I Love a Parade

Often times it’s those unplanned, unscripted moments that end up being some of my trip highlights. Such was the case when a temple festival paya pwe parade passed down the main street of New Bagan late one afternoon. Before I saw anything, I heard it; the raucous assembly of locals filing past my hotel. Musicians, comedians, dancers, young girls dressed up in their finest, a “prince” riding his horse; the event provided a pleasant and colorful respite from the oppressive afternoon heat and dust. Here are some shots from this typically festive slice of Burmese life.

07:22 PM PST Permalink |

Myanmar Hospitality

I returned yesterday from yet another trip to Myanmar, this one lasting nine very hot days. Anyone that reads this blog on a regular basis knows that Myanmar holds a special place in my heart and I love traveling there. I think, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that it is THE most unique and interesting country in Asia. But, for me, going to Myanmar involves much more than sightseeing or visiting tourist attractions. I’ve been lucky enough to have met some wonderful individuals and families in various cities around the country, and each and every time I arrive they show me what kindness, generosity, hospitality, resilience, and patience are all about. These trips ground me, nourish me, inspire me, and help me to understand more about my own life and that of others. I feel like I absolutely NEED to visit this country as often as I do. In fact, I’ll start planning my next visit again soon.

I’ll post a few short travel reports next week, but frankly I didn’t really do all that much this trip. This was a people trip, and my main objective was to visit friends and help organize a project that will assist needy students in the Bagan area. My main activities this time were visiting friends in Bagan, walking the streets of Yangon, cycling the streets of Mandalay, and making multiple visits to teashops and restaurants.

To start things off, here are some photos of the very special people of Myanmar.

04:32 AM PST Permalink |

Hot and Hotter

A British man, obviously a first-time tourist, wandered into the store yesterday morning and asked: “Is it always this hot?” Well, I told the guy, it gets hotter. For sure, the heat has kicked in the past ten days, but in the words of those famous philosophers Bachman-Turner Overdrive: you ain’t seen nothin’ yet! Just wait until April when the asphalt heats up and starts bubbling!

I was playing a CD in the store yesterday and a woman asked: “Is that Nick Drake!?” Yes indeed. She told me that she had been looking all over Bangkok for some Nick Drake CDs but had not found any. I purchased the Fruit Tree boxed set earlier this year at the Music One branch in Major Ekkamai, but I told her that I’ve also seen copies of the new boxed set (3 CDs and a DVD) plus some single albums at the Gram store in Siam Paragon.

I found a paperback copy (jumbo size, of course) of the latest Armistead Maupin book, Michael Tolliver Lives, at Asia Books in the Emporium this week. I’ve been scanning the shelves for the past six months, wondering if this novel would make it to Bangkok or not. I was a big fan of Maupin’s “Tales of the City” series back in the 1980s, and this new novel reprised the case (or most of them) from those wonderful books. The only downside to reading the excellent new installment of Maupin’s tales is that is was over and done with so quickly: it only took me a scant two days to finish the thin book. But it was wonderful running into so many familiar characters again. Maupin isn’t one to put out books every year (unlike the factory-like James Patterson), so I don’t except any more “Tales” novels, if any, for several more years.

I’m a big political junkie and have been eagerly following the American presidential campaign this year. Among the many things that Barack Obama had to say this week, this little nugget stuck out:

"I will never forget that in no other country on Earth is my story even possible."

Sorry, Barack, but that’s just not true, and it only perpetuates this nonsense that America is the world’s only bastion of liberty and the pursuit of happiness. For certain, mixed race individuals have it tough in every country on this planet, and in some nations they have to overcome enormous hurdles in attempting to become accepted members of the mainstream community. But it IS possible, and not only in America. Comments like Obama’s make me wonder if it’s also possible that he is just another typical politician spewing inane rhetoric; maybe not as pathetic as Bush’s infamously stupid “they hate us because we’re free … they hate our freedoms” comment, but still pretty lame. Obama looks good and sounds good, but will he be the great leader that people are hoping for?

Obama was praised in many quarters last week for his eloquent defense of his friendship and relationship with the controversial Reverend Jeremiah Wright, a man he calls his “chief spiritual advisor.” Okay, it’s admirable that Obama didn’t throw his pal to the wolves just to ease the political heat, but I remain very concerned about Obama’s own righteous religious streak. I don’t trust politicians in most cases, and when they start espousing strong religious beliefs I become doubly dubious. As someone who despises organized religion --- of all kinds --- and the people who adhere to such rigid doctrines, I would love to see the emergence of an American presidential candidate who is not beholden to religious groups, or one who doesn’t seek advice from so-called spiritual advisors or “higher powers.” Why can’t some intelligent politician come out and declare: “I don’t believe that superstitious crap and neither should you.” Now that would be refreshing!

Barbara Ehrenreich had a few enlightening comments to make on her website this week about Hillary Clinton’s own religious affliction:

You can find all about it in a widely under-read article in the September 2007 issue of Mother Jones, in which Kathryn Joyce and Jeff Sharlet reported that "through all of her years in Washington, Clinton has been an active participant in conservative Bible study and prayer circles that are part of a secretive Capitol Hill group known as the "Fellowship," aka the Family. But it won't be a secret much longer. Jeff Sharlet's shocking exposé, The Family: The Secret Fundamentalism at the Heart of American Power will be published in May.

What is it about American politicians that make them so compelled to use their faith as a selling point? Sam Harris, the author of the best-selling The End of Faith, wrote about this religious wrinkle in a brilliant online opinion piece this week. This is what he had to say about Obama’s support of his preacher pal:

“He did not say that the mess he is in has as much to do with religion as with racism--and, indeed, religion is the reason why our political discourse in this country is so scandalously stupid … Why couldn't Obama just cut his ties to his church and move on? … Well, among other inexpediencies, this might have put his faith in Jesus in question … Few suspicions could be more damaging in American politics today. The stultifying effect of religion is everywhere to be seen in the 2008 Presidential campaign. The faith of the candidates has been a constant concern in the Republican contest, of course---where John McCain, lacking the expected aura of born-again bamboozlement, has been struggling to entice some proper religious maniacs to his cause. Like every candidate, Obama must appeal to millions of voters who believe that without religion, most of us would spend our days raping and killing our neighbors and stealing their pornography. Examples of well-behaved and comparatively atheistic societies like Sweden, Finland, Norway, and Denmark--which surpass us in terrestrial virtues like education, health, public generosity, per capita aid to the developing world, and low rates of violent crime and infant mortality---are of no interest to our electorate whatsoever … Can we care for one another without believing that Jesus Christ rose from the dead and is now listening to our thoughts? Yes we can… Religion unites, motivates, and consoles beleaguered people not with knowledge, but with superstition and false promises. Surely there is a better way to bring people together in the 21st century … Despite all that he does not and cannot say, Obama's candidacy is genuinely thrilling: his heart is clearly in the right place; he is an order of magnitude more intelligent than the current occupant of the Oval Office; and he still stands a decent chance of becoming the next President of the United States. His election in November really would be a triumph of hope. But Obama's candidacy is also depressing, for it demonstrates that even a person of the greatest candor and eloquence must still claim to believe the unbelievable in order to have a political career in this country. We may be ready for the audacity of hope. Will we ever be ready for the audacity of reason?”

Amen to that!

04:27 AM PST Permalink |

No Depression

After experiencing a surge in annoying customers recently, it’s been like the proverbial “breath of fresh air” to talk to nice and appreciative people again. There was one grateful gentleman this week, an American working in Japan, who praised my bookshop, and suggested that I open one in Japan. He bemoaned the lack of English language bookshops in big cities such as Tokyo and Kyoto. I’ve heard this complaint from other expats living in Japan, as well as those working in China. Makes you appreciate Bangkok all the more, knowing there are shops like mine, or large chain stores such as Kinokuniya and Asia Books who stock a good variety of English language books.

This week we had a surge in Russian books. We bought a variety of paperbacks, including Russian translations of novels by writers such as Stephen King, Robert Ludlum, Sidney Sheldon, and even P.G. Wodehouse!

I was delighted to get a copy of the new Barry Eisler novel, Requiem for an Assassin (yes, it’s another John Rain “thriller”) in the mail this week from Albert Wen (the head guru here at Thins Asian). I plowed through that rascal in two days, not minding the sleep I lost when I stayed up to finish it on Tuesday night. Another addictively brilliant addition to the John Rain series: both violent and thought provoking.

As a customer, it’s always sad when a favorite restaurant or business that I used to patronize closes. The same holds true for beloved newspapers or magazines. No Depression, a popular --- and influential --- music magazine (one that focuses on sounds that have been dubbed “Alt-Country” or “Americana”) since the mid-90s is going out of business. Here's a portion of the letter that they sent out to subscribers:

Dear Friends: Barring the intercession of unknown angels, you hold in your hands the next-to-the-last edition of No Depression we will publish. It is difficult even to type those words, so please know that we have not come lightly to this decision.

In the thirteen years since we began plotting and publishing No Depression, we have taken pride not only in the quality of the work we were able to offer our readers, but in the way we insisted upon doing business. We have never inflated our numbers; we have always paid our bills (and, especially, our freelancers) on time. And we have always tried our best to tell the truth.

The simple answer is that advertising revenue in this issue is 64% of what it was for our March- April issue just two years ago. We expect that number to continue to decline. The longer answer involves not simply the well-documented and industry-wide reduction in print advertising, but the precipitous fall of the music industry. On the other hand, because we're a niche title we are dependent upon advertisers who have a specific reason to reach our audience. That is: record labels. We, like many of our friends and competitors, are dependent upon advertising from the community we serve. That community is, as they say, in transition. In this evolving downloadable world, what a record label is and does is all up to question. What is irrefutable is that their advertising budgets are drastically reduced, for reasons we well understand.

The decline of brick and mortar music retail means we have fewer newsstands on which to sell our magazine, and small labels have fewer venues that might embrace and hand-sell their music. Paper manufacturers have consolidated and begun closing mills to cut production; we've been told to expect three price increases in 2008. Last year there was a shift in postal regulations, written by and for big publishers, which shifted costs down to smaller publishers whose economies of scale are unable to take advantage of advanced sorting techniques.

Then there's the economy...The cumulative toll of those forces makes it increasingly difficult for all small magazines to survive. Whatever the potentials of the web, it cannot be good for our democracy to see independent voices further marginalized. But that's what's happening. The big money on the web is being made, not surprisingly, primarily by big businesses.

What makes this especially painful and particularly frustrating is that our readership has not significantly declined … and we have taken great pride in being one of the last bastions of the long-form article, despite the received wisdom throughout publishing that shorter is better. Thank you all. It has been our great joy to serve you.

Being a veteran of the retail music business and also a freelance writer for various music magazines in Florida many years ago (including my own fanzine, Dogfood, in which I interviewed the likes of REM, Echo & the Bunnymen, Split Enz, Ultravox, Squeeze, the Ramones, and a young Irish band called U2), this sort of news makes me very sad indeed. I realize that, in this digital age, such trends are inevitable, but that doesn’t make it any less depressing.

02:13 AM PST Permalink |

Oddballs and Ends

The invasion of the weird customers continues. I don’t know what’s going on this week, but are definitely seeing some odd behavior. We were treated to a two-for-one freak special on Monday morning; two young women who came in within five minutes of one another, plopped down at separate tables, and immersed themselves in books. And both walked out an hour later without buying anything; books or liquid refreshments. One of the women took her time meticulously perusing several guidebooks and taking notes, while munching on a bag of chips she had pulled out of her bag.

Later that day we were treated to a very odd fellow who was trying to sell his own book. This guy, reeking of tobacco, launched into a spiel about how his books are “very popular all over the world” and he’s just published a book about tattoos, would we like to carry it. I told the guy, sorry, but we are a secondhand bookshop and we are not interested in stocking new books right now. Well, this guy gets all flustered and says, “Well, if you don’t want to even look at it, that’s the last time I’ll deal with you!” … and promptly marched out of the store. No doubt hurrying off to light another cigarette. I can only hope that’s the last time we’ll have to deal with that oddball. Tattoo this, dude!

Later that evening, a young Thai woman wandered in the shop, ordered an orange juice, and then sat down at the counter in front of the window. She proceeded to loudly slurp her orange juice, examine her shoes, and stare at the window. Bored with that routine, she examined her cell phone for whatever mesmerizing images or messages that it contained. After about twenty minutes, it was obvious what she had been doing; waiting for her boyfriend to meet her!

Is their a People Exterminator I can call to rid my store of these human pests? Actually, it’s not that bad a problem. Most customers are polite, appreciative, friendly, and charming. But once in a while you get the other side of the coin; the pushy, rude, demanding people who feel they are entitled to do whatever they want, without the slightest attempt at politeness. And they stick out like the festering sores that they are.

Then, there was another incident just this morning, but not at my bookshop. I was leaving the Emporium branch o Bangkok Bank, about to exit through one of the doors, when this Thai man decides he’s going to slip in through the door past me --- even though I hadn’t yet exited --- and even though there is an adjacent door he could pull open (if had the strength to do so). This guy looked like the type that spends dedicated time in front of a mirror each morning, fussing over his hairstyle. Whatever his hair fixation, he looked terribly offended when I rammed my briefcase into his ribs as he attempted to squeeze through the door.

A new publication from the Bangkok Post, mylife (how pathetically cute; lower caps and no space between the words!) will debut on Thursday. From the blurb I read, they are attempting to tap into the self-indulgent “me/my/mine” generation market. Here is their explanation of what it’s all about:

“…the bright tabloid liftout will focus on family, health, education and careers, money and the home --- to help our readers improve and enjoy their lifestyle … we’ll help you turn your home into a harmonious sanctuary with the latest design and décor trends.”

Ah, how trendy. Yes, it’s all about “me” these days, isn’t it? My Mail, My Photos, My Yahoo, My blah blah blah. With all this emphasis on the self, I fear we are becoming a world of greedy, selfish individuals who don’t know how to share or care for others.

05:00 AM PST Permalink |

Crazy Sunday

It’s been one of those steady, busy Sundays at the store: lot sof people coming in to sell us books (the flow has barely slowed since yesterday morning; what’s going on?), and others coming to, thankfully, buy some paperbacks, too. But the day has also had its sharing of annoyances: dealing with a lunatic Christian (now there’s an oxymoron for you!) lady who was selling her books --- and commenting on each and every title, as well as detailing her church visit earlier in the day; and putting up with groups of hanger-outers, one of whom who commandeered a table for several hours just to chat. Buy some books? That was apparently not on their agenda. The culprits in this case, and in almost all cases, were young twenty-something backpacker types. Just passing through town … hopefully. Another woman sat at the front counter for over three hours, nursing a single bottle of water, and reading what appeared to be single pages torn from a paperback. She didn’t buy anything either.

Prices for various goods are getting more expensive in Bangkok this year. Items we use on a regular basis, such as coffee beans, sugar, cocoa powder, and milk have all gone up in price. As a result, we have had to raise our own prices on coffee concoctions such as cappuccino, latte, and mocha. Prices for food at other places that I frequently frequent, such as Black Canyon and Au Bon Pain, have also gone up in the past month. At least my apartment rent hasn’t gone up … yet.

I’m still seeing lots of elephants wandering around the city lately; most noticeably on Ekkamai, Thonglor, New Petchburi Road, and Sukhumvit. I understand the feelings of those who get angry about seeing elephants in such a dangerous, unhealthy urban environment, but I have to admit I get a kick out of seeing the great beasts trudging up and down the streets. Odd things like that are what make Bangkok so unique. Nevertheless, city living is certainly not good for the elephants, but unless the police seriously crack down on this practice, the mahouts will continue to bring the animals into the city.

I went to see the animated film Persepolis last week when my friend Nancy was in town. It was showing at the House Rama theatre on Royal City Avenue (RCA). An odd location for a cinema, but we eventually found the correct theatre. The film is based on the popular book (Graphic Novel) by Marjane Satrapi. It’s a memoir, really, of her life in Iran, and later in Vienna and Paris. The film is funny, sad, brutal, and beautiful. Well worth seeing.

05:04 AM PST Permalink |

Phnom Penh People

I was treated to a visit last week from Nancy Taddiken, a friend who used to live in Bangkok. We met about ten years ago while working for the same language school, on teaching assignments at the Bangkok Public Cleansing Department. No, this wasn’t some sort of moral standards authority --- although I won’t be surprised if the current government decides to start something similarly Orwellian --- but rather the city department responsible for waste management and other public sanitation projects. After her tenure in Bangkok, Nancy moved to Phnom Penh and worked there for a few years, including stints at NGOs such as LICADHO. She is now living in Boulder, Colorado and enjoying being around her grandchildren. If she ever gets tired of the kids and the snow, we’d love to have Nancy back with us here in Southeast Asia. She’s one of the good ones.

One of the reasons that Nancy was in town was because our mutual friend Beth Goldring was honored at a ceremony in Bangkok as one of the “Outstanding Women in Buddhism.” Beth is a tireless worker and founder of the Brahmvihara Cambodia AIDS Project in Phnom Penh. For more information on this worthwhile charity, click the link under “Favorites” on this page.

Ironically, while Beth was in Bangkok, I was over in Phnom Penh for a quick two-day trip. One of my kids was sick (I guess coughing up blood qualifies as such) and needed some additional financial assistance. Plus, I had arranged to meet with another Cambodian friend to discuss a business idea that he has. Actually, my two-day trip turned into nearly three because of a flight cancellation. Luckily, the airline, Air Asia, notified me ahead of time so that I was able to plan accordingly. Three days before my departure, they sent an SMS to my mobile phone, telling me that my morning return flight from Phnom Penh to Bangkok had been scrapped and I was now booked on a late afternoon flight. The following day, they phoned me to make sure I was aware of the flight change, and then sent a confirmation e-mail. Despite the inconvenience of the flight change, I was impressed by the service.

While I was in Phnom Penh, I noticed an advertisement (many ads, actually; the city is bombarded with them) by an organization called ChildSafe Cambodia. One of their recommendations is that tourists should not buy products from child vendors. Here is how they put it:

“You might feel pity for the children selling various products (e.g. flowers, newspapers, shoe shines). However, by buying from children you support child labor which puts them at risk by staying out late and working in hazardous places such as bars and discos. Children often say that they work to pay for their studies, but surveys clearly show that this is something they say to make a sale. Most children are forced into work and they don’t keep the money they earn. By giving money it makes it harder for social workers to encourage them to find alternatives and safe sources of income for the children and their families.”

I don’t agree with some of those suggestions. It’s obvious this NGO’s intentions are good, but I question the practicality of it all. In an ideal world, children wouldn’t have to work to help support their families or earn money for school. But this is the real world and such “hardships” are quite common, especially in Asia. Besides, graduating from a school in Cambodia is far from a ticket to success. I would argue that, in some cases, a “street education” is far more valuable than a traditional one. The kids who are “on the street” not only learn language skills (compare the fluent speaking ability of a street vendor to one that was taught in local schools by Khmer teachers and can barely string two sentences together, much less pronounce words clearly), but sales and motivational skills also. Some of the brightest, personable youngsters I’ve met over the years have been street peddlers. And the idea that these kids are being put “at risk” by being out on the streets late at night is a bit of a stretch. Yes, there is an element of danger, or at least a degree of unfairness; some of the kids are indeed bullied by older men, gangs --- or even law enforcement goons --- who take some or most of the child’s earnings. And I also agree that there should be some curfew --- I don’t like seeing 10-year old girls selling flowers on the street at ten o’clock at night --- but isn’t that the responsibility of the parents or the police? And of course there is a chance that some unsupervised kids might dabble in drugs, steal, or become members of gangs. But is there a direct correlation between selling newspapers and glue sniffing or thievery? I don’t think so. The kids who are out earnestly selling products, to either help their families or earn money for their education, are deserving of support, in my opinion.

In another “Special Feature” that was printed in the Out & About Pocket Guide to Phnom Penh, ChildSafe Cambodia, also invites readers to visit their ChildSafe Traveller Centre and “learn more about the dangers of orphanage tourism, a growing trend placing children at risk.”

That one totally puzzled me. What, I wonder, are they trying to say? I’ve heard tales of dubious orphanage directors who pocket monetary donations, or sell items that had been donated to give to the children. But how does this so-called trend of “orphanage tourism” put children at risk? After some diligent surfing, I found this “tip” about orphanages buried on their website:

“Rethink how much real help you are providing by playing with children from a different culture and how much harm strangers can cause in an orphanage. Institutionalized orphanage tourism makes it easier for pedophiles to access children especially if there are no background checks of visitors in place. Some orphanages advertise children who dance for visitors and that it’s possible to rent children for functions. This comes very close to child labor and does not go in line with a child’s right to protection and education. Please reconsider your help and travel itinerary, support the work of local social workers instead who can make a real positive difference in children’s lives. If you want to visit an orphanage despite ChildSafe recommendations not to, ensure that this orphanage is officially registered, has a child protection policy in place, children receive sufficient nutrition and education and – for the sake of your own purse – external auditors check the correct use of donations.”

I still think that’s a very odd recommendation. How are pedophiles going to “access” children in an orphanage? And “renting” children for special functions? That should send alarm bells to anyone. By all means, check out the legitimacy of the orphanage and their operations, but don’t pass up the chance to brighten a child’s day … or their life. Check out what one Cambodian orphanage visitor, Gaye Miller, has been doing to help children:
http://www.yatesweb.com/cambodia/Gaye%20Miller%203.htm

09:07 PM PST Permalink |

Futons, Books, & Deadly Karaoke

This week marked the last appearance of our in-store futon. After installing a new bookcase at my shop back in January, one of the rows had become a bit too tight for comfortable browsing. The best option was to move a table and get rid of the futon. The futon didn’t belong to us anyway; it was a demonstration model provided by Bangkok Futon (see the link to their website on this page). Since it was such a comfortable piece of furniture, many customers used it for long reading sessions and even naps. But in my eyes the first offenders were the foreigners, usually young backpacking tourists, who would rest their dirty bare feet on the futon during their loitering sessions. These clueless youngsters seem to have no idea of what is culturally appropriate or not. Don’t put your feet there, you idiots! Meanwhile, if you want a quality futon for sleeping or sitting, check out Bangkok Futon’s site.

Like most voracious readers, once I have read all the books in a favorite author’s oeuvre, I either have to patiently wait for their next novel to be published or find another writer that I might like. I’m a big mystery/crime fiction buff, and at this point I’ve read everything from the likes of Michael Connelly, Ian Rankin, George Pelecanos, John Sandford, Donald Westlake, Lawrence Block, Jonathan Kellerman, Elmore Leonard, Ed McBain, John D. MacDonald, and Raymond Chandler, … and those are just a few of the ones I can think of right now. In the past month I’ve struck gold by discovering three good new mystery authors, at least new ones for me: Sean Doolitle, Brian Wiprud, and Michael Marshall. Wiprud is the funniest, if not wackiest, of the bunch, straddling the line between Bill Fitzhugh and Carl Hiaasen. Doolittle’s books caught my eye because they were praised by both George Pelecanos and Robert Crais, two of my favorite crime fiction authors. Marshall’s books are the most intense and riveting of the bunch, and probably the best written. Characters such as the Straw Men and the Upright Man are diabolical fiends that make appearances in several of Marshall’s novels. The only unpleasant thing was finding one of Marshall’s novels that I thought I hadn’t read yet, only discovering that is was the same as a UK-published title I had already read. Why do book publishers do this? It’s bad enough when the change the book cover for different markets, or different editions, but changing the actual title should not be allowed!

More absurd tales from the political cesspool, this one from yesterday’s Bangkok Post:
Meanwhile Interior Minister Chalerm Yubamrung indicated yesterday that he would use his “charisma” to convince drug producers along the borders to stop their illicit businesses and turn to legal crops. He is confident that drug producers would want to clean up their act and switch to legal businesses. “It they want to stop selling drugs, I will encourage them to lease land along the border and take up farming. They can hire workers who used to produce drugs to be farm hands. If they can earn about 3,900 baht (about US$120) a month they should leave the evil career,” Mr. Chalerm said.
How preposterous is that idea? Someone is going to give up a lucrative drug business in exchange for the paltry monthly wage suggested by Chalerm? I don’t think so.

Proof that karaoke is dangerous to your health: In Songhla this week a man shot dead a doctor and seven of her friends (one of whom was his brother-in-law) because he wanted to “silence their noisy karaoke parties.” The karaoke fests were apparently regular events at the doctor’s pad, and disturbed her gun-toting neighbor’s sleep. The suspect, Weenus Chukamnerd, had, on previous occasions, verbally warned his neighbors, and had even fired warning shots in an attempt to squelch the noise, but to no avail. “I told them if I couldn’t talk sense into them, I’d come back in three days to finish them off,” recalled Weenus. And he did.

07:21 PM PST Permalink |

Wheels and Bars

The Isan Food Festival, organized by Robert Carmack from Asian Food Tours and the Globetrotting Gourmet, is just around the corner. This promised to be a definite culinary happening, so if you are a foodie, and are in Thailand, make plans to attend. It will be held in Khon Kaen from March 7-16. For more information, go to:
http://www.globetrottinggourmet.com/isan/index.htm

I witnessed a somewhat historic moment, at least by local standards, at my regular motorcycle taxi stand this week. For the first time ever they had a female motorcycle driver! And it was my luck to get her as my driver on Tuesday. I think she was more nervous than I was, judging by her very slow and methodical approach to driving. But hey, I’ll take that approach over some reckless and speed-crazed youngster.

Having the woman driver reminded me of one of the other moto-ladies (for some reason, very few women are hired to drive motorcycles, taxis, or buses in Bangkok) that I used to use frequently. This lady, whose nickname was Dee, worked on the Thonburi side of the river, where I was teaching at the Santa Cruz Sueksa School (I had to teach/babysit sixth, seventh, and eighth grade students) at the time. In those days, before the BTS Skytrain was in operation, I had to use a variety of transportation to get to the school. Starting at my apartment on New Petchburi Road, I would walk to the boat pier at Klong Saen Saeb and take a water taxi to Pratunam. From that point I would take a bus to Siam Square, stop for a coffee at Mister Donut, and then board a second bus to take me to the River City pier, near the Sheraton Royal Orchid Hotel. From there I would take the one-baht ferry across the river to Thonburi. It was there that I would hop on Dee’s motorcycle for the five-minute ride to the school.

I also thought about Thai schools this week for an entirely different reason. I read an online article about a gay student at a junior high school in the US who was killed by a fellow classmate. Here is an excerpt from the article:

Lawrence King, an eighth grader who identified as gay and wore makeup and nail polish, was 15 when he was declared brain dead on Feb. 13. The day before, he had been shot in the head in an Oxnard, Calif., classroom full of students. Police have charged Brandon McInerney, 14, with first-degree murder and with a hate crime. According to the Los Angeles Time, McInerney and some other boys accosted King about his sexuality on Feb. 11. Students apparently often taunted King, who didn't even have a safe home to return to after school: he was living in a shelter for abused and troubled children.

Such incidents, thankfully, are rare, but they highlight the dramatic differences between America and Asian countries such as Thailand. Despite it being deemed politically incorrect, gay bashing remains a relatively accepted practice back in the “home of the brave.” By contrast, here in Thailand, it’s quite common to see very “out” teenagers at public schools and colleges. Sure they get teased a bit, but it’s nothing remotely akin to the cruel taunts and harassment that gay youth in American schools face. In Thailand, tolerance and acceptance are more than norm than condemnation and rage. Thank Buddha for that!

And that brings me to another article that appeared online and in newspapers around the world this week; one detailing the rate of imprisonment for people in the USA. An astonishing one percent of the American population is now behind bars, making it the world’s leading jailer … by far. This study by the Pew Center said that the fifty US states “spent more than $49 billion on corrections last year, up from less than $11 billion 20 years earlier. The rate of increase for prison costs was six times greater than for higher education spending.” Man, that’s staggering. Combine these statistics with others that I’ve read that maintain that violent crime in the US is declining, and what are we left to think is happening? Obviously, building and maintaining prisons has become big business, but so has the legal process of arresting and prosecuting so many people. I’d venture to say that there are too many laws in the USA, and people are being jailed for relatively non-violent minor crimes. Land of the free? You got to be kidding me.

10:26 PM PST Permalink |

Going to the Movies

After not seeing a single film in over a year, I’ve gone berserk and gone to three movies in the past week. Not surprisingly, it’s that time of year when Bangkok finally gets to see many of the films that were nominated for various Academy awards. The first movie I attended, Charlie Wilson’s War, was not one of those nominated for an award, but it was still an interesting, thought-provoking flick. The other two I saw, Atonement and No Country for Old Men, were both nominated for best picture, and both had been adapted from best-selling novels (neither of which, I’m ashamed to admit, I have yet read). I enjoyed both films, but didn’t coming away from either one thinking; “Wow, what a great movie.” No Country for Old Men was the most entertaining of the ones that I saw … and also the most disturbing. In my opinion, the blood and violence throughout the film was more than over-the-top; more detrimental than necessary. But many of the characters in the film were riveting, particularly the creepy dude played by Javier Bardem. Man, if I saw that guy coming down the street, I would flee the scene quickly!

It’s estimated that Bangkok is populated by over ten million people. That’s a dizzying mix of characters any way you look at it. Every morning on the way to work I’m treated to a delightful slice of that mix: the gentle fellow selling corn (sliced from the cob) on the street … the sweet lady who sells bananas (kluay kaek), fried in a tasty batter … the old woman that buys treats for the homeless dogs on Ekkamai … the hard-working workers that are out early each morning repairing the sidewalks on Ekkamai … the flirtatious orange juice lady who has a kind word to say … the polite fruit vendor who wheels his cart past my store each morning. Thinking about all of these common, everyday people makes me appreciate living in Bangkok.

Speaking of juice, listen to how most Thais pronounce that word. They have this odd habit of pronouncing “juice” as a two, or sometimes three, syllable word. It ends up sounding like “jew-ees.” That’s only one of many English language words that get butchered. But, to be fair, the way most foreigners pronounce Thai words is far more painful.

Every week the results of various locally-conducted opinion polls are published in the Thai newspapers. Invariably, either the questions, or the responses, are ludicrous. Here’s one I saw this week in the Bangkok Post, in which respondents were asked about new Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej’s new TV program, and what its focus should be:
“Of 1,976 people recently surveyed by Suan Dusit Rajabhat University, 29.9% wanted Mr. Samak to say how his government would address economic problems. The pollsters said 71.7% of those who watched his program rated it as good, while 28.3% said it was so-so. A large number, 45.2%, did not watch his program because they did not know what time it was on.”

04:24 AM PST Permalink |

Barbecued Politicians and other Delights

Thai politics just keeps getting creepier and creepier. Ah yes, a new government is now in place, accompanied by the usual battery of blatant lies, shameless corruption and deception, and more “monitoring” of the media. If I had to pick a theme song that accurately describes the current government, it would be the Fun Boy Three hit from the early 1980s: “The Lunatics Have Taken over the Asylum.”

One of my favorite customers at my bookshop is the irrepressible Heng Thung, a semi-retired geologist and specialist in analyzing aerial photographs. Heng now resides in Bangkok with his wife, but has lived in many countries around the world during his career, the details of which can be found in his first book: The Pigeons and the Witch Doctor. His new book, In the Shadow of a Volcano: the Adventures of Growing up in Java, details his memories of growing up in what used to be known as the Dutch East Indies. Available only at Dasa Book Café in Bangkok!

Thailand has a new, and stricter, anti-smoking law that affects all public businesses and offices, including restaurants and bars. The big question, of course, is: will it be enforced? One test of the new law was my visit to The Roadhouse Grill (on the corner of Rama IV Road and Suriwong) last week. I like this restaurant, but was always annoyed by the fact that they didn’t have a no-smoking section downstairs. Invariably, I’d be in the middle of a meal and somehow nicotine addict at an adjacent table would light up and pollute the atmosphere. I suppose, by calling themselves a BAR and grill, they didn’t have to adhere to the usual restaurant no-smoking laws. No, however, it they can’t escape obeying the ordinance. Last Saturday night I didn’t notice any smokers. But what I found particularly odd was the scene at one table: seven Thai men sitting together and none of them were drinking alcoholic beverages. How weird is that?! My guess: it must have been a church group, or perhaps a group of city officials checking to see if local establishments were sticking to the no-smoking ban.

On the subject of other vices, no alcohol will be sold on Thursday in observance of Makha Bucha Day, a Buddhist holiday. If bars stay open, they’ll have to stick to serving soft drinks, or “disguise” their offerings in creative ways. Hey, this is Thailand. Such things have been known to occur.

Here is my pick for “Quote of the Week”. Barbara Ehrenreich, writing in a New York Times article, had this to say about Hillary Clinton’s chances of slowing down the momentum of Barack Obama’s campaign:
“She might as well be promoting choral singing in the face of Beatlemania.”

What am I listening to this month? Here are the CDs that are receiving the most spins at my place lately; delighting my soul and annoying the neighbors:
Neil Young – Chrome Dreams II
Bettye Lavette – Take Another Little Piece of my Heart
Josh Ritter – The Historical Conquests of
Ali Farke Toure – Radio Mali
Gwen Guthrie – Ultimate Collection
Emmylou Harris – Duets
Stereophonics – Language Sex Violence Other
Jackson 5 – Gold
Powderfinger – Fingerprints: Best of 1994-2000
Steve Earle – Washington Square Serenade
Rod Stewart – Handbags & Gladrags
Teddy Thompson – Upfront and Down Low
Ian Hunter – Shrunken Heads
Crosby, Stills & Nash – Carry On
Future Clouds & Radar - Future Clouds & Radar
Nick Drake – Five Leaves Left
Joan Armatrading – Into the Blues
Kane Welch Kaplin - Kane Welch Kaplin
Blue Magic – Soulful Spell: Best of
Jon Auer – Songs for the Year of our Demise
Tom Jans – The Eyes of an Only Child
Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings – Dap-Dippin’ with
Solomon Burke – Nashville
Ray Charles – Live
Tears for Fears – Saturnine Martial & Lunatic

08:09 PM PST Permalink |

Connecting People

I usually take long walks on Tuesday and Wednesday mornings; the lone two days I don’t have to work the morning shift at my store. I’ve been trying to vary my route lately and this past Tuesday I veered off New Petchburi Road, down Soi Soonvijai, headed towards Bangkok Hospital. As I was walking by a group of motorcycle taxi drivers on one corner, I heard this whoop of recognition. I turned around and noticed one familiar face grinning back at me: a driver that I had not seen in nearly a full decade! When I lived at the nearby Maharaj Court, from 1996-98, he was the regular driver for my friend Michael. Those were the days before the Skytrain and I used to take a boat to work to avoid the hellish traffic jams. Later, when I moved down the road on New Petchburi, I would often see this motorcycle guy at another stand outside the Charn Issara 2 building. With his bandana and boots, he always had a bit of a cowboy look to him; I could easily imagine on a horse instead of a motorcycle. Anyway, I was delighted to see him again. He’s one of the many truly friendly and honest fellows who provide dependable and convenient transportation around this crazy traffic-infested city.

The run of slacker customers is continuing; we had two young men, Chinese from the sound of their conversation, in the store last week, sharing one Coke and reading what looked like textbooks for three hours plus. At one point one of the youngsters rested his bare feet on a chair … until I went over and pulled the chair out front under him. “Sorry,” I told the cretin, “these chairs are for customers to sit on.” The little weasel didn’t look too pleased to have his makeshift footstool taken away from him, but I wasn’t pleased at having vagrants like him hanging out in my store. Later, his buddy stepped outside to smoke … and came back in exhaling those noxious fumes. Urrgghh!!!

Before meeting a friend for dinner on Thursday night, I dashed into Gram in Siam Paragon to pick up three CDs I’d seen earlier in the week: an oddball assortment of Led Zeppelin, Johnny Mathis, and Velvet Underground. Actually, the total was six CDs; they were all double-disc “Best Of” packages, selling for only 399 baht each. I tell you, that is the way to fight piracy; offer “value for money” CD packages like that. At the store, working behind the counter was Ratree, who had been working the previous month at the CD Warehouse branch in the Emporium. She also worked for me at the Tower Records in the Mall Bangkapi way back in 1996. CD Warehouse, as you may have heard, will be closing all of its branches in Bangkok soon. They swear that this is their last month, but that’s what they said back in December. They still have a lot of shlock discs to unload, so there is no telling when they’ll actually shut their doors, but the end does appear near.

It’s been an active week for e-mails from Myanmar. My friend Margaux sent me her latest trip update. Besides a very cold trip to the mountaintop boulder known as Golden Rock, she hooked up with my trishaw-driving buddy Myint Shin in Mandalay and seemed to be having a terrific time seeing the sights and meeting people. I had given Margaux some hypertension medicine that a nurse at the Mingun Home for the Aged had requested. She diligently delivered the package to nurse Thwe Thwe Aye and reported:
“The visit to Mingun also was highly emotional! The nurse could not believe I brought those medicines for her. She must have thanked me about 50 times at least and gave me a few giant hugs! I added a small donation of mine and she was simply in heaven. What a beautiful soul this woman is.”

While in Mingun she also delivered some photos to Mr. Pancake, the man who runs a Computer and English language school near the village. A thank you note from Mr. Pancake was among those in my inbox this week. I also got an e-mail from young Mr. 99, one of the postcard sellers I know in New Bagan. Here is an excerpt from his note:
“I am Nine Nine. Do you remember me. How are you and your family? May I know when will you come back to Bagan. According the condition of our business I have no chance to stay in Bagan. Because I have to go another town to work something. This year very few tourist in Bagan. So that our business is going to the ground. This year I stopped my school. Maybe next year I will attend school again. If we have chance we want to see you again. Peace of mind to you.”

This kid is one of the brightest and most personable of the ones that I’ve met in New Bagan, and it saddens me that he has to stop going to school. From his e-mail it wasn’t clear when 99 would be leaving Bagan, or if he had gone already. I contacted my friend Thuya in Yangon, who has family in New Bagan, and within 24 hours they had tracked down 99 and reported that he was still in town. I asked Thuya to relay the message that I would get some money to 99 before the end of March. I have a friend going over at that time and he can deliver the funds. But the more I think about it, I may try and move up my trip (planned for June) and go with him next month. It will have to be a quickie trip, about 8 days, but I feel that I need to do it.

07:01 PM PST Permalink |

Rambo-fications

If you haven’t heard, there is a new Sylvester Stallone Rambo movie that’s just been released. I may be one of the few people on the planet that has never seen either a “Rocky” or “Rambo” film, and after reading about this new flick, it’s guaranteed that my streak will continue. What bothers me most about this new movie is the plot: Rambo “saves” a group of Christian aid workers (missionaries) that have been kidnapped by a Burmese Army infantry unit. Combine that with lots of blood and violence and you have a thoroughly ridiculous film that attempts to deliver a “message.” From interviews that I’ve read, Stallone seems to think that this film will inspire some sort of revolution. Here are some of Ram-bozo’s comments:

"Burma is one giant hell-hole, and yet nobody knows about it. It is near Vietnam, and that would make sense for the character (Rambo). The synergy was perfect” … “If they think this movie is a fantasy, I welcome the opportunity to let me come over there and walk around the country without armed guards following me every inch of the way” … “Let me take a tour of your country without someone pointing a gun at my head and we’ll show you where all the bodies are buried” … “I appealed to the board not to water down my movie. I wanted the violence to be uncomfortable. I wanted it to be miserable. I wanted it to be horrifying. I didn't want violence-lite. I want people to feel the violence because that is what's really happening in Burma. Believe me, it's even worse than what we depict.”

It’s distorted comments like this that mislead the public into thinking that it’s dangerous to travel to Burma, or that the entire country is embroiled in civil war, or that visitors will have armed guards following them around. That’s total rubbish. For anyone that’s actually been to Myanmar recently --- and not to some refugee camp on the border --- they can see that conditions in the country are not remotely that horrific. But a Hollywood film like this is only going to reinforce such negative perceptions and dissuade more tourists from visiting. Wrong message.

On a more positive Burmese note, my friend Margaux is now touring Myanmar for the first time and is loving the experience. She sent me a note earlier this week, reporting that “every second is magic.” What Margaux is seeing and experiencing is typical of the positive reports that most travelers give the country. All of which goes against negative media reports that make people think that traveling there is dangerous, or that the locals are living in fear and afraid to talk to Westerners. Absolute nonsense. As long as you are not a nosey journalist or myopic movie star, locals will be happy to talk with you. I had given Margaux some photos and presents to take to people in Yangon and Mandalay She wrote that she had given out the first batch already and the waiters at one teashop had been thrilled with the surprise gifts.

In an article this week in the Bangkok Post, titled “Call for Strict monitoring of ‘love nests’ for youngsters,” Jiraphan Pimpan, the chairman of the Auytthaya city provincial cultural council, urged police and related agencies to “step up checks at motels” which allow minors to rent rooms, presumably for purposes other than sleeping. Jiraphan’s council also identified other local locations that are used for “promiscuous behavior,” including public parks and a sports stadium. In her infinite wisdom, Jiraphan stated that “The sale of condoms at grocery stores also encourages sex among youngsters.” It sounds like she’d be right at home along with the conservative religious nuts back in the USA.

05:07 AM PST Permalink |

New Year’s Cacophony

One reason I went to Cambodia last week, as opposed to this week, was because I wanted to avoid the Chinese New Year madness. Even though Cambodia is obviously not part of China, like the rest of Southeast Asia, it experiences a surge in tourism during this travel period. It’s also more expensive to travel around the country at this time: provincial taxi and bus fares are increased for some bizarre reason. When I had my bookshop in Siem Reap, the period preceding, and during, Chinese Year was always very busy. Both natives of countries that celebrate the holiday, and expats working in those countries, flee the domestic chaos and visit other countries in the region. I see the same pattern here in Bangkok: many tourists from Hong Kong, China, and Taiwan can be seen around town. But with the weather turmoil this year in China, I imagine the numbers might be less. The only thing I hate about this festive period here in Bangkok (and you can bet all the shopping centers and restaurants are having specials of some sort) is the preponderance of firecrackers being exploded. Yes, it’s time for overt displays of idiotic behavior, combined with deafening noise. My neighborhood was awash with crackling and popping all morning long today. If I didn’t have to work I’d stay inside all week.

Before I left Cambodia last week I gave my kids had enough money for the next several months. I want to make sure that they are able to stay in school, and help the rest of their family (there are twelve children altogether, but only five live with the mother right now). More English language classes and computer training are also in the works, but where they are living now (south of Phnom Penh in Kandal province), there aren’t any such schools in proximity to their house. The boys want to move back to Siem Reap for several reasons. Of course, most of their friends are there, but in Siem Reap, they say, the teachers are better, the cost of living is cheaper, and it’s safer. They tell me that there are too many thieves and glue sniffers in their current neighborhood.

During my Siem Reap stay I visited Maung Maung, the owner of the Mandalay Inn. This was the first time I’d met Maung Maung, or been to his hotel, but we have a mutual friend, one who urged me to drop by and visit. Maung Maung has been living in Siem Reap for seven years, and running the hotel (and adjacent Burmese restaurant) for six years. I enjoyed talking to Maung Maung, but wish I had had more time to stay and sample the food in his restaurant. Right about now, I wouldn’t mind a good hearty bowl of ohno kauk swe, a delicious Burmese noodle dish.

This week I’ve suffering from PTLD: Post-trip Language Disorder. This affliction strikes just after I’ve crossed borders. My brain can’t seem to grasp that I’ve left one country and entered another, so that when I try to speak, I invariably utter the right phrase, but in the wrong language. The confused looks by Thais when I ask, or answer, a question in Khmer remind me that I’ve just screwed up again. I did it again today, speaking Khmer to a Thai friend on the phone. Hopefully, in another day or two, my language abilities will return to something resembling normal. At least until I start brushing up on my Burmese phrases.

05:41 AM PST Permalink |

Dazed in Siem Reap

I had not been to Siem Reap since November of 2006, and it’s been closer to two years since I ventured over to the Old Market (Psah Chas) area where my old bookshop was located. Whoa!!! As I had heard from many people, things have changed greatly in recent years. More buildings and renovations … and more traffic and dust. Walking around the area was overwhelming, and a bit annoying. Crossing the street is an adventure, more so than ever; you never know which way --- or which side of the road --- the vehicles are going to go. Cambodian traffic makes that in Thailand seem organized and efficient by comparison. After an hour of wandering around it was obvious: Siem Reap is not the small, quaint town that I used to know. Along with all this construction and “progress” there seems to be an element of greed in the air too. It’s always sad when a small town loses its charm.

Once again I stayed at the lovely Peace of Angkor Villas, run by Dave and Colleen, and their well-trained staff (especially Saam and Daen). Dave and Colleen also graciously let me book a room for my kids (the four brothers) that I brought from Phnom Penh. Due to the current hysteria about child exploitation and sex tourism (some people see a tourist walking around with Khmer children and automatically become suspicious of your motives), many hotels won’t let underage Cambodian children stay at the same hotels with foreigners. It’s not like they are sleeping with me or any such nonsense; that ain’t gonna happen. But they have to stay somewhere, and they seemed to get a kick out of having their own hotel room. We worked it out so that they got a big deluxe room with three beds, and I got a smaller (and more affordable) single room. That worked out perfectly: they could hang out in their room and watch WWE wresting programs and listen to the cheap radio they had bought, while I rested or read my books.

Nevertheless, young Bo or Channo would occasionally knock on my door and ask if I wanted to go outside and play a game of saey, which I was more than happy to do. I thoroughly enjoy the company of these kids and they seem to think I’m a good guy too. We’re a very compatible bunch. They truly feel like family to me and I’ve vowed to do anything I can to help them with their education, and simply just continue being their friend. I can dole out money each time I see them, but going places together and sharing good times are what is most important.

My friends Rong, So Peng Thai, Tra, and Sophea all dropped by the hotel to visit, and we went out to lunch or dinner together each day. On three occasions we went to my favorite local eatery, the Hawaii Pizza House for breakfast or dinner. Despite the name, they serve a variety of excellent western and Khmer dishes. I’ve been a patron of this family-run restaurant for eight years, following them as they moved to four (or is it now five) different locals in the Wat Bo Road vicinity. It’s always nice to return and see the same familiar, smiling faces --- and the good food!

So Peng Thai couldn’t join us for any of the meals because he was busy handling some tour groups that were in town. One of those “last minute” obligations that invariably comes up. Thai is now a licensed Angkor guide and he’s always out and about, taking groups around Angkor or to local restaurants. He’s good at his job --- he speaks English well and has an engaging personality --- so his services are frequently requested. Thai is saving his money lately for a very important reason; he plans to get married in May. It should be a big event and I plan to be there.

Sophea is still working at the Le Meridian Hotel in Siem Reap, and has started her own silk design company. She’s another one that has worked very hard, using her personality and excellent English language skills to succeed. She has her products for sale at local hotels such as Le Meridian and La Noria. While I was in town she had set up an outdoor booth at the Apsara Terrace of the famous Angkor Grande Hotel as part of a seasonal promotion they are having. She was helped by some friends and her young niece, whom I hadn’t seen in about three years. Man, these kids are growing up quickly!

My kids love to swim; put them in a pool of water and they are in heaven. So, I took them on outings to West Baray (the huge ancient reservoir just west of the airport in Siem Reap) and to the Phnom Penh Water Park. At the park in Phnom Penh the kids spent a solid hour going up and down the big, twisting water slide. No stopping, no resting, just up and down repeatedly. I got tired just watching them do it. Between the slide and the wave pool, they got their quota of water fun for the month.

Another outing in Siem Reap was to the Cambodian Cultural Village. Rong and Tra accompanied me and the boys. I had never been to CCV, and neither had Rong, even though he lives in Siem Reap (and still works at the airport). The Village has a haunted house (good silly fun) and several exhibits of Cambodian “culture,” including shows such as traditional dancing and a Cambodian wedding ceremony. If we had stayed later in the afternoon, or in the evening, we would have seen additional performances too. We had lunch as West Baray, feasting on grilled chicken and fish. This area was where I first met Tra, almost 8 years ago, during my infamous “lost passport” episode. Back then Tra was a tiny little kid selling postcards to tourists. Now he is 22, and working as a taxi driver in and around Siem Reap. But work is sporadic and he is looking for something more permanent.

Back in Phnom Penh, on my final full day in Cambodia, I spent some time walking around town while the kids went back home (they live in Kandal province near the city) with the school clothes and other items I had bought them. Naturally, I can’t resist going into used bookshops, and I ended up buying a Robert Wilson novel in the D’s Books branch on Street 240. Walking back along the riverfront I ran into (or rather, walked around), a very large elephant. While taking photos of the creature, a man walked up and addressed me by name. I didn’t recognize him, until he told me that he was a friend of Mr. Dee, and used to sell newspapers along the riverfront. All of these newspaper and shoeshine kids that used to (or continue to) hand out along the riverfront have grown up in the past decade that I don’t recognize many of them anymore.

09:58 PM PST Permalink |