking."
However, he, too, was positive he was safe.
"We know what's happened now. I don't think there's any more danger."
Some schools in the city closed for the day but all businesses close to the explosion site were operating as normal. A few businesses reported being slightly quieter but the impact wasn't significant.
Security had increased noticeably in the area, with every bag being checked as passengers boarded the BTS Skytrain. But most people continued with their daily routines.
Sydney expat Michael Pash, who walks past the bomb site every day on his way to work, thought there was only slightly less traffic than usual yesterday morning - possibly an indication a few people had stayed home.
"If you've lived here long enough, things like this don't stop you from carrying on," he said. "Most things are business as usual, but [this] is horrific and the scene was apparently very graphic. This is not a light situation."
But he agreed with others - the Thai people were strong.
"I've lived here a few years. In that time, there have been coups, massive street-filled protests and the introduction of military rule." The Thai king, who is regarded very highly by the Thai people, has also been sick in hospital for some time.
The latest upheaval will inevitably lead to another period of soul-searching as the people of Bangkok question how, and why, such horror could happen.
But though the terror of the explosions and the grief for those involved will not be minimised or forgotten, for now, the city of Bangkok hums on.
