Violence and Votes

As much as I criticize America for its culture of violence and aggression, things aren’t exactly always peaceful and crime-free here in Thailand either. Take the tragic case of the Japanese tourist, a woman in her mid-20s, who was murdered in Sukhothai last week during the Loy Krathong festival. She was apparently cycling around the historical park the night of the big celebrations when someone cut her throat and robbed her. For the most part Thailand is a very safe country to visit, even for solo female tourists, but like most places in the world nowadays, it’s not as safe as it used to be.

Another violent note, it’s election time! Yes, the Thai national elections are now only three weeks away, so the campaigns are heating up, the campaign trucks are driving around blaring their propaganda (along with Isaan folk songs), and murders are increasing too. That’s right; you can’t have an election in Thailand without a bit of blood. Just yesterday a canvasser for one party was shot dead in Phattalung, and a candidate for an office in Prachuap Khiri Kan was stabbed to death---although the latter’s death is being called a simple robbery. Unfortunately, today’s Bangkok Post published the photo of one of the deceased men, and under his photo, next to his first name, it said: Found Naked. Why do they print stuff like that? Looks like the editor was asleep once again.

Speaking of those decibel-defying campaign trucks, the worst part is when they are driving down Sukhumvit Road and then come to a complete stop at the red light, right in front of my shop. This being Bangkok, it takes forever for the light to change, so we are subjected to the truck’s racket for what feels like an eternity.

Related to the Sukhothai murder, authorities have temporarily closed the park as part of their investigation. In today’s paper there was a photo of the sign that they posted, another indication that the locals aren’t learning English properly:
WAT SAPHAN HIN IS CLOSED FOR SECURITY MISSION
PLEASE DO NOT PASS AT ALL TIME
SORRY FOR UNCOMFORTABLE

I had a nice visit last week from Burmese writer Aung Thein Kyaw, commonly known as ATK. He’s a friend of my friend Ma Thanegi in Yangon. ATK was in Bangkok for a few days and stopped by my bookshop to pick up some Harry Potter books for his children. “I’m just happy that they like to read,” he said, lamenting the growing number of teenagers in Yangon who are addicted to computer games and karaoke. Besides writing his own books and magazine articles, ATK has done several book translations, one of which was a Burmese version of Alan Paton’s classic Cry, the Beloved Country.

07:38 PM PST Permalink |

Cool Weather and Hot Deals

Cool weather in Bangkok? Yes, the temperatures have definitely dipped this month. Taking a motorcycle taxi in the morning to the Skytrain station at Ekkamai the past couple of days, I’ve felt the need for a jacket; it’s been that chilly. I’m a cold weather wimp so I’m hoping it doesn’t get much colder. The change in temps is refreshing but I don’t like the idea of having to add extra layers of clothing.

I’m sad to report that I lost my basketball this week. It was a good companion and served me well over the past couple of years, and I’m devastated that it’s gone. During my Wednesday morning hoops session at the outdoor courts near Ekkamai, the ball bounced over the ridiculously low fence that borders the courts and kept bouncing … all the way into a reservoir next to Klong Saen Saeb. Rather than wade into the potentially toxic body of water, I watched helplessly as the ball floated away. Next week’s plan: buy a new ball.

The local branches of CD Warehouse will be closing at the end of December. For the past two weeks all of their stores in town are having a big sale, offering 50% off all new CDs and DVDs. Used CDs are also on sale, at prices as low as three for 100 baht. Only three branches remain in Bangkok: Emporium, Siam Discovery, and the Tesco Lotus center on Rama IV Road. They also have a branch in Pattaya. I went by all three branches this past week, loading up on a slew of discs. The good stuff got snatched up quickly but I managed to find a few goodies. I also made a second run later in the week, taking advantage of their special on used discs. I picked up some wonderful titles, things I never would have expected to find in Bangkok, by artists such as Jules Shear, NRBQ, Kid Creole and the Coconuts, Webb Wilder, Moon Martin, Duncan Dhu, Steve Goodman, and Richard Barone. I used to have most of those on vinyl, so I'm delighted to find the digital versions --- especially at such cheap prices.

I feel particularly sad about the closings, not just because I’m a big CD buyer, but because I used to work for this chain when it was an affiliate of Tower Records, from 1996-98. Some of my friends and ex-employees, in fact, still work for the chain. Karanrat, more commonly known as Jane, the manager of the Emporium branch, was my assistant manager at the Siam Center branch. She’s a jewel. Jane has worked for the local franchise holder since 1995. That was the year they opened the first branch of Tower Records in Bangkok, at Siam Center. I dropped by that store in November of 1995, when I was visiting Bangkok, and interviewed for a job. A week later, during the Loy Krathong festival, Siam Center burned down! I had been upcountry for the festival and when I returned to Bangkok I found Siam Center roped off by fire marshalls. What a mess. Nevertheless, Tower opened two more stores the next year, at the Mall Bangkapi and World Trade Center. I started managing the Bangkapi store in August that year and moved to the reopened Siam Center Store in early 1997. That year Tower also opened a store in Central Pinklao and at the newly constructed Emporium. Those were fun times and sometimes I miss that retail family comraderie. We “record store types” share an intense love of music that bonds us in a special way. I wish my Bangkok friends good luck in their next retail adventure.

08:35 PM PST Permalink |

Orphans and Immigration Officers

Over in the Kalaw hills, in Myanmar’s Shan State, Marjut Sieppi has her hands full with twin orphan girls. The twins, now three-years-old, came to Marjut’s care when they were only five days old, after their mother died giving birth. Relatives disappeared soon after the mother’s funeral and the father, unable to care for the girls by himself (he worked as a trishaw driver) left the girls in Marjut’s care. Thus far, with the help of an NGO called FinnConnect, and donations from many generous friends, Marjut has managed to raise Anna Jasmine (May May Than) and Sophia Florence (Min Min Than). But funds have slowed down to a trickle and Marjut is urgently looking for a godmother or godfather, or a supporting association to help cover the costs of raising the girls through early childhood and paying for their future education. For information please contact Marjut by e-mail: marjut.htay@mptmail.net.mm or by phone (+95-1) 644 533.
For more details about FinnConnect and their activities, please visit this site:
http://myanmartravel.net/finnconnect.htm

One of my friends, a doctor and anthropologist, is always travelling. Flights from Houston to Tokyo, Sydney to Mexico City, or Paris to Bangkok, are not uncommon. I got this note from him this morning:
“I have a constantly changing environment. Just yesterday I was arriving at the Miami International airport from Havana. Noting that the immigration officer had the name of Martinez, I broke out in Spanish. He looked at my passport and continued speaking in Spanish; “Where is Malacca?” he asked. My usual answer to the US Immigration officers who ask this is: “It is north of Australia,” since the mention of Malaysia usually triggers suspicion. They are drilled to believe that Malaysia is one of the 23 terrorist countries. But I told this officer the full details and then he laughed. “How did someone born in Malaysia but is an Australian, and lives in the USA (I have US residency) learn to speak Spanish?” The answer was: working in Cuba, which normally would arouse more suspicion, but this particular immigration officer seemed almost human and didn’t grill my friend any further.

02:49 AM PST Permalink |

Ho Ho Hell

The horror has begun. Yes, it’s that time of the year once again when local malls, shops, and restaurants deck the halls with an avalanche of gaudy Christmas decorations. Christmas trees in the lobby, strands of garland in the windows, inane holiday songs playing over the sound system. Just like those trucks that drive around town blaring election campaign propaganda, you can’t escape it. I had fervently hoped that when I left the shores of the USA back in 1996 that I had seen the last of irritating Christmas celebrations. But alas, the seasonal displays are alive and well --- just like dengue fever --- here in Thailand too. It’s not like there has been a sudden outbreak of Christianity to hit the kingdom. Thankfully, no such epidemic has taken place --- although I find there are more Christians living here than is necessary. But all this local Christmas nonsense is simply an indication of how much Thais like decorations and festive events. Ooh, how pretty! Ho Ho Ho, ka!

I dropped by a branch of Black Canyon for lunch on Tuesday and was annoyed so see they had put up a Christmas tree by their front door. I’ve also seen employees in malls wearing Santa Claus hats already. But the worst is yet to come. Every year the operators of the BTS Skytrain allow local Christian youth groups to board the trains and serenade passengers with Christmas carols on the two days prior to Christmas. Frankly, there should be a law against this. It’s bad enough when passengers are bombarded with high-volume advertisements on the Skytrain monitors (both inside the trains and in the stations), but to subject us with religious anthems is a form of mental cruelty.

Another annoyance at Black Canyon is their use of straws. Whenever you order an iced coffee your glass comes with two straws. Why? The only explanation I can think of is that they think the double-plastic looks attractive. Obviously one straw is more than enough, but two is overkill. But hey, that’s the Thai way. It’s hard to avoid the straw fetish no matter where you go. I have to plead with clerks at convenience stores and super markets NOT to give me more straws whenever I buy a canned or bottled drink of some sort. Even purchasing a jug of milk will earn you a straw. It’s beyond ridiculous. And don’t get me started on the overuse of plastic bags. I’ll save that rant for another day.

Thursday is Thanksgiving Day back in the states. This used to be my favorite holiday; a rare chance to get together with friends and/or family and share a good meal without having to worry about exchanging gifts. When I moved to Bangkok I would always get together with American friends and celebrate the holiday at a local hotel or restaurant that offered a turkey dinner of some sort, but finding a good quality Thanksgiving meal that is not outrageously expensive (care to spend over 2,000 baht for a meal? Not me!) has become almost impossible nowadays. So this year, like the past two years, I will have dinner with a friend in an Indian restaurant. And you know what? I don’t miss the turkey at all.

Yet another holiday to avoid, this one a Thai festival, is coming up on Saturday. Yes, it’s Loy Krathong time again. This is not an official holiday, but an annual event that is cherished by most of the Thai populace. In theory, this should be a lovely festival. Traditionally, people make krathongs from the sliced trunks of banana trees (so that they resemble tiny boats) and decorate them with flowers, candles, and incense sticks. Then, under the full moon at night, they float them on a nearby body of water (river, lake, canal, drainage ditch, or whatever is conveneient). But Loy Krathong is always marred by the idiots who think it is fun to set off firecrackers. That wouldn’t be so bad if they firecracker tossers refrained from throwing them at other people, but sadly that’s not the case. Personally, I don’t find it much fun to be the target of some brain damaged computer game addict that gets his kicks from playing with explosive devices. I’ll be staying safely inside again this year.

07:37 PM PST Permalink |

Color my World

What’s the color of the day? For Thai people this has become a definite dilemma. For most of the past two years you can see Thais --- and we’re talking an overwhelming majority of the populace --- sporting yellow shirts each Monday in honor of King Bhumipol. The King, you see, was born on a Monday, and in the traditional weekly color hierarchy, yellow belongs to Monday. But many Thais also wear yellow clothing throughout the week to show their love for the long-reigning (over 60 years) monarch.

But yellow, it seems, is longer the only appropriate color. When the King was released from hospital last week, after a stay of nearly three weeks, he was wearing a pink shirt. The next day there was a nationwide run on pink shirts. Later in the week, when the King went to visit his older sister in the hospital, he was seen wearing a green shirt. Naturally, vendors stocked up on green shirts as a result. I was joking with a friend, guessing what would happen if the King started wearing polka-dot or striped shirts. But he did me one better: just a few days ago, the King was pictured wearing a shirt with a checked pattern. But over that he wore a light blue jacket, thus causing a demand for blue shirts. Obviously the Thai public worship the King, but this constantly changing color stuff is getting mighty silly.

It seems like there are NGOs for every conceivable cause and concern. If there is a societal problem of some sort, even a perceived one, you can bet that there is an NGO to take up the fight. But sometimes there are problems that continue to be ignored, and I wonder: why isn’t someone doing something to help these poor people? Case in point: all those pitiful Thai women who are stumbling around in high heels. You can tell they are in pain, yet they persist in wobbling down the sidewalk, hoping they can make it to their next destination without falling. It’s especially heartbreaking to see them attempting to climb up and down stairs, cell phone in one hand, Emporium shopping bag in the other hand. What’s going to happen when they fall face-first onto the pavement? Why doesn’t someone start an NGO to help these downtrodden young lasses? Please please please, buy them proper footwear so that they can walk normally again.

07:19 PM PST Permalink |

Wake Up!

One of the big stories in the Thai newspapers the past two days was the tale of the security guard that beat several of his fellow guards to death because they were sleeping on duty. Call me sick, but I think this is a great story. The security guard arrested for the murders, Witaya Jaikhan, claims he tried to wake up each guard, but if they went back to sleep or scolded him he would become “enraged” and beat them severely, which sometimes resulted in fatal injuries. Witaya was obviously a practical fellow too, and before fleeing the scene he would help himself to the dead guard’s mobile phone and any money or candy he found.

Naturally, every drowsy security guard in town is re-evaluating his napping habits in the wake of this revelation. In an article in today’s Bangkok Post one guard was quoted as saying: “Sometimes we have to work a double shift, which means we have to stay awake for 24 hours or moe. This makes us fall asleep and not be alert enough to protect ourselves.” The article added: Security guards also said that taking a nap on duty was common practice and insisted the habit does not affect their work. Sanguan Chumchimplee, a security guard at a Klong Toey warehouse was quoted as saying: “We only take a nap, not a deep sleep. We will be up on our feet immediately if something happens.”

Oh yeah? Shouldn’t a security guard be alert enough to prevent something from happening in the first place? The idea of a guard waking up from a nap and suddenly springing to his feet all bright-eyed and watchful sounds more than a bit absurd. More than likely the guard emerge slowly from his slumber, rubbing his eyes, muttering the lyrics from a mor lam song, and then looking in a mirror to check his hair before he realizes what’s going on.

But this whole “Sleeping Guard Basher” story has given me ideas, horribly wonderful ideas. Perhaps I’ll post this guy’s bail, get him sprung from jail, and then send him on a new mission: board the Skytrain and go after all those people that obnoxiously shout on their cell phones. Anyone with annoying ring tones will also qualify. I don’t want them beaten to death, but a few hard taps on the skull would be nice!

I found this online poll, over at the always entertaining Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) website:
What do you enjoy most in Thailand?
Thai Way of Life
Thai History & Culture
Beaches & Water Sports
Trendy Style
Adventure & Eco-tourism
Health & Madical Service (that’s their misspelling, not mine!)
Festivals & Events

I know, the first thing most people will say is; “What, no choice for the nightlife and bar scene?” Or, to be more specific, “Thai Women.” That’s certainly one of the most enjoyable “attractions” for many men visiting the kingdom. A stroll around the streets of Bangkok or Pattaya will only confirm that fact.

I’m also surprised that Thai Food didn’t warrant an entry in the poll. That’s one of Thailand’s best assets and a perennial favorite of my visitors. And what is “Trendy Style” supposed to mean? Perhaps they mean shopping, which is another category that should have been listed. Once again, TAT appears to have no idea what they are doing.

10:44 PM PST Permalink |

Whipped Cream and Elephant Delights

When I first opened up my bookshop in Bangkok, three and a half years ago, one of our first regular customers was a California ex-pat named Stephen. He eventually moved back to L.A. but returns to visit friends in Bangkok occasionally. After an absence of over a year he dropped by the shop last week. While we were chatting (covering topics ranging from politics and American culture to music and books) I went into one of my rants about all the motorcycles that zoom down the sidewalk outside my bookshop. Right at the moment an elephant walked by the store, prompting Stephen to remark, “and then you have to put up with that, too.” Believe me, I told him, I prefer the elephants. And if on cue, about two minutes later another elephant sauntered past our window. After not seeing hardly any of the great beasts at all during the height of rainy season, I’m noticing them on a regular basis lately, especially in the evenings. Welcome back, Jumbo!

I attended a meeting of the “Bridge Club” last week. This group, however, has no aptitude for playing card games. We’re just a bunch of ex-school teachers who get together every once in a while to catch up on current events and enjoy a meal together. All of us ---me, Michael, John, Tony, and Ian --- worked at the Victory Monument branch of Siam Language & Computer Institute back in the late 90s and earlier this decade. Michael and John have both retired, and the rest of us have moved on to other jobs, but we still enjoy getting together when John is in town. He’s back living in Australia these days, keeping an eye on his mother, who turned 101 earlier this year, and “is still going strong.” We hold our Bridge Club meetings at the Sizzler restaurant in Central World Plaza, the sprawling shopping mall formerly known as World Trade Centre. Despite the name change and extensive remodeling, the layout of the complex remains as confusing and annoying as ever. Before dinner, John and I ran into each other wandering around the sixth floor, both of us with exasperated looks on our faces, totally lost. “Where have they moved the damn restaurant?”

It’s not often that I start a book and finish it in the same day, but that happened recently with the new Robert Crais book, The Watchman, lent to me by my friend Gene Johnson. We were having computer problems at the store on Monday morning, so I just said, “screw it,” and set aside all of my computer work and started reading the book instead. Couldn’t put it down. When I left work in the afternoon I took it home and stayed up late to read till the end. Most of Crais’s books revolve around a character named Elvis Cole. They also feature an intriguing sidekick named Joe Pike. And in The Watchman the focus is more on Pike, making for a most riteting read.

Most people growing up in America in the 1960s will remember the seminal album by Herb Alpert’s Tijuana Brass, Whipped Cream and other Delights. In my opinion it still remains an instrumental classic. But I think it’s also safe to say that most people remember the album for the cover---a beautiful women wearing nothing but a coat of whipped cream, teasingly licking her finger---than the actual music. Back in the late 80s, a band from Minneapolis called Soul Asylum released a tribute of sorts: an ablum called Clam Dip & other Delights. The picture on the cover used the same color scheme and graphics found on the original Herb Alpert record, except the model was male and he was covered with something less tasty-looking than whipped cream. Fast forward to this year and there is a new remix album of Whipped Cream and other Delights on store shelves, titled Re-Whipped. This one once again features a model sporting whipped cream, although this time around there is more skin and less cream. The album uses Herb’s original tunes, all treated to remixes by the likes of Thievery Corporation, Medeski Martin & Wood, Anthony Marinelli and others. I can’t say that I love it, but some of the new versions are interesting. If nothing else, it puts the spotlight once again on a classic piece of music.

07:22 PM PST Permalink |

Tone for the Day

I’ve been in a cranky mood the past few days: annoyed by almost everything I read in the newspaper and online, and feeling hopelessly overwhelmed by my editing projects. There appears to be no end in sight to my workload and I’m none too confident in my abilities at this point.

There are times when the tone for the whole day is determined by whether or not the first customer I deal with is pleasant or obnoxious. At my bookshop in Bangkok we sell secondhand books, mostly English language titles from the US, UK, and Australia. Like at most used shops, we sell the books for about half the original price. We had one lardass American customer last week who questioned why one book that he wanted to buy was 240 baht, while the other one was only 150 baht. I pointed out that the more expensive book was a larger size, plus it was published at a higher list price. Noting the UK £ 7.99 price on the back of the book, I told the guy, “It sells for almost eight pounds as a new book.” This fellow looked totally puzzled: “You sell books by weight?” he asked. I shook my head and explained the meaning of “pounds” in this case. It’s too bed, we don’t charge customers by the pound, I thought to myself; this character probably tips the scales at three-hundred plus.

This whiner was not about to stop, however. “I can get this same book new back in the states for almost the same price!” he wailed. I shook my head once more and told him, “That’s great. If you can get a good deal like that, go for it.” In fact, I thought again to myself, why don’t you hop on a plane and do the rest of your book shopping back in the states?

That behavior is typical of the cheapskate tourists who flock to Thailand. They expect, or even demand, a discount because they are visiting what they perceive to be a third world country. It doesn’t matter where they do their shopping---at a street vendor, in a shop like mine, or in a mall--- they are determined to get their bargain. I doubt these types of people ever stop. I can just picture them trying their plea in a restaurant or bar: “How ‘bout a discount on that bottle of Sing-ha Beer, darlin’?”

By contrast there are the nice, polite customers who are a pleasure to have. This morning started with this Japanese tourist who was thoroughly lost. I was outside the shop, arranging our table of discounted books, when they guy wandered by with a map in his hand. He pointed to the map and asked me to tell him where he was. After that came: “What should I see in Bangkok?” Now there’s a question with no easy answer. I pointed out the basic highlights on the map: Wat Pho, Wat Phra Kaew, and the Grand Palace. When he asked about bus tours, I directed him to the travel agent on the same block. Anyway, this guy was very polite and thanked me profusely. A few minutes after that, the first real customer of the day showed up: a Filipino woman looking for Sidney Sheldon novels. I had to stifle a smile: it seems like every Filipino woman that comes in the shop (and we got a lot of them due to our proximity to the Philippines Embassy) will buy a Sidney Sheldon book. And this woman did just that, choosing a copy of The Stars Shine Down. I’ve never read any Sidney Sheldon books, but I’ve found that Filipino woman are always courteous and friendly, and this lady was no exception. I hope these nice morning encounters are a harbinger for a better day today.

And hey, over in Myanmar, Par Par Lay has been released from jail. Call me naïve, but maybe good things will start to happen.

07:56 PM PST Permalink |

Special Deliveries

It’s always nice when I finally meet people that I have exchanged e-mails with, or who have been readers of this blog. Last week I was treated to two such in-person meets. Mike from New York was in town to visit his son (who works in Bangkok) and then head up to Chiang Mai and Northern Thailand for a week. This was his second trip to the kingdom and he loves it. Stan from Sarasota is also a repeat visitor. This time around he had also planned to visit Myanmar, but shifted plans and decided to go to Cambodia instead. On previous trips to the region both Mike and Stan have stayed at Peace of Angkor Villas in Siem Reap, run by my friend Dave Perkes.

When I found out that Stan was planning to stay at the Dara Reang Sey Hotel in Phnom Penh, I asked him to deliver a letter for me. I wanted to send some money to my kids in Phnom Penh and I knew that either Dara or Reang Sey (the two lovely sisters who run the hotel) would see that they received it. Stan successfully delivered the letter and Reang Sey confirmed it with an e-mail. Now I just have to wait for the boys to call in two weeks so that I can let them know there is some cash waiting for them. I’m not sure when I’ll make it to Phnom Penh again, so this will tide them over until then.

I also received an e-mail confirming another across the border “special delivery” that I arranged. This one came from my friend Tun Tun in New Bagan, Myanmar, thanking me for the package I had sent. I had asked Peter Walter, another Bangkok resident, to deliver some stuff for me when he visited Bagan last week. In the package were some German books for Gaw Chan, a horsecart driver who is studying the language, and some photos and money for Tun Tun and a few of the other village kids, most of whom are probably wondering what’s happened to the pool of tourists that used to visit their town. From all reports, it’s like a ghost town these days.

And on that note, what is going to happen to tourism in Myanmar in the immediate future? Hpone Thant of Swiftwinds Travel in Yangon stopped by my bookshop this week while he was town for a conference. He reports that his company has received over 90% cancellations for the upcoming “high season,” and he is not very optimistic about a sudden rebound in business.

In the midst of all the news about the recent problems in Myanmar and the renewed debate about tourists visiting the country (and I wholeheartedly advocate that tourists should visit this country and see things for themselves), one issue that gets lost in the media blitz is the plight of the average citizen. With the recent petrol price increases (which has also resulted in higher prices for many goods), many people in the country are having a much harder time making ends meet. The UN's World Food Program has estimated that 5 million people in Myanmar are in need of immediate food aid. An organization just started selling "red bands," proceeds of which will go to support needy Burmese people. Take a look at their website and see what it’s all about:
http://www.redbandforburma.com/

And finally, there was a delivery for me this weeks; books from Janet Brown (author of the most excellent “Asia by the Book” blog here at Things Asian) sent via her Thai friends Yui and Momo. Janet sent me a copy of the latest Karen Connelly book, The Lizard Cage, along with art supplies for my Cambodian crew. Now I just have to find time to open the book and read it. I’m slammed right now with another round of article edits for the “To Asia with Love” series.

There have been lots of customers asking for Doris Lessing books in the past couple of weeks. In the wake of her recent Nobel Prize win that’s not surprising. But we only had about five titles to start with, and now they’re all gone.

10:00 PM PST Permalink |

Good Day Rising

The signs were all falling into place, giving me hope that today was going to be a good day: for starters, there were no sign of rain. On the way to work the orange juice lady near Soi 24 greeted me with a sweet smile. Adding to the good vibe, there was a friendly greeting from the old guy selling newspapers on the same block. Finalizing the vendor trifecta, I bought bags of guava, papaya, and mango from the strolling fruit fellow.

When I got to the shop, the first two e-mails in my inbox were from Ma Thanegi and Wesley Stace. Which was a bit of a coincidence; Ma Thanegi --- living all the way in Yangon --- had been the first person on earth to tell me about Wesley’s fabulous debut novel, Misfortune. Wes is also known in the music world (which was where I first met him) as John Wesley Harding, and has released 14 albums, one of which is a companion CD of sorts for his book, called Songs of Misfortune. I had written Wes to say hello and compliment him on such a fantastic literary debut. Wes offered to send me a copy of his latest CD, and I told him I may reciprocate and send him a copy of Ma Thanegi’s book The Native Tourist.

Another good thing happened on Friday; my visa and work permit were extended until September of next year. Getting this done involves a laborius process of paperwork, photos, and visits to various government offices. My visa was actually extended last month, but due to the typically peculiar style of Thai beauracracy, I was “under review” for the first 30 days of the new extension. But now I’m good to go and can travel again; once I secure (and pay for) a new multi re-entry permit. Urrgghh! More paperwork!

Earlier in the week I received a phone call from my kids in Cambodia; the four brothers I help to support. They had missed their monthly call the past two months and I was getting a bit worried, but thankfully this time they didn’t forget. The designated spokesman of the bunch, Huot, reports that all is well and everyone in the family (I’ve lost track; there is either 12 or 13 of them!) says hello! When I am coming back to visit, they ask? Not sure. My timeline is anywhere from November to February. Time --- and money --- will tell.

Best piece of music I heard all week: a hi-NRG dance version of Elton John’s “Daniel.” Hey, I’m a sucker for those cheesy disco-fied covers of classic pop songs and this one is brilliant. I can’t tell you who recorded it but I’m going to try and track it down.

Other good things from the past week: a fabulous dinner at my friend Myriam’s house, and a visit from Sandra, another friend living and working in Yangon. She dropped by the bookshop with her Burmese beau, Kyaw Kyaw. They were in town for a doctor’s appointment: Sandra is expecting a special “package” in January, and they wanted to make sure that all was well. Once they get their own visas sorted out, they’ll be back in Yangon before the end of the month.

Surprise e-mail of the week came from Kimball Collins. Kimball is a DJ of some reknown; he has played gigs all over the world and has recorded several albums. I had seen an advertisement for Kimball’s upcoming gig at Bangkok’s Q Bar so I sent them a message and asked for Kimball to contact me. Why? Well, I knew him way back in the stone ages; the late 80s and early 90s, when we both lived in Orlando, Florida. Kimball would shop in my store, Murmur Records, looking for the latest hot vinyl to play at his club shows. I’m looking forward to seeing him again and catching up on what he’s been doing the past decade. He’ll be playing at Q bar every Friday night for the next month, or perhaps longer.

09:16 PM PDT Permalink |

Music for the Doldrums

I had the urge to go on a relatively major CD buying binge on Tuesday, my sole day off from work. I dropped by the Gram shop in Siam Paragon where Aung --- a nice young woman who used to work for me when I managed the Tower Records Mall Bangkapi branch (about … 11 years ago!) --- is now employed. I find that this store has the consistenly best mix of music CDs and DVDs in town lately. I came away with a half-dozen coveted discs, enough to lift my spirits and lighten my wallet.

On that note, here are more songs about buildings and food … or albums that are helping to keep me sane lately:
Cheap Trick – Rockford
Kashmere Stage Band – Texas Thunder Soul 1968-1974
Pete Yorn – Nightcrawler
Herbie Hancock – The River
Pernice Brothers – Yours, Mine & Ours
Mark Knopfler – Kill to Get Crimson
Linda Thompson – Versatile Heart
Bruce Springsteen – Magic
Joni Mitchell – Shine
Scott Miller and the Commonwealth – Upside Downside
Interpol – Our Love to Admire
Ben Harper and the Innocent Criminals – Life Line
Mark Olson – Salvation Blues
Warren Zevon – The Wind
Futon – Pain Killer
New Pornographers – Challengers
Nina Simone – Just Like a Woman
Various Artists – Last Night a DJ Saved My Life
Sloan – A Sides Win: Singles 1992-2005
Jim Lauderdale – Headed for the Hills
Tracy Chapman – Collection
Various Artists – Bay Area Funk
Sonic Youth – Daydream Nation (Deluxe Edition)
David Lindley & El Rayo-X – Very Greasy
Chris Isaak – Collection

05:15 AM PDT Permalink |

Retail Circus

Working in a retail store allows me the opportunity to observe a wide range of human behavior: some good, some bad, some ugly, and some totally bizarre. For example, we are treated to weekly (sometimes daily) visits from a pleasantly odd foreigner (always reeking of soy sauce!) who sells us pristine copies of various paperback books (all of which smell like soy sauce also), most of which appear to have never been read.

We had one real wacko last week, a Thai customer who, after drinking an iced coffee and pestering us with a litany of inane questions, asked to use the restroom. He then proceeded to disrobe, hanging his shirts (the guy was wearing multi-layers) on the open door. We couldn’t tell how far he went in undressing (none of use dared to take a peek inside), but he spent a good fifteen minutes washing himself in the sink. Afterwards, he asked us how much he should pay for using the facilities. No charge, we replied. Nevertheless he pulled out a handful of coins and tossed them on the front counter. We were relieved when this talkative character, wearing an Army jacket, finally left. But, much to our alarm, he showed up again two hours later with a bag of books that he wanted to sell. Most of his stash consisted of guidebooks dating back to the early 90s, so we had to decline his goods. Before leaving he shook my hand and saluted me. I had an extra beer when I went home that evening.

I’m also amazed, if not annoyed, by the customers who enter the store, cell phone pressed firmly to ear, loudly chatting away. Invariably I will turn up the music I'm playing in the store in response. It’s never a short conversation with these people; many of them stay on the phone the entire time they are in the store. I saw one woman last week who conducted a forty-minute phone marathon as she diligently browsed the bookshelves. Obviously a dedicated multi-tasker, she never removed the phone from her ear (and from what I could hear, she virtually monopolized the entire conversation), even when she was paying for her books.

Then are the ones I call the “zombies-in-waiting.” This group comprises the Thai girlfriends – or in some case, the boyfriends – of foreign customers who come in to buy books. The zombies-in-waiting, however, have zero interest in printed matter (unless there are lots of pretty pictures in the book), so while their book reading faen browses the shelves, the companion sits and sulks at a nearby table, staring mournfully off into space. Clearly, they don’t know what to do with themselves, surrounded by walls of books without a TV to watch. Eventually they take solace in the one thing that comforts them: talking or texting on their cell phone.

08:36 PM PDT Permalink |

Annoyances ... and a few nice things

One thing that really upsets me about all these protest rallies (no matter what the cause or complaint) that you see on TV and in the newspaper are the young children holding up signs. Who makes them do this? Talk about exploiting kids; that takes the cake. Does anyone honestly expect that a four-year-old child understands the complexities of politics of Burma, the threat of global warming, or is able to comprehend the concept of human trafficking? But adults think nothing of sticking a protest sign in the kiddies’ hands and hoping that a photographer will train their lens on such a “striking” image.

Other things that drive me crazy: Children that wear those roller-shoes. Whether they are rolling/skating around my bookshop, or zipping around airport terminals or shopping centers, I’m always tempted to trip the creepy kids that wear those things. Why do parents let their kids wear this most annoying type of footwear? Hey kid, if you want to go skating, go to a proper rink!

What else can I complain about today? The persistent rainstorms and flooded streets in Bangkok? The reappearance of more idiot Thai politicians whom I had naively thought had retired gracefully (Samak, Chalerm, etc.)? But not is all bad. Had some nice conversations with some nice customers in the store today, and a most welcome e-mail from Eugene (perhaps Myanmar’s most fabulous tour guide?) in Yangon (check out the link to his blog under my “Favorites” on this page). And how about those Colorado Rockies! At least their amazing winning streak gives the bloated baseball season a bit of extended life and excitement. And what a great Cinderella story!

04:38 AM PDT Permalink |

Bush on Burma … and more tragedy and comedy

It’s actually sort of nice that Laura Bush has taken an interest in the situation in Burma, and in all things Aung San Suu Kyi, but some of her recent comments about the situation reek of the same provocative “diplomacy” and threats that her presidential spouse loves to spout. If the Bushies seriously think that there is going to be some sort of regime change or imminent transition in the government over there, they’re nuttier than I thought.

Speaking of misguided, another White House stooge had this to say yesterday:
“Given the continuing abuses of the junta on Burma, we urge UN Special Advisor Gambari to return to Burma as soon as possible,” said White House spokesman Tony Fratto. "We would like to see advisor Gambari visit Burma before he visits other regional capitals."

Doesn’t this guy realize that there is indeed a purpose to Gambari visiting influential “neighbor nations” such as Thailand and Singapore before he jets off again to Myanmar? The players in this drama need to all be on the same page, so I applaud his decision to visit some of the other ASEAN countries before returning to Myanmar. It can only help solidfy the strategy (that is, if there is one) of getting the government to cooperate with what the UN is asking. And speaking of influential neighbors, how about a trip to China while he’s at it?

There is apparently an inventive new form of protest being found on the streets of Yangon these days. I saw this report online this week:
“The Burmese authorities have a new enemy to hunt down—dogs which are roaming Rangoon with pictures of Than Shwe and other regime leaders around their necks. A resident of Shwegondine, Bahan Township, said that she saw a group of four dogs with pictures of the regime’s top generals around their necks. Sightings were also reported in four other Rangoon townships—Tharkayta, Dawbon, Hlaing Tharyar and South Okkalapa. Some sources said the canine protest had started at least a week ago, and was keeping the authorities busy trying to catch the offending dogs. “They seem quite good at avoiding arrest,” laughed one resident. Associating anybody with a dog is a very serious insult in Burma (Myanmar).”

05:24 AM PDT Permalink |

Time to Visit?

A couple of good articles I found online today, both relating to the bleak prospects for tourism in Myanmar (Burma) for the rest of this year:

http://www.bangkokpost.net/Business/12Oct2007_biz10.php
http://www.guardian.co.uk/burma/story/0,,2188260,00.html

I also received a couple of more e-mails from Burmese friends that work for travel agencies in Yangon. One woman wrote: “I would like to say thank you for your letter. Anyway, how are you these days? Here it’s a little rough on business especially on tour agencies, but we are hoping to come around soon and everything will be back to normal. For us, we are turning to local trips for the moment especially for honeymooners, as wedding season is coming up really soon.”

The man who wrote wasn’t nearly as optimistic about salvaging business at his company. He even asked if I had any translation work or article assignments he could do in order to earn some extra income. But he’s lucky; he still has a job. Many travel agencies, hotels, and restaurants are laying-off staff already. These people are hurting in so many ways. Please encourage any travelers that you know to consider visiting Myanmar in the months ahead.

05:33 AM PDT Permalink |