saturday

... was the best day since we've been here.

just two hours at a children's home and an hour wandering around in burma was all i needed to remember why we're here (i spend most days on my computer, and problems here sometimes get a bit abstract).

constance describes the day better here.

coup?

maybe...

it's sort of like when we landed at plymouth rock, shut down the airport and gave the indians smallpox. thanksgiving irony!

anyway.

man.

what i really meant to say is.. is mumbai making anyone else sick?

more stuff is happening.

i know i officially quit caring at the end of the last post, but four bombs exploded yesterday, the airport is still shut down (with 3000 passengers stranded. the PAD has even reportedly taken over the control tower. yeesh those guys are power hungry)* and there might be a new government soon (still only a small chance of a coup). this seems like it's only going to get bloodier before it improves.

*striking how hesitant the police seem to use any sort of force ever since they bombed my wife. constance has that effect on people. still.. i can't imagine JFK getting shut down by protesters.

here is a great blog, written (i assume) by an expat, following everything with some clarity. and this nation writer says the airport siege is the PAD turning to the dark side (the nation is usually pretty sympathetic to the PAD):

This is not civil disobedience. It's the PAD holding air travellers hostage to push for its goal. It's the PAD leaders telling its loyal followers that if someone inflicts you harm, it's ok to get back even at the expense of innocent others. The airport seizure caused more trouble to people whose sympathy the PAD had sought than the politicians the movement has tried to dislodge.

turmoil (updated. a lot. and again.)

RFK in Bangkok, from Life Magazine, 1962.

- Twice this week grenades were launched into Government House, where the PAD protesters are holed up, killing two.

- Big simultaneous protests today in different parts of town from pro and anti-current government groups escalate possibility of violence.

- The PAD is trying to take over Parliament, or something.

This is getting ridiculous. Pray for rain.

Update: The police and military have increased their numbers to 1,500 now to control things. The PAD is pushing back their Parliament party until Monday morning, and using apocalyptic language* like this:

"I would like to invite people to join the last battle. We know what we are doing and we believe that what we are doing and will do has same objective which are to protect the country, religion and monarchy," Sonthi told the cheering crowds.

* They say stuff like this often, ostensibly to rile up supporters and keep themselves in the news. Still.. I'm not looking forward to reading about what happened when I wake up tomorrow.

Update II: Here's how The Nation sums it up. I didn't realize PM Somchai is in Peru.

parliament, october 7

Update III: Protesters have besieged both Parliament and the Metropolitan Police Bureau — the place where Constance and I got caught in the tear gas attack. Apparently, the police aren't using tear gas.. which has allowed protesters to just push right in.. which makes it more understandable why they were using tear gas last time (just wish they would use the legal, non-explosive tear gas, and use it correctly — i.e. not fire it directly at people). This is the same as protesters storming Capitol Hill. It just wouldn't happen.

Update IV: The Parliamentary meeting which the PAD protesters were protesting was cancelled (the meeting, according to protest leaders, would've paved the way for the return of Takshin, the powerful and controversial PM who was ousted in the 2006 coup, and who the PAD blames for just about everything wrong with Thailand), so the Parliament siege dissipated. There are still other protests going on, but nothing like that one. Thankfully, no major violence from either side (there will still a few explosions near a TV station, but all and all not as violent as the pre-siege rhetoric indicated).

happy protester, october 7

Update VXIILP: Washington Post says there was PAD-induced violence (NYTimes front page now too). The PAD is trying to shut down the airport, or something. Yawn. I'm getting bored of this, and I'll shake my fist at them if I ever miss a flight. Life is normal in Bangkok as long as the protests are confined to one area of town. But messing with the airport, etc. can't be good for tourism and business.

I understand that this is real and about real problems in my new country, and I understand that both sides think they are right. People should protest, and most of the people I saw at the protest in October were normal, well-meaning people concerned about their country. But I also understand that rigid group think can be easily manipulated and the ignorant, excitable, us vs. them types who are running around armed, setting motos on fire and hijacking buses lose my sympathies pretty quickly. Just because it feels good to be angry and fighting for a cause (it's why I like football) doesn't necessarily make everything about your side good and true.

Cobras, however, are awesome and have my full support. Northern Thailand is supposed to be slithering with them, but I've yet to see one. I just wanna hold one. Cmon cobras. I'm on your side.

this thai life

so.. back to blogging. we're back home in phayao. while we were gone, the weather turned perfect. it feels like early northern california fall, which fits well with our spanish-tiled, butterfly-ridden northern california house.

it could get confusing. so here is a list of things about our house that are really thai:

bamboo TV antenna:


kim jong il stickers in the office:


super fabulous gate:


pile o' tires in the kitchen:


and.. NEW DRAGON POWER:

Walking Man Walks

Con and I have met only one other expat in Phayao: an interesting, lively, well-traveled guy named Dennis Peacock. He's the sort of character you hope to meet while traveling abroad. He lost a restaurant in the tsunami, and once walked with a monk through every province in Thailand (no one walks in Thailand). He always seemed to delighted to see Constance and me, and emailed a very nice note after reading the newspaper story of what happened to us.

We have very little community in Phayao due to cultural and language barriers (this will change with time, but it's been difficult), but I had plans for long weekly beer chats about life and Thailand and Chris Hitchens with Dennis. He seemed like the sort of guy who could fill that community/conversation void.

Dennis died last Friday (according to his website). We're shocked. Just shocked. It's difficult, as he always seemed a little bit sad and hungry for the same intangibles as us. Would've been a long, memorable friendship. As it is, we barely knew him...

If you have time, read through his blog a bit. He's a bit of a national celebrity, and knew this country probably better than any other expat we'll meet.

leaving bangkok..

had plans to return to phayao on october 10. today is almost thanksgiving.

plans change, life happens.

loy krathong; capitalism

Two places I avoid in the states: malls and Starbucks. Yet, much of my month-long stay in Bangkok has been spent, of all places, at a various mall Starbuckses, where I could work and download TV shows via the best internet in town, before returning to the hospital with TV and western food court food for Con and her mother (deep fried chicken donut delight).

So.. last night's Loy Krathong celebration was fitting. As is the case much of the time while traveling, I had little clue to what we were doing. You light this or that little candle, and then do this or that little chant and honor this or that god. Culture!

In some parts of Thailand, Loy Krathong looks like this:


In Bangkok, Loy Krathong (I think) honors the goddess of the Chao Phraya (the big river rolling through BKK). But in order to avoid Chao crowds, we set our krathongs sailing onto a man-made pond next to a mall, before spending the rest of the evening at a Starbucks. As such, our experience looked more like this:


It felt like teaching your kid about nature by camping on a golf course.

CHRISTMAS TIME II

in bangkok, santa flies in on a sled pulled by eight flying elephants. our santa could beat up your santa.

two good ones from the NYtimes

1) A poignant piece by several writers about what they admire and will miss about President Bush.

When I asked him if he felt betrayed in any way by the former Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld’s errors relating to the war in Iraq, Mr. Bush refused to assign blame. “No,” he said. “See, every decision’s mine.” During my final interview with him, he told me that he held back his doubts and worries in front of subordinates because “I don’t want to burden them with that.”

2) What Arab bloggers are saying about the Obama election.

A new day dawned in Cairo today. As it does every day.

And it started as it always does: with birds, schoolchildren and car horns. No national holiday here.

I’m looking forward to going out in the streets to hear the reaction. The best reaction I’ve heard so far: “Black Man Given Nation’s Worst Job.”

Bah humbug. I confess I’m moved.

and from an Iraqi..

... I shall not congratulate you on your 44th president. He will simply finish off what the other Zionists had started — the final partition of my country.

To hell with all of you and all of your presidents.

CHRISTMAS TIME; global cooling?

that this succinct report was breaking news made me laugh. it's not unlike when they'd cancel school for a week in houston at the first sign of frost.

Chiang Mai - Frozen dew happened on the Doi Inthanon Mountain early Tuesday morning, a park official said.

Thitipat Phoraksa, assistant chief of the Doi Inthanon Park, said it was the second consecutive morning that frozen dew happened.

He said mercury on the mountain dropped to 6 Celsius degree in the morning.

The Nation

banksy

my good buddy paul banks has a new little diddy out. he just keeps getting better and better.



the sound isn't the best, so watch in high quality. if you're ever in austin (or wherever he happens to be touring).. go see him.

tall, pale and handsome

I've never been to a country where darker is better.. even Liberia, where mixed-race ex-American slaves dominated politics for 150 years.

Dark-skinned Thais are similarly discriminated against here in the Land of Smiles, to the point where ads for "skin-lightening cream" instead of suntan lotion are ubiquitous, Thais are rarely caught in the sun without an umbrella and it's not unusual to see Thais swimming at the beach fully clothed.

On that note, found this delightful article yesterday:

Farmers, fishermen, urban laborers, rubber tappers and those just "born that way" celebrated wildly yesterday throughout Thailand as the United States elected its first African-American president, Barack Obama.

The victory has inspired Thais ostracized for having dark skin.

Farmers in Khon Kaen gathered at the rice field of Krit Leerasuk to drink rice whiskey and discuss years of hardship caused by a culture that idealizes white skin as beautiful.

"Barack number one," said Krit. "I not ashamed to go to massage parlor in town anymore," he said proudly.

Out at sea in the Gulf of Thailand, a fisherman on the Suriyothai IV welled up with tears as he remembered the first time a school classmate pointed at him and shouted "khon pue dum." "I will find that guy and tell him to kiss my black ass," he promised.

On plantations in Yala, rubber tappers were seen torching bottle of whitening cream and other cosmetics.

In Bangkok, however, Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat assured the capital's Chinese business community, blue bloods and other elites that Obama's historic victory would not affect the country centuries-old custom of belittling and denying opportunities to those countrymen with darker skin.

"We will continue to prefer the whitest men and women in television, film and bed," he said.

"As for democracy, yes, we still want that," he added.

Only after the Somchai quote did I realize this was satire.

Too bad really. This sounds a lot like most Thai journalism I read and the quotes sound a lot like what I've heard from Bangkok's fleet of poor, dark-skinned taxi drivers."You like Obuhmaaah?"

Guess the world can't be saved in just one term. Obama/Biden 2012!

"history" as brought to you by the bbc

the bbc is our only english news channel.. which is fine, considering my disdain for network news and the knowledge that if i had been in the states, i probably would've watched live election coverage with jon stewart. but the bbc has been covering the elections with an obvious "outside looking in" style, making for several awkwardly enjoyable moments.

wednesday morning (tues night in the US) was no different. they did their best to emulate american networks with a fancy map and a bunch of half-crazed pundits, and the whole thing made for a nice glimpse on how europe and (considering that the bbc is the most powerful international news source anywhere on the globe) the world were watching this thing.

some highlights:

-- jesse jackson (mr."i want to cut obama's n--- off" himself) comes on looking positively giddy. guess it's going to be a big night (morning) for black ameria.

-- the well-meaning anchor suddenly sounds very very british:

• "and minnesota the wonderful state of.. um.. lakes... and beautiful forests... goes for obama."
  

• "and now wisconsin, known for.... um.. dairy.. also goes to the senator from illinois."

• "north dakota, home of mount rushmore i believe.... no i'm sorry that's south.. north is home to.. well anyway it's home to mccain voters."

-- john bolton appears. somehow the bbc found the most internationally unpopular bush appointee ever. bolton, who im sure is a smart man, is decent on tv and starts off with several salient points about what mccan did wrong.

he then calls obama "the most radical candidate ever nominated" and repeats "fact"-less smears about obama's supposed socialism (mccain is also a wealth-spreader) and obama's coal bankrupting (mccain's cap and trade plan is nearly identical), before getting in a pair of arguments with liberal media biased BBC reporters about their "facts." nice guy:



-- mark penn, aka the man who wrecked the most powerful political machine in modern times, aka hillary's old chief strategist, somehow finds a spot at the table. he seems sheepish.

-- and then this.. the greatest political interview in modern times with a (drunk? liberally bitter?) gore vidal. watch till the end:

what a day. man oh man. man. man.

still can't get over obama. what a day. i teared up a lot (especially when i'd see stuff like this. i mean.. jesse jackson, who i cant stand, made me cry). it just feels like the world is glowing.

what a long, incredible election. here's the column from long ago when i first realized that obama could turn into an intriguing candidate. he just gets "it" a lot.

also.. in an attempt at nonpartisianship, i never link to huffpo (i read it, much like drudge report, because it carries a lot of weight. but i try to take it with lots of salt). but here's a very heartwarming slideshow about global reactions to yesterday. i've been on four seperate trips abroad since the race heated up, and the globality of this election very much resonates.

speaking of drudge.. up until polls closed yesterday, he was in full anti-obama force, with several links speculating about socialism, coal smears, chicago thuggery, african bull slaughtering and voter fraud and intimidation. but as soon as the race was called, he pulled all those links and celebrated the historic moment. so.. good for him.

obamamama

for what it's worth, i voted obama and then straight libertarian in a protest vote against the two party system. strict partisanship makes the election seem like little more than a football game, and seems indicative of voters allowing power-hungry political parties to do their thinking for them.

there's not much time to write these days, and thai politics has sucked up half of it, so here are two articles that sum up why obama got mine, and that do my thinking for me:

chris buckley (one of 15 or so conservative intellectual heavyweights who i regularly read who've broken for obama):

But having a first-class temperament and a first-class intellect, President Obama will (I pray, secularly) surely understand that traditional left-politics aren’t going to get us out of this pit we’ve dug for ourselves. If he raises taxes and throws up tariff walls and opens the coffers of the DNC to bribe-money from the special interest groups against whom he has (somewhat disingenuously) railed during the campaign trail, then he will almost certainly reap a whirlwind that will make Katrina look like a balmy summer zephyr.

Obama has in him—I think, despite his sometimes airy-fairy “We are the people we have been waiting for” silly rhetoric—the potential to be a good, perhaps even great leader. He is, it seems clear enough, what the historical moment seems to be calling for.

and... the ever intrepid constance dykhuizen.

crazy how long this thing has been going on, and let's all be glad it didn't end up as hillary vs. giuliani. this was my first election as a reader, as a traveler, as a non-neocon (voted bush in 2004 for really lame and maddening reasons). what a compelling time to be an american..

update endorsement link: wasn't planning on posting a center/left media endorsement but.. james fallows, the pragmatic editor/expat traveler who i much admire as a thinker and writer, mirrors my thinking almost exactly and more than anyone else i've read.