Today I rode in a taxi that followed a motorcycle driver whose passenger was a full-sized dog. (Not the same one as in the picture, but it gives you some idea.) This amazing pooch wasn’t harnessed or buckled at all. Somehow it remained standing on all fours behind the rider, despite swerves and sudden stops. Perhaps they were on their way to a high-wire competition, or a log-rolling event?
Tuesday, December 23, 2008
Death-Defying Dog
I’ve seen some unlikely loads on the backs of motorcycles here—tall canisters of propane gas, newspapers stacked higher than the rider, dozens of cartons filled with fresh eggs. But they’re always held down somehow, usually with tightly stretched bungee cords.
Today I rode in a taxi that followed a motorcycle driver whose passenger was a full-sized dog. (Not the same one as in the picture, but it gives you some idea.) This amazing pooch wasn’t harnessed or buckled at all. Somehow it remained standing on all fours behind the rider, despite swerves and sudden stops. Perhaps they were on their way to a high-wire competition, or a log-rolling event?
Today I rode in a taxi that followed a motorcycle driver whose passenger was a full-sized dog. (Not the same one as in the picture, but it gives you some idea.) This amazing pooch wasn’t harnessed or buckled at all. Somehow it remained standing on all fours behind the rider, despite swerves and sudden stops. Perhaps they were on their way to a high-wire competition, or a log-rolling event?
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
Now What?
Although the airports are open again, and the previous government has been dissolved by a court ruling, tensions remain high. Yesterday parliament named a new prime minister, the third in four months. Seen as a uniter, known to friends as Mark, he has been dubbed "Obamark" by the press.Like Obama, he’s a fairly young politician, and so doesn’t bring along the baggage that his predecessors did. But he had to make some deals with the devil in order to put together a majority, so his hands may be tied in other ways.
Time will tell how many folks he can win over in what has become a country pretty deeply divided along class and geographic lines. But at least he can count on Jip’s support. She likes him because his dad is a respected neurologist who specializes in her disease.
Tuesday, December 09, 2008
Angkor Re-Run
Strange times in Thailand made a quick trip to Cambodia pretty appealing this past weekend. I’d been planning to go anyway, to again join the annual Angkor Wat road race. Not that I really need an excuse to go back to that cool place. This was my third trip, and won’t be my last. Every time, I find a new favorite temple.
The race itself might turn into a tradition too. I keep surprising myself at how important running has become in my life here. For several days before this event I was careful to get to bed on time, eat right, and stay out of the path of motorcycles—things I don’t always pay close attention to.
But those things paid off. I shaved four minutes off last year’s time. If I keep up that kind of improvement I could easily win my age bracket by the time I’m, say, 75.
Wednesday, December 03, 2008
Reputation Problem
The Land of Smiles has come in for some pretty harsh criticism over the last few days. One longtime observer, a former NY Times Bangkok bureau chief, wrote this: “Add Thailand to the list of countries that are giving democracy a bad name.”
Human rights organizations described as farcical a situation where “Thai security forces can engage in battles over trifles with neighboring countries but not responsibly protect the Government House or international airport.”
Americans who had registered their names with the U.S. Embassy to receive news updates during emergencies got text messages that said, among other things:
Based on what I see for myself while traveling around, I still have never felt the country to be unsafe. When people from outside Thailand write me concerned emails, I reply that motorcycle drivers continue to be the most dangerous people here.
The protest leaders do seem to be challenging the motorcycle dudes for the title of biggest thrill seekers. Lately they made headlines by calling the seizure of Suvarnabhumi Airport “the final battle.” The next few days should tell whether their noise is just empty rhetoric, or rather the sound of a country self destructing.
Human rights organizations described as farcical a situation where “Thai security forces can engage in battles over trifles with neighboring countries but not responsibly protect the Government House or international airport.”
Americans who had registered their names with the U.S. Embassy to receive news updates during emergencies got text messages that said, among other things:
Beyond the airport situation, there is uncertainty as to what will happen next on the political front. Again, we will share confirmed information as we get it but in the meantime all personnel and their families should, as we discuss frequently, use good judgment.Britain’s Daily Telegraph even included Thailand on a list of the world’s twenty most dangerous places. You know you’ve got a reputation problem when you’re mentioned in the same breath with Afghanistan and Haiti.
Based on what I see for myself while traveling around, I still have never felt the country to be unsafe. When people from outside Thailand write me concerned emails, I reply that motorcycle drivers continue to be the most dangerous people here.
The protest leaders do seem to be challenging the motorcycle dudes for the title of biggest thrill seekers. Lately they made headlines by calling the seizure of Suvarnabhumi Airport “the final battle.” The next few days should tell whether their noise is just empty rhetoric, or rather the sound of a country self destructing.
Tuesday, December 02, 2008
Smiling Moon
Rumors are flying about the airport closures. While we were in the South last week, having flown to Trang on what turned out to be one of the last flights out of Bangkok, we each phoned people we knew in the capital. We were hoping to hear that things were back to normal and we could catch a return flight home from our island trip.
Of course there were as many stories as there were phone calls: “My mom says they’re going to allow domestic travel only”… “international carriers can start landing at military bases next week”… “I hear that from noon to 5 Saturday afternoon, stranded airplanes will take off empty for their home bases and anybody holding tickets on a Thai airline can fly in”….
Naturally, we ended up taking the bus back.
In itself, our change in plans was a minor annoyance. But multiply our uncertainty by 70 million Thais, and you get some idea of how stressed out the country is feeling.
Which is why it was so cool to walk in the door from work last night and find Jip’s caregiver jumping up and down on the balcony, urging me to come look at the sky. A few minutes later, my phone starting ringing off the hook. What was the fuss? Venus, Jupiter, and the moon were lined up in the shape of a smiley face.
In itself, this happy configuration is a minor event. But in the context of recent events, people here
can’t help thinking that the country’s path to self destruction is about to turn around. One of the people who called me about the moon even said I would personally receive good luck if I called five more people with the news. And today I read that only in Asia did the moon form a smile. Other places around the planet saw the same grouping as a frown.
Of course there were as many stories as there were phone calls: “My mom says they’re going to allow domestic travel only”… “international carriers can start landing at military bases next week”… “I hear that from noon to 5 Saturday afternoon, stranded airplanes will take off empty for their home bases and anybody holding tickets on a Thai airline can fly in”….
Naturally, we ended up taking the bus back.
In itself, our change in plans was a minor annoyance. But multiply our uncertainty by 70 million Thais, and you get some idea of how stressed out the country is feeling.
Which is why it was so cool to walk in the door from work last night and find Jip’s caregiver jumping up and down on the balcony, urging me to come look at the sky. A few minutes later, my phone starting ringing off the hook. What was the fuss? Venus, Jupiter, and the moon were lined up in the shape of a smiley face.
In itself, this happy configuration is a minor event. But in the context of recent events, people here
can’t help thinking that the country’s path to self destruction is about to turn around. One of the people who called me about the moon even said I would personally receive good luck if I called five more people with the news. And today I read that only in Asia did the moon form a smile. Other places around the planet saw the same grouping as a frown.
Monday, December 01, 2008
Giving Thanks?
This Thanksgiving, I ate mashed potatoes and cranberry sauce on an island in the middle of the Andaman Sea, surrounded by good friends and big waves.
But to be honest it was hard to feel truly thankful, because the protests in Thailand have suddenly gone into high gear. For months they have been low intensity affairs that have dominated headlines without really affecting many lives here. Now the politicians and VIPs behind them have ratcheted things up several notches, and nobody is untouched by their actions.
The protestors’ closure of the Bangkok airports means that mail doesn’t arrive from abroad, Thai exports don’t leave, and thousands of people are scrambling to make alternate travel plans. The stuck tourists, businesspeople, tour operators, and hotel owners will never forget how much hassle these protests caused them.
Most frustrating of all for me is the seeming lack of a master plan beyond the protests. The goals are as unclear as those of Bush’s war on terror. The only certain outcome I can see is a big mess left for whichever government follows this one. Even if the protestors get the regime change they say they want, the benefits won’t outweigh the damage done to the country’s reputation.
This week the courts are supposed to rule on a case that could end up disbanding the ruling party. One group of protesters would be delighted by that outcome, and agree to vacate the airports. But another group would be incensed, meaning no net gain for the country. Or the king might weigh in Thursday evening, when he delivers his annual birthday speech. If he told people to calm down, they would.
Meanwhile, the vibe around here is pretty odd. Half the Thai people I talk to are anxious for a coup—“just so we can move on, put this behind us.” The other half are doing a variation of self-flagellation—“our country has such lovely land, lovely food, lovely weather; too bad we have to spoil it with such lousy people.” The papers say that more than half the population supports neither of the two main groups holding rallies.
But to be honest it was hard to feel truly thankful, because the protests in Thailand have suddenly gone into high gear. For months they have been low intensity affairs that have dominated headlines without really affecting many lives here. Now the politicians and VIPs behind them have ratcheted things up several notches, and nobody is untouched by their actions.
The protestors’ closure of the Bangkok airports means that mail doesn’t arrive from abroad, Thai exports don’t leave, and thousands of people are scrambling to make alternate travel plans. The stuck tourists, businesspeople, tour operators, and hotel owners will never forget how much hassle these protests caused them.Most frustrating of all for me is the seeming lack of a master plan beyond the protests. The goals are as unclear as those of Bush’s war on terror. The only certain outcome I can see is a big mess left for whichever government follows this one. Even if the protestors get the regime change they say they want, the benefits won’t outweigh the damage done to the country’s reputation.
This week the courts are supposed to rule on a case that could end up disbanding the ruling party. One group of protesters would be delighted by that outcome, and agree to vacate the airports. But another group would be incensed, meaning no net gain for the country. Or the king might weigh in Thursday evening, when he delivers his annual birthday speech. If he told people to calm down, they would.
Meanwhile, the vibe around here is pretty odd. Half the Thai people I talk to are anxious for a coup—“just so we can move on, put this behind us.” The other half are doing a variation of self-flagellation—“our country has such lovely land, lovely food, lovely weather; too bad we have to spoil it with such lousy people.” The papers say that more than half the population supports neither of the two main groups holding rallies.
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
Bedtime Story
The story I’ve been reading aloud to Jip for several months now is a Thai classic known as Four Reigns. She read this historical novel on her own many years ago, but doesn’t remember much beyond the broad outlines. Most nights it holds her attention for about twenty minutes.
The main character is a girl, Phloi, who is raised in the palace and lives to see four different Thai rulers. Whenever Phloi wrestles with sudden change—an unexpected death, an arranged marriage, a revealed secret—Jip pricks up her ears and asks that we read a little further.
We’re roughly halfway through the book. Despite a few anxious moments, so far Phloi has managed to handle all the challenges thrown her way. Like Jip, she understands the Buddhist teachings about impermanence, and remains optimistic. No matter what comes up in the rest of the story, I have no doubt that we shall overcome.
The main character is a girl, Phloi, who is raised in the palace and lives to see four different Thai rulers. Whenever Phloi wrestles with sudden change—an unexpected death, an arranged marriage, a revealed secret—Jip pricks up her ears and asks that we read a little further.
We’re roughly halfway through the book. Despite a few anxious moments, so far Phloi has managed to handle all the challenges thrown her way. Like Jip, she understands the Buddhist teachings about impermanence, and remains optimistic. No matter what comes up in the rest of the story, I have no doubt that we shall overcome.
Monday, November 17, 2008
Forty-Five Week Funeral
Just when you think political squabbling will send Thailand into a death spiral, along comes a reminder that the country can in fact unite. This weekend’s cremation of the king’s older sister, an 
event that involved more than eleven months of preparation, slowed things down and made everybody proud to be part of a country with a distinctive culture.
TV channels showed nonstop footage of the parade and pomp, gluing lots of people to their sets and leaving the streets quiet. Protestors too seem to have taken a break, in order to watch the tunics and the trumpeters.
I caught only a few minutes of the broadcasts, while eating a late breakfast in a restaurant. Reports I read in newspapers today told of the king lighting the funeral pyre, accompanied by traditional funeral songs, while the nation collectively hushed.
event that involved more than eleven months of preparation, slowed things down and made everybody proud to be part of a country with a distinctive culture.TV channels showed nonstop footage of the parade and pomp, gluing lots of people to their sets and leaving the streets quiet. Protestors too seem to have taken a break, in order to watch the tunics and the trumpeters.
I caught only a few minutes of the broadcasts, while eating a late breakfast in a restaurant. Reports I read in newspapers today told of the king lighting the funeral pyre, accompanied by traditional funeral songs, while the nation collectively hushed.
Sunday, November 16, 2008
Thaksin Loses British Visa, Divorces
The tale of Thailand’s most influential expatriate took two weird twists recently. After leaving on a short trip from England, his home in exile, Thaksin learned that his British visa had been revoked. A few days later, he and his wife announced their divorce after 32 years of marriage.
Of course it’s never wise to assume we understand what’s going on in somebody else’s relationship, but speculation is widespread here that the couple split up only to unfreeze as many of their assets as possible.
The anti-Thaksin protestors who continue to occupy government buildings around Bangkok are unlikely to feel much sympathy for his recent life changes.
Of course it’s never wise to assume we understand what’s going on in somebody else’s relationship, but speculation is widespread here that the couple split up only to unfreeze as many of their assets as possible.
The anti-Thaksin protestors who continue to occupy government buildings around Bangkok are unlikely to feel much sympathy for his recent life changes.
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
Obama Victory in Bangkok, Part 2
Despite getting calls from Brits quoting Churchill—“Americans can be counted on to do the right thing, after they have exhausted all the other possibilities”—I’m still floating from the results of the election. It’s so nice to celebrate something political. After several years of crazy leadership we now have a chance to do a few things right. I wish the same outcome for Thailand.But don’t think it’s all gonna suddenly get better overnight. Time to roll up your sleeves, folks. Everybody pitches in now. No fair sitting back and saying that he’ll take care of everything.
Friday, November 07, 2008
Obama Victory in Bangkok
We can all throw back our shoulders now and walk down the streets without feeling somehow ashamed of being American. Tear off those Canadian flags we sewed on our backpacks!
On Wednesday morning here, just before the polls closed Tuesday evening in the U.S., I joined about 200 other Yanks at a restaurant to watch the countdown on TV.
A big cheer went up at 8pm California time, when CNN’s high-tech graphics flashed that the long campaign was over. Some people started ordering drinks right away. Others slipped off to a late but guilt-free arrival at work, knowing that nobody at their offices would have been doing anything besides monitoring the results anyway.
I happened to have an errand to run at the train station. The place seemed quieter than usual when I walked in to the huge open waiting room. But the number of people waiting for trains looked normal. Then I noticed the huge screen above the ticket windows and saw that Obama was giving his victory speech.
Probably his words were lost on the majority of the passengers. (Who can understand public address systems in train stations anyway? The words are always unintelligible, even when they’re in your own language.) But the crowd seemed riveted nonetheless. This victory truly is a victory for the world.
On Wednesday morning here, just before the polls closed Tuesday evening in the U.S., I joined about 200 other Yanks at a restaurant to watch the countdown on TV.
A big cheer went up at 8pm California time, when CNN’s high-tech graphics flashed that the long campaign was over. Some people started ordering drinks right away. Others slipped off to a late but guilt-free arrival at work, knowing that nobody at their offices would have been doing anything besides monitoring the results anyway.
I happened to have an errand to run at the train station. The place seemed quieter than usual when I walked in to the huge open waiting room. But the number of people waiting for trains looked normal. Then I noticed the huge screen above the ticket windows and saw that Obama was giving his victory speech.
Probably his words were lost on the majority of the passengers. (Who can understand public address systems in train stations anyway? The words are always unintelligible, even when they’re in your own language.) But the crowd seemed riveted nonetheless. This victory truly is a victory for the world.
Friday, October 31, 2008
The Basics
Somehow during today’s Thai lesson we got onto the subject of essential needs. I knew the words for things like air, water, food, sleep, and warmth. But my vocabulary got stuck as I moved up the hierarchy that I remembered from psychology class—things like security, stability, stimulation, and so on.
My teacher said students here learn in school from an early age that the big four are food, clothing, shelter, and medicine. That last one interested me because I’ve often felt that the average Thai is very quick to reach for a pill. Rather than wait out a headache or a fever, lots of people here pop something at the first sign of discomfort.
Another thing about medicine in Thailand is that very few drugs require a prescription, so people self diagnose, or they buy what their friend recommends. Antibiotic misuse is a big problem, according to my public health colleagues—something like half of the people who take them don’t finish the course, meaning that bugs get resistant pretty fast.
So when my teacher listed medicine as one of the basics, I wondered if that status also trivializes it in this culture. By definition things that are essential can’t be overly strong or difficult to get. Even the word for drug in Thai can be mild—it forms the root of words like toothpaste and mosquito repellent.
My teacher said students here learn in school from an early age that the big four are food, clothing, shelter, and medicine. That last one interested me because I’ve often felt that the average Thai is very quick to reach for a pill. Rather than wait out a headache or a fever, lots of people here pop something at the first sign of discomfort.
Another thing about medicine in Thailand is that very few drugs require a prescription, so people self diagnose, or they buy what their friend recommends. Antibiotic misuse is a big problem, according to my public health colleagues—something like half of the people who take them don’t finish the course, meaning that bugs get resistant pretty fast.So when my teacher listed medicine as one of the basics, I wondered if that status also trivializes it in this culture. By definition things that are essential can’t be overly strong or difficult to get. Even the word for drug in Thai can be mild—it forms the root of words like toothpaste and mosquito repellent.
Sunday, October 26, 2008
Jip's Birthday Party
The whole country takes the day off on Jip’s birthday. (OK, so she’s not really the reason for the national holiday, but we like to pretend.)
It’s easy for her friends to drop by because they’re not at work. But before this year, Jip always vetoed the idea of having people over. This year she suggested it herself.
Five nursing school classmates showed up in the early afternoon, when Jip is usually chipper. She then surprised us all by kicking everyone out of her room after just 15 minutes.
So the gang and I went to the kitchen and ate the goodies they brought. When we checked in with Jip a little while later, she was grinning and asking us where we’d been. Before long the whole group was belting out popular tunes from back in the day.
Jip’s caregivers watched in amazement from the sidelines. “I don’t know any of those songs,” said one. “I think they were popular before I was even born.”
It’s easy for her friends to drop by because they’re not at work. But before this year, Jip always vetoed the idea of having people over. This year she suggested it herself.
Five nursing school classmates showed up in the early afternoon, when Jip is usually chipper. She then surprised us all by kicking everyone out of her room after just 15 minutes.So the gang and I went to the kitchen and ate the goodies they brought. When we checked in with Jip a little while later, she was grinning and asking us where we’d been. Before long the whole group was belting out popular tunes from back in the day.
Jip’s caregivers watched in amazement from the sidelines. “I don’t know any of those songs,” said one. “I think they were popular before I was even born.”
Thursday, October 23, 2008
Thaksin Charged
A couple days ago Thaksin got two years in jail for violating conflict of interest rules while prime minister. He will likely never serve this time, but the verdict is splitting the country even further.
Being sentenced in absentia likely means that he’ll either decide to truly drop politics and stay away from Thailand for good, or that he’ll try to increase his power base so that he can return to dropped charges. His detractors hope for the former, his supporters the latter, and therein lies the rub.
Being sentenced in absentia likely means that he’ll either decide to truly drop politics and stay away from Thailand for good, or that he’ll try to increase his power base so that he can return to dropped charges. His detractors hope for the former, his supporters the latter, and therein lies the rub.
Monday, October 20, 2008
Baseball Blues
The state of affairs in Thailand wasn’t the most discouraging headline I read during my time in the U.S. My beloved Chicago Cubs win that prize, alas.
The Cubbies just rolled over and died in the first round of the playoffs. This happens from time to time in baseball. Teams that dominate in the regular season forget how to win when they reach the postseason. As people have been saying about the economy lately, past performance is no guarantee of future results.
Yet despite the disappointment of watching the lads flame out, I’m still grateful to them and to Lou Piniella for giving me lots to smile about this year. Maybe the biggest smile of all came when I called Jip from Philadelphia and casually mentioned that the Cubs were finished for the year. I didn’t expect her to have much reaction.
To my surprise she immediately blurted out, “Oh no! Sweet Lou!” I didn’t know she knew the Cub manager’s name, let alone his nickname.
The Cubbies just rolled over and died in the first round of the playoffs. This happens from time to time in baseball. Teams that dominate in the regular season forget how to win when they reach the postseason. As people have been saying about the economy lately, past performance is no guarantee of future results.
Yet despite the disappointment of watching the lads flame out, I’m still grateful to them and to Lou Piniella for giving me lots to smile about this year. Maybe the biggest smile of all came when I called Jip from Philadelphia and casually mentioned that the Cubs were finished for the year. I didn’t expect her to have much reaction.To my surprise she immediately blurted out, “Oh no! Sweet Lou!” I didn’t know she knew the Cub manager’s name, let alone his nickname.
Friday, October 17, 2008
Climbing the Fence
While I was in the U.S., the political situation in Bangkok deteriorated. Ten days ago, violence broke out and parliament members were trapped inside their own building. The new prime minister had to climb a fence to escape protesters. The best version of events I read was also the most sobering I’ve read in some time. “Many dangers lie ahead,” it said.
Sure enough, a few days ago, gunfire broke out at the Cambodian border between Thai and Cambodian soldiers. On the surface it’s an international incident, but surely the issue of who controls the land around an ancient temple would never have come this far without politicians needing something to distract their constituents from the discouraging domestic scene.
And yesterday the Army chief hinted that the current prime minister must go. Who would step in wasn’t clear. It’s a shame to see people building (or climbing) fences. What the country needs more are bridges.
Sure enough, a few days ago, gunfire broke out at the Cambodian border between Thai and Cambodian soldiers. On the surface it’s an international incident, but surely the issue of who controls the land around an ancient temple would never have come this far without politicians needing something to distract their constituents from the discouraging domestic scene.
And yesterday the Army chief hinted that the current prime minister must go. Who would step in wasn’t clear. It’s a shame to see people building (or climbing) fences. What the country needs more are bridges.
Monday, October 13, 2008
Crown Thy Good with Brotherhood
Plenty of people have left their birthplace and found plenty of happiness somewhere else. You can also just get so used to the ways things are elsewhere that home begins to feel foreign.
Jip’s and my version of that classic story is still evolving. Mostly we just wake up each day and accept that we live where we live. We try to be grateful, to not take much for granted.
Yet here in the States for a couple weeks, with no agenda other than hanging out with family and friends, I must say I’m surrounded by delights. Let me count a few:
a reunion or two with old mentors…
a multigenerational family birthday party…
a several-hour stroll along the edge of a favorite lake…
a Cambodian/Vietnamese meal on a street named for Martin Luther King…
a peek inside the wooden boat my brother is restoring for a round-the-world sail…
an autumn evening among evergreens, watching 10-year-old girls practice soccer, capped with goat cheese pizza at the regular neighborhood joint…
a wedding down by San Francisco Bay, full of good cookies, great dancing, and lifetime pals…
I could go on. My point is that these things can’t happen in Thailand. I’ve not saying they should. The reason they’re delights is because they don’t. Special moments wouldn’t be special if they weren’t also rare. America looked pretty beautiful this time around.
Jip’s and my version of that classic story is still evolving. Mostly we just wake up each day and accept that we live where we live. We try to be grateful, to not take much for granted.
Yet here in the States for a couple weeks, with no agenda other than hanging out with family and friends, I must say I’m surrounded by delights. Let me count a few:
a reunion or two with old mentors…a multigenerational family birthday party…
a several-hour stroll along the edge of a favorite lake…
a Cambodian/Vietnamese meal on a street named for Martin Luther King…
a peek inside the wooden boat my brother is restoring for a round-the-world sail…
an autumn evening among evergreens, watching 10-year-old girls practice soccer, capped with goat cheese pizza at the regular neighborhood joint…
a wedding down by San Francisco Bay, full of good cookies, great dancing, and lifetime pals…I could go on. My point is that these things can’t happen in Thailand. I’ve not saying they should. The reason they’re delights is because they don’t. Special moments wouldn’t be special if they weren’t also rare. America looked pretty beautiful this time around.
Tuesday, October 07, 2008
Flipped Script
Just a few weeks ago, during my other trip to the U.S. this year, I’d felt that the country seemed a little threadbare, maybe even coming apart at the seams. But this time I’ve been in Philadelphia, which struck me as vibrant and unified.
It helped that I had a guide, my sister, who knew the backstory about the public art, private grants, and civic pride we kept encountering as we walked around. In fact she set me straight at one point when my cynicism about politics got a little excessive.
We passed an empty lot near her place. She mentioned that somebody wanted to put up a convenience store there, but needed a zoning variance. Thinking of Bangkok, I made a remark along the lines of “that variance will depend on who knows/sleeps with/pays whom.”
Her answer was along the lines of “Excuse me, mister, but I happen to be a volunteer member of the community zoning board, and in this town it’s us—the neighbors—who call the shots.”
Later she introduced me to the city-wide mosaic museum known as the Philadelphia Magic Gardens. This series of folk art installations, funded and fought for by everyone from bigtime lawyers to passersby, really does radiate the spirit of brotherly love.
It helped that I had a guide, my sister, who knew the backstory about the public art, private grants, and civic pride we kept encountering as we walked around. In fact she set me straight at one point when my cynicism about politics got a little excessive.
We passed an empty lot near her place. She mentioned that somebody wanted to put up a convenience store there, but needed a zoning variance. Thinking of Bangkok, I made a remark along the lines of “that variance will depend on who knows/sleeps with/pays whom.”
Her answer was along the lines of “Excuse me, mister, but I happen to be a volunteer member of the community zoning board, and in this town it’s us—the neighbors—who call the shots.”
Later she introduced me to the city-wide mosaic museum known as the Philadelphia Magic Gardens. This series of folk art installations, funded and fought for by everyone from bigtime lawyers to passersby, really does radiate the spirit of brotherly love.
Thursday, October 02, 2008
Bright and Early
The first thing out of your mouth on the first day of the month should be the word for a certain long-eared, bushy-tailed mammal, at least according to a tradition I grew up with. Jip picked up this habit from my family, and delights in beating me to the punch nearly every month.
Yesterday I planned to wake up extra early to catch a flight to the States. I asked Jip’s caregiver to make sure I didn’t sleep through the alarm. (Jip’s legs need massaging at around 3am every day, in order for her to be able to sleep the second half of the night.)
When I walked in the room to say goodbye, I hadn’t spoken to Jip yet that day. She looked especially alert, as though she had something on her mind. She heard footsteps, and raised her eyebrows at her caregiver, as if to ask, “Is that John?” When I mumbled, still groggy, that yes it was me, Jip rubbed her hands together and shouted, “RABBIT!” Three o’clock in the friggin’ morning.
Yesterday I planned to wake up extra early to catch a flight to the States. I asked Jip’s caregiver to make sure I didn’t sleep through the alarm. (Jip’s legs need massaging at around 3am every day, in order for her to be able to sleep the second half of the night.)
When I walked in the room to say goodbye, I hadn’t spoken to Jip yet that day. She looked especially alert, as though she had something on her mind. She heard footsteps, and raised her eyebrows at her caregiver, as if to ask, “Is that John?” When I mumbled, still groggy, that yes it was me, Jip rubbed her hands together and shouted, “RABBIT!” Three o’clock in the friggin’ morning.
Friday, September 26, 2008
Fast Lane
Jip hasn’t been outside Thailand since we returned here more than three years ago. At that time I thought she’d never use her passport again. But she announced recently that we should make sure all her travel documents were up to date.We don’t have any solid plans to take a trip. She was simply thinking about an open invitation we have to visit Australia, where several old friends of ours are living. It’s another measure of how stable her condition has become that she would consider taking on the challenges of an international journey.
I was happy about the idea of renewing her passport, but nervous about the process itself. I expected several long queues, based on my experiences at the Thai government office that handles foreigners’ visas.
No sweat. Three employees collaborated on the paperwork and the photography, not even flinching when they realized Jip couldn’t see, stand, or sign. The whole thing took less time than it took a taxi to drive there. Maybe sometime in 2009 we’ll go down under.
Saturday, September 20, 2008
Out of the Kitchen
The solution to the problem of what to do about the puppet prime minister was very Thai. The Christian Science Monitor’s headline may have said it best:
The story went on to say that “Mr. Samak's fiery rhetoric on TV and in office has often landed him in hot water. But it may be his fiery curries that finally burned him.”
Moonlighting seems to me a pretty minor charge against a high government official, but it has the advantage of allowing a face saving exit, always an important consideration here. Samak apparently is accused of more serious offenses, but they will probably now be forgotten in exchange for his going quietly.
The quest for Thai-style democracy appears not to be any closer to its goal, however. Politicians chose a brother-in-law of Thaksin Shinawatra as the new prime minister. In response, protesters announced they’d be stepping up their efforts to prevent “Thaksinocracy.” Most of them represent the country’s elite and so would have the country move away from a one-man one-vote voting system, which favors the relatively less educated folks upcountry.
Those people waiting for the king to step in probably will be disappointed. He seems to want to stay out of this particular kitchen.
As a TV chef, Thai P.M. cooked his own goose: Prime Minister Samak was forced to quit Tuesday, after a court ruled he'd broken the law by hosting two TV cooking shows while in office.
The story went on to say that “Mr. Samak's fiery rhetoric on TV and in office has often landed him in hot water. But it may be his fiery curries that finally burned him.”
Moonlighting seems to me a pretty minor charge against a high government official, but it has the advantage of allowing a face saving exit, always an important consideration here. Samak apparently is accused of more serious offenses, but they will probably now be forgotten in exchange for his going quietly.
The quest for Thai-style democracy appears not to be any closer to its goal, however. Politicians chose a brother-in-law of Thaksin Shinawatra as the new prime minister. In response, protesters announced they’d be stepping up their efforts to prevent “Thaksinocracy.” Most of them represent the country’s elite and so would have the country move away from a one-man one-vote voting system, which favors the relatively less educated folks upcountry.
Those people waiting for the king to step in probably will be disappointed. He seems to want to stay out of this particular kitchen.
Saturday, September 13, 2008
Queen's Birthday Present
Last month, to honor the queen on her 76th birthday, ethnic Chinese Thais invited 11,111 monks to receive alms along a main street through the center of Bangkok’s Chinatown.
Evidently if one is good, 11,111 is better. Remarkable photographs of the event have been making the rounds. Anything like this happen lately in the major metropolitan area where you live?
Sunday, September 07, 2008
Golden Rule
In a conversation with my Thai language teacher, somehow the subject of the Golden Rule came up. She argued that it was a foreign concept, not relevant in Thailand.
I asked a few friends at work what they thought about the idea that people should treat others as they would like to be treated. One guy, thinking of the recent protests, said bluntly, “Thailand doesn’t have golden rule. We’re too used to iron rule.”
I asked a few friends at work what they thought about the idea that people should treat others as they would like to be treated. One guy, thinking of the recent protests, said bluntly, “Thailand doesn’t have golden rule. We’re too used to iron rule.”
Monday, September 01, 2008
Thailand Takes to the Streets
Speaking of uniting and dividing, the political tug of war in Bangkok has ramped up. While the protesters’ goals remain vague, their numbers and volume grow day by day. They have occupied (and done their laundry outside) the prime minister’s office for the last week or so. Yet nearly every Thai who talks to me about the protests feels embarrassed by them.Passions, in other words, are hardly running high. Emotions flare occasionally, but most of the protest moves happen slowly. My safety isn’t an issue. Unless one tries hard to join the front lines, the biggest danger on the streets (and sidewalks) here remains the unpredictable driving of motorcyclists.
I used to think that no matter which faction emerged strongest, life for the average person here wouldn’t change appreciably. But the recent headlines have been terrible for tourism. We heard stories and saw evidence of the effect on that major part of the Thai economy last week when my office held a retreat at a nearly empty beach resort a few hours from the capital.
My guess is that politicians, some of whom own hotels and feel the economic pressure, will soon find a uniquely Thai fix to this round of problems.
Sunday, August 31, 2008
Trip Report, Part 2
The cool innovations I heard about in the U.S. were mostly new ways that Americans, consummate joiners that we are, have figured out to hook up with the like-minded. For better or worse, networking really is boldly going where no network has gone before.
So many people mentioned facebook in casual conversation that I began to suspect I was about the least hip person on the planet because I hadn’t signed up. That suspicion was confirmed when I got an invitation to join from my nearly 80-year-old uncle.
Websites like caringbridge.org and patientslikeme.com sent their founders to the health communication conference I attended in Atlanta. The connections people make with these tools help them heal.
So if my impression is correct that the country needs to pull out of a slump, then, as the saying goes, we have the technology. Whether its uses will ultimately unite or divide is another question.
So many people mentioned facebook in casual conversation that I began to suspect I was about the least hip person on the planet because I hadn’t signed up. That suspicion was confirmed when I got an invitation to join from my nearly 80-year-old uncle.
Websites like caringbridge.org and patientslikeme.com sent their founders to the health communication conference I attended in Atlanta. The connections people make with these tools help them heal.
So if my impression is correct that the country needs to pull out of a slump, then, as the saying goes, we have the technology. Whether its uses will ultimately unite or divide is another question.
Sunday, August 24, 2008
Trip Report
America seemed a nice place to visit, but after three years away, I didn’t need to live there. It wasn’t that I felt out of place or even turned off. I found lots to like—the comparatively cool weather was great for sleeping and running, my teams won both of the professional baseball games I got to see. I was even pleasantly surprised a few times—not one of my nine flights was late or cancelled.
But the country seemed a little down on its luck. Fraying at the edges. Not as bold and bright as I remembered. Sort of gray.
Occasionally somebody I met with would mention some cool innovation, and I'd be filled with that sense of the youthful cutting edge that I took for granted when we lived there.
Maybe I’d still feel that if we still lived there. It’s possible that I’ve changed, not the country. It’s possible.
But the country seemed a little down on its luck. Fraying at the edges. Not as bold and bright as I remembered. Sort of gray.
Occasionally somebody I met with would mention some cool innovation, and I'd be filled with that sense of the youthful cutting edge that I took for granted when we lived there.
Maybe I’d still feel that if we still lived there. It’s possible that I’ve changed, not the country. It’s possible.
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
Thaksin Bails
In the latest chapter of the long political saga here, former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra apparently decided last week that corruption charges against him were getting a bit too warm, so he and his family headed for England. His wife had recently been sentenced to three years in jail for tax evasion.Orderly street protests continue, but are now held outside the British Embassy (“Return Thaksin Home!”) rather than near the current prime minister’s office. Some people say the real issue is what kind of democracy the country wants. Lots of versions have been tried in Thailand, from business-friendly to king-friendly to army-friendly, but none have really stuck.
Sunday, August 17, 2008
Welcome Back
Jip seemed fine with my being gone. I spoke to her on the phone every day, and found her either upbeat or a little bit bored (a first—she generally expands her activities to fill the time she has). She asked me to arrange visits from friends, which delighted me.
Last year her reaction to a long trip I made was very different. Her sense then was that she had no time for anything but making sure the caregivers followed the schedule. She also may have wondered whether or not I would really return. We hadn’t been apart that long for many years.
This time she was nonchalant when I walked in from the airport, as if I’d hardly been away at all. The caregivers, on the other hand, excitedly (and alas, correctly) pointed out that I had enjoyed a few extra helpings of home cooking while in the U.S. “Khun John grew breasts!” cried one. “His are bigger than Khun Jip’s!”
Last year her reaction to a long trip I made was very different. Her sense then was that she had no time for anything but making sure the caregivers followed the schedule. She also may have wondered whether or not I would really return. We hadn’t been apart that long for many years.
This time she was nonchalant when I walked in from the airport, as if I’d hardly been away at all. The caregivers, on the other hand, excitedly (and alas, correctly) pointed out that I had enjoyed a few extra helpings of home cooking while in the U.S. “Khun John grew breasts!” cried one. “His are bigger than Khun Jip’s!”
Wednesday, August 13, 2008
Dixie on My Mind
I’ve been in the States for two weeks. Day after tomorrow, I’ll return to Bangkok. I spent time with friends and family in Seattle and the Midwest before arriving in Atlanta to attend a CDC conference.
This city is new to me, so my antennae are up and my first impressions are doing battle with my stereotypes. Nothing so far has made me feel I’m in the South especially, but then again what I don’t know about the South could fill lots of blog entries.
Outside the South, do young black men ask legal advice of white tourists from Thailand as they exit the train together? I have no idea. But there we were, taking the elevated in from the airport. Dude wondered about the limits on free speech.
“Can they lock you up for talking smack on the train?”
He was earnest and polite. Maybe he picked me to ask because, dragging luggage, I might have been neutral, or at least unlikely to cross paths with either party again.
He told me he’d been innocently flirting (“I mean, what do you expect, her just sitting there with her stuff all hanging out?”), when out of nowhere another woman passenger, apparently a friend of the first, turned two’s-company into three’s-a-crowd.
“They’re both talking about how if they snitch to some Jane Wayne, my ass gonna be locked up. Can they do that?”
I wish I could say I helped him out. He wasn’t just making conversation—he really wanted to know. I mumbled something about the Golden Rule. He looked up, saw his bus coming, and apologized for not being able to talk longer.
This city is new to me, so my antennae are up and my first impressions are doing battle with my stereotypes. Nothing so far has made me feel I’m in the South especially, but then again what I don’t know about the South could fill lots of blog entries.
Outside the South, do young black men ask legal advice of white tourists from Thailand as they exit the train together? I have no idea. But there we were, taking the elevated in from the airport. Dude wondered about the limits on free speech.
“Can they lock you up for talking smack on the train?”
He was earnest and polite. Maybe he picked me to ask because, dragging luggage, I might have been neutral, or at least unlikely to cross paths with either party again.
He told me he’d been innocently flirting (“I mean, what do you expect, her just sitting there with her stuff all hanging out?”), when out of nowhere another woman passenger, apparently a friend of the first, turned two’s-company into three’s-a-crowd.
“They’re both talking about how if they snitch to some Jane Wayne, my ass gonna be locked up. Can they do that?”
I wish I could say I helped him out. He wasn’t just making conversation—he really wanted to know. I mumbled something about the Golden Rule. He looked up, saw his bus coming, and apologized for not being able to talk longer.
Thursday, July 31, 2008
Where’s the Beef?
On my way to the U.S., I changed planes in Tokyo. I overheard a family of Japanese-Americans that was returning home after spending a few weeks visiting the eldest generation. The two teenagers weren’t much interested in the home cooking their parents had brought on board with them. Perhaps they’d had their fill of Japanese cuisine.Dad: Anybody want some shrimp?
Teen: No thanks, I like my food a little more pumped up with hormones.
Monday, July 28, 2008
Can Go Home Again
I wish somebody had taken a photo of this scene: Jip’s mom blessing Jip’s grandma by pouring water on grandma’s wrists. Behind mom, a long line of us touched each other lightly on the back, symbolizing our participation in the blessing. Forming the chain were Jip’s brothers and their wives, and me and Jip.
Jip couldn’t see her linked-up family, but she knew exactly what was going on when I reached over to touch her at the end of the ceremony honoring the fourth anniversary of her dad’s death. Lots of neighbors looked on in main room of the family home, as did five monks, who had just finished chanting and were about to begin eating the meal that the guests had spent much of the previous day preparing for them.
Last year Jip waited until it was too late to say that she wanted to go down to the village for this annual event. I felt badly telling her that she’d have to wait until another time. Then mom surprised me this year when I phoned to say that both of us would be coming. She said it sounded like a lot of bother to bring Jip, and that she wasn’t planning anything too special anyway.
We insisted, explaining that Jip hadn’t really hadn’t had a chance to say goodbye, because we were in Seattle when the real funeral took place. I think everyone was glad we came. It meant that the merit making took place at home instead of at the temple, which translated into more work for mom. But surrounded by her whole family, the smile on her face was just as broad as the one on Jip’s.
Jip couldn’t see her linked-up family, but she knew exactly what was going on when I reached over to touch her at the end of the ceremony honoring the fourth anniversary of her dad’s death. Lots of neighbors looked on in main room of the family home, as did five monks, who had just finished chanting and were about to begin eating the meal that the guests had spent much of the previous day preparing for them.
Last year Jip waited until it was too late to say that she wanted to go down to the village for this annual event. I felt badly telling her that she’d have to wait until another time. Then mom surprised me this year when I phoned to say that both of us would be coming. She said it sounded like a lot of bother to bring Jip, and that she wasn’t planning anything too special anyway.
We insisted, explaining that Jip hadn’t really hadn’t had a chance to say goodbye, because we were in Seattle when the real funeral took place. I think everyone was glad we came. It meant that the merit making took place at home instead of at the temple, which translated into more work for mom. But surrounded by her whole family, the smile on her face was just as broad as the one on Jip’s.
Sunday, July 20, 2008
Opening Act
At the large
As the conductor signaled he was ready to begin, I readied myself for the opening notes. But instead of the Brandenburg Concertos, what came our way was a local tune, the song that honors the royal family here.
I should have expected it—like the playing of the national anthem before a sporting event in the
Partly because it caught me off guard, and partly because the instruments weren’t the ones that usually play this song, it took me a second to recognize it. And then another second to figure out that I too should be standing. But it took no time at all to know that this rendition of it was the most beautiful I’d heard.
The cellos and double bass gave it a weight that made it extra respectful. You didn’t have to be Thai to feel your chest puff out or your eyes get a little moist. The Bach that followed was nice too, but I went home thinking that the highlight of the evening was the opening act.
Monday, July 14, 2008
Surprise Spotlight
I was surprised to pass a slick poster advertising a Disability Film Festival, to be held at a fancy Turns out that lots of people would, about half of them in wheelchairs. I arrived midway through the second day of this Friday-Saturday event, to find the 34th floor packed with displays, volunteers, brochures, private luncheons, and, oh yes, even a movie or two.
Maybe somebody with deep pockets has a family member who can’t walk, or maybe somebody needed to make some merit. Doesn’t matter why it happened… it was great to see the spotlight shining on an issue that doesn’t normally get lots of attention here.
I went home with lots of swag and a few contacts. Perhaps some day Jip and I can attend events like that one together.
Monday, July 07, 2008
Three Years On
On this day in 2005,
Consistent, experienced care providers make all the difference. The current team of three women has been together nearly a year. They like
All this relatively good news is built on the foundation of
Well, maybe a little worse. She’s definitely still got spasticity problems … now in one arm as well as the legs. But luckily with round-the-clock care she’s always able to convince somebody to help her “de-stiff” her limbs, so the discomfort doesn’t last too long.
My brain and body are also doing pretty well. I get enough exercise, I finish the book club book before the book club meeting, and I get out of town on a regular basis. None of those things was true for me in
Saturday, June 28, 2008
Mob, Part 2
Since the coup that left Thaksin without a day job, the country has been given a new constitution that weakens elected officials, by making it easier to impeach the prime minister, and increasing the power of the courts.
The judges have been busy. This week they threw three members of Thaksin’s legal defense 
team in jail on bribery charges. (The lawyers claimed to have gotten their cake boxes mixed up when they handed one containing $60,000 in baht to some minor court officials. The press is calling the incident “Pastrygate.”)
A longstanding border dispute with
Next the courts will rule on whether or not the ruling party must disband in light of election irregularities. Bottom line: the government is struggling to survive.
Saturday, June 21, 2008
Waiting in the Wings
Thai language borrows the English word “mob,” meaning crowd of people. I hear it used to describe the group that has been protesting outside the prime minister’s office nearly every day since the new government started up six months ago. But here the term doesn’t imply lawlessness or lowest-common-denominator thinking.
This mob seems mostly to be made up of the elite. The real target of its complaints doesn’t even work in the prime minister’s office anymore. He was removed by a coup nearly two years ago.
Thaksin Shinawatra, the billionaire businessman who led
He claims he’s done with politics. The people in the mob don’t believe him, but they can hardly wave signs saying “No more!” while he’s already saying “Enough!” So the object of the protests, and the alternatives being offered, seem a little fuzzy.
The true common folk, in fact, wish Thaksin would come back. His populist policies are the reason the leading party succeeds so well upcountry. His confidence and take-no-prisoners style may explain why he made the military nervous enough to overthrow him. And the fear that some day he’ll pick up where he left off fuels the “mob.”
Saturday, June 14, 2008
Bash for Burma
It’s not uncommon here to do reverse birthday parties during one’s zodiac year. I was born in the Year of the Rat, which has come around again.
In honor of my four trips around the cycle, and of my friend Nick taking a job in
Two of these groups have bank accounts outside the country. They received half of the funds. On their websites you can read more about them, and add to our efforts if you wish. They are:
Our research also pointed us to a consortium of effective Burmese NGOs. Nick will distribute the remainder of the money to that clearinghouse when he arrives in
A few days from now, Aung San Suu Kyi turns 63 years old. The government has extended her house arrest yet again. This is her 13th year of detention. Let’s hope that soon her country has something to celebrate.
Saturday, June 07, 2008
Wait Till This Year
You’re probably thinking I’ve gotten over being a Cub fan, living twelve time zones and 30 years removed from Chicago
Me, I’m thinking of that great quote from Paul Farmer, the advocate for health care among the world’s poorest:
I have fought the long defeat and brought other people on to fight the long defeat, and I’m not going to stop because we keep losing. Now I actually think sometimes we may win. I don’t dislike victory.... We want to be on the winning team, but at the risk of turning our backs on the losers, no, it’s not worth it. So you fight the long defeat.
In 2008 I actually think we may win. You have to have noticed the streaks. This year’s Cubbies have been stringing together five and six in a row, especially at home. And how about the three Cub
players—two playing their first year of major league ball—who top the National League All-Star voting at their position? Maybe best of all, let’s not forget Fukudome, the best Japanese import since the Toyota Prius.
Sure, we’ve been disappointed often. Some percentage of the patient sufferers around the globe who call themselves Cub fans may even expect to be disappointed. But that doesn’t stop any of us from saying, “This is the year.”
Saturday, May 31, 2008
Jip Flip-Flops
Practically speaking, we are unlikely to live in the States again. Given our givens, and the way that this century is starting out as belonging to Asia rather than
Four years ago, she got on the phone and lobbied all of the American citizens she could think of to vote against Bush. We had heard something on the radio about the large numbers of Asian immigrants who hadn’t registered. Within a week,
Since that time, phoning people has become more difficult and less interesting for her. But she’s got strong opinions. Don’t be surprised if you get a call for her sometime in the coming months, urging you to vote the right way.
Saturday, May 24, 2008
Staircase Spirits
I left work after dark one night. A security guard saw that I’d come down the stairs instead of taking the elevator. As he approached me, at first I thought I had broken a rule or something. But instead he asked, “weren’t you scared?”
Lots of Thai people believe in spirits of one kind of another. You don’t have to look far to figure this out—movies and magazines on these topics are popular, amulets are everywhere. Spirit doctors are consulted for getting rid of ghosts or curses, or for helping with love troubles.
So I knew the guard wasn’t wondering if I was frightened by the low lighting in the staircase. When I told him I wasn’t worried about spirits, he answered something along the lines of “Oh, you’re the live-and-let-live type, huh?”
Not all spirits are evil. Big trees are often thought to house good spirits. Everyone who puts up a building in Thailand also builds a small house where the spirits of the land can live. The idea is that if the spirits don’t have a house of their own, they may not remain calm.
I decided to answer the security guard by pointing to the spirit house near the office. Somehow it didn’t seem right to tell him that I simply didn’t believe. I wondered later if that thought would even have occurred to him.
Lots of Thai people believe in spirits of one kind of another. You don’t have to look far to figure this out—movies and magazines on these topics are popular, amulets are everywhere. Spirit doctors are consulted for getting rid of ghosts or curses, or for helping with love troubles.
So I knew the guard wasn’t wondering if I was frightened by the low lighting in the staircase. When I told him I wasn’t worried about spirits, he answered something along the lines of “Oh, you’re the live-and-let-live type, huh?”
Not all spirits are evil. Big trees are often thought to house good spirits. Everyone who puts up a building in Thailand also builds a small house where the spirits of the land can live. The idea is that if the spirits don’t have a house of their own, they may not remain calm.I decided to answer the security guard by pointing to the spirit house near the office. Somehow it didn’t seem right to tell him that I simply didn’t believe. I wondered later if that thought would even have occurred to him.
Tuesday, May 20, 2008
Burma’s Katrina
She was of course furious at the Burmese government’s refusal to help its own people recover, and so had flown over on her own because she knows some back channel ways of getting help into the country.
Her sense is that the best disaster response work is being done by groups that have been operating in the country for some time, and thus have large Burmese staffs, who can distribute supplies without attracting unwanted attention from the military. Our friend was impressed with Thirst-Aid. Money contributed at my birthday fundraiser will go to them. I encourage you to send them a check as well.
She had learned that in some villages, outside medical personnel and aid dispensers had to work secretly, in order to avoid authorities who want the people to see only Burmese soldiers providing relief.
Yet the message that comes through loudest is that the government doesn’t care about anything but its own survival. Nobody is collecting the corpses. Homeless villagers who made their way to emergency shelters in nearby towns are being told that they must return “home” in order to vote in a referendum that would validate the military’s right to rule.
News coverage by the BBC
Friday, May 16, 2008
Joining the Middle Class
The women who take care of Jip generally are long on experience and common sense, but short on savings. They’re always from the countryside, usually supporting family back home.
If they end up working for us a while, the wages we pay allow them to put aside a little bit, enough to front the costs of a small business. The longer people stay, the greater the odds that one day they’ll show up toting Avon-style cosmetics catalogs. 
Two weeks ago we celebrated one woman’s first anniversary. She’s the third to have continued that long, and all three eventually discovered the makeup sideline.
They also make some cosmetic changes of their own. This week the newest caregiver (eight months and counting) giggled as she described to the others how she’d paid $100 to get permanent lip color, for the Angelina Jolie look.
Wednesday, May 14, 2008
Energy Heart
About fifty of
She handled the attention well. When we first moved back to
At this event, she never complained, even though it got noisy and she didn’t always know who was talking to her. It probably helped that everyone there was a nurse.
I got a little misty watching the parade of people line up to speak with her. But that was nothing compared to how I felt when we got ready to leave. The whole group sang to her, a great song that translates literally as “energy heart.” Thais use the phrase to talk about spirit, encouragement, or moral support. I just kept reaching for my hanky.
Sunday, May 11, 2008
Vast Humanitarian Disaster In Burma
Here’s an update based on an email I received from a long-time
Cyclone Nargis inundated
Now the country is dealing with serious shortages of drinking water, food, and shelter. Diseases such as cholera are not far off. Compounding the disaster are the wacky regime's deliberate delay of international emergency assistance, and the past few decades of deforestation. Things won’t get better fast; the Delta area was
Links for information and disaster relief donations are below. The groups listed appreciate and will make good use of any contribution, even small amounts. As one way to deal personally with this tragedy, I recommend organizing a small benefit event such as a concert, reading, art sale, dinner, or film show. Invite your friends, family, co-workers, or community and send the proceeds to a relief aid group. Children often have excellent ideas for such events.
I plan to celebrate my fourth cycle birthday at the end of this month with a fundraiser for
I know that these are hard economic times everywhere, but I hope that you will consider making some contribution to the relief effort, either on your own or by making others aware of the effective donation options available.
DONATIONS for disaster relief can be made via these organizations:
** Medecins Sans Frontiers (already distributing emergency aid in affected areas)
** Medical Emergency Relief International (already bringing aid to the Delta)
** Thirst-Aid (water purification is an urgent priority)
** Avaaz.org (special fund via
** MercyCorps (experienced disaster relief experts with local partners)
For constantly updated INFORMATION, see these news sources:
US Campaign for
Friday, May 02, 2008
Labor Day
Over here it really is a holiday for laborers, not mostly an excuse for an extra day of summer vacation for school kids, the way it is in the States. My office wasn’t closed, but it seemed right that Jip’s caregivers should have May 1st off, so I stayed home and took care of her for 24 hours.
She and I both had a fine time. We could hear picnickers and game players laughing in the nearby park. Jip cracked jokes all day, remaining patient despite my rustiness with the daytime routine (now I only do Sunday nights). From loudspeakers in the park nearby came a medley of festive songs (weirdly interrupted now and then by solo saxophone renditions of 500 Miles and Auld Lang Syne—maybe they were recordings made by the king, a noted sax player?) and the occasional official-sounding announcement.
I was struck again at how hard the work is. Jip’s wishes and routine are not complicated, but she does talk about them nearly nonstop. That means caregivers have to get good at making conversation, or at least at letting Jip know they’re paying attention. She seems to be hearing less well lately (I’m really hoping it’s ear wax rather than a rare symptom of this disease), so we also must remember to speak up when responding to her.
Massage has become part of the job, as Jip has begun to complain more frequently of shoulder stiffness. When she uses her standing frame, she now has trouble lifting her arm high enough to throw a ball.
And she still takes great comfort from her tooth brushing and mouth swishing, which she can make last longer than anyone else I know (2-3 hours when the morning and evening phases are added together). So while we’d both had a good day, we were really ready for bed when the time came.
She and I both had a fine time. We could hear picnickers and game players laughing in the nearby park. Jip cracked jokes all day, remaining patient despite my rustiness with the daytime routine (now I only do Sunday nights). From loudspeakers in the park nearby came a medley of festive songs (weirdly interrupted now and then by solo saxophone renditions of 500 Miles and Auld Lang Syne—maybe they were recordings made by the king, a noted sax player?) and the occasional official-sounding announcement.
I was struck again at how hard the work is. Jip’s wishes and routine are not complicated, but she does talk about them nearly nonstop. That means caregivers have to get good at making conversation, or at least at letting Jip know they’re paying attention. She seems to be hearing less well lately (I’m really hoping it’s ear wax rather than a rare symptom of this disease), so we also must remember to speak up when responding to her.
Massage has become part of the job, as Jip has begun to complain more frequently of shoulder stiffness. When she uses her standing frame, she now has trouble lifting her arm high enough to throw a ball.
And she still takes great comfort from her tooth brushing and mouth swishing, which she can make last longer than anyone else I know (2-3 hours when the morning and evening phases are added together). So while we’d both had a good day, we were really ready for bed when the time came.
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
Clear Eyes
Two amigos came to town. Stayed a week. Had a fine time.
These are A-list friends, college housemates. Each traveled with a 13-year-old son. For them it was spring break. For me it was Thai New Year. Taking the week off to travel around and get into water fights was no problem. The five of us did some river taxiing and some wet bike riding and some kayaking and some waterfall climbing and a few other soggy activities.
Hosting newcomers to Thailand made me realize how much newness I’ve absorbed since Jip and I arrived in July 2005. My friends stopped and stared at things that no longer strike me as strange. They asked questions I used to ask.
Brad marveled at what seemed to him a mindful pace of life. Several times he commented on the daily routines that included time for offering incense to spirits, or for refreshing flower garlands that hang from taxis’ rear-view mirrors. By the end of the week, he was trying to figure out how to explain to his wife when he got home that he had become a Buddhist.
Edie appreciated the sensory stuff—“This tastes so great! That smells so great! How have we lived this long without feeling anything like this?! How come America hasn’t figured that out yet?”
The two kids also asked sharp questions about the language. “Are you serious that I never have to conjugate any verbs? I’m moving here.” They also got wide eyed as we moved to successively wetter parts of town during the height of the annual Songkran festivities.
One night we passed by a free outdoor concert. The performers were spraying spectators with big hoses from the stage. People at the back of the audience could choose to get soaked at their own pace under huge public showers.
As we used to say to each other back in college when our house would embark on similarly wacky adventures, “after this, reality is such a disappointment.”
These are A-list friends, college housemates. Each traveled with a 13-year-old son. For them it was spring break. For me it was Thai New Year. Taking the week off to travel around and get into water fights was no problem. The five of us did some river taxiing and some wet bike riding and some kayaking and some waterfall climbing and a few other soggy activities.
Hosting newcomers to Thailand made me realize how much newness I’ve absorbed since Jip and I arrived in July 2005. My friends stopped and stared at things that no longer strike me as strange. They asked questions I used to ask.Brad marveled at what seemed to him a mindful pace of life. Several times he commented on the daily routines that included time for offering incense to spirits, or for refreshing flower garlands that hang from taxis’ rear-view mirrors. By the end of the week, he was trying to figure out how to explain to his wife when he got home that he had become a Buddhist.
Edie appreciated the sensory stuff—“This tastes so great! That smells so great! How have we lived this long without feeling anything like this?! How come America hasn’t figured that out yet?”
The two kids also asked sharp questions about the language. “Are you serious that I never have to conjugate any verbs? I’m moving here.” They also got wide eyed as we moved to successively wetter parts of town during the height of the annual Songkran festivities.
One night we passed by a free outdoor concert. The performers were spraying spectators with big hoses from the stage. People at the back of the audience could choose to get soaked at their own pace under huge public showers.
As we used to say to each other back in college when our house would embark on similarly wacky adventures, “after this, reality is such a disappointment.”
Saturday, April 05, 2008
Not Making This Up
Can your local cultural association top this offering?
The Thai Textile Society will present a lecture, “Lotus Stem Weaving from Shan State,” by Sylvia Fraser-Lu at The Siam Society on Wednesday, March 19, 2008 at 10:30 a.m. She will explain the development of lotus stem weaving for monk’s robes and its continued popularity today.
Lotus-fiber weaving takes place in the eastern quarter of Kyaing Kan village, the largest settlement at the southern extremity of Inle Lake. According to informants, this activity began around 1910 when a Daw Sa Oo (Madame Sparrow’s Egg) in the interest of gaining merit set out to produce a set of robes for the highly revered abbot of a nearby monastery, from the fibers of the local padonma-kya lotus plant, which grew wild in the shallows of the lake. The delighted abbot had the weaver’s name changed to Daw Kya Oo (Madame Lotus Egg) in honor of her pious achievement. Daw Kya Oo and her friends throughout their lives continued to weave with lotus yarn for meritorious rather than commercial purposes, producing one or two sets of robes a year for eminent local abbots. None of Daw Kya Oo’s progeny are currently involved in weaving, but the descendants of her friends have continued the tradition.
The obscure art of weaving monk’s robes from lotus stem fibers first came to national attention in Burma at the annual Shwedagon Maho-thingan Festival. In November 1981, a team of weavers from Kyaing Kan were invited to compete in a nation-wide weaving competition to honor a Buddhist legend that asserts that Maya, the mother of the Buddha, stayed up all night in the Tavatimsa heaven on the eve of her son’s Enlightenment, to weave him a suitable robe. Weaving in a rougher fiber than their competitors, who used milled cotton, they did not win, but their sturdy beautifully woven robe caused quite a sensation amongst the devoutly Buddhist on-lookers. Such an enthusiastic reaction was not unexpected, given the symbolic importance of the lotus in Hindu-Buddhist culture.
I didn’t make it to this lecture, but if you’re intrigued I can maybe scare up a lotus stem robe for you to honor the monk in your life.
The Thai Textile Society will present a lecture, “Lotus Stem Weaving from Shan State,” by Sylvia Fraser-Lu at The Siam Society on Wednesday, March 19, 2008 at 10:30 a.m. She will explain the development of lotus stem weaving for monk’s robes and its continued popularity today.
Lotus-fiber weaving takes place in the eastern quarter of Kyaing Kan village, the largest settlement at the southern extremity of Inle Lake. According to informants, this activity began around 1910 when a Daw Sa Oo (Madame Sparrow’s Egg) in the interest of gaining merit set out to produce a set of robes for the highly revered abbot of a nearby monastery, from the fibers of the local padonma-kya lotus plant, which grew wild in the shallows of the lake. The delighted abbot had the weaver’s name changed to Daw Kya Oo (Madame Lotus Egg) in honor of her pious achievement. Daw Kya Oo and her friends throughout their lives continued to weave with lotus yarn for meritorious rather than commercial purposes, producing one or two sets of robes a year for eminent local abbots. None of Daw Kya Oo’s progeny are currently involved in weaving, but the descendants of her friends have continued the tradition.
The obscure art of weaving monk’s robes from lotus stem fibers first came to national attention in Burma at the annual Shwedagon Maho-thingan Festival. In November 1981, a team of weavers from Kyaing Kan were invited to compete in a nation-wide weaving competition to honor a Buddhist legend that asserts that Maya, the mother of the Buddha, stayed up all night in the Tavatimsa heaven on the eve of her son’s Enlightenment, to weave him a suitable robe. Weaving in a rougher fiber than their competitors, who used milled cotton, they did not win, but their sturdy beautifully woven robe caused quite a sensation amongst the devoutly Buddhist on-lookers. Such an enthusiastic reaction was not unexpected, given the symbolic importance of the lotus in Hindu-Buddhist culture.
I didn’t make it to this lecture, but if you’re intrigued I can maybe scare up a lotus stem robe for you to honor the monk in your life.
Tuesday, April 01, 2008
Opening Day
Lots of people know that Thailand
What’s not widely understood is how important baseball has become in elephant circles here. On 
Opening Day yesterday, the first-ever nine-inning game played only by elephants took place at a specially designed field outside of Chiang Mai.
Event organizers said that baseball was simply the next logical step in a sports evolution that began with polo-playing pachyderms. “We figured that if they could get good at swinging a mallet, there was no reason they couldn’t swing a bat as well. The ones with the sharpest eyes can even hit a curve ball,” noted Proboscidea Loxodanta, spokesperson for the group.
The baseball exhibition was part of a special once-a-year rollout of elephant talents. Alongside the display of pitching and catching, elephants were seen cooking pad thai, weaving silk pashminas, and demonstrating insight meditation. Plans for future years include elephant massage.
Tuesday, March 25, 2008
Hole in the Dictionary
I was joking around with one of the caregivers about how sometimes life with
But when I thought about it later, I wondered if she really was beginning to feel frustrated by the job, and what I could do to help. I wanted to ask just how irksome she found some of the strange behaviors that come along with this disease, but I didn’t know the words for “frustrated,” or “irked,” or “it’s really getting to me.”
So I checked with some bilingual people at work, and with my Thai teacher. Nobody knew what I was asking about. The closest they came were words that meant “agitated,” or “oppressed,” or “uneasy,” which I didn’t think really captured the sense of annoyance or vexation that I connect with frustration.
Then it occurred to me that maybe that word doesn’t exist in
Tuesday, March 18, 2008
Burma Update
Life sucks just as much as ever in
One grassroots group is calling for people to turn off their TVs rather than watch the Beijing Olympics this summer, in protest of the Chinese government’s support of the Burmese rulers. Instead of tuning in, they say, people can plan events to help end the human rights abuses.
I’m not so sure about the impact of that specific protest, but to me it makes sense to take some kind of action to sustain the story of how much the people there suffer under their weird government.
The generals there have said they’ll hold elections within two years, but almost nobody takes that promise seriously. Even if the country gets a chance to vote, Aung San Suu Kyi wouldn’t be allowed to run, because of a provision in a newly drafted constitution that seems written particularly for her. Her party won the last election, 18 years ago, but the results were never honored.
A couple weekends ago, the UN special envoy again saw his proposals rejected, including the suggestion that the government negotiate with Aung San Suu Kyi.
Here’s another scheme: “arrest yourself” for 24 hours around the time of Aung San Suu Kyi’s birthday in mid-June. The idea is to bring attention to the dozen years she has spent under house arrest, organize some education and/or fundraising, and generally keep the pressure applied.
Change from within is unlikely in
Tuesday, March 11, 2008
Behind the Wheel in Bangkok
Word has it that Bangkok
One is that people here park behind and perpendicular to one another, in order to fit more cars into a small space. In the States you see this kind of arrangement only at sporting events and county fairs, when for two or three hours it’s necessary to use every square inch of ground within walking distance of the stadium.
But at those events you often leave your keys with an attendant, who takes care of moving the vehicles around if somebody has to leave early. Here, the practice is to lock the car but leave it in neutral. If another car is blocking your exit, you just push it gently out of the way and carry on.
Another peculiarity of getting around in this town is the u-turn. Often the only way to turn right when merging with a major road here is to first turn left, then go quite a distance before using a horseshoe-shaped bridge built especially to allow drivers to go back the way they came.
One stretch of
You have to either buy something at the restaurant, or pay $1.50 for the privilege of using their driveway. People who need to do this frequently can buy a sticker for their window identifying them as members of the “KFC Turnaround Club.” Only in
Monday, March 03, 2008
Good Hours
Summer break starts around now for most Thai public schools. Kids are off for the next ten weeks. Everyone comments on how much better the traffic situation is in on the main roads. For me, the most noticeable result of the school holiday happens on the back streets.
I went for a run about 6:00 tonight. Right away I wondered if I was still in
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
Scary Movies
OK, call me a wimp. I can’t handle movies like “No Country for Old Men” and “There Will Be Blood.” It just doesn’t work for me when the bad guy spends most of the movie murdering, and we spend most of the movie shivering.
I saw both flicks in a futile attempt to stay current with American culture. (Somebody in my book group, which mostly consists of people from the
I could see why they were nominated for awards—they were put together by people who know what they’re doing. But when you strip down the plots to their essentials, they seemed to me no better than your basic horror movie. If that’s what resonates with the American moviegoer, then maybe I’m better off being out of touch.
Ironically, the week before “No Country” won several awards, the Thai equivalent of the Oscar-granting academy announced the winner of the best movie of the year in this country. Its name in translation is “Love of Siam.” The plot centers on two teenage boys exploring whether or not they’re in love with each other.
Sunday, February 17, 2008
Family History Tour
The three of us traveled back to
The palace turned out to be a very cool spot—crawling with monkeys, and full of many more attractive buildings than I could see at first. I roamed a couple hours, then decided to head for the nearby coast. Even though I’d never heard of anyone going to this beach, I figured it’s hard to go too far wrong when it comes to the Thai seaside.
But it wasn’t a good sign when the first bit of scenery I came across as I walked along the sand was a dead dog. Things got a little more dubious as I realized that the buses had stopped running and that a hotel I’d been pointed to turned out to be the rent-by-the-hour kind.
Shortly after a mediocre sunrise the next morning, I left the coast and was home in time to spend most of the afternoon with
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