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"The Rounds" January 23,
2004
Mekhong Kurt * * * * * * * * * * [Note: This week's edition is
being * * * * * * * * * * HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOM! The 24th of January -- tomorrow -- will be my Dear Mother's 70th birthday. She's a tough gal; she still works a small commercial vegetable garden and a peach orchard every year on the small farm-ranch she owns in northeast Texas. Every Halloween for the entire month of October she has a "Pumpkin Patch," featuring pumpkins for the children to make jack-o-lanterns, hayrides, and about 70 Halloween figures that together comprise a sort of "country haunted house." But that's now. She's a retired high-school teacher, and holds B.A. and M.A. degrees in English, as well as a teaching certificate. She won a Summer Fulbright to do literary research on Rudyard Kipling in India about 30 years ago. She's fairly well-traveled to have been born in the then-poor and barren region northwest of Fort Worth -- we lived 2 brief stints in central Mexico when I was a child, and she has been to Europe a few times. Back in the early 1990's she came out here to visit me in Macau, where I was teaching at The University of Macau. I took her to Beijing and Hongkong as well. Anyway, I just wanted to wish you a Happy Birthday, Mom. * * * * * * * * * * Weird Weather The weather has been really weird of late. We've even had little dollops of rain several different days, including 3 days in a row last week. In January, for pete's sake. Less surprisingly, and quite pleasantly, we've had a few cooler days, even after it appeared the cool season was well and truly over. When I came out of my home about 10n o'clock this morning, it was essentially clear, with a light, cool, delightful breeze. Whether you're frying in Alice Springs or freezing in Oslo, I'll bet you wish you were somewhere like here (currently 29°C/84°F, heh-heh-heh!). * * * * * * * * * * Book
Signing: Dean Barrett, Author of Skytrain Noted locally-based American author Dean Barrett is having a book-signing at Big Dogs in Nana Plaza Sunday-after-next (February 1, 2004) 5-7 P.M. He'll have copies of Skytrain to Murder, Memoirs of a Bangkok Warrior, and other works set in Thailand and China. Those familiar with Dean's work but who haven't met him and will be in town will have this great opportunity to meet him and to get him to autograph copies of his books for you. He's one of the nicest people I know -- and, more importantly to the reading public -- one heck of an excellent writer. Skytrain to Murder, his latest novel and set in Bangkok, is a gripping, face-paced read. Drop by and visit with Dean -- and buy a book or 2! * * * * * * * * * * A Very Pleasant Chinese New Year Last night was Chinese New Year and the celebrations were widespread. I myself helped organize a cheese-crackers-sausage party for everyone at The Wild Country Bar in Bangkok's Washington Square. Hardly traditional Chinese fare, true (and believe you me, I would have loved to have eaten some of my favorites), but given the huge crowds that flood into Yaowarat, Bangkok's Chinatown, it would have been madness to try to venture there. But un-Chinesey or not, we had a great evening of it. But thousands did throng into the famous streets, as reported in today's newspapers. Her Majesty the Queen, HRH Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn, and Princess Siriwanwaree Mahidol visited the area for the celebrations, which actually were double ones marking not only the Chinese New Year but also the 222 years of Yaowarat's history since it's founding. The Bangkok Post story ("Crowds flock to Yaowarat") quotes Tourism and Sports Minister Sonthaya Khunpluem as having said there will be a total of around 1.5 million visitors to the famous district throughout the Chinese New Year, which got kicked off in a big way yesterday and will in all effect run right through the weekend. The Nation story ("Queen in Chinatown parade") is similar, emphasizing even more the role of Her Majesty, in particular, in celebrating the festive occasion. * * * * * * * * * * Visa Run to Laos Laos remains the closest place to fly to when you want to get a new visa, even if it isn't the cheapest destination -- Singapore remains cheaper to reach, but of course is far more expensive than is Vientiane for just about everything. The last time I was up was last August. At that time, the visa office was issuing up to 2 60-day tourist visas at a time, but no more -- no 1-year multiple-entry ones (i.e. 4 90-day tourist visas). I happened to be there during the last week of 500-baht visas, so it was a nightmare, though that was not in any way the fault of the visa officers; they simply weren't of sufficient number to quickly meet the demand. And to their great credit, the deadline for submitting one's application (if you want to get the visa tomorrow) is now noon, not the former 11:00 A.M. -- and when I was there, the officers stayed a half hour into their lunch hour to get everyone's application in, effectively extending the noon deadline by 30 minutes. And kudos to them for it. Thai International and Lao Air share-code their flights there, so it's possible to go to Vientiane from Bangkok 1 morning and spend 1 night, then return to Bangkok the following afternoon. The Thai flight leaves at 8:20 A.M. from Bangkok, arriving in Vientiane about 9:15 A.M., leaving time to make it to the Thai visa office and submit a visa application. You pick up your visa from 1:00 P.M. onward the next afternoon and catch the Laos Air flight back to Bangkok, which departs Vientiane at 4:30 P.M. You can fly both ways on either airline -- but you'll have to stay 2 nights in Vientiane if you do so. In the case of Thai, it's next-day flight does a turnaround in just over an hour, leaving Vientiane back to Bangkok at 10:30 A.M. -- not late enough to get your visa the next day and make that day's Thai flight. In the case of Laos Air, its flight leaves Bangkok about 6:10 P.M., so of course you've got to spend the first night waiting to turn in your passport and visa application the next day, then wait over another night to be able to pick your passport up again. NOTE! According to the timetable at the Laos Air web site, on Mondays their flight leaves Vientiane in the early morning, not in the afternoon, so you couldn't plan on flying up Thursday evening and returning Monday evening, instead having to wait until Tuesday to do so -- though, of course, by then you should have your passport in hand and therefore able to take the Thai morning flight (on Tuesday) anyway. One caveat: last time I was up last August, I bought the ticket through Laos Air, since it was a full 2,000 baht cheaper (6,600 baht versus Thai's 8,600 baht). BUT Thai balked despite the in-effect code-sharing arrangement. After a lot of back and forth, the supervisor finally agreed to let me board, but nastily threw in "But you don't get any food or drink!" I couldn't have cared less, especially on such a short flight. In any case, in the event the steward offered me food and drink, I (politely) declined. Curious, he asked me why. I explained (again, politely) what the ground ticketing supervisor had said. He snorted and said that was ridiculous, so I took the offered coffee. If
you do go to Vientiane, I still recommend the Duoang Duane Hotel (Nokeo Koummane Road,
Bane Mixay,
Vientiane, Laos * * * * * * * * * * A Driver's License *Is* Obtainable -- I'm Told I learned something this week I hadn't previously known. Though I don't have all the details nor have I put it to the test, I want to go ahead and report it since the broad outlines have been confirmed by my Thai police buddy and someone in the American Citizen Services section of the U.S. Embassy here in Bangkok. There are 2 types of license available, international and Thai. Americans can go to the ACS section and ask for a form (be sure to specify for which type of license). You fill it out and sign it, and the officer stamps it; the fee in both cases is US$30. You then take the form to the Thai driver's license office and apply for whichever license it is you have the form. My buddy tells me you have to have a visa of any type other than any type of tourist visa to get the Thai license; I assume the same is true of the international one, though I've been unable to confirm that one way or the other at this writing. I've heard -- but only heard -- that if you have a valid driver's license from another country, you don't have to take a driving test. Even people who've had to take a written test (which is in Thai only) were helped by the official administering the test, i.e., the official telling you in English the question and the choice of answers, then, if you choose the correct answer, telling you which number or letter to circle. (A note aside: I'm always struck by the fact that one has to take a written and driving test for a license here, since traffic laws are mere suggestions -- and faint ones at that. Not to mention that Thai drivers rank among some of the worst in the world. Maybe not the Number 1 worst -- but more than bad enough for me!) * * * * * * * * * * Odd ABAC University Graduation Ceremony Rules My "adopted Thai duaghter,' Khun Aom, finished her bachelor's degree this past October (of which I'm plenty damned proud, by the way) from one of the finest universities in Thailand -- indeed, in Asia, i.e., ABAC, here in Bangkok. For reasons I've never quite figured out, graduation doesn't follow immediately upon the heels of final grades being turned in and the administrative stuff done to figure out who made it and who didn't, instead occurring long after. In ABAC's case, this year's graduation ceremony for the 2003 graduates is set for this upcoming Sunday. Needless to say, the only people looking forward to this major milestone event more than me are Aom and her family. I had visions of watching proudly with her Mother and other relatives and close friends as she strode across the stage to receive her diploma. But that won't happen. Seems ABAC doesn't let anyone into the graduation venue other than the graduates themselves. The venue this year is the Queen Sirikhit Convention Center, a choice that pleased me since it's only about a kilometer from my home. Aom says the logic is that there are several thousand graduates and the university Rector (President) personally gives each graduate his or her degree. I've never been in the center, but have seen it hundreds of times from the outside, and know it to be a huge structure, so I don't quite understand just why relatives and friends can't witness the actual ceremony, instead having to settle for waiting outside to congratulate their graduates. Frankly, this irritates the thunderation out of me. Having no children of my own, I was *really* looking forward to witnessing the graduation of the closest thing to a daughter I'm likely ever to have. It wouldn't be so bad of the graduate's immediate family, say, could attend (INCLUDING parents who have legally adopted them and step-siblings or half-siblings). But a complete ban on *everyone* is way out of line. There's another angle. In the case of ABAC, there are, reasonably enough, 2 rehearsals for graduation. Not reasonable is that normally if a graduate-to-be misses the first rehearsal, he or she can't take part in the 2nd rehearsal OR in the actual graduation ceremony, instead having to wait a full year until the next graduation ceremony. (ABAC sets only one ceremony annually, itself a bit of a puzzler.) At least we're not banned from being outside the venue! * * * * * * * * * * Comments Again
Invited: Khun Ae Number Two The subject of my most recently added photo galleries has taken a keen interest in reactions from you to those galleries; this link will take you to the 3 sets of photos here to date. Having known Khun Ae for several years, I am not exactly the most neutral assessor of the quality of her pictures, though I sure can't see how anyone could ever claim her to be unattractive! Please feel free to browse through her galleries and send her an e-mail: MekhongKurt@BangkokAtoZ.com -- subject = Khun Ae Number Two. Khun Ae has already gracefully agreed to let me add more photos of her over the coming weeks and months, so her fans can be looking forward to seeing those. [Written Sunday, January 18, 2004] * * * * * * * * * * E-mail Change Notification Sign-up Sign-up here for e-mail notification when I add or change something on the site. Just go to the sign-up page. * * * * * * * * * * 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).
Until next time -- Mekhong Kurt Return to the Table of Contents.
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