It wasn't easy saying goodbye to Stefan and his daughters when they left for Germany last week. "I'm gonna miss you guys," I told Stefan.
"We feel the same way about you, " he said.
After they left on Tuesday I had just two more nights to wrap up my affairs in Chiangmai--not that I had a lot on my plate, but there was some shopping to do, some food to eat, some TV to watch, and some visiting with Pik.
I also picked up a new friend, Yuriy from Perm, Russia, who is on his first trip to Thailand and this is only his second trip outside of Russia.
He's an IT guy ("I hate it!") who sold all his belongings in Moscow with the intention of "looking for myself" in Thailand.
I remarked that Thailand can be a good place to do that. "Or it can be a very bad place to do it if you're not careful." This observation cracked him up.
Yuriy wants to try to make a go of it in Chiangmai, maybe sign up for Thai courses so he can get a year-long student visa.
He seems like a decent guy, and he's a music fan, so I took him to Tiger Kingdom and introduced him to A and Sakhorn. Yuriry is very impressed with the bands, and especially with the excellent women singers.
I also helped him to find a "hong phak", a room for rent by the month. Within a day we got him set up with something suitable for 2500 baht monthly on a three month minimum lease.
Pik and I had a final dinner together on Wednesday night, then I met her and Yuriy again Thursday morning before I flew back to Bangkok that afternoon.
Of course Pik wants me to move back to Thailand. "We can help you get situated again," she says. She says this every time she sees me.
We've been talking about how to help Peppo get a tourist visa for the U.S., and on Wednesday I went to a specialty travel agency that handles most visa situations for Thais and farang. The travel agent was very helpful with the info, and I wrote it all down and gave Pik a copy so we can begin strategizing.
Pik and I hope that maybe we can sponsor Peppo for a U.S. visit in 2015.
It's sort of sad to be leaving, but I also feel it's about time to get out of Chiangmai--I was getting way too comfortable there.
By late Thursday I was checked into the S1 Hostel on Soi Ngam Dupli off Bangkok's busy Rama 4 Road. The S1 Hostel is a nicely renovated hotel which used to be my regular first stop in Bangkok back when it was called "Honey House".
I was happy with the renovations and with the fact that the price--at 700 baht for an aircon room with bathroom, fridge, and TV--is only 100 baht more than it was in 2007. This is really a bargain for only $22. Does anyone really wonder why I love Thailand?
I've said goodbye to old friends in Chiangmai, but now I'm saying hello to old friends--from the States--in Bangkok.
Sharon is a friend from the old-time music scene in America. As an ethno-musicologist and professor in the field, she has studied--among other things--the contest scene at the National Old-Time Fiddlers Contest in Weiser, ID that I attended each year from 2002 to 2005. This is where we first met, and I still have a copy of her dissertation on the subject.
But what a small world it is! She's also done some extensive study of Thai classical and folk music, and she knows a lot more than I ever will about the instruments they play in Thailand and in other musically influential Asian countries such as China. Indeed, one of her mentors is an expert on Thai music, and he keeps his second home here.
In the most serendipitous manner possible, Sharon's husband Michael--an engineer of state of the art packing machinery--was offered a two-year contract with Bangkok company, and Sharon's summer visit to him coincided with my own trip to Thailand.
We've agreed to meet at the McDonald's at Rama 4 and Silom to do some tourist stuff and maybe take in a museum.
After all, she and I both are supposedly on vacation--even if work from home seems to intrude upon us in that way that it seems to do . . .
Saturday, June 28, 2014
That Old Visa Run
I had to do a "visa run" to Mae Sai on the Thai-Myanmar border to extend my stay in Thailand sufficiently.
Ah! The visa run. . .so definitive of the expat experience in Thailand.
I've had every type of "easy access" visa that Thailand offers: the ordinary two-month tourist visa, the three-month non-immigrant visa, the six-month double entry visa, the six-month double entry with work permit visa, and the 15-day visa on arrival at Bangkok's airports.
Now the Thais give 30 days on arrival for citizens of about 25-30 countries including the U.S.
In Thailand, you need a visa to stay for longer periods of time. And if you want to stay even longer, you have to do a visa run.
I've done every type of visa run imaginable: I've run to Penang, Malaysia too numerous times to count; I've run to Vientiane, Laos probably at least five times; I've also entered Laos from the north, not too far from Chiangmai, and taken the slow boat down the Mekong River to the ancient Lao capital Luang Prabang; and I've even used a dodgy service that sent my passport to a northern Thai border post with Laos and arranged all the visas and stamps--in other words did all the paperwork--while my person continued to stay and work in Chiangmai.
The latter service was definitely some type of corrupt enterprise endorsed by fairly high Thai/Lao police commanders--the equivalent of regional chiefs rank.
I've extended my stays at the Chiangmai Immigration office, at the Bangkok Immigration office, and at the Mae Sai Immigration office. These types of extensions are very limited--only 5-10 days or so--and they cost money in the range of 500 to 2000 baht.
I've also overstayed my visa, but you can never do too much of that; the fine for each day of overstay used to be 100 baht (four dollars back then, three dollars now), but now it's a steep 500 baht per day. This is what they will charge you at the Bangkok airport whenever you finally leave the country. And if you can't pay the fine, you will be detained and held in an immigration police lock-up--with 150-200 mostly Burmese and Cambodian illegals--until you can do so.
I've also done the run to Mae Sai--the northern-most point in Thailand, about 1000 km north of Bangkok--probably at least half a dozen times that I can remember now.
When Burma (Myanmar) started cautiously opening up in the early 2000s, they allowed farang tourists to visit the border town Tachilek, just opposite Mae Sai, on a day pass only. I remember the whole process being exceedingly tedious with one official checking the passport, another taking your photograph, another collecting the 500 baht fee (though they preferred to be paid in dollars), and yet another stamping the passport and handing over a receipt.
Now the Burmese have really got their act together with the streamlining: just two officials collect the 500, stamp the passport in and out, and you can even have the option of overnighting in Tachilek.
I couldn't take advantage of this welcome hospitality because I was on a day-long mini-bus run from Chiangmai and back again the same day. For 550 baht I booked a place on the 14-seat van with maybe half a dozen other farang from England, Holland, Australia, and the U.S. The service picks you up at your hotel at around 7.00 a.m., departs Chiangmai at 8.00 for the four hour trip through Chiangrai to Mae Sai, and returns you to your hotel at about 5.00 p.m.
In Mae Sai we had just an hour to stamp out of Thailand, stamp into Myanmar, and stamp back into Thailand. I expected, and received, an additional 30 days. But there were other people on my run who received only 15 days for any number of reasons.
The word in the expat community lately is the Thais are cracking down on people who do the visa run too often. They are tightening visa requirements for some people while trying to ensure that long-staying farang aren't doing so as a tourist--because that would be illegal.
But I hear the Thais are also tightening up on the non-immigrant type visa requirements. More than ever, the Thai government seems to prefer farang who have bigger money--one or two million baht--to invest in a Thai business before they will approve one of the more coveted visas.
The next best option is to marry and have children with a Thai.
Ah! The visa run. . .so definitive of the expat experience in Thailand.
I've had every type of "easy access" visa that Thailand offers: the ordinary two-month tourist visa, the three-month non-immigrant visa, the six-month double entry visa, the six-month double entry with work permit visa, and the 15-day visa on arrival at Bangkok's airports.
Now the Thais give 30 days on arrival for citizens of about 25-30 countries including the U.S.
In Thailand, you need a visa to stay for longer periods of time. And if you want to stay even longer, you have to do a visa run.
I've done every type of visa run imaginable: I've run to Penang, Malaysia too numerous times to count; I've run to Vientiane, Laos probably at least five times; I've also entered Laos from the north, not too far from Chiangmai, and taken the slow boat down the Mekong River to the ancient Lao capital Luang Prabang; and I've even used a dodgy service that sent my passport to a northern Thai border post with Laos and arranged all the visas and stamps--in other words did all the paperwork--while my person continued to stay and work in Chiangmai.
The latter service was definitely some type of corrupt enterprise endorsed by fairly high Thai/Lao police commanders--the equivalent of regional chiefs rank.
I've extended my stays at the Chiangmai Immigration office, at the Bangkok Immigration office, and at the Mae Sai Immigration office. These types of extensions are very limited--only 5-10 days or so--and they cost money in the range of 500 to 2000 baht.
I've also overstayed my visa, but you can never do too much of that; the fine for each day of overstay used to be 100 baht (four dollars back then, three dollars now), but now it's a steep 500 baht per day. This is what they will charge you at the Bangkok airport whenever you finally leave the country. And if you can't pay the fine, you will be detained and held in an immigration police lock-up--with 150-200 mostly Burmese and Cambodian illegals--until you can do so.
I've also done the run to Mae Sai--the northern-most point in Thailand, about 1000 km north of Bangkok--probably at least half a dozen times that I can remember now.
When Burma (Myanmar) started cautiously opening up in the early 2000s, they allowed farang tourists to visit the border town Tachilek, just opposite Mae Sai, on a day pass only. I remember the whole process being exceedingly tedious with one official checking the passport, another taking your photograph, another collecting the 500 baht fee (though they preferred to be paid in dollars), and yet another stamping the passport and handing over a receipt.
Now the Burmese have really got their act together with the streamlining: just two officials collect the 500, stamp the passport in and out, and you can even have the option of overnighting in Tachilek.
I couldn't take advantage of this welcome hospitality because I was on a day-long mini-bus run from Chiangmai and back again the same day. For 550 baht I booked a place on the 14-seat van with maybe half a dozen other farang from England, Holland, Australia, and the U.S. The service picks you up at your hotel at around 7.00 a.m., departs Chiangmai at 8.00 for the four hour trip through Chiangrai to Mae Sai, and returns you to your hotel at about 5.00 p.m.
In Mae Sai we had just an hour to stamp out of Thailand, stamp into Myanmar, and stamp back into Thailand. I expected, and received, an additional 30 days. But there were other people on my run who received only 15 days for any number of reasons.
The word in the expat community lately is the Thais are cracking down on people who do the visa run too often. They are tightening visa requirements for some people while trying to ensure that long-staying farang aren't doing so as a tourist--because that would be illegal.
But I hear the Thais are also tightening up on the non-immigrant type visa requirements. More than ever, the Thai government seems to prefer farang who have bigger money--one or two million baht--to invest in a Thai business before they will approve one of the more coveted visas.
The next best option is to marry and have children with a Thai.
Friday, June 27, 2014
World Cup Fever
From his sister's home in Germany, Stefan will be able to watch the Fifa World Cup final group G match between powerful Germany versus up and coming United States as both teams would appear to make it to the next round of 16.
In their first group match, the U.S. beat Ghana in a vengeance match as payback for the latter's rousting of the Americans at the 2010 event in South Africa, and the Americans came very close to besting Cristiano Ronaldo's Portugal side last Monday (Tuesday morning at 5.00 a.m. Thai time).
I was able to watch most of that match while readying myself for a visa run to the Thai-Burmese border. The American side at first were unable to answer the early goal by Portugal's Nani as the match broke for halftime. But American midfielder Jermaine Jones evened things up with a goal in the 64th minute.
In the 84th minute, forward Clint Dempsey put the U.S. ahead with a beautiful goal that had me screaming at my TV at 6.40 a.m. I thought, all you guys have to do is hold on for this victory!
Unfortunately, I was screaming again 11 minutes later when, in the 90th minute plus 5 minutes injury time, Silvester Varela evened the score 2-2, barely a minute before the referee whistled the match to a close. It was quite a disappointing end to a match that featured a very strong American team.
There have been surprises galore in this year's World Cup finals as some of the "beautiful game's" biggest contenders have been eliminated from the tournament, including former world champions Spain, Italy's famed Azzuri, and now Portugal as well.
Poor England, a perpetual also-ran since it won the World Cup final it hosted in 1966, was shut out of the final 16 with a miserable draw and two losses in group D.
Meanwhile, some of the "minnows" of the sport have delivered major happiness to their supporters with their stunning upsets and ferociously determined play. These teams include Costa Rica at the top of group D, Chile second in group B, Algeria also in second in group H, and Greece in second in group C.
Colombian fans are thrilled to see their team topping group C with their best World Cup performance in history.
And Uruguay surprised some with their second place in group D as they eliminated Italy in their final group match. Unfortunately the celebration was marred by Luis Suarez's biting of Giorgio Chiellini's left shoulder. It was the third biting incident in Suarez's checkered career, and Fifa has banned him for four months which means he will miss Uruguay's next nine games.
All this--the thrilling matches, the heartbreak, the controversy--is personally reminiscent of the
2010 World Cup which I was able to watch during my seven week tour of Central America in June and July of that year.
And I am reminded also of my experience in 1994 when the United States hosted the World Cup for the first time.
At that time I was living and working in Bangkok, and often I would stay up late--at times until 3.00 or 5.00 a.m.--and go out to watch the matches at the Malaysia Hotel, near my room in the Soi Ngam Dupli neighborhood.
I discovered then that I enjoy watching this level of "soccer" play, even though I was never a huge sports fan. There is something really compelling about the World Cup. It's similar to the excitement generated by the Olympics, but I think it's more exciting than the Olympics, and I'm not sure I can explain why.
In 1994 I was proud, too, to see the U.S. make such a good international impression with its outstanding hosting of the event. That year, the world famous Brazilians came out on top against Roberto Baggio's Italy in an overtime penalty shootout.
This year, the Brazilians are the hosts and they are also the favorites to win their sixth World Cup.
I'm just thrilled to see the U.S. make the top 16 with Germany in their group G. Can the Americans advance to the next round?
In their first group match, the U.S. beat Ghana in a vengeance match as payback for the latter's rousting of the Americans at the 2010 event in South Africa, and the Americans came very close to besting Cristiano Ronaldo's Portugal side last Monday (Tuesday morning at 5.00 a.m. Thai time).
I was able to watch most of that match while readying myself for a visa run to the Thai-Burmese border. The American side at first were unable to answer the early goal by Portugal's Nani as the match broke for halftime. But American midfielder Jermaine Jones evened things up with a goal in the 64th minute.
In the 84th minute, forward Clint Dempsey put the U.S. ahead with a beautiful goal that had me screaming at my TV at 6.40 a.m. I thought, all you guys have to do is hold on for this victory!
Unfortunately, I was screaming again 11 minutes later when, in the 90th minute plus 5 minutes injury time, Silvester Varela evened the score 2-2, barely a minute before the referee whistled the match to a close. It was quite a disappointing end to a match that featured a very strong American team.
There have been surprises galore in this year's World Cup finals as some of the "beautiful game's" biggest contenders have been eliminated from the tournament, including former world champions Spain, Italy's famed Azzuri, and now Portugal as well.
Poor England, a perpetual also-ran since it won the World Cup final it hosted in 1966, was shut out of the final 16 with a miserable draw and two losses in group D.
Meanwhile, some of the "minnows" of the sport have delivered major happiness to their supporters with their stunning upsets and ferociously determined play. These teams include Costa Rica at the top of group D, Chile second in group B, Algeria also in second in group H, and Greece in second in group C.
Colombian fans are thrilled to see their team topping group C with their best World Cup performance in history.
And Uruguay surprised some with their second place in group D as they eliminated Italy in their final group match. Unfortunately the celebration was marred by Luis Suarez's biting of Giorgio Chiellini's left shoulder. It was the third biting incident in Suarez's checkered career, and Fifa has banned him for four months which means he will miss Uruguay's next nine games.
All this--the thrilling matches, the heartbreak, the controversy--is personally reminiscent of the
2010 World Cup which I was able to watch during my seven week tour of Central America in June and July of that year.
And I am reminded also of my experience in 1994 when the United States hosted the World Cup for the first time.
At that time I was living and working in Bangkok, and often I would stay up late--at times until 3.00 or 5.00 a.m.--and go out to watch the matches at the Malaysia Hotel, near my room in the Soi Ngam Dupli neighborhood.
I discovered then that I enjoy watching this level of "soccer" play, even though I was never a huge sports fan. There is something really compelling about the World Cup. It's similar to the excitement generated by the Olympics, but I think it's more exciting than the Olympics, and I'm not sure I can explain why.
In 1994 I was proud, too, to see the U.S. make such a good international impression with its outstanding hosting of the event. That year, the world famous Brazilians came out on top against Roberto Baggio's Italy in an overtime penalty shootout.
This year, the Brazilians are the hosts and they are also the favorites to win their sixth World Cup.
I'm just thrilled to see the U.S. make the top 16 with Germany in their group G. Can the Americans advance to the next round?
Miriram and Her Violin
Pik and Stefan have raised their kids to study some music. Peppo and Miriam both have some experience with the violin and Tara has become quite accomplished on the piano. Her parents invested an enormous sum of money for a very good second hand Yamaha upright.
Most of the kids and Pik can play some guitar and there are two decent ones at hand.
Miriam has a suitable full size violin, but her bow is in terrible condition.
It's a cheap wooden stick with long-worn out hair, and I tell Pik it would be better to buy a new one since it would be cheaper than a rehair unless she can find someone who works with the saw duang or saw u (Thai fiddles) who can probably rehair a conventional bow for cheap.
I considered buying Miriam a replacement bow but the problem is she's never really had a steady teacher so she remains rather unmotivated. Occasionally she will tool around with the instrument, reading from Suzuki book 1 and other materials (all the kids can read music).
I've identified a couple key areas which might help Miriam if she wants to spend half an hour with me. I leave it up to her.
Meanwhile, the family is readying for the big trip to Germany. It's Stefan's first trip "home" in six years, and it's Tara's second trip to Germany. She will stay with Stefan's sister and mother and attend school for one year.
This is Miriam's first trip abroad. (Casper made his first trip to Germany with Tara and Stefan six years ago.) She really doesn't want to go.
"She complains almost daily about having to do this, " Stefan says. "She doesn't want to miss any school here with her friends. But I tell her it will be good for her to see something different (apart from Thailand), and anyway it's only for two weeks."
Stefan himself is ambivalent about the trip. In his 20 years in Thailand, this will be only his second trip to the country of his birth. He knows from experience that that makes him an oddity there.
"I'm not even sure how to talk to people there; here I never speak German, only English or Thai all the time. When I go home it takes a real effort for me to process what people are saying and asking me, and it's a headache for me to make sure I reply in proper German."
Three hours before Stefan and the girls are due to depart for Chiangmai Airport, Miriam finally takes me up on my offer. I use the A part of Khang Khao Kin Kluay (Bats Eating Bananas), an old Thai favorite, to help her with first finger anchoring, standing up straight, and learning from "listen and play" since she's fallen into the trap of only using notated music whenever she plays.
By the end of the half hour she is drilling one of the tricky bits. "This is what she needs to do, " I remark to Stefan.
"She's never worked like that before, " he says.
"Really she needs a teacher, " I say, and we agree that I shouldn't invest any money into a new bow until it becomes clear that she might want to continue with it.
"I would really like for her to do this, but she's at an age where it has to come from her, otherwise it's as if I'm forcing her, " he says.
Most of the kids and Pik can play some guitar and there are two decent ones at hand.
Miriam has a suitable full size violin, but her bow is in terrible condition.
It's a cheap wooden stick with long-worn out hair, and I tell Pik it would be better to buy a new one since it would be cheaper than a rehair unless she can find someone who works with the saw duang or saw u (Thai fiddles) who can probably rehair a conventional bow for cheap.
I considered buying Miriam a replacement bow but the problem is she's never really had a steady teacher so she remains rather unmotivated. Occasionally she will tool around with the instrument, reading from Suzuki book 1 and other materials (all the kids can read music).
I've identified a couple key areas which might help Miriam if she wants to spend half an hour with me. I leave it up to her.
Meanwhile, the family is readying for the big trip to Germany. It's Stefan's first trip "home" in six years, and it's Tara's second trip to Germany. She will stay with Stefan's sister and mother and attend school for one year.
This is Miriam's first trip abroad. (Casper made his first trip to Germany with Tara and Stefan six years ago.) She really doesn't want to go.
"She complains almost daily about having to do this, " Stefan says. "She doesn't want to miss any school here with her friends. But I tell her it will be good for her to see something different (apart from Thailand), and anyway it's only for two weeks."
Stefan himself is ambivalent about the trip. In his 20 years in Thailand, this will be only his second trip to the country of his birth. He knows from experience that that makes him an oddity there.
"I'm not even sure how to talk to people there; here I never speak German, only English or Thai all the time. When I go home it takes a real effort for me to process what people are saying and asking me, and it's a headache for me to make sure I reply in proper German."
Three hours before Stefan and the girls are due to depart for Chiangmai Airport, Miriam finally takes me up on my offer. I use the A part of Khang Khao Kin Kluay (Bats Eating Bananas), an old Thai favorite, to help her with first finger anchoring, standing up straight, and learning from "listen and play" since she's fallen into the trap of only using notated music whenever she plays.
By the end of the half hour she is drilling one of the tricky bits. "This is what she needs to do, " I remark to Stefan.
"She's never worked like that before, " he says.
"Really she needs a teacher, " I say, and we agree that I shouldn't invest any money into a new bow until it becomes clear that she might want to continue with it.
"I would really like for her to do this, but she's at an age where it has to come from her, otherwise it's as if I'm forcing her, " he says.
Thursday, June 19, 2014
Thailand Story
From about 1985-1989, when I lived in
New York, I spent most of my springs and summers hanging out in the
international busking scene in Europe. From Paris and Zurich, I
would join various bands forming up to play the summer season on the
circuit. The money was actually quite good back then--good
enough to fly to London or Paris 2-3 times a year.
One of my friends, a Dutch one-man band named Thomas van Nes, had relocated to Chiangmai and fallen in love with Thailand and with a young Thai woman. He later married her and they had two sons, now grown.
The band I was playing with at the time, the Rhythm Pygmies, bumped into Thomas in Switzerland during the summer of '89, and he urged us to pay him a visit. The four of us in the band--me, my running buddy Marc from New York on guitar; Gilles,a Canadian bassist; and Christian, a French-Spanish gypsy singer/guitarist; took Thomas up on his invitation just a few days before the Berlin Wall fell in November of '89.
One thing led to another and we started getting gigs in Chiangmai, so we decided to stay indefinitely, or at least for the winter. In the end, the Rhythm Pygmies celebrated its swan song with a lengthy run in Bangkok's Brown Sugar jazz club in May of 1990, and then we split up more or less permanently with Marc and me staying in Thailand while Gilles and Christian returned to Europe.
Marc and I found ourselves hooked on the Thai people, the food, the culture, and the ease of getting paid gigs in Chiangmai. Marc later married a Thai citizen, Pik, and eventually they had a daughter, Peppo.
One of my friends, a Dutch one-man band named Thomas van Nes, had relocated to Chiangmai and fallen in love with Thailand and with a young Thai woman. He later married her and they had two sons, now grown.
The band I was playing with at the time, the Rhythm Pygmies, bumped into Thomas in Switzerland during the summer of '89, and he urged us to pay him a visit. The four of us in the band--me, my running buddy Marc from New York on guitar; Gilles,a Canadian bassist; and Christian, a French-Spanish gypsy singer/guitarist; took Thomas up on his invitation just a few days before the Berlin Wall fell in November of '89.
One thing led to another and we started getting gigs in Chiangmai, so we decided to stay indefinitely, or at least for the winter. In the end, the Rhythm Pygmies celebrated its swan song with a lengthy run in Bangkok's Brown Sugar jazz club in May of 1990, and then we split up more or less permanently with Marc and me staying in Thailand while Gilles and Christian returned to Europe.
Marc and I found ourselves hooked on the Thai people, the food, the culture, and the ease of getting paid gigs in Chiangmai. Marc later married a Thai citizen, Pik, and eventually they had a daughter, Peppo.
Long story short, Marc and I
eventually went our separate ways and I joined a Thai country band,
Banjoman and Friends, whose members were mostly from Phrae province.
We enjoyed a very well-paid run at Chiangmai's Mae Ping Hotel, and
this led to other gigs including private engagements in Thailand's
"Hi-So" scene: Army and police generals (including a
former prime minister and leader of the 1991 coup that ousted
Chatichai Choonhaven), aristocracy including the King and Queen, and
other various and assorted rich and powerful figures.
This experience--roughly from 1992
through 1998--culminated with several Banjoman recording sessions and CDs and
at least one appearance that I recall on national television. So I was
fortunate enough to be hooked up with Thai musicians who were sort of
C- or D-list famous. But these led to other gigs for me with a
few A-list people including Ad Carabao and Nga Caravan.
Perhaps most importantly, all this was happening as Thailand was in the midst of an economic boom which ended only with the so-called Asian currency crisis in July 1997. In other words, Thailand in the mid-'90s was the right place and the right time for me.
Along the way I also met a Thai woman, and we ended up together for about three years--no children--and it was from her that I learned the bulk of my Thai language skills. Meanwhile, my colleagues in the Banjoman group were the ones who introduced me to phlaeng luk-thung and Thai classical music. Banjoman ultimately disbanded in '98 but since then there have been many imitators in Chiangmai and Bangkok--indeed, probably in every major city in Thailand.
Perhaps most importantly, all this was happening as Thailand was in the midst of an economic boom which ended only with the so-called Asian currency crisis in July 1997. In other words, Thailand in the mid-'90s was the right place and the right time for me.
Along the way I also met a Thai woman, and we ended up together for about three years--no children--and it was from her that I learned the bulk of my Thai language skills. Meanwhile, my colleagues in the Banjoman group were the ones who introduced me to phlaeng luk-thung and Thai classical music. Banjoman ultimately disbanded in '98 but since then there have been many imitators in Chiangmai and Bangkok--indeed, probably in every major city in Thailand.
Saturday, June 14, 2014
Junta Ends Curfew Just As Niece Arrives for a Visit
Bangkok's military rulers earlier this week eased curfew restrictions in several provinces, including Mae Hong Son, but left the midnight-4 a.m. restriction in the capital, in Chiangmai, and several other areas.
However, in a surprise move, the junta finally scrapped the curfew in all remaining areas effective last night (Friday June 13).
The move comes just in time for the second day of Fifa's World Cup in Brazil. Thais are pretty crazy for football and will watch as many broadcast matches as possible, but many of the live broadcasts will be late at night. Last night there were three matches at 10 p.m., 1 a.m., and 4 a.m.
Businesses with big screen HD and plenty of food and drink are expected, as usual, to cash in on the biggest sports event in the world apart from the Olympics.
While the curfew hasn't really cramped my own earlier-to-bed-at-this-age lifestyle, most Thais and farang are sure to welcome the news. This morning I overheard some Thais talking about how they'd gone out partying in the wee hours. In fact, they were only just returning home, at 10.30 a.m., to get some sleep.
Meanwhile, I had just slept through the entire canceled curfew following a somewhat difficult motorbike journey yesterday from Pai to Chiangmai. While I made excellent time in the first hour of my trip, once I passed the provincial border, I started getting hit by intermittent rain. In fact, the rain forced me to stop half a dozen times in the last 80 km (50 miles) of the trip. It took me about five hours to cover the entire 80 mile journey.
So I was fairly pleased to be back in Chiangmai today, and thrilled to find out that my Thai "niece" Pepo, daughter of my friend Marc, has arrived for a three-day weekend with her family. Pepo looks great and seems very happy and content with life. She was bubbling with enthusiasm about things in general, and she filled me a bit about her PR job with the Bangkok film company.
Her entry level salary is okay, but she also gets paid for overtime. The catch, however, is that she has to put in a lot of overtime. In fact, it seems as if she's expected to put in 16 hour days--everyday.
On the bright side her weekends are free, and she has friends to hang out with as she begins to settle into the work life routine.
This morning I ate northern style food (with sticky rice) with Pepo and her sister Miriam. This kind of food isn't for everybody (for many farang it involves acquiring a taste), but for northern Thais it is an integral part of their culture and home life.
I asked Pepo if she misses northern food in Bangkok. "For sure!" she said, adding that she's far too busy with work to seek out the cuisine in the capital.
However, in a surprise move, the junta finally scrapped the curfew in all remaining areas effective last night (Friday June 13).
The move comes just in time for the second day of Fifa's World Cup in Brazil. Thais are pretty crazy for football and will watch as many broadcast matches as possible, but many of the live broadcasts will be late at night. Last night there were three matches at 10 p.m., 1 a.m., and 4 a.m.
Businesses with big screen HD and plenty of food and drink are expected, as usual, to cash in on the biggest sports event in the world apart from the Olympics.
While the curfew hasn't really cramped my own earlier-to-bed-at-this-age lifestyle, most Thais and farang are sure to welcome the news. This morning I overheard some Thais talking about how they'd gone out partying in the wee hours. In fact, they were only just returning home, at 10.30 a.m., to get some sleep.
Meanwhile, I had just slept through the entire canceled curfew following a somewhat difficult motorbike journey yesterday from Pai to Chiangmai. While I made excellent time in the first hour of my trip, once I passed the provincial border, I started getting hit by intermittent rain. In fact, the rain forced me to stop half a dozen times in the last 80 km (50 miles) of the trip. It took me about five hours to cover the entire 80 mile journey.
So I was fairly pleased to be back in Chiangmai today, and thrilled to find out that my Thai "niece" Pepo, daughter of my friend Marc, has arrived for a three-day weekend with her family. Pepo looks great and seems very happy and content with life. She was bubbling with enthusiasm about things in general, and she filled me a bit about her PR job with the Bangkok film company.
Her entry level salary is okay, but she also gets paid for overtime. The catch, however, is that she has to put in a lot of overtime. In fact, it seems as if she's expected to put in 16 hour days--everyday.
On the bright side her weekends are free, and she has friends to hang out with as she begins to settle into the work life routine.
This morning I ate northern style food (with sticky rice) with Pepo and her sister Miriam. This kind of food isn't for everybody (for many farang it involves acquiring a taste), but for northern Thais it is an integral part of their culture and home life.
I asked Pepo if she misses northern food in Bangkok. "For sure!" she said, adding that she's far too busy with work to seek out the cuisine in the capital.
Wednesday, June 11, 2014
Cashing in on Pai
Stefan warned me that there has been a lot of new development in Pai, but I wasn't prepared to hear stories of prices doubling or even tripling during the high season.
Pai is the first major town on the road from Chiangmai once you've passed the border of Chiangmai and Mae Hong Son provinces.
Pai has long been a popular destination, especially with young backpackers and independent travelers, but for me it's usually been just a rest stop on the way to and from Soppong or Mae Hong Son town, the provincial capital.
I didn't have a clue where I was going to stay in a town that must have a couple hundred guesthouses, hotels, and resorts, but I knew I only wanted to spend 200-300 baht per night ($6-10). This seemed to be an easy enough mission since I'd already seen many signs offering "Rooms Starting At $300."
I was almost set to check out a place across the street from the Be Bop Bar when an older gentleman rolled up to me and my parked motorbike on his three-wheeled motorcycle and side car. We chatted for a bit, he wondering where I planned to stay, me lying at first that I'd already booked a room, so that I could get a better feel for him and his angle.
He revealed that he worked as a three-wheeled taxi driver and that he could direct me to good accommodations ("Just name your price and preferred type of room") for which he'd be able to claim a 5% commission from the owner. "I have this arrangement with many owners here in Pai," he explained. "If you like the room, I collect from them. It will cost you nothing directly."
I liked his manner, so I agreed to follow him to TaYai Guesthouse where the woman owner set me up with 200 baht room.
She and her husband are originally from Chiangmai, and they entered the guesthouse business in Pai only three years ago to escape the Bangkokization of their native city.
"The air is better here, it's nice and quiet, and there are no thieves. There are so many thieves in Chiangmai! Do you see all this stuff here?" she asked, referring to the kitschy ceramic animals and other tchotchkes decorating her very well-kept garden. "In Chiangmai, this stuff would be gone in one night."
I shared some of my story with her (used to live here for eight years, had a Thai girlfriend, how I learned Thai, played in a Thai country band) and remarked upon how affordable Thailand still is even after some of the most rapid economic development in Asia.
"Ha! Not anymore, at least not in Pai," she said. "If you visit during the high season (November through February), I would have to charge you much more than 200 baht. In fact most places here will charge at least 600 for the room you have, and that means no air conditioning.
"It's so busy here, with farang and Japanese and Chinese tourists, that most places are full. You have to reserve rooms in advance. Just the other day, someone reserved a room here six months in advance!"
This was all easy enough for me to understand: Pai is popular with a certain set (youthful, "alternative", neo-hippie, etc), there are only a certain number of rooms available, market forces dictate these prices, and so forth. And I'd (barely) come to accept that restaurant prices were about double from those of Chiangmai. But then my landlady dropped a real stunner.
"In the high season it gets so full that now they've opened up camping down by the river," she said. "One tent spot is 600 baht! Now they have hundreds of these camping spots, and still the tourists keep coming, Thai tourists, too. Everybody wants to come here, it seems like."
Even now, with the low season, the rainy season now in full swing, she seems to be doing okay. On the couple nights I've stayed here, she 's had at least 8-10 of her 15 or so rooms filled with farang, Thai, and other Asian customers.
Pai is the first major town on the road from Chiangmai once you've passed the border of Chiangmai and Mae Hong Son provinces.
Pai has long been a popular destination, especially with young backpackers and independent travelers, but for me it's usually been just a rest stop on the way to and from Soppong or Mae Hong Son town, the provincial capital.
I didn't have a clue where I was going to stay in a town that must have a couple hundred guesthouses, hotels, and resorts, but I knew I only wanted to spend 200-300 baht per night ($6-10). This seemed to be an easy enough mission since I'd already seen many signs offering "Rooms Starting At $300."
I was almost set to check out a place across the street from the Be Bop Bar when an older gentleman rolled up to me and my parked motorbike on his three-wheeled motorcycle and side car. We chatted for a bit, he wondering where I planned to stay, me lying at first that I'd already booked a room, so that I could get a better feel for him and his angle.
He revealed that he worked as a three-wheeled taxi driver and that he could direct me to good accommodations ("Just name your price and preferred type of room") for which he'd be able to claim a 5% commission from the owner. "I have this arrangement with many owners here in Pai," he explained. "If you like the room, I collect from them. It will cost you nothing directly."
I liked his manner, so I agreed to follow him to TaYai Guesthouse where the woman owner set me up with 200 baht room.
She and her husband are originally from Chiangmai, and they entered the guesthouse business in Pai only three years ago to escape the Bangkokization of their native city.
"The air is better here, it's nice and quiet, and there are no thieves. There are so many thieves in Chiangmai! Do you see all this stuff here?" she asked, referring to the kitschy ceramic animals and other tchotchkes decorating her very well-kept garden. "In Chiangmai, this stuff would be gone in one night."
I shared some of my story with her (used to live here for eight years, had a Thai girlfriend, how I learned Thai, played in a Thai country band) and remarked upon how affordable Thailand still is even after some of the most rapid economic development in Asia.
"Ha! Not anymore, at least not in Pai," she said. "If you visit during the high season (November through February), I would have to charge you much more than 200 baht. In fact most places here will charge at least 600 for the room you have, and that means no air conditioning.
"It's so busy here, with farang and Japanese and Chinese tourists, that most places are full. You have to reserve rooms in advance. Just the other day, someone reserved a room here six months in advance!"
This was all easy enough for me to understand: Pai is popular with a certain set (youthful, "alternative", neo-hippie, etc), there are only a certain number of rooms available, market forces dictate these prices, and so forth. And I'd (barely) come to accept that restaurant prices were about double from those of Chiangmai. But then my landlady dropped a real stunner.
"In the high season it gets so full that now they've opened up camping down by the river," she said. "One tent spot is 600 baht! Now they have hundreds of these camping spots, and still the tourists keep coming, Thai tourists, too. Everybody wants to come here, it seems like."
Even now, with the low season, the rainy season now in full swing, she seems to be doing okay. On the couple nights I've stayed here, she 's had at least 8-10 of her 15 or so rooms filled with farang, Thai, and other Asian customers.
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