Cone Conundrum

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Size: 190mm x 140mm
Binding: Saddle Stitch, Thread

Each zine comes with a teeny tiny traffic cone.

Traffic cones are typically used to guide or block traffic—unless you’re in Thailand, where the quirky DIY spirit has transformed them into vibrant characters with personalities of their own. In a landscape where footpaths double as vendor stalls, black cables tangle overhead, and everyday clutter fills the streets, the standard bright orange cone can easily disappear into the chaos. To make them stand out—and perhaps add a bit of humour—people often decorate them with whatever’s at hand: chairs, blue pipes, plastic bags, flowers, stickers, or even a basket. Each one felt like a glitch in the urban routine: improvised, a little absurd, oddly expressive.

These simple yet clever alterations not only make the cones more visible to pedestrians and drivers, but also turn them into miniature street installations, each with its own story. It’s as if every cone has been styled by an unseen hand, transforming the city into a 24/7 outdoor fashion show; adding a playful and poetic charm to the urban environment. There’s a certain dry wit in treating something as mundane as a traffic cone as a “conundrum”—puzzling, repurposed, and oddly adorable—inviting us to look twice and wonder about the small, often overlooked details of city life. This zine gathers those encounters—a quiet tribute to the humour and resourcefulness tucked into the corners of Thai street life.