We are all that we have met.

Thailand truly has everything; from festivals of all kinds rejoicing food, culture, dance, phases of the moon, and music, as well as beautiful beaches and exotic temples, fashion week, little rural towns, magnificent cultural theatres, fabulous shopping sprees, big cities and crazy drivers, to “shows” that promiscuously exhibit young and old women, prostitution, wild parties and bars that come alive in the darkness, and shady karaoke bars lit up like Mexican Restaurants. Since I’ve been in Thailand, I’ve noticed how much the ambiance alters as the sky turns dim. In the daylight, one can see the gold and red glitz of meticulously constructed temples (there are so many around Thailand because one can gain merit by contributing to the construction of a temple). One can also visit a crowded market that vends saccharine Thai desserts of all colors, attend a Buddhist festival celebrating the vegetarianism, or explore one of the most lavish and affluent shopping malls in Thailand that showcase labels like Gucci and Prada: Central World or Siam Paragon. Then under the stars, one can hear music in the distance from karaoke bars and night clubs that host lady boys and and range of other people wanting to have an amusing time. I obviously don’t partake in half of it nor do I believe it in, but I can’t help but appreciate it because it’s a unique addition of multiplicity to life in Thailand. Everyday here is new and exciting, even if it entails me going to class and training for Muay Thai; I’m always meeting new locals, trying a different, delicious Thai dish or discovering one I’ve been hankering for (like Falafels!) somewhere close by, while attaining a new level of awareness, gratitude, and fitness. The images above illustrates one of my friends lighting our little krathong during the Loy Krathong festival and the second is of my Muay Thai teacher, Yod, demonstrating a fierce jump-knee to the chin!

The customs and traditions here aren’t always understandable to me but in most cases, it’s because they’re so different. For instance, a lady named Boi, who is a hairdresser at a salon called “So Cute” across from Rangsit, has an extracurricular activity to “gain merit.” My comprehension of reaping merit in Buddhism is achieved by doing gracious things for others, accumulating good karma and therefore earning a spot in “heaven.” Boi racks up her merit by sitting and waiting on the streets of Bangkok (areas that experience a lot of crashes and pedestrian injuries or deaths) and cleans up bodies or body parts after a car accident (because somebody’s got to do it). I don’t understand why they can’t find ways to prevent the crashes to begin with by helping people cross the road or making street signs.

Near where I live, there’s a spot lit up with neon purple and pink lights, which essentially attracted my friends and to visit it. We were hoping it was a Mexican restaurant with a menu listing nachos, salsa, and burritos, or at least French fries. We enter awkwardly to a stage with girls singing karaoke and a room blocked off by a dark tint on the windows, as well as tables and chairs. We quickly realized it was not what we thought but we proceeded to order a few snacks and drinks since we were there. Observing the activities that went on, we noticed that at least three girls would perform a short lip-sink on the stage but only some of them would receive a garland of flowers to decorate their necks by the end of the tune. Those very girls would step off the stage and step into the company of a man. Those we didn’t receive a garland went up again a few minutes later. We concluded that the garlands meant that they were purchased, for lack of a better word, by a spectator. We ate our fries and left as soon as possible. On the way out, I noticed a collections of Polaroid pictures portraiting the girls; a menu, perhaps? It was difficult to see how uncomfortable and uninterested the girls were on stage, in short and tight, velvety dresses and dominatrix boots. I’ve since learned that karaoke in Thailand is more than goons trying to sing to their preferred tunes, but it’s typically associated with prostitution.

Prostitution in Thailand first was mentioned in the West in reports as early as the 16th and 17th centuries. Since the Vietnam War, Thailand has gained international notoriety among travelers from many countries as a sex tourism destination. A polygamist tradition of “mia noi” (“minor wives”) at least amongst the wealthier elites including the Thai royalty existed until modern times and still does today. MP Thirachai Sirikhan, a Thai politician, has said that “to have a mia noi (mistress) is an individual’s right. There should be no problem as long as the politician causes no trouble to his family or society.” Consequently, visiting a prostitute or paid mistress is considered common, and many Thai women believe that prostitution actively reduces the incidence of rape. Prostitution has been technically illegal in Thailand since 1960, when a law was passed under pressure from the United Nations. However, the prohibition is seldom enforced. Instead, the government has instituted a system of monitoring sex workers in order to prevent their mistreatment and to control the spread of sexually transmitted diseases. Prostitution in Thailand exists because of several factors; the economic cause is the lack of employment opportunities for large numbers of uneducated rural women, particularly during the period of the Vietnam War when a large number of US troops passed through Thailand. Another reason is that ordinary Thais deem themselves tolerant of other people, especially those who they perceive as downtrodden. This acceptance has allowed prostitution to flourish without much of the extreme social stigma found as in other countries. Thais may view prostitution as an opportunity for a woman to meet a rich farang who could take her back to the West and give her a luxurious and comfortable life beyond that in Thailand. However, the most important reason for prostitution being a lasting industry in Thailand is that many Thai men of all levels of society, especially government officials, actively protect and promote the sex industry, the latter through entertainment-related media and activities such as massage parlors, pool bars, and karaoke bars.

The good news is that Thailand has made progress on decreasing AIDs/HIV rates within the country. The photo above shows me at Cabbages and Condoms Restaurant in Bangkok. The restaurant is owned by Thailand’s Population and Community Development Association, a nonprofit founded in the ’70s to promote family planning.  The group’s leader, Mechai Viravaida, took to the nation’s streets and airwaves to talk about safe sex and the importance of wearing condoms. To fight taboos against discussing the subject, he often used the playful tone that’s evident at Cabbages & Condoms, for instance, taking a condom (instead of a mint) after dinner (and you can choose from republican or democratic condoms) as well as figurines made entired of condoms and birth control pills.

A few kids in my program have attended an infamous form of entertainment called the “Ping Pong Show.” It sounds fun at first because for me, I think table tennis! However, it’s nothing of that sort. Thai people, especially the taxi drivers, believe (maybe even accurately) that foreigners love these shows and there have been numerous instances where we’ve been advised to witness one. What these are essentially, are girls (mostly young) exhibiting various skills, I guess you could say, with their vaginas; from shooting fire darts to cracking up bottles with bottle-caps. I haven’t been to one myself but I can’t imagine the distress I’d experience being in the same stadium. However, I figure, it’s probably better to be out there than in bed with 20 different men carrying possibly 10 different diseases every day and night.

Until next…

Since I’ve called my experience here a “study abroad” trip, I figure I’d finally share a bit about my university life in between the numerous weekend jaunts. What I love about Rangsit University International College is that it gives me the opportunity I thought I’d never have to share a classroom with other students from places (some of which I had never heard of before) like Nauru Island and Bhutan, but also Nepal, China, Burma, Sweden, Finland, Denmark, Germany, and Thailand, of course. Most of the IC students I’ve met have an interest in gaining a more worldly perspective by meeting people from all over the globe. Rangsit also has a swimming pool, a can tine that’s surprisingly cheap, a weight room, a shrine, and a large gym with table tennis, volleyball, and basketball. The school sets up a market every Thursdays that vends clothing, costume jewelry, makeup, shoes, electronics, food, and even manicures. When I workout in the evenings, I share the track and field with student soccer players, cheerleaders (apparently Rangsit’s Cheerleading team is an infamous and spunky collection of cheerleading champions), random children, stray dogs, Thai drummers, and the track team. There’s always so much going on here.

I am taking five classes; three involving Thai culture and history, as well as two others specifically for my major (Social Sciences & Organizations); Cross Cultural Management and Organization Development. Although Rangsit offers programs of an “international standard,” the class difficulty level is much lower than at Cal Poly (I’m certainly not complaining, as most of the teachers understand that a top priority for most students is to travel and truly absorb more outside the classroom). Classes are relatively small, from 10 to 25 sundry students. I really enjoy Thai language because it’s challenging and we have an abundance of opportunity to practice even if we don’t want to. I also look forward to Organization Development because it’s an independent study and for an hour or two every Tuesday, I just converse with the professor, Dr. Paul, about current events and how it may tie into the class plus any questions I may have. I couldn’t help but ask him what the deal was with the Lady boys and how they are perceived by “Thai society” (the photo to the left is of a lady boy/potential-prostitute and I in Patong, Phuket Island). Like I said before, they are categorized as a completely separate gender from male and female but according to my one, straight-forward resource thus far, the Thai people sympathetically tolerate them more so than accept them. They believe that because of bad karma in a previous lifetime, they were reborn as such. Dr. Paul said there was “a really good one” here at Rangsit who got recruited by an American model agency…we shared a laugh or two because of it. He/she was lucky though because I’ve seen many Lady boys who end up as go-go dancers at overly-touristy beaches or even worse, prostitutes.

The three colors of the Thai flag, red-white-blue stand for nation-religion-king, an unofficial motto of Thailand. I witness evidence of all everyday, some more than others, but nevertheless it’s present in Thai routine, customs, and tradition. At 8am each morning and 6pm each evening, speakers scattered throughout the city blast the national anthem and everyone stops what they’re doing to stand and give respects. It seems that so many Thais have a united devotion and love for the King, whose symbol sits boldly at the center of the flag. However, from what I’ve learned about the current political situation in Thailand right now, its reputation of harmony through unity hasn’t been too well affirmed. The southern provinces of Thailand, bordering Malaysia (a predominantly Muslim country) has been the arena of pro-autonomy activity because of its distinctive religious, ethnic, cultural, and historical traits for more than a century. Thai authorities have attempted to suppress and assimilate those differences by changing administration over Islamic education and practices as well as indifference toward the local economy, standard of living, the rule of law and justice. This has resulted in an ambiance of resentment and alienation among the ethnic Malay Muslim population and has therefore provided the context for resistance and insurgency. The only two things the southern provinces are lacking to be an independent nation are a central government of its own and a standing army (small, seemingly insignificant things, really). It’s a 100-year battle between southern Muslim Thailand vs. the central government of Thailand in the fight to gain independence or fabricate a status of accord.

Everyone knows that the riots still continue to plague the news and keep tourists away from the land of the Thai, but not very many people understand why. There are issues with Cambodia, a former French colony because in 1962, the International Court of Justice in The Hague ruled that Preah Vihear Temple, built in the 9^th century, belonged to Cambodia despite its location on Thai territory. Thai nationalists fear that the temple’s new title will weaken Thailand’s hand (UNESCO has claimed that its decision has no sway on overlapping land issues). In July, Thailand’s Constitutional Court ruled that the government was wrong when it signed a joint communiqué with Cambodia on the issue without consulting parliament and therefore, Foreign Minister Noppadon Pattama resigned. It is alleged that Thaksin, the past Prime Minister who protesters forced into ostracism, cut business deals in Cambodia during this time. For decades, Preah Vihear was off the map but the rocketing tourism of Angkor Wat, the temple that symbolizes Cambodia’s ancient glories and which I hope to visit next week, has inspired the country to repeat the process with Preah Vihear. For now though, Thailand is doing what it can to prevent a “loss of face” to Cambodia.

Many people have asked me why I chose Thailand out of all places besides the fact that it’s real cheap living here. I had a mysterious obsession with Thailand since I learned about the statistics, politics, and development of Southeast Asian countries in my Sociology classes at Cal Poly. Thailand always struck me because not only is it copious in culture, art, and smiles, but it’s #1 in reducing poverty in relation to GDP as well as HIV/AIDs rates. Since I’ve been here, I’ve realized that those precise statistics are generally impressive on paper. Dr. Paul, an economist, explained to me how simply increasing the amount of government spending (investing in large projects like the brand new Suvanaphumi International Airport) and consumerism automatically boosts GDP. That growth steers the assumption of a poverty decline, however, the same amount of beggars, if not more, still meander the streets. Today, my adoration for Thailand has intensified but for different reasons than the ones I held before, reasons which I’ll attempt to further explain in my blog posts to come…

I started off my passed weekend on Friday at a Buddhist temple called Wat Phra Dhammakaya. I witnessed the casting of a renowned monk, Phramongkolthepmuni (Sodh Candasaro), who dedicated his life to rediscovering the wisdom of Dhammakaya, the practice of bringing the mind to a standstill at the centre of the body to attain Dhamrnakaya. One ton of solid gold was melted down to swathe a remarkable clay model sculpted by a master monk at Dhammakaya. The stadium was filled with thousands of people clad in white. Some were unexpectedly welcoming and appreciative of our presence and interest in such an event and it turned out to be an interesting religious experience.

I ran my first soft core 6km marathon in Bangkok on Saturday night. It was the 11th Annual Amari Watergate Hotel and BMW Thailand Charity Midnight Run. Proceeds and registration fees went to a school for children who’s parents have passed away from HIV/AIDs. People from all over the world were there, including the National Running team of Thailand. Bryan, a student and teacher at Rangsit who we went with, won 2nd place, which is immensely impressive considering there were almost 4,000 other people running behind him. Some people were dressed up in droll yet ridiculous costumes which appeared to be impossible to run in (yet each character held their own in the race and pulled passed the finish line eventually). It was a lot of fun and I hope to attend more of these marathons/runs like the Turkey Trot, especially when I return to the States.

I’ve been training Muay Thai boxing for the last four weeks and it helped considerably to outlast the Midnight 6km run. Thai Boxing is a form of hard martial art practiced in several Southeast Asian countries and it has a long history in Thailand, where it’s the national sport. Muay Thai is referred to as “The Art of the Eight Limbs”, as the hands, shins, elbows, and knees are all used extensively in this art; a practitioner of Muay Thai has the ability to execute strikes using eight “points of contact” (as opposed to “two points,” the fists, in Western boxing and “four points,” fists and feet, used in the primarily sport-oriented forms of martial arts). Today, the honor of Muay Thai fighting is somewhat tainted; people are sometimes paid off easily to lose and the sport itself has become quite commercialized. Eight other students and I are being trained by a Thai fighter with 12 years of experience in his punch. We train from 6-8am from Monday to Friday and sometimes from 5-7pm. It is an extreme but exhilarating workout and we get VIP seats to fights, which foreigners would pay USD$30+ per show. It’s a three month program which would eventually earn us certification in Thai Boxing for a monthly cost (of course). I figured it be more worth it to learn such an art in the country it originated in the most authentic way possible. We went to a fight this passed weekend with our trainer and it was thrilling! We were there for almost three hours watching a few fights; each fight is composed of five three-minute rounds and two-minute breaks in between. We saw kids fighting who looked 15 but were probably 20 or 21 years old (most Thais are blessed with a youthful appearance way below their actual age), to champions with 10 years of experience who could’ve been 30 years old. The fighters enter the ring and do a dance (called Wai Khru) for a few minutes to honor their trainers/masters; I found myself rooting for those who danced thoroughly and gracefully (fly like a butterfly and then later sting like a bee). The photo to the right shows a few of the younger fighters performing part of the ritualistic dance. After learning a few techniques, it was interesting to see it implemented in the ring (as well as the damage it could do). We also have the opportunity to fight in a match in December if our trainer agrees that any one of us is ready. I can’t imagine myself being at that level in two months since there’s so many basics left to learn but I look forward to seeing what happens all the same…

Peace

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prasat_Preah_Vihear#Ancient_history
http://www.csmonitor.com/2008/0722/p06s02-wosc.html

http://www.hrw.org/reports/2007/thailand0807/3.htm