Sex 'trade', not 'traffic'
SUBHATRA BHUMIPRABHAS
SPECIAL TO THE NATION



Thailand's sex workers are off the streets, in safe workplaces. They don't want to be 'rescued'

BANGKOK: -- Being a sex worker these days isn't what it used to be, at least for those whose rights are backed up by the Empower Foundation. Much has improved - no more pimps or mamasans, and fewer punches thrown their way. Being "rescued", though, causes them all sorts of problems.

Most people remain unaware of the dramatic new context in the flesh trade, Empower director Chantawipa Apisuk said at the recent release of a report, "Hit & Run: Sex Workers' Research on Anti-trafficking in Thailand".

"We have now reached a point in history where there are more women in the Thai sex industry being abused by anti-trafficking practices than there are women exploited by traffickers," she said.

The government and the agencies that abet its efforts to "help" prostitutes have, in many ways, gone too far in enforcing the Prevention and Suppression of Human Trafficking Act.

The modern sex worker has work tools apart from makeup and condoms, said Chantawipa, who founded Empower in 1985 to safeguard their rights. They have cell phones and the Internet. Rather than greedy pimps, their support network is centred on a trusted tuk-tuk driver or the local motorcycle-taxi guy who takes them around and protects them.

These people have designated workplaces - restaurants, massage parlours, go-go bars, beer bars or karaoke clubs. Their work might also entail dancing for or drinking beer with the customers.

More than 20,000 sex workers make use of Empower's contact points in 11 provinces in the North, Northeast and Central region, including several on the Burmese border.

Empower has seen the industry develop continuously through three decades and 10 governments. Sex work is now widely regarded as a quasi-legitimate profession, with its own form of employers and self-employed workers.

Inevitably, though, prostitution remains a crime in the eyes of many, and those plying the trade are treated accordingly.

But the kindlier view, that they are victims of human trafficking, isn't a great deal of help either, Chantawipa said. Legislation aimed at stopping the trafficking of people has had a serious adverse effect.

The "Hit & Run" report is an effort to assess the state of the profession. More than 200 sex workers helped the foundation conduct a survey over the course of 12 months, in bars, restaurants and brothels across the county and even into Burma and Laos.

"We trained them in legal rights," Chantawipa said, although some were already university graduates and several even had law degrees. "We call them our 'high-heeled human-rights defenders'."

It's a play on the term "barefoot lawyer" - a solicitor who cares about justice rather than fees - explains Liz Hilton. She's worked with the foundation for nearly 20 years and helped coordinated the project and the associated Rapid Action Training for Sex Workers.

"The first round of training was done in 12-month blocks in 2008 and 2009. There were 23 sex workers - men, women and transgender people."

The survey determined that more than 50,000 sex workers have been involved with Empower since it started, including migrants mainly from Laos, Burma, China and Cambodia.

Migration, it was noted, is part of the "culture" of sex work, and the brokers involved in transporting people are generally seen as helpful. Most don't charge exorbitant rates for their service.

One of the "high-heeled rights defenders", Sasumi from Mae Sai in Chiang Rai, said she often helps fellow sex workers with legal matters when they're arrested. She's been in the business since she was 20. She's now 27. "I've seen a lot of improvement in the workplaces," she said.

"We're better off there than taking a risk waiting around on the street. If better choices are available, then naturally we choose them."

Nang from Mukdahan, who also helped with the survey, said few women arrested under the anti-trafficking legislation know what it is. "They're just going to work, they think, so why are they being arrested?"

Mala moved to Mae Sot because she couldn't earn enough money there for her family. Muay moved across the border to Mae Sai, convinced that whatever Thailand offered had to be better than what she left. Picked up under the anti-trafficking law, they both got sent back.

"We came to build new lives for our families, not to be sent home empty-handed and ashamed," explained Dang Moo, another Burmese sex worker in Mae Sot.

Kiaw from Laos pleaded for understanding among the Thai public and authorities that sex workers prefer not to break any laws. "We aren't criminals. We're just honest people trying to build better lives." The women might build a house for their parents or put a kid brother through school.

But the anti-trafficking law regards sex workers as victims, so those who enforce it believe they are "rescuing" the prostitutes. That just makes things worse, say the sex workers.

"Before I was arrested I was working happily, had no debt, and was free to move around the city," said Nok, a Burmese. "Now I'm in debt, I'm scared most of the time, and it's not safe to move around. How can they call this 'help'?"

Once "rescued" and after a period of detainment, the foreign workers are deported (only to return at the first chance) and the Thais usually have to undergo vocational training.

"Thai society still looks at sex workers in the old context," Chantawipa said, and even the government's "modern" view of sex workers as victims is outdated. The aim now is to get the government and other concerned parties to stop using the word "victim", to stop putting trafficking and sex work in the same category.

Riddled with loopholes, the anti-trafficking law meanwhile is undercutting women's efforts in other areas, Chantawipa said. It confuses the organisations opposed to trafficking about sex workers' true status - are they criminals or the victims of criminals?

NEW CONTEXT

Empower's survey has determined that:

- Today's sex worker provides enough income to take good care of the family.

- Their workplace - usually an evening entertainment venue - has regulations, covering work schedule and monthly salary paid according to skill level. Thus, sex workers are employees.

- Gone, for the most part, are the days of random arrest, regular violence, pimps, the prostitution mafia and the "green harvest", when girls are recruited upcountry. In their place are helpful "older brothers" - the motorcycle-taxi or tuk-tuk driver, the bar manager.

- Sex workers now have hi-tech tools like smart phones and the Internet, and they're also skilled at using them.

Nighlife's tapestry

Empower launched its research project last month with a one-day exhibition at the Bangkok Art and Culture Centre, displaying the "Mida Tapestry", sewn by migrant sex workers as a way to document and show the impact police raids have on their lives. It carries a second message in that the detained sex workers are regularly forced or offered sewing lessons as a cure-all for social ills.



-- The Nation 2012-03-06

Bangkok my new home?

Bangkok Chao Phraya River

              

BTS skytrain - Thong Lo

Most of us  frequent visitors to Thailand end up thinking of our home in Thailand as the hotel or guest house we are staying in. Either hanging out solo or if your lucky with the latest soul mate in Bangkok or maybe up north in Chiang Mai, over in Isan or down in Pattaya or Phuket. Anyway, like me we end up spending enough time wherever we end up that we start feeling as comfortable in Thailand as at we do in our home country. On day I started thinking about this and  wondered if I really lived in Thailand would it feel the same as in my long visits.  My normal Thailand visits had me bouncing around for a month or so or until my visa was used up and then had me zooming back to the states to get ready to do it over again.

So in order to get a better idea about what it felt to live in Thailand I decided to spent 3 months, mostly in Bangkok, (I like Bangkok) at the same hotel. To really get the feel for long term living in Thailand I would do a visa run and would give me the feel of life as a locale. However, my hotel had me staying in the lower Sukhumvit area, eating in mostly farang orientated restaurants and street food. Along with that I was living like a tourist, drinking and spending a lot of money at the glut of bars populated with mostly farang customers. So I came to realize my stay, even though it was longer than my normal visits probably wasn’t the way life would be if I really lived in Bangkok. So made I made the decision that on my next trip I would get out of the touristy area, rent an apartment and try to get by shopping at the market for my daily needs, preparing the food I purchased, doing my own laundry, get a haircut, recharge my phone minutes and so on. My goal was to replicate my day to day living as in the states and to get a real idea of what I would be up against if I moved to Bangkok for good.

In planning my next trip I found a serviced apartment via the Internet, pricey, but partly because I could only stay for two months as most apartments rent out for a minimum of 4 months, so I was paying a premium for my short stay. Also the place, Viva Garden was newer and very, very nice, on par with a 5 star hotel. I wanted a serviced apartment opposed to just an apartment, as I need a place that was furnished and thinking it would be nice to have someone with cleaning supplies to clean the room, and kind of look after things, including me,  much like a hotel. Things like soap and cooking supplies were the sort of things I could handle.


Lesson one: To have a good selection of serviced apartments at a good rate you need to make a year lease. A security deposit will be required, equal to two months’ rent, along with a payment of one month’s rent in advance and possibly an advance payment on monthly utilities. Thailand is cash based so you’re going to need a good stash of the stuff. Just for reference – studio or one bedroom is in the range of 20 – 30,000 baht a month.                
                                                                                                                 

my helper

Viva Garden had a laundry service which did a lovely job but was far too expensive for long stay. So I set out to use their coin operated washer and dryer. Stopped cold in my laundry quest when I found out it was up to me to supply the laundry soap. So I stuffed my dirty clothes back in the bag and heading down to the 7/11 for soap. Only to find everything labeled in Thai and clerks unable to do English. Now I’m scouring the store for package labels with laundry related graphics, zoomed in on likely looking grouping while activating my innate scientific judgment and picked the nicest looking package. You have probably heard enough about Doug’s Laundry but one last thing – the machines are intimidating due to their jumbo size, flashing lights, multiple buttons buzzers and directions in Thai.


Lesson two: This ain’t Iowa, so that English I struggled through in college ain’t gonna be of much use in Thailand. Can I learn to speak and read Thai? Alternatively, finding a cute long haired dictionary might be an option but with my track record with women is probably not a long term solution. Anyway, whatever this language thing is a very real problem and if I’m going to live here I’ve got to figure out a way to deal with it.

On Nut night market beer garden

Tesco Lotus super market - On Nut

After a week or so in the apartment I came to the conclusion it was probably cheaper to buy prepared food on the street or in the market than make it myself. Of course figuring out what I was buying, even with prepared food was an ongoing problem. So I started favoring Tesco Lotus which is sort of like Costco in the USA and 7/11, yup same as the US. Except unlike the state’s 7/11 they seemed to have the best prices and are located everywhere. Both had prepared food but Tesco being a larger store had a better selection but with meats and vegetables it was Tesco or back to the wet market (open market that sells meats). Even at Tesco it was hard for me to figure out what meat I was buying as a lot of it is self serve in bulk. However, the meats that were packaged, along with many other products and signage in the store were in both English and Thai and everything perishable was refrigerated. Overall food cost me more than I thought but this was just after the flood so maybe food prices were inflated. As an example of pricing at Tesco – hamburger 129 baht a kilo, bacon 130 baht a kilo, Bacardi 598 baht and Havana Club 595 baht (OK, so I’m not a health nut).

On Nut night market

Lesson three: It’s hard and confusing work living alone in Bangkok and it costs more than you might think to get by.


My apartment was conveniently located on the BTS line, adjacent to Bangchak station at about soi 62. A much different area than lower Sukhumvit, though still not all that far from the heart of the farang action but far enough so that you know you are in Thailand. For close by entertainment it’s a Thai open air beer garden at the On Nut Market with draft beers, food vendors and live, mostly Thai music and very little English spoken.


Oh ya, got a haircut, like everything else it cost more than I thought but it was good enough cut. Bought some clothes at Tesco Lotus, shirt was cheap but good, pants were cheap. Recharged the minutes on my phone, easily enough but tried to ask a question and didn’t do so good. Spent a half a day and visited two bank offices to reestablish an account I had set up years ago and never used.


Conclusion: Maybe my choice of Bangkok as my new home base was ill conceived as it’s a major international city and the simple and inexpensive life I seek is hard to find there.Though it's a really cool place with loads of stuff to offer an expat.  Then I wonder about how to handle the visa issue, how to handle medical emergencies, what house hold goods do I move with me and how about duty and how about my credit cards and my mail,  so many things.


As I put the finishing touches on this I’m winding down my 11 or 12 th annual Asia trip in Ho Chi Minh City and was in Phnom Penh, Cambodia last week still without coming to terms regarding a new home over here. However, I kind of liked Phnom Penh, I have people in Saigon and I still get excited over Thailand,  so stay tuned.

little ants driving me crazy in Saigon

Damn, these little ants. Lay my glasses down on the desk, pull am back on and their they are, little ants racing around in front of my eyes.
Hide in between the hairs on my arm and other places. I see them running around on my laptops monitor then dash across the key board, driving me crazy these little ants.

Man are they fast, these little ants, just driving me crazy!

Recommend in Bangkok -



sun rise over Bang Chak BTS station - taken from my bed

                                                   

A serviced apartment, that is what you get at ...  As in a good hotel, Viva Garden has a friendly and welcoming staff looking after you but with the added benefits of the comforts of a homes. 

In this case I've taken a studio and which has a compact little kitchen area, including a 2 burner stove, full size frig, a very sophisticated microwave that does much more than I'll ever require of it and all the cooking utensils you need for cooking or eating. My unit has a nice sized flat screen TV with cable, connected to a high quality system that will play Cd's or DVDs.  A good bed, small couch with coffee table, a desk to sit your lap top on with WIFI. On the other side of the glass wall is a usable 

sized balcony with a couple nice chairs and a table. Oh ya and unlike my home Viva Garden offers daily maid service. There is a jumbo sized outdoor pool and in the same area is a gym, a play area for the kids, along with a do it your self laundry or they will do it for you.Also available are single and multi bedroom units.

yup, Doug feet

 The location is a ways out Sukhumvit but it's right by the BTS route and just minutes from the Bang Chak station so all the major city center stuff is available.  One station up at On Nut is a Teco Lotus grocery/ discount  department store along with a slue of western fast food outlets connected to it to cure that craving for a bit of Americana when it hits ya.

However, considering you went to all the trouble to get here you also might want to forgo western fast food and check out the Thai open, wet market directly across Sukhumvit from Viva Garden..  Where a good precooked meal can be pieced  together for less than a couple bucks..

Speaking of food - going to take some of my own advise and get me some of that cheap but oh so tasty Thai food in the market across the street.







Saigon, cornucopia of craziness!

Saigon - noisy, hot and steamy, untidy and more crowded than ever, streets overflowing on to the sidewalks with motorbikes but like a giant jigsaw puzzle it all fits together in a cornucopia of craziness, embraced by most Saigonese and myself.


However, change is afoot, many of the old school family run shops have closed and the buildings torn down. The party line (no pun intended) is that Saigon property is so much in demand that the rents forced the occupants out. Which I’m sure is true to a point but … Anyway, for myself I can’t figure out who will come to visit the multitude of new designer shops and chic western style restaurants and wonder if uniqueness of old Saigon will be lost and many will never know about it.

So I’ve taken it on myself to share some of my favorite, unique, still standing, old school spots but hurry who knows how long they will be available.

The following are a few of those -

Rooms for Rent - 3621 -36/23 Le Thi Rieng, Ben Thanh Ward, dist 1 thanhthao775@yahoo.com

Thao rents rooms in two houses down an alley – many expats take rooms here along with a smattering of Vietnamese and tourists. No frills kind of place but clean, safe and Thao will quickly become your new best friend. Rooms start at about $15.00 a night and I’m thinking long stay rates can be negotiated.  I rent a room here and have done so for about 5 years now.

Pho 32 32 Le Thi Rieng, Ben Thanh Ward, dist 1 (around the corner to the left from Thao’s) 

Traditional Vietnamese breakfast – beef noodle soup – pho they serve pho and will get you a coffee (from the upholstery shop next door) just walk in a point to a bowl as not much English here. Make sure you get here before 9:30 am because as soon as the tub of Pho is finished their finished. About 27,000 dong for a bowl of pho and a café sua da (iced coffee with milk).  When in Saigon I make a point to eat here every morning no matter what.

Bristo 48 48 Le Thi Rieng, Ben Thanh Ward, dist 1 (around the corner to the right from Thao)

Vietnamese French fusion – interesting place, menu in English with photos, casual dress but with table cloths, silverware and great food, speedy service and all at a reasonable price..  When in Saigon I eat here at least once a week.

Quoc Bao 1 Le Thi Rieng, Ben Thanh Ward, dist 1 (at the roundabout, about a block from Pho 32) Not much English spoken here but the menu listing drinks is in English and the staff are pretty laid back and very friendly. 

Downstairs is an open air coffee shop, loud music served with coffee, fruit drinks, beer or ruhm. You can find me sitting at the bar a few nights a week, drinking Saigon beer or ruhm and messing around with the owner and wait staff.

Upstairs is a beauty salon, great guy haircuts, be sure to get the shampoo, face wash and head message. Costing around 100,000 dong for the whole deal.


LUONG SON QUAN-BÒ TÙNG XẺO
31 Lý Tự Trọng, Dist.1

Table top bar-b-que - a small charcoal grill is set in the center of your table along with plates of meats (you ordered)  for your bar-b-que pleasure.  Loud, open air and still smoky but inexpensive, tasty and fun..

Moc Lan Restaurant 20 Bui Thi Xuan street, Ben Thanh Ward, dist 1 phone: 0982-135-270

Vietnamese BBQ and hot pot – fun and interesting!

Mogambo 50 Pasteur Street, dist 1

Best hamburgers in Vietnam or maybe anywhere, Australian beef steaks and a mix of other food stuffs, along with a bar serving ice cold beers cute and friendly bar staff and a good selection of wine. American and Vietnamese owners along with the cute bar staff will be you new best friends. Its draws an International mix of expats living in Saigon so the bar is a great place to eves drop on the latest business goings on in Asia. Kind of like Ricks in “Casablanca” but this is the real deal and for the price of a drink you can be part of it.

Number 5 bar 44 Pasteur Street, Ben Thanh Ward dist 1

Next door stuffed with beautiful and friendly bar staff clad in miniskirts and tank tops working a large horse shoe shaped bar. Cold beer, hot Vietnamese ladies, oh ya and super hot ladies. Food maybe, music I don’t remember but the bar staff, ok, you got my point..

17 Saloon 193 A Pham Ngu Lao dist 1 (on the edge of the backpackers area across from 9/23 park)

The building was created to look like an old time American West Saloon and inside the staff dresses in cowboy and cowgirl outfits. It’s not American country western being played inside but loud American rock performed by a very solid Pilipino band. Drinks are a little pricey but considering the music, the nightly show of the juggling of flaming booze bottles and the gorgeous wait staff and bat tenders it’s money well spent.

Xuan Hong (Western Medicines) 154 Bui Vien Street Pham Ngu Lao Ward, dist1

While not really off the tourist trail, it’s in the Pham Ngu Lao backpacker’s area, but a good place to seek medical advice or get a foreign prescription refilled. A formal doctor signed prescription signed by a doctor is not need in Vietnam, so tell them what you need and they can probably fix you up. No idea what meds you need or if you need any, tell either one of the ladies about your condition and she will fix you up.

Giay Thanh Dung 150 Ly Chinh Thang (YEN DO CU) Phone: 08438586

Handmade shoes or sandals, he is the guy but located along way of the tourist tract and speaks little English. I’ve used him for custom sandals, inexpensive and good quality if your patient. Because of the language issues you really need the help of a Vietnamese who understands English and what you want to help you here.

Lovely lady - serving soft drinks, beer and coconut juice on the street from a display cabinet, with a folding table and a few plastic chairs and stools for her customers.   Great place to kick back, take a break while watching the  going on of the market and chat about life.

 Located across the street from Ben Thanh market, on the side towards downtown.   You may have to look around a little to find her, though if you get close she may find you .



That's all I got for now but always thinking of you...      Doug    

Violence continues against Thai Civilians in the south of Thailand

Mar 7, 2011

pattani.reuters

Buddhist monks comfort each other as family of another monk grieve over his body in a hospital in the troubled southern province of Pattani March 5, 2011. Gunmen killed a Buddhist monk and wounded two others as they were collecting alms in Pattani. --    PHOTO: REUTERS

THAILAND - VIOLENCE flared up in the deep South on Sunday, leaving a retired policeman and a monk dead and many people wounded. In Pattani's Yarang district, masked men on three motorcycles opened fire at people shopping for food or working out on a local road in the morning.

Police Sgt Sanan Sangkasunya, 64, succumbed to his injuries at a local hospital while the other four victims, including Muhammad Isris Pathan, 18, were seriously hurt.

Mr Muhammad's father Yula said the insurgents should not have attacked the general public.

In Pattani's Panare district, two men shot a man and his mother while they were travelling on their motorcycle.

Nattakorn Jantip, 23, was killed instantly but his mother was not hit. She just sustained minor injuries from falling off the bike.

In Pattani's Khok Pho district, a 32-year-old soldier was shot and seriously wound while on patrol. Almost at the same time, unknown men launched an M79 grenade at a checkpoint on 418 Pattani-Yala Road then opened fire. After three minutes of fierce exchange, the attackers withdrew. No one was wounded. -- THE NATION/ANN

In Vietnam and don't have access to facebook

Saigon wired - infrastructure - oh ya!

Unless you live under a log or maybe here in Vietnam where the news is not news until the guy in charge decides it to be, you would know the world has some more immediate problems than global warming.

Just spent a few months in Thailand - border dispute with Cambodia that over the past few months has destroyed property and cost up to 8 or 9 lives, in the south of Thailand Muslin terrorists have killed over 2000 people since 2004 which 90% were civilian, than you have the red shirts and the yellow shirt protesters causing disruptions in Bangkok. Not to forget loss of life and property due to natural causes, like flooding and sever cold weather in the north of Thailand.  However, in Thailand's case it's possible to visit and be total unaware of these happenings.  Though, Tourists are fickle lot and so just the negative news has had an effect on potential visitors which is another blow to the countries economy.

Then there are the major conflicts in other parts of the world over government leadership that I witnessed from Thai TV that are taking place in parts of the Mideast and once again protesters on the streets of Greece.  Of course then we have the ongoing economic pressures on the USA and other parts of Europe that are impossible to ignore. However, it's better than it was, it's still a long way from what you can refer to as a stable economy in these areas.  Then there is the catastrophic loss in live in Mexico due to the on going strife with the drug Mafia types. Australia with the loss of property and lives due to flooding and New Zealand with it's recent earthquake.  Anyway, I'm sure I missed a lot of other bad stuff but suffice to say the world is a mess and even more messed up than me and so I might be better than we all thought, or maybe not.

Lets get back to where I am and as we know that's Saigon, Vietnam and they have there problems too. Though here in Saigon as I'm looking at all the new construction you would never know it, things are looking up.   However, even as Vietnam manufacturing and production has increased at a rapid rate, the worlds financial difficulties even have moved in on this new growth and has also taken its toll. For example inflation has caused the government to devalue the dong several times, at present leaving it around 20,000 dong to a dollar , the normal rate is around 15,000.  There have been price increases in the government controlled commodities of gas and electricity which surly won't help with inflation but...........  

Then being the negative guy I can't help but look at all the new mega high rises and wonder how the infrastructure of the country can support them, guess it falls under the - you build them and it will all work out, theory. Along the same line more high class designer shopping areas with hotels and restaurants are being built on the ground where my favorite little mom and pop shops were, and I wonder about who the customers are now they have lost me.  So sad to know I that un important.

In finishing this I want to tell you that I'm feeling like that guy under the log but not because I crawled under it, but because someone dropped it on me and all I really wanted was facebook and a medical information web site.

Lets talk Thai Visa - edited

Visa, yup, you gotta have one to visit Thailand.  Though it's a simple deal for us Americans and many other citizens of other western countries staying less than 30 days. Really all that is required is showing up at the immigrations window with proof that you'll be out of Thailand with in 30 days and a completed immigrations form.  Normally the airlines supplies the forms on your flight but if not you can pick one up at the immigrations counter.  This visa is refer to as an "on demand visa" and it's free.

The official tourist visa is one you have to apply for through the Los Angeles Thai consulate or another consulate outside of Thailand. Roughly what is entailed is you need to send them your passport, along with two passport sized photos, a completed visa application, the visa fee of what ever it is at the time and include a self addressed/postage affixed return envelope. The fee change can change at any time but at the time of writing this it has been waved through March 2011. This type of visa gets you 60 days in country and for 1900 baht you can extend it 30 days through a Thai immigrations office in Thailand.

Note, on the original visa application it will ask how many entries you want, think all you can get is two but write in something of at least two entries. 

While allowing your original visa with in 7 days of its expiration to be rolled over into another 60 days plus as before it can be extended for 30 another days after another visit to Thai immigrations and the payment of 1900 baht..  Though in order to get this second edition you must leave and reenter the country.

I'll relate my recent experiences with obtaining a visa extension and the second visa:

Recently I visited Chaengwattana road immigrations and paid the 1900 baht to extend my 60 day tourist visa  the extra 30 days.   Though as the clock ran down on my extension I could see it wasn't going to do it so decided to make a trip back to Thai immigrations and see if I could get a little more time as I really didn't want to go to the trouble of leaving the country. 

So got out the maps getting ready for a little adventure (time before I had a Thai helper), decided on using the BTS to get as close as I could, which was Mo Chit.  Once out of the BTS terminal at Mo Chit I flashed the note saying where I wanted to go, that a Thai friend wrote for me in Thai. One of the waiting van drivers  pulled me into his van and was on my way again, only to be drooped off, with a lot of pointing and waving, in the middle of nowhere. After wondered around a bit, a taxi guy found me and promptly took me to the wrong immigrations office. Then on my own I visited a couple more wrong offices and while at last wrong office a nice lady directed me to pay 20 baht for a motorbike or take my chances on a bus that doesn't always show up to get me where I needed to be. Went with the motorbike guy and before I knew it I was zoomed directly to where I needed to be.

The Chaengwattana road Thai government building is big, but it's easy to locate the immigrations/visa office inside and start your process by jumping right into the que for the form lady, where I tried my darnedest to explain that I just wanted a few weeks extension on my visa but ended up with a form for reentry and told it would cost 1000 baht. OK, so I fill out the form and que up for the form checker/number dispenser lady - missed the whole back side of the form but guess she felt sorry for the stupid, old farang guy me, as she gave me a number anyway and passed me on to wait for my interview with the immigrations officer. As I a waited  I filled out the rest of the form the best I could even though the questions didn't fit what I wanted. Now I'm up  and it's getting late so the immigration lady is trying to step up the pace by handling a half dozen people at a time and then I show up.  She half listens to my request and gives me that look and sits me aside in her office. Then after she clears all the people out of her office she turns to me and patiently explains on how I have to leave the country, walk across the border and return  through Thai immigrations for a second  60 day visa, no money or forms required. Oh, should add the immigration officer who helped me in the end was really nice, giving me this warm and fuzzy feeling that she (Thailand) truly wanted me to stay in her country as long as possible, so why is it is hard?

I had already had plans in the works to go up to Chiang Rai and Chiang Mai so I Incorporated a day trip up to Mail Sai and across the Burma border to Tachilek for a new visa. What an easy deal, no lines no waiting. Pass out of Thailand and into the Burma immigrations, they fill out the forms and take your photo, smile and joke with you as you pay then 500 baht. They ask if you want to go right back to Thailand or shop in the border area in Tachilek. I chose shop, they held my passport and gave me a paper receipt with my photo on it. When I was finished walking around, passed back through the border immigrations and traded the paper for my passport, then it all a matter of jumping in line for Thai customs and my second entry visa entry was in effect..

Note - used a bus from the bus station in Chiang Rai to Mai Sai and then a sawngthaew to the boarder - bus at the bus station was marked and once in Mai Sai a guy with a sign was standing by his pickup (green color not blue as in my photo) saying "to the boarder and immigrations". Total trip to the border took less than 2 hours.

Welcome, handsome, young man






   

 soi Nana bar complex

  A pack of lovelies lean out of the bar signing the siren song of "welcome, handsome, young man". While your handsome, young man days may have long ago slipped by, the girls now have you thinking, those 5 sit ups last week really did help trim my belly, ah ha the 3 days of stubble - very manly, yup, my shinny bald head, just as I suspected, really is sexy. However, the clincher is looking much younger than your age, yup I'm glad someone other than me can finely see it. OK, so welcome to Amazing Thailand, land of smiles, beautiful women and ten bazillion bars to sweep you away from the realities of life..



 You hesitate in front of the bar and one of the young lovelies takes your arm and guides you to a seat. Then, here is the drill, the beer you just ordered cost around 100 baht (30 baht 1 $) but your new love is thirsty too, girl drinks are around 110 baht for Thai whiskey or 150 baht for beer. If she likes you or is just a drunk she will offer to drink Thai whiskey. Keep in mind she is the entertainment committee and part of her pay comes from her commission off the drinks your buying her. Also keep in mind that even though you are buying her drinks she has a choice in deciding if she wants to be with you or not, so be nice or be alone.

So now you may be wondering about her pay thing, not sure of totals but it breaks down to something like this: commissions + monthly salary, based on the number of shifts worked + bar fine up charges + what ever she hustles up on her own (like room cleaning,(sex). Whatever she gets for room cleaning (sex) after you bar fine her out of the bar is between you, costing somewhere between 4 - 10,000 baht.  Also, if you find a girl you like and just want some company and a guide you might be able to bar fine her out of the bar to go clubing with you.

soi Cowboy, Bangkok

For some girls the ultimate goal is finding a falang boyfriend or several, its status with the other girls and generate a steady income for her and then, just maybe, one will marry her.  

Many of the girls working in bars come from the poorer areas of Thailand and this may account for the not so very sophisticated thinking of some. However, they are very clever and make up for short comings by being fast learners and absorb knowledge from there international clientele very quickly. While life for them in some ways is much the same it was back home in the country side, as it's still basicly a day to day existence, as they send much of there earning back home to support their families, which may also include a kid or two of their own and any extra left over being frittering away on stuff or gifts for others so they never get ahead.

However, what I find really interesting about their spending habits is that even thought they earn their money by what seems at times like heartless hustling, they might buy food, loan money or even buy drinks for bar customers they really like.

So when you hear the siren song of the Thai lady, don't pre judge her, be nice and be careful.. While keeping in mind you and her both have somewhat similar but conflicting goals, hers is to entertain you while  maximizing the money her and the bar make from you and yours is to be entertained while paying as little as possible, without looking cheap. Remember face is important here, so always be cool you "handsome, young man".

Thai political tension - who me worry!




  After being in Bangkok for a couple days I stumbled on to the start of a red shirt protest - the 6 month anniversary of the forced end to the political violence between the red shirts and government forces.  Costing the red shirts 91 lives.

OK, so red shirts or the (UDD)United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship and the (DAAD), support Thaksin Shinawatra who is in self imposed political exile after the coup that removed him from office in 2006.   The groups are mostly comprised of folk from the north and northeast of Thailand who believe the present government was illegally created after the coup and the ultimate forced disbandment of Thaskin's political party.

The whole political thing in Thailand is very confusing but non threatening to foreigners and easy to ignore.  Equally the start up of the protest I stumbled into was populated by very non threatening folks and it seemed that what ever the political ramifications,  the McDonald's in the photo was doing a booming business.

Seems to be more settled (12/21/2010) now as the government mandated Center for the Resolution of the Emergency Situation  (CRS) is proposing the lifting of the governments emergency decree.   However, many of the red shirts issues have yet to be resolved, so we will see.

                                          

Bangkok on one leg -

Hong Kong International Airport

Had a great and fun ride with Rachel and my son Ian to the San Francisco International Airport on Sunday. Only to be brought down by the airport security goons forcing me to pull off my money belt and run it, along with my life savings inside, through the ex-ray tunnel. Where in, my money belt and contents were misplaced and in my panic I pissed off the head goon because of my complaining. While instead of addressing my complaint,  he tried intimidating me by tossing trays very hard and as close to me as he could.  Which resulted in a very intense staring match between us, my money belt materializing, only then to have my shoes disappear. This experience confirms my thought - that the terrorists have won and many government employees have joined their ranks

So with money belt and shoes in place I'm aboard an aging 747-400 for 13 hours and 47 minutes of being pinned in a high flying aluminum tube, with my new Bosie - noise canceling headphones glued to my head (they really work, but be sure to bring a backup AAA battery), a bit of wine, Dramamine and a little white pill in my stomach I'm heading to Hong Kong. On arrival I've a few morning hours to roam the airport in search of a AAA battery, success at a little after 7:00 AM as the stores started to open, $3.00 for two batteries and interesting enough, they were made in the USA.

Then at 9:10 AM its back into a another aluminum tube, this time a packed 737-300 but the people next to me on this leg were small and polite folks traveling home to India. Though this is where I experienced a second problem with the new head phones, the jack opening was too large to except the headphones plug. So while searching out a new battery was an interesting mission but really didn't make any difference because I couldn't use them, anyway it's only a two and a half hour trip from Hong Kong to Bangkok. However,I've been telling everyone it's a five and a half hour slog, sorry everyone!

OK, so you’re thinking what's with the "Bangkok on one leg" - a few weeks ago I injured my right leg and with all the walking I've had to do it's become very awkward and painful to get around. I gave in this morning, after a few hours of wondering around, retreating to my room with a fresh from the grill piece of chicken, a bag of fresh cut fruit and a very cold beer Chang. All for about the cost of the Sunday paper in Sacramento and I'm a better man for it.

Just an after thought. had some bangkok street photos to post also but couldn't get it to work.   Anyway, more to come...

The bus to Pattaya and gateui (lady boy)

Its 6:00 in the morning as I sat in Bangkok’s Northern (Mo Chit) bus station awaiting the 7:15 bus to Pattaya. I am not a morning kind of guy so six o’clock in the morning feels like the middle of the night and the coffee I’m sipping just doesn’t have enough punch to get me through the lingering cobwebs of a night of doing the bars of soi Cowboy.

Then for a moment my foggy mind clears enough to capture a vision of Thai loveliness walking through the half light of the bus terminal, dressed to the nines, short skirt showing shapely legs, with blond streaked, ink black hair cascaded down her back. From my seat in the terminal I only got a brief look before the vision passed from my sight and passed on to the stations coffee shop. Not much going on, so with just time to kill I toss my backpack over my shoulder, headed over to the coffee shop for a second cup of coffee and try to get a clearer look at what I had just watched walk past and was rewarded with a coffee and best yet a nod and a smile from my latest love.

As I tried to shush Mr. Ego’s shouting, they all want you Doug, Mr. Reality chims in, evening clothes this early in the morning, something is little strange here. Then on closer observation, yikes - did I see a faint shadow of a beard? As I craned to get a better look, my vision spoke a greeting to me in Thai spoken with a feminine, lilted male voice, embarrassed, I nodded, trying to hide my surprise and disappointment as I scurried out of the coffee shop and back to my seat. Where I then attempted to disappear into the book I held in front of me as my mind milled over the morning’s craziness and damn it’s still only a quarter after six. Anyway, I’m thinking that I’ll be on the bus soon, leaving all this behind.

Oh ya, here we go, board the bus, grab the first row seat across from the driver, allowing me an unobstructed view out the window and I’m so happy with my good luck I forgot about everything else. Making myself busy getting my cameras ready and took little notice as my seat mate slid in next to me. As I’m puttering away with my camera, out of the corner of my eye I notice the disapproving looks of some of the older Thai women boarding the bus. I then glance over at my seat mate who is now leaning on my shoulder, ca damn it’s the gateui (lady boy) from the bus station. From the look on her/his face I could tell she was enjoying the attention and my discomfort and as I moved closer to the window so did she, a smile for everyone boarding, as to say, this is my guy.

The two hour ride to Pattaya seemed to drag on for ever and once the bus pulled to a stop at Pattaya, I couldn’t get away fast enough, that is after I got around my seat mate. Just a thought to keep in mind while traveling in Thailand – it’s possible that your new, best Thai girl might also be your new, best bro.

Thailand entrance requirements



not taken by me (not sure who to credit)



Thailand here I come, so now what documents do I need to get me into the Kingdom.

Kingdom, yes, Thailand has a king, hence kingdom. However, since the coup of 1932 the country officially has a constitutional monarchy style government, complete with a prime minister but still with a king. Thai’s love king Bhumibol, the world’s longest reigning monarch and democracy but the military is still a powerful force in Thai politics. Probably harking back to the last big lull in democracy in the 1950’s when military dictator General Sarit Thanarat ran things, as proof of this, the bloodless coup, number 18 in Thai history, toppling Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra in 2006 was carried out by the Thai military.

Getting a bit of tract but there is a point to this, politics in such a relatively new democracy with such a diverse group of players can get a bit dicey, not really dangerous to foreign visitors but laws and regulations covering entrance documentation and visa requirements can and due change, so be aware.

OK, so here is the basic deal now for my fellow American’s and a bunch of other countries this is what is needed to enter Thailand - passport validity of at least 6 months, proof of return or ongoing ticket out of the country (enforcement is erratic), adequate funds – 10,000 baht for an individual and 20,000 baht for a family (never been asked), the completed emigration form the airline passed out on the plane – name, passport info, why your entering, how you got there and where your staying (never filled the where I’m staying and never got called on it). This is a no charge for this visa, referred to as a “30 day Visa-on-Arrival” for tourism by Thai immigration.



Not mine either



As of this time the "Visa-on-arrival" can’t be extended past the exit date the emigration officer stamped in your passport on your arrival. Tough I once received a 10 day extension so if you want to stay longer check with Thai emigrations and dress nice, it helps. Otherwise you have the option of doing what is called a “visa run” as you step out of the country and re-enter with a new “30 day Visa-on-Arrival” but think there is a limit as to how many times you can do this.

Up a step is the standard Tourist visa which I just applied for through the
Royal Thai Consulate, Los Angeles or it could be any consulate outside of Thailand. To obtain this one you will need to send in, along with a return postage paid envelope your passport, plus a copy of the information page (whoops, I forgot this on mine), two passport size 2X2 photos, completed application form and the processing fee of $ 35.00. Note: the fee has been dropped until March 11, 2011. With this you will be good to go for 60 days in country and it can be extended for 30 days. Though you need to visit emigrations before you original period expires; over stay fine is 500 baht a day.

There is also several other visa’s for longer stays, for example - retirement, marriage, business, education and I’m thinking medical. However, this is all I’ve got for now.



See you in Thailand  - Doug



Tet 2010 year of the tiger

The Vietnamese holiday that is way, big and by that I mean bigger than any holiday I've ever know. I'm no holiday size expert but this is big - how big you say - how about if you rolled our Christmas and New years celebrations together and then gave every one in the country a week off to celebrate, see I'm talking way big.


Tet is based on the Chinese new year which is predicated on the lunar cycle effecting the earth. So the arrival date of Gio thua (new years eve) and the Tet holiday changes from year to year.

Though,while the Tet holiday is a time to spend time with the family enjoy good food and drink or maybe travel to a special, fun place, Vietnamese work really hard in preparing for it. Saving up to buy that special outfit to welcome in the new year, food is put aside, so much that shortages of certain foods occur and then the race to buy special presents to cement ties with family and friends for the up coming new year.

The Tet holiday and the days and weeks leading up to it are filled with the bounty of the tropics, exotic flowers, bushes and trees are on display on the streets, in homes and businesses. Colorful banners are hung proclaiming "chuc Mung Nam Moi" (happy New year) and the streets are lit with colored lights. In Saigon - Nguyen Hue street is turned into a bountiful garden of flowers, trees, bushes and Tet related displays. Lucky money, small denominations of money in red and gold envelops are passed around. Traditional Tet food such as bang chung is readied for the holiday. Hair cuts are got to set off that new outfit, houses are cleaned and spiffed up. The house where I stay even pulled down the front doors and windows and repainted them. Vietnamese believe in household genies, such as the craft creator, the land genie and the kitchen god and out of respect they are allowed to take part in the holiday.

From a foreigners stand point the days leading up to tet and the holiday, officially 3 days but extends for a week or so, can be a frustrating and crazy period of time. I've witnessed first hand at least a half dozen Tet's and have learned to enjoy the holiday as an observer, while my Vietnamese friends try ever so hard to make me part of the goings on. For me, I just don't get a lot of it, as it's more a state of mind and I'm thinking being Vietnamese is required.

So probably at this point, even if you only looked at my photos, you understand that Tet is a interesting and unique part of Vietnamese culture.  However, before you head off for an up close and personal look at Tet 2011, which is the third of February, the following are a few thing to keep in mind.

• During Tet week travel in and around Vietnam is dicey, if you can get transport but its probably over crowded and at a premium price.  Vietnamese love to travel, to visit there family or to a special holiday destination and for some this is there only long holiday for the year. So it seems like every one in the country is on the move.





• In Vietnam along with many other Asian cultures  I've visited the concept of personal space is not understood, it's especially noticeable while traveling during Tet.  Remembering back a few years ago - traveling from Qui Nhon/Die Tri to Hue by train to be awoke by a Vietnamese family perched on the outer edge of my bed with me in it. Also you would find it's common practice to add stools down the isle of train cars and buses to seat more people or seats designed for two crammed with an undetermined number of folks and there luggage.





• Many businesses close, including bars and restaurants for the official 3 day holiday and some stay closed all week.  5 or 6 years ago it could be hard to find an open restaurant but the influx of tourists has held a few open. Tet being a family holiday most people stay home or with there relatives so in place like Saigon the streets are actually peaceful and quiet, well quieter than normal. 

• In Saigon, on Gio thua the New Year is welcomed in with a fantastic display of fireworks.  Seems to me all of Saigon turns out on Nguyen Hue for the event.  This last Tet I got spooked by the crowds and headed home to my room, on my way back I decided to stop for a beer at one of my hang outs Quoc Bao, an old style open air coffee shop, located on the traffic circle at 1 Le Thi Rieng and Le Loi. Turned out to be perfect spot not only for a beer but looking down Le Loi the fireworks were framed by the buildings, as if by design and it was fantastic. 

Yes, Tet is a uniquly Vietnamese event but if your time is limited for your visit to Vietnam you might want to plan around it and read my blog.