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"The Rounds" Thursday,
November 7, 2002
Mekhong Kurt * * * * * * * * * * First I want to report that Richard K. Diran's unveiling of the 2nd in his series of 7 planned oil paintings last Saturday at New square One Pub went well, although the audience this time was smaller than the one for his debut opening some weeks back. Richard is already working feverishly on the 3rd in the series, though of course it's way too early to predict just when he might finish, other than to say it likely will be early next year. I'll let you know when the next show is set up. Which, as a reminder, *might* be a second showing of his 2 completed paintings at another venue. * * * * * * * * * * The folks at The Office Bar & Grill had a great day Tuesday, when they opened early, at 9:00 A.M., for people to go watch the Melbourne Cup Live. As always, the package was good value for money: 950 baht for a champagne buffet breakfast, a buffet lunch, and all the free champagne, wine and draft beer anyone could want -- the latter underscored by the number of folks who teetered out the door at day's end! -- the alcohol remaining free right up until 4:00 P.M., the bar's regular opening time. It was a great race, with the #2-ranked horse coming out of the starting gates, Media Puzzle, taking the victory. And this was an emotional contest, as the winning jockey, Damien Oliver, suffered considerable personal loss family with the death of brother Jason a week ago in a track riding accident. In a blackly ironic twist, their father was killed 27 years ago in a race fall. In fact, his brother's death came just a few days before the race itself, but Oliver returned and stayed the course, earning enormous applause and great accolades from the practically frantic crowd. And there were other tragedies for others connected with the race; you can read more about the race here. All in all a great day -- not really surprising as great days are becoming a tradition at The Office Bar & Grill! * * * * * * * * * * I hope I'm not speaking too soon, but it seems the first edge of the cool season may be creeping into town -- earlier than ever in my 8-1/2 years in the Kingdom. Not that the rainy season has ended, mind you -- it's way too early to announce that. But I've noticed more pleswant temperatures, particularly in the evenings; I had an occasion to ride a motorcycle last night -- just a short distance, yet I got downright chilly; the temperatures in Bangkok have gone below 20 degrees Celsius (68 degrees Farhenheit). * * * * * * * * * * There are some great hotel package deals avialable in Bangkok and elsewhere in the Kingdom now, according to a report in last week's "Horizons Travel" in the Bangkok Post. The packages start at a rather amazing 2,100 baht/night (about US$50) at a hotel on the island of Koh Samui and go up from there. To check these offerings out, here to see the appropriate "Horizons Travel" story. * * * * * * * * * * The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) and an array of government officials and elected politicians are outraged at warnings from Western governments to their citizens to be careful of travel in the region due to the potential of terrorist incidents. And Thailand isn't alone in its outrage; the member states of ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asia Nations) has just met, along with China, and the grouping as a whole is incensed, saying the warnings are too stern and inflammatory. Our tycoon-turned-politico Prime Minister Thaksin is reported to have said of such warnings that they are "just a fad of Western countries," or words to that effect. Disingenuous, that. Since I've for travelers to continue straight ahead with their travel plans in the wake of 9/11, the stance of these various authorities leave me in a bit of a quandary. On the one hand, some officials are couching their gripes in barely-concealed anti-Western rhetoric, something that always gets right up my nose. Further, there could be a danger to people relaxing *too* much, were they to think, "Well, those are the guys with the best knowledge about the situations in the various countries, so if they say everything's okay, to heck with what my own government has advised; I'll go on business/holiday and do everything normally" -- "normally" unfortunately too often reading in this context as "ignore security and safety concerns virtually utterly." I don't think any government is wrong to advise its citizens to be cautious, not when it has reliable information regarding greater-than-usual danger, or, more importantly, specific intelligence regarding a pending attack. Of course, one would hope that any government with any such information would share it with the government of any potentially affected country. There's also a side issue of credibility and consistency. Various leaders of both member states of ASEAN and China have long preached the concept of "non-interference in each others' internal affairs" -- "internal affairs" often meaning whatever the involved government wants to shield from foreign scrutiny. ("National security" is a favorite reason given -- think "post-Tiananmen Square.") On the other hand, to tell -- demand -- other governments change their communication policies for information distribution to their citizens sure sounds to me exactly like interference in other governments' domestic activities. Yes, such activities can have an impact on other countries -- but isn't the first responsibility of *any* government to its *own* citizens? On the other hand, I have to agree that some people might panic at advisories, and either stay away from the region unnecessarily (if coming from abroad) or fleeing the region needlessly (if staying here already). I run across people of many nationalities, ethnic groups, and religions daily, and haven't had the *slightest* feeling of even merely mild threat, let alone genuine peril. And in the case of Thailand in particular, I'm willing to accept the government's contention that the spate of bombings, arson, and ambush in the Kingdom's far South are *not* terrorist related -- unless evidence establishing such a relationship arises. It's historically indisputable that the rebels in the South are Muslim, and that they would like a separate country. But this conflict long pre-dates 9/11. As always, I do counsel prudence. But hiding under one's bed is a bit *too* prudent! * * * * * * * * * * Coincidentally, a few nights ago I ran into a reporter for The Nation newspaper with whom I'm acquainted, Ken Ywin, who was interviewing various foreigners for their views of the general situation regarding potential terrorist threats. While I was quoted in the story, only 1 of the cited quotes was mine -- others attributed to me came from others (and no, I don't know who they were). Click here to read Ken's story -- but remember only the *first* quote is actually mine, though I second the underlying sentiments of the other quotes. * * * * * * * * * * Through an accident of the calendar, American Thanksgiving comes late this year, falling on November 28th. There will be numerous feasts on offer around town, and I'll post some of the more interesting ones once we get a little closer to the actual Turkey Day. * * * * * * * * * * Late word from the owners of Suzie Wong in Sow Cowboy that they are waiting only for electrical hook-up in their upstairs bar to open up shop there. They also were supposed to start yesterday or the day before combining the two bars opposite the a-go-go. * * * * * * * * * * Sign-up here for e-mail notification when I add or change something on the site. Just go to the sign-up page. * * * * * * * * * * I'm not going to put in specific links and information yet, but for the more adventurous among you, I would like to mention there has been an off-road (partly) caravan tour trip set up that will take travelers from a jump-off point in Loei in the north of Thailand, head over into Laos, then cut on up into the wild reaches of southern China, ending up at the Yunnan city of Jinghong -- coincidentally the next-to-furthest-south point I've reached in the People's republic (the furthest south being some little fishing village on the banks of the Mekhong River, some 20 kilometers south of Jinghong and only 10 kilometers from where China, Laos, and Burma come together). Though I've been only to the China part of the itinerary, at that almost 16 years ago, I can assure you it remains one of the most beautiful and memorable places I've ever visited, in China or elsewhere. Heck, I'm interested in the trip myself! * * * * * * * * * * Got a "Traveler's Tale"? -- send me a line! MekhongKurt@BangkokAtoZ.com * * * * * * * * * * I've mentioned it before, but the Lobby Bar in the Novotel Hotel on Sukhumvit Soi 33 is great. The service is superb, the live music (Mondays through Saturdays) is excellent. I visit there regularly to listen to Khun Venus, the wonderful singer I've mentioned in other columns. * * * * * * * * * * I'm leaving in this from last week for the benefit of anyone needing printing services in Bangkok; contact the affable Austrian, Khun Franz, at his e-mail address or office: franzs@loxinfo.co.th Franz has now done 2 print jobs for me, and I'm greatly pleased with both the quality of his work and his low prices. And no, I *don't* get a cut! * * * * * * * * * * 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). * * * * * * * * * * I'm pulling off the individual mentions of bars for sale, but any interested parties can e-mail me here: MekhongKurt@BangkokAtoZ.com. * * * * * * * * * * A correction to my story regarding the subway: I said the map is user-friendly, without realizing that all the writing is in Thai.Construction on Bangkok's subway continues apace. And it won't open a moment too soon, as traffic is returning to pre-crash levels of monstrosity. As of now, the subway is slated to open sometime during August 12, 2004. There are plans to extend it eventually to the Thonburi side of the river, and dreams of running it out into other areas as well. [The same is true regarding the Skytrain, by the way.] To learn more about the project, visit this webpage: http://www.2bangkok.com/2bangkok/Subway/index.shtml; there's also a simple, easy-to-read map there. * * * * * * * * * * Talked the other day with a friend who owns a bar down Jomtien way; he said business is very quiet, for the most part, although due to his assiduous cultivation of a core of regulars, he reckoned his business is up some month-on-month for September-October. * * * * * * * * * * Made a sashay through Soi Cowboy last night after being away from that venerable venue a few days, and was surprised by a few things. For one thing, though pedestrian traffic in the soi itself remains light, the 4 places I visited were a bit surprising. First stop was Pam's, one of the oldest bars on the soi. Over the years, I have often wondered how Pam, the extremely nice (and english-speaking) Thai lady who owns the place, stays afloat. But last night she had several customers, a few of whom I overheard saying they liked it and would be back. And she also had several new girls. Next was Suzie Wong's a-go-go. Now, it has done well ever since the new owners took over sometime back, but it is still reassuring to any of us who care about such matters to see that even at the relatively early hour of about 9:00 P.M. there was a comfortable crowd; one hopes there will be a spillover effect from it and the other more successful places along the soi. Most surprising of all was my third stop, Cowboy One. For quite awhile now there haven't been that many girls and even fewer -- far fewer -- customers. The customer number was up, a little, last night, but as word spreads there are now 21 girls (I counted!) and the place is lively, maybe that will change. There was a group of several expats there, each buying himself drinks fast and furiously -- and each buying at least 1 lady lady-drinks at an equally rapid rate. It will come as no surprise that the Thai owner had a broad smile on her face. My final Soi Cowboy stop of the night was Shadow Bar, actually a single-shophouse a-go-go. While the number of customers was still in the single-digit range, there were several new girls, so maybe as that news spreads, business will improve. Some folks dismiss Soi Cowboy as passé and/or dying -- but I don't believe that to be correct. Just this year we've seen Shark, Doll House, and [the new] Suzie Wong open, all with some success and excellent physical facilities. I've mentioned in earlier columns at least 2 new venues under construction, each to be a double-shophouse establishment made up of 2 formerly existing single shophouses. So *several* people -- at least a few of whom one has to believe both have the financial wherewithal to see matters through and the business acumen to make a go of things -- clearly feel the venue is *not passé and/or dying. * * * * * * * * * * Shifting gears, a bar owner recently told me that some banks are now refusing to make change for bars except on Wednesdays -- which means that a lot of places are finding it increasingly difficult to make change as the days wear on before next "Change Day" comes around. I always thought providing change for businesses that have accounts with a bank was part-n'-parcel of the banks services to such customers -- but maybe that's just silly me. * * * * * * * * * * To close on an upbeat note, maybe things are looking up. The weather is improving. Packages abound -- and I reckon more will follow as some are predicting Thailand will be a major beneficiary of events in Indonesia -- which is truly tragic for our neighbors to the [fairly distant] south, but there's no benefit to Indonesia if her neighbors don't take up some of the tourism slack. Business may be slowly easing up. Whatever else one thinks about the government and some of the idiotic statements some members of it have been spewing, it is clear that authorities on the ground are doing their dead-level best to ensure safety. And potential visitors need to recall that Thailand is far more than Bangkok, Pattaya/Jomtien, Phuket, and Chiang Mai -- there are countless interesting, beautiful *other* destinations: Koh Samui and Koh Chang, 2 island retreats visitors come back from praising; Hua Hin and Cha'am, both beach resorts near each other, and where several friends who reside there keep urging me to come visit; Chiang Rai, Loei -- well, those are northern towns, the former one I've visited; the list goes on and on. And there are the neighboring or nearby countries: Cambodia, home of the spectacular Angor Wat; Malaysia, with such destinations as its large and beautiful Penang Island, which I've visited several times and greatly enjoyed; that amazing city-state Singapore, arguably one of the best cities in the world; Burma, that fanciful land so beautifully explored in the pictures and writings of Richard K. Diran, especially in his beautiful book The Vanishing Tribes of Burma; Laos, a step back in time; the Phillipines, which despite problems, remain one of the most attractive destinations around, in no small measure because of her friendly people; and, finally China and Vietnam, neither requiring introduction. The Tourism Authority of Thailand, as any bureaucracy, labors under the drag of inertia, but appears to be trying to increase the Kingdom's attractiveness. Come on in -- the water's fine! * * * * * * * * * * Until next time -- Sawasdee khrap! Mekhong Kurt
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Copyright © 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, and 2007 by Kurt T. Francis, except as noted otherwise. Materials by Christopher G. Moore, Dean Barrett, Richard K. Diran, Sonia Pressman Fuentes, and Hardy Stockmann are copyrighted © by those respective authors. All rights reserved. Please see the Copyright Notice for further information. Click here for our Privacy Statement Please direct all inquiries to mekhongkurt at bangkokatoz.com |
