Thailand 2: June 19, 2001

A further update from the City of Angels:

Bangkok is not a beautiful city, but it is an interesting one. There is no zoning law here, so development is a real hodgepodge. Old teak houses next to skyscrapers bordering small factories that back up on hidden mansions. Prime hotels are across the street from corrogated tin shacks. Bangkok has shopping malls as modern and trendy as anything in the States, with street vendors selling grilled squid and grinding spices in mortar and pestles out in front. Outside of Bangkok, things change pretty quickly. For Thailand, Bangkok is NY, LA, Miami, Washington and Chicago rolled into one. No other city comes close. Bangkok is 40 times larger than any other city and infinitely more cosmopolitan than anyplace else in the country (except, possibly for the resort Island of Phuket). However, even in Bangkok, you can see fruit vendors carrying their products in the traditional over the shoulders carry-alls. On my walk to work, I pass through a small soi (lane), off of the main street. Its surprisingly quiet and has several nice homes, hidden behind high walls. Normally there are a few women waiting outside the walls to present food to a monk who walks through every morning (in barefeet -- a real proof of faith in a city with a large population of roving dogs). All Thai buildings have small shrines, or spirit houses, either inside or out in front. The largest skyscrapers have them too, often loaded with offerings of fruit or sodas. Thailand is a Buddhist country, but the Spirit Houses are a relic of pre-Buddhist Brahman culture that made its way to South East Asia from India 1500 years ago. Many Thai, particularly those of the older generations, briefly wai (bow) to the temples as they walk by.
I mentioned the malls earlier. Like in the States, they are a gathering spot for stylish Bangkok teens, travelling in packs in and out of Marks and Spencer, North Face, and other Western stores. There is every sort of fast food available, from the obvious McDonalds to Auntie Anne's pretzels to Mrs. Fields cookies. Its all here. It may make the city seem less exotic, but I think its evidence of what young Thai's really want to eat. Pizza Hut will have over 100 franchises in Thailand by the end of the year. Starbucks is all over Bangkok.
Even with the Western imports, eating in Bangkok remains exciting. As you would expect, lots of great Thai places -- though there is a debate over which restaurants cater to farang (or Western) tastes and which really are authentic Thai. My palate isn't sophisticated enough to tell the difference, so I like them both. I'm working on a restaurant guide and have about 20 entries so far. Thais love to eat. They're real grazers and you can always see a cluster by the street vendors. Vendors sell everything; grilled shrimp heads, fried fish balls, whole fish, fresh fruit, popsicles, all sorts of noodles, dumplings. You name it. In some places, there might be 10 or 15 lined up next to each other.
Middle-class Thai, particularly young women, are very style-conscious. Thai dress is somewhat more modest than in the US (tight is ok, but not much skin showing). They love platform shoes. You'd think the Thai were breeding a new generation of giants until you look down and see they add 4 inches with their shoes. What is fascinating is watching these women take motorcycle taxis. They sit side-saddle, often clutching purses or talking on cell-phones, as the drivers weave through city traffic. Bangkok has a helmet law, which drivers obey, but which apparently does not apply to passengers. I've never seen an accident, but you hear horror stories. Young Thai men love their scooters/motorcycles. They go zipping down our street at over 50 mph, sometimes the wrong way. Occasionally, you see a family cruising along. My record, is 5: Mom, Dad and three little ones.
I still go jogging in Lumpini Park. I usually have a good sweat going before I finish the 5 minute walk to the park, but its a fun run. Like Central Park, its right in the heart of the city. Last time I ran, I saw some people practicing golf, more ballroom dancing and a group of locals singing the Thai version of "Blowing in the Wind." I jogged over, saw they were evangelists, and quickly sped away. Its a real mix of people. Lots of Thai, mixed w/ Westerners, Sikhs, and representatives of the growing African community. Though there are some running clubs, most Thais running in Lumpini aftre work aren't world beaters. They usually jog a little, walk for a bit, stop to chat with a friend and then start to shuffle along again. I putter along at a stately 9 minute mile pace, but people rarely pass me.
You also notice that the Thai, like the Japanese, enjoy wearing clothing with English writing on it. Also like the Japanese, they don't seem to care much about the grammar. I've seen "Lucky Play Go" and "Unbelievable kitty." Now, I know my Thai is probably worse than much of the English I see, but at least I have the good sense to keep my ignorance off my t-shirts.
Liz and I have been very busy checking out Wats (temples) and other sites. There is a lot to see here in Bangkok, but the heat and traffic limit what you can do in a day. I'm getting a bit used to the heat. There are times when I'm actually not coated in sweat by the time I get to work. If it gets below 80, its considered cool. We recently went to a small street where a few artisans still make alms bowls for monks by hand. You can watch them cutting and folding the metal and then heating it so it will weld together. Bangkok also has a huge weekend market out towards the airport called Chatuchak. Its a maze of hundreds of attached stalls that sell everything from silver to clothing to live animals to plants to furniture. Its hot, claustrophobic and a chance to find bargains. Its always crowded with Bangkok residents looking for good deals. We can only take it for a couple hours at a time, but some are obsessed. I use my Thai to bargain. I don't know that I get great deals, but at least I can get them to knock off a few baht.
I continue to try to use my Thai. I'm pretty smooth in restaurants and in some professional situations, but can get stuck in day to day situations. I often find myself starting a long sentence only to realize half-way through that I've forgotten the key vocabulary word. However, I usually get my point across. If not, Liz has become a master at mime. I still have trouble with listening comprehension when I listen to Thai speakers (Liz would say I have the same problem with English speakers, but, of course, that's untrue).
I'm really enjoying work at the Embassy. We're pretty busy -- I usually work from 7 to 5 -- but its a nice variety of projects. As an American diplomat, you sometimes get to punch above your weight class. Though I'm the junior member of our section, I've had the opportunity to meet with several high-ranking Thai officials. Yesterday, I had lunch with the Thai Trade Representative (actually, Thailand has three) and will meet with the head of the Trade Department tomorrow. I'm doing a lot of work on aviation issues, but have worked in other areas as well. The Embassy has a small fund to provide grants to Thai NGOs, so I've been meeting with Thai NGOs who work on labor rights, child protection, women's rights, anti-prostitution efforts and drug eradication. Its a good way to get out of the Embassy and meet Thais and they all seem to do good work, so that's been enjoyable. Last week, I spent time preparing a briefing paper on US/Thai joint HIV/AIDS research. I also went along with Customs inspectors who went to check out Thai garment factories. I was pleasantly surprised by the working conditions at the two factories I saw. Clean, quiet, not-overcrowded. They actually had fire-extinguishers and other safety equipment. Almost forgot, I'm the Embassy's Space Shuttle Control Officer. So, if the shuttle has a problem and needs to land in Thailand, I'm the man.
We have a good group of people in the Econ Section. At the goodbye party for my predecessor, my boss, the Deputy Chief of the Econ Section, brought a golf ball retriever, which he extended to its full length and into which he fit a full shot-glass of tequila. He then chased the charge d'affaires (who is also our next Ambassador to Malaysia) around the room.
Liz is beginning to look for work in earnest and has kept busy exploring the city. She took a day trip to Kanchanaburi province to see the site of the infamous Bridge Over the River Kwai. She's also working on her Thai and already knows enough to handle taxis.
We hired a maid last week. She comes in three days a week and cleans, shops, pays bill and cooks. We've got maids' quarters, but she doesn't live in. It does feel strange having a maid, but its a pretty good job for Thai women without much education and we pay well by Thai standards. Her family is up north and I don't think she gets to see them very often.

That's all for now. Hope everyone is well.