Wandering and Pondering in Pattaya

We popped down to Pattaya the other day. Pattaya is a beach resort situated on the eastern coast of the Gulf of Thailand. Pattaya is approximately one hundred and sixty kilometres (two hours by road) from Bangkok.

We enjoyed a pleasantly uneventful journey from Bangkok to Pattaya. We checked in to our hotel in Pattaya during the mid-afternoon.

By the time that we’d deposited our belongings in our room it was already too late for us to consider whiling away our time relaxing on the beach, but still too early to go out for the evening. So I suggested that we indulge ourselves in the traditional English pastime of rolling up our trousers, placing knotted handkerchiefs on our heads, and then pensively paddling in the shallow ponds left by the receding tide. My suggestion was met with disbelief, punctuated only by extended periods of disinterest. And so we reached a compromise. We decided to take a stroll along the promenade.

I like the promenade in Pattaya.
There’s a long, wide, well made, concrete path that weaves its way alongside and through an avenue of palm trees for much of the length of the promenade. The beach is only a few metres away from the path on one side, and the busy seafront road a similar distance away on the other.

The seafront road is peppered with shops, hotels, restaurants, and bars. There’s even a couple of shopping malls there. A relentless stream of motorised traffic flows along the seafront road all day long. The almost hysterical activity on the seafront road stands in sharp contrast to the holidaymakers relaxing on the beach overlooking the gently swelling sea in the bay alongside it.

As we strolled along the promenade I took the opportunity to reflect on the many things that I like about Pattaya.

Pattaya’s Good Qualities
Pattaya is home to an excellent selection of superb restaurants. The seafood restaurants that stand at the edge of the bay are particularly popular.

And there’s a marvellous selection of hotels there too. They cater for most tastes and all budgets.

You never need to be bored in Pattaya. There’s a multitude of affordable, organised excursions that can be booked from most hotels and travel agents.

If you want to explore the area independently there’s a wide and varied selection of motor vehicles and motorcycles for hire at reasonable prices, but it’s always wise to check the insurance situation and driving licence requirements before taking advantage of this option.

There’s a Swensen’s Ice Cream Parlour in Pattaya too. Maybe there’s more than one. I hope so.

Oh, and if you’re a man who enjoys imbibing a beverage or two whilst simultaneously enjoying the company of attractive young ladies, or men if that’s your preference, then you’re probably going to find much to amuse you in Pattaya.

But for me one of Pattaya’s finest features is the ease with which one can travel around the city. There’s a never ending supply of Baht Buses which perpetually scour the city’s streets for passengers.

Baht Buses
Baht Buses are basically pick-up trucks with two rows of bench seats in the back. I took a photo which shows the passenger carrying section of the vehicles for you. You can click on the photo to enlarge it.

The Thai name for a Baht Bus is “Song Taow” which literally means “two rows”, and refers to the two bench seats, one on either side in the rear of the vehicle. Each Baht Bus chugs around one or more circuits in Pattaya picking up and dropping off passengers wherever they may be, and wherever they may want to go. They’re usually driven at a very leisurely pace, and they’re usually cheap to use. They operate day and night.

You can also hire a Baht Bus and driver on the street for a particular or special excursion, but this will not be so cheap. You should always agree a price before embarking on such expeditions.

Walking Street
We concluded our leisurely saunter at Walking Street in South Pattaya. Walking Street is heavily populated by restaurants, tourist shops, and bars. It’s closed to motor vehicles from early evening onwards. I wonder if that’s why it’s called Walking Street….

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Monday, Monday

It’s a traffic sodden, overcast Monday morning here in Bangkok, and to my horror the trials, tribulations and dramas of everyday life have descended on me with a vengeance.

So What’s Happened?
The lift’s broken down in our apartment block. That’s what’s happened. I live on a high floor and there’s only one lift. This is a mighty big inconvenience for me and will do much more to inhibit my movements around the city than the military coup ever did.

I can make it to the ground floor of the apartment block and back, but boy oh boy it’s a hard slog.

I’ve Taken Control of the Situation
This unexpected restriction to my activities is causing me to feel to be under siege. Therefore I’ve done the British thing. I’ve assumed the role of commander and appointed Her@Home as Chief Errand Runner. She’s fitting in to the job well, although I do perceive that she doesn’t see this post as the high point of her career. Nonetheless, she’s doing an excellent job.

During the past twenty four hours Her@Home has made several expeditions to purchase cans of drink, take-away food, ice creams, and other essential items for us. I’ve watched her stoically discharging her duties and I have to say that there have been many times when I’ve felt both sorry for her and proud of her too.

On several occasions she’s returned from a foray to obtain rations for us, breathless and dripping with perspiration, only to be told by me that I’d forgotten to order a couple of six packs of Pepsi Max or a dozen bottles of Green Tea, and that she’ll just have to make the excursion all over again and purchase them. At times such as these I’ve been consoling her with an assortment of reassuring statements such as, “You’re doing a grand job,” and, “You should be very proud of yourself,” and her personal favourite during moments of protestation, “Well somebody’s got to do it”. I’m sure that my encouraging platitudes are making her feel better.

But seriously, doesn’t this relatively trivial event in mine and Her@Home’s lives so poignantly reveal the human condition. This comparatively insignificant hiccup in our equally insignificant lives has totally eclipsed for us the dramatic and profound events that have taken place in this country during the last seven days. Oh what it is to be human!

And I suggest that people throughout the world are usually much more concerned with their routine responsibilities than they are with national and world events. So let’s move on.

I received an Email today from a publication in New York. Man oh man, the information superhighway’s making this world feel like a very small place. Anyway, this Email was signed by “Mai Hoang”. Coincidentally, or I suspect in this case not coincidentally, “Mai Hoang” is Thai for “no worry” (or “no worries” – plurals are only clearly defined in Thai when they have some importance). I’m amused.
I think that I’ll sign my reply “Pom mai ben hoang loiy,” which means, “I’m not worried at all”.

This playful exchange of Emails serves to remind me of how great it is that no matter what else happens in this world, peoples’ sense of humour and desire to have fun always endures. It’s with this in mind that I think that the next entry on this blog should be about fun. So, I plan to write about my recent visit to Pattaya. Pattaya is known by many as “Fun Town”. I hope that you’ll drop by and have a read.

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Bangkok is Cool

Yesterday we ventured out in to downtown Bangkok. This was our first trip out of any significance since the military coup which took place last Tuesday. And to me, the situation in Bangkok looked very cool.

We travelled extensively in the Rachada, Rama 9, New Petchaburi Road, and Sukhumvit areas. In the ten hours or so that we spent catching up on all those tasks that had been postponed due to the coup we saw only two soldiers. They were stood together at a busy road junction. They appeared to be monitoring, in a fairly casual manner, the passing traffic. I suspect that they were armed, but if so they were carrying their weapons very discreetly. We did not see any military vehicles.

We visited a hospital, a park, a couple of restaurants, and a couple of bars. They were all rather quieter than normal. Our friendly neighbourhood bar owner told us that business has been very slow since the coup, but other than that, no change.

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I’ve received a number of interesting and amusing Emails and messages during the last few days, and I’d like to share some of them with you.

So, first and most importantly:
An Email from the British Embassy
They state and I quote, “On 19 September 2006, the Thai Army Commander, General Sonthi Boonyaratglin, announced that he had established a Reform Council to take over the administration of the country. A nationwide state of martial law has been declared. The situation in Bangkok and elsewhere in Thailand remains calm, but the British Embassy is continuing to monitor the situation closely”.

The above seems to say it all. And isn’t it reassuring to know that the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office is continuing to monitor the situation. It’s nice to know that the tax I pay is being spent so wisely.

And then they add, and this is very important: “If you are currently in Bangkok, you should use discretion when travelling around the city and refrain from approaching military vehicles and personnel”.

I couldn’t agree more. Please keep yourself save. I understand the temptation to treat this coup as a photo opportunity, but please bear in mind that these military folk, charming as they might be, are in Bangkok for a very serious purpose. The situation appears calm, but tensions could flare up. If they do, please make sure that you’re not in the wrong place at the wrong time.

A Regular Reader Wrote:
“Interesting to read your blog about Bangkok getting back to normal, especially your observations about the construction workers (see All’s Quiet on the Bangkok Front). Allow me to suggest another reason for the reduced manpower, which fits with and supports your idea #1:

This evening my Thai girlfriend and I were in a taxi. She chatted with the driver, then reported to me, ‘He says not many soldiers in Bangkok, but have many, many, soldiers in the suburbs’.

That made no sense to me, so I had to ask. By the tone of her answer, it was crystal clear to her. And what she explained fits #1 of your four conjectures, ‘Many Isaan people like Thaksin. Maybe they want come Bangkok to make demonstrations. Soldiers in suburbs of city will stop them before they make a problem here’.”


I think that the above is an interesting and very plausible interpretation of events. It also reassures me that the coup leaders have the law and order situation firmly under control. That pleases me. The situation is cool.
Thanks “Regular Reader” for your input.

A Text Message
I received a telephone text message from a family member this week. He informed me that the weather in the UK is very pleasant and finished his message with, “Don’t mess with any tanks”.

No worries there pal. If I see any tanks I’ll be out of the area faster than the Starship Enterprise!

And A Phone Call

My friend Jennifer telephoned me from the UK today. She plans to visit Thailand soon. I told her that all appears to be stable and that life is rapidly returning to normal in Bangkok.

Her reply: “I guessed that would be the case. I was just a little worried that the restaurants might be closing early”.

I think that there’s no cause for concern in that area. All of my favourite restaurants and bars are open for business as usual. I’m confident that Bangkok’s hotels and restaurants will continue to provide excellent food and good service at reasonable prices in to the foreseeable future and beyond.


I send my thanks to everyone who’s been contacting me recently. I very much appreciate your comments, your concern, and your humour. Thanks again.

All Of The Indications Are Positive in Bangkok Today
The British Foreign and Commonwealth Office are keeping a watchful eye out for the safety of its citizens.
The Bangkok bars are all open.
Bangkok’s excellent restaurants are still satisfying the appetites of their enthusiastic customers.
Tourists are still having a great time here in Thailand.
And the Thai people are rapidly coming to terms with the huge events of the last five days.
And of course, the irrepressible expat community are adapting well to the rapidly unfolding situation. Why, I understand that a number of them even held a debriefing in Soi Cowboy last night to confirm their optimism.

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All’s Quiet on the Bangkok Front

Yesterday afternoon the terrestrial TV channels resumed their normal programming schedules.
Early this morning as I looked from my Bangkok apartment I was greeted by the familiar sight of an abundance of traffic jams.
Today midmorning the construction workers returned to the building sites near my home.
Things look very normal in Bangkok today.

But my friends inform me that there is still a considerable, very visible military presence at several strategic points in and around the city.

There’s Been Important News Too
BBC News today reported and I quote, “Thailand's revered king, King Bhumibol Adulyadej, has given his backing to coup leader Gen Sonthi Boonyaratglin.” King Bhumibol Adulyadej’s backing for the new leadership considerably reduces the likelihood of a counter coup.

I’ve also been reading reports that ousted Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra accepts that at this moment he is no longer Thailand’s leader. His acceptance of the reality of this situation further reduces the likelihood of a counter coup.

So, Does The Situation Look Good?
This appears to have been a bloodless coup. That’s good.
Life in Bangkok appears to be returning to normal. That’s good too.
It appears unlikely that there will be a counter coup in the near future. In my opinion, that’s good too.

But the divisions that caused this coup remain. And there have been losers in this coup. I would expect them to feel very aggrieved. I doubt that they’ll remain on the sidelines for long. I see challenging times ahead for Thailand, its people, and its new administration.

Even so, the present situation appears fairly stable, and as good as it could be in view of the events of the last few days.

But Bangkok’s Not Completely Back To Normal Yet
It is noticeable that there are considerably fewer construction workers on site today than there have been in recent weeks. I estimate that the number of construction workers on site is down by more than fifty percent. I would suggest four possible explanations for this. Doubtless there are many more:-

1. Many Bangkok construction workers are casual workers and hail from the Isaan Region of Thailand. Isaan is the heartland of Mr Thaksin Shinawatra’s support. Mr Thaksin’s administration has invested much time, effort, and money in the Isaan area. It is very possible that Mr Thaksin’s Isaan supporters who were working in Bangkok were shocked and stunned by the recent coup, and have returned temporarily to the bosom of their families and the sanctuary of their hometowns whilst they assess the impact on their lives of the change of leadership.
2. Perhaps they felt uncomfortable in Bangkok whilst the coup was taking place.
3. Maybe they’re just taking an extended holiday.
4. Maybe fewer workers are required at the sites that I’ve seen at this point in time.

I suggest that all four of the above explanations are equally likely. Whatever the reason for the absence of these workers, I have no doubt that they’ll be back, working again in Bangkok very soon.

It is also noticeable that the cacophony of car hooters (the signature tune of the Bangkok traffic) is very subdued today. Maybe this is a coincidence, or maybe I’m imagining it. But I think that it's more likely that the majority of Bangkok motorists are pensive and are preoccupied with the implications of recent events today, and are therefore giving less enthusiasm to their more usual, rumbustious driving habits.


I will continue to keep you updated via this blog of my observations and any important developments here on the ground in Bangkok.

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I hope that you’ve found today’s entry on Doodee’s Thailand to be interesting and useful. Doodee’s Thailand endeavours to bring readers interesting information about life here in The Big Mango and wider Thailand too. Please do feel welcome to pop back. Doodee’s Thailand is updated regularly.
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Military Coup in Progress

I suspect that most readers of this blog are aware that a military coup took place in Thailand yesterday. There is no other topic of conversation here in Bangkok today.

The Situation Today
Bangkok is unusually quiet today. There is relatively little traffic on the streets. The construction sites are deserted. The pavements are quiet, but not empty. The banks, the schools, and apparently the stock market too are all closed. I understand that the incoming administration has declared today to be a holiday. This lack of activity following yesterday’s dramatic events is a little eerie.

The Media
Yesterday evening all terrestrial TV channels ceased normal broadcasting and started showing music videos, occasional written statements from the coup leaders, and pictures and video footage of King Bhumibol Adulyadej, the King of Thailand. This morning there have been endless, very repetitive TV news broadcasts which show the military occupation of principal parts of the city, and state the coup leaders’ present political position and objectives.

I have found it very difficult to obtain informed news of exactly what’s going on. The British Foreign and Commonwealth Office have sent me several very useful and informative Emails during the last twenty four hours concerning the present situation. You can access their website by clicking on the “British Embassy Advice” link in the right-hand sidebar of this blog. I have found the best source of reliable, up to the minute news to be the BBC News Website. We can always rely on Good Old Auntie, uh.

I have found the Thai media web pages to be inaccessible. I suspect that they can’t cope with today’s exceptional traffic.

What I’ve Seen
Yesterday evening we visited the Suhkumvit Road and Sathorn Road areas. At the time we were unaware of the coup taking place elsewhere in the city. We returned home at 11.30pm. We had planned to visit one of our favourite bars for a nightcap on the way home, but it was closed. It would normally close at approximately 1am. Apparently many of the bars, restaurants, and entertainment venues in the quieter areas of Bangkok closed early due to the coup.

Our taxi journey home took us past the end of Soi Cowboy (a lively bar area favoured by tourists). It appeared to be open for business as usual. I understand that many of the tourist nightspots were unaffected by and apparently oblivious to the coup.

The twenty four hour convenience stores that we passed during our journey home all seemed to be open for business as usual.

Other than on TV I have not seen any military vehicles nor have I seen any military personnel during my recent travels in central Bangkok. And I haven't seen any military activity near to my home in central Bangkok.

What I’ve Heard
My friends tell me that there is a military presence at strategic points throughout the city. I’ve not seen it. This is what I am told. Apparently other than in sensitive areas (i.e. close to government buildings) the military is allowing a free, but supervised, flow of traffic.

The Mood in Bangkok Today
Most people seem to be fairly calm, but there is an underlying feeling of uncertainty pervading the city. Many Thai people, regardless of their political affiliations, feel very sad that this event has taken place in their country. They see it as a dramatic and disturbing development in what has already been a very difficult year politically for their country. They worry that their country is in trouble.

There is also a great deal of fear that this situation will escalate.

My Own Feelings
I feel desperately sorry for my Thai friends. The Thai people have made me very welcome in their country, and have brought much pleasure and happiness in to my life. It is therefore with great sadness and sorrow that I now witness them feeling lost, powerless, and at times afraid.

But I have faith in the Thai character. I’m confident that Thailand and its people are strong enough and smart enough to weather the present storm. I am optimistic about the future of this country and its people.

I have no fears for my own safety.

I suspect that the situation in Bangkok will return to near normality soon. But nothing is ever certain….

I will keep you updated via this blog of any news here on the ground in Bangkok.

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Turtle or Beetle? What “Rot”?

Whilst returning to Bangkok recently we passed alongside the vehicle featured in today’s first photo. It was travelling along the dual carriageway near to Don Muang Airport, Bangkok as we overtook it. We overtook lots of our fellow motorists during that particular journey, largely because Mr Wit was driving us.

“Oh look,” he said as we zoomed past it. “Rot Daow”.

Rot Daow could best be translated as Turtle Car. So, it seems that the car that I’ve known for all of my life as a Volkswagon Beetle is called a Turtle in Thailand. I have to admit that the lines of the car do seem to resemble the shape of a turtle more closely than they resemble a beetle.
I often wonder whether this type of car ever had a real name? Does anyone know? Surely, it wasn’t always called a Volkswagon Beetle, was it?

Pictured below, a Volkswagon Beetle, or Turtle. You can click on the photo to enlarge it.

Thai Language “Rot”
The Thai word “Rot” roughly translates in to English as "Vehicle". The Thai names for most wheeled vehicles start with “Rot”. The following is a list of some of the more common names for vehicles in Thailand:-

Rot Ban Took: Lorry
Rot Benz: Mercedes Benz. If you refer to one of these luxury limos as a Mercedes in Thailand, you probably won’t be understood.
Rot Chakaiyan: Bicycle
Rot Ee-tann: A small motorised agricultural truck. I’ve photographed one of these jalopies for you. It’s shown later in today’s entry.
Rot Ee-tuc: Small agricultural vehicle as featured in Rot What? Rot Ee-tuc? on this blog.
Rot Fie: Railway train or locomotive
Rot Kapong: Small local bus. Rot Kapong literally translates as “Tin Can Vehicle”, and is the Thai equivalent of a boneshaker. The next photo in today’s entry shows one of these vehicles.
Rot Ken: Wheelchair, pushchair, porter’s trolley, shopping cart, any wheeled vehicle that is pushed by hand.
Rot May: Local bus
Rot Moh-teur-sie: Motorcycle
Rot Prajam Tang: Another expression for Local Bus
Rot Sam-lor: Three-wheeled vehicle
Rot Suan Tua: Private car
Rot Taxi: Taxi. I suspect that you’d already guessed that.
Rot Too: Light van or minibus
Rot Too-er: Long distance bus or coach. “Too-er” is derived from the English word “Tour”.
Rot Tuk-tuk: Tuk-tuk (pronounced “Took-took”) as shown in the photo featured in I Like This Photo on this blog.
Rot Yon: Car

I guessed that you might not be familiar with a “Rot Kapong”, so I took a photo of one for you. It’s featured below. These souped-up milk crates hurtle along the streets of Bangkok. Their drivers look upon the use of direction indicators as political correctness gone mad.

The final photo today shows a Rot Ee-tan. I love these vehicles. I’m always amused when I see them trundling along the highways and byways of Thailand. I’d really like to have a ride in one. I’d even like to try my hand at driving one. It can’t be that difficult. There are hardly any controls to worry about.

Whenever I see a Rot Ee-tann I’m always reminded of the old TV series The Beverley Hillbillies. Didn’t Jed Clampett, played by Buddy Ebsen, used to drive one of these?

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You Can Leave a Comment

This is a short update just to let you know that you can now send me comments and messages by clicking on the Comments Link at the end of each new article. If you prefer that your comments are not available for others to view please start the comment with a request not to display it. I will respect your wishes. Likewise I won’t publish any comments that I wouldn’t want my maiden aunt in Chipping Sodbury to read. She’s a regular visitor to this blog.

Please don’t forget that you can arrange to receive Email notifications whenever Doodee’s Thailand is updated by visiting http://www.changedetection.com/monitor.html.

The next entry on this blog will be made tomorrow.

Have a nice day.

Readers’ Emails, Useful Info

Thanks to all of you who've been dropping by my blog. Thanks too to those of you who’ve sent me Emails. I’m coming to realise that you’re a very well informed and very witty group of people.

Notification of Updates to this Blog
One of my regular readers wrote the following in one of his very welcome Emails to me:
“...I have a ‘watcher’ attached to your blog. Whenever you post something, I get an email, usually within a few hours. Then I go look and read.
You may wish to add a link for that to your blog:
http://www.changedetection.com/. It's free.”

What a useful tip! Thanks for that.

I don’t usually recommend external websites on this blog, but I have tried http://www.changedetection.com/ and my experience of it is that it provides a good service. So, if you want to receive Email notifications whenever this blog or any other webpage is updated you might like to give this one a try.
The Request Notification Page is at:
http://www.changedetection.com/monitor.html.

Thai Salaries
In response to the recent entry about the Bangkok Underground Railway (It Runs Beneath the Bangkok Streets), a valued reader wrote:
“Just spotted the article saying the guys who dug the metro earned 4 US Dollars (175 Baht) a day….
….would welcome a discussion on your blog as to what an average Thai construction worker does earn, as well as other types of people. I have no idea…
If Eastern European salaries run at about a third of UK/US, then what about Thai?”

This could be an interesting topic for discussion. Can anyone answer this reader’s enquiries? If so, please let me know. You can click on this link to Email me.

Smiles, and Grasshoppers
A valued reader wrote regarding “The Sullen Faces of Farang Visitors” as debated in Info and Readers’ Emails 28th August 2006. He wrote:
“Re Smiles & Grimaces: I was the subject of criticism from my lady friend for not smiling enough on the Skytrain when accosted by a couple of guys full of questions about my necklace, hair etc. I told her I didn't know what their motives were, maybe out to steal the necklace, make fun of hair.
But in any case I have made a conscious effort to smile more when around Thais. This comes very easily, but still requires breakage of habits. Imagine SMILING on the London Underground!! No way, man.”

He makes a very valid point in a very amusing way don’t you think?
Maybe we Farang are just not accustomed to looking cheerful. Any thoughts?

The same guy also shared with me his experience of eating grasshoppers in Bangkok (as featured in 30th August’s entry Food with Lots of Legs, or None!). When I asked him if they taste like chicken he sent me the following amusing and informative reply:
“Grasshopper most certainly does not taste like chicken! I'll tell you what it tastes like: it tastes like being back at school aged 12, in biology class, doing experiments on locusts to learn about insect reproduction and that unforgettable smell of warm heat lamp on locust. I guess if that's the price of feeling young again, then bring on the grasshoppers!”

I couldn’t agree more!

And finally
Mr Wit reliably informs me that the Long-nosed Whip Snake as featured in Snakes Alive! on this blog is called in Thai, “Ngoo Kee-oh Paak Jingjok”. How about that….

If you’d like to Email me with your thoughts, suggestions, and opinions, please feel free to do so. I’m always pleased to hear from you. Email Doodee.

The next entry on this blog will be made very soon.

Take care. Have a good day.

Pleasant Properties with Interesting Occupants

I’m always interested to observe the very insightful and usually cooperative relationship that Thai people have with animals, nature, and the world around them. In the provinces people share their properties with domestic animals (deliberately) and wild animals (by default). Thai people don’t merely tolerate animals. They seem to have an understanding with them and of them. They almost seem to be at one with the animals around them, and nature too. This is a quality that I rarely detect in Western folk.

With the above in mind I’ve taken a few photos of Thai homes and the animals that share their gardens for you. I hope that you like them. You can click on the photos to enlarge them.

The first photo on today’s blog shows a couple of very pleasant bungalows in Surin Province. These bungalows are not the best that you can find in Surin, but they are at the middle to higher end of the market. The one in the background with the red roof really does look to be a most desirable place to live.

The Cattle
The cattle featured in the above photo are cows (Thai word “Woo-ah”). They’re not usually left all day to keep the grass in order and fertilize the bushes and trees at their owners’ homes. They would normally be walked to pasture. Many such animals are often taken to graze at road sides. But at the time that this photo was taken there were crops in the fields, so the poor old cattle were confined to their owners’ gardens to prevent them from prematurely devouring the autumn harvest.

Kwai, Kwie
The next photo shows a rather more traditional style wooden house with an extremely friendly buffalo in the foreground, and other buffalos roaming around the garden too.
The Thai word for buffalo is “Kwie” (often written “Kwai”).

The two photos shown so far on today’s blog were taken in a very rural part of Surin Province. The houses featured are about two hundred metres from each other. Houses are dotted along the lane where these two are situated at intervals of twenty to two hundred metres apart.

The final photo on today’s blog was taken in what I would describe as a primarily residential road in an equally residential area of a small town in Buriram Province. Nowadays nobody lives in the house on the property. You can see the stilts that the house stands on in the picture. But people do live in the adjoining houses and the houses opposite too. Cars, motorcycles, and tuk-tuks regularly whiz up and down the road where this property is situated. It therefore caused me some surprise to see a bull in the garden. You wouldn’t see that in Little Dunmow.

It might interest you to know that the bull featured in this photo has three duties in life. His duties are eating grass, resting, and servicing the local females. So long as you’re a fairly undemanding vegetarian it’s probably not a bad way of life.

I hope that you’ve enjoyed today’s entry on this blog.

The next entry on this blog will be made soon.

Take care. Have a good day.

Email Doodee I'm always pleased to hear from you

What’s Them There in the Road?

Mad dogs, Englishmen, and Her@Home like to go out in the midday sun. And that’s exactly what we did during our recent visit to Isaan. We went for a walk in the sunshine. And within the first one hundred metres of our walk we came across three trays of something rather unexpected in the road ahead of us.

“What’s them there in the road?” I enquired. Please excuse the poor grammar, but it was a rather hot day.

“Duk-dair,” she replied. Duk-dair is the Thai word for silkworms and their cocoons. I took a photograph of them for you. You can click on the photo to enlarge it.

The silkworm cocoons had been left out in the trays in the road in order to dry in the sunshine.

The Local Yokels Give Me A Guided Tour
The local people were at first somewhat puzzled by my interest in what to them is the everyday task of drying cocoons in the sun. But they rapidly warmed to my curiosity and soon became enthusiastic about giving me an impromptu guided tour of their contribution to the Thai silk industry.

After the very briefest exchange of pleasantries they escorted me off through a maze of short, narrow, dirt paths that weaved through an assortment of modest, timber houses. Each house seemed to have another three houses in its back garden. The further that we walked from the main road, the more humble the houses became.

Soon we arrived at a house where an elderly lady sat spinning the silk from the cocoons. I took a photograph of her at work for you.

A Quick Explanation of the Spinning Process
1. The dried cocoons are first immersed in to a large pot of simmering water.
2. The spinner teases the fibres from the cocoons by hand and by dextrous use of a spatula with a slit in it which you can see her holding in her right hand.
3. The strands of fibre are then drawn around a spool which binds them together.
4. The spinner then pulls the newly formed thread straight as she passes it in front of herself. She draws it from the spool and deposits it in the pot which you can see to her left.

The contents of the cocoon which remain after the yarn has been extracted are edible. Also they will have been cooked to near perfection by the simmering water. They make a tasty snack for the spinner.

Today’s final photo shows another lady spinning thread. I hope that you like it.

The lady featured in the above photo was delighted to have her picture taken. She’s a very jolly and friendly lady. I found her most charming. And she told me that she’d like to meet a foreign man, possibly with a view to marriage. Any offers?

I hope that you’ve enjoyed today’s entry on this blog.

The next entry on this blog will be made soon.

Take care. Have a good day.

Email Doodee I'm always pleased to hear from you

Rot What? Rot Ee-tuc?

We went to Buriram Province last week. As always, we received a most wonderful welcome from our Isaan friends. Isaan people really are absolute diamonds.

Soon after our arrival in Buriram Province one guy, who we particularly like, asked a favour of me. He asked me to take a photograph of his six month old son for him. He doesn’t have a camera of his own. I was of course delighted to oblige, and not less than a little bit flattered to have been asked in the first place.

But sometimes when I reply to people I’m a little too keen to make a foolhardy joke. Sometimes I respond with an inane remark when a silent, affirmative nod would have been more appropriate. This was one of those times. “I’d be delighted to photograph your son for you if you’ll take me for a spin around the block in your Rot Ee-tuc,” I jokingly said.
We arranged to meet him the following morning. He was to bring his son along, and I was to take my camera and rattle off a few snaps.

We arrived at his family’s home the following morning as arranged. His wife was there. She looked adorable. And she presented his son, spic and span, all dressed up in his Sunday best, and ready to have his photograph taken. He looked angelic. It’s no wonder that she and her husband are so proud of him.
“But where’s your husband?” I enquired.

“He’ll be along in a moment,” she retorted. And then I heard it - the phut-phut, chug-chug, clang-clang, rumble-rumble of an approaching Rot Ee-tuc.

Moments later our host arrived, ready to have his photo taken, and more than ready to take me for a tour in his Rot Ee-tuc.

So What is a Rot Ee-tuc?
A Rot Ee-tuc is basically a buffalo and cart, which has had the buffalo removed and a 250cc diesel engine and two and a half metre long set of handlebars installed in its place. The photo below shows a Rot Ee-tuc in its full glory, and adorned by some very bemused looking passengers. You can click on the photo to enlarge it.

The technophiles amongst you might be interested to know that a typical Rot Ee-tuc has two forward gears (slow, and extremely slow) and one reverse gear. It’s powered by a fifteen horse power, single cylinder, horizontally aligned, diesel engine. The engine is enticed into life by use of a cranking handle.
The front wheels of the vehicle are removable and can be replaced with spiked metal wheels. The engine and handlebar section is then disconnected from the rear wagon section, and the vehicle thus becomes a hand-held rotavator. A plough can be fitted too. The Rot Ee-tuc really is a most useful and versatile piece of machinery.

Off For A Ride, Isaan Style
I took a few photos of our hosts and their son, and then I was cordially invited to climb aboard the passenger carrying section of this most fascinating form of transport. As a mark of respect for my senior years, lack of agility, and strange western reticence the tailgate was dropped to its horizontal position to assist my entry. I donned the nearest rice farmer’s hat (in Thai “ngop”) and clambered and shuffled, at first cheek by cheek, aboard.
Four cranks of the starting handle later and we were off.

Boy, it was fun! The vehicle cruises at the speed of a leisurely bicycle ride (our chauffeur’s dog ran alongside us all the way) which gives passengers a good opportunity to admire the surrounding countryside. It’s much more comfortable than you’d expect too, as long as you have a well padded rear end. And the noise and exhaust fumes from the engine are sufficiently far away from the driver and passengers as to cause the minimum of annoyance. I took a passenger’s eye view photo for you to help you imagine the experience.

It was a little disconcerting at first when the driver dismounted in order to move the handlebars to the extreme right or left of the vehicle in order to negotiate tight corners, but I soon became used to it. Nonetheless I was concerned that during such manoeuvres he might trip over, lose his grip on the handlebars, and we would thence chug off unguided in to oblivion. But I consoled myself with the understanding of what a perfect form of transport this is for a vegetarian such as myself. It can’t actually go fast enough to kill anything.

In what seemed like only a few hours we covered the three kilometres or so to arrive at a most delightful lakeside restaurant where we all refreshed ourselves with spicy Isaan food and litres upon litres of iced water.
And then we travelled onwards - by taxi.

I hope that you’ve enjoyed today’s entry on this blog.

The next entry on this blog will be made soon.

Take care. Have a good day.

Email Doodee I'm always pleased to hear from you

It Runs Beneath the Bangkok Streets

I’ve recently moved home. I’ve relocated from a noisy but harmonious existence in suburban Bangkok to an even more noisy, but equally delightful way of life in the pandemonium of central Bangkok, and I love it! And one of my greatest discoveries since moving to central Bangkok is the underground railway system.

A Little Background Information
At the present time Bangkok has only one underground railway line. It was officially opened on 3rd July 2004. The official name for the line is "Chaloem Ratchamongkhon" which means "Celebration of the Auspicious Kingship". It’s generally known by Thai people as “rot-fai dai din” which translates literally as “train under ground”.

The line runs from Hua Lamphong (near to the main line railway station) to Bang Sue. From Hua Lamphong it follows the path of Rama 4 Road, then Ratchadapisek Road (which changes its name to Soi Asoke and Asoke DinDaeng Road for a short section), then Ladprao Road, Phahon Yothin Road, and finally Kamphaeng Phet Road, before reaching its destination at the Bang Sue terminal. There are a total of eighteen stations. The line is twenty one kilometres long.

The underground railway line links with the Bangkok Skytrain Network at Silom, Sukhumvit, and Chatuchak Park stations.
It links with Bangkok’s main line railway stations at Hua Lamphong and Bang Sue.

I understand that there are plans for more underground railway line construction projects in Bangkok. I am not aware of any projects under construction at this moment.

What’s So Good About The Bangkok Underground Railway?
Access is superb. There are lifts from above ground to station level at all stations. There’s a generous provision of ramps, stairs, and escalators too. The stations are clean, cool and spacious. There is a constant flow of trains. There are security personnel everywhere, and they are all extremely polite and helpful. The service is comfortable and competitively priced.

One of the features which I particularly like about the underground railway is that all stations have screens at the edge of the platforms which only open when a train is stopped in the station. These screens make it almost impossible for children, the elderly, the infirm or anyone else for that matter to fall on to the line. What an excellent idea.

The stations and the trains contain excellent maps and comprehensive information for travellers. The railway staff are also extremely helpful.

On board the trains there are frequent recorded announcements in both Thai and English which give useful information about the station that the train is approaching.

Oh, and if you’re a mobile phone fanatic you’ll find that your phone will work in the underground stations and the trains too. What a boon….

I would like to have taken a few photos of the trains and stations for you, but unfortunately photography is one of the activities that’s forbidden. There are twelve such forbidden activities, which include “No Balloons”, “No carrying excessive numbers of bags”, and my personal favourite “No carrying goods for sale in baskets at both ends of a rod or pole supported by the shoulder” (in Thai, “ham harp khaiy”).

Where can you find out more?
The official websites for the underground railway system are BMCL Bangkok Metro Public Company Limited and MRTA Mass Rapid Transit Authority of Thailand.

This really is an excellent railway. It’s a great way to get around.

I hope that you’ve enjoyed today’s entry on this blog.

The next entry on this blog will be made soon.

Take care. Have a good day.

Email Doodee I'm always pleased to hear from you