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| "The Rounds" Friday, December 5, 2003
Mekhong Kurt * * * * * * * * * * Happy Birthday to His Majesty the King
His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej, Rama IX Today is the 76th birthday of the much loved King Bhumibol Adulyadej. also known as "King Rama IX," as he is the ninth monarch in the reigning dynasty. King Bhumibol is deeply revered by Thais everywhere and by foreigners who know anything about him. Born in the United States, he is the world's longest-reigning monarch, and has now sat on the royal throne for an astounding 57 years. In many ways His Majesty is the "People's King," a monarch who listens to his subjects and acts on their input. Though he rules under the narrow constraints of a constitutional monarchy, he commands enormous moral authority; when the King speaks, people listen. He will be forever honored. In honor of His Majesty's birthday, bars will be closed in the Bangkok area today. * * * * * * * * * * News of His Majesty's Birthday Speech Local news media reports are that His Majesty the King was quite critical of P.M. Thaksin Shinawatra during His Majesty's annual birthday speech last night, and that the King was critical of the P.M. on more than one point. The main front-page headline for The Nation today is blunt and direct: ROYAL MESSAGE: King wants drug toll explained (though in fact the King addressed more than the hotly-debated actual death toll in the drug suppression campaign earlier this year). But it was that part of the King's speech the paper chose to focus its story's focus. For its part, The Bangkok Post's front-page headline today blares: "King warns PM on arrogance" and cites several points over which the King took the P.M. to task., including his perceived extraordinary sensitivity to any criticism whatsoever, no matter from how friendly a source or well-intentioned, nor, indeed, how well-deserved it may be. I found the reports especially interesting in light of the fact that His Majesty, indisputably among the most respected and deeply loved by his subjects of just about any monarch in the world, that at his last birthday speech the King also made some point barbs regarding the Prime Minister. Timing is everything, especially in Asia, and Thailand is no exception. For His Majesty to make a second speech containing any information (and I don't mean just criticisms of the P.M. or anyone else) catches the instant attention of anyone with a shred of knowledge about the situation here and a bit of familiarity with Thai norms. You might be well thinking, "Okay, so let's say I accept the idea there may be some special significance to His Majesty's repeat performance. What is that significance?" I have no special knowledge, training, or contacts in the corridors of power -- specifically not in the Royal Family -- so can do no more than anyone else who has lived here some extended period and who pays a fair amount of attention to the news from around the Kingdom. Several of us were chatting about it earlier today, including one guy who has been here 40 years. I commented that it seemed to me one possible interpretation goes something like this: maybe the King was saying he told the P.M. a year ago he needed to consider certain aspects of things he does and how he goes about them -- and that last night was the second time His Majesty had mentioned such matters in exactly a year. There could even have been a deeper undercurrent of His Majesty hoping the P.M. will give some serious consideration to the sage Royal advice and to not make His Majesty feel compelled to speak out yet a third time. We have to remember that Thailand has a constitutional monarchy, a situation in which the ruling monarch is a figurehead, in political science terms. In other words, His Majesty has no constitutional authority to order or dictate anything to the ruling government. It's difficult for people who don't live here (or at least spend extended periods here) how deep the reverence is the people have from King Rama IX is. When the King speaks -- people listen. And they obey, because they love him with a bone-deep genuineness. King Bhumibol Adulyadej walks and speaks with an absolute moral authority unimaginable to most of us, even to Presidents and Prime Ministers. His moral authority is deeply respected even by we who live here, though we didn't grow up in the culture. Indeed -- Long Live the King! Prime Minister Thaksin is beyond argument a highly intelligent man, holder of a Ph.D. degree, a highly successful businessman, and an extraordinarily skilled politician. And he and his Thai Rak Party do enjoy considerably public support, despite controversies surrounding certain controversial policies and decisions. With the P.M.'s undisputed intelligence and perception, it is unimaginable that he won't give considerable thought to the words His Majesty addressed directly to him yesterday. * * * * * * * * * * Tough New Rules
for Visas A friend sent me a lengthy document yesterday he apparently obtained from Immigration up in Chiang Mai; he said Immigration asked him to try to disseminate it as widely as possible. For any foreigner interested in staying in Thailand permanently, the document makes for rather chilling reading. I've put it up here. There is indeed good reason to be concerned, as it appears Thailand is getting really tough. And there has been no mention that I've heard of anywhere that there is any consideration being given to grandfathering in foreigners who have been here for years, even decades. * * * * * * * * * * Don Quixote in China: The Search for Peach Blossom Spring; Book-Signing by Author Dean Barrett December 24th Locally-based American author Dean Barrett will be signing copies of his latest work, Don Quixote in China: The Search for Peach Blossom Spring, Christmas Eve (Wednesday) 2:30-4:00 P.M., as well as signing copies of his numerous earlier books, at The Texas Lone Staar Saloon in Bangkok's Washington Square (Sukhumvit Road between Sukhumvit Soi 22 and The Emporium). I'm reading the book now, so am unable to say much about it other than it is set in southern China, and is based on a mythical place dating back 2 millennia, a sort of a Chinese "Garden of Eden" without the religious trappings. Dean writes about his search for Peach Blossom Spring and is himself the Don Quixote of the title. Dean hopes you'll drop by and say "Hello," even if you don't buy a book (to help him pay for his beer), so long as the next drink is on YOUR bill! He'll have copies of Don Quixote in China: The Search for Peach Blossom Spring available at the steep discount of just 400 baht (way down from bookstore prices, which run up to nearly 600 baht a pop). At 3:00 P.M. George Pipas will be throwing his annual Christmas turkey feast during Dean's book signing, so drop by. * * * * * * * * * * Interesting Web Site About Thailand I came across a web site about Thailand that seems pretty good at http://www.thaiworldview.com. It advertises itself as being a site with over 140 pages of information about the Kingdom. It has a number of links, including to the official web site of the Royal Family at http://www.kanchanapisek.or.th/kp8/ptwwwe.html. For visitors unfamiliar with Thailand, www.ThaiWorldVIew.com is a good starting point for information. * * * * * * * * * * Three New Photo Galleries Online Now! I finally got the long-promised photo galleries uploaded last weekend, as those of you on the mailing list for regular update notices already know. See the splendid new photo galleries of Khun Aom and her friends -- 3 new galleries in all, plus the long-present stunning collection of photographs of Aom by herself dressed in traditional northern Thai formal wear. The new galleries are of Aom and her friends, one presenting them in chic informal street clothes, the second showing them in a mix of the same clothes and formal evening wear in sepia-tone photographs, and the third offering a dazzling array of photos of the girls wearing formal evening wear in a series of delightful color photographs. I've reorganized a little so that any gallery including my lovely daughter, Aom, can be reached from a single page -- just click here to go to it. And enjoy viewing the Lovely Ladies of Thailand in these luscious photographs. I hope to add to these galleries as time goes on. The ones I've had up of Khun Aom and Khun Ae are, unsurprisingly, 2 of the most-visited pages on the entire www.BangkokAtoZ.com web site. Just last Saturday night I asked another friend, the long-time girlfriend of an American friend, to have some professional photographs made of herself dressed in nice office wear, a request to which she agreed. Like a lot of us, she can be a little slow getting things done, so I'm not rubbing my hands in glee already. That same evening the lovely songstress Khun Venus showed up for her regular gig at New Square One Pub in a stunning new dress, and I asked her to have some photos made of herself in it and similar attire so I can make a gallery of her, both for this site and for the one I am making for her. Once in awhile I get offers of pictures to use, but pictures involving individuals require a model release (which I have from everyone in the photo galleries). *If* you have such pictures AND can send me (via regular mail) a witnessed model release, I will consider using them. And let me be very clear about one thing: I do NOT want any nude or even partially-nude photographs of anyone. There are plenty of those on the Internet already, so I don't need to waste anyone's time by posting yet more. Contact me if you need a model release: MekhongKurt@BangkokAtoZ.com. Another Former Squaronian Passes On Some folks based here in Thailand may remember "Ohio" Jack, who lived above The Texas Lone Staar and was a partner in the former Klymax Bar on Soi Cowboy. His former partner was in town recently and let me know that Jack died in his sleep sometime in mid-2002. I didn't know Jack all that well, but he always seemed to be a nice man, with a ready smile. His experience as a bar owner mirrored those of many another unfortunate foreigner in that about all he got out of it with was his clothes. I liked the bar, and got along with Jack's partner, Bill, and Bill's now-ex-wife Em, as well as with the staff members, but the bar never really took off. Jack was living and working in California at the time of his demise. Apparently he failed to show up for work one day and someone went to his apartment to check on him, but found him dead. Bill (Jack's ex-partner) speculated Jack must have had a massive stroke or heart attack during the night. Rest in peace, Jack. . . . * * * * * * * * * * Mojo's Rib Joint
& Blues Bar The long-awaited Mojo's had it's soft opening last Saturday night. I stopped in to say hi to one of the partners, the affable Rob, formerly associated with Tequila Reef Mexican Restaurant down in Pattaya. There is a well-done website about Mojo's that includes the venue's menu, pictures, maps, and other information located at http://www.bangkokmojos.com. Alternately, you can click here for the map, but you need to be aware of 2 minor discrepancies in it. First, Degas Club is closer to Sukhumvit Road than it is shown to be on the map. Secondly, the map has Van Goh Club and Degas Club reversed. In fact, Van Gogh is where Degas is shown, and vice verse. The menu can be seen here. The physical restaurant is extremely attractive, with both ground-floor and loft-level dining available. The ceiling is quite high -- two floors' worth of it in the front part of the ground floor; the loft sits back from the front, and diners near the front part of the loft can look down into the spacious ground-level dining area. Ive music is in the works as well. Open:
4:00 P.M. - 2:00 A.M. (1600-0200) daily. Drop around and tell the folks there "Hi!" and that you read about Mojo's here! * * * * * * * * * * The Upstairs Club on Sukhumvit Soi 33 I visited a fairly new nightclub on last Sunday night; it has been there a few months, but I just hadn't gotten around to dropping by. I have to say right off that while the physical facility is quite nice, I was singularly unimpressed by the service. A number of bar wenches were seated on a sofa just inside the door, but they seemed completely bored. One came over to me at the bar to take my order, then she simply repeated my order to the barman and went back to lounge on the sofa. There is a man there I took to be a waiter, though he may be more than that, given that when I paid my bill someone got him to come tally my tab. Whatever his position is, his very appearance was surly. I also was less-than-impressed by the price. I had one -- just one -- Jack Daniels with water. The price? -- an astonishing 150 baht -- and that was before 8:00 P.M., a time when every *other* bar on the soi has a Happy Hour. I realize that US$3.75 sounds reasonable to the Western business traveler used to having his drinks in airport bars, but let me assure you that such a price is *not* reasonable in The Big Weird. I asked for a name card, and when the bartendee didn't understand my request, I showed her the name card of someone else, at which point she said the club didn't have one, something that struck me as odd. She gave me a piece of paper, on which I wrote down the name of the club then asked what times it is open. At that point she opened a drawer and took out a box of . . . business cards. A minor point, perhaps, but on a soi catering primarily to English-speaking expats, the inability to understand "name card" and "business card" -- both of which I used in the first place -- was also unimpressive. The club is open 7:00 P.M. - 2:00 A.M. (1900-0200). The business card lists a web site at http://www.Soi-Japan.com/Upstairs -- but after I went to the trouble of downloading and installing Japanese text support and went to the site, I couldn't find any place to pull up any other language than Japanese, so if you can't read Japanese characters, you're out of luck. And that was at the base site http://Soi-Japan.com; when I tried to go to http://Soi-Japan.com/Upstairs/, all I saw was a sign with nonsense characters, characters I suspect are unreadable, period. This added to my unimpressed opinion of the club. Address: 7/1-3 Sukhumvit Soi 33 Fl. 2, Sukhumvit Road, Khlongtonnua, Wattana, Bangkok 10110 Thailand Telephone: 0-2662-2794-5 (2 lines) Fax: 0-2662-2794 (the same as one phone number) I would be interested to hear your experience, whether it is the same as mine or is diffierent. Drop me a line at MekhongKurt@BangkokAtoZ.com. * * * * * * * * * * Thai Rak Thai, Major Party in Ruling Coalition, Plans to Screen Out Potential Candidates Who Aren't Monogamous You just have to love the leading party in the current governing coalition, the Thai Rak Thai Party, headed by the Prime Minister, Thaksin Shinawatra. A story in last Monday's edition of The Nation newspaper reported on the plan. (See the story here.) While social activists like the idea, there is little faith such a screening process will really be put into place. A number of leading politicians from across the board are widely believed to have at least one mia noi -- "minor wife," or mistress. Many other male politicians are assumed to be visitors to nightclubs and massage parlors, in both of which the ladies are "on the menu," so to speak, and the presumption is that some of those men avail themselves of the ladies' services. Even a number of politicians themselves are quoted in the report as questioning the plan, pointing out that many candidates cannot possibly qualify if it is put into effect; later reports indicate some parliamentarians are downright shocked by the very idea. The logic is mind-boggling: "If we say we're clean, we must be clean." Reminds me of the politician a few years ago who was refused a visa to visit the United States. He raised holy hell, demanding a public explanation, something U.S. embassies and consulates normally do not do. In this instance, the American embassy here in Bangkok finally said there were reports from American law enforcement agencies indicating the politician was involved in the international drug trade. Entirely disingenuously, the unhappy politician told a news conference it was impossible he was involved in the illegal drug trade -- impossible because his constituents had elected him 9 consecutive times. As if his consecutive elections had anything to do with the price of tea in China. The newspaper's report is heavily tinged with well-deserved sarcasm. It will be interesting to see how this plays out. * * * * * * * * * * Bubble Economy On the Horizon? There are growing fears that we're headed towards another economic disaster on par with the mid-1997 collapse of the Thai baht and it's reverberations, which were felt globally. The baht has strengthened in the neighborhood of 8% or so against the U.S. dollar in the last year, reducing Thai exporters' competitiveness. Rising costs for foreign investors are making other Asian countries more attractive, especially since some of those countries are actively wooing foreign investors and taking steps to streamline doing business, getting visas, and so on -- at the same time Thailand is cracking down on visa requirements, not to mention raising the bar to qualify for a visa in the first place. Of course, if there is a burst in the bubble, we'll be deluged with accusations that the whole problem is because of foreigners, an "explanation" favored by governments across the region. Think Communist China, Lee Kwan Yew's Singapore of old, and the just-ended Mahathir's Magic Malaysia. News reports say that the private sector is considerably more pessimistic about the prospects than are members of the public sector, but that should come as no surprise, given that public-sector employees everywhere are expected to toe the government line. * * * * * * * * * * New Hours for The Office Bar & Grill The Office Bar & Grill has changed its opening time from 11:30 A.M. to 2:00 P.M. -- a very logical move, given that Sukhumvit Soi 33 just plain doesn't have any lunch-time trade to speak of. Closing time remains 2:00 A.M., so there's still plenty of time for anybody to drop by this most excellent club. Bob and Sam, the proprietors, have also committed to having an absolute minimum of 15 hostesses on duty when the bar opens, so service will remain its long-standing excellent. If you're into the Bangkok bar scene but are unfamiliar with this bar, I urge you to drop around for a port call there. The owners are serious barmen who do know how to run a class operation; just the other night a friend of mine was there with 2 of his bosses out of Europe and said to them, "This is the best bar in Bangkok, bar none" -- an assessment impossible to dispute. Like the owners of New Square One Pub [Taffy] in Washington Square and The Moonshine Pub [Mitch and Ratanna] in Queen's Park Plaza, Bob and Sam aren't the least bit shy about putting their money on the line to make visiting their pubs a pleasant experience. (Their other pub is the upscale, hi-so Violin on Soi Ekamai.) The Office Bar & Grill will long rank among my favorite watering holes. * * * * * * * * * * Arrivals
Reported Up; Anecdotal evidence suggests that foreign tourists, especially ones from more affluent countries, are giving Bangkok what can be termed only as "The Big Miss." The Tourism Authority of Thailand is still reporting increased arrivals, but those arrivals sure don't appear to be showing up in ordinary tourist desitinations in Bangkok, not from anything I have heard. There are destinations to which one can transit directly at the Don Muang Airport here in Bangkok without first clearing Immigration and Customs here, destinations including the popular Phuket and Chiang Mai. It may be -- let me stress, may be -- that 9/11, Afghanistan, and Iraq are decreasing in importance in the choices of destinations by international travelers. That is, why should one stay in crowded, polluted, disorderly Bangkok when there are far more pleasant alternatives available -- alternatives which not only are more pleasant, but cheaper. While even 5-star hotels here in Bangkok remain very competitive in international major national capital terms, unless there is some other compelling reason to restrict oneself to the confines of Krungthep, why spend the excess money? Anyone interested in the history and culture of the Kingdom must, of course, try to schedule a stop sufficient to catch noteworthy sites such as the Grand Palace, the Emerald Buddha, and the Temple of Dawn, to name but a few. And for those inclined to sample local cuisine from food stalls in the street, such food is cheaply available here, as it is throughout the Kingdom. Of course, other Thai destinations suffer their own drawbacks, such as the absence of metered (and preferably air-conditioned) taxis in the Pattaya-Jomtien area. Yet for all that, Thailand remains a reasonable, attractive destination, one very affordable, even right here in Bangkok. Taxi fares remain, for now, 35 baht at flag-fall -- currently under US$1.00. Bus fares are ridiculously low (but you can't be faint-hearted and ride the buses here). Thai silk captures the fascination of many visitors, and with a little care can be had at very reasonable prices. And despite lingering security concerns of some, we've been most fortunate to suffer little from security incidents, in particular from terrorist ones. The Thai intelligence and law enforcement communities have proven themselves to be capable of facing the threats and dealing with them. Maybe not every single time -- but what nation on the planet can boast such? I still feel safer in Bangkok (and anywhere in Thailand) than I would in a great number of places elsewhere -- including even in my homeland, America. Yes, I exercise caution when I have occasion to go to any area with which I am unfamiliar, particularly if that area is a rough one. The climate is temperate this time of year, though in the north it can be rather cold, especially at upper elevations. But we're not talking about the cold of, say, Norway, Canada, much of America, The Russian Federation, etc. For sun lovers living in frigid climates who would also like a beautiful place to visit, Thailand remains one of the top considerations. And for regular tourists, the visa concerns about which I have written in this column are insignificant, except for those people who are nationals of countries the Thai authorities perceive to be immigration risks. That certainly doesn't apply to the First World nations (not forgetting Japan, for instance), nor to certain other nation's. Fees for tourist visas are reasonable, and while it can be a small irritant to have to leave one's passport at a Thai consulate or embassy overnight then to return to pick up the passport with the visa in it, that's really not a major point. * * * * * * * * * * Late News of the
Passing of True Old Thai Hands who can trace their Bangkok lineages back to the 1980's will be interested in knowing that Cowboy, for whom Soi Cowboy is named, has reportedly passed away. While I arrived on the scene too late to ever have the opportunity to meet Cowboy, I know a lot of people who did, and have heard countless colorful stories from them about him. Details remain sketchy; a friend of mine who has been here decades got a phone call early in the week from someone else in America (to which Cowboy had long since returned) reporting his death. I'll provide more information as I learn it. Cowboy is yet another example of Westerners who came to Bangkok and ended up mythical figures in their own rights. Even people who knew him well during his heyday frequently disagree over numerous details regarding his Thailand Adventures. But a few larger details seem to be agreed by all: first of all, for people interested in such a bar, he ran a good operation and was very successful. (He later opened bars in Washington Square and on Sukhumvit Soi 22 which were successful; both remain in operation even today.) In the literary senses of a real person becoming a legendary hero in recollection than he or she might truly have been, Cowboy has to be one of Southeast Asia's prime examples. Stories about him have long since taken on a life of their own, making it difficult from us "newcomers" -- I've been here a little shy of a decade yet even now don't have much seniority! -- to separate fact from fiction. This region's history is filled with such figures, figures fascinating studies. Another such figure from Thailand itself is the intriguing Jim Thompson, who founded, in essence, the international Thai silk market single-handedly, a man who disappeared under mysterious circumstances in Malaysia. The Vietnam War generated its own crop of such figures, in many cases from among people involved in covert aspects of the war, though such people are perhaps not as widely known as larger-than-life ones such as Thompson. The list goes on and on. But one thing is for certain: so long as strange foreigners of recent decades are remembered, Cowboy's name will rank well. Rest In Peace, Cowboy. * * * * * * * * * * Where Is *Your* Name??? So you've been a slacker and still haven't signed up for the free BangkokAtoZ.com Updates Mailing List??? ;-) Well, get with the program and sign up right now to be notified via e-mail whenever we add something to the site -- that way, you don't even have to visit the Updates Page to see if there's anything new -- we'll let you know by e-mail. If you want to sign up, just go to the sign-up page. I'm pleased to say that more and more of you are signing up, and I urge all of you not to hesitate! * * * * * * * * * * Where is *Your* "Traveller's Tale"??? Got a "Traveler's Tale"? -- send me a line! Just send me a *query* note at MekhongKurt@BangkokAtoZ.com. * * * * * * * * * * Linking to BangkokAtoZ.com If anyone reading this has a website and would like to place a link there for BangkokAtoZ.com, you can copy-and-paste the banner and text link below into your site; they are live links to this site's homepage:
I'll appreciate an e-mail telling me the URL of where you placed it. If you want me to put a link on BangkokAtoZ.com for your site, do tell me where you have placed our link, and I'll give you a link in a comparable position, of the same nature (i.e., banner-for-banner, text-for-text). * * * * * * * * * * Enough for one go . . . Until next time -- Mekhong Kurt
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